Emirates Green Building Council

What Emirates Green Building Council does

Emirates Green Building Council (EmiratesGBC) is a non-government organization founded in June 2006 and headquartered at Al Joud Centre, Sheikh Zayed Road, Dubai, serving as the official Green Building Council for the UAE. It is the eighth member of the World Green Building Council network and operates as a membership-driven platform that advances sustainable built environment practices across the UAE and the broader MENA region. The organization is led by Chairman Khaled Bushnaq and CEO Abdullatif Albitawi, with a lean eight-person office team and a board including co-founder Dr. Habiba Al Mar'ashi. Its service portfolio spans a 200-page Technical Guidelines publication for building retrofits, the Green Key hotel certification program (where it serves as National Operator with 154+ certified properties), the Net Zero Centre of Excellence, energy and water benchmarking programs covering hotels, schools, and malls, and the EGBC Academy which delivers professional credentialing courses such as PA-CEMP, Building Retrofit Training, LEED training, and the Hospitality Program. EmiratesGBC also runs a flagship Annual Congress, the MENA Green Building Awards (14th cycle in 2026), monthly technical workshops, webinars, a podcast, and members-only facilities including the Sustainability Lounge co-working space.

The organization generates revenue through tiered annual membership subscriptions (Individual AED 1,000, Corporate AED 10,000, Industry Partner AED 35,000), professional training and certification fees, publication sales, event sponsorships, and program partnerships. It serves a membership base of 240+ individuals and corporate organizations spanning real estate development (Aldar Properties PJSC, Emaar Properties), consulting engineering (Arup Gulf Ltd, AESG), banking (Emirates NBD Bank), healthcare (Cleveland Clinic Abu Dhabi), district cooling (Emicool), airport operations (Abu Dhabi Airports), and facilities management (Farnek Services), alongside government entities and academic institutions. Strategic partnerships with Dubai Municipality, Abu Dhabi Urban Planning Council, Masdar, Dubai Chamber of Commerce, and GBCI anchor the council within the UAE's regulatory and policy ecosystem, while its co-founding role in the MENA Green Building Councils Network extends its regional reach across 13 councils.

Name

Emirates Green Building Council

Legal name

Emirates Green Building Council

Website

https://emiratesgbc.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2006

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Emirates Green Building Council is the UAE's official non-government Green Building Council, advancing sustainable built environment practices through membership programs, technical guidelines, certification (Green Key), training credentials, and industry events for the MENA region.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Green Building Council Services & Sustainability Certification

NAICS

Administration of Environmental Quality Programs (9241)

SIC

Non-Operating Establishments (9995)

akta.pro primary industry

Green Building & Energy-Efficient Construction (LEED, Weatherization) (EDAOAAAO)

akta.pro secondary industries

Corporate Foundations & CSR Grantmaking (BPAGAKAC), Sustainability/Green Certified Conference Hotels (THAGALAN)

Keywords

• Green building certification
• Sustainability training programs
• Building energy benchmarking
• Environmental certification services
• Green building advocacy

Headquarters

HQ city

Dubai

HQ country

United Arab Emirates

HQ region

Middle East

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Others

Revenue model

1. Membership Fees: Annual membership fees from individual (AED 1,000), corporate (AED 10,000), and industry partner (AED 35,000) tiers. Includes one-time joining fees for individual members (AED 500).
2. Training and Certification Programs: Revenue from PA-CEMP training, Building Retrofit Training, LEED Credential Training, Hospitality Program, and Responsible Labour Practices training courses.
3. Technical Guidelines Sales: Sales of Technical Guidelines publications - English version at $30 (100 AED), Arabic version, or package deal at $42 (150 AED).
4. Event Sponsorship: Revenue from sponsorships of the Annual Congress, MENA Green Building Awards, and other events. Sponsors include lead sponsors and supporting sponsors for specific programs.
5. Webinars and Workshops: Fees for certain engagement activities, with discounts for members. Many events are free for members or available at special discounted prices.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels9 records

Core offering

Emirates Green Building Council operates as a membership-driven non-government organization that serves as the official Green Building Council for the UAE under World Green Building Council endorsement. It delivers sustainability certification (Green Key for hotels), professional training (PA-CEMP, LEED, Building Retrofit), technical publications, energy benchmarking programs, and advocacy services for the UAE built environment. Its core customer base includes individual sustainability professionals, corporate building-industry organizations, and government entities across the UAE and MENA region.

Product overview

Emirates Green Building Council (EmiratesGBC) operates as a membership-driven NGO and official Green Building Council for the UAE, endorsed by the World Green Building Council. Rather than offering a unified software product, the organization provides a portfolio of programs, services, and resources focused on advancing green building practices. The core offerings include the Technical Guidelines for Retrofitting Existing Buildings (a comprehensive 200-page guidance document), the Green Key hotel certification program, and the Net Zero Centre of Excellence which encompasses the Energy Efficiency Program, Benchmarking Program, and UAE Sustainability Built Environment Blueprint. Education is delivered through EGBC Academy (offering PA-CEMP training, Building Retrofit Training, LEED Credential Training, and Hospitality Program), monthly Technical Workshops, and Online Webinars. The Sustainability Lounge serves as a members-only co-working facility. The organization also runs the MENA Green Building Awards, publishes an annual Congress, and produces research publications including the annual Market Brief and various technical reports on topics like embodied carbon, indoor air quality, and energy benchmarking. The diverse portfolio serves over 240 members across the UAE's building industry value chain.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Sustainability Lounge: A co-working space within EmiratesGBC's office designed to support innovation, collaboration, and education for sustainability professionals.
• Net Zero Centre of Excellence
• Green Key Program
• EmiratesGBC Academy

Products and services

• Individual Membership Annual individual membership at AED 1,000 with a one-time AED 500 joining fee, providing sustainability professionals access to networking, educational experiences, technical program participation, and the Sustainability Lounge and Members Forum. Special discounts are available for students and SMEs.
• Corporate Membership Annual corporate membership at AED 10,000 for developers, contractors, consultants, manufacturers, suppliers, and service organizations. Benefits include networking, educational experiences, technical program participation, and access to the Sustainability Lounge and Members Forum.
• Industry Partner Membership Premium annual membership at AED 35,000 for organizations seeking enhanced partnership value, increased visibility, and leadership opportunities within the UAE sustainability ecosystem.
• Green Key Hotel Certification Program Environmental eco-labeling certification program for hotels and tourism facilities, operated by EmiratesGBC as the UAE National Operator. Awards certification to accommodations meeting environmental standards, with 150+ certified Green Key hotels across the UAE.
• Technical Guidelines for Retrofitting Existing Buildings A comprehensive 200-page guidance document featuring 31 key retrofit methods for improving operational efficiency of existing buildings in the UAE, developed in conformance with UAE's sustainability agenda. Available in Arabic and English at $30 (English only) or $42 (Arabic + English package).
• PA-CEMP Certified Energy Management Professional Training Professional credential training program (PA-CEMP) certifying energy management professionals for the UAE built environment, delivered through the EGBC Academy.
• Building Retrofit Training (Introductory and Advanced) Introductory and Advanced Building Retrofit Training courses for built-environment professionals, delivered through the EGBC Academy.
• LEED Credential Training LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) credential training delivered through the EGBC Academy in alignment with GBCI (Green Building Certification Institute) partnership.
• Responsible Labour Practices Training

Named customers11 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature5 records

Partnerships

Twelve partnerships are on record, tiered core and secondary.

• World Green Building CouncilcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 September 2006EmiratesGBC achieved full membership in World Green Building Council by September 2006, becoming the 8th member globally. Serves as the official Green Building Council for UAE, endorsed by WorldGBC. Board Members actively contribute to WorldGBC Board and WGBC MENA Regional Network.
• Abu Dhabi QualitycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerStrategic partner providing quality assurance alignment for sustainable development initiatives in Abu Dhabi.
• Abu Dhabi Urban Planning CouncilcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerStrategic partner supporting urban planning alignment with Estidama sustainability framework for Abu Dhabi.
• Dubai MunicipalitycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerStrategic partner for Dubai green building regulations and specifications alignment, including mandatory green building requirements.
• Dubai Chamber of CommercecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerStrategic partner facilitating business networking and sustainability advocacy in Dubai business community.
• Masdar (Mubadala Company)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerStrategic partner supporting renewable energy and sustainable city development initiatives including Masdar City project.
• GBCI (Green Building Certification Institute)coreTechnology or IntegrationStrategic partner for LEED certification alignment and green building professional credentialing in UAE.
• American University of SharjahsecondaryStrategic or Co-development PartnerEducation partner providing academic collaboration for green building curriculum and research.
• Heriot Watt University DubaisecondaryStrategic or Co-development PartnerEducation partner facilitating research and professional development in sustainable built environment.
• Khalifa UniversitysecondaryStrategic or Co-development PartnerEducation partner supporting sustainability research and talent development in UAE.
• Green KeycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerEmiratesGBC serves as National Operator for Green Key program in UAE, certifying hotels for sustainable operations.
• MENA Green Building Councils NetworkcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCo-founded in 2010 with Qatar GBC and Jordan GBC. Network includes 13 green building councils across MENA region. EmiratesGBC plays leadership role in regional coordination.

Scale indicators8 records

Recent moves9 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Emirates Environmental Group (EEG): UAE-based environmental NGO co-founded by Dr. Habiba Al Mar'ashi (also co-founder of EmiratesGBC). Directly comparable as a peer UAE sustainability nonprofit with overlapping leadership, community, and corporate-engagement programs.
• GBCI (Green Business Certification Inc.): Administering body for LEED credentials and project certification globally — a strategic partner of EmiratesGBC for LEED credentialing in UAE. Directly comparable as a peer certification administrator with overlapping training and credentialing products.
• BRE Group (BREEAM): Owner/operator of BREEAM, the leading building sustainability certification standard outside LEED. Directly comparable as a building-sustainability standards, training, and certification organization referenced in EmiratesGBC's own Market Brief as a recognized UAE certification system.
• UK Green Building Council: The UK GBC operating under the WorldGBC umbrella with a similar advocacy, policy, and member-driven model. Directly comparable as a mature-market GBC with strong policy-influence positioning analogous to EmiratesGBC's role in UAE.
• Qatar Green Building Council: Co-founder of the MENA GBC Network alongside EmiratesGBC in 2010. A directly comparable regional GBC operating with the same WorldGBC model of membership, advocacy, training, and certification promotion in Qatar.
• Indian Green Building Council (IGBC): Large emerging-market Green Building Council under Confederation of Indian Industry, operating its own rating system and massive training programs. Directly comparable in mission and structure, especially relevant to developing-market GBC scaling.
• Canada Green Building Council (CaGBC): National GBC operating the same membership, advocacy, education, and certification-alignment model as EmiratesGBC. A directly comparable national GBC in a developed-market context with similar program portfolio (advocacy, training, member services).
• US Green Building Council (USGBC): The original and largest national Green Building Council, operating the LEED system globally. EmiratesGBC mirrors its membership, education (LEED credential training via GBCI), advocacy, and chapter model — making it the closest structural analog to EmiratesGBC.

Broad incumbents

• World Green Building Council: The global umbrella of which EmiratesGBC is the 8th member. Comparable as a green building advocacy/coordination body; broader geographic mandate and network-effect positioning make it the apex peer in the GBC ecosystem.
• Masdar: UAE clean-energy champion and a strategic partner of EmiratesGBC. Comparable as a UAE-headquartered, government-linked sustainability/city-development organization that overlaps with EmiratesGBC on Net Zero advocacy, research, and renewable/built-environment education.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/c/EmiratesGreenBuildingCouncil
• Facebookfacebook.com/EmiratesGreenBuildingCouncil
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/emirates-green-building-council
• Instagraminstagram.com/emiratesgbc/?hl=en

Compliance2 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles7 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Emirates Green Building Council