How Innovo’s Mariam Azmy Is Embedding Sustainability at the Core of UAE Construction Toward Net-Zero by 2050

The UAE’s rapid urbanisation is placing growing pressure on the construction sector to align with a national net-zero trajectory, pushing many players to embed sustainability at the core of their business models rather than treating it as a mere regulatory checkbox. Amid this shift, Innovo stands out by reframing sustainability as a strategic driver that strengthens resilience, reduces long-term risk, and supports UAE priorities around energy efficiency, green building codes, and climate action. As regulators tighten emissions reporting and accountability, Innovo’s approach demonstrates how a construction firm can translate ambitious climate targets into tangible, site-level improvements that deliver value for workers, clients, and the broader economy.

Strategic framework: making sustainability part of business DNA

In the UAE, the net-zero by 2050 commitment has created a decisive framework for the construction sector, guiding strategic decisions across planning, procurement, and operations. This framework is reinforced by Climate Law No. 11, which mandates emissions reporting starting in 2025 and signals clear accountability for the private sector. The emphasis is not on ticking boxes but on integrating sustainability into the company’s DNA, so every decision—from materials choices to energy management—contributes to decarbonisation goals. At Innovo, sustainability is viewed as a core business principle rather than a compliance obligation, a stance that helps the company navigate long-term risk and align with national priorities while pursuing growth. This perspective supports across-the-board improvements, including energy efficiency, adherence to green building codes, and broader climate action strategies that benefit both the firm and the communities in which it operates. The company’s leadership has emphasised that adopting sustainability at the executive level creates a governance framework that translates climate targets into concrete operational actions, ensuring alignment with project timelines and budgetary realities. The aim is to embed a sustainability-centric decision-making culture that permeates supplier selection, project design, and on-site management. This cultural shift is essential for driving consistent performance across diverse sites and projects. It also sets the stage for more ambitious objectives as the UAE’s decarbonisation agenda evolves. The rationale for this approach is straightforward: sustainability, when integrated into core processes, reduces risk exposure from regulatory changes and market shifts, while unlocking efficiency gains that improve project delivery and long-term asset performance.

Innovo’s Decarbonisation Strategy, unveiled in 2023, exemplifies this approach by setting measurable targets for Scope 1 and 2 emissions to reach net-zero, and by introducing Scope 3 disclosures as part of its broader transparency and accountability framework. The strategy signals a robust commitment to contributing meaningfully to the UAE’s low-carbon transition, not merely adjusting benchmarks to appear compliant. By establishing a clear, auditable pathway for emissions reductions, Innovo creates a blueprint that peers in the region can study and adapt, raising industrywide expectations for what is possible when sustainability is treated as a strategic objective. The emphasis on Scope 3 disclosures further demonstrates how the company recognizes the importance of supply chain emissions and the environmental impact of upstream activities, encouraging collaboration with suppliers to align practices and improve overall performance. In practice, this means a more holistic view of a project’s carbon footprint, from design and procurement through construction and handover, with ongoing monitoring and public accountability for progress. It also provides a platform to explore innovative financing structures, performance-based contracts, and performance incentives tied to sustainability outcomes. The overarching message is that decarbonisation is not a one-off initiative but an ongoing, evolving program that requires continuous learning, adaptation, and investment.

Innovative decarbonisation initiatives and on-site energy solutions

Among Innovo’s standout initiatives are solar-diesel hybrid power plants designed specifically for construction sites where grid access is delayed or unreliable. The system integrates renewable energy with conventional diesel generation and is controlled by smart load-balancing technology that optimises energy use in real time. This approach not only curtails diesel consumption but also stabilises site power, reducing fluctuations that can affect equipment performance and worker comfort. On pilot sites, the hybrid solution has delivered up to a 20 percent reduction in diesel use, along with annual CO2 savings and operating-cost reductions. In addition, quieter operation and lower maintenance needs compared to diesel-only setups have improved on-site conditions, contributing to a healthier environment for workers. The improved site conditions, characterized by lower noise and reduced air pollutants, support welfare and training initiatives by providing a safer, more conducive environment for learning and development. From a people-centric viewpoint, the shift to hybrid power sources translates into tangible benefits, including reduced fatigue and exposure to noxious emissions, which in turn supports higher productivity and morale. The real-time balancing feature ensures that energy supply is closely aligned with demand, avoiding waste and enabling more efficient use of available resources. This program demonstrates how temporary site power can act as a lever for decarbonisation while simultaneously driving cost savings and operational efficiency, offering a scalable model that the wider industry can adopt as part of broader energy transition strategies.

This energy solution is integrated into a broader decarbonisation thrust that includes comprehensive assessments of energy use across the project lifecycle. By combining renewable energy adoption with improvements in grid connectivity planning and energy management practices, Innovo creates a blueprint for how temporary infrastructure can be a strategic component of a sustainable construction model. The success of these pilot projects underscores the potential for similar approaches to be scaled across diverse sites, allowing the company to demonstrate concrete returns on investment and a clear path toward higher shares of renewable energy in temporary power mixes. It also presents opportunities to align with green financing criteria, such as favorable terms tied to measurable emissions reductions and energy efficiency gains, thereby enhancing access to capital for future projects. The company’s experience on these pilots provides valuable lessons about the importance of system integration, site planning, and stakeholder collaboration in realising tangible environmental benefits.

Circularity and waste reduction: designing waste out of construction

Circularity represents another high-priority arena for Innovo, with a focus on designing waste out of projects from the outset. The company approaches each project with a mindset of waste minimisation, incorporating strategies such as optimised concrete mixes, recycled aggregates, and modular layouts that reduce offcuts and scrap. On-site practices include meticulous segregation and recycling of materials like concrete, steel, timber, and packaging to ensure recoverability and reuse where feasible. These efforts are complemented by campaigns and competitions such as a Waste to Wonder initiative that encourages employees to repurpose materials and apply circularity concepts in practical ways. Through upcycling projects that transform waste into usable items, the company reduces reliance on virgin resources, lowers embodied carbon, and diverts significant tonnage from landfills. This approach embeds sustainability deeply into teams’ routines and across the supply chain, reinforcing the idea that every phase of a project—design, procurement, construction, and waste management—offers opportunities to further circular objectives. Such measures also support a broader cultural shift within the organisation, inspiring teams to think creatively about resource use and to identify local opportunities for reuse and repurposing. The circular economy framework not only reduces environmental impact but also creates potential for cost savings and improved supplier relationships as partners are engaged in upstream waste reduction and material efficiency initiatives. By treating material waste as a resource rather than a byproduct, Innovo demonstrates how circularity can be embedded into project delivery while generating additional value for clients and communities.

As sustainability expectations intensify, construction firms are increasingly required to raise standards throughout their supply chains. Innovo has taken a structured approach with a responsible sourcing framework that begins with supplier pre-qualification based on ESG criteria. This framework evaluates environmental practices, labor standards, certifications, and the ability to provide traceability for materials. The aim is to go beyond mere compliance by collaborating with suppliers to elevate performance, offering guidance, and identifying opportunities for continuous improvement. Concrete examples include sourcing FSC-certified timber, piloting low-carbon concrete mixes, and mandating recycled content in aggregates. This collaborative model helps reduce reputational risk and accelerates innovation across the ecosystem by setting clear expectations and providing practical support to suppliers as they align with higher standards. The approach recognises that meaningful progress in sustainability requires a shared commitment across the supply chain, with governance mechanisms that enable transparency and accountability. It also makes way for creative procurement models, such as long-term framework agreements that reward suppliers for demonstrated improvements in environmental and social performance. By embedding ESG criteria into supplier relationships and decisions, Innovo strengthens resilience and reinforces a culture of responsible, forward-looking procurement.

Debunking myths about cost and demonstrating business value

A persistent myth in the construction sector is that sustainable practices necessarily inflate project budgets and extend timelines. Azmy counters this view by highlighting how sustainability can be a powerful driver of efficiency and competitiveness. Numerous initiatives, including Innovo’s Zero Rework program led by the Quality Team, directly cut waste, prevent costly rework, and save both time and resources. This emphasis on quality and waste reduction translates into tangible financial savings, as fewer rework events mean predictable project performance, reduced material waste, and improved scheduling certainty. Beyond direct cost savings, sustainability also unlocks secondary benefits that strengthen a company’s competitive position. Green financing opportunities become more accessible as lenders recognise the reduced risk profiles associated with lower emissions, higher energy efficiency, and stronger governance. In addition, sustainable practices help lower regulatory risk by ensuring compliance with evolving environmental standards, and they contribute to better employee retention by fostering a safer, healthier, and more engaging workplace. In short, sustainability is not a burden but a strategic advantage that enhances efficiency, resilience, and market competitiveness.

Client expectations are increasingly shaping project specifications. Green certifications, the use of low-carbon materials, advanced water filtration systems, and robust supply-chain traceability are now commonly embedded in tender documents. Third-party validations, such as EcoVadis assessments, have become integrated into procurement processes, reflecting how sustainability is tied directly to quality and compliance in modern construction. For Innovo, this shift means adapting proposals to routinely include energy efficiency measures, circular waste management practices, and sustainable material selections as standard practice. The heightened emphasis on environmental performance within tenders accelerates innovation across the supply chain and reinforces the message that sustainable construction translates into enhanced long-term asset value and resilience for project owners and communities. The outcome is a tender ecosystem that rewards collaboration, transparency, and measurable improvements, driving industry-wide progress toward more sustainable development outcomes.

Growth roadmap: from pilots to measurable, scalable impact

Innovo’s roadmap for sustainable growth focuses on turning pilots into quantified outcomes and scalable programs. The company’s i-Energy platform provides real-time tracking of generator efficiency and fuel savings, enabling precise measurement of energy performance across sites. The solar-diesel hybrids, which deliver a portion of site electricity from renewable sources, illustrate how digital tools and energy systems integration can translate into clear, measurable benefits. In addition, the business has introduced low-carbon concrete mixes and requires ESG disclosures from suppliers, ensuring that procurement supports decarbonisation goals. These steps demonstrate how digitalisation, material innovation, and supplier alignment can converge to drive meaningful progress toward net-zero targets and broader climate objectives.

Looking ahead, Innovo plans to scale digital twin technology to further optimise site design, energy use, and logistics. The aim is to increase the share of renewable energy in temporary site power to around 30 percent, a substantial improvement that would further reduce emissions and energy costs over project lifetimes. The company also intends to expand circular initiatives, broadening the range of waste streams diverted from landfill and increasing the reuse of materials across projects. Investments in worker welfare and training are central to the Sustainability Agenda, reinforcing the link between environmental performance and social outcomes. This holistic approach recognises that a sustainable business must balance environmental stewardship with strong people practices, ensuring that workers are equipped with the skills, safety, and wellbeing needed to thrive in a demanding industry. The roadmap also encompasses scalable governance structures, performance dashboards, and continuous improvement cycles that ensure sustainability remains integrated into project planning, execution, and handover. As the UAE construction sector matures in its climate commitments, Innovo’s strategy positions the company to lead by example, delivering efficient, resilient, and low-carbon projects that set new benchmarks locally and globally.

The broader impact: learning, leadership, and industry-wide change

Sustainability in construction is increasingly understood as a system-level challenge that requires coordinated efforts across design, procurement, project management, and operations. Innovo’s integrated approach demonstrates how a company can translate ambitious policy goals into practical actions with measurable outcomes on the ground. By aligning with UAE’s net-zero objectives, Innovo is contributing to a broader ecosystem shift that includes suppliers, subcontractors, clients, and regulators. The company’s emphasis on energy efficiency, circular waste management, and responsible sourcing builds a framework that other firms can adopt to improve performance, reduce risk, and create greater value for stakeholders. The practical demonstrations of energy savings, emissions reductions, waste diversion, and enhanced worker welfare provide real-world evidence that sustainability can coexist with profitability and project success. Industry peers can study Innovo’s model to understand how to structure governance, incentives, and partnerships that support ambitious climate targets without compromising operational excellence. As more projects adopt similar practices, the cumulative impact is likely to be substantial, contributing to a more sustainable and resilient construction sector across the region and beyond.

In this evolving landscape, the role of clients also grows more prominent. Tender requirements increasingly embed environmental criteria, and buyers are seeking assurance that projects deliver on climate commitments throughout the lifecycle. Third-party validations and ESG disclosures linked to procurement outcomes become standard practice, encouraging greater transparency and accountability across the value chain. This shift creates a virtuous cycle: as clients demand higher sustainability standards, suppliers and contractors align their operations to meet or exceed them, leading to improved project performance and reputational gains for all parties involved. Innovo’s experience demonstrates that when sustainability is integrated into every stage of a project—from design to delivery to post-completion—it becomes a differentiator that enhances asset value, resilience, and long-term competitiveness. The end result is a construction sector in which projects are more efficient, more climate-conscious, and better equipped to adapt to a changing regulatory and economic environment.

Conclusion

Innovo’s approach to sustainability in the UAE construction sector reflects a deliberate shift from compliance-driven activities to strategic business transformation. By embedding sustainability into the company’s core principles, Innovo aligns with national net-zero objectives while delivering tangible benefits on the ground—from lower diesel reliance on site power to cleaner, healthier work environments and stronger supplier collaboration. The firm’s decarbonisation strategy, launched in 2023, places Scope 1 and 2 targets at the forefront while expanding Scope 3 considerations, illustrating a comprehensive, forward-looking model for the industry. Solar-diesel hybrid systems demonstrate how temporary power can be leveraged for both decarbonisation and operational efficiency, achieving significant diesel reductions and cost savings while enhancing site conditions for workers. Circularity initiatives, from waste reduction to modular design and on-site material recycling, illustrate a practical and scalable path toward lower embodied carbon and reduced landfill diversion. A responsible sourcing framework, supplier ESG pre-qualification, and concrete procurement practices (including FSC timber, low-carbon concrete, and recycled aggregates) show how collaboration and continuous improvement across the supply chain can reduce reputational risk and stimulate industry-wide innovation. Challenging the cost myth, Innovo highlights that sustainability drives efficiency and competitiveness, with co-benefits including potential for green financing and lower regulatory risk, alongside improved talent retention. Client expectations are increasingly aligned with green certifications, low-carbon materials, water filtration, and supply-chain traceability, with tenders now integrating third-party validations that tie sustainability to quality and compliance. Innovo’s roadmap—driving from pilots to measurable outcomes—tracks generator efficiency, expands renewable energy use in site power, introduces scalable digital-twin approaches, and scales circular initiatives, all while investing in workforce welfare and ongoing training. The company’s leadership asserts that sustainability is no longer optional in UAE construction; it is a fundamental driver of planning, delivery, and resilience, and the projects that embrace efficiency, resilience, and low carbon will distinguish themselves both locally and globally.