21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 The recent establishment of the Public Relations and Media Directorate is an additional innovative step of the Ministry towards increasing communication. The Directorate keeps the public informed of the work being accomplished and invites community feedback on Ministry projects. One major event held by the Directorate was the release of the 2009 Annual Report, a gesture to all stakeholders and to the public that transparency is an important value of the Ministry. Environmental Protection 32 33 34 35 36 37 38 39 40 2010 as well as making lighting and air conditioning systems easy to adjust so that users can conserve energy. The Ministry’s commitment to green buildings specifications will increase in the coming years as the country looks to conserve water and electricity resources. The Materials Engineering Directorate encourages its contractors to use locally procured materials to lessen the carbon- footprint of construction by minimising the long-haul transport of materials. Building for the Future Urban development can wreak havoc on natural ecosystems, but effective urban planning can protect and even rehabilitate marine and wildlife environments. In 2010, short-term urgent measures were implemented at the Tubli Sewage Treatment Plant to address both the deterioration of the final treated effluent used for agriculture and the ecological conditions in Tubli Bay. Long-term measures will be implemented to enhance the Tubli Plant’s performance and ability to handle future flows. Upgrading the plant will be instrumental in maintaining the surrounding environment and ecosystem. Building for the future is the paramount objective of the Ministry of Works and Bahrain’s Economic Vision, outlook 2030. As a small island nation, Bahrain must use its resources wisely and in a sustainable way to solidify the country’s reputation as the financial hub of the Middle East and a leader in tourism, healthcare and education. In offering world-class infrastructure, a sophisticated business environment and a safe, high quality standard of living, the Ministry of Works is playing a major role in building the Kingdom’s future. Other environmentally friendly initiatives of the Ministry include applying green buildings specifications to schools currently under construction. The Construction Projects Directorate has already used environmentally friendly materials in air channels and air conditioners Tubli Bay Environmentally friendly initiatives of the Ministry include applying green buildings specifications to schools currently under construction