DOHA: The Gulf Organisation for Research and Development, Qatar's leading research, consultancy and training institute and the developer of the Qatar Sustainability Assessment System (QSAS), recently entered into a Memorandum of Understanding with the Jordan Engineers Association (JEA).
The agreement was signed by Gulf Organisation for Research and Development Co-founder and Chairman Dr Yousef Mohammed Al Horr and JEA President Eng Abdulla Obaidat.
The strategic partnership aims to build new channels of cooperation and to promote sustainability on a large scale through effective initiatives for reducing energy consumption and carbon emission, encouraging the use of environmentally safe materials, and supporting green building projects.
These in turn will help achieve economic and environmental balance and maintain urban identity in the Arab World.
Under the agreement, JEA is authorised to use the tools and materials available through Gulf Organisation for R&D's free and unrestricted Educational License under both the Service Provider and Managing Partner categories of QSAS for one year.
The Association can also use Gulf Organisation for R&D's research materials to provide consultancy services on green buildings, simulators and system integration testing.
Gulf Organisation for R&D and JEA will be submitting a proposal for a joint venture on Eco-Labelling systems for Arab countries to the Union of Arab Engineers that will facilitate the use of environmentally safe products in green building projects.
The two parties are also considering the creation of a Joint Arab Award for sustainable construction and green buildings to highlight and promote eco-friendly projects in the Arab world.
Through the MoU, the two groups will push for broader adoption of standards under Gulf Organisation for R&D's QSAS, an integrated system for assessing green buildings that encourages optimum consumption of energy, water and environmental resources.
QSAS has the potential to open up new doors for investments into the green sector in areas such as renewable energy, recycling, and advanced control systems technologies for the regional markets.
It will also facilitate regional information-sharing and further drive the Arab World's transition to a knowledge economy.
Gulf Organisation for R&D will work with JEA on research and development related to environmental issues and human resources development within the real estate sector.
The Organisation will hold conferences and interactive workshops in collaboration with the Engineers Training Center, the scientific arm of JEA, to refine the skills of workers and provide them with the knowledge needed to develop and apply sustainability concepts to modern architecture.
© The Peninsula 2011
