Dubai, UAE, 19 December 2018: As MENA countries continue to drive towards reducing energy consumption, UL has introduced a new testing and commissioning service for the region that helps determine the energy efficiency of buildings, the company announced in a Press communiqué.

The Building envelop testing and commissioning service for the Middle East region was introduced by UL at the Big 5 International Building and Construction Show, held from November 26 to 29, 2018, in Dubai, the communiqué said.

The building envelop, often referred to as the façade and roof, consists of the thermal, weather and air barriers separating building interiors from the outdoor environment, the communiqué said. The thermal performance of building envelop products and systems is critical to achieve energy efficiency and performance, the communiqué further said.

According to UL, the service provides performance testing and assessments to determine the rate of air infiltration and thermal performance of the entire building enclosure assemblies and components. This expertise helps building owners, contractors, consultants and architects, design and build more energy-efficient buildings, from pre-construction to post-installation, the communiqué said.

Hamid Syed, Vice President and General Manager, UL Middle East, said: “To be in line with the UAE government’s policy to reduce Dubai’s electricity consumption by 30% by 2030, businesses must aim to improve their energy efficiency and set affordable and clean energy goals to ensure a sustainable environment for future generations. Similar objectives have also been set in most countries across the region. Therefore, we know this is a service the construction industry will be interested in and were delighted to introduce it at the Big 5.”

The communiqué said that in addition to the launch of building envelop testing and commissioning, UL showcased its fire containment and building inspection services with a focus on their expertise in the ducting industry, with products, such as fire-rated ducts, along with environmental services and fire and life safety services, at the Big 5.