The emeralds of the Emirates

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We profile the only three LEED certified buildings in the Middle East.

Pacific Controls - platinum rated

Name of building: Pacific Controls

Headquarter - Techno Park

Architect: Kersey Modi, RIBA

Developer: Pacific Controls Systems LLC

Consultant: Orion Engineering Consultants

Contractor: Condor Building Contracting Co LLC

Condor Electro - Mech Contracting Co LLC

Interior designer: La Arch Plan PVT Ltd

Completed: November 2006

Specs of building: 100,000 sq ft. The green rating process has been supervised and supported by CII (Confederation of Indian Industry). CII has been appointed as a consultant to ensure maximum possible green rating

When was it first certified: 7 Jan 2006

What level rating does it have now: LEED- NC, LEED Version 2 Certification level-Platinum

In-house or outsourced FM team: In-house

What costs savings are being made: Energy saving 50% less than same non-green building

Waste use saving 90% less than non-green building

Water efficiency 40% less than non-green building

Pacific Controls is the first LEED platinum rated building in the Middle East. It is also listed as number 16 in the world.

It installed solar PV (photovoltaic) to use energy from the sun to create electricity to run appliances and lighting. PV requires only daylight - not direct sunlight - to generate electricity.

A 50kw solar photovoltaic system powers 16.3% of Pacific Control's energy requirement.

On the ground, solar panels capture the sun and provide constant, free of charge, energy. The panels heat water for the absorption chillers and it is used for both heating and cooling.

There are a total of 240 solar panels installed in the building.

Absorption chillers use heat instead of mechanical energy to provide cooling. These chillers can substantially reduce operating costs because they are powered by low-grade waste heat.

A non-polluting closed circuit cooling tower cools by dripping water over pipes containing the hot refrigerant. The cooling tower fans are each provided with variable frequency drive to economise on fan motor energy usage. Efficient chillers contribute significantly to the overall 66% energy saving in the building.

The sewage treatment facility eliminates the need for connection to and use of, the UAE public sewage treatment system. It reduces drinking water use and because it is used for irrigation purposes, it helps recharge the local groundwater system.

The building has a single high-speed IP-network backbone providing an open-standard protocol platform for the IT infrastructure.

The IP backbone integrates enterprise applications seamlessly onto a single information exchange to carry out enterprise-connected building management. For example, tenant billing, maintenance management, energy profiling and benchmarking of building equipment.

The building management system (BMS) enables the building to simplify FM and help the building become more cost-efficient, comfortable and safe.

Water saving devices such as waterless urinals, tap aerators, low flow toilets and water saving shower heads, reduce potable water use and reduce wastewater production.

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