Saeed Director Al Abbar’s research while affiliated with United Arab Emirates University and other places

The built environment industry, being among those which generate the most pollution, offers significant opportunities to alleviate environmental pollution and promote the sustainable use of resources. The Middle East region, hindered by natural constraints and underlying political and social issues, has tried over the years to shift towards more sustainable practices in design and construction. This review article sheds light on the achievements and challenges of sustainable development in the Middle East. With the development of green building codes in the United Arab Emirates (UAE), Qatar, and Lebanon, the Middle East region has strived to become more environmentally friendly, with record-breaking developments. The region currently has four well-established green building codes: the Abu Dhabi Urban Planning Council's Estidama; Dubai Municipality's Green Building Regulations; the Lebanese Green Building Council's ARZ; and GORD's GSAS: Global Sustainability Assessment System, in Qatar. Green building codes in the region demonstrate the efforts and investments of governments and organisations in streamlining sustainability in the construction industry. Whether it is for existing buildings or new construction projects, green building codes set a holistic framework that guides design teams toward reducing resource consumption, i.e., energy, water and other natural resources, all while alleviating consequent environmental pollution. Corporate social responsibility (CSR) has been another venue for private corporations to tackle community engagement and sustainable development. Regional CSR programmes have integrated sustainability concepts to give back to the community in which they are operating, and those initiatives include health and safety, education, eco-friendly solutions and community investments. These efforts are hindered by natural and operational challenges that the region is forced to face. Some of the challenges faced are scarcity of water, lack of awareness in sustainability and environmental issues (despite the high education levels), and operational challenges such as retrofitting existing buildings. Middle Eastern countries have throughout history proven their leadership and resilience with regard to all kinds of challenges, and in the realm of sustainable development are following a similar path.