The need for creating sustainable built environment is a necessity of today, to support the future of the planet. Climate change, global warming, water and energy are some major adversities affecting the world other than the lesser known problems such as desertification and loss of cultural identity.

Initiatives have been created worldwide to help alleviate the problems caused by human actions hence the birth of sustainable building rating system. ‘Sustainable building rating systems’ are defined as tools that examine the performance or expected performance of a ‘whole building’ and translate that examination into an overall assessment that allows for comparison against other buildings.

Qatar Sustainability Assessment system, supporting the Qatar national vision 2030, addresses through its sustainable design principles, all the major problems affecting the GCC countries. QSAS, specifically designed for the environmental needs of Qatar while embracing the cultural heritage, hopes to give a new dimension to the existing construction industry not only in Qatar but all through GCC. The objective of 'greening' Qatar and bringing it to the forefront of sustainable design has remained the essence of QSAS and this essence through many ways, has percolated into the Qatar's legislations.

What entailed the development of QSAS? What are the strategies adopted to deploy QSAS?

Speaker would touch briefly on the below topics through this presentation.

• Introduction
• Environmental Challenges facing GCC
• Development of Qatar Sustainability Assessment System (QSAS) Methodologies and Processes
• Deployment Dimensions of QSAS locally and Abroad
• Research & Education Opportunities between QSAS & QU