Green buildings are growing in popularity and a wider choice of homes is rapidly opening up for eco-conscious buyers.
Developers are adapting to consumer demands for sustainable energy systems in properties, and green thinking lies at the heart of many major projects springing up across the UK.
But experts say it will take more than living in an environmentally friendly home to significantly reduce a person’s carbon footprint.
Social norms need to change
Nadine Storey, a researcher at Green House, a think tank dedicated to the development of “green thinking” in the UK, said while she agrees in principle with carbon-neutral homes, the wider landscape of harmful societal habits needs to be looked at.
“If having housing that is carbon neutral becomes something that people aspire to, then that is a good thing,” she told The National. “But it’s just one part of a much bigger picture.
“Even if there’s a focus on buildings being retrofitted [with low-carbon energy systems], we think at the same time there needs to be a big push for people to change their expectations and the ways we live as a society.
“Social norms need to change. We need to rethink how we live.”
A bold public campaign to nudge people in the right direction is long overdue, she said as she called for the government to step up.
“We need a wartime approach to this. There needs to be a big social message urging people to make choices that are better for the planet,” she explained. “We are in this together. We need to reduce our energy demand.”
An unparalleled balance of luxury living, sustainability, and green spaces
Rami Atallah
Domestic energy use accounts for 21 per cent of Britain’s greenhouse gas emissions annually, according to Nesta, a UK-based agency that explores solutions to social issues.
Ms Storey said it is difficult to put an accurate figure on how much an individual could reduce their emissions by switching to a green property, simply because people’s habits outside the home vary massively.
But, going by the statistics, she said the average Briton could wipe away around a fifth of their carbon footprint by living in a more eco-friendly home.
Green clean living
One Thames Quay, among the latest projects to rise up in Canary Wharf – London’s second-largest financial district, promises to be the first building of its kind to use no fossil fuels in heating and cooling.
Eco-friendly fan coil units will warm the apartments in the 48-floor tower and bring down the temperature during the hotter months.
Triple-glazed windows are installed throughout to reduce heat losses and gains.
The building includes a lounge and gym on the 46th floor with a view of some of the capital's iconic buildings including the Shard and the O2 Arena in Greenwich, as well as a bowling alley, a cinema and a spacious outdoor play area.
It also features electric vehicle charging points, and rainwater collected from the skyscraper's roof will irrigate plants in a full-floor canopy garden.
The building is being developed by Chalegrove Properties – the firm behind Landmark Pinnacle, the UK’s tallest residential tower, also in Canary Wharf.
The project is being fashioned as a crossroads between urban living and the natural world.
Rami Atallah, director of the company, said One Thames Quay is a “unique development that offers an unparalleled balance of luxury living, sustainability, and green spaces in one of the most sought-after locations in London.”
The apartments, set to be ready in the fourth quarter of 2024, range in price from £499,950 ($631,000) to just over £1.2 million ($1.5million).
Landmark Pinnacle is home to a tropical garden, and a site containing bug and insect hotels recently opened on its doorstep.
Ms Storey welcomed the movement among property developers to run green threads through their projects, but appeared unconvinced that the benefits would be profound.
“On the one hand we don’t want to knock any [green] action that’s being taken, whether that’s wild gardens or bug hotels – it’s all good,” she said. “But it looks a bit like greenwashing.
“We should not be building skyscrapers because they are carbon-intensive.
“It’s not for the average person. It’s a little bit tokenistic, but we don’t want to knock it because the habits that are often adopted by the elite can filter down to other parts of society.
“If they’re going to build skyscrapers then at least if they’re doing it in a way that they’re offsetting [emissions], that’s a step forward.
“But there are bigger questions that arise. Homes are becoming bigger and bigger. The shift needs to be towards smaller homes that require less heating.”
Populations in cities are booming and limited space leaves developers looking for new ways to bring a splash of green to concrete landscapes.
Green roofs covered with plants have long been considered an easy way to improve the skyline and encourage biodiversity in urban areas.
They provide buildings with a rainwater buffer and help with energy saving by regulating the indoor temperature.
Solar panels are also proving to be a more common sight on roofs, although when the panels heat up beyond 25ºC their efficiency reduces significantly.
Experts in Australia say there is no need to choose between having plants or solar panels on a roof as having both can be more beneficial.
The Comparative Research Project carried out a study in Sydney comparing a “biosolar” green roof – one that combines a solar system with plants – and a conventional roof fitted with solar panels.
They found the “biosolar” roof was more beneficial to the environment. The green roof reduced average maximum temperatures by about 8ºC and this in turn increased solar generation by as much as 107 per cent during peak periods.
Government must steer the change
Andy Willis, director of RBD Architecture and Interiors in London, said eco-friendly building materials and fittings are “constantly becoming more on the agenda because the regulations are requiring them more”.
From 2025 there will be a ban on fitting gas boilers in new residential and commercial properties. While the rule does not apply to properties built before the deadline, developers and buyers are already responding.
Mr Willis said alternatives that “harness energy and reduce energy usage” are being embraced.
“The issue of products and their sustainability is becoming more important as well,” he said.
RBD recently built a property, valued at £1.5 million, in Berkshire for well-known figure in the horse racing world.
The site, which includes a home and adjoining offices, includes an energy-efficient ground source heat pump to deliver hot water and central heating.
Mr Willis said while it is the job of politicians to set standards, everyone has a role in helping bring about a greener society.
“I think we all have a part to play,” he said. “If we all think we cannot make a difference then we will never get to where we need to be. The government has to steer us in the right direction, but it's not just up to them, it's up to us also.”
Global state-owned investor ranking by size
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China
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Japan
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Norway
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Canada
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The Cockroach
(Vintage)
Ian McEwan
Our legal advisor
Ahmad El Sayed is Senior Associate at Charles Russell Speechlys, a law firm headquartered in London with offices in the UK, Europe, the Middle East and Hong Kong.
Experience: Commercial litigator who has assisted clients with overseas judgments before UAE courts. His specialties are cases related to banking, real estate, shareholder disputes, company liquidations and criminal matters as well as employment related litigation.
Education: Sagesse University, Beirut, Lebanon, in 2005.
The White Lotus: Season three
Creator: Mike White
Starring: Walton Goggins, Jason Isaacs, Natasha Rothwell
Rating: 4.5/5
PREMIER LEAGUE RESULTS
Bournemouth 1 Manchester City 2
Watford 0 Brighton and Hove Albion 0
Newcastle United 3 West Ham United 0
Huddersfield Town 0 Southampton 0
Crystal Palace 0 Swansea City 2
Manchester United 2 Leicester City 0
West Bromwich Albion 1 Stoke City 1
Chelsea 2 Everton 0
Tottenham Hotspur 1 Burnley 1
Liverpool 4 Arsenal 0
The Sky Is Pink
Director: Shonali Bose
Cast: Priyanka Chopra Jonas, Farhan Akhtar, Zaira Wasim, Rohit Saraf
Three stars
GOLF’S RAHMBO
- 5 wins in 22 months as pro
- Three wins in past 10 starts
- 45 pro starts worldwide: 5 wins, 17 top 5s
- Ranked 551th in world on debut, now No 4 (was No 2 earlier this year)
- 5th player in last 30 years to win 3 European Tour and 2 PGA Tour titles before age 24 (Woods, Garcia, McIlroy, Spieth)
Liverpool's all-time goalscorers
Ian Rush 346
Roger Hunt 285
Mohamed Salah 250
Gordon Hodgson 241
Billy Liddell 228
How much do leading UAE’s UK curriculum schools charge for Year 6?
- Nord Anglia International School (Dubai) – Dh85,032
- Kings School Al Barsha (Dubai) – Dh71,905
- Brighton College Abu Dhabi - Dh68,560
- Jumeirah English Speaking School (Dubai) – Dh59,728
- Gems Wellington International School – Dubai Branch – Dh58,488
- The British School Al Khubairat (Abu Dhabi) - Dh54,170
- Dubai English Speaking School – Dh51,269
*Annual tuition fees covering the 2024/2025 academic year
MOUNTAINHEAD REVIEW
Starring: Ramy Youssef, Steve Carell, Jason Schwartzman
Director: Jesse Armstrong
Rating: 3.5/5
Moral education needed in a 'rapidly changing world'
Moral education lessons for young people is needed in a rapidly changing world, the head of the programme said.
Alanood Al Kaabi, head of programmes at the Education Affairs Office of the Crown Price Court - Abu Dhabi, said: "The Crown Price Court is fully behind this initiative and have already seen the curriculum succeed in empowering young people and providing them with the necessary tools to succeed in building the future of the nation at all levels.
"Moral education touches on every aspect and subject that children engage in.
"It is not just limited to science or maths but it is involved in all subjects and it is helping children to adapt to integral moral practises.
"The moral education programme has been designed to develop children holistically in a world being rapidly transformed by technology and globalisation."
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
What is the FNC?
The Federal National Council is one of five federal authorities established by the UAE constitution. It held its first session on December 2, 1972, a year to the day after Federation.
It has 40 members, eight of whom are women. The members represent the UAE population through each of the emirates. Abu Dhabi and Dubai have eight members each, Sharjah and Ras al Khaimah six, and Ajman, Fujairah and Umm Al Quwain have four.
They bring Emirati issues to the council for debate and put those concerns to ministers summoned for questioning.
The FNC’s main functions include passing, amending or rejecting federal draft laws, discussing international treaties and agreements, and offering recommendations on general subjects raised during sessions.
Federal draft laws must first pass through the FNC for recommendations when members can amend the laws to suit the needs of citizens. The draft laws are then forwarded to the Cabinet for consideration and approval.
Since 2006, half of the members have been elected by UAE citizens to serve four-year terms and the other half are appointed by the Ruler’s Courts of the seven emirates.
In the 2015 elections, 78 of the 252 candidates were women. Women also represented 48 per cent of all voters and 67 per cent of the voters were under the age of 40.
Honeymoonish
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Result
Tottenhan Hotspur 2 Roma 3
Tottenham: Winks 87', Janssen 90 1'
Roma 3
D Perotti 13' (pen), C Under 70', M Tumminello 90 2"
THE SPECS
Engine: Four-cylinder 2.5-litre
Transmission: Seven-speed auto
Power: 165hp
Torque: 241Nm
Price: Dh99,900 to Dh134,000
On sale: now
Silent Hill f
Publisher: Konami
Platforms: PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S, PC
Rating: 4.5/5
TEACHERS' PAY - WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW
Pay varies significantly depending on the school, its rating and the curriculum. Here's a rough guide as of January 2021:
- top end schools tend to pay Dh16,000-17,000 a month - plus a monthly housing allowance of up to Dh6,000. These tend to be British curriculum schools rated 'outstanding' or 'very good', followed by American schools
- average salary across curriculums and skill levels is about Dh10,000, recruiters say
- it is becoming more common for schools to provide accommodation, sometimes in an apartment block with other teachers, rather than hand teachers a cash housing allowance
- some strong performing schools have cut back on salaries since the pandemic began, sometimes offering Dh16,000 including the housing allowance, which reflects the slump in rental costs, and sheer demand for jobs
- maths and science teachers are most in demand and some schools will pay up to Dh3,000 more than other teachers in recognition of their technical skills
- at the other end of the market, teachers in some Indian schools, where fees are lower and competition among applicants is intense, can be paid as low as Dh3,000 per month
- in Indian schools, it has also become common for teachers to share residential accommodation, living in a block with colleagues
Read more from Aya Iskandarani
'Shakuntala Devi'
Starring: Vidya Balan, Sanya Malhotra
Director: Anu Menon
Rating: Three out of five stars
Three ways to boost your credit score
Marwan Lutfi says the core fundamentals that drive better payment behaviour and can improve your credit score are:
1. Make sure you make your payments on time;
2. Limit the number of products you borrow on: the more loans and credit cards you have, the more it will affect your credit score;
3. Don't max out all your debts: how much you maximise those credit facilities will have an impact. If you have five credit cards and utilise 90 per cent of that credit, it will negatively affect your score.
RESULTS
Dubai Kahayla Classic – Group 1 (PA) $750,000 (Dirt) 2,000m
Winner: Deryan, Ioritz Mendizabal (jockey), Didier Guillemin (trainer).
Godolphin Mile – Group 2 (TB) $750,000 (D) 1,600m
Winner: Secret Ambition, Tadhg O’Shea, Satish Seemar
Dubai Gold Cup – Group 2 (TB) $750,000 (Turf) 3,200m
Winner: Subjectivist, Joe Fanning, Mark Johnston
Al Quoz Sprint – Group 1 (TB) $1million (T) 1,200m
Winner: Extravagant Kid, Ryan Moore, Brendan Walsh
UAE Derby – Group 2 (TB) $750,000 (D) 1,900m
Winner: Rebel’s Romance, William Buick, Charlie Appleby
Dubai Golden Shaheen – Group 1 (TB) $1.5million (D) 1,200m
Winner: Zenden, Antonio Fresu, Carlos David
Dubai Turf – Group 1 (TB) $4million (T) 1,800m
Winner: Lord North, Frankie Dettori, John Gosden
Dubai Sheema Classic – Group 1 (TB) $5million (T) 2,410m
Winner: Mishriff, John Egan, John Gosden
