Dubai, UAE, 13 May 2019: Growing awareness surrounding sustainability is driving retro-commisioning projects as stakeholders try to make existing buildings and equipment more efficient, said Claude Allain, Vice-President & General Manager, Johnson Controls, MEA. He said, “People see that as a next recourse, and I believe the direction is going to be designing for LEED compliance from the design phase.” Such a holistic approach from the onset, Allain stressed, will ensure LEED buildings need not be more expensive compared to conventional buildings.

Claude Allain

Allain said that sustainability is no longer a luxury – it is a prerequisite. He pointed out that the new generation of tenants has a strong set of convictions related to the environment. As such, he said, from a purely business standpoint, developers must invest in being compliant with green regulations and LEED standards to align themselves with the emerging demand in the market.

Sharing observations based on JCI’s activities throughout the region, Allain said that the market in Saudi Arabia is on the rise. A similar positive momentum can be seen in Egypt, he said, owing to projects related to the New Cairo development.