Khushbu Mankani

Sustainability Consultant

Education Professional affiliations Nationality

MSc Energy (Hons.) ASHRAE Falcon Chapter Indian
Heriot Watt University, Dubai Member
Enrolled Part-time,
Ongoing – Apr-2024 WiBSE (Women in Building Awards
Services Engineering) Member AECOM Green Consultant
of the Year, 2023
BEng Architectural Engineering
(Hons.) CIBSE UK Undergraduate
Heriot Watt University, Dubai, of the Year, 2021
2021
ASHRAE Falcon Chapter
Inter-University HVAC
competition, 2020
Years of experience Registrations/Certifications Language skills
3-years LEED Green Associate English – Fluent
Hindi – Native

Years with AECOM Key skills

1.2-years Green Building Certification,
Sustainability Assessments, Net
Zero Consulting, Energy Auditing

Khushbu Mankani is a part of the Sustainability Specialists Team at AECOM UAE. She holds an
honors degree in Architectural Engineering and is a LEED Green Associate. She is experienced in
carrying out sustainability assessments covering aspects of sustainable design, water
conservation, sustainable construction and material selection, occupant health and well-being and
embodied carbon. She has delivered various iconic projects in the Middle East achieving highest
rating levels of Estidama, LEED and Mostadam green building certifications.

PROFESSIONAL HISTORY

Oct-22 to present: Sustainability Consultant, AECOM Middle East.

Oct-21 to Sept-22 (incl. Internship): Junior Energy & Sustainability Consultant Engie Solutions Middle East.
Jun-21 to Sept-21: Sustainability Intern, Ramboll Middle East.

PUBLICATIONS
Optimization of an air-cooled heat sink for cooling of a solar photovoltaic panel: A computational study.
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.enbuild.2022.112274

SELECTED PROJECT EXPERINECE

October 2022 – Present

AECOM, Abu Dhabi, UAE
Sustainability Consultant
As a sustainability consultant, Khushbu manages and leads the sustainability assessments and green building
certifications of various large-scale projects in the Middle East. She has facilitated inter-disciplinary design coordination
from concept design stage, ensured incorporation of sustainability features, led client workshops, and carried out green
building certification submissions. She is responsible for collaborating with architects, interior designers & engineers to
integrate building services design while considering sustainable building design considerations and constraints.
Her technical expertise also includes net zero strategic advisory where she has provided technical guidance on achieving
carbon neutrality, implementing circular economy principles, carbon accounting, and conducting Life Cycle Assess-
ments.

AECOM
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Khushbu Mankani
Sustainability Consultant

Mall of Saudi, Riyadh, KSA

Client: Majid Al Futtaim
Role: Sustainability Consultant

Project Highlights: A large-scale retail project, set to become a luxury retail

landmark in the city of Riyadh. The project is designed to achieve a LEED
Platinum rating and comply with MAF sustainability KPIs. The mall
incorporated remarkable sustainability features including a rooftop solar
PV plant, non-potable TSE supply, and low-carbon and recyclable
structural materials.

As the lead sustainability consultant for the project, Khushbu’s responsibilities were as follows:
o Inter-disciplinary design coordination to ensure implementation of sustainable design features and construction
practices resulting in achieving 50% savings on water consumption, 30% savings on energy consumption and 30%
reduction in embodied carbon content.
o Leading client coordination workshops to address client queries and provide regular project updates.
o Identifying additional feasible sustainable design features at schematic design stage, to push the LEED rating level
from Gold to Platinum with minimal cost impact.
o Performing Life Cycle Assessments (LCA) using the OneClick LCA software to identify local recyclable materials to
mitigate structural embodied carbon content and meet MAF sustainability KPIs.
o Delivering sustainability design reports and LEED submittals and forms for GBCI submission.
o Coordination with MAF facilities management teams to ensure incorporation of sustainability targets throughout
operational stage.
o Developing tenant sustainability guidelines to ensure alignment with projects LEED BD+C certification and
incorporation of green features to meet LEED ID+C certification requirements.

Diriyah Square, Ad Diriyah, KSA

Client: DGDA
Role: Sustainability Consultant

Project Highlights: Diriyah Square is at the heart of the Diriyah masterplan,

bringing together the world’s finest global retail brands, complemented by
authentic local Saudi artisan souks. The project is being designed to
achieve a LEED & Mostadam Gold rating level and comply with the
community-wide sustainability certification requirements. The project’s
strategic placement on previously developed land, expansive outdoor
areas, and blend of innovative design with traditional Najdi architecture
elements contribute significantly to attaining the desired sustainability
rating level.

As the sustainability consultant for the project, Khushbu’s responsibilities were as follows:
o Inter-disciplinary design coordination to ensure implementation of sustainable design features such as achieving
savings on energy and water consumption, selection of sustainable and healthy building materials and incorporation
of sustainable site features.
o Attending client coordination workshops and progress meetings to communicate project updates and address and
resolve design issues.
o Assessing the infrastructure and public realm design elements to ensure compliance with the targeted LEED Cities &
Mostadam Communities rating levels.
o Reviewing construction material submittals to assess compliance with the targetted LEED & Mostadam buildings
certifications.
NEOM LINE Masterplan livability and sustainability framework, Tabuk, KSA
Client: NEOM
Role: Sustainability Consultant

Project Highlights: A mirrored architectural masterpiece towering 500

meters above sea level, but a land-saving 200 meters wide. THE LINE
redefines the concept of urban development and what cities of the future
will look like. THE LINE is undergoing meticulous design integration,
incorporating innovative features, advanced sustainability strategies, all
meticulously planned at the masterplan level.

AECOM
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Khushbu Mankani
Sustainability Consultant

In her role as a sustainability consultant for the project, Khushbu conducted a comprehensive analysis of critical
sustainability and livability elements during the Concept Master Plan (CMP) and Detailed Master Plan (DMP) phases. The
primary objective of this project was the integration of the essential sustainability and livability features, including energy
and water conservation, food security, smart mobility, community engagement, and human health and well-being.

Khushbu’s responsibilities on the project were as follows:

o Developing a bespoke sustainability framework for the project that combined design guidelines from the LEED,
Mostadam, and WELL community rating systems.
o Mapping the LINE’s key sustainability and livability themes across the various applicable rating systems to identify
the prominent sustainability elements of the masterplan design.
o Incorporating sustainable design features at masterplan level as per the NEOM Sustainability Guidelines and
Principles.
o Delivering the CMP and DMP stage sustainability strategy reports.

Net Zero Strategic Advisory, BAE Systems, Middle East

Client: British Aerospace Systems (BAES)
Role: Net-Zero Advisor

Project Highlights: British Aerospace Systems (BAES), a military and

aerospace company headquartered in London, was seeking insights
for Middle East Net Zero policies, regulations, and best practices to
enable sustainable operations of their facilities. BAES aimed to
strengthen its ESG reporting and Net Zero initiatives and was seeking
a Net Zero Situatory report to understand the current state of the Net
Zero Carbon market in the Middle Eastern countries.

Khushbu played a pivotal role in providing BAES with technical guidance for the integration of Net Zero Carbon and
Decarbonization strategies into their facilities. Her responsibilities included comprehensive evaluation of the local Net Zero
targets, commitments, and policies, along with identifying and implementing decarbonization opportunities across BAES
existing facilities to effectively mitigate scope 1, 2, and 3 emissions.

Sustainability & Carbon Neutral Events Advisory, Middle East

Client: COP28 – Masdar & ADIPEC – DMG Events
Role: COP28 – Sustainability Advisor & ADIPEC – Sustainability Implementation lead

Project Highlights: COP28 & ADIPEC Events held under the patronage of Dr. Sultan Ahmed Al Jaber, were seeking a
sustainability advisor to host a carbon neutrality event and reduce the event’s environmental impact. The event organizers
aim to certify the events with prestigious carbon neutrality certifications & pledges and liaise with multiple stakeholders to
incorporate carbon neutral operational measures.

Khushbu’s responsibilities on the projects were as follows:

o Developing ‘Exhibitor/Delegate Sustainability Guidelines’, a set of low carbon best practices for exhibitors based on
the ‘Net Zero Carbon Events’ industry standards.
o Developing sustainable operational guidelines and a carbon management plan for the events. These guidelines and
plans provided best practices recommendations for reducing emissions related to energy and water consumption,
international and local travel and exhibition stand design, catering, procurement, and logistics.
o Facilitating client coordination and stakeholder engagement for carbon data collection throughout the project
duration.
o Organizing and leading interactive sustainability visioning workshops between client & event stakeholders to identify
innovative and feasible carbon reduction strategies for the event.

Business Development – Project Bids & Proposals

Client: Royal Commissioning for AlUla (RCU), NEOM, Nakheel & Dubai Holdings
Role: Bid Support - Technical

Khushbu has also supported on the business development within the team by providing technical support on preparing
bids and proposals for various sustainable building design and Net Zero advisory projects.

Her responsibilities as the technical bid support for the sustainability team are as follows:
o Developing well-structured technical methodologies based on the team’s expertise and past project experience.
o Identifying project details, relevant scope of work, project timelines and key deliverable milestones from the client’s
RFP documents.
o Liaising with sub-consultants for external technical support on the proposed scope.
o Coordinating with bid administrators, commercial teams, and project managers to obtain approval and requested bid
documents.

AECOM
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Khushbu Mankani
Sustainability Consultant

PREVIOUS PROJECT EXPERIENCE

October 2021 – September 2022
Engie Solutions Middle East, Dubai, UAE
Junior Energy & Sustainability Consultant
In her role as a junior energy and sustainability consultant, Khushbu evaluated existing building projects in the UAE,
analyzing energy and water usage, indoor air quality, and efficiency of HVAC and lighting equipment. She identified key
areas for improvement to attain LEED O+M certification for multiple commercial projects. She also conducted the
ASHARE Level I & II (WTA & IGA) Energy Audits and performed energy saving calculations for these projects.

Masdar City, Abu Dhabi, UAE

Client: Masdar REIT
Role: Junior Sustainability Consultant
Project Highlights: Masdar City, a pioneer in sustainability and a hub for
research and development in the UAE, was aiming to certify three of its
buildings, the IRENA Headquarters, Incubator Building and Tabreed
Headquarters with LEED O+M Platinum and Gold certifications. These
multi-storey mixed-use office buildings incorporated various green
building features and are operated sustainability with seasonal
variations.
As a junior sustainability consultant on the project, Khushbu’s responsibilities were as follows:
o Coordinating with facility managers to optimize HVAC and lighting operations and manage potable water and irrigation
networks sustainably by setting optimum system efficiencies and scheduling for seasonal and occupancy variations.
o Attending workshops and meetings with client, real estate managers and facility managers to coordinate project
updates, results, and milestones.
o Monitoring the project's carbon emissions (scope 1, 2, and 3) by assessing energy, water, and waste parameters
using the USGBC's Arc Platform for LEED O+M certification.
o Conducting regular site visits for measuring indoor air quality, facilitate LEED occupant satisfaction surveys and
perform ASHRAE Level I energy audits.

November 2021 – February 2022

Mesh Energy, Edinburgh , UK
Energy Modeling Sub-consultant (Remote)

Appointed as an external energy modeling sub-consultant, Khushbu performed IES-VE energy simulations of multistorey
villas and cottage houses ranging from 3,000-5,000 square meters with complex pitched roofs and dormer structures.

Her role also included performing embodied carbon calculations of the low-rise residential projects based on the UK LETI
Embodied Carbon Specifications and Guidelines.

June 2021 – September 2021

Ramboll Middle East, Dubai, UAE
Sustainability Intern
As a sustainability intern, Khushbu performed sustainability assessments, and developed sustainability design reports,
certification checklists for projects targeting LEED BD+C, Al Sa’fat and Mostadam certifications. She also developed
embodied carbon calculations for existing Majid Al Futtaim assets in the UAE.

Additionally, Khushbu performed IES-VE energy simulations for space cooling calculations and LEED energy credits for
the Arada communities, Qiddiya Water Park, Riyadh Township and Diriyah Gate projects.

TRAININGS
o OneClick LCA – Life Cycle Analysis for LEED Parameters.
o USGBC CE course – Carbon Clarity: Whole Building LCA For LEED Projects.
o AECOM University – Buildings + Places Net-Zero Carbon Buildings.
o AECOM University – AECOM’s Sustainability Legacies ESG Strategy.

AECOM
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