▸ Gate Avenue becomes one of the first retail and leisure developments in the Middle East region to achieve the LEED® Gold Certification
Dubai International Financial Centre’s (DIFC) Gate Avenue has been awarded the prestigious LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) Gold accreditation from the US Green Building Council and Green Building Certification Inc. This prestigious LEED Gold certification marks the DIFC’s continued commitment to sustainability by ensuring assets reduce their carbon footprint. The achievement ensures DIFC continues to distinguish itself with world-class infrastructure.
LEED is the most widely used sustainable buildings rating system in the world, providing a framework for healthy, highly efficient and cost-saving sustainable buildings. It recognises only those projects that follow high environmental standards of sustainability; water and energy efficiency; optimum utilisation of materials and resources and healthy indoor environment quality, which leads to the reduction of global greenhouse gases.
Gate Avenue was awarded the LEED Gold certification for successfully fulfilling the prerequisites and credits across nine measurements for building excellence from integrative design to human health to material use. This was made possible by the expertise and support of AESG – the firm that delivered the LEED consultancy services for the project. Through AESG’s expert advice, supported by onsite management and testing, Gate Avenue, DIFC met LEED’s high standards across all of its categories, reflecting the best practices applied in this development.
Spanning 286,000 square feet of built up area and 880 metres in total length, Gate Avenue at DIFC is quickly becoming part of one of Dubai’s most sought after lifestyle destinations featuring more than 200 leading lifestyle, retail, art, fashion, food & beverage brands, and the modern grand mosque. Gate Avenue links the podium levels of all buildings located in the Centre, from The Gate Building to Central Park Towers.
AESG worked to incorporate several innovative features by strategically selecting credits with high sustainability impact and minimal design impact. The credits pursued, such as water reduction are regionally relevant. The building underwent fundamental and enhanced commissioning for efficiency and performance. Furthermore, materials with high recycled content, including concrete, steel and glass have been installed to reduce embodied carbon emissions. High occupancy density rooms include CO2 sensors provide a fresh air supply. All of the landscaping is maintained using recycled water. There is also provision for bicycle allows local residents and people working in the Centre to cycle to Gate Avenue. Visitors also benefit from the provision of open space on the top floor of the building. AESG has also supported the project by developing bespoke tenant fit-out guidelines, green cleaning management policy and a sustainability educational manual.
All of these features and initiatives contribute greatly to an environmentally sustainable and efficient development that reduces greenhouse gas emissions and has a significant positive impact on the health and wellbeing of tenants and visitors. Gate Avenue at DIFC has already achieved a 24% reduction in energy consumption and a 55% reduction in water consumption.
Commenting on the announcement, Saleh Al Akrabi, CEO of DIFC Property Management said,
“We are proud that Gate Avenue at DIFC has been awarded the prestigious LEED Gold Certification. Providing world-class sustainable infrastructure, which includes Gate Avenue forms part of DIFC’s commitment to becoming the region’s most sustainable financial centre. We look forward to continuing to build a more sustainable and resilient Centre for our community of more than 25,000 professionals and for all those who visit for business and leisure.”
Phillipa Grant, Director of Energy and Sustainability at AESG,
“AESG is thrilled to have provided LEED and sustainability consultancy services for this impressive development. This LEED Gold certification is a validation of the team’s significant efforts and commitment to ensuring the development is environmentally and socially responsible. It is this shift towards high-performance buildings in the construction sector that will have a lasting and positive impact both now and for generations to come.”
