The Galleries in Dubai will be one of many domestic and commercial buildings to turn lights off this weekend

Lights will be switched off in homes and offices this weekend, to mark international Earth Hour. The event, which is intended by organisers the WWF to highlight the importance to the environment of turning off lighting and appliances, will take place at 8.30pm GMT on Saturday 27 March.

One building which will join the blackout is The Galleries, developer Limitless' flagship Dubai building.

Salah Ameen, executive director for Limitless in the Middle East, said: “Simple changes in human behaviour, such as turning off lights when they aren't in use, can make a huge collective difference if everybody develops the right long term habits. Adjusting air conditioning thermostats by a few degrees also cuts energy consumption and reduces costs to businesses and homes.

“On Saturday night, we will switch off our large digital screens and the 600 lights that that we control at The Galleries, and we hope our tenants there will do the same. Our corporate headquarters in Dubai will also join the initiative.”

Sign up to Earth Hour here.