About the Innovative Forbes Zero Carbon Tower in Egypt’s New Administrative Capital

Egypt’s New Administrative Capital is shaping up to be an incredibly impressive city with a massive green space complete with man-made waterway, as well as several prominent skyscrapers, including Forbes International Tower. Planned for the northern section of the Central Business District, this tower will set a new standard for green design in Egypt and the larger region as a zero-carbon commercial construction.  

Magnom Properties, a subdivision of Rawabi Holding, collaborated with Forbes in the design of the tower, which was fully envisioned by Adrian Smith + Gordon Gill Architecture. The tower represents the start of a new era for Magnom Properties: a renewed commitment to green construction and pushing the boundaries of construction technology to achieve the zero-carbon goal. This green technology is key for creating a sustainable future that protects the planet for generations to come. 

Zero-Carbon Engineering 

A great deal of engineering creativity has contributed to a design that is zero-carbon in nature. A rooftop constructed of solar panels harnesses renewable energy, while intelligent building design and automated HVAC systems minimize energy needs. The entire tower has a biophilic design that promotes natural air circulation without the use of fans while also bringing flora indoors, which has been shown to be incredibly beneficial for overall human wellbeing.  

Forbes International Tower, the first branded commercial tower for the corporation, was announced on the last day of the 2023 World Economic Forum. This event largely emphasized the need for new and sustainable green solutions for cities and the tower promises to demonstrate the feasibility of a zero-carbon building. Thus, announcing the tower seemed a fitting conclusion for the event and a way to transform talk into action. 

Rethinking Urban Design 

A memorandum of understanding was signed by all involved parties as part of the announcement to demonstrate everyone’s commitment to the project. Forbes recognizes the impact and influence it has as a corporation in the statements that it makes. It is proud to spearhead innovative, responsible construction in an iconic global city.  

Throughout the Middle East, real estate has had a strong performance and driven economic growth as nations in the region seek ways of diversifying away from oil. This provides the ideal backdrop for a project that seeks to minimize the amount of fossil fuels necessary for buildings to operate. Rethinking urban design is vital for creating a greener future, and buildings constitute about a third of all greenhouse gas emissions. For this reason, they are an effective large target for systematically reducing emissions and minimize their effect on the health of the planet. 

New Standards in Construction 

With more efficient buildings, communities themselves can hit sustainability goals much more quickly. Egypt’s own Vision 2030 has listed urban development as a primary goal, and the entire country plans to set new standards in construction sustainability. With the Forbes International Tower already on track to achieve Platinum LEED certification, this will set an excellent precedent for other projects moving forward.  

The current economic environment in Egypt also makes it an ideal choice for this important tower with a macroeconomic outlook that is impressive even against a region with an eight-year high in foreign investment and an expected annual growth in real estate value of 6.5 percent for the coming seven years. This is higher than the global market average with even greater growth possible in Egypt as the New Administrative Capital begins to open. 

A Collaboration between Leading Brands and Engineers 

For its part, Magnom Properties is seeking out partnerships with the world’s leading brands to bring the best technology possible to Forbes International Tower. This means meeting with industry-leading engineers to discuss materials, processes, and techniques for carbon neutral development that are most feasible for Egypt. The final construction represents the pinnacle of sustainable engineering and specification, as well as the highest green building standards. The striking architectural design is not just captivating, but also functional.  

The key to making carbon neutral construction possible on a large scale depends on blending all these elements flawlessly. Magnom Properties is committed to creating the blueprint. Currently, few details have been made public about the exact technologies being leveraged to achieve carbon neutrality or the partners that are expected to help in the development and construction. Many of these details are likely still being ironed out, with contracts still being negotiated. The estimated total cost for the project is about $670 million, with investment coming from multiple international sources.  

Details Forthcoming 

Forbes has promised to release details as appropriate about the specific advanced technologies chosen to be implemented in the building and the partnerships that made them possible. For this company, the tower is also an important step forward for Forbes Global Properties, which launched only a few years ago. Moving forward, it would not be surprising to see other properties developed under that name with the same partners and technologies.