In order to meet new regulations for Greener building standards in the United Arab Emirates, building contractors will have to increase their recruitment activities and recruit greater numbers of skilled labour," a leading international construction firm has stated.

An acute scarcity of skilled labour in the UAE could hamper progress towards meeting sustainable construction targets in the UAE, when new regulations specifying that all buildings in the emirates must be built in line with international 'green' buildings standards comes into force in January.

Geir Jensen, general manager of formwork specialists Doka Emirates, says that contractors and sub-contractors could struggle with labour and delivery dates when it comes to meeting the regulation. He told a conference in the UAE: "The current workforce can't be expected to do jobs fast-track as they're not skilled enough Until we have the skilled labour I feel we won't be able to do sustainable buildings."

Jensen also said that clients were being unrealistic in the delivery schedules they are setting.