< PreviousCOVER STORY www.mepmiddleeast.com 20 MEP Middle East | January 2025www.mepmiddleeast.com lead by example. Stay optimistic and enthusiastic about challenges ahead, and your employees will be more motivated to follow.” For Van Bastelaere, authenticity and open communication create forward momentum within the organisation. It is a fitting approach in a region where GF Corys aims to lead. The joint venture fuses nearly 220 years of Swiss engineering expertise from GF with Corys’ 40-plus years of local market knowledge, delivering a comprehensive portfolio of piping solutions. “Both worlds are exactly what the region needs,” he explains. “By bringing together GF’s high-value solutions—suitable for severe chemical conditions, desalination, cooling, and more—and Corys’ well- established reputation in drainage, drinking water, and irrigation, we can offer a complete package to our customers.” The result is a one-stop shop, addressing everything from engineering and prefabrication to installation and commissioning. “ We’re witnessing a digital renaissance in the water sector. Real-time monitoring, advanced data logging, and AI-driven optimisation aren’t futuristic concepts anymore; they’re necessities” “It’s a legacy we continue to build,” says Van Bastelaere. “We’ve been on the ground for nearly 50 years, pioneering the shift from metal to plastic piping systems. Today, with a construction boom underway, we remain one of the preferred partners for consultants and contractors, known for best-in-class drainage and hot-and-cold water solutions.” The fusion of Swiss precision and local production ensures both quality and compliance. GF Corys’ 2025 vision emphasises becoming the trusted partner for the region’s largest, most demanding construction projects, supporting clients in sustainability goals and delivering transformative solutions. INNOVATING FORWARD Innovation, a cornerstone of GF Corys’ identity, charts the path forward. Van Bastelaere highlights the company’s focus on offsite manufacturing and prefabrication—solutions that reduce reliance on skilled labour, simplify installation, and shorten construction timelines. “Offsite manufacturing capabilities are a way to short-circuit time constraints for construction companies,” he notes. Beyond streamlined installation, GF Corys’ polymer products tackle industry pain points such as energy efficiency, water loss, and corrosion. A recent standout innovation is the NeoFlow pressure-regulating valve. Completely plastic and three times lighter than its metal counterparts, it stabilises pressure in drinking water lines, minimising water loss and promoting sustainability—“water is the new gold,” as Van Bart Van Bastelaere sees incredible growth potential in the Middle East region MEP_Jan2025_18-23_Cover story_13481607.indd 2023/12/2024 16:01PARTNER CONTENT www.mepmiddleeast.comJanuary 2025 | MEP Middle East 21 www.mepmiddleeast.com Bastelaere puts it. Another game-changer is CoolFit, a fully pre-insulated plastic piping system that’s lighter, faster to install, and more energy- efficient than traditional metal systems. “It saves up to 30% in energy and makes life easier for workers on the ground,” he says. Then there is GF UltraFlow, a new drainage product portfolio that is locally produced, meets all relevant standards, and ensures short lead times for rapid project realisation. “Swiss quality, localised production—that’s our strategy,” Van Bastelaere affirms. “With solutions designed and refined over decades in Europe, and now engineered and manufactured in the UAE, we can meet the region’s specific needs and deliver value throughout the entire project lifecycle.” This vision—globally informed, regionally rooted, and customer-centric—is what sets GF Corys apart. Van Bastelaere’s leadership, shaped by years in the industry and a personal philosophy of empathy, engagement, and resilience, is guiding the company towards a future where efficiency, sustainability, and innovation define every project. “If you commit, prioritise, and lead by example, people will follow,” he says. “We’re ready to take GF Corys to the next level.” EMBRACING THE DIGITAL CURRENT As the piping solutions market in the Middle East grows more complex and competitive, GF Corys stands at the forefront of a digital and sustainable transformation. Van Bastelaere sees this as both an opportunity and a responsibility: to integrate cutting-edge technologies, data- driven insights, and sustainable principles into the very heart of infrastructure and building services across the region. “We’re witnessing a digital renaissance in the water sector,” Van Bastelaere explains. “Real-time monitoring, advanced data logging, and AI-driven optimisation aren’t futuristic concepts anymore— they’re necessities. By leveraging smart IoT devices and sensors, we can create responsive water networks that significantly reduce losses.” GF Corys, through its affiliation with GF Piping Systems, now provides a suite of sensors—pressure, flow, temperature, pH, and conductivity—enabling desalination and water treatment facilities to fine- tune processes and predict maintenance needs. This emphasis on digitalisation extends into the building sector. “Take our Hycleen solution,” he says. “It’s critical in places like hospitals or hotels, where preventing legionella contamination is GF Corys integrates cutting-edge technologies, data-driven insights, and sustainable principles into its services MEP_Jan2025_18-23_Cover story_13481607.indd 2123/12/2024 16:01COVER STORY www.mepmiddleeast.com 22 MEP Middle East | January 2025www.mepmiddleeast.com non-negotiable. With automated valves, digital controls, and precise temperature and pressure measurements, we ensure safer, more hygienic water lines. The future of building services is about delivering both performance and peace of mind.” For Van Bastelaere, such innovations must operate within a sustainability framework that prioritises environmental stewardship and social responsibility. “We’re not just talking about ticking boxes,” he notes. “GF’s 2025 sustainability strategy sets tangible goals—like ensuring that 70% of our sales have a social or environmental benefit, and making all new product innovations deliver on sustainability improvements. We achieve that by embracing transparency, using Environmental Product Declarations (EPDs), and holding ourselves accountable with certifications like EcoVadis, where GF has achieved Platinum status.” Central to this sustainability push is the urgent matter of water scarcity. In a region where desalination is an essential lifeline, wasted water that never reaches its destination represents a glaring inefficiency. “We can’t afford to lose 30% of expensive desalinated water to leaks and outdated infrastructure,” Van Bastelaere says. “GF Corys offers comprehensive solutions, from training installers and providing high-tech welding machines for better pipe installations to introducing pressure-regulating valves that curb leaks by stabilising water pressure. And if a pipe does burst, our quick-repair solutions—like metallic repair couplers—stand ready to minimise losses. Every drop counts.” The business is blending Swiss engineering with local expertise to innovate Middle East piping solutions MEP_Jan2025_18-23_Cover story_13481607.indd 2223/12/2024 16:01PARTNER CONTENT www.mepmiddleeast.comJanuary 2025 | MEP Middle East 23 www.mepmiddleeast.com THE FUTURE AWAITS Keeping pace with fast-moving markets means anticipating shifts in the Middle East’s construction and MEP sectors. With ambitious green building initiatives and the rise of smart cities, Van Bastelaere believes that GF Corys is well-positioned to guide the industry towards more efficient, integrated solutions. “We’ll open a new customer experience and training centre in 2025, where we’ll educate installers and consultants on the latest technologies,” he says. “By showing them how offsite prefabrication and digital management tools work, we can help them embrace innovation.” As governments invest in green buildings and consider the entire lifecycle of structures—from material choice to end-of-life recycling—GF Corys is exploring new business models that could reshape the industry. “Imagine a world where we sell services instead of products,” Van Bastelaere suggests. “In water treatment, ‘Water as a Service’ already exists, where clients pay for consumption rather than equipment. Similar models could emerge in the construction sector. Smart cities, district cooling and heating, containerised desalination—these are all areas where we can add real value.” With the Middle East’s population projected to rise and more industrial activities taking root in the region, the next decade promises robust demand for advanced piping systems. GF Corys plans to be integral to that landscape, whether in infrastructure, industrial applications, or supporting mega-projects that define the future of Saudi Arabia and beyond. “We have an obligation to stay relevant, constantly iterating through R&D,” Van Bastelaere says. “From improving production methodologies to customising solutions locally, we’ll adapt as the market evolves. Quality remains non-negotiable.” At the heart of this adaptability is a culture of innovation—one that values customer proximity, encourages new ideas, and tolerates risk when it leads to better outcomes. “We’re building a company where people speak up, try new things, and accept that failure is part of growth,” he explains. “That’s how we stay ahead of trends—by being ready to listen, learn, and leap into the future.” Ultimately, GF Corys’ path forward weaves together digital transformation, sustainability, and customer- centric innovation. For Van Bastelaere and his team, it’s a journey driven by empathy, pragmatism, and a belief in the power of technology to solve the region’s most pressing challenges. “If we’re doing our job right,” he concludes, “we’ll create piping solutions that not only meet today’s needs but lay a sustainable foundation for tomorrow’s Middle East.” “ GF’s 2025 sustainability strategy sets tangible goals—like ensuring that 70% of our sales have a social or environmental benefit, and making all new product innovations deliver on sustainability improvements” Bart Van Bastelaere stepped into the role of Managing Director at GF Corys in November 2023 MEP_Jan2025_18-23_Cover story_13481607.indd 2323/12/2024 16:02WHITEPAPER www.mepmiddleeast.com 24 MEP Middle East | January 2025www.mepmiddleeast.com MEP_Jan2025_24-29_White paper Building energy efficiency_13480830.indd 2422/12/2024 08:39WHITEPAPER www.mepmiddleeast.comJanuary 2025 | MEP Middle East 25 www.mepmiddleeast.com Behind the impressive glass facades and intricate designs, the UAE’s built environment is undergoing a quiet, yet determined transformation. Architects and engineers are rethinking how buildings consume energy, setting a course that not only reflects national ambitions but also reshapes the future of urban living across Abu Dhabi and Dubai. It’s no longer just about constructing skyscrapers that pierce the sky; it’s about designing structures that leave a lighter footprint on the planet. The UAE is embracing ambitious goals to decarbonise its building sector, targeting an 81% reduction in greenhouse gas emissions by 2030. The stakes are high: the UAE’s built environment accounts for around 28% of the country’s emissions, driven largely by high cooling needs. With COP28 placing a spotlight on sustainability commitments, the UAE’s path to energy efficiency has become a crucial part of its vision for a low- carbon future. But what does it take to revolutionise an entire sector, especially one at the heart of the UAE’s infrastructure? And how does the UAE measure up to its global counterparts? A new whitepaper released by the Clean Energy Business Council (CEBC) MENA examines the UAE’s journey toward building energy efficiency and highlights both regional and international best practices. We explore this shift, detailing how policy innovation, technological advances, and sustainable design are driving the UAE’s journey toward energy efficiency. This story delves into the whitepaper’s findings, spotlighting the projects and pioneers at the forefront of the UAE’s sustainable revolution. URGENCY OF ENERGY EFFICIENCY IN THE UAE For the UAE, energy efficiency is not just a matter of economic prudence—it’s an essential step in addressing one of the country’s biggest environmental challenges. Urban areas here, from Abu Dhabi to Dubai, are bustling centres of activity where the demand for air conditioning and lighting is unparalleled. Despite its vast energy resources, the UAE has recognised that reducing building emissions is essential to a sustainable future. In response, the government has launched a series of policies to curb emissions from the building sector. The National Climate Change Plan, for instance, has made energy efficiency in buildings a top priority, setting out a roadmap for emissions reductions, renewable integration, and green building policies. The UAE aims to cut across all aspects of energy use, from the way buildings are designed and built to how they operate and consume resources. “With over 80% of the buildings in the UAE constructed before sustainable building codes were enforced, improving energy efficiency in these structures is paramount to achieving our national targets and supporting global climate goals,” says Dr Nasser Saidi, Chairman of the Clean Energy Business Council (CEBC). GOVERNMENT AND INDUSTRY EFFORTS TO LEAD THE WAY The UAE government, alongside private sector SKYLINE OF THE FUTURE How the UAE is transforming its building sector for a sustainable future MEP_Jan2025_24-29_White paper Building energy efficiency_13480830.indd 2523/12/2024 16:02WHITEPAPER www.mepmiddleeast.com 26 MEP Middle East | January 2025www.mepmiddleeast.com advocates, has taken the lead in pushing for greener, more efficient buildings. One of the most impactful efforts is Dubai’s Clean Energy Strategy 2050, which includes stringent green building standards and a target for all newly constructed buildings to be zero-energy by 2050. Abu Dhabi has also implemented the Estidama Pearl Rating System, an initiative requiring new buildings to meet minimum sustainability standards, covering aspects like energy and water conservation. Retrofitting existing buildings is another powerful tool in the UAE’s arsenal. Emirates Green Building Council (Emirates GBC) has spearheaded studies and initiatives aimed at retrofitting older buildings to improve their energy performance. The 2019 benchmarking study by Emirates GBC showed that significant savings could be achieved by retrofitting hotels, schools, and malls, which account for a large portion of the UAE’s building stock. However, these goals are not without challenges. Emirates GBC’s surveys have shown that while there is broad recognition of the importance of energy efficiency, there are barriers to implementing these changes. The availability of skilled workers and financial incentives, and the challenge of convincing building owners to retrofit amid relatively low energy prices, all pose difficulties. Yet, government- backed programs and private initiatives are gradually addressing these concerns, with financing models and new partnerships that make retrofits more attractive. GLOBAL ENERGY EFFORTS The UAE is not alone in its efforts to enhance energy efficiency and building retrofits. Europe, for instance, stands out for its comprehensive, progressive energy policies aimed at reducing the carbon footprint of its built environment. Countries like Germany and Italy have imposed stringent energy regulations on heating, lighting, and the use of energy-efficient materials. Spain and Portugal have recently introduced ordinances to curb energy use in commercial and residential buildings, and cities 80% UAE BUILDINGS CONSTRUCTED BEFORE SUSTAINABLE BUILDING CODES WERE ENFORCED The UAE is embracing ambitious goals to decarbonise its building sector, targeting an 81% reduction in greenhouse gas emissions by 2030 MEP_Jan2025_24-29_White paper Building energy efficiency_13480830.indd 2622/12/2024 08:39WHITEPAPER www.mepmiddleeast.comJanuary 2025 | MEP Middle East 27 www.mepmiddleeast.com like Paris have embraced public campaigns to promote responsible energy use. Saudi Arabia is advancing its energy efficiency goals through initiatives from the King Abdul- Aziz City for Science and Technology and the Saudi Energy Efficiency Centre. As the Kingdom diversifies its economy and reduces reliance on oil exports, energy consumption is rising in sectors such as housing, appliances, and transport. To combat this, the government is focused on reducing energy intensity through new policies and technologies, while aiming to conserve oil resources for future generations. Key initiatives include developing an Energy Conservation Law, establishing a national energy information system, training energy managers, and raising public awareness about energy efficiency. A significant achievement is Tarshid, the Kingdom’s first Super ESCO, funded by the Public Investment Fund (PIF), which mandates retrofitting government buildings to reduce energy consumption. Covering around 70% of the energy efficiency market, Tarshid’s projects include retrofitting ministry buildings in Riyadh to lower CO2 emissions by 3,700 tonnes and improving streetlight efficiency in Makkah to achieve 70% energy savings. These efforts underscore Saudi Arabia’s commitment to sustainable energy practices. In Morocco, a country with a similar climate and economic aspirations, energy efficiency is integrated into a broader renewable energy strategy. With 42% of its electricity generated from renewables by 2020 and a goal of reaching While there is broad recognition of the importance of energy efficiency, there are barriers to implementing these changes in the region MEP_Jan2025_24-29_White paper Building energy efficiency_13480830.indd 2722/12/2024 08:40WHITEPAPER www.mepmiddleeast.com 28 MEP Middle East | January 2025www.mepmiddleeast.com ASPECTRECOMMENDATIONS Regulatory and Policy Level Mandate energy effi ciency policies at national and emirate levels Address gaps in energy effi ciency regulations Set ambitious yet achievable effi ciency targets Launch public campaigns for energy effi ciency Implement certifi cation programs for energy performance in GCC Introduce standards for carbon emissions reporting (ASHRAE, AHRI) Financial Level Promote effi cient lifestyles (teleworking, coworking, fl exible use) Provide subsidies for energy effi ciency measures Reform fossil fuel subsidies to encourage effi ciency Create public-private partnerships for fi nancing effi ciency Training, Certifi cation and Monitoring Promote innovation through funding and energy performance standards Foster university-public partnerships for research on effi ciency Develop a data-sharing platform for transparency Off er workshops to support energy effi ciency growth Train HVAC technicians to enhance system effi ciency 52% by 2030, Morocco’s approach demonstrates the potential of combining energy efficiency and renewable energy targets. Morocco’s ESCO market (energy service companies specialising in energy-saving projects) has also gained traction, supporting commercial and industrial retrofits. This rapid progress highlights the UAE’s opportunity to leverage similar strategies. Oman is another neighbour making strides in energy efficiency. With the Vision 2040 framework, Oman has developed policies to reduce fossil fuel dependence and bolster clean energy markets. The country is particularly focused on managing energy demand through efficiency measures, aiming to reduce its overall reliance on oil and gas. Moving farther east, China has made significant headway through its General Code for Building Energy Conservation, setting mandatory standards for building energy use that target a 20% efficiency improvement by 2025. China’s model highlights the importance of stringent policies combined with regional adaptation, demonstrating how national mandates can spur localised innovation. In the United States, New York City’s Climate Mobilisation Act and the Inflation Reduction Act of 2022 (IRA) exemplify how federal policies can promote energy efficiency on a large scale. Federal incentives within the IRA encourage building retrofits and energy upgrades, helping bring down costs for commercial and residential owners alike. The UAE can look to these examples for insights on how incentives and public policies can work in tandem to drive widespread adoption. THE ROAD AHEAD FOR THE UAE The UAE’s achievements so far are promising, but with 2030 looming, the country faces Making retrofits economically viable is critical, especially as building owners look for faster ROI MEP_Jan2025_24-29_White paper Building energy efficiency_13480830.indd 2822/12/2024 08:40WHITEPAPER www.mepmiddleeast.comJanuary 2025 | MEP Middle East 29 www.mepmiddleeast.com the challenge of accelerating the pace of implementation. Emirates GBC has outlined several strategies to expedite the energy efficiency journey, such as establishing mandatory retrofit regulations, creating publicly accessible energy performance ratings, and developing financial mechanisms that reduce the upfront costs of energy upgrades. Making retrofits economically viable is critical, especially as building owners look for faster returns on their investments. At the same time, advances in technology are opening new avenues for efficiency. Smart metres, energy management systems, and digital dashboards that monitor energy consumption in real-time are making it easier than ever for buildings to cut back on waste. Innovations in materials science, such as advanced insulation and energy-efficient glazing, are enhancing the energy performance of new and existing buildings. The UAE has already begun exploring the use of renewable energy systems integrated within building designs— such as solar panels and smart shading— that offer adaptive cooling solutions. Yet, for all these advancements, energy efficiency isn’t just about policy or technology. Awareness campaigns and community engagement play a key role in encouraging responsible energy consumption. Public sector transparency in energy ratings, coupled with educational programs, could lead to more conscious consumption among residents and businesses alike. Real-time alerts on energy use, conservation tips for residents, and awareness drives in schools can all help to foster an energy- conscious culture. As the UAE works toward achieving its ambitious energy efficiency goals, it sets a powerful example for the region. The path forward will require continued collaboration between government entities, private businesses, and local communities. By building on global best practices and pioneering its own solutions, the UAE is poised to transform its building sector into a beacon of sustainable innovation. Through bold policy, technology adoption, and a commitment to cultural change, the UAE’s journey toward energy efficiency in its building sector stands as a testament to the power of purposeful, resilient transformation. MEP_Jan2025_24-29_White paper Building energy efficiency_13480830.indd 2922/12/2024 08:41Next >