(Doha)10 October 2016:

Leading sustainability organisations and environmental advocates have stepped up their efforts to advance Qatar’s sustainability movement by supporting the Qatar Green Building Conference 2016 – The Action.

The second annual Qatar Green Building Council (QGBC) conference will bring together leading environmentalists, academics, and sustainability experts to discuss Qatar’s sustainability agenda and long-term objectives in line with the Qatar National Vision 2030 (QNV2030).

The conference, which takes place from 13th – 15th November at the Qatar National Convention Centre (QNCC), will tackle some of the key environmental and social sustainability challenges in Qatar and beyond, focusing on three overarching themes:

‘Future Sustainable Cities’,
‘Green Business is Good Business’ and
‘Sustainability as a Lifestyle’.

Msheireb Properties, a subsidiary of Qatar Foundation for Education, Science and Community Development (QF), has this year signed up as the conference’s platinum sponsor. The real estate company’s projects are redefining urban living by encouraging social interaction, preservation of Qatar’s heritage and culture, and consideration for the environment.

Engineer Meshal Al Shamari, QGBC Director, said: “The Qatar Green Building Conference provides a unique platform for industry stakeholders to showcase their sustainability goals to a broader audience. The conference is designed to provide participants with a platform to debate topical sustainability issues while receiving invaluable insights from leading practitioners and academics.”

“It’s a privilege to welcome Msheireb Properties on board as our platinum sponsor. We have a shared mission to help Qatar realise its national sustainable development goals through strategic partnerships and comprehensive research endeavours. We welcome endorsements from other stakeholders to support the conference,” Eng Al Shamari added.

Abdulla Al-Mehshadi, Chief Executive Officer of Msheireb Properties, said: “We are both proud and emboldened to be sponsoring the Qatar Green Building Conference 2016. This platform symbolises a principal opportunity to align two Qatari organisations that are on the vanguard of technological advances in the establishment and revitalisation of urban centres and the modernisation of Qatar and to transform the way that people think.”

Al-Mehshadi said: “Sustainability is at the core of Msheireb Downtown Doha, while leading cities in the conservation of energy and the materials utilised in design and execution. With Msheireb Downtown Doha, we were emboldened to establish a new architectural language guided by seven steps, which meld traditional Qatari architecture with modern sustainable aesthetics and techniques. These innovations are derived from our guiding principal and our pledge to leverage Qatar’s vibrant cultural heritage and renaissance to achieve historical heights in transformative architectural master planning.”

“Moreover, Msheireb Downtown Doha is leading in sustainability. The buildings have LEED gold and platinum certifications, making it the first project with largest number of buildings having LEED certifications in the world. Qatar Green Building Conference 2016 is distinctively illustrative of our resolve to continue to be leaders in sustainability and to share our expansive knowledge and expertise with decision makers, thought leaders and esteemed colleagues from the construction and architectural industries. We hold steadfast that it is not only our mandate to devise and create pioneering cities and to revitalise communities, but it is also our mandate to be visionaries to educate and also to inspire,” Al-Mehshadi concluded.

Qatar Green Building Conference has received endorsements from a number of prestigious organisations. These organisations include the British Standards Institutions; The Chartered Institute of Building; Engineers Australia; The Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors; Middle East Facility Management Association; The Arab Youth Climate Movement Qatar; Architects Hub Qatar; Al Fazaa Volunteer; Climate Control Middle East Magazine; Qatar Construction Sites and GLAM Interior and Design Magazine.

This year’s conference will coincide with the 22nd Session of the Conference of Parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (COP22), which will address the global sustainability agenda.

QGBC is a member of Qatar Foundation for Education, Science and Community Development (QF) and supports its mission to foster a progressive society as well as promote sustainable development. For more information about the conference, please visit: http://www.qatargbc.org/conference/home.