The number of organisations adopting green building policies in Qatar and in other Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries is expected to breach the 1,600 mark by the end of this year, Gulf Organisation for Research & Development’s (Gord) top official has said.
Asked about the total number of companies in Qatar that received the Global Sustainability Assessment System (GSAS) certification and how many more is Gord looking to certify by the year’s end, Gord founding chairman Dr Yousef al-Horr said: “It is heartening to see Qatar’s leading organisations stepping up to adopt green building practices in line with their commitment to the National Climate Change Action Plan and Qatar National Vision 2030.”
“Presently, more than 1,500 projects, including districts, neighbourhoods, infrastructure projects, and a wide range of building typologies, have been registered under GSAS in Qatar and the GCC region. With many new projects reaching completion, we foresee this number to cross 1,600 by the end of this year,” al-Horr told Gulf Times in an interview.
In implementing GSAS green building principles, al-Horr explained that Gord is working with a wide range of public and private organisations operating in multiple sectors – from shipping and aviation to retail, healthcare, sports, hospitality, education, and residential sectors. All government buildings are now mandated to receive GSAS green building certification, he noted.
In 2021, al-Horr said 23 health centres across Qatar were awarded GSAS operations certifications with ‘Silver’ and ‘Gold’ ratings. He also noted that all Doha Metro stations are GSAS certified, as well as all the stadiums prepared for the 2022 FIFA World Cup. Key projects in the hospitality sector include Katara Towers, which became the first hotel to receive GSAS 5 Stars, al-Horr stressed.
“On the commercial and retail side, we have Doha Festival City, National Museum of Qatar, and Museum of Islamic Arts, among several other projects that have reinforced their organisational commitment to sustainability with green building certifications,” al-Horr also emphasised.
Within the education sector, al-Horr said Qatar Foundation’s headquarters – the 2015 building at Education City, as well as SouthNest Building, have received GSAS Operations. Other key projects include QTerminals Container Terminal 2 and Ras Bufontas Free Zone, to mention a few, he said.
In May last year, Gord bestowed a GSAS certificate to LuLu Group in Qatar for LuLu Hypermarket’s Al Messila branch, making LuLu one of the first retailers in the Mena region to become GSAS-certified.
“Within the retail sector, LuLu International has demonstrated environmental stewardship through conscious efforts aimed at promoting sustainability. Among these initiatives is the adoption of GSAS operations for five LuLu branches,” al-Horr added.