QGBC showcases Qatar’s growing green building revolution at Sustainability Expo

Qatar Green Building Council (QGBC), the bellwether of Qatar’s emerging sustainable building movement, is drawing attention to an array of green initiatives at the Qatar Sustainability Expo,which runs alongside the UN Climate Change Conference in Doha (COP18/CMP8).

The council, established in 2009 to steer Qatar’s booming construction business towards environmentally sustainable practices, is showcasing its recently-launched Baytna project,which will create Qatar’s first Passivhaus, amongst other initiatives.

“Qatar Green Building Council aims to promote and raise awareness of environmentally and sociallyresponsible building practices for Qatar,”said Meshal Al-Shamari, Director of QGBC. “Our presence at the Qatar Sustainability Expo is an opportunity not only to engage the industry, but also to spark new dialogue amongst the local community.”

QGBC’s innovative display stand at the Doha Exhibition Center has itself attracted considerable interest from visitors. Itis made from low-carbon eco-friendly plastic wood composite, supplied by Qatar Plastic Products Company (QPPC), in a shared commitment to minimise the impact of production on the surrounding environment.

As part of QGBC’s aim to drive sustainable building practices in Qatar, QGBC will be partnering with QPPC to promote the use of this material across many of its projects, including eco-decking for Baytna.

The recently-announcedBaytna project, a joint experiment withBarwa Real Estate and Kahramaa, sets a new standard in green building for the region by creating Qatar’s first ultra-low energy, airtight Passivhaus.

Visitors to QGBC’s booth are also making use of intuitive touchscreen displays to navigate through the organisation’sother initiatives, all aimed at reducing carbon footprint during the building and development stages. QGBC members,a network of highly-skilled professionals, are on hand to share with visitors their passion for sustainability.

Many of the members are drawn from QGBC’s range of interest groups, which cover issues includingsolid waste, water, green infrastructure, energy, greenhotels and green schools groups. Theywill be offering presentations at the Doha Exhibition Center throughout the Expo, which runs until 7 December. A schedule has been made available on the organisation’s Facebook page.

Elsewhere at the exhibition centre, the Bottle Top Art Project is on display. A project spearheaded by QGBC’s Solid Waste Interest Group, the display includes more than 30,000 bottle tops collected in Qatar and was designed by artist SeanaMallen. It can be found near the stage area in the exhibition centre.

QGBC, a member of Qatar Foundation for Education, Science and Community Development, was formally established in 2009 througha decree signed by Her Highness Sheikha Moza bint Nasser and is helping Qatar on its journey to establish a post-hydrocarbon, knowledge economy and progressive society. Through QGBC, Qatar has joined a network of 80 different countries that run active national green building councils under the umbrella of the World Green Building Council.