Works minister inaugurates Arabian MEP Conference

Manama, Apr. 12 (BNA): Works, Municipalities & Urban Planning Minister Essam bin Abdullah Khalaf inaugurated the fifth edition of the Arabian MEP (Mechanical Electrical Plumbing) Conference and Exhibition, being held at the Bahrain International Convention and Exhibition Centre from April 12-14. The minister stated that the MEP Conference & Exhibition has become one of the most successful and important conferences encouraging the construction, engineering and contracting sector. The conference highlights all the recent and innovative updates in the field, and also sheds light on green technology and its uses; transforming buildings into environment-friendly green buildings. He also reiterated the importance of applying sustainable building techniques in order to limit the impact of climate changes, provide a better environment that maintains economic and environmental balance and provide a better life for future generations. Khalaf added that the ministry continues to activate their green buildings initiative; making it a work strategy that has indeed been used since 2010. The strategy is being implemented in new buildings projects for various ministries and government institutions in the Kingdom; designed, supervised and maintained by the Works Ministry. Green buildings have contributed to preserving power and water consumption, in addition to reducing costs of operation and maintenance; which traditional buildings do not do. According to approved statistics, green buildings have resulted in very positive results; by reducing not less than 30% of water and power consumption, 15% of operation and maintenance costs, 35% of carbonic emissions and 50-75% of constructional waste. The minister toured the exhibition and viewed the varied participants; with 60 exhibitors from the region and around the globe, and professionals and experts from the heating, ventilation, air-conditioning and refrigeration (HVACR) industry, in addition to mechanical and plumbing contractors, architects and designers as well as public utility providers and government agencies.