Developing of energy credits in an Egyptian Green Building Rating System

Globally, buildings are responsible for approximately 40% of the total world annual energy consumption. Most of this energy is for the provision of lighting, heating, cooling, and air conditioning. Increasing awareness of the environmental impact of CO₂ and NOx emissions and CFCs triggered a renewed interest in environmentally friendly cooling, and heating technologies. It was therefore considered desirable to reduce energy consumption and decrease the rate of depletion of world energy reserves and pollution of the environment. One way of reducing building energy consumption is to design building green, which is more economical in their use of energy. This research attempts to formulate an implementation strategy for developing and enhancing the Energy Category of an Egyptian Green Building Rating System. This implementation strategy is based on the detailed review of the major green building guidelines globally and contextual information of Egyptian society collected through a survey questionnaire. The results show the energy credits that should be considered as mandatory within the Egyptian Green Building Rating System and indicate the other credits that should be taken into account and propose weights of such energy credits.