Don't Waste Buildings Launches UAE Chapter
Don't Waste Buildings Launches UAE Chapter to Champion Building Reuse and Retrofit Across the Middle East
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Dubai, UAE – Don't Waste Buildings (DWB), the campaign group dedicated to promoting the renovation, reuse, and retrofit of existing buildings as a cornerstone of sustainable construction, today announces the launch of its UAE chapter – marking a significant step in the organisation's international expansion and its commitment to driving a global shift away from unnecessary demolition and rebuild.
Muhammed Arafath, DWB’s new UAE Chapter Lead
Leading the new UAE chapter is Muhammed Arafath, Chartered Structural Engineer and Fellow of the Institution of Structural Engineers (FIStructE). With 26 years of international experience spanning structural design, construction, repair, and refurbishment of high-rise and large complex buildings across the Middle East and Europe, Arafath brings exceptional expertise and authority to the role. He currently serves as Head of Construction Supervision and Senior Project Manager at Ramboll Middle East, where he has led the delivery of some of the region's most technically demanding projects.
As UAE Representative for Don't Waste Buildings, Arafath is a passionate advocate for the renovation and reuse of existing buildings, a strategy that can save between 50 and 75% of embodied carbon compared with demolition and new construction – a compelling proposition as the UAE and the wider region accelerate their transition to net zero in line with the goals of the Paris Agreement.
Richard Nelson, Co-Founder of Don't Waste Buildings, welcomed the appointment and the launch of the UAE chapter:
"We are absolutely delighted to be launching in the UAE, and we couldn't have found a better person than Muhammed to lead this chapter. We're very much looking forward to deepening our understanding of the unique challenges surrounding existing building reuse in the UAE context, and to working collaboratively with the built environment industry and government to ensure that 'retrofit first' becomes not just an environmental imperative, but a financially viable and genuinely attractive alternative to the wasteful cycle of demolition and rebuild. There is an enormous opportunity here, and we intend to seize it."
The UAE represents a significant frontier for the retrofit and reuse agenda. With a substantial stock of buildings constructed during the rapid development boom of recent decades, and growing governmental commitment to sustainability targets, the conditions are ripe for a meaningful shift in how the industry approaches the existing built environment.
Arafath commented:
"The UAE has achieved extraordinary things in a very short time, and much of that physical legacy is embodied in its buildings. Rather than viewing existing structures as obstacles to progress, we should see them as assets – repositories of embodied carbon and resources that deserve a second life wherever possible. I am proud to represent Don't Waste Buildings here and to work with engineers, developers, policymakers, and the wider industry to make retrofit the first choice, not the last resort."
Don't Waste Buildings calls on industry professionals, policymakers, developers, and built environment organisations across the UAE to engage with the chapter, share expertise, and join the growing movement to put existing buildings at the heart of the region's sustainability ambitions.
Become a DWB member by joining their LinkedIn group, and if you’d like to volunteer for the new UAE Chapter, or another Chapter or Workstream, contact them HERE.
About Don't Waste Buildings:
Don't Waste Buildings is a campaign group advocating for the prioritisation of building renovation, reuse, and retrofit over demolition and new construction. The group works with industry professionals, governments, and the public to make retrofit a financially viable, technically credible, and environmentally essential approach to the built environment.
Media Enquiries:
Leanne Tritton, Co-Founder