The Islamic University of Lebanon (IUL) is actively working to upgrade its existing buildings to higher energy efficiency standards. As part of the university’s commitment to sustainability and environmental responsibility, IUL is undertaking renovation projects aimed at improving energy performance and reducing its carbon footprint.

In line with global sustainability initiatives and Lebanese regulations, the university is implementing energy-efficient upgrades to its older buildings. These upgrades include:

• Installation of energy-efficient lighting systems (LEDs, motion sensors)
• Upgrading HVAC systems to more energy-efficient models
• Improving insulation to reduce heating and cooling energy consumption
• Incorporating renewable energy solutions, such as solar panels, where feasible

These initiatives are aligned with national efforts to reduce energy consumption and greenhouse gas emissions, contributing to Lebanon’s sustainability goals.

By systematically implementing these energy upgrades, IUL is not only improving its infrastructure but also setting an example for sustainable development within the academic sector, ensuring that its campus operations contribute to global environmental conservation efforts.

IUL has implementing a solar photovoltaic panels on an area up to 1000 square meters in all campus to provide clean and affordable energy. This system provides a total energy through renewable sources equal to 566000 KWH, that represent 70% from total energy consumption in the university. The total energy consumption in the university is equal to 808870 KWH.

Actually, the university is putting a plan to change non-compliant equipment in existing buildings and to improve the energy efficiency. These improvements include, but are not limited to:

• Replacing old fluorescent tubes and Compact Fluorescent Light (CFL) with light emitting diode (LED) technology.
• Equipping common areas which are not regularly occupied with occupancy / Motion sensors.
• Replacing current energy storage lead-acid batteries to lithium-ion batteries.
• Install smart meters at the level of each floor inside the buildings.

We have to mention here that some projects need foreign development aid on renewable energy. The university plans to benefit from official development assistance on electricity exchange with the EDL grid, by benefiting from related government policies.

Plans to upgrade existing buildings to higher energy efficiency

Public Safety Culture

Public Safety Culture : Education , Implementation , and Control .

Live stream by PowerOn-lb

For public safety in buildings and facilities between education, application and control

The workshop is organized by the Islamic University of Lebanon in cooperation with the Syndicate of Engineers in Beirut, under the patronage and presence of His Excellency the Minister of Public Works and Transport, Mr. Youssef Fenianos.

Smart Building Implementation

Indoor environment

• I4 – Passive System: Lebanon has a Mediterranean climate characterized by a long, semi-hot, and dry summer, and a cold, rainy and snowy winter. Fall is a transitional season with a lowering of temperature and little rain; spring occurs when the winter rains cause the vegetation to revive. A South west wind provides relief during the afternoon and evening; at night the wind direction is reversed, blowing from the land out to sea.

Air movement is the most important element of passive cooling. It cools people by increasing evaporation and requires both breeze capture and fans for back-up in still conditions. It also cools buildings by carrying heat out of the building as warmed air and replacing it with cooler external air.

The well-designed openings (large windows, doors and vents) and unrestricted breeze paths inside the buildings provide a passive cooling for all indoor locations.

Lighting

• L1 – LEDs: As the campus is newly built, all indoor and outdoor luminaries are LEDs, even the road lighting.
• L2 – Sensors: All streets LED lights are equipped with LDR sensors to illuminate automatically at night.

• L4 – Natural Light: The locations of the buildings were directed in relation to the north and south points. It is the appropriate direction according to the location of Lebanon. Where the sun rises from the east and sets to the west, passing through the south. This will provide natural lighting starting at 7 am and throughout the year). The square shape of the educational buildings with a courtyard in the middle, and wide glass windows in the east and the west walls, provides ideal natural daytime lighting for the entire building.