IFP Info - News
  • Agrofood
    • All
    • Agriculture
    • Environment
    • Food

    Food Africa and pacprocess MEA attract over 25,000 trade visitors to the trade fair duo in Egypt

    Pacts worth over OMR 33 million signed to establish agricultural, fisheries projects

    Pacts worth over OMR 33 million signed to establish agricultural, fisheries projects

    Egypt’s food industries contribute 24.5% of GDP

    Egypt’s food industries contribute 24.5% of GDP

    $36mln contract for construction of Duqm fisheries complex

    $36mln contract for construction of Duqm fisheries complex

    Ministry signs agreement to support Oman’s honey industry

    Ministry signs agreement to support Oman’s honey industry

    Local, Italian companies partner up to establish food retail chain in Egypt

    Local, Italian companies partner up to establish food retail chain in Egypt

    Trending Tags

    • Business & Economy
      • All
      • Business
      • Economy
      • Finance
      • Industry
      • Technology
      • Trade
      • Transport & Logistics

      Food Africa and pacprocess MEA attract over 25,000 trade visitors to the trade fair duo in Egypt

      Egypt’s food industries contribute 24.5% of GDP

      Egypt’s food industries contribute 24.5% of GDP

      Profits at top Saudi banks jump 17.6% in Q1

      Profits at top Saudi banks jump 17.6% in Q1

      GCC can create 600,000 tech jobs and add US$255 billion to GDP by 2030

      GCC can create 600,000 tech jobs and add US$255 billion to GDP by 2030

      What will Qatar do with its World Cup infrastructure after FIFA 2022 ends?

      What will Qatar do with its World Cup infrastructure after FIFA 2022 ends?

      New study reveals that UAE is most competitive economy in the Arab world

      New study reveals that UAE is most competitive economy in the Arab world

      Trending Tags

      • CES 2017
      • Election Results
      • eSports
    • Construction
      • All
      • Infrastructure
      • Real Estate
      Oman Construction Equipment Industry to 2028

      Oman Construction Equipment Industry to 2028

      $36mln contract for construction of Duqm fisheries complex

      $36mln contract for construction of Duqm fisheries complex

      What will Qatar do with its World Cup infrastructure after FIFA 2022 ends?

      What will Qatar do with its World Cup infrastructure after FIFA 2022 ends?

      Madayn working on major Oman industrial city projects

      Madayn working on major Oman industrial city projects

      Foundation stone laid for new 700-bed hospital is Salalah, Oman

      Foundation stone laid for new 700-bed hospital is Salalah, Oman

      Iraq set to award new Faw Port deals

      Iraq set to award new Faw Port deals

      Trending Tags

      • Energy
        • All
        • Oil & Gas
        • Power & Electricity
        • Renewable Energy
        Suez Canal expects US$3.5 billion in revenues in H1

        Suez Canal expects US$3.5 billion in revenues in H1

        UAE and Egypt’s consortium to buy African renewables firm Lekela Power

        UAE and Egypt’s consortium to buy African renewables firm Lekela Power

        Fitch revises Saudi Aramco’s outlook to positive from stable

        Fitch revises Saudi Aramco’s outlook to positive from stable

        Investments in renewables in Egypt reach LE6 bn: Official

        Investments in renewables in Egypt reach LE6 bn: Official

        Egypt signs 8 gas exploration contracts worth $934mn over 15 months

        Egypt signs 8 gas exploration contracts worth $934mn over 15 months

        JGC lands $3.7bn Iraq refinery upgradation project deal

        JGC lands $3.7bn Iraq refinery upgradation project deal

        Trending Tags

        • Hospitality

          Food Africa and pacprocess MEA attract over 25,000 trade visitors to the trade fair duo in Egypt

          Qatar has ‘solid’ line-up of infrastructure, hospitality projects to prepare for large influx of visitors in 2022: OBG

          Qatar has ‘solid’ line-up of infrastructure, hospitality projects to prepare for large influx of visitors in 2022: OBG

          Saudi to be among world’s big leisure tourism hubs by 2030

          Saudi to be among world’s big leisure tourism hubs by 2030

          Qatar’s hospitality sector peaks despite turbulent 2020

          Qatar’s hospitality sector peaks despite turbulent 2020

          Accor inks deal to manage first Swissôtel-branded hotel and residential project in Qatar

          Accor inks deal to manage first Swissôtel-branded hotel and residential project in Qatar

          Staycations to stimulate Qatar’s hospitality sector

          Staycations to stimulate Qatar’s hospitality sector

        • IFP Events
          • Event News
          • Upcoming Events
        • العربية
        No Result
        View All Result
        • Agrofood
          • All
          • Agriculture
          • Environment
          • Food

          Food Africa and pacprocess MEA attract over 25,000 trade visitors to the trade fair duo in Egypt

          Pacts worth over OMR 33 million signed to establish agricultural, fisheries projects

          Pacts worth over OMR 33 million signed to establish agricultural, fisheries projects

          Egypt’s food industries contribute 24.5% of GDP

          Egypt’s food industries contribute 24.5% of GDP

          $36mln contract for construction of Duqm fisheries complex

          $36mln contract for construction of Duqm fisheries complex

          Ministry signs agreement to support Oman’s honey industry

          Ministry signs agreement to support Oman’s honey industry

          Local, Italian companies partner up to establish food retail chain in Egypt

          Local, Italian companies partner up to establish food retail chain in Egypt

          Trending Tags

          • Business & Economy
            • All
            • Business
            • Economy
            • Finance
            • Industry
            • Technology
            • Trade
            • Transport & Logistics

            Food Africa and pacprocess MEA attract over 25,000 trade visitors to the trade fair duo in Egypt

            Egypt’s food industries contribute 24.5% of GDP

            Egypt’s food industries contribute 24.5% of GDP

            Profits at top Saudi banks jump 17.6% in Q1

            Profits at top Saudi banks jump 17.6% in Q1

            GCC can create 600,000 tech jobs and add US$255 billion to GDP by 2030

            GCC can create 600,000 tech jobs and add US$255 billion to GDP by 2030

            What will Qatar do with its World Cup infrastructure after FIFA 2022 ends?

            What will Qatar do with its World Cup infrastructure after FIFA 2022 ends?

            New study reveals that UAE is most competitive economy in the Arab world

            New study reveals that UAE is most competitive economy in the Arab world

            Trending Tags

            • CES 2017
            • Election Results
            • eSports
          • Construction
            • All
            • Infrastructure
            • Real Estate
            Oman Construction Equipment Industry to 2028

            Oman Construction Equipment Industry to 2028

            $36mln contract for construction of Duqm fisheries complex

            $36mln contract for construction of Duqm fisheries complex

            What will Qatar do with its World Cup infrastructure after FIFA 2022 ends?

            What will Qatar do with its World Cup infrastructure after FIFA 2022 ends?

            Madayn working on major Oman industrial city projects

            Madayn working on major Oman industrial city projects

            Foundation stone laid for new 700-bed hospital is Salalah, Oman

            Foundation stone laid for new 700-bed hospital is Salalah, Oman

            Iraq set to award new Faw Port deals

            Iraq set to award new Faw Port deals

            Trending Tags

            • Energy
              • All
              • Oil & Gas
              • Power & Electricity
              • Renewable Energy
              Suez Canal expects US$3.5 billion in revenues in H1

              Suez Canal expects US$3.5 billion in revenues in H1

              UAE and Egypt’s consortium to buy African renewables firm Lekela Power

              UAE and Egypt’s consortium to buy African renewables firm Lekela Power

              Fitch revises Saudi Aramco’s outlook to positive from stable

              Fitch revises Saudi Aramco’s outlook to positive from stable

              Investments in renewables in Egypt reach LE6 bn: Official

              Investments in renewables in Egypt reach LE6 bn: Official

              Egypt signs 8 gas exploration contracts worth $934mn over 15 months

              Egypt signs 8 gas exploration contracts worth $934mn over 15 months

              JGC lands $3.7bn Iraq refinery upgradation project deal

              JGC lands $3.7bn Iraq refinery upgradation project deal

              Trending Tags

              • Hospitality

                Food Africa and pacprocess MEA attract over 25,000 trade visitors to the trade fair duo in Egypt

                Qatar has ‘solid’ line-up of infrastructure, hospitality projects to prepare for large influx of visitors in 2022: OBG

                Qatar has ‘solid’ line-up of infrastructure, hospitality projects to prepare for large influx of visitors in 2022: OBG

                Saudi to be among world’s big leisure tourism hubs by 2030

                Saudi to be among world’s big leisure tourism hubs by 2030

                Qatar’s hospitality sector peaks despite turbulent 2020

                Qatar’s hospitality sector peaks despite turbulent 2020

                Accor inks deal to manage first Swissôtel-branded hotel and residential project in Qatar

                Accor inks deal to manage first Swissôtel-branded hotel and residential project in Qatar

                Staycations to stimulate Qatar’s hospitality sector

                Staycations to stimulate Qatar’s hospitality sector

              • IFP Events
                • Event News
                • Upcoming Events
              • العربية
              No Result
              View All Result
              IFP Info - News
              No Result
              View All Result

              Eco-house secures Lebanon’s first BREEAM ‘excellent’ rating

              The Daily Star

              August 12, 2015
              in Infrastructure, Renewable Energy
              0
              0
              SHARES
              17
              VIEWS
              Share on FacebookShare on Twitter

              A house owned and renovated by EcoConsulting co-founder Maya Karkour has secured BREEAM, one of the foremost global rating systems for sustainable buildings.

              The Karkours wanted to double the area of the 100-square-meter house to accommodate two families, each on an individual floor. But the walls and roof were not strong enough to support another floor, and government regulations prevented an outward expansion.

              “So we thought about a trick to go with the logic of a duplex house, with a cleared height of 5.5 metres, within which we can add a mezzanine [to] act like the extra area,” said Maha Nasrallah, the architect retained for the renovation. This involved inserting a self-supporting cubic structure within each of the house’s four sections.

              Two cubes were placed within the height of the original house to form a mezzanine, their rooftops converted into open-air terraces. The two others protruded out of the house to create a first floor. The cubes were built with exposed wood to adhere to an eco-friendly ethos of using natural, breathable, low-toxicity materials.

              As workers began peeling the plaster off the walls, they uncovered sandstone, rather than concrete. While it would have been cheaper to tear the sandstone walls down, the family opted to have them cleaned and preserved for their esthetic and heritage value. As more plaster was removed, they discovered three traditional arches lining the top of an interior wall, which had been the front facade prior to an extension.

              Rather than plastering the sandstone with cement again, which would have hidden its rugged beauty and encouraged molding, the team applied a transparent protective spray that partially closed its pores. The walls were reinforced by an interior structure made of spruce recycled from construction scaffolding.

              Various types of sustainable FSC-approved wood were used for other parts of the house. Cedar planks treated with tar to enhance protection against termites and weathering were used in lieu of tiles for the first-floor bathroom. For exterior cladding and the deck, which required high-performance wood, the team resorted to Accoya wood. The trademarked material alters the chemical structure of sustainably harvested softwood to give it the same durability as hardwood, which is scarce and slow-growing. For interior cladding, they opted for oriented strand board – leftover wood flakes compressed together without formaldehyde.

              To finish the walls and enhance their insulation, the team mixed clay, straw, lime and sand to create an earth plaster. A final coat of the Kerakoll natural brand of lime secured the plaster and gave the walls a white finish, minimizing the need for paint to touch-ups.

              Sourcing natural, low-energy, breathable construction materials domestically proved to be a challenge. Ultimately, the family imported wood, insulation, and other materials, ordering it in one shipping container to reduce their carbon footprint.

              Karkour also sought to preserve the original doors and French shutters as much as possible and sourced others from demolished houses. She donated the terrazzo flooring to refugees, replacing it with mosaic tiles from a school being torn down in Beirut. A winding iron stairway connecting the ground floor to the new mezzanine was sourced from a shop closing down. Some of the furniture was bought secondhand from Arc En Ciel.

              To minimize energy expenditure, the house was outfitted with zoned energy-efficient LED lighting, low-water taps and low-energy appliances. A 6,000-liter rainwater reservoir under the front deck collects rainwater for toilet flushing.

              Instead of energy-intensive air conditioning, the house relies on strategically-placed windows to facilitate cross-ventilation. This bioclimatic design takes advantage of the prevailing coastal winds.

              The family also resorts to nighttime cooling – opening windows at night to ventilate the house, and closing them during the day to preserve the cool air. All this is complemented with mechanical fans.

              There is almost no electricity used for heating the house. It is well-insulated with wood fiber and sheep wool, water is heated through a rooftop solar-powered system and the ground floor has a programmable stove fueled with wood pellets.

              One of the protruding cubes is topped with a green roof. Irrigation is minimized with soil high in volcanic rock, which absorbs a lot of water and releases it slowly, and an egg-carton-like layer whose pockets help retain water. Most of the plants are indigenous, meaning they can best survive the humidity and coastal winds, and require less water.

              Thermal modeling software predicted the eco-friendly practices would reduce house’s energy usage by 55 per cent.

              Casa Batroun went on to receive an “excellent” rating – the highest rating achieved so far in Lebanon, among four BREEAM-certified projects.

              Nasrallah estimated the eco-friendly renovation cost around $2,000 per square meter – approximately $500 more per square meter than if the family had opted for a conventional renovation.

              Karkour was quick to note that “we went full-fledged eco-friendly, but you can do an eco- friendly project [in your home] and it would still be reasonable in terms of cost.

              For those on a more modest budget or who live in apartments, she suggested implementing simple improvements, such as zoned LED lighting, low-water appliances, and solar water-heating.

              If building a new home, Karkour recommended collaborating from the start with an architect experienced in working with the climate, as the design can “drastically reduce energy consumption without spending [an extra] penny.” For example, the popularity of west-facing fully glazed facades to create sea views is inappropriate for Lebanon’s hot summers. She also recommended applying for loans subsidized by the Central Bank for green projects, introduced a few years ago.
              The Daily Star
              12 August

              Previous Post

              Saudi diesel genset market to hit $700 million by 2020

              Next Post

              Iraq launches its first budget airline

              Next Post

              Iraq launches its first budget airline

              News Letter

              Subscribe to our mailing list to receive daily updates direct to your inbox!

              *we hate spam as much as you do

              Filter By Country

              IFP Info – News

              The latest Middle East Business News & Events brought to you on a daily basis from multiple credible news portals around the world

              Follow Us

              Categories

              • Agrofood
              • Business & Economy
              • Construction
              • Covid-19 Updates
              • Energy
              • Event News
              • Hospitality
              • Interviews

              Countries

              • Bahrain
              • Egypt
              • Iran
              • Iraq
              • Jordan
              • Kingdom of Saudi Arabia
              • Kuwait
              • Lebanon
              • Oman
              • Other Africa
              • Other GCC
              • Other Middle East
              • Qatar
              • Syria
              • United Arab Emirates
              • Worldwide

              Newsletter

              Subscribe to our mailing list to receive daily updates direct to your inbox!

              *we hate spam as much as you do

              • About
              • Advertise
              • Privacy & Policy
              • Contact

              © 2023 IFP Group - All Rights Reserved / www.ifpexpo.com

              No Result
              View All Result
              • Agrofood
              • Business & Economy
              • Construction
              • Energy
              • Hospitality
              • IFP Events
                • Event News
                • Upcoming Events
              • العربية

              © 2023 IFP Group - All Rights Reserved / www.ifpexpo.com