Smart and sustainable buildings can reduce electricity consumption by up to 40% and help cities respond more effectively to climate change, Dr Mohammed Saif al-Kuwari has said.
The international expert and researcher in sustainability applications said modern buildings should be treated as integrated systems, not merely as structures made up of walls, air-conditioning and lighting. Their design and operation, he noted, must focus on efficient use of energy, water and resources.
Speaking on Qatar TV’s Our Life programme, al-Kuwari said highly efficient buildings can cut electricity use by 20% to 40% compared with conventional buildings, depending on the building type, design and technologies used.
Water-saving systems, smart irrigation and the reuse of some water sources can also reduce consumption by 30% to 50% in certain applications, he added.
He said improving building efficiency has become more urgent as temperatures rise and demand for cooling increases. Lower consumption, he stressed, brings both economic and environmental gains by reducing operating costs and emissions linked to energy production.
According to al-Kuwari, sustainability must begin at the earliest design stage through proper building orientation, well-planned facades and window areas, sunshades, awnings, thermal insulation and high-efficiency glass. He cautioned against the excessive or unplanned use of glass facades, saying that the right glazing, including double-, triple-, or low-emissivity glass, can significantly reduce heat gain.
Thermal insulation, he said, is particularly important in hot climates because it limits heat transfer into interiors and eases the load on air-conditioning systems throughout a building’s lifespan.
Al-Kuwari also highlighted the need for efficient air-conditioning systems, high-rated equipment, variable-speed motors and fans, and regular maintenance. Cooling capacity, he said, should be calculated according to actual heat loads.
He said solar energy remains an important option within Qatar’s sustainability framework, but should come after consumption is reduced. Installing solar panels alone, he warned, will not address waste caused by poor design.
Although sustainable construction may raise initial costs by about 3% to 7%, this investment can be recovered within three to seven years in some projects, depending on project size, energy and water prices, and operating requirements, he said.
He added that buildings should be assessed over their full lifecycle, including energy and water use, maintenance, equipment replacement and long-term operating performance, rather than by construction cost alone.
Al-Kuwari called for a national building performance index to measure electricity and water use, as well as emissions per square metre. Such a tool, he said, would help shift the sector from “design sustainability” to “actual performance sustainability” and support Qatar National Vision 2030 and the Third National Development Strategy 2024–2030.