Ministry is considering smart buildings technology and sustainable materials for residential buildings

Bahrain’s Minister of Housing, H.E. Shaikh Ibrahim bin Khalifa Al Khalifa will patronise the first Green Building Forum, to be held at the Bahrain International Exhibition Centre (BIEC) on May 5, 2010.

The Minister will deliver the keynote opening speech to the Forum delegates, in which he is expected to highlight the concept of environmental sustainability as a crucial element of Bahrain’s Economic Vision 2030, the objectives of which are to transform the Kingdom from a regional pioneer to a global contender. The Ministry of Housing is currently considering smart building technology and sustainable materials to build more homes in Bahrain.

According to the ministry communiqué, in addition to Shaikh Ibrahim, the Forum will feature a distinguished line-up of renowned speakers from the government, businessmen and environmentalists. The topics slated for discussion include the Copenhagen Treaty and its relevance to the Gulf; Government regulations and green codes of conduct; Green Building in the Gulf; Environmentallysympathetic design and construction; Challenges for the construction industry and sustainable building materials; Smart buildings; Renewable energy powering the home; Carbon trading or zero emissions; Innovation in building; Recycling waste; and Green Building training and education.

The Green Building Forum is organised by Bahrain based Hilal Conferences & Exhibitions, in association with international event consultancy, North Star Associates.

Commenting on the forthcoming event, Jubran Abdulrahman, Managing Director, HCE, said, “The Green Building Forum is enormously relevant to the construction industry and the world we live in, and the patronage of HE the Minister of Housing demonstrates the significance of the event to Bahrain’s housing and construction sector.”

Ahmed Suleiman, Managing Director, North Star Associates, added: “At a time when conventional building strategies are mainly about steel and cement, the Forum provides a platform to reconsider conventional thinking and demonstrate that green building methods do not necessarily compromise quality or translate into higher construction costs.”

Among others, the Forum is supported by the Bahrain Ministry of Commerce and Industry, Bahrain Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Emirates Green Building Council, the Federation of GCC Chambers of Commerce and British Council. It will run concurrently with the fifth gulfBID exhibition, the leading exhibition for the construction and interiors industry in the Northern Gulf, which will be held from May 4 to 6, also at the BIEC.