Reduce Overall Energy Consumption Plan

The university has put a plan to reduce overall energy consumption and to provide reliable electricity, the plan includes, but is not limited to:

• Replacing old fluorescent tubes and Compact Fluorescent Light (CFL) with light emitting diode (LED) technology.
• Reducing the water heating expenses by limiting its usage.
• University staff are required to turn off their computers when work hours are over, also screens are set to be turned off automatically if unused after a certain time.
• Eliminating vampire loads: idle electronics are not allowed to remain plugged in.
• Staff are required to turn off the lights when offices or classrooms are not in use, also encouraging them to rely on natural lighting whenever possible.
• Using shades on the windows during hot summer days, this will help to keep the heat out.
• Setting the air conditioner at 25ºC to decrease their power consumption. 
• Install ceiling fans in places that are not exposed to direct sunlight. Ceiling fans have less environmental impact.
• Upgrade the current grid to be a smart micro-grid by installing new technological equipment to monitor power flows from points of generation to points of consumption in real time.

Elements of green building implementation as reflected in all construction and renovation policy

The green building elements implemented in the campus as reflected in construction policies comprises four axes: site design, indoor air quality, energy savings, and water.

Site design:

• The campus design works with natural features, protecting trees, streams and soils such as gardens, efficient drainage, and energy-saving shade. Most of the buildings are connected to sun and wind to achieve significant energy. Buildings E1-E2 (Faculty of Engineering) and Buildings B and S (Faculty of Business and Faculty of Sciences) are connected via an underground path.
• The buildings were brought together to reduce impacts, and to provide more green space for the community. Reference: Picture 2.9-1 (Campus design showing the buildings distribution).
• The design of each building facilitates the ventilation and the natural light. Reference: Picture 2.9-2 (Natural light is facilitated through the glass courtyard).
• IUL works on increasing green area inside and outside of the buildings. Reference: Picture 2.9-3 (Indoor planted green areas improve air quality).
• Buildings were oriented to take advantage of the dominant angles of the sun and the wind.
• Rainwater was managed by natural drainage and gathered into underground tanks for agriculture and service usage. The relatively small built areas beside the wide planted areas reduce impermeable surfaces.
• Landscaping for sustainability: the university planned to plant more trees and to reduce the grass areas correspondingly. The planted trees are selected carefully to reduce watering and maintenance needs.

Indoor Air Quality

• The buildings design has taken into consideration giving all offices and classrooms direct access to fresh and clean air coming from the windows. The campus location helps keeping the air cool and fresh, it is located on a hill facing the Mediterranean Sea (around 1 km away) at an altitude up to 100m. It is also located on a place that is away from sources of exhaust and moisture.
• Direct ventilation is available for heating equipment, furnaces and bathrooms.
• The university has implemented a no-smoking policy and use entrance mats that remove dirt from shoes.

Energy savings

• Trees surrounding buildings can provide shade in summer and repel wind in winter.
• Daylighting replaces electric lights for hours due to the buildings shape and large windows.

Water

• Efficient irrigation equipment and landscaping techniques were used outdoor to minimize water use.
• Rainwater is taken advantage in irrigation.
• Dual flush toilets were used to preserve water.
• Most planted trees are drought-resistant and supplement sols to improve water retention.
• Drip irrigation and stream-rotator spray are the techniques used for irrigation.

The “Conference on Environment and Sustainable Development, Challenges and Solutions”.

The “Conference on Environment and Sustainable Development, Challenges and Solutions” concluded its two-day activities, which included scientific sessions and various workshops on renewable energies, geographic information systems and natural and human environment data. It was hosted by the Islamic University of Lebanon under the auspices of its president, Prof. Dr.. Dina Al-Mawla, represented by the Secretary General of the University, Prof. Hussein Badran, and at the invitation of the President of the International Peace Forum for Culture and Science, Prof. Saad Ajil Mubarak.

The President of the Forum in Lebanon, the Dean of the Faculty of Political and Diplomatic Sciences at the Islamic University, Prof. Ramez Ammar the following recommendations:

1- Legislating a law to invest in renewable energies to increase the percentage of its contribution to the total energy total and to achieve a safe supply of it, as well as to contribute to protecting the environment and achieving sustainable development.

2- Activating the work of government procedures that contribute to the distribution of industries, in a way that enhances the protection of the environment and does not deplete its resources.

3- The existence of a national will capable of carrying out integrated economic reforms and eliminating corruption of all kinds as a step to achieve financial sustainability.

4- Activating the economic policies that encourage eco-tourism in the marshlands in order to diversify the sources of income in Iraq.

5 The need to work on exploiting the potential available in the production of renewable energy by encouraging research and scientific studies that are concerned with this field.

6- Adopt a comprehensive strategy to reduce environmental pollution in the long term and benefit from the experiences of successful countries in this field to achieve sustainable development goals.

7- Adopting remote sensing and all information systems in building integrated databases through twinning between universities, starting with researchers in Iraq and the Islamic University in Lebanon.

8- The necessity for the laws related to combating terrorism to include penal provisions that are capable of dealing with terrorism that has occurred in the environment and that target citizens in an indirect way.

At the conclusion of the conference, Dr. Mubarak and Dr. Ammar, Secretary General of the Islamic University d. Badran, a certificate of participation in the conference, and the President of the International Peace Forum for Culture and Science, Dr. Mubarak presented honorary shields and necklaces of creativity in the name of the forum to each of the gentlemen: the sponsor of the conference, the president of the university, Dr. Al-Mawla, representative of the head of the Supreme Shiite Islamic Council, Imam Sheikh Abdul Amir Qabalan, Secretary General of the Council, Mr. Nazih Jammoul, Secretary General of the University. Dr.. Hussein Badran, representative of the Iraqi Ambassador Ali Al-Amiri Amjad Muhammad, the Iraqi cultural attaché Suhail Najm Abdullah, representative of the Director General of Public Security Major General Abbas Ibrahim, Brigadier General Salah Halawi, and representative of the Army Commander, General Joseph Aoun, Brigadier General Marwan Al-Khatib, representative of the Director General of State Security, Major General Tony Saliba, Colonel Areej Karzab.

Forum decided that its conference next year would be entitled “Sustainable Development Policies and their Modern Trends in the Amidst of Contemporary Challenges.”