Barwa and Qatari Diar, in partnership with America’s University of Pennsylvania, have developed the first performance-based sustainability rating system in the Middle East. The real estate firms partnered with the TC Chan Centre for Building Simulation and Energy Studies at the university, also known as UPenn. The rating system will be applied in Qatar (labelled QSAS) to create a sustainable built environment that minimises ecological impact while addressing the specific regional needs and the environment of Qatar. The companies jointly made the announcement at the start of Global City, a two-day sustainable urban development forum in Abu Dhabi. Both Barwa and Qatari Diar maintained the ‘green building design’ rating system will be applied to all their projects, officials said. Barwa Strategy and Investment president Yousif al-Horr said: “QSAS will allow us and Qatari Diar to take the lead in addressing critical issues related to regional and national energy efficiency policies. By developing our own system that adheres to international standards and addresses sustainability goals specific to the area, the companies will serve as a premier example for others in the region.” Qatari Diar Business Development deputy CEO Engineer Mohamed al-Hedfa said: “Developing QSAS based on local needs while leveraging best practices is a definite advantage, factors such as desertification, scarcity of water, pedestrian connectivity, and cultural heritage/identity are usually either omitted or unsuitably addressed.” UPenn TC Chan Centre director Professor Ali Malkawi said: “Studying the local situation in Qatar has led to the formulation of value statements that are at the core of QSAS development”. In addition to addressing all locally relevant aspects of sustainability, ecological impact, and green building design criteria, QSAS also offers a standalone building energy standard to support Qatar’s building energy ratings as well as complete flexibility in future expansions and modifications. http://gulf-times.com/site/topics/article.asp?cu_no=2&item_no=283653&version=1&template_id=36&parent_id=16

Follow us on our social media channels: @ILQlive @ILQlive @ILoveQtr ILoveQatar