Sustainable Construction Techniques and Green Certifications

Sustainable construction is the practice of creating a healthy environment based on ecological principles.

Entreprises A.R. Hourie’s goal is to reduce the impact of its construction sites on the environment by utilizing sustainable development practices, employing energy efficiency, and taking advantage of green technology. Sustainable construction is achieved via a two-pronged approach the materials that are used and the methods that are utilized.

Entreprises A.R. Hourie makes every effort to practice sustainability in construction through the use of sustainable materials on jobsites, such as recycled plastic and laminated timber. These materials have the added benefit of protecting the environment by reducing the carbon footprint of the buildings in which they are used. They promote a cleaner Earth and a future of sustainability while also being aesthetically appealing and much more efficient.

As for the sustainable methods employed, they include

• Cutting materials precisely in order to reduce waste
• Controlling waste management
• Constructing green buildings and securing green certifications
• Adaptive reuse projects that transform old buildings
• Managing construction sites to improve the environment
• Conserving energy
• Selecting sustainable and recycled materials

• Bkerzay Eco-Village, Chouf
  
  Certification BREEAM
  Developed in-house and built by Entreprises A.R. Hourie, Bkerzay is an eco-friendly hotel and conservation project which aims to preserve the natural beauty of the Chouf region. This unique project encapsulates in itself Hourie’s commitment to sustainable construction techniques and its pursuit of green certification. The hotel’s grounds are covered with olive groves, lush woods, wildlife, and a variety of endangered flora. Built with traditional Lebanese stone architecture, the guest homes used local construction materials and local labor to promote the perpetuation of ancestral building techniques. They were literally sculpted into the natural landscape, without removing a single tree. As a matter of fact, it was the guest houses’ layouts that were modified to accommodate tree locations, and not the other way around. Bkerzay is also a proud user of solar energy, and has set up an elaborate purification station to recycle its water. The project was completed in 2017.
  
  As Bkerzay was Entreprises A.R. Hourie’s own brainchild, a project developed, designed and built in-house, its green certification requirements were implemented, monitored and finalized by Hourie as well, enriching the company with invaluable perspective and experience. The 58-page-long BREEAM Certification Application Template, as filled-in by Hourie is an adequate illustration of the efforts engaged in this endeavor.
  
  Bkerzay - BREEAM Certificate
  Bkerzay - BREEAM Certification Filled-in Application Template
  Bkerzay - Award
  Bkerzay - Video
  


• Rive Gauche Tower, Beirut (RGT)
  
  Certification LEED
  This is the tallest office building in Lebanon. The project consists of 5 basements and a 30-story tower on a 3,000 m² land footprint. Total built-up area is 47,000 m². The project was completed in 2017.


• Lebanon WaterFront City (LWFC) SP5, Dbayeh
  
  Certification BREEAM
  The project is composed of 2 residential building blocks (B4 & B5) that are part of a larger mixed-use development located in the area of La Marina Joseph Khoury, Dbayeh. The complex has a total gross built area of around 29,596 m², comprising 105 residential apartments, each building consisting of a ground floor, seven upper floors and an underground parking in the 2 basement levels. The construction site was a greenfield land with an area of approximately 6,873 m². The project was completed in 2018.


• Lebanon WaterFront City (LWFC) SP6, Dbayeh
  
  Certification BREEAM
  The project is composed of 4 residential building blocks (B6 to B9) that are part of a larger mixed-use development located in the area of La Marina Joseph Khoury, Dbayeh. The complex has a total gross built area of around 40,169 m², comprising 177 residential apartments, each building consisting of a ground floor, seven upper floors and an underground parking in the 2 basement levels. The construction site was a greenfield land with an area of approximately 8,391 m². The project was completed in 2018.
  
  Lebanon WaterFront City (LWFC) SP5 (Buildings B4 & B5) - BREEAM Certificate
  First National Bank Headquarters (FNB) - LEED Certificate


• First National Bank Headquarters (FNB), Beirut
  
  Certification LEED
  FNB’s prominent green features include the use of low-VOCs paints and coatings. VOCs, or Volatile Organic Compounds, are chemicals found mainly in solvent-based paints and coatings. Their main purpose is to act as the medium to transfer the paint from the can to the surface and aid the paint’s flow. However, because they are volatile, these compounds vaporize and emit gasses, even long after they have dried. And these VOCs are linked to a range of health problems, including some very serious diseases.
  
  Another key feature is the use of N40 glass. Controlling the trade-offs between light and heat, it combines excellent solar control and thermal insulation. This heat-absorbing glass reduces the quantity of heat flowing into the building, thereby lessening the cooling load on air conditioning and saving energy costs.
  
  First National Bank Headquarters (FNB) - LEED Certificate
  First National Bank Headquarters (FNB) - LEED Certificate Letter