Green, Sustainable, and LEED Buildings

By:
Ahmed Mostafa

A Thesis Submitted to the Faculty of Engineering,

The British University in Egypt,
in Partial Fulfilment of the Requirements for the Degree of Bachelor in Civil Engineering

2021-2022
 Green, Sustainable, and LEED Buildings

Dissertation Approved
Dr.
Professor
The British University in Egypt

_____________________________

Committee Member

_____________________________

Committee Member

_____________________________

Committee Member

_____________________________

External Committee Member

_____________________________

Dean, Faculty of Engineering

|Page
 Abstract

A sustainable construction is regarded as a way for the construction industry to move towards
protecting the environment. The application of sustainability in construction is done to
achieve balance between economic, environmental, and social factors in the construction
projects. By understand that the environment requires protection, the issue has gained more
awareness from worldwide construction companies. For the sake of reducing the negative
effects on the environment by the construction and to acquire sustainability in the
construction sector, three principals were brought up: cost efficiency, resources efficiency,
and design for human adaptation. These principles formed a framework that is utilized to
apply sustainability into projects in the construction sector starting with the planning stage. A
case study is presented regarding a commercial building in Egypt, the City Centre Almaza,
that utilized some methods for energy efficiency. A questionnaire survey was then conducted
that involved experts and engineers in Egypt that have experience in commercial projects for
the sake of identifying the suitability and practicality of the methods for energy efficiency
that can be used in Egypt in future green buildings. The results of the survey demonstrated
that the three main systems that are regarded as important in Egypt are the implementation of
natural ventilation, thermal insulation, and solar panels.

Keywords: Green buildings; Sustainability, LEED system; Energy efficiency;

Commercial buildings in Egypt

|Page
Table of Contents
Abstract..........................................................................................................................................iii
List of Figures................................................................................................................................vii
List of Tables................................................................................................................................viii
1 Chapter One: Introduction.......................................................................................................0
1.1. Introduction:....................................................................................................................0
1.2. Problem Statement:..........................................................................................................1
1.3. Research Aim:.................................................................................................................1
1.4. Research Questions:.........................................................................................................1
1.5. Research Methodology:...................................................................................................2
1.6. Research Outline:.............................................................................................................2
2 Chapter Two: Literature Review.............................................................................................3
2.1. Green Buildings:..............................................................................................................3
2.1.1. Significance of Green Buildings:.............................................................................4
2.2. Assessment of Green Buildings:......................................................................................5
2.2.1. LEED Rating System:..............................................................................................7
2.2.1.1 Problems with the LEED Rating System:...........................................................9
2.3. Sustainability:..................................................................................................................9
2.3.1. Definition:................................................................................................................9
2.3.2. Historical Review of Sustainability in Construction:............................................10
2.3.3. Application of Sustainability in Construction:......................................................10
2.3.3.1. Tools Used to Evaluate a Sustainable Construction:............................................11
2.3.3.2. Conservation of Resources:..................................................................................12
2.3.3.3. Conservation of Energy:.......................................................................................13
2.3.3.4. Conservation of Materials:...................................................................................14
2.3.3.5. Conservation of Water:.........................................................................................15
2.3.3.6. Conservation of Land...........................................................................................16
2.4. Conclusion:....................................................................................................................16
3 Chapter Three: Research Methodology.................................................................................17
3.1. Introduction:..................................................................................................................17

|Page
 3.2. Suggested Method:........................................................................................................17
3.3. Suggested Approach:.....................................................................................................17
3.4. Research Plan:...............................................................................................................18
3.5. Questionnaire Survey:...................................................................................................18
3.6. Analysis of the Data:.....................................................................................................18
3.7. Case Study:....................................................................................................................18
3.3.7. City centre Almaza................................................................................................18
3.3.7. Credit Agricole Egypt............................................................................................21
4 Chapter Four: Results and Data Analysis..............................................................................23
4.1. Introduction:..................................................................................................................23
4.2. City Centre Almaza – Case Study:................................................................................23
4.2.1. Key Features in the Mall to Receive a LEED Certificate:.....................................23
4.2.1.1 Sustainable Sites:...............................................................................................24
4.2.1.2 Energy and Atmosphere:.............................................................................25
4.2.1.3 Materials and Resources:..................................................................................28
4.2.1.4 Water Efficiency:..............................................................................................29
4.2.1.5 Indoor Environmental Quality:.....................................................................30
4.3. Credit Agricole case study.............................................................................................31
4.1.1.1 Sustainable sites.................................................................................................31
4.1.1.2 Energy and atmosphere......................................................................................32
4.3. Survey Sample:..............................................................................................................33
4.4. Survey Results:..............................................................................................................35
4.4.1. First Division:........................................................................................................35
4.4.2. Energy Efficiency in Commercial Buildings in Egypt:.........................................37
4.5. Discussion Section:........................................................................................................42
4.6. Energy Efficiency Framework:......................................................................................43
Chapter Five: Conclusion and Recommendations.........................................................................45
5.1. Introduction:..................................................................................................................45
5.2. Conclusion:....................................................................................................................45
5.3. Recommendations:........................................................................................................46
References......................................................................................................................................47

|Page
Appendix........................................................................................................................................49

|Page
List of Figures
Figure 1 Green buildings sustainability dimensions (Pramanik, Mukherjee, Pal, Pal, & Singh,
2019)................................................................................................................................................4
Figure 2 Benefits of green buildings (Sharma, 2014)......................................................................5
Figure 3 BREEAM assessment tool (Jadhav, Lokhande, Bade, Tupe, & Sankpal, 2019)..............5
Figure 4 GPRS categories divided into weighting percentages (El-Hafeez, El-Mokadem, Sallam,
& Nashaat, 2014).............................................................................................................................6
Figure 5 Evaluation criteria of LEED (Jadhav, Lokhande, Bade, Tupe, & Sankpal, 2019)...........6
Figure 6 The three parameters of sustainability (YÕlmaz & BakÕú, 2015)...................................9
Figure 7 Steps over the years to enhance the design of a sustainable construction (Conte, 2018)10
Figure 8 Strategies and methods for the preservation of non-renewable resources (Akadiri,
Chinyio, & Olomolaiye, 2012)......................................................................................................12
Figure 9 Stages of energy consumption throughout the lifecycle of a construction (Akadiri,
Chinyio, & Olomolaiye, 2012)......................................................................................................12
Figure 10 The City Centre Almaza, Cairo Project........................................................................18
Figure 11 The location of the shopping centre on google maps....................................................19
Figure 12 Six categories of LEED credit.......................................................................................19
Figure 13 Overall LEED attained by the City Centre Almaza......................................................20
Figure 14 The total score attained by the City Centre Almaza in the LEED category of
sustainable sites.............................................................................................................................21
Figure 15 City Centre Almaza's accessibility and roads...............................................................21
Figure 16 Total points received by the City Centre Almaza in the LEED category of energy and
atmosphere.....................................................................................................................................22
Figure 17 Skylight in the middle of City Centre Almaza for maximum penetration of light.......22
Figure 18 Large floor-to-ceiling glass windows implemented in some areas of City Centre
Almaza...........................................................................................................................................23
Figure 19 Photovoltaic panels situated in the parking area of City Centre Almaza......................24
Figure 20 LED lighting implemented in City Centre Almaza.......................................................24
Figure 21 Total points attained by City Centre Almaza in the LEED category of materials and
resources........................................................................................................................................25
Figure 22 The total points attained by the City Centre Almaza in the LEED category of water
efficiency.......................................................................................................................................25
Figure 23 Total points attained by the City Centre Almaza in the LEED category of indoor
environmental quality....................................................................................................................26
Figure 24 Conceptual framework for the systems of energy efficiency for commercial buildings
in Egypt..........................................................................................................................................37

|Page
List of Tables
Table 1 LEED-NC, maximum points warranted by version and credit category (Tabrizi, 2021). .8
Table 2 LEED-NC point range for the levels of certification by each version (Tabrizi, 2021)......8
Table 3 Sample of the conducted questionnaire survey................................................................27
Table 4 The age of the questionnaire survey's respondents...........................................................29
Table 5 The total years of experience of the questionnaire survey's respondents.........................29
Table 6 The percentage of the questionnaire survey respondents that are aware of green buildings
.......................................................................................................................................................30
Table 7 Current knowledge of the respondents regarding energy efficiency in Egypt.................31
Table 8 The need for the reduction of energy consumption in commercial buildings in Egypt. . .31
Table 9 The respondents' agreement to the reduction of energy consumption in commercial
buildings in Egypt..........................................................................................................................32
Table 10 The attitude of the respondents in regards to the utilization of systems for electricity
production......................................................................................................................................32
Table 11 Number of respondents aware of thermal insulation......................................................33
Table 12 The possibility of changing the walls' design in order to reduce the consumption of
energy............................................................................................................................................33
Table 13 The possibility of sacrificing some spaces in the building for the reduction of air
conditioning use.............................................................................................................................34
Table 14 Percentage of the survey respondents that are aware of natural ventilation design in
buildings........................................................................................................................................34
Table 15 Percentage of the survey respondents that agreed to having numerous windows in the
design.............................................................................................................................................35
Table 16 The possibility of having large windows in the design for natural light penetration.....35
Table 17 Sample of the 1st respondent's answers..........................................................................43
Table 18 Sample of the 2nd respondent's answers........................................................................45
Table 19 Sample of the 3rd respondent's answers.........................................................................47
Table 20 Sample of the 4th respondent's answers.........................................................................49
Table 21 Sample of the 5th respondent's answers.........................................................................51

|Page
1 Chapter One: Introduction

1.1. Introduction:

Green buildings are acknowledged for their energy efficiency and their ability of
consuming less water. A green building’s design helps in decreasing the waste that is generated,
saving the natural resources, and providing a healthier and better environment when compared to
the designs of the current buildings. There are multiple elements that are available in the design
of green buildings like water heating, planning of the construction site, lighting, air envelope
inside of the building, and HVAC that supplies the operations for cooling and heating. Green
buildings are also able to combine multiple energy sources in order to provide a balanced use of
energy and provide a way for an effective management of the waste and the water. Moreover,
green buildings in order to provide a clean environment also rely on ecological materials that are
friendly and could be recycled. Furthermore, there are multiple indoor parameters that are also
taken into consideration to offer good air quality, excellent thermal insulation, and visual
comfort (Ramesh & Khan, 2013).
Traditionally designed buildings utilized more water than green buildings. There are
multiple solution and ways that are effective in decreasing the amount of water that is included in
the design like the water collection system, and other fixtures that help in reducing the water
consumption. Green buildings also help in providing extra supplies by designing on site facilities
to reuse or recycle the water. Moreover, it also helps in reducing the generated waste especially
that in the construction stage while including natural resources that be reused and recycled again
(Patel, Patel, Balya, & Rajgor, 2014).
Green buildings use less amounts of energy than traditional buildings. This depends on
the passive design as well as the other sources of energy while considering the using of efficient
materials in the framework of the building. Furthermore, they are also able to generate the
needed energy by using several renewable resources such as using solar panels that can help in
water heating and in generating the electricity that is needed. Green buildings could have
photovoltaic panels on their roof to se the solar radiation from the sun and provide the needed
energy for the building (Sen, Ganguly, Das, Sen, & Dey, 2016)
1.2. Problem Statement:

Any economic development of any country is directly impacted by the construction

sector. Egypt is regularly evolving in its construction sector and a high number of projects are
under development. However, the tradition approach is utilized in all of the buildings that are
currently being designed and constructed and that approach does not comprehend the
significance behind sustainability and green buildings as well as other environmental
considerations. Poor energy sources are still being relied on and the amount of electricity that is
used by the buildings is increasing each year. On the other hand, there is an increase yearly in the
prices of electricity which causes the people to rethink the current energy efficiency principles
and start thinking about including green buildings more.

1.3. Research Aim:

The major aim of this research is to highlight the importance on sustainability in the
construction sector and motivate construction organizations to utilize the idea of sustainability in
future projects. This is done by:
 Utilizing green materials such as using green concrete instead of conventional concrete
and therefore decreasing the emission of carbon dioxide worldwide.
 Utilizing renewable energy to produce electricity to decrease the energy consumption and
decrease the operational cost.
 Decreasing the production of waste by reusing the materials that were previously used on
the site.

1.4. Research Questions:

The aim of this research to answer the following questions:

 What are the steps that can be taken to minimize any negative impacts on the surrounding
environment?
 How does the LEED rating system work?
 What are the suitable methods of applying green materials into construction projects to
make them more sustainable?

1|Page
1.5. Research Methodology:

The methodology of this research aims on accomplishing all of the following points:
 Provide a literature review formed from previous researches conducted regarding the
concept of sustainability and green buildings.
 Offer a case study is constructed on a commercial building in Egypt that utilized some
methods for energy efficiency. The results of the case study will be used in developing
the framework as main points.
 A questionnaire survey will be conducted including experts and engineers in Egypt that
have experience in commercial projects for the sake of identifying the suitability and
practicality of the methods for energy efficiency that can be used in Egypt in future green
buildings.
 Propose a framework including the different techniques for energy efficiency and each
technique’s simplicity, price, and the availability of the labours that understand each
technique.

1.6. Research Outline:

The following chapters make up this research’s structure:

 Chapter 1 (Introduction): This chapter includes brief introduction to green buildings, the
problems currently taking place in Egypt, the aim and the questions of this research and
lastly, the methodology that will be applied in this research.
 Chapter 2 (Literature Review): It starts with defining the concept of green buildings and
using LEED rating system to assess them, and then provides an introduction to
sustainability, its definition, historical background and the different tools used.
 Chapter 3 (Methodology): This chapter proposed the methods that will be implemented in
this research the data collection method criteria and the method for the data analysis.
 Chapter 4 (Results and Analysis): This chapter demonstrates the results and the analysis
of the survey, as well as the framework. Furthermore, this chapter includes a case study
regarding a commercial building in Egypt to identify the different techniques for energy
efficiency implemented in that building.
 Chapter 5 (Conclusion and Recommendations): This chapter provides a short summary of
the research and further recommendations for future researches.

2|Page
2 Chapter Two: Literature Review

1.1. Green Buildings:

The design of a green building is the key to sustainable construction developments

(Samari, Godrati, Esmaeilifar, Olfat, & Shafiei, 2013). Furthermore, the concept of sustainable
constructions has turned into a major concern especially after global warming and the climate
change that severely impacted the future of the humanity (Hwang & Tan, 2012). The main
reason for having a green building is to design and construct a building that is thought to be
green according to the properly and efficiently used resources. Generally, the idea behind having
a sustainably built environment is mainly in regards to multiple parameters such as the efficiency
of resources distribution, reduction of the embodied energy, decreasing the energy consumption,
reusing and recycling the materials, and other short term and long term missions that could be
performed to the building especially in regards to its natural resources. The execution of the
concept of sustainability has helped in attaining proper supervision of the environmental
performance of the building in the case of the building’s design or during the construction stage
(Ofori-Boadu, Owusu-Manu, Edwards, & Holt, 2012).
Green buildings were defined by Sharma (2014) as a high performance building that
could be treated as a living organism in regards to containing a specific nurturing environment to
achieve the needed performance and health throughout its life cycle., while also having a unique
design that pays attention to the requirements of the local climate and the culture, and also
provides the required safety, health, and productivity for its occupants. The design of the
buildings demonstrates an architectural vision and systems that are continuously monitored and
taken care of for the sake of reducing the consumption of energy, reduce the produced carbon
emissions, and takes into account the importance of the environmental impacts on the occupants
and the community. (Sharma, 2014)
Multiple features are included in the design of green buildings, those features are:
(Sharma, 2014)
 Using solar systems for the sake of operating the street lights
 Creating a parking space that has low carbon emissions
 Water conservation
 Utilization of recycled materials in the construction and operation systems
 Improving the indoor air quality
 Reducing the impact of the buildings on the Earth and create an efficient landscape
design
 Ensuring the proper implementation of different management systems
 Using easily recycled materials
 Using several systems to achieve energy efficiency
 Creating a building design that aims on reducing the emissions of greenhouse gases and
reduce their impact on global warming

3|Page
 Figure 1 Green buildings sustainability dimensions (Pramanik, Mukherjee, Pal, Pal, & Singh, 2019)

1.1.1. Significance of Green Buildings:

There are multiple reasons for requiring green buildings and that could be mainly in
regards to the concept of supply and demand. A small amount of resources is available yet the
consumption continues on increasing. In order to ensure that the resources will be available for
the future generations, it is essential to perform certain actions according to the new standards
and regulations. The US Green Building Council stated that the construction sector uses around
14% tap water, 39% energy, and 40% raw materials which is the reason why green buildings are
required to solve these issues. (Sharma, 2014)
Other factors also contribute to the significance of green buildings like: (Sharma, 2014)
 It helps in the reduction of energy consumption
 They help in decreasing the peak demand on the utilities for electricity
 They aid in improving the building’s productivity
 Inspires new methods and innovations
 Achieves high quality standards

4|Page
 Below is a figure that demonstrates few of the common benefit of green buildings.

Figure 2 Benefits of green buildings (Sharma, 2014)

1.2. Assessment of Green Buildings:

The methods and the tools for the green buildings’ assessment are the most effective way
of enhancing the performance of any building. The past few years introduced several assessment
tools. Multiple assessment tools are currently being used like the one introduced by the UK in
the 1990’s known as the Building Research Establishment Assessment Method (BREEAM). This
tool is known to be the first assessment tool as well as the most developed assessment tool (Chan
& Darko, 2016).

Figure 3 BREEAM assessment tool (Jadhav, Lokhande, Bade, Tupe, & Sankpal, 2019)

5|Page
 Japan introduced the Comprehensive Assessment System for Building Environmental
Efficiency (CASBEE). This tool was introduced in order to assess different types of buildings
like industrial structure, schools, hospital buildings, office buildings, and many other types. In
the occasion that it is a different type of building, the green buildings’ assessment tools can still
be used but while having a specific benchmark. (Alyami & Rezgui, 2012)
Furthermore, “WELL” is another assessment tool which focuses on the health of the
occupant and their wellbeing and is managed by the IWBI. Canada and the US have another
assessment system and it the Green globe. The German Sustainable Council building introduced
the “DGNB” and it focuses on introducing the significance of sustainable buildings in Europe.
South Africa and Australia utilize the Green Star and it is regarded as an international rating
system. The Beam Plus assessment system is utilized by the Honk Kong council (Shamseldin,
2018). Lastly, the Green Pyramid Rating System (GPRS) is an assessment tool that was
introduced in Egypt and is implemented for the sake of classifying and rating green building. It
helps in evaluating the environmental considerations of buildings in the form of credits and it
includes 6 major categories and those are sustainable site, water and energy efficiency,
management, quality of the indoor environment, and efficiency of the materials. It also includes
a category known as value added and innovation and this category is evaluated as a bonus (El-
Hafeez, El-Mokadem, Sallam, & Nashaat, 2014).

Figure 4 GPRS categories divided into weighting percentages (El-Hafeez, El-Mokadem, Sallam, & Nashaat, 2014)

Furthermore, the rating system that is widely used in 41 countries such as Mexico, China,
India, Brazil, and Canada, and will be implemented in this research was a tool that was
introduced by the US in 1998 known as Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design
(LEED).

6|Page
 Figure 5 Evaluation criteria of LEED (Jadhav, Lokhande, Bade, Tupe, & Sankpal, 2019)

1.2.1. LEED Rating System:

A LEED system honours the designers of the projects for utilizing strategies that have the
ability to enhance the performance in metrics like water efficiency, indoor environmental quality,
reduction of CO2 emissions, energy savings, and further environmental effects. Despite the fact
that LEED does not warrant a certain energy performance of a community or a building,
however, it is considered as a technique that aids in achieving this goal (Tabrizi, 2021).
As stated by the United States Green Building Council (USGBC), initially, the LEED
system warranted certification only to the new construction (LEED-NC), nevertheless, current
commercial interior and buildings certifications were introduced in the year 2004 and the
certification of core/shell was introduced in the year 2007. This system allowed flexibility for
obtaining points so as to achieve certification by originally giving points in multiple
categorizations like water efficiency, materials and resources, innovation and design process,
sustainable sites, energy and atmosphere, and indoor environmental quality. Moreover, there are
four levels of certification and they are Certified, Silver, Gold, and Platinum. (Tabrizi, 2021)
On 1998, the LEED rating system’s pilot version was established between the years of
2000 to 2005, the USGBC started modifying the LEED system and newer version were
introduced as LEED 2.0, LEED 2.1, and LEED 2.2. In LEED’s introduction’s early years, it is
feasible to achieve a Platinum rating in the absence of any points in the category of “Energy and
Atmosphere”, nonetheless, in order for this problem to be fixed, in 2007 the USGBC demanded
the minimum requirement in this category to be of two points for any buildings certified after
this alteration. (Tabrizi, 2021)
In 2009, LEED V2009, or also known as LEED V3, was established where there was an
increase in the possible number of points available in several categories and therefore the number
of required points for each certification level was modified accordingly. Moreover, beginning
with LEED V3, each and every LEED certified building was asked to outline their energy
consumption. Lastly, LEED-NC V4 was introduced in 2013 and was regarded as the most recent
version that included multiple alterations to the credit for the sustainable site where it was
divided further into two more categories, including the category of location and transportation,
along with the integrative process. (Tabrizi, 2021)
7|Page
 Table 1 LEED-NC, maximum points warranted by version and credit category (Tabrizi, 2021)

Table 2 LEED-NC point range for the levels of certification by each version (Tabrizi, 2021)

8|Page
2.2.1.1 Problems with the LEED Rating System:

A LEED certification is considered as an excellent step for the sake of motivating the
decrease in the consumption of energy. Nonetheless, according to the report conducted in 2008
regarding “Energy Performance of LEED for New Construction Buildings”, one fourth of the
buildings that are LEED certified consume energy more than their suggested consumption.
Several LEED certified buildings consume energy that is even more than that of the code
baseline. (Tabrizi, 2021)
An analysis was conducted regarding the measured data of the energy-consumed from
100 buildings that are certified demonstrated that, on average, LEED buildings consume 17-38%
less energy per floor area. Nonetheless, in the same year, another study was conducted that
demonstrated that 27-43% of LEED buildings consume energy more than the buildings that do
not have a LEED certification. (Tabrizi, 2021)

1.3. Sustainability:

The concept of sustainability has been implanted gradually in the construction sector as it
is being included by engineers in every stage of the life cycle of the building. This includes the
building’s design, the plan for construction and management, the construction stage,
conservation and the reconstruction of the building (Zavadskas, Šaparauskas, & Antucheviciene,
2018). The aim of sustainability is to create future generation in the coming century by
preservation of the environment and conserving humankind and natural resources’ existence
(YÕlmaz & BakÕú, 2015). Furthermore, sustainability is regarded as multi-faced and plans to
improve people’s quality of life by lessening the ones with disadvantages, developing bonds
among the people by amplifying the importance of collaboration and social interest, and
enhancing the economies that utilize natural resources to cater for themselves (YÕlmaz &
BakÕú, 2015).
1.3.1. Definition:
Sustainability was firstly defined in 1989 by Brudland Report and was issued by the
United Nations of the World Commission on Environment and Development as the utilization of
natural resources in a balanced way for the sake of avoiding the exhaustion or the decay of said
resources, and to also avoid them reaching a point where they are no longer renewable and
therefore can not be passed to future generations (YÕlmaz & BakÕú, 2015).
Moreover, the definition of sustainable construction can be the utilization of materials
that are regarded as renewable and recyclable, they are utilized for the sake of reducing the
consumption of energy and the production of waste whenever possible in order to preserve the
environment surrounding the construction site (Go Construct, 2020).

9|Page
 In addition, sustainability foresees a continuing evolution that would impact only in
alternating our manners of usage and would not impact the quality of life. It consists of three
parts which are economic, environmental, and social. The merging of those three parts will give
rise to successful sustainability parameters that are preservation of the environment, economic
development, and social fair as demonstrated in the figure below (YÕlmaz & BakÕú, 2015).

Figure 6 The three parameters of sustainability (YÕlmaz & BakÕú, 2015)

1.3.2. Historical Review of Sustainability in Construction:

Burtland defined sustainability in 1987 in his report and that was regarded as the
beginning of a new era for sustainability. Sustainability was not regarded as a new idea,
however, its definition made the people more aware of its significance due to the responsibilities
of the humankind towards future generations. It became a distinguishing characteristic of any
discussion after 1987 and sustainability became the only way that operations took place in any
field. (Conte, 2018)
After thirty years, we are encircled with sustainable development executions and policies,
however, it is not obvious if they were successful. Moreover, sustainability in regards to the
construction sector was first addressed by Prof. Charles J. Kibert in a conference in 1994. Kibert
stated in that conference that sustainable construction constitutes of six principles which are
conserve, renew or recycle, reuse, protective in nature, non-toxic. (Conte, 2018)
There have been multiple advancements after 1994 worldwide. Some examples of those
advancements are The Bahrain World Trade Centre, the Museum of Tomorrow in Rio de
Janeiro, Brazil, and The Pixel building in Melbourne, Australia (Conte, 2018).
1.3.3. Application of Sustainability in Construction:
Sustainability was introduced into the construction sector as a way to accomplish,
produce, and design buildings that ensure the population’s wellness and the wellness of the
nature surrounding it through managing its pollution and conserving its resources (Conte, 2018).

10 | P a g e
 The importance of reviving the habitat from the exhaustion of its resources that are
considered as non-renewable and address the increasing pollution has existed as goal on a global
base of developing a man-made world that has the ability of balancing he natural life and the
humans together (Conte, 2018). The figure below demonstrates some of the important actions
that lead the design and the management of a sustainable construction to its greening:

Figure 7 Steps over the years to enhance the design of a sustainable construction (Conte, 2018)

2.3.3.1. Tools Used to Evaluate a Sustainable Construction:

Researches were conducted and financial tools were developed by several countries with
the purpose of implementing sustainable construction and introducing into the construction
sector a new way of thinking. Most of these researches are regarding the tools that are utilized in
order to evaluate sustainability and were introduced in several countries and then modified to
real life. The objective of these tools is to identify and categorize when a building is thought to
be sustainable and aid in providing guidance to the construction team (Jesus, Almeida, &
Almeida, 2007).
Some examples of these tools and their country of origin are: (Jesus, Almeida, &
Almeida, 2007)
 Japan: Comprehensive Assessment System for Building Environmental Efficiency
(CASBEE)
 USA: Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED)
 United Kingdom: Building Research Establishment’s Environmental Assessment Method
(BREEAM)

11 | P a g e
2.3.3.2. Conservation of Resources:

Conservation of resources is regarded as the accomplishment of more with less through

the management of the usage of human beings of the natural resources in order to provide the
biggest advantage to the current generation and to perverse the resources for the needs of the
future generations (Akadiri, Chinyio, & Olomolaiye, 2012).
The construction sector is the main utilizer of the natural resources, and therefore, most
of the plans are developed to create eco-friendly constructions that concentrate on the efficient
utilization of resources. Some examples in regards to this efficiency is the concept of a solar
passive layout for the sake of reducing the usage of non-renewable resources. There are ways in
order to reduce materials waste during the phase of construction and allows the recycling of non-
renewable resources, in addition to reusing them also aids in improving the efficiency of
consuming the resources (Akadiri, Chinyio, & Olomolaiye, 2012).
Moreover, energy, materials, water, and land are the mostly used non-renewable
resources in the construction sector, the preservation of these resources greatly impacts attaining
a sustainable future (Akadiri, Chinyio, & Olomolaiye, 2012). Strategies and methods used for the
preservation of these resources are demonstrated in the following figure.

Figure 8 Strategies and methods for the preservation of non-renewable resources (Akadiri, Chinyio, & Olomolaiye,
2012)

12 | P a g e
2.3.3.3. Conservation of Energy:

The construction sector consumes energy in every stage ranging from the design stage
and stage of construction until the demolition stage of the building. If efficiency of preservation
of energy is enhanced, usage of it can be decreased majorly and therefore cause a reduction in
the conduction of greenhouse gases and a decrease in the rate of consumption of non-renewable
energy. (Akadiri, Chinyio, & Olomolaiye, 2012)

Figure 9 Stages of energy consumption throughout the lifecycle of a construction (Akadiri, Chinyio, & Olomolaiye,
2012)

The main objective of energy preservation is to reduce the consumption of fossil fuels
and also to use more sources of renewable energy. Multiple methods can aid in achieving this
and they are: (Akadiri, Chinyio, & Olomolaiye, 2012)
 The building’s envelope need to be insulated in order to reduce the total heat lost by at
least half. By implementing an air tight strategy, elimination of draughts and loss of heat
will take place by having insulated floors and ceilings, blocking of already existing vents
and chimneys, and the walls will have a coat of modified plaster.
 Developing energy efficient technological processes.
 Using low energy intensive transportation means. By developing a community that
distributes services such as schools, shops, etc. near homes and businesses and thus
making a way to reach places without requiring to drive and creating paths for bicycles
and for walking will majorly impact the vehicle miles travelled by each family.
 Selecting the right materials and methods to reduce the energy consumption during
construction by decreasing solar heat whether loss or gain.

13 | P a g e
  Implementing a passive energy design. Examples of a passive energy design are using
bodies of water for cooling and evaporation, utilizing vegetation for landscaping. Those
examples can help in providing the building with thermal and visual comfort, and thus
there is a major reduction in energy consumption by conventional air conditioning and
artificial lighting in the building.
 Recycling and deconstructing materials in an energy efficient manner. When a building
is planned to be demolished, they will contain a disentanglement of systems, etc. There
are also blue prints for the building’s construction and deconstruction. Each materials
have a bar code that is used when the deconstruction contractor starts working he will
have instructions in regards to how to handle each materials or part. A building that is
designed for deconstruction aids in progression towards a zero-energy construction sector
by closing the loops of the materials utilized in the buildings.

2.3.3.4. Conservation of Materials:

The extraction and usage of the natural resources for the sake of being utilized as raw
materials or as materials for construction directly impacts the natural bio-diversity due to the
disintegration of the ecosystems and the natural areas due to the construction activities (Akadiri,
Chinyio, & Olomolaiye, 2012). During the stages of construction and demolition there are
multiple ways to aid in the decrease of materials consumption and its influence on the
environment. These methods are: (Akadiri, Chinyio, & Olomolaiye, 2012)
 Assign durable materials: Durability is a sign that declares the length to which a material
maintains its original state over time. An increase in the durability of the material
increases how sustainable a construction is. A material is regarded as durable when its
performance correlates to the time required for its effect to be consumed by the
environment. It will need to be changed a fewer number of times when it has a longer life
than the materials that have a shorter life. Therefore, less resources and less time are
required to maintain a durable material.
 Design to avoid pollution: Materials that are selected from the companies that are
environmentally conscious increases their efforts towards avoiding pollution. The prices
of these materials may be higher than the prices of the ones considered as “off-the-shelf”,
yet those materials are thought to generate higher levels of pollution. Soil pollution is the
most type of pollution seen in the construction site, it is also seen during the extraction of
materials and the disposal of their wastes, especially if it was hazardous. Photochemical
smoke is generated from air, road, and rail transportation and it consists of carbon
monoxide, hydrocarbons, nitrogen oxides, and ozone.
 Design to minimize waste: Three different components can be applied in the design
process for the minimization of waste as part of a project’s sustainability. Those are:
(Akadiri, Chinyio, & Olomolaiye, 2012)
(a) Reusing and Recycling: Materials’ recycling decrease the generation of waste and
their effect on the environment. Reusing of the materials is another way to
decrease waste due to construction and demolition, hence, materials can be

14 | P a g e
 recovered from the demolition processes and reused, such as bricks, windows,
tiles, etc.
(b) Reducing waste and their recovery: The best way to reduce waste generation is to
prevent it. This will reduce the need for reusing, recycling, or disposing of waste
and therefore, prevent the production of waste and its negative impacts.
(c) Storing construction materials and their disposal: Construction waste should be
stored in a way that it is under control and preserved when it was not possible to
be prevented or recovered.
 Assign local and natural materials: Materials that are natural are less toxic and have a
lower embodied energy than those that are man-made, hence, it is more sustainable to use
natural materials. In addition, when the materials are obtained locally that reduced the
distance travelled and therefore cause less air pollution from the means of transportation.
 Identify materials that less or non-toxic: Most of the materials negatively affect the
indoor air quality and cause the workers to be liable to health hazards. Volatiles organic
compounds (VOC) is available in materials like adhesives, sealants, paints, and cleaners
and those give out unhealthy gases for a small amount of time during their installation
and also after their installation.

2.3.3.5. Conservation of Water:

There is a heavy reliance from the construction sector on the water taken from the
environment. Water is not only used during the construction stage, it is also used during
extraction, delivery of the materials to the construction cite, manufacturing, and production
(Akadiri, Chinyio, & Olomolaiye, 2012).
Multiple different strategies can be implemented in order to reduce water consumption
throughout the life cycle of a building and they are: (Akadiri, Chinyio, & Olomolaiye, 2012)
 Dual-plumbing design: utilizing water that is recycled in order to be used to flush the
toilet or a gray water system that recovers water for site irrigation from the rain.
 Designing a low-demand landscape: implementing plants that are native to the local
ecosystems majorly reduces water consumption as they are used to the levels of the local
rain water and hence, cancels the requirement for any extra watering. An underground
drip irrigation system also increases the water efficiency as they reduce the lost water due
to evaporation from the surface after the rain or during watering.
 Implementing water-efficient plumbing fixtures like toilets and urinals with ultra-low
flow, low flor and sensored sinks, waterless urinals, low-flow showerheads, and
application of dishwashers and washing machines in order to decrease wastewater.
 Gray water system for rainwater gathering: water then used for irrigation to decrease
water consumption. In addition, rainwater can be used as drinking water since some
people in different areas rely on rainwater to be harvested as their water supply.

15 | P a g e
2.3.3.6. Conservation of Land

Land is the main resource that the construction sector relies on. The utilization of land for
urban enlargement is a growing issue in developed and developing countries. More land can be
recovered from the ocean, however, recovering large piece of land is hard and unacceptable as it
impacts the ecosystems. The landscape should be respected by a sustainable design and further
understanding of the interconnections between the plant communities, habitats, soil, water, in
addition to the impact the utilization of the humans have on them. (Akadiri, Chinyio, &
Olomolaiye, 2012)
A zero-expansion policy of the existing urban areas can help preserve the land. It can be
accomplished by an already existing building’s adaptive reuse, and by not allowing any new
constructions. In addition, implementing sustainable systems within the reach of public
transportation and facilities would prevent the need for any expansions. (Akadiri, Chinyio, &
Olomolaiye, 2012)

1.4. Conclusion:

A sustainable construction is regarded as a way for the construction industry to move

towards protecting the environment. The application of sustainability in construction is done to
achieve balance between economic, environmental, and social factors in the construction
projects. By understand that the environment requires protection, the issue has gained more
awareness from worldwide construction companies. For the sake of reducing the negative effects
on the environment by the construction and to acquire sustainability in the construction sector,
three principles were brought up: cost efficiency, resources efficiency, and design for human
adaptation. These principles formed a framework that is utilized to apply sustainability into
projects in the construction sector starting with the planning stage.

16 | P a g e
3 Chapter Three: Research Methodology

1.1. Introduction:

The literature review previously introduced demonstrated how green buildings are
beneficial for most countries. This study focused on energy efficiency in green buildings in
addition to examines the possibility of the application of that design in Egypt’s construction
sector. The experts in the field’ opinions and responses are required for the sake of
accomplishing that goal, thus the methodology of this research will be assembled according to
those points. Therefore, this chapter includes multiple aspects like the approach of the research,
the followed method, the survey’s design, and lastly, a case study summary.

1.2. Suggested Method:

It is crucial to determine the correct method that would be valuable to this research. A
quantitative or a qualitative approach are the most commonly apply methods. The quantitative
approach involves sampling, simulations, or surveys for the sake of attaining information as well
as statistical data by means of numbers and percentages. On the other hand, the qualitative
approach involves several approaches in accordance to theoretical statements, observations, as
well as ideas that are proven such as field observations and performing interviews. In this
research it is essential to understand the experts’ opinions in regards to the importance of energy
efficiency and its application in Egypt by using several systems. Therefore, in order to achieve
this goal, the quantitative approach is followed.

1.3. Suggested Approach:

It is essential to identify the most applicable and suitable approach to be followed in this
research for the sake of accomplishing the required objectives and provide answers to the
questions of the research. Firstly, the deductive approach is usually applied for aspects and
theories that already exist, furthermore, its efficiency increases when coupled up with the
quantitative approach. Secondly, the inductive approach is usually applied for non-discussed
aspects as well as new theories, its efficiency increases when coupled up with the qualitative
approach. Hence, the deductive approach will be implemented in this research because of the
presence of several studies in regards to this topic. Nonetheless, this research will include a
different concept in concern to the same topics that was discussed previously by other
researchers.

17 | P a g e
18 | P a g e
1.4. Research Plan:

This research’s plan indicates the steps that are going to be followed throughout this
research. First of all, it investigates the previously conducted studies, the previous studies’
problem statements, and how these issues were solved. Next, a questionnaire survey will be
carried out for the sake of collecting information in accordance to the research’s objectives. An
investigation of the Egyptian market will be conducted to identify certain methods’ availability
and their price ranges. Moreover, a case study in regards to a commercial building in Egypt will
be explored for the sake of identifying the implemented methods for achieving energy efficiency.
Finally, a conclusion in addition to some recommendations will be provided for future
researchers.

1.5. Questionnaire Survey:

The questionnaire survey is a crucial method that is used in order to collect the needed
data. It is designed in a type of way that makes it easy to understand and clear by the
respondents. It is a closed ended survey that will be distributed among at least 25 consultants,
contractors, and engineers that are involved in the Egyptian construction sector.

1.6. Analysis of the Data:

Google forms will be used in order to analyse the data gathered by the survey. This
application will help in presenting tables, statistical data, and figures in accordance the
questionnaire survey’s responses.

1.7. Case Study:

3.3.7. City centre Almaza

The case study of this research is concerning City Centre Almaza which is located in
Heliopolis, Suez Road, East Cairo, and 7Km away from the Cairo International Airport. It is
regarded as one of Cairo’s largest shopping centres with an overall area of 120,000-meter square
that is used for the sake of providing the users with several needs and requirements. The parking
area of the shopping centre is designed in a way so that it accommodates 4000 vehicles as well as
a deck and a basement level. In 2016, the construction of the shopping centre started and was
successfully accomplished towards the end of September in 2019.

19 | P a g e
 The owner of this establishment is Majid al-Futtaim, and the project was constructed as a
joint venture between the Consolidated Contractors Company (CCC) that is present in Athens,
Greece, and Hassan Allam Construction (HAC, which is an Egyptian company. The project
comes in line with Callison RTKL (CTRKL), which is a global consultancy, that specialized in
technology commitment to performance-driven-design organization, architecture, design, and the
application of technical advancements for the sake of enhancing and optimizing design solutions
that aid in accomplishing a more sustainable and productive environment. City Centre Almaza
was allocated as one of high environmental quality by applying sustainable design and strategies,
energy savings, water efficiency, and decreasing the emission of CO2.

Figure 10 The City Centre Almaza, Cairo Project

Figure 11 The location of the shopping centre on google maps

20 | P a g e
 The LEED Gold certificate from the Green Building Council in the United States was
presented to the City Centre Almaza, which is regarded as one of Cairo’s biggest malls, seeing as
how it follows a green and sustainable design, building operation, and construction and was
allocated in accordance to six credit categories, which are:

 Energy and atmosphere

 Innovation regional priority and operations (Location and Transportation)
 Sustainable sites
 Materials and resources
 Indoor environmental quality
 Water efficiency
The City Centre Almaza is considered as a green building and it applies multiple techniques
for energy efficiency. Those techniques will be indicated in a section in the next chapter.

Figure 12 Six categories of LEED credit

21 | P a g e
3.3.7. Credit Agricole Egypt

Another case study is conducted on a building in Egypt concerning this research which is credit
Agricole headquarters in Egypt which is located in the 5 th settlement. Credit Agricole Egypt head
office is built on a total area of 265,386 sq ft. The target of the primary designs of the head office
is to provide a design based on international standards that in the future years will provide a
sustainable environment and also provide the necessary requirements needed by CAE.

Figure 13: Satellite view of headquarter

Figure 14: Credit Agricole Egypt

22 | P a g e
 Credit Agricole bank head office construction involved several parties and Individuals such

CLIENT
 Client: Credit Agricole Egypt
DESIGNERS
 Architect: Atelier Tom Sheehan & Parten Aires
 Architect: Salah-Eddine Sidone, Christian Bonnard, Tom Sheehan
CONSULTANTS
 Building services engineer: Engineering Consultants Group
 Energy consultant: Engineering Consultants Group
 Green certification consultant: Engineering Consultants Group, Ahmed Hamdi
 Manager: Arab consulting engineers

CONTRACTORS
 Contractor: ORASCOM construction

The LEED Platinum certificate from the Green Building Council in the United States was
presented to the Credit Agricole Egypt’s Head Office, which is regarded as the 1st LEED
Platinum Certificate in Egypt and North Africa. The platinum LEED Certificate is the highest-
level award to buildings that hold a pioneer stance in terms of energy saving and designs that is
environment friendly all over the world.

23 | P a g e
4 Chapter Four: Results and Data Analysis

1.1. Introduction:

The previous chapter talked through the methodology of the research as well as the
applied methods in order to answer the research questions. The current chapter discusses and
analyses the different strategies that are applied in the City Centre Almaza in order to reduce the
emissions of CO2, reduce the consumption of energy, temperature, and solar radiation, for the
sake of allowing the mall to be considered as an energy efficient building. Additionally, the
implemented active techniques will be discussed, like utilizing solar panels for solar energy, and
the passive techniques like the type of glass used for windows and glass doors. As well as the
implemented lighting system, including active and passive lighting techniques. Furthermore, the
results achieved the questionnaire survey that was conducted will be included in this chapter.
The questionnaire survey was distributed among a certain population, and the achieved results
were in the form of figures for the sake of allowing concluding remarks in regards to energy
efficiency in Egypt’s commercial buildings.

1.2. City Centre Almaza – Case Study:

4.2.1. Key Features in the Mall to Receive a LEED Certificate:

The shopping centre obtained due to the application of green building technologies and
methods. The mall achieved a total point of 70 out of 110 which is thought of any very good
when set side by side with other projects that achieved the same results.

Figure 15 Overall LEED attained by the City Centre Almaza

24 | P a g e
4.2.1.1 Sustainable Sites:

Sustainable sites are basically if the site is regarded as accessible and if it supports its
access from its location in addition to its parking capacity and the bikes supporting system. The
shopping centre attained a score of 22 from 28 in this category which is regarded as a good
score.
This shopping centre invested EGP 500 million into traffic solutions for the sake of
ensuring that the roads that are surrounding it are upgraded in order to provide a free interchange
that provides the customers with a smooth and free access. This development can be noticed in
the Suez Road, in addition to the new pedestrian bridge that was built over the Thawra Street for
the sake of ensuring the customers’ safety and effectively and safely directing the traffic to and
from the shopping centre. The mall provides 241 bicycle storage and changing rooms, as well as
200 parking spots that are situated near the mall’s entrance particularly for vehicles that are fuel-
efficient and low emitting. The visitors’ parking area is designed to hold 4000 vehicles, as well
as a basement and deck level.

Figure 16 The total score attained by the City Centre Almaza in the LEED category of sustainable sites

25 | P a g e
 Figure 17 City Centre Almaza's accessibility and roads

4.2.1.2 Energy and Atmosphere:

This category is considered according to the usage of the passive and active production
and utilization of energy. City Centre Almaza attained a score of 20 out of 37 in this category.

Figure 18 Total points received by the City Centre Almaza in the LEED category of energy and atmosphere

Multiple strategies and techniques were following regarding the category of energy and
atmosphere, those strategies and techniques are:
1. Skylight: It is situated in the middle part of the shopping centre. The large skylight is
incorporated for the sake of providing the highest possible natural daylight penetration
from the roof into the building for the purpose of reducing the consumption of energy in
the building. Additionally, it provides the entire building with light throughout most of
the day hours without needing electricity utilization.

26 | P a g e
 Figure 19 Skylight in the middle of City Centre Almaza for maximum penetration of light

2. Large glass windows: The mall has several parts on all of the floors that have natural life
penetrating in, that takes place because of the implemented floor-to-ceiling, large,
double-glazing glass windows with a double low e-coating that has a G-value that is
equal to 0.5-0.7. This glass type was selected because of the fact that it is a low G-value,
which is beneficial in the warm climate of Egypt, in addition to ensuring that there is
ideal daylight penetration without generating any unnecessary heat gain.

Figure 20 Large floor-to-ceiling glass windows implemented in some areas of City Centre Almaza

27 | P a g e
 3. Photovoltaic Panels: The available photovoltaic panels in this shopping centre are
situated in the parking area and are secured to the car park’s roof. These panels conduct
4.71% of renewable energy conduction of the total energy of the shopping centre in
accordance to the cost. Additionally, they also operate as a shading system for the
vehicles that are parked underneath.

Figure 21 Photovoltaic panels situated in the parking area of City Centre Almaza

4. LED lighting: LED tubes and bulbs solely implemented in order to save electricity.
Additionally, lighting controls are also used, those controls are such as occupancy
sensors, BMS, and timers.

Figure 22 LED lighting implemented in City Centre Almaza

Building energy performance exhibited a decrease of 14.6% over ASHRAE 90.1-2007.

Hence, the systems for energy efficiency were implemented by the shopping centre have saved
14.6% of electricity.

28 | P a g e
4.2.1.3 Materials and Resources:

This category is aimed towards the storing of recyclables, the reuse of materials, and the
construction materials waste. This project attained a score of 6 out of 13 in this category.

Figure 23 Total points attained by City Centre Almaza in the LEED category of materials and resources

Most of the materials that this project utilizes were assembled from over 100 local
subcontractors. The project included local raw materials as much as possible for the sake of
reducing the effect that it has on the environment as well as any harmful emissions during the
transportation of these materials. Additionally, a program was implemented that recycled 89% of
the generated on-site waste. According to CCC, 30.9% of the total utilized materials were from
previously recycled materials, and 48.5% were locally sourced.

29 | P a g e
4.2.1.4 Water Efficiency:

The decrease in the consumption of water and its reuse is regarded as this category’s
main aim. The shopping centre received a score of 8 out of 10 in this category and this is
considered as a good score.

Figure 24 The total points attained by the City Centre Almaza in the LEED category of water efficiency

When it comes to the mall’s water management, the consumption of water was
significantly reduced by the implementation of several techniques, such as:
 Low flow fixtures and management of the waste water
 System for leak detection that was implemented for the sake of reducing the effect of any
minor or major water leaks
 The greenery irrigation was done through water-saving drip lines
The water usage was reduced by 47% because of the implementation of the techniques
previously mentioned.

30 | P a g e
4.2.1.5 Indoor Environmental Quality:

This category is aimed towards the building occupant’s comfort and ease with the least
amount of power utilization. The City Centre Almaza received a score of 8 out of 12 in the
category of indoor environmental quality.

Figure 25 Total points attained by the City Centre Almaza in the LEED category of indoor environmental quality

Several techniques were implemented regarding the indoor environmental quality at the
shopping centre, such as:
 The existence of a mechanical ventilation system unaccompanied by heat recovery. This
shopping centre is mechanically air-conditioned/ventilated for the sake of providing a
comfortable environment that has a high level of indoor air quality (IAQ) for all of the
mall’s occupants. Dedicated outdoor air handling unite provide fresh air with all of the
strategies of filtration and treatment with the required rate according to the ASHRAE
standard 62.1.
 All of the areas that are leasable have a provision of chilled water by the tenant, in
addition to fresh air as well as provisions to exhaust air for the sake of preserving the
IAQ at an acceptable level that does not have a negative effect on the IAQ of the
shopping centre.
 For the sake of ensuring the IAQ, it is important to select internal fittings and finishes
that have low emissions of volatile organic compounds.

31 | P a g e
1.3. Credit Agricole case study

The bank headquarters obtained a platinum award due to the application of green
building technologies and methods. The bank achieved a total point of 81 out of 110 which is the
first building in Egypt and north Africa to achieve platinum.

Figure 26:Overall LEED attained by Credit Agricole

4.1.1.1 Sustainable sites

The credit Agricole Egypt headquarters was awarded 19 points out of 26 points in sustainable
site category based on several criteria such as transportation, ease of access and site selection.
The bank provided a private shuttle for the employees as an alternative for private transportation
which helps in decreasing the energy demand and pollution associated with energy consumption.
The bank invested in providing 80 bicycle rack and a garage without any payment for parking for
low emitting and fuel-efficient vehicles.

Figure 27:The total score attained by CAE headquarters in the LEED category of sustainable sites

32 | P a g e
33 | P a g e
4.1.1.2 Energy and atmosphere

This category is considered according to the usage of the passive and active production
and utilization of energy. CAE attained a score of 28 out of 35 in this category.

Due to the vision of the bank towards a sustainable future the headquarters design included an
integration between passive and active strategies, measures and procedures towards energy
efficiency and a highly efficient building services. As a result of these strategies the building
achieved a 60% energy reduction compared to baseline.

1. Photovoltaic Panels: The available photovoltaic panels in the CAE headquarter which is
designed according to high standards are situated on the roof of the building with a
capacity of 200 KWp. These panels contribute in decreasing the rate of energy consumed
by the bank with 7%.

Figure 28: Photovoltaic panels Seattleite view

34 | P a g e
2. lighting and thermal control: each and every employee have a 100% control on his own
lightning and by implementing the use of highly efficient lightning which reduced the input
power by at least 50% in the time between 11pm and 5 am. Not only all employees have control
over to adjust lighting according to their activities but also, they have individual thermal control
that can be adjusted according to the needs of each employee

4.1.1.3 Water efficiency

The decrease in the consumption of water and its reuse is regarded as this category’s main aim.
The CAE headquarter received a score of 8 out of 10 in this category and this is considered as a
good score.

When it comes to CAE headquarter water management, the consumption of water was
significantly reduced by the implementation of several techniques, such as:
 The use of fittings that have ultra-low flow rate which allows a significant
reduction in the building potable water demand.
 A system is installed in the building called grey water recycling system to further
reduction of potable water usage.
 A special type of plants that consume less water such as cactus and succulents are
used in landscape areas.
 A highly efficient irrigation system is provided
 A storm water management plan and quantity control strategies were
implemented aiming at protecting receiving stream channels from excessive
erosion.

35 | P a g e
4.1.1.4 Material and resources

This category is aimed towards the storing of recyclables, the reuse of materials, and the
construction materials waste. This project attained a score of 7 out of 14 in this category.

High recycled content

- Regionally sourced materials (wherever possible);
- FSC certification (timber-based materials)
- Low-emitting materials (Adhesives, paints, coatings, composite wood, flooring systems, etc.)

36 | P a g e
37 | P a g e
4.3. Survey Sample:

The following is the sample of the questionnaire survey that was distributed among the
engineers involved in commercial projects in Egypt.
Table 3 Sample of the conducted questionnaire survey

Questions Multiple Choice Justification

 20 to 30 years
 31 to 40 years Determine the range of ages and the
How old are you?
 41 to 50 years variations in the opinions
 Over 50 years

 1 to 5 years Determine the ranges of experience and

Total years of experience?  6 to 10 years
the variations in the opinions
 Over 10 years

 Yes Determine the level of awareness

Have you previously heard about green buildings?  No
regarding green buildings
 Maybe

 A lot Find out the awareness of the public

Do you have any knowledge in regards to energy
 Not much regarding the concept of energy
efficiency?
 None efficiency

Energy efficiency is according to

Do you agree that commercial buildings in Egypt  Yes reduction energy consumption;
need to decrease their consumption of energy in  No therefore this question will help in
order to save the environment?  Maybe identifying a problem that needs to be
solved

 Very likely
Rate the significance of decreasing energy  Likely Determine the necessity of energy
 Neutral
consumption in commercial buildings in Egypt. efficiency in Egypt
 Not likely
 Very not likely

Did any of the projects you were involved in  Yes Investigate the implementation of solar
 No
consider the adopting solar panels? panels in Egypt
 Maybe

 Yes Find out the engineers’ awareness in

Are you aware of thermal insulation?  No
regards to thermal insulation
 Maybe

Is it easy to change the walls’ design in building for  Very easy Suggest the possibility of of adopting
 Moderate
the sake of decreasing the consumption of energy? thermal insulation and its simplicity
 Complicated

38 | P a g e
 Would you surrender some spaces in the building  I do not mind Determine if the people are prepared to
to have thicker walls that reduce the need of air  Depends on the spaces change their style of living in order to
conditioning?  I do mind reduce the consumption of energy

Are you aware of designs of natural ventilation in  Yes Find out the opinions of the engineers
 No
buildings? regarding natural ventilation
 Maybe

 I do mind
Do you mind the presence of numerous windows in  I do not mind Determine if there is willingness
the buildings for air recycling?  Depending on the regarding having numerous windows
location

 Extremely needed in Most of the buildings are designed in a

Is having large windows in order to decrease the Egypt
way that they have small and few
use of lighting required?  Neutral
windows
 Not essential

39 | P a g e
4.4. Survey Results:

The conducted questionnaire survey was distributed among engineers and experts that are
currently involved in commercial construction projects in Egypt. It included a brief introduction
about energy efficiency in building as well as green buildings. The survey was handed out to
multiple construction companies in order to ensure that there are multiple different opinions. 70
engineers and experts responded back from the 100 that received the survey. The survey results
were divided into two divisions; the first division included personal information regarding the
respondents, and the second division contained the major questions about energy efficiency in
Egypt’s commercial buildings.

4.4.1. First Division:

The first division of the survey gather personal information about the respondents like
their age and experience. The results of each question are included in the following tables.

Table 4 The age of the questionnaire survey's respondents

Question Answers Remarks

65.7% of the
respondents are 20 to
30 years old, 25.7%
of the respondents are
31 to 40 years old,
and the rest of the
respondents were 41
to 50 years old.
How old are you? Moreover, the results
demonstrated that
only a few of the
respondents are over
5o years old,
however, the majority
had the least number
of years in the
construction sector.

40 | P a g e
 Table 5 The total years of experience of the questionnaire survey's respondents

Question Answers Remarks

55.7% of the survey

respondents have a
total of 1 to 5 years of
experience, 22.9% of
the survey
respondents have a
total of 6 to 10 years
of experience, and
Total years of 21.4% of the survey
experience? respondents had a
total of over 10 years
of experience.
Therefore, the results
demonstrated that
50% of the survey
respondents had some
experience in the
construction sector.

Table 6 The percentage of the questionnaire survey respondents that are aware of green buildings

Question Answers Remarks

80% of the survey

respondents had
previous awareness
regarding green
buildings, 15.7% of the
survey respondents are
Have you previously not aware of it, and the
heard about green rest of the respondents
buildings? are not quite sure.
Therefore, the results
proved that most of the
survey respondents
have knowledge
regarding green
buildings.

41 | P a g e
4.4.2. Energy Efficiency in Commercial Buildings in Egypt:

The questionnaire survey’s second division includes questions that focuses on energy
efficiency in commercial buildings in Egypt.
Table 7 Current knowledge of the respondents regarding energy efficiency in Egypt

Question Answers Remarks

62.9% of the survey

respondents have poor
knowledge in regards to
energy efficiency in
Egypt, 25.7% of the
survey respondents are
quite knowledgeable in
regards to energy
efficiency in Egypt, and
Do you have any
11.4% of the survey
knowledge in regards
respondents have no
to energy efficiency?
knowledge at all. The
results of this question
demonstrated that most
of the survey
respondents do not
have enough
knowledge regarding
energy efficiency in
Egypt.

Table 8 The need for the reduction of energy consumption in commercial buildings in Egypt

Question Answers Remarks

Do you agree that 94.3% of the survey

commercial buildings respondents believe
in Egypt need to that there should be a
decrease their decrease in the
consumption of energy consumption of energy
in order to save the in commercial
environment? buildings in Egypt.

42 | P a g e
 Table 9 The respondents' agreement to the reduction of energy consumption in commercial buildings in Egypt

Question Answers Remarks

41.1% of the survey

respondents said it is
very likely that the
would implement this
concept, 30% of the
respondents were
Rate the significance
quite likely to adopt it,
of decreasing energy
and the rest had lower
consumption in
percentages than that.
commercial buildings
The results
in Egypt.
demonstrated that
most of the
respondents agreed
that it is important to
reduce energy
utilization.

Table 10 The attitude of the respondents in regards to the utilization of systems for electricity production

Question Answers Remarks

47.1% of previously
conducted projects
considered implementing
solar panels, 44.3% did
not consider it at all, and
Did any of the projects
8.6% were not sure. The
you were involved in
results demonstrated that
consider the adopting
most parties considered
solar panels?
implementing solar
panels, and it is now
becoming a trend mark
for those considering
energy production.

43 | P a g e
 Table 11 Number of respondents aware of thermal insulation

Question Answers Remarks

77.1% of the survey

respondents know of
thermal insulation, 17.1%
of the respondents are
Are you aware of thermal unaware, and the rest of
insulation? them were not quite sure.
The results demonstrated
that most of the survey
respondents are aware of
thermal insulation.

Table 12 The possibility of changing the walls' design in order to reduce the consumption of energy

Question Answers Remarks

70% of the respondents

believe it to be not
complicated nor easy,
17.1% believe it to be a
Is it easy to change the
complicated process, and
walls’ design in building
the rest of the respondents
for the sake of
said that it is an easy
decreasing the
process. The results of this
consumption of energy?
question demonstrated that
changing the walls’ design
is not a complicated nor an
easy process.

44 | P a g e
 Table 13 The possibility of sacrificing some spaces in the building for the reduction of air conditioning use

Question Answers Remarks

44.3% of the respondents

believe that it depends on
the building’s overall
spaces, 44.3% of the
respondents did not mind,
Would you surrender and the rest of the
some spaces in the respondents refused the
building to have thicker idea. This demonstrated
walls that reduce the need that most of the people
of air conditioning? are concerned about the
spaces, however, it
depends on the building’s
overall spaces and if it is
suitable for this
adjustment.

Table 14 Percentage of the survey respondents that are aware of natural ventilation design in buildings

Questions Answers Remarks

54.3% of the survey

respondents are aware of
natural ventilation, 40%
have no awareness of it,
and the rest of the
Are you aware of respondents are not sure of
designs of natural their answer. The answers
ventilation in buildings? demonstrated that more
than 50% of the
respondents have
awareness regarding
natural ventilation in the
building’s design.

45 | P a g e
 Table 15 Percentage of the survey respondents that agreed to having numerous windows in the design

Question Answers Remarks

62.9% of the survey

respondents do not
mind having
Do you mind the
numerous windows,
presence of numerous
28.6% of them say
windows in the
that it depends on the
buildings for air
location of the
recycling?
windows in the
building, and the rest
of them do mind.

Table 16 The possibility of having large windows in the design for natural light penetration

Question Answers Remarks

57.1% of the survey

respondents agreed that it
is extremely needed, 30%
had no opinions to share,
and the rest of the
Is having large
respondents did not
windows in order to
believe it be essential.
decrease the use of
The answers
lighting required?
demonstrated that the
future design should
include larger windows in
order to allow natural
light to penetrate through.

46 | P a g e
4.5. Discussion Section:

The questionnaire survey focused on commercial buildings and the need to develop new
aspects and technologies that can aid in lower the energy consumption. The survey’s results
demonstrated the requirement for strategies and methods as per the opinions of the experts and
the engineers. The following are multiple points that were gathered from the survey:
 The respondents agree to the concept of lowering energy consumption by commercial
buildings in Egypt, and this concept has a high chance of occurring.
 Most of project parties focus on the cost of the systems that aid in energy production in
the building’s design instead of the outcomes.
 Most of the respondents agree with the concept of having thermal walls, however, they
are not prepared to surrender their spaces until figuring out the building’s spaces.
 Most of the parties are aware of green buildings, however, they are not aware the energy
efficiency and green building go together.
 Only a few respondents considered implementing solar panels in their projects, moreover
this was proven by the number of projects that actually utilized solar panels.
 Most of the parties are knowledgeable in regards to thermal insulation, however, they
believe that changing the design of the building for the sake of accomplishing energy
efficiency through thermal walls is nor an easy nor a complicated process.
 Most of the respondents are aware of the idea of natural ventilation designs in buildings,
moreover, they have no issues in regards to having numerous windows in the building so
as to reduce the usage of air condition.
 The respondents have no problem with the concept of having large windows for the sake
of reduce the usage of lighting.

47 | P a g e
4.6. Energy Efficiency Framework:

After the results analysis, a framework was constructed and it contains some data that
should be taken into consideration when selecting the form of energy efficiency system that is
going to be implemented in commercial buildings in Egypt.

Figure 29 Conceptual framework for the systems of energy efficiency for commercial buildings in Egypt

The three main systems that are regarded as important in Egypt are the implementation of
natural ventilation, thermal insulation, and solar panels. They are all applicable particularly the
thermal insulation because of the fact that it helps in reducing the usage of air conditioning, in
addition to solar panels as they provide renewable energy as well as decrease the consumption of
energy in buildings. With respect to the simplicity, each method includes its own complexity and
variations, nonetheless, solar panels require more experts present on the field in addition to
trained labours for the systems installation. Moreover, utilization of thermal insulation relies on
the provided design, in addition to the type of required materials, furthermore, even natural
ventilation may differ according to the project, and the level of simplicity relies on the proposed
design.

48 | P a g e
 The prices range for both natural ventilation and thermal insulation varies according to
the utilized materials and the adopted design. Nonetheless, despite the fact that thermal
insulation might require additional costs over the normally utilized traditional approach, but it
will help in lowering the usage of air conditioning in addition to providing better long-term
benefits. Solar panels may also require additional costs at the beginning, nonetheless, they will
eventually help in lowering the consumption of energy after its long-term utilization.
Despite the fact that there are multiple other methods that are adopted for accomplishing
energy efficiency in buildings, however the selected methods are regarded as the most effective
in multiple aspects like reasonably priced, environmentally friendly, and applicable to the
conditions of Egypt. The adoption of solar panels is most suitable for commercial building as
they have a high initial cost; however, it helps in lowering the amount of consumed energy by
the building over a long time period. These methods’ implementation relies on multiple factors
like the availability of experts, the project type, the project size, the available materials in the
market, and the project’s budget. All of these factors need to be properly analysed and taken into
consideration in order to make sure that the selected method for energy efficiency is the right
method.

49 | P a g e
Chapter Five: Conclusion and Recommendations

1.1. Introduction:

The previous chapter displayed the collected results from the questionnaire survey in
addition to the parties’ different opinions concerning energy efficiency in commercial buildings
in Egypt. This chapter begins by introducing a brief conclusion about the main points and aspects
accomplished throughout this research, in addition to providing some recommendations to be
taken into account by future researchers when investigating the topic of energy efficiency,
sustainability, and green commercial buildings.

1.2. Conclusion:

Developing countries are pay more attention to green buildings and more sectors have
started altering their specifications and regulations so as to lower their impact on the
environment. Green buildings are increasing worldwide, in addition to several organizations are
motivating construction companies and designers to pay attention to multiple aspects such as
energy, water, and waste in order to reduce the construction sector’s effect on the environment.
The main aspect in a building’s design is energy efficiency. There is a focus on decreasing
energy consumption by buildings and that relies on the the systems that aid in generating power
with the help of natural energy sources. The literature review defined energy efficiency as the
capability of the building to reduce its consumption of energy, and tends to generated some of
the needed energy.
A small number of studies focused on the concept of energy efficiency in commercial
buildings in Egypt. Most of studies previously conducted only explored the issue in a general
standpoint instead of identifying any practical solutions or examining the reasons behind not
applying energy efficiency methods in Egypt. Therefore, this research aimed to demonstrate the
significance of energy efficiency in commercial projects in Egypt by gathering the opinions of
experts and engineers concerning this issue, and identifying the appropriate methods to be
adopted that are simple and affordable.
The methodology of this research was based on a quantitative approach. A questionnaire
survey with close ended questions was utilized to collect the needed data. The survey
respondents included experienced experts and engineers in commercial buildings in Egypt. The
survey was designed using google forms and was distributed among the engineers through
personal connections, or on their personal websites and social media. Online instruments were
then used to analyse the collected data and each question included a conclusion remark and its
correlation with the objectives of the research. Egypt has several buildings that adopted energy

50 | P a g e
efficiency in their designs, in addition to proposed several methods that help in achieving this
goal.
The questionnaire survey was distributed among 107 engineers and experts that are
currently working on commercial projects in Egypt or have experience in them. The results
demonstrated that most of the respondents know about green buildings, yet have little awareness
in regards to energy efficiency. The research indicated that there is a possibility of adopting
several methods for the sake of improving the energy efficiency of commercial buildings like
thermal insulation, solar panels, and natural ventilation. All of these aspects can be achieved;
however, they might face some challenges in concern to the building’s available spaces, the
location of the building, and the systems’ cost. The requirement for energy efficiency in
commercial buildings was proven by each question, and most of the respondents agree that this
concept needs to be adopted. A case study was demonstrated in regards to a commercial building
in Egypt that has received a gold LEED and platinum certificate.
Energy efficiency is regarded as a significant aspect that should be considered in the
design of any future commercial building in Egypt. There are several methods and techniques
that can be adopted in order to accomplish energy efficiency and this was proven by this
research. The designs cans be changed by the construction companies in order to focus more on
energy efficiency as it provides significant advantages and is regarded as beneficial to all of the
involved parties, particularly the users. Energy efficiency has a poor understanding by the public,
and if their awareness increases, it can help in increasing the number of commercial buildings
that depend on energy efficiency.

5.3. Recommendations:

In commercial buildings, energy efficiency is regarded as a crucial topic that is still in the
first stages. There are only a few studies that focused on energy efficiency in Egypt, and hence,
additional research is needed for the sake of improving what this study introduced.
Future researches should investigate the possibility of savings that could be accomplished
by implementing designs of thermal insulation, solar panels, and natural ventilations through
simulations. Researches conducted in the future should also create a comparison of the rest of
energy efficiency methods that were not brought up in this study due to the fact that most of the
energy efficiency methods are not common in Egypt. Furthermore, public awareness of energy
efficiency in commercial buildings should be increased through providing more conferences,
workshops, and tools that the public can utilize.

51 | P a g e
References
Akadiri, P. O., Chinyio, E. A., & Olomolaiye, P. O. (2012). Design of A Sustainable Building: A
Conceptual Framework for Implementing Sustainability in the Building Sector.
Buildings, 126-152.
Alyami, S. H., & Rezgui, Y. (2012). Sustainable building assessment tool development
approach. Sustainable Cities and Society 5, 52-62.
Chan, A. P., & Darko, A. (2016). Critical analysis of green building research trend in
construction journals. 53-63.
Conte, E. (2018). The Era of Sustainability: Promises, Pitfalls and Prospects for Sustainable
Buildings and the Built Environment. Sustainability, 1-16.
El-Hafeez, M. M., El-Mokadem, A., Sallam, I., & Nashaat, B. (2014). Adapting the green
pyramid rating system for assessing zero energy concept on neighborhoods level. Port
Said Engineering Research Journal, 153-160.
Go Construct. (2020, September 25). Sustainability in Construction. Retrieved from Go
Construct: https://www.goconstruct.org/why-choose-construction/whats-happening-in-
construction/sustainability-in-construction2/
Hwang, B.-G., & Tan, J. S. (2012). SUSTAINABLE PROJECT MANAGEMENT FOR GREEN
CONSTRUCTION: CHALLENGES, IMPACT, AND SOLUTIONS. CIOB Construction
Conference, (pp. 1-9). Colombo.
Jadhav, L., Lokhande, s., Bade, A., Tupe, A., & Sankpal, A. (2019). Comparative Study of
LEED, BREEAM and GRIHA Rating System. International Journal of Engineering
Research & Technology, 694-699.
Jesus, L., Almeida, M., & Almeida, A. (2007). Methodology for the application of sustainable
construction. Portugal SB07. Sustainable Construction, MAterials and Practices, 82-89.
Ofori-Boadu, A., Owusu-Manu, D.-G., Edwards, D., & Holt, G. (2012). Exploration of
management practices for LEED projects: Lessons from successful greenbuildings
contractors. Management of LEED projects, 145-162.
Patel, U. R., Patel, V. A., Balya, N. I., & Rajgor, H. M. (2014). ROOFTOP RAINWATER
HARVESTING (RRWH) AT SPSV CAMPUS, VISNAGAR: GUJARAT - A CASE
STUDY. International Journal of Research in Engineering and Technology, 821-825.
Pramanik, P. K., Mukherjee, B., Pal, S., Pal, T., & Singh, S. P. (2019). Green Smart Building:
Requisites, Architecture, Challenges, and Use Cases. In P. K. Pramanik, B. Mukherjee, S.
Pal, T. Pal, & S. P. Singh, Green Building Management and Smart Automation (pp. 1-
50). IGI Global.

52 | P a g e
Ramesh, S., & Khan, E. (2013). Energy Efficiency in Green Buildings - Indian Concept.
International Journal of Emerging Technology and Advanced Engineerng, 329-336.
Samari, M., Godrati, N., Esmaeilifar, R., Olfat, P., & Shafiei, M. W. (2013). The investigation of
the barriers in developing green buildings in Malaysia. Modern Applied Sciences, 1-10.
Sen, S., Ganguly, S., Das, A., Sen, J., & Dey, S. (2016). Renewable energy scenario in India:
opportunities and challenges. Journal of African Earth Sciences, 25-31.
Shamseldin, A. K. (2018). The Use of Energy Values in the Environmental Assessment of
Buildings. International Journal of Bioengineering & Biotechnology, 30-40.
Sharma, S. (2014). Energy Efficiency in Green Buildings: A Sustainable Approach.
International Research Journal of Natural and Applied Sciences, 26-33.
Tabrizi, A. (2021). Sustainable Construction, LEED as a Green Rating System and the
Importance of Moving to NZEB. E3S Web of Conferences (pp. 1-8). ICEPP 2020.
YÕlmaz, M., & BakÕú, A. (2015). Sustainability in Construction Sector. World Conference on
Technology, Innovation and Entrepreneurship, 2253-2262.
Zavadskas, E. K., Šaparauskas, J., & Antucheviciene, J. (2018). Sustainability in Construction
Engineering. Sustainability, 10.

53 | P a g e
 Appendix

Table 17 Sample of the 1st respondent's answers

Questions Multiple Choice Justification

 20 to 30 years
 31 to 40 years  Determine the range of ages and the
How old are you?
 41 to 50 years variations in the opinions
 Over 50 years

 1 to 5 years
Determine the ranges of experience and the
Total years of experience?  6 to 10 years 
variations in the opinions
 Over 10 years

 Yes  Determine the level of awareness regarding

Have you previously heard about green buildings?  No
green buildings
 Maybe

 A lot
Do you have any knowledge in regards to energy Find out the awareness of the public
 Not much 
efficiency? regarding the concept of energy efficiency
 None

Energy efficiency is according to reduction

Do you agree that commercial buildings in Egypt  Yes  energy consumption, therefore this question
need to decrease their consumption of energy in  No
will help in identifying a problem that needs
order to save the environment?  Maybe
to be solved

 Very likely
Rate the significance of decreasing energy  Likely  Determine the necessity of energy efficiency
 Neutral
consumption in commercial buildings in Egypt. in Egypt
 Not likely
 Very not likely

Did any of the projects you were involved in  Yes  Investigate the implementation of solar panels
 No
consider the adopting solar panels? in Egypt
 Maybe

 Yes  Find out the engineers’ awareness in regards

Are you aware of thermal insulation?  No
to thermal insulation
 Maybe

 Very easy
Is it easy to change the walls’ design in building for Suggest the possibility of of adopting thermal
 Moderate 
the sake of decreasing the consumption of energy? insulation and its simplicity
 Complicated

Would you surrender some spaces in the building  I do not mind Determine if the people are prepared to
to have thicker walls that reduce the need of air  Depends on the spaces change their style of living in order to reduce
conditioning?  I do mind  the consumption of energy

 Yes
Are you aware of designs of natural ventilation in Find out the opinions of the engineers
 No 
buildings? regarding natural ventilation
 Maybe

Do you mind the presence of numerous windows in  I do mind Determine if there is willingness regarding
the buildings for air recycling?

54 | P a g e
  I do not mind
 Depending on the having numerous windows
location 

 Extremely needed in
Is having large windows in order to decrease the Egypt  Most of the buildings are designed in a way
use of lighting required?  Neutral that they have small and few windows
 Not essential

55 | P a g e
 Table 18 Sample of the 2nd respondent's answers

Questions Multiple Choice Justification

 20 to 30 years
 31 to 40 years Determine the range of ages and the
How old are you?
 41 to 50 years  variations in the opinions
 Over 50 years

 1 to 5 years
Determine the ranges of experience and the
Total years of experience?  6 to 10 years 
variations in the opinions
 Over 10 years

 Yes  Determine the level of awareness regarding

Have you previously heard about green buildings?  No
green buildings
 Maybe

Do you have any knowledge in regards to energy  A lot  Find out the awareness of the public
 Not much
efficiency? regarding the concept of energy efficiency
 None

Energy efficiency is according to reduction

Do you agree that commercial buildings in Egypt  Yes  energy consumption, therefore this question
need to decrease their consumption of energy in  No
will help in identifying a problem that
order to save the environment?  Maybe
needs to be solved

 Very likely
Rate the significance of decreasing energy  Likely  Determine the necessity of energy
 Neutral
consumption in commercial buildings in Egypt. efficiency in Egypt
 Not likely
 Very not likely

Did any of the projects you were involved in  Yes  Investigate the implementation of solar
 No
consider the adopting solar panels? panels in Egypt
 Maybe

 Yes
Find out the engineers’ awareness in
Are you aware of thermal insulation?  No
regards to thermal insulation
 Maybe 

Is it easy to change the walls’ design in building for  Very easy  Suggest the possibility of of adopting
 Moderate
the sake of decreasing the consumption of energy? thermal insulation and its simplicity
 Complicated

Would you surrender some spaces in the building  I do not mind Determine if the people are prepared to
to have thicker walls that reduce the need of air  Depends on the spaces  change their style of living in order to
conditioning?  I do mind reduce the consumption of energy

Are you aware of designs of natural ventilation in  Yes  Find out the opinions of the engineers
 No
buildings? regarding natural ventilation
 Maybe

 I do mind
Do you mind the presence of numerous windows in  I do not mind  Determine if there is willingness regarding
the buildings for air recycling?  Depending on the having numerous windows
location

56 | P a g e
  Extremely needed in
Is having large windows in order to decrease the Egypt  Most of the buildings are designed in a way
use of lighting required?  Neutral that they have small and few windows
 Not essential

57 | P a g e
 Table 19 Sample of the 3rd respondent's answers

Questions Multiple Choice Justification

 20 to 30 years 
 31 to 40 years Determine the range of ages and the
How old are you?
 41 to 50 years variations in the opinions
 Over 50 years

 1 to 5 years  Determine the ranges of experience and the

Total years of experience?  6 to 10 years
variations in the opinions
 Over 10 years

 Yes  Determine the level of awareness regarding

Have you previously heard about green buildings?  No
green buildings
 Maybe

 A lot
Do you have any knowledge in regards to energy Find out the awareness of the public
 Not much 
efficiency? regarding the concept of energy efficiency
 None

Energy efficiency is according to reduction

Do you agree that commercial buildings in Egypt  Yes
energy consumption, therefore this question
need to decrease their consumption of energy in  No
will help in identifying a problem that needs
order to save the environment?  Maybe 
to be solved

 Very likely
 Likely
Rate the significance of decreasing energy Determine the necessity of energy efficiency
 Neutral 
consumption in commercial buildings in Egypt. in Egypt
 Not likely
 Very not likely

 Yes
Did any of the projects you were involved in Investigate the implementation of solar panels
 No 
consider the adopting solar panels? in Egypt
 Maybe

 Yes
Find out the engineers’ awareness in regards
Are you aware of thermal insulation?  No
to thermal insulation
 Maybe 

 Very easy
Is it easy to change the walls’ design in building for Suggest the possibility of of adopting thermal
 Moderate 
the sake of decreasing the consumption of energy? insulation and its simplicity
 Complicated

Would you surrender some spaces in the building  I do not mind Determine if the people are prepared to
to have thicker walls that reduce the need of air  Depends on the spaces change their style of living in order to reduce
conditioning?  I do mind  the consumption of energy

Are you aware of designs of natural ventilation in  Yes  Find out the opinions of the engineers
 No
buildings? regarding natural ventilation
 Maybe

 I do mind
Do you mind the presence of numerous windows in  I do not mind  Determine if there is willingness regarding
the buildings for air recycling?  Depending on the having numerous windows
location

58 | P a g e
  Extremely needed in
Is having large windows in order to decrease the Egypt Most of the buildings are designed in a way
use of lighting required?  Neutral  that they have small and few windows
 Not essential

59 | P a g e
 Table 20 Sample of the 4th respondent's answers

Questions Multiple Choice Justification

 20 to 30 years
 31 to 40 years Determine the range of ages and the
How old are you?
 41 to 50 years variations in the opinions
 Over 50 years 

 1 to 5 years
Determine the ranges of experience and
Total years of experience?  6 to 10 years
the variations in the opinions
 Over 10 years 

 Yes  Determine the level of awareness

Have you previously heard about green buildings?  No
regarding green buildings
 Maybe

 A lot  Find out the awareness of the public

Do you have any knowledge in regards to energy
 Not much regarding the concept of energy
efficiency?
 None efficiency

Energy efficiency is according to

Do you agree that commercial buildings in Egypt  Yes  reduction energy consumption, therefore
need to decrease their consumption of energy in  No
this question will help in identifying a
order to save the environment?  Maybe
problem that needs to be solved

 Very likely 
Rate the significance of decreasing energy  Likely Determine the necessity of energy
 Neutral
consumption in commercial buildings in Egypt. efficiency in Egypt
 Not likely
 Very not likely

Did any of the projects you were involved in  Yes  Investigate the implementation of solar
 No
consider the adopting solar panels? panels in Egypt
 Maybe

 Yes  Find out the engineers’ awareness in

Are you aware of thermal insulation?  No
regards to thermal insulation
 Maybe

 Very easy
Is it easy to change the walls’ design in building for Suggest the possibility of of adopting
 Moderate 
the sake of decreasing the consumption of energy? thermal insulation and its simplicity
 Complicated

Would you surrender some spaces in the building  I do not mind Determine if the people are prepared to
to have thicker walls that reduce the need of air  Depends on the spaces  change their style of living in order to
conditioning?  I do mind reduce the consumption of energy

Are you aware of designs of natural ventilation in  Yes  Find out the opinions of the engineers
 No
buildings? regarding natural ventilation
 Maybe

 I do mind
Do you mind the presence of numerous windows in  I do not mind Determine if there is willingness
the buildings for air recycling?  Depending on the regarding having numerous windows
location 

60 | P a g e
  Extremely needed in Most of the buildings are designed in a
Is having large windows in order to decrease the Egypt  way that they have small and few
use of lighting required?  Neutral
windows
 Not essential

61 | P a g e
 Table 21 Sample of the 5th respondent's answers

Questions Multiple Choice Justification

 20 to 30 years
 31 to 40 years Determine the range of ages and the
How old are you?
 41 to 50 years  variations in the opinions
 Over 50 years

 1 to 5 years
Determine the ranges of experience and the
Total years of experience?  6 to 10 years 
variations in the opinions
 Over 10 years

 Yes
Determine the level of awareness regarding
Have you previously heard about green buildings?  No
green buildings
 Maybe 

Do you have any knowledge in regards to energy  A lot  Find out the awareness of the public
 Not much
efficiency? regarding the concept of energy efficiency
 None

Energy efficiency is according to reduction

Do you agree that commercial buildings in Egypt  Yes  energy consumption; therefore, this
need to decrease their consumption of energy in  No
question will help in identifying a problem
order to save the environment?  Maybe
that needs to be solved

 Very likely
Rate the significance of decreasing energy  Likely  Determine the necessity of energy
 Neutral
consumption in commercial buildings in Egypt. efficiency in Egypt
 Not likely
 Very not likely

Did any of the projects you were involved in  Yes  Investigate the implementation of solar
 No
consider the adopting solar panels? panels in Egypt
 Maybe

 Yes  Find out the engineers’ awareness in

Are you aware of thermal insulation?  No
regards to thermal insulation
 Maybe

 Very easy
Is it easy to change the walls’ design in building for Suggest the possibility of of adopting
 Moderate
the sake of decreasing the consumption of energy? thermal insulation and its simplicity
 Complicated 

Would you surrender some spaces in the building  I do not mind  Determine if the people are prepared to
to have thicker walls that reduce the need of air  Depends on the spaces change their style of living in order to
conditioning?  I do mind reduce the consumption of energy

 Yes
Are you aware of designs of natural ventilation in Find out the opinions of the engineers
 No
buildings? regarding natural ventilation
 Maybe 

 I do mind
Do you mind the presence of numerous windows in  I do not mind Determine if there is willingness regarding
the buildings for air recycling?  Depending on the having numerous windows
location 

62 | P a g e
  Extremely needed in
Is having large windows in order to decrease the Egypt Most of the buildings are designed in a way
use of lighting required?  Neutral  that they have small and few windows
 Not essential

63 | P a g e