Emirates Green Building Council (EmiratesGBC), an independent online forum focused on saving the environment by reinforcing and promoting green building practices, has actually extended the due date for submissions for the '2016 EmiratesGBC Awards' till March 3, 2016, midnight (UAE time).

The Awards identify organisations and people across the Middle East and North Africa who have demonstrated excellence in sustainability in the structure sector. Entries can be submitted in both English and Arabic languages to facilitate the procedure for everybody across the region.

The six categories of the 2016 EmiratesGBC Awards consist of: Green Facility Management Organisation of the Year rewarding a UAE-based FM organisation for its commitments to sustainability; Green Building Material/Product Award for the successful introduction to the MENA area of a building product or product/component which deals with green structure concepts; Green Building System Award for a structure system that supplies a more sustainable solution to green structure construction than standard building techniques in the MENA region; Green Building Research Award for research study that establishes trustworthy information, in an area not formerly offered, related to green structure efficiency in the MENA area; Training Initiative of the Year for the best sustainability training initiative in the MENA area; and Green Building of the Year, for buildings settled in the past 3 years in the MENA area that show quality in terms of design, building site management, waste and green standards. This honour exists in four sub-categories including Green Hotel, Green Commercial Building, Green Residential Building and Green School.

In addition to the expert award categories, EmiratesGBC is likewise running the 2016 Dr. Owainati Student Excellence Award to honour a student from a recognised university in the UAE who has performed exceptional research work in a subject related to green structures in the Middle East.

To get the Dr. Owainati Student Excellence Award, sponsored by EmiratesGBC co-founder Dr. Sadek Owainati, and open just for students from any university in the UAE, the research study subject have to be straight applicable to green structure design, innovation, construction or operation with focus on its applicability in the MENA region. Due date for the student award is Thursday, March 17, 2016.

More details on costs, application and standards are readily available on the EmiratesGBC website (http://emiratesgbc.org/awards/2016awards/ and www.emiratesgbc.org/event/2016studentaward). For more details, email: egbcawards@emiratesgbc.org. The award winners will be revealed at the Awards Ceremony and Gala Dinner on May 18, 2016 in Dubai.

DOW is the Silver Sponsor of the Awards. Sponsorship packages are still available, with early bird discount rates till April 1, 2016. To learn more on sponsorship plans follow this link or email engagement@emiratesgbc.org.