MODERN UNIVERSITY OF BUSINESS AND SCIENCE

THE LEBANESE PEOPLE ATTITUDES TOWARD SUSTAINABLE DESIGN

Prepared by:

Amani Dagher

Supervised by:

Dr. Latifa Attieh

A research project
submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements
for the degree of Bachelor of MBA in project management
to the Faculty of Business Administration
at the Modern University for Business and Science

28/8/2021

Beirut, Lebanon
the Lebanese People Attitudes Towards Sustainable Design.

CHAPTER I

INTRODUCTION

Our world is being threatened by several serious threats to its ecology and natural resources.

Pollution has reached a critical level, posing a threat to all human beings on the earth. Natural

resources are decreasing and will soon be depleted, as Mother Nature is unable to recycle all of

the materials utilized. (Folfol, 2015) Environmental degradation and sustainability are regarded

to be among the most important challenges we face in today's society, and there is a rising

awareness of all environmental issues. According to recent research, people consider

environmental issues to be the most pressing concern today, followed by the economy,

healthcare, unemployment, and crime (Paetz et al., 2012). Sustainable construction, often known

as green construction, is one of the most important solutions to the aforementioned issues that all

countries should be adapted to it, Especially Lebanon, which appears to have made some

primitive steps toward a sustainability strategy but still has a long way to go before it can be

considered one of the leading countries in this sector. (Awwad & El Khoury, 2012)

Background

Lebanon has been wracked by a major catastrophe, the civil war. Infrastructure,

buildings, airports, and ports all suffered significant losses. Traditional building methods were

used instead of sustainable ones in the restoration of these structures. According to research

conducted by El Asmar and Taki in the "Zouk Mosbeh" region, this city is polluted as a result of
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the Lebanese People Attitudes Towards Sustainable Design.

the presence of a power plant and the discharge of industrial solid waste in the nearby sea.

According to a study of Zouk Mosbeh residents, 65 percent of those polled experience anxiety as

a result of smoke and noise from the constructions described previously. In Lebanon, the green

construction sector is still in its infancy. While some large projects are beginning to explore

sustainable design, the majority of projects, including many small and moderate projects,

continue to use traditional design. Sustainable design principles, on the other hand, are

progressively making their way into the Lebanese market. This is due to the development of a

few professional organizations in Lebanon, such as the Lebanese Green Building Council, which

is increasing awareness about the three green building ideas. Based on a green building grading

system, the LGBC gives a certificate (ARZ certificate) (Folfol, 2015). the concept of sustainable

production and construction is still very primitive in Lebanon and the role of the government in

promoting sustainability is not yet well established. The lack of sustainability awareness in the

environment and the education sector makes it hard to find such information in this developing

country that faced many disasters that affect its environment industry.

Purpose of the Study

This study assesses Lebanon's current state of sustainable development, focusing on the

construction sector, and gives a comprehensive analysis of relevant legislation and regulations. It

also provides a broad overview of international sustainability practices in certain surrounding

Arab nations and other Western countries in order to better comprehend Lebanon's position

within the worldwide sustainable development framework. The report concludes by outlining the

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the Lebanese People Attitudes Towards Sustainable Design.

many problems that the Lebanese sector faces, as well as ideas for enhancing sustainable growth

and promoting green building in Lebanon.

Significance of the Study

Green buildings, also known as sustainable structures, have been more important for commercial

building construction across the world in recent years. Reduced water, energy, and overall

negative effects on occupants' health and the environment are just a few of the advantages of

sustainable buildings (Folfol, 2015). Buildings that are healthier may be made by more

efficiently using resources, which improves human health, contributes to a cleaner environment,

and saves money. Green building, on the other hand, may not be a top priority for developing

countries, such as those in the Middle East, at the moment. For example, Lebanon has had many

crises over the previous four decades, causing significant damage to its environment,

infrastructure, and structures. As a result, complete growth is required in Lebanon, and it is

preferable to do it in a long-term way and capability for implementing the green construction

idea is required. However, in order to choose where to begin this process, it is necessary to know

the degree of knowledge, awareness and attitude of people and experts, and availability of

facilities.

Research Questions

This research shows the development of the Lebanese attitude towards the sustainable

design(building)

1. How does the development of sustainable design in Lebanon occur?

2. What challenges will the contractors face to reach sustainable design?
3. What are the benefits of having a sustainable design in Lebanon?
4. What are the Lebanese projects that achieve their goal of being sustainable?
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the Lebanese People Attitudes Towards Sustainable Design.

5. what do the Lebanese people think about sustainable design?

CHAPTER II

LITERATURE REVIEW

Sustainable design definition:

Design is all around us. If you're not a professional in the field, it may seem unimportant or too

complicated. But, in fact, design is a part of our daily lives for all of us.

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the Lebanese People Attitudes Towards Sustainable Design.

Our houses, clothes, automobiles, and even the future are all designed. While the first items on

the list are intended to make our lives simpler and more comfortable, the second is also

connected to the concept of sustainability. The objective is to fulfill our requirements as well as,

more crucially, future generations' needs. (Sibirtseva, 2019)

Because sustainable design is such a complicated and timely issue this year, it's worth looking

into. As a result, we will explain why sustainable design is essential and provide examples of

how governments and individuals may apply sustainable design at various levels in this article.

Because sustainable design aims to reduce the negative environmental effect, words like eco-

friendly design, eco-design, and environmentally aware design can be used interchangeably.

(Sibirtseva, 2019)

Sustainable design importance

Buildings that are ecologically friendly and efficient in their use of resources are important

because they assist to ensure a brighter future for everyone. Many people believe that

sustainability is exclusively concerned with environmental preservation, but it is actually

comprised of three pillars: people, planet, and profit. In all three of these categories, the
sustainable design provides long-term benefits: (LotaComm, 2021)

 People— Poor air quality harms building inhabitants' health, as well as their comfort and

productivity. Because caring for the health and safety of your occupants is an important

element of being a responsible building owner, indoor air quality measurement and

monitoring is an important part of all building sustainability rating systems, including

LEED.

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the Lebanese People Attitudes Towards Sustainable Design.

 Planet— Of course, one of the most important advantages of sustainable design is that it

contributes to the planet's long-term survival. Buildings and construction account for

39% of global energy-related carbon dioxide emissions; because so little has been done in

this sector too far, there is a lot of room for improvement.

 Profit— Any company's ability to stay competitive and profitable is critical to its long-

term success (in sustainable design, that means without negatively impacting the other

two pillars). Keeping your facility clean and efficient helps you avoid wasting resources,

develops your staff, and lowers operating expenses, tying all three pillars together. You

may put the money you save back into the firm to help it expand in the future.

Another advantage of sustainable design is that it increases the marketability of your building.

According to research, sustainable office buildings attract higher rents and are in better demand

among potential purchasers. (LotaComm, 2021)

Lebanese changing attitude

The desire for sustainable development in Lebanon is overwhelming, especially given the

massive needs for infrastructure, housing, and conspicuous consumption that were restrained

throughout the civil war but are now being unleashed after the conclusion of the conflict.

Lebanon's physical, economic, and social structure and features have been changed by two

decades of civil war and regional tension. Buildings, including residential, commercial, and

industrial buildings, are sprouting up at a rapid pace nowadays, with little regard for planning

and development restrictions. The government's unwillingness to impose planning and

development can only be explained by lingering war feelings and a spirit of reconciliation.

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the Lebanese People Attitudes Towards Sustainable Design.

However, it is possible that once such a culture has become cemented, it will be hard to change.

The issue is persuading the government, construction industry practitioners, Lebanese people,

and other stakeholders that planning, standards, and development restrictions are essential for

Lebanon's sustainable growth. As a result, it is critical to first determine if construction industry

practitioners in Lebanon are now aware of the challenges and importance of sustainable

development.

The process of sustainable development necessitates that we all understand what, how, and why

we use natural resources in the ways that we do. Our current practice has sparked widespread

alarm due to the acceleration of global resource depletion (UN, 2002), which is especially true of

non-renewable global resources. Rapid ozone depletion, increasing deforestation, the greenhouse

effect, and global warming are some of the consequences of human actions (IPCC, 2000). Thus,

all these issues should be the push to every country to switch its construction industry from non-

green to green construction and encourage the development of the people's attitude towards

sustainable design.

The Brundtland Report of the World Commission on Environment and Development is one of

the earliest studies on sustainability (WCED). Sustainable development was described in the

report as "development that fulfills current demands without compromising future generations'

ability to satisfy their own needs" [WCED 1987]. Sustainable construction, a subset of

sustainable development, promotes the use of technology and knowledge to improve the long-

term viability of infrastructure design, building, and operation. [Chong et al. 2009]

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the Lebanese People Attitudes Towards Sustainable Design.

Because sustainable building techniques are still rare in the region, Lebanon's first step is to

record and raise awareness of sustainable development among key stakeholders. The knowledge

of Lebanese engineering experts with measures, norms, and specifications implemented to

guarantee sustainable development is examined in this article.

The huge number of environmental challenges that consumers confront in Lebanon is a major

driver of the transition from traditional—or non-green—purchasing patterns to greener ones, as

well as a shift in people's and stakeholders' attitudes toward sustainable building.

Green purchasing, according to Dagher and Itani (2012), is a way for customers to benefit the

environment. Consumers who engage in green purchasing behavior don't only want to be

environmentally conscious; they also want to know that their purchase will provide them with

instant advantages (Vermillion and Peart, 2010).

Consumers are utilizing a new dimension, the degree of social corporate responsibility for the

environment, according to Kotler (2011), when deciding between brands on the market.

Hypothesis

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the Lebanese People Attitudes Towards Sustainable Design.

Lebanon is politically and economically in a Great Depression; the challenge is to adhere to the

International Green Communities' recommendations and definitions while also cultivating a

committed Lebanese concept of sustainability that is tailored to the recovery scenario.

Campaigners are encouraged to develop a formula and criteria that will allow updated legislation

to emerge based on a thorough understanding of the country's and region's green and sustainable

cultures.

Green and sustainable culture should be promoted by Lebanese people to set a new trend and

way of thinking in order to save the economy and the future of coming generations while

preserving the legacy of Green Lebanon with its Cedar and other forest trees and building within

energy-saving procedures.

According to the mission of LGBC (Lebanon green building council) and the letter of its

president Pierre Dammous, a campaign has to be pushed concentrating on a new true picture of a

healthy country, to be an active participant in research supporting the reduction of carbon

emissions and stratospheric ozone depletion.

Lebanese organizations and stakeholders should begin by studying and adopting the same

concept, as well as developing a strategy for the actual implementation of greenery and

sustainable culture in order to raise awareness among those in their immediate environment.

They should lay out a road map for the dissemination of these new principles that will govern the

behavior of the Lebanese public, starting with schools and continuing through universities and

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the Lebanese People Attitudes Towards Sustainable Design.

municipalities, which serve as the embryo of the political arena and the foundation of the

political network.

It is a dream, but we should begin to sow the seeds of this dream by electing political leaders

who think like us, with an eye on the preservation of our natural resources, and by greening the

development of all new legal rules to be directed toward the above ideals.

A huge amount of work awaits Lebanese shareholders to increase the pressure on other groups to

act for a shared goal: the preservation of our country's future resources.

The Lebanese people will look for leaders from all sorts of backgrounds to embrace the same

values for green and sustainability, and they will lead the effort to save the ozone layer and

decrease global temperatures as part of the Climate Warming plan. All of the foregoing should

be viewed as an upgrade and triggering action for the promotion of the "Arz Rating" for

construction, which requires a massive marketing effort. They should connect with foreign

donors and non-governmental organizations (NGOs) who share the same goal and are attempting

to establish the same principles as they are, in order to assist them financially in reaching the

various milestones set out in our road map.

Let us work together to protect our country's future resources.

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References

Sibirtseva, M. (2019, November 14). Here’s Why Sustainable Design is Important.

Depositphotos Blog. https://blog.depositphotos.com/sustainable-design.html

Iota Communications, Inc. (2021, May 1). Why Is Sustainable Design Important To Business? ».

https://www.iotacommunications.com/blog/why-is-sustainable-design-important/

Dammous, P. (2020). President’s letter 2020–2021 – LGBC. LGBC.

https://expressionsintl.ipage.com/presidents-letter/

Folfol, M. E. C. (2015). Status of the Public Building Sustainability in Lebanon: A Case Study on Fares

Library | Semantic Scholar. Semantic Scholar. https://www.semanticscholar.org/paper/Status-of-

the-Public-Building-Sustainability-in-A-Folfol/e592e29d27d136d487f690a71bfe6a2bb699bcf2

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the Lebanese People Attitudes Towards Sustainable Design.

Awwad and el khoury (2018) Assessment of sustainable construction in Lebanon| LAU library.

http://www.iaarc.org/publications/fulltext/Assessment_of_sustainable_construction_in_L

ebanon.pdf

E. Khoury (2017) Sustainability and Design Education Case Study: Lebanon| LAU library.

https://laur.lau.edu.lb:8443/xmlui/bitstream/handle/10725/5720/Sustainability.pdf?

sequence=1&isAllowed=y

El Asmar. eh al (2012). Sustainability: changing attitudes in Lebanon| NDU library.

https://www.researchgate.net/publication/290697639_Sustainability_Changing_attitudes_in_Leb

anon

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