Speakers at the Gulf Engineering Forum yesterday highlighted the importance and necessity of having more green buildings and discussed how they would contribute to an improvement in the quality of environment.
In particular, they discussed infrastructure building initiatives taking place across the country and the eventual impact that such developments including the Lusail City would have.
A paper on the best practices in the infrastructure management was also presented. Topics such as the management of engineering projects and the designs of transportation projects, local roads, and projects that moved in tandem with the safety of people and protection of environment, services for the people with special needs were among the presentations.
The local specifications in construction were another area in which discussions were held yesterday.
While speaking on the Light Rail in Lusail City, Ibrahim al-Haidous of the Qatar Foundation for Education, Science and Community Development said the project is in line with the growing needs of the country and will bear testimony to the goals and objectives enshrined in the Qatar National Vision 2030.
The mixed development on its completion would house 370,000 people, including 200,000 residents in an area spread over approximately 38sq km. There would be 22 hotels in the township.
The light rail consists of four lines extending to 30.5km in total, 19km at ground level, 10km underground, and 1km above the ground besides a 0.5km track between two high-rises.
While senior Qatari engineer Abdullah Fakhroo spoke on the public sector projects in the country, Sultan al-Ghamdi and Yousef al-Farahidi from Saudi Arabia made a presentation on the relationship between green buildings and the satisfaction of the users.
Ayman bin Omar Abed from Saudi Arabia spoke of how the best practices in infrastructure management could turn the fortunes of mega projects, citing some of the successful examples in select cities of his country.
Yasser Abdullah highlighted the necessity of systematic planning in public transportation while Talal al-Harbi and Mohamed al-Mulzadah presented papers on public safety and environment with special focus on people with special needs.
Head of the Department of Architecture and Urban Planning, College of Engineering in Qatar University Yasser Mahgoub talked on “the impact of infrastructure projects in the heart of the cities.”
The paper discussed the possibility of benefiting from infrastructure projects in the main centres of a city.
Haydar al-Rukabi made a presentation through which he evaluated the performance of the Expressway projects in Qatar.
“Qatar has witnessed an unprecedented growth and population has grown manifold,” said al-Rukabi who also highlighted the necessity of upgrading the existing highway standards and equipment in many locations so that it would meet the stipulated global standards and movement of people.
Qatar Society of Engineers board member Abdullah al-Baker speaking on the second day of the Gulf Engineering Forum at St Regis Doha yesterday.
