The “Barjil or Barjeel” are wind towers that have been used to cool buildings around the Gulf region for centuries. They redirect air from high above into the base of the building, including basement food storage rooms. It is released to flow at ground level for pedestrians and building occupants alike. 

A wind tower or windcatcher uses natural ventilation and passive cooling to send fresh air into spaces for inhabitants to remain cool. They are less expensive than the modern date equivalent, silent, and do not use electricity. It does, however, require cool breezes to function. It functions by bringing the wind down to the base of the building and creates a draft through the rooms with natural moving pressure or breezes. They can reduce indoor temperatures by 10 degrees. These cooling towers have been used throughout the Middle East, Egypt, Pakistan, and India for 3,000 years. 

This award is shaped as a Barjil and is gold covered copper with a marble base. The award was established by Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of UAE and Ruler of Dubai, the capital city. It recognizes achievements in sustainable environment practices and improvements to the quality of life in urban and rural settlements.

In 1998, this gift was presented by the Permanent Mission of the United Arab Emirates, Mohammad J. Samhan, and Secretary-General Kofi Annan accepted it on behalf of the United Nations. 

Previously, on 4 June 1996 at the Habitat II Conference in Istanbul, Turkiye, the first award was presented by the UN Secretary-General Boutros Boutros-Ghali and the Director-General of Dubai Municipality, Mr. Qassim Sultan Albanna. The recipients were from Argentina, Cote d'Ivoire, India, Morocco, The Netherlands, and USA. 

More recently in 2019, the Dubai Declaration called for the establishment of a funding mechanism to address the data needs of the 2030 Agenda. Global efforts continue to find solutions for the agenda in Habitat II and the living environment.