The Gulf Organisation for Research & Development (GORD) and the American Concrete Institute (ACI) signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) to collaborate on advancing climate mitigation and sustainability within the concrete industry. The MOU was formalized by Dr. Yousef Alhorr, Founding Chairman of GORD, and Michael J. Paul, President of ACI, a US-based non-profit technical body that develops and disseminates consensus-based knowledge on concrete and its applications.

Addressing the audience, Dr. Alhorr said, “The challenge of decarbonizing concrete production while meeting the growing demands of our region's development requires this kind of comprehensive, multi-level approach. Through this MOU, we are taking important steps toward reducing the environmental footprint of concrete production and promoting sustainable practices that align with global climate goals. By combining GORD's expertise with ACI's technical and educational resources, we aim to drive innovation and create a lasting impact on the construction sector.”

Mr. Paul said, “The need for sustainable practices in the concrete industry is more urgent than ever.  As the demand for concrete grows through urbanization and development, we must ensure that sustainability becomes a fundamental part of its production and use. Working with GORD, ACI addresses this challenge head-on. ACI is pleased to be able to draw upon GORD’s expertise in environmental standards, carbon markets, and sustainable practices to help the industry reduce its environmental impact and to create a more resilient and sustainable built environment for future generations."

The MOU outlines several key areas of collaboration between the two organizations, centering on capacity building, training, and the promotion of sustainable innovations within the concrete sector. The collaboration also aims to create frameworks that support change through standardized certifications and sustainability assessments, such as GORD's International Green Mark (IGM), an ecolabeling system which ensures that construction materials meet rigorous environmental standards, enhancing transparency and accountability in the concrete industry. The collaboration will also include joint research to create solutions that enable sustainable cities and communities, as well as the development of technical and educational materials.

One of the key areas of focus in the MOU is the joint exploration of innovative methods to reduce the environmental impact of concrete production. To this end, a significant contribution will come from GORD’s affiliate Global Carbon Council (GCC), a leading voluntary carbon market in the MENA region. GCC is well-positioned to provide expertise in carbon markets and help develop methodologies that provide financial incentives for reducing carbon emissions in concrete manufacturing. Notably, in the Global South, GCC is the only carbon credit program approved by the Carbon Offsetting and Reduction Scheme for International Aviation (CORSIA). The platform has already received over 1,500 projects across 45+ countries.

The MOU between GORD and ACI also includes plans for promoting ACI's technical and educational documents, introducing awards for outstanding service to the concrete industry, and supporting conferences and events aimed at catalyzing the transformation of the construction industry. As part of this, GORD will support the local ACI chapter, providing valuable resources and guidance to enhance the development of sustainable practices within regional concrete communities.

Through their collaboration, GORD and ACI hope to catalyze a shift toward more environmentally responsible practices, ensuring that concrete production and the built environment contribute to global climate mitigation goals.

تجدر الإشارة إلى أن أحد مجالات التركيز الرئيسية في مذكرة التفاهم هو الاستكشاف المشترك للطرق المبتكرة للحد من الأثر البيئي لإنتاج الخرسانة. ولتحقيق هذه الغاية، سيكون لـ “المجلس العالمي للبصمة الكربونية " (GCC) التابع للمنظمة الخليجية للبحث والتطوير، دور محوري، بوصفه أحد أبرز الأسواق الطوعية للكربون في منطقة الشرق الأوسط وشمال إفريقيا.  ويتمتع المجلس بمكانة جيدة لتوفير الخبرة في أسواق الكربون والمساعدة على تطوير منهجيات توفر حوافز مالية للحد من انبعاثات الكربون في صناعة الخرسانة، خصوصا أنه برنامج ائتمان الكربون الوحيد في دول الجنوب العالمي، المعتمد من خطة “كورسيا” لتعويض الكربون وخفضه في مجال الطيران الدولي (CORSIA) ، وقد تلقت منصته بالفعل أكثر من 1500 مشروع عبر أكثر من 45 دولة .

كما تشمل مذكرة التفاهم خططًا للترويج للوثائق الفنية والتعليمية الصادرة عن المعهد، وإطلاق جوائز تقديرية للمتميزين في صناعة الخرسانة، ودعم المؤتمرات والفعاليات التي تهدف إلى تحفيز تحول قطاع البناء نحو الاستدامة.  وبالإضافة إلى ذلك، ستعمل المنظمة على دعم فرع المعهد المحلي من خلال توفير الموارد والتوجيهات للمساهمة في تطوير الممارسات المستدامة في مجتمعات الخرسانة الإقليمية.

ومن خلال هذا التعاون، تأمل كلّ من “جورد" والمعهد الأمريكي للخرسانة في إحداث تحول جوهري نحو ممارسات أكثر مسؤولية بيئيًا، بما يضمن مساهمة صناعة الخرسانة والبيئة المشيدة في تحقيق الأهداف العالمية لمكافحة تغير المناخ.