Global Arab Network | Dubai using latest techniques for testing green building materials

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Dubai using latest techniques for testing green building materials

Global Arab Network - - Rabih Serrai

Thursday, 12 August 2010 18:30

Dubai using latest techniques for testing green building materials

As part of Dubai Central Laboratory Department's keenness to achieve its strategic goals of becoming an international reference laboratory, its Engineering Materials Laboratory Section has established a specialized laboratory for testing green building materials and products, according press release.

The move is in view of the importance of these materials in reducing energy consumption and conservation of environment. It is also aimed at facilitating the application of the requirements and specifications of green buildings, which is expected to be issued soon.

Eng. Hawa Abdullah Bastaki, Director of Dubai Central Laboratory Department said a guide has been prepared, which includes an inventory of all green building materials and products, including the names and addresses of suppliers and manufacturers of these materials, in addition to another detailed guide that includes the names of laboratories that can test these materials.

For the purpose of facilitating the provision of testing services for these manufacturers the green building materials laboratory has been designed on the advanced world-class standards. The latest equipment and the best techniques and specialized tools are being used for the testing operations according to the latest local and international methods and standards in order to ensure the preservation of accuracy and quality of tests and the activation of the monitoring role of the Dubai Central Laboratory.

Bastaki said that the move is in the framework of the keenness of the Municipality for excellence and enhancing its services in all areas. "The Engineering Materials Laboratory has been conducting many physical and mechanical tests on building materials such as concrete, steel, tiles, cement, mortar products, thermal insulation products, humidity insulation products, polystyrene, fly ash, fiber glass bars, plastic pipes, rock wool and glass wool, etc. used in civil construction, buildings and construction of roads in accordance with international standards and specifications adopted in this area.

These laboratories also implement monitoring programs and quality control on materials of roads and bridges by conducting physical and mechanical tests on asphalt mix, rubble, pavement base and under the foundation. Tests have been conducted on 49,157 samples while the number of reports issued was 39,000 within the period referred to.

She revealed that due to the Municipality's keenness to develop and improve the work of construction in the emirate and ensure the quality of construction materials it has been communicated and coordinated with the Dubai Ports, Customs and Free Zone Corporation for testing materials in the DCL and make sure that the thermal insulation materials and steel carry compliance label issued by DCL before use in the Corporation's projects.

Bastaki explained that for the purpose of increasing customer confidence in the accuracy of the results and give credibility to the products that have been tested it has obtained the approval for more than 52 tests in accordance with the international standard ISO17025 specification which facilitates the export and acceptance of these products globally.

On the other hand, for the purpose of coordination with customers who manufacture the raw materials used in the production of green building materials and products, a technical team from the Engineering Materials Laboratory Section visited the manufacturing units of Dow Chemicals in Jebel Ali. The team was briefed on the stages of manufacturing of the raw materials involved in the manufacture of paints to ensure they are free of heavy metals. The team also visited the laboratory of Wacker Chemicals and was briefed on the most important tests that are conducted on mortar filler materials.

Bastaki revealed that the Engineering Materials Laboratory has plans to launch new services to include other products related to safety and health of the consumer, such as testing on paints, mortars, and checking the quality of tires as well as introduce new tests for asphalt mixes, such as testing distortion and cracking.

Global Arab Network

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