Today a workshop was launched, in which the Gulf Organization for Research and Development (GORD), in collaboration with The Body Standardization States Board Cooperation States Gulf Arabic presented instruction on work training, concerning the latest initiatives in sustainability efforts. The workshop was sponsored by The Ministry of Environment, and also presented a system involving the use of green materials in construction, Ecomark. The workshop was held on the 27th and the 28th of May 2014.

The course aims to give participants a technical evaluation system for construction materials. Participants encompass different classifications including managers and decision makers, engineers, technicians, inspectors, evaluators and administrators, and those with a background of legal and theoretical knowledge. Sessions are held both in Arabic and English, in a manner in which a slide show displays detailed explanations and examples of previous training sessions. The slide show covers in detail, the assessment of the life cycle of products and materials used for construction. The method used is very scientific, as it measures and evaluates the environmental burdens associated with a product or particular activity given its influence on the environment, and the resources used during the activity or the life cycles of each product. The notable topics at that session included:

• System of Life-Cycle Assessment (LCA)
• Eco-labeling for green products
• An overview of the laws and applicable international standards
• The role of the system of “eco-labeling for green products" in construction and building sustainability
• The methodology used in the system for assessing the sustainability of the global “GSAS" to sign environmental green
• Environmental standards used in the system and the qualitative assessment in the Member States of the Gulf

These were the effective results of the training workshop memorandum of cooperation signed by The Body of Standardization and The Organization of The Gulf, concerning adoption of the Authority System Brand Environmental Green. Besides the signing of the cooperation contract, one of the most notable occurrences was the appearance of His Excellency, The Minister of Environment, as he visited Lusail City and partook in a working lunch, honoring The Secretary Year Body Standardization.

His Excellency, Mr. Nabil bin Amin Al Mulla, Secretary General of The Standardization of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) on the workshop, commented as follows:

The opening of a workshop evaluation system of construction materials: the Eco-mark construction materials, organized by the GCC Standardization organization in cooperation with the Ministry of Environment, and hosted commendable Gulf Organization for R&D, in order to train human resources in the Member States, on the basis and methodology for system evaluation of construction materials friendly to the environment, and how to achieve the standard.

I believe that the combined efforts of the Commission and standardization bodies national organizations, and relevant bodies is the best way to support the process of standardization GCC joint, and contribute effectively to the health and safety of our planet and the welfare of the citizens and residents of the Member States.

It is noteworthy that the environmental green label system, the evaluation system of construction materials, was ratified and adopted by the Standardization Organization for the Cooperation Council for the Arab Gulf States, and was also chosen to represent the fundamental criterion towards assessing construction materials such as brick, concrete, cement, materials and tools used in electrical wiring, plumbing, and drainage systems, and water and other materials related to building and construction.

It is worth mentioning that the Gulf Organization for Research and Development (GORD), is working to create a strong and unified approach to assess the sustainability of the construction materials concerning EcoMark, in accordance to the framework and standards of the GSAS system.

The overall objective of EcoMark is to provide accuracy and relevancy concerning the environmental impact of materials and services, in order to promote a decreased environmental impact, given the demand and supply of those products. This is accomplished by clearly and with transparency, evaluating the information accurately and in a uniform manner, given verification via a third party.

The Ecomark system is a tool used to illustrate the results of the life-cycle assessment (LCA),relating to the environmental impact of construction materials and products. The system provides information for a number of categories of environmental impact, including the extraction of raw materials, energy usage, air and soil impact, and water and emissions waste.

Dr. Yousef bin Mohammed Alhorr, Chairman of The Gulf Organization for Research & Development, said:

Since we are in the Gulf Organization for R&D work, and constantly finding the best requirements and standards related to urban sustainability, and strive to develop in line with the environmental data for our region, and in mind to work on saving dwindling natural resources of energy and water, we have launched and Gord Academy Workshop EcoMark, which represents essential part in the integrated system, to evaluate the construction materials ensuring that they are environmentally friendly.

The MOU reflects the faith of GORD profound importance of cooperation and concerted efforts towards the exchange of expertise and scientific developments and the process and coordination among all relevant actors, so as to achieve common goals and of creating an environment in urban sustainability urban and eco-friendly sense of the word.

The program includes a training workshop that has been devised and prepared by the Academy of GORD many architects, engineers, designers and professionals working in the field of construction.  The workshop has established specific criteria and standards, particularly to evaluate the materials used in construction at which point, specialization is in studying the quality of roads, the places of extraction of raw materials used for construction means of loading and transportation, the methodologies of production and use, and to assess and determine validity in the end period.

Additionally noteworthy, the Academy of GORD is one of the Centers of Excellence of the Gulf Organization for R&D, and next to other centers such as the Institute of GORD, GORD Consulting Center. The academics and management are going to provide a variety of leading and high quality training programs. It will also provide opportunities for fellowships/ organic groups, as well as opportunities for certificate programs, which are designed to meet the educational needs of professionals working in the field of construction.