The author, Karim Elgendy, reviews the different approaches that are being followed to achieve sustainability in the Middle East. He highlights the dialogue between the revivalist, passive design and the technological, progressive approach. He also points out that this dialogue is playing a role in the path that the world is walking through to achieve sustainable designs.
In the first place, it is important to point out that the thought of sustainability as a new agenda in the Middle East and the Islamic world is mistaken. The fact that the discussions and the media focus on sustainable design in the Middle East as a new trend, does not change the fact that the Islamic culture and roles focused on the human responsibilities towards the environment. The Islamic civilization treated the man as the user of the natural resources and the preserver of the natural balance.
The first adopted sustainable approach in the Middle East revolved from the traditional historical techniques and elements that revive the energy efficient design solutions from the traditions. The revivalist approach rejects the technological solutions toward sustainability and depends on only traditional techniques. An example of a very well known traditional sustainable strategy is including the courtyard as a primary element in the houses that allows for having an outdoor shaded private area. The courtyard also allows for more ventilation within the houses. In addition, the traditional louvers that are used on the openings as shading devices eliminate heat gain and minimize the need for air conditioning. In my point of view, the most significant point of the revivalist approach is that it suggests solutions that deal with each region as a separate case that provides solutions according to the local resources, climate and cultures.

On the other hand, the second adopted approach contributes to