HABTOOR GRAND RESORT / DUBAI / UAE

Prioritising Sustainability: Investment in
eco-friendly construction technologies,
and green energy pays dividends

23 May 2023
MAIN HALL

09:00

Introduction
MC

Welcome to the 2023 Energy & Sustainability Summit

Welcome to the 2023 Energy & Sustainability Summit, event mechanics and what’s lined up for the day.

MAIN HALL

09:05

Welcome Address
Jason Saundalkar / Head of Content / Big Project Middle East

Welcome Address

Big Project Middle East’s Head of Content Jason Saundalkar welcomes speakers and delegates to the summit and discusses some of the opportunities and challenges associated with sustainable development and the energy sector, and outlines the event’s key themes and focus. He will also outline the Big Project brands’ plans for the rest of the year including the Future of Water Summit, the Critical Infrastructure Summit, Digital Construction Summit, and the Construction Intel Summit KSA.

MAIN HALL

09:15

Keynote Address
Majd Fayyad / DSM Strategy & Policy Lead / Dubai Supreme Council of Energy

Net Zero in Focus

Majd Fayyad is a recognised regional personality focused on energy efficiency, Net Zero, sustainability and more. As DSM Strategy & Policy Lead at the Dubai Supreme Council of Energy, Majd will share a global perspective on Net Zero, Dubai’s drive to achieving Net Zero, the role of Energy Efficiency in achieving Net Zero, existing strategic and policy framework for resource sustainability in Dubai, the Dubai Demand Side Management (DSM) strategy’s achievements and the Dubai Green Mobility Strategy.

MAIN HALL

09:30

Panel Discussion
Panel Discussion

The Road to COP28

COP28 seeks to unite the world in agreeing on ambitious but practical solutions to address pressing global challenges, and also aims to take stock of progress on existing action relating to the Paris Agreement. With several months remaining before the event, this session seeks to shine a light on:

Talking points:

  • How the region can shine with sustainable initiatives and targets presented at COP28? What are the main areas of focus from the regional governments and key industries that could influence the UN Climate Change Conference?
  • What are the expectations of the impact COP28 could have on government legislation on sustainable development and the energy transition in the region? What is the current stand on the private sector; are they preparing for these changes?
  • Getting ahead; what are the key challenges that exist for the built environment and energy firms in the region to overcome in the quest for sustainability, and how can they surmount these obstacles?
  • Can COP28 galvanise sentiment and actions to deliver on long-made promises around sustainable development, Net Zero and the energy transition in the region?
  • The future of climate action post COP28

Moderator:

  • Farah Naz / Innovation and ESG Lead, MEA / AECOM Middle East

Speakers:

  • Abdullatif Albitawi / Director / Emirates Green Building Council
  • Anita Nouri / CEO/Business Development Director / Green Energy Solutions & Sustainability
  • Dr. Pablo Izquierdo / Energy Services Manager / Energy Efficiency & Renewables Office (Reem), Ras Al Khaimah Municipality
  • Shaun Pearce / Regional Sustainability and Environment Manager / KEO International
  • Majd Fayyad DSM Strategy & Policy Lead / Dubai Supreme Council of Energy
  • Professor Tadhg O’Donovan / Deputy Vice Principal, Academic Leadership/Head of the School of Engineering and Physical Sciences / Heriot-Watt University Dubai

MAIN HALL

10:25

Fireside Chat
MULTI SPEAKERS

A contractor’s perspective on sustainable development in the region

Speakers:

  • Abdul Kader Traboulsi / General Manger / Desert Board and Area Manager of ECC Group
  • Jason Saundalkar / Head of Content / Big Project Middle East

MAIN HALL

10:45

Panel Discussion
Panel Discussion

The Future of Energy in the GCC

Building a sustainable future means diversifying a country or city’s existing energy mix, so it is not so heavily dependent on hydrocarbon-based energy sources, and potentially moves away from hydrocarbons completely. This panel discussion seeks to explore the potential opportunities and challenges of renewable energy sources such as solar, green hydrogen etc and will also shine a light on:

Talking points:

  • Energy planning and ensuring the efficient and sustainable supply and usage of energy in cities
  • What is the region’s projected fuel mix of the future (solar, green hydrogen, nuclear, fossil etc) and what progress has been made so far in driving towards this mix?
  • What are the benchmarks that any potential future energy source should be measured against?
  • Solar energy is abundant in the region, how can we further capitalise on its capture within cities to increase its overall contribution to the energy mix?
  • Green hydrogen is increasingly being leveraged in international markets; what do regional markets need to do to accelerate its acceptance and rollout?
  • What is the potential for wind, biomass and wave energy in the region? Is it worth investigating and launching pilot projects to study their efficiency and effectiveness?
  • The rise of waste to energy facilities and the impact these facilities can have on the energy mix
  • Cybersecurity threats can threaten energy stability and demand side management strategies – what’s out there and how can owners and operators prepare?

Moderator:

  • Ahmed Al Najjar Senior Market Assessment Specialist / Al Ain Distribution Company

Speakers:

  • Anton Shipulin / Industrial Cybersecurity Evangelist / Nozomi Networks
  • David Haboubi / Head of Nuclear and Net Zero Energy, Middle East & Africa / Atkins
  • Omnia Halawani / Co – CEO and Founder / Griffin Project Development Consultants (grfn)
  • Jesús Sancho / ME Director General / ACCIONA
  • Kirsten O’Connell / Partner / Allen & Overy LLP
  • Riad Bestani / Founder and CEO / ECOSquare

MAIN HALL

11:40

Presentation
Cristina Niculescu / Regional Manager Middle East & South Europe / Thinkproject

Digital technologies to accelerate the deployment of clean energy solutions, towards a Net Zero future

Actionable insights and practical cases on how to embrace technology to design, build and operate your assets more efficiently.


MAIN HALL

12:00

Contest
Contest

Win an exciting prize via lucky draw

Win an exciting prize via lucky draw; second draw at the end of the day

MAIN HALL

12:05

Lunch
Networking

Lunch and networking

Buffet style lunch and networking

MAIN HALL

12:35

Panel Discussion
Panel Discussion

Net Zero Buildings of the Future

Globally, the built environment is responsible for 36% of energy consumption, 38% of energy related carbon emissions, 50% of resource consumption, and is expected to double in footprint by 2060. It goes without saying then that structures – regardless of their intended use – must be developed and operated more efficiently, so as to reduce their impact on the environment. This panel discussion will focus on several structure specific topics including:

Talking points:

  • How to conceptualise and reach Net Zero in the built environment as a strategy?
  • What benchmarks should future buildings be designed and measured around to ensure they are contributing to a city’s Net Zero goals? What is the current potential for regional industries (other than oil & gas) to move towards Net Zero goals?
  • From a compliance standpoint, what should the industry be benchmarking against? Is a performance-based approach with intermediate targets the only way forward if the built environment is measuring compliance against a long-term Net Zero strategy? Why hasn’t the wide-scale shift happened yet?
  • Is Net Zero aiming too low? Should the built environment instead be aiming for Net Positive right now? What is needed for such a vision to become feasible?
  • What role can analytics, artificial intelligence and data play in helping policymakers, investors, developers and designers to create highly sustainability rated and Net Zero developments?
  • The time to tackle embodied carbon is now. Is the traditional supply chain ready for industrial Net Zero implementation of products or is it time to move away from concrete to more sustainable materials?
  • Legal framework to implement, monitor and penalise breaches of Net Zero goals; should there be a fully implemented national framework to monitor and realign developments to a Net Zero pathway by 2050?
  • Are supply chains where they need to be to support the development of Net Zero developments?

Moderator:

  • Louise Collins / Head of Project & Development Services UAE and Head of Engineering & Energy MEA / JLL

Speakers:

  • Dr. Ali Amiri / Regional Director – Sustainability & Specialisms – Middle East & South Asia / Egis
  • Dr. Paravasthu Ramaswamy Jagannathan / Senior General Manager / Sobha Realty
  • Hassan Ali Younes / Co – CEO & Founder / Griffin Project Development Consultants (grfn)
  • Karie Akeelah / Partner / Trowers & Hamlins
  • Mayuko Totsuka / Sustainability Lead – Strategic Advisory, Middle East / Atkins, a member of the SNC-Lavalin Group
  • Mohammad Hazem Soudan / Head of Commissioning / Jacobs

MAIN HALL

13:25

Presentation
Lisa Terry / Senior Manager – Sustainability and Climate Change, Climate Change Service Lead Middle East / Mott MacDonald

Beyond targets for meaningful decarbonisation

As the world demands increasingly ambitious targets to not exceed the 1.5-degree Celsius warming threshold, global commitments to Net Zero have accelerated. But does ambitious target setting really help us? What approach will lead us to a meaningful decarbonisation agenda that can be delivered with the resources we have available? This presentation will dive into the demands, drivers and key ingredients for a successful carbon reduction agenda.

MAIN HALL

13:45

Coffee Break
Networking

Coffee and networking

Coffee and networking in the foyer

MAIN HALL

14:00

Panel Discussion
Panel Discussion

Smart & Sustainable Mobility

Mobility that’s both smart and sustainable is absolutely crucial in every city with economic growth and sustainable development aspirations. Hence, an increasing number of cities are rolling out plans and strategies to enhance mobility and significantly cut emissions. This panel discussion seeks to put into focus topics including:

Talking points:

  • Public transportation vs. private transportation – what does the future look like for personal mobility in a region that is obsessed with vehicle ownership and has harsh summers?
  • There’s growing discussions around 15-minute cities around the globe – can this concept work in the Middle East? What are the challenges that would need to be addressed and what benefits would such a concept offer?
  • The large-scale adoption of EVs introduces a number of new questions with regards to the rollout of charging infrastructure, the disposal of expended batteries etc. How can these and other issues be approached?
  • With more and more EVs hitting the roads, is charging infrastructure in homes and public spaces keeping pace? Is charging infrastructure standard across all new builds?
  • Could the Metaverse and other virtual reality experiences be a gamechanger and alleviate some of the burden on transportation systems and therefore help cut emissions?

Moderator:

  • Roger Cruickshank / Market Director, Transport, Middle East & Africa / Atkins, a member of the SNC-Lavalin Group

Speakers:

  • Dr. Fan Zhu / CTO / Bayanat
  • Engi Jaber / CEO/Managing Director / Climatize Engineering Consultants
  • Hala Omar / Senior Sustainability Specialist / Dar Al Handasah (Shair and partners)
  • Hamid Iravani / Transportation Planning Director, Fellow / Parsons
  • Vinay Premachandran / Sales Director / Powertech Mobility

MAIN HALL

14:50

Presentation
Katarina Uherova Hasbani / Partner and Global Director of Strategy and Advisory / AESG

Transforming your organisation with sustainability

Sustainability can be an accelerator of your business growth if you avoid the pitfalls of greenwashing and over- reporting. Sustainability can be a fuel for your business growth using three different avenues: Uncovering cost savings, creating new revenue opportunities and instigating transformation by focusing on underlying processes and policies.

MAIN HALL

15:10

Contest
Contest

Win two exciting prizes

Win two exciting prizes via lucky draw

MAIN HALL

15:15

Closing remarks
MC

Closing remarks

Thank you for attending the 2023 Energy & Sustainability Summit; the event will return in 2024