Abu Dhabi, UAE, 17 May 2018: Aldar Properties has won “Green School of the Year” at the 2018 MENA Green Building Awards for Al Mamoura Academy, operated by Aldar Academies.

The MENA Green Building Awards are organised by the Emirates Green Building Council and endorsed by the World Green Building Council. In winning the award, Aldar was able to demonstrate that the Academy’s construction and completion has respected the highest sustainability standards and included innovation in design and process, as well as showing excellence in terms of design, construction site management, waste and green standards.

Commenting on the results, Ramy Zaghloul, Executive Director – Development at Aldar Properties, said: “This award is testament to the hard work and commitment of all those involved in this development from its initial design stages through to execution and delivery. As part of our vision to deliver desirable destinations, Aldar Properties strives to create developments that are sustainable not only in an environmental sense, but also in the way that they can support long term communities. We are proud to win this award for Green School of the Year, and we look forward to creating and delivering more award-winning developments in the future.”

The Al Mamoura Academy has a number of key features, which led to the award win. Firstly, its approach to “daylighting”, where 78% of all occupied areas have a direct line of sight to the outside, following studies that show students who have greater access to daylight are healthier and adopt better work habits leading to improved academic performance. The integration of building sustainability into the curriculum has enabled students to learn more about waste from plastics. In the lobby of the school, BMS output on water and energy consumption is displayed to enable better tracking of consumption. The way in which Al Mamoura Academy has been built ensures a significant emphasis on insulation to improve efficiency. Lastly, the school sits on a site previously occupied by a government defence installation, demonstrating best use of land, and a desire to evolve and regenerate within the community.

See related story: EmiratesGBC honours winners of 2018 MENA Green Building Awards