As part of Egypt’s ongoing efforts and the directives of its political leadership to enhance the exchange of expertise and transfer of technical experiences to fellow Arab nations in the fields of urban development, sustainability, and the implementation of green urban and building standards, Dr. Mohamed Massoud El-Saadawy, Chairman of the Housing and Building National Research Center (HBRC), received a delegation of experts and specialists from the Republic of Iraq.
The visit focused on green architecture, sustainable urbanism, and energy efficiency in buildings. Its aim was to familiarize the Iraqi delegation with Egypt’s experience in green urban applications and to foster mutual knowledge exchange in these vital fields.
Dr. El-Saadawy stated that this visit is part of the center’s ongoing initiatives to share expertise among Arab countries. This is done in collaboration with the Regional Center for Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency (RCREEE), which operates under the Arab League, and in coordination with the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) in Iraq. The cooperation aims to leverage Egypt’s experience in promoting sustainable green urbanism and smart cities, achieving energy efficiency in buildings, and improving urban quality of life in developmental sectors.
He further explained that the Iraqi delegation reviewed the scientific research and studies conducted by the center, including codes related to energy conservation and smart cities, as well as indicators of urban quality of life. He noted that the Egyptian building codes are developed according to the principles of value engineering, with the goal of reducing construction costs and rationalizing the consumption of natural resources used in various building materials.