Energy Credits investigation: In the development of an Egyptian Green Building Rating System

The energy challenge is one of the most crucial challenges that facing the resident of the planet earth in the 21^st century. The question now is; how mankind would be able to survive in a world where conventional energy sources are becoming scarcer. As buildings is one of the most energy consuming sectors on earth, so if energy efficient buildings could be built and supplied with sustainable energy sources, it would be a real positive contribution towards confronting this challenge in a sustainable way. Hence, energy is one of the major categories that almost all the Green Building Rating Systems all over the world are developed to measure and conserve. This paper presents quantitative researches that have been conducted to develop tailor-made, scientifically based Energy Credits that could be considered as scientific guidelines towards developing and enhancing the Energy Category of the Egyptian Green Building Rating System. The data was collected through a desk study and online questionnaires. 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.