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Project
depth.

Six project studies across energy modelling, Al Sa’fat compliance, LEED advisory, daylighting, digital twin integration and embedded advisory. Client identities withheld — details accurate.

Sectors covered
High-rise Residential Villa Cluster Hospitality Mixed-Use Masterplan Commercial Office Developer-Led Phased
UAE GCC Abu Dhabi · Dubai
Residential Villa Cluster · UAE & GCC Villa optimisation across multiple orientations
Challenge

Developer with a repeating villa typology across three plot orientations needed to confirm energy compliance before fixing the structural design. Changes post-tender would have been prohibitively expensive.

Scope

Parametric massing models in DesignBuilder for each orientation variant. WWR, shading depth and U-value sensitivity tested across 12 design permutations. Scenario comparison report per plot type.

Outcome

Design team fixed orientation and shading spec at EDP — before structural drawings. Compliance confirmed with zero revision cycles at submission.

High-Rise Residential · Dubai Al Sa’fat compliance for a tower development
Challenge

Architecture practice at WD stage, submission eight weeks away. Previous submission by another consultant had been rejected by DM.

Scope

Full IES VE thermal model from WD drawings. ApacheHVAC system model calibrated to specified plant. Al Sa’fat matrix and DM-formatted submission pack including all technical annexes.

Outcome

Pack delivered in five weeks. Authority approval on first resubmission. Zero post-submission RFIs. Practice engaged GGD for two further projects at DD stage.

Hospitality · Daylighting · UAE Hospitality daylighting & glare advisory
Challenge

Interior designer needed daylighting and solar glare analysis for a high-occupancy restaurant with full-height south-west glazing. Evidence needed for both shading specification and FF&E layout.

Scope

RadianceIES annual CBDM with SunCast solar penetration studies. Spatial daylight autonomy maps and glare probability (DGP) across peak occupancy periods. Three shading variants compared.

Outcome

Shading depth confirmed at DD. Seating layout adjusted to avoid peak glare zones. Client used visualisations in their design review presentation to the operator.

Mixed-Use Masterplan · Digital Twin · GCC Digital twin integration for an operational asset
Challenge

Large operational asset with significant variance between designed and actual energy consumption. No calibrated model. Developer needed a credible net zero pathway for investor reporting.

Scope

iSCAN digital twin from metered data and as-built drawings. Gap analysis per end-use. Improvement measures ranked by cost-per-tonne-CO₂e. Net zero roadmap for board-level ESG reporting.

Outcome

Four measures prioritised and quantified. Developer adopted roadmap for UAE Net Zero 2050 disclosure. FM team retained GGD for ongoing monitoring.

Commercial Office · LEED · Abu Dhabi LEED BD+C credit strategy & documentation
Challenge

PMC team had committed to LEED Silver without a credit-by-credit cost analysis. Several credits assumed achievable required significant contractor specification changes — mid-tender.

Scope

Full credit gap assessment against issued tender package. Prioritised substitution plan delivered in two weeks. EAp2 energy model in DesignBuilder. LEED Online documentation managed to certification.

Outcome

LEED Silver achieved without reopening tender. Three credits recovered via documentation-only substitutions. Specification change order of AED 340,000 avoided.

Developer-Led · Multi-Plot · UAE Embedded advisory across a phased development
Challenge

Developer with a phased scheme across four plots, three different design consultants at different stages. No single party held the compliance overview.

Scope

GGD embedded as sustainability lead across all four plots. Bi-weekly design reviews with each consultant. Live compliance matrix per plot. Coordinated authority RFI responses across two submission rounds.

Outcome

All four plots achieved compliance approval within the developer’s phased handover schedule. Developer reported embedding GGD removed a consistent source of inter-consultant coordination friction.

Further references and detailed technical case studies available under NDA on request.

Who we
work with
Architects.
Developers.
PMC Teams.
Engineering Consultants.
Universities.
Government Entities.
Projects
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