Book focuses on green building initiatives

A scientific book titled ‘Recycled Aggregate in Construction - Qatar Experience’ was released in Doha yesterday by HE the Minister of Municipality and Environment Mohamed bin Abdullah al-Rumaihi.
The book is the outcome of the partnership between the government and industry to combine the UK and Qatar experience to fast track government initiatives for green buildings and sustainable development.
British ambassador Ajay Sharma, Laboratories and Standardisation Affairs assistant undersecretary Dr Mohamed bin Saif al-Kuwari and many senior officials from the Qatar National Research Fund, UK Transport Research Laboratory in Qatar, Ashghal and Qatar University attended the book launch event.
The 225 page book includes comprehensive data on the construction industry in Qatar and potential recycling, supported by a set of statistical tables and charts, photographs and case studies.
The book contains a range of studies that have been conducted in Doha and the UK between 2010 and 2015, focusing on the development of codes of practice and supporting mechanisms to convert the vast quantities of construction wastes into high-value construction products.
Millions of tonnes of construction wastes are currently accumulating in Rawdat Rashid and other landfill sites in Qatar.
In the framework of the pioneering experiment of using alternative aggregates, building trials in the form of test rooms have been constructed in Najma Area, seeking a clean environment free from accumulated waste which contributes to pollution and spreads of dust in the air.
In addition, a test road trial (the Green Road) was constructed using construction waste as an access road to the Rawdat Rashid landfill site. The test road is approximately 1km long with heavy truck loadings, and cost around QR1.2mn to construct.
The construction cost was covered by the industry in support of scientific research and preservation of the environment. The in-service performance of the building and road trials was monitored up to two years and the results have shown high strength and durability of the new mixtures made with recycled aggregate in comparison to conventional materials.
Implementing recycling has also the added advantage of improving the aggregate supply in Qatar and reducing relying on imported materials at controlled quality and prices. Qatar Standards have already updated the Qatar Construction Specification to permit the use of recycled aggregate in various construction applications, and will continue their support to the recycling industry by issuing conformity certificates to verify compliance of recycled aggregate with the approved standards.
The techniques and mixtures used in research and studies featured in the book are unique to the Gulf, Middle East, and North Africa for their contribution to a cleaner environment and supporting the construction industry.