Category Archives: Green Building

How to Make Your Home More Sustainable: 14 Effective Ways

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Traditional houses were not built with the environment in mind. Most houses require a lot of energy for heating during cold seasons and cooling during hot seasons. A big percentage of houses are not oriented according to the direction of sunlight and wind to achieve better lighting and cooling. As the population continues to increase exponentially, some cities have started to experience the power and water shortage. This problem has led to frequent power and water rationing, especially during dry seasons. It is important for homeowners to renovate their houses so that they can reduce water and electricity consumption. Improve … Continue reading →

ﻤﺒﺎدئ اﻻﺴﺘداﻤﺔ ﻓﻲ اﻟﻌﻤﺎرة اﻟﺘﻘﻠﻴدﻴﺔ اﻹﺴﻼﻤية

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تشتمل تعاليم الدين الإسلامي على الكثير من مبادئ الاستدامة التي تداخلت مع التنظيم الإجتماعي والسلوك الإنساني للمجتمع والتي انعكست على النتاج العمراني، والعلم الحديث قادرعلى تطوير قدرات الانسان من أجل استغلال المصادر الطبيعية بشكل يفوق ما حققته العمارة التقليدية، بيد أن ذلك يتطلب تطبيقا منهجيا للعلم ومقارنة شاملة بين الإنشاءات الحديثة والتقليدية، وإحياء المبادئ التي اعتمدت عليها الحلول التقليدية. بغير هذه الطريقة لا يمكن للعمارة الحديثة أن تتفوق بإنجازاتها الإنسانية والبيئية على ما قد أنجزته العمارة التقليدية، حيث أن الوسائل والأفكار المعمارية التقليدية قد تفقد أهميتها مقابل الراحة والسهولة اللتين توفرهما الحلول الميكانيكية، لكنها تسببت بالإستعمال غير المحدود للآلة والذي … Continue reading →

Sustainability Principles in Traditional Islamic Architecture

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Islam came with many sustainability and environmental conservation principles, which appeared in all aspects of the Islamic society. This green vision of Islam is also reflected in the city planning and traditional architecture. Infact, Islamic cities were shaped by Islamic beliefs on environmental conservation and sustainability. The traditional house adopted in Islamic architecture respects the environment in more ways than one: first by minimizing the impact of harsh natural environment conditions such as hot climate, relative humidity and solar radiation intensity, second by maximizing the potential possibilities of these conditions to achieve the thermal comfort of inhabitants and utilizing the … Continue reading →

Home Automation Technologies for Building a Smart Home

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Before homeowners knew how connected smart homes would start working successfully, the prototypes shown seemed complicated and far-fetched. Thankfully, building a futuristic smart home in the modern day isn’t as overwhelming or intimidating as it seemed in the yesteryears. It is important that you pick and choose features that match your needs and your budget. This, therefore, means that you do not have to view the project as an all-or-nothing situation. Here is a rundown of some of the most futuristic solutions you could implement in your dream home today. 1. Voice-Controlled Smart Speaker All smart speakers are powered by … Continue reading →

نظم تقييم المباني الخضراء في الشرق الأوسط

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الأبنية الخضراء لا تساهم فقط في بيئة أفضل وطرق بناء مستدامه، ولكنها تجلب ايضا الكثير من المنافع والفوائد لمالكي المباني ومستخدميها. فتكلفة الانشاء أقل، وتكلفة التشغيل أقل، وسبل الراحه أكثر، والبيئة الداخلية أكثر صحة، والعمر الأفتراضي أطول وتكاليف الصيانة أقل في المبنى الأخضر. توجد العديد من النظم لتقدير وتقييم المباني الخضراء حول العالم، مثل LEED  و BREEAM . فالاستدامة الان تعد هامة جدا في منطقة الشرق الأوسط ودول مثل قطر والامارات لديهم انظمتهم الخاصة بهم لتقييم المباني لتشمل السمات الاجتماعية والبيئية والاقتصادية والثقافية في العمارة الحديثة نظام تقييم الاستدامة الشامل (قطر) ان نظام تقييم الاستدامة الشامل (GSAS) المعروف رسميا باسم … Continue reading →

Eco-Friendly Design Trends To Create A Sustainable Home

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48% of consumers are ready to change their shopping and lifestyle habits to save the environment. As more and more people begin to prioritize sustainable living, interior design trends are evolving to meet this increasing demand. Using eco-friendly materials, replacing old appliances, and incorporating a minimalist aesthetic are some key ways you can be conscious, mindful, and eco-friendly about your home design. Use eco-friendly materials Eco-friendly design materials can help create a stylish, sustainable home that minimizes your carbon footprint. Recycled metal, for example, is typically used to create eco-friendly furniture, lighting fixtures, and art sculptures. Steel, in particular, can be used to establish … Continue reading →

Solar Panels for Commercial Buildings: 5 Things to Consider

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Society and technology have truly come a long way. From fixed fires in the hearth to gas and electric lighting, it makes sense to want to upgrade your business with a commercial solar energy system. However, like with any early adoption, it pays to conduct a thorough evaluation. In fact, it’s likely the only way to determine the best process to incorporate solar technology with your commercial building. 1. Solar Technology When considering a solar energy system, it’s important to differentiate between solar technologies and solar power systems. Solar technology has two dominating categories — solar thermal power (CSP) and … Continue reading →

The Impact of Urban Heat Island Effect on Sustainability

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Urban Heat Island (UHI) Effect arises due to absorption of incident radiation from the sun by built surfaces of tall buildings, roof, concrete structures and asphalt roads and then releasing it in the form of heat. The term “urban heat island” describes the built-up areas that are significantly hotter than the surrounding open, natural or rural areas. It occurs on the surface and in the atmosphere. The built surfaces are made of high-percentage of non-reflective and water-resistant construction materials. These materials act as heat sinks that absorb the radiated heat and store it for long time. The Urban Heat Island … Continue reading →

Green Building Rating System in Jordan

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Building consume 21% of the primary energy and 43% of the electricity generated in Jordan, according to a recent report by the Ministry of Energy and Mineral Resources. Efforts started in 2009 to develop a rating system for buildings that will reduce the energy and water demand and provide an efficient and healthier environment. Jordan has several LEED registered buildings since 2009. One of them is LEED Silver and two are LEED Gold, and around 20 more building are registered online and are in the process of applying for LEED. The energy crisis started in Jordan in 2008 after the sharp … Continue reading →

What You Need to Know About The Top Green Building Trends

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With green building movement sweeping across the world, innovative technologies are being developed to keep pace with increasing shift towards sustainability. In this article, we will provide an overview of the top green building trends from across the world. Integration of biodegradable, recycled, recyclable and renewable building materials in the construction of buildings is attracting great attention worldwide. Natural paints, recycled steel, cellular concrete, clay bricks, wood, bamboo etc. are getting huge popularity in construction of green buildings. Another interesting innovation is zero-energy building which utilizes solar cells/panels, wind micro-turbines, fuel cells and biofuels, among others, to meet electricity and … Continue reading →

8 Indoor Plants That Improve Air Quality And Health

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Indoor plants are wonderful for beautifying homes, offices, and other indoor settings. Furthermore, many can enhance air quality by removing harmful chemicals. In turn, people’s health can be improved. In this article, we’ll look at eight plants that can turn your indoor space into a haven of cleaner air and optimal well-being. But first, let’s briefly explore the impact of poor air quality on health. The Impact of Indoor and Outdoor Air Quality on Health Indoor and outdoor air quality significantly affects health. Poor indoor air, often from dust, mold, toxins, and volatile organic compounds (VOCs), can lead to respiratory … Continue reading →

Algae-Powered Buildings: A Futuristic Invention

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In an environment where the carbon footprint is becoming increasingly large, we need to start developing sustainable solutions which can keep greenhouse gases at bay. It is estimated that the building industry contributes to almost 40% of all of Australia’s greenhouse gas emissions! To put this into perspective, this consists to a whopping 90 megatons of emissions that are emitted annually in constructing new buildings and maintaining the infrastructure of pre-developed ones. It is time for us to take action! At EcoMENA, we believe in creating a sustainable future so that the building industry can thrive and support our future … Continue reading →