The Gulf Organization for Research and Development continues to develop its GSAS certification system to promote sustainability and create a sustainable built environment.

The Gulf Organisation for Research and Development (GORD) organizes the fifth edition of its annual two-day Sustainability Summit today at the Ritz-Carlton Doha under the Patronage of His Excellency Sheikh Abdullah Bin Nasser Al Thani, Prime Minister and Minister of Interior of Qatar.

This year’s two-day Sustainability Summit is organized by GORD in collaboration with the Supreme Committee for Delivery & Legacy and Qatari Diar. The summit aims to address the different environmental challenges that affect our planet and propose effective solutions and ideas to address these challenges. Throughout the past five years, the annual Sustainability Summit is widely considered as the leading sustainability event in the Middle East and North Africa region, through which industry professionals, experts, regulators and research come together to discuss and exchange ideas about sustainability and climate change.

This year’s Sustainability Summit has attracted an exceptional participation from leading local, regional and international sustainability organizations such as the United Nations Environment, the International Emissions Trading Association (IETA), and the European Union. In addition to that, the summit also witnessed the participation of several renowned regional sustainability experts from the State of Kuwait and the Sultanate of Oman.

The Sustainability Summit 2018 addresses a series of environment related challenges, and opens the platform for climate change and sustainable built experts, industry professionals, researchers and regulators to come up with innovative solutions that tackle these stressing challenges. Engaging hundreds of attendants, the sessions of the Sustainability Summit 2018 focused on the importance of innovation in the field of sustainability and celebrated the outstanding sustainability initiatives around the world. 

The Sustainability Summit 2018 also offers international and regional perspectives on climate change challenges and solutions for a low-carbon and climate-resilient future. It aims to drive innovation in the design of built environment, as well as promoting education and collaboration in the field, bringing to the fore the latest research and developments in sustainable building design.

This year’s summit highlighted the importance of investing in sustainability strategies, programs, research and laws, and the identified the different roles that governments and policymakers can play in promoting sustainability and supporting sustainability initiatives.

Dr. Yousef Alhorr, Founding Chairman of the Gulf Organisation for Research and Development, said:

The World, and Middle East especially, has a daunting task to overcome the challenges of consumerism and the exploitation of the natural resources, as such challenges pose severe climate change and sustainability threats.

The Gulf Organisation for Research and Development is committed to raising societal awareness and building the capacity of our region on the key issues around this topic.

Additionally, the Gulf Organisation for Research and Development announced the signing of a series of collaboration agreements and Memorandum on Understandings with several local, regional and international organizations to establish and implement sustainability in Qatar and across the region at the opening ceremony of the Sustainability Summit 2018 such as United Nations Environment, Al Taadhod Group (GREE). The Founding Chairman of the Gulf Organisation for Research and Development, Dr. Yousef Alhorr, signed the series of MoUs with the Director of the United Nation Environment’s West Asia Office, Sami Dimassi, and the Chief Executive Officer of Al Taadhod Group, Sheikh Faisal Bin Jassim Al Thani.

The opening ceremony of the Sustainability Summit 2018 also featured the presenting of the Sustainability Awards to many local and international companies and organizations for their outstanding leadership and commitment to adopting the best sustainability practices in the design, construction and operation of different types of developments. This includes new construction, existing buildings, renovations and interior design projects. Along with the Sustainability Awards, several leading Qatari Institutions were honored as “Eco Champions” for their exceptional support of GORD’s in crafting a green legacy in Qatar.

This year’s Eco Champions’ Awardees were:

1. Qatari Diar Real Estate Company
2. Qatar General Organization for Standards and Metrology
3. ASHGHAL – Public Works Authority
4. Qatar Rail
5. Barwa Real Estate Company
6. Internal Security Force – Lekhwiya

This year’s Sustainability Award winners are:

1. Al Bayt Stadium – Al Khor City for GSAS Construction Management class A*
2. Al Wakrah Stadium for GSAS Construction Management class A*
3. Sendian Tower for GSAS Design & Build 5 Stars
4. Al-Sayer Headquarter for GSAS Operations Platinum
5. Naufar for Design & Build 3 Stars and Construction Management class B