DOHA: Qatar Green Building Council (QGBC) and the US Green Building Council (USGBC) have signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) which will allow close collaboration between the two organisations.
Through the agreement, the councils will work together to promote green buildings and green communities by sharing tools, research and information.
The MoU empowers QGBC to represent Qatar on Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) International Roundtable, one of the USGBC’s advisory groups. The group works to advance the international relevance and application of the green building rating system — the most widely used rating system in the world.
As a member of the roundtable, QGBC will help prioritise environmental issues for the GCC region, which are reflected in Regional Priority Credits within LEED that serve as ‘bonus points’ for projects that address these issues.
A LEED Specialist Interest Group, composed of QGBC members across the building construction and design industry, will lead Qatar’s participation in the international roundtable.
Engineer Meshal Al Shamari, Director of QGBC, said: “As a rating tool, LEED is proven in driving significant improvements in sustainable building performance and QGBC is eager to cooperate with USGBC on improving the rating system’s impact in Qatar.
“Within our mission to promote the development of healthier and more sustainable buildings, we are dedicated to advancing both local and international rating systems such as LEED and the home-grown GSAS.”
With the fifth-highest number of LEED-registered and certified buildings outside the US, Qatar has valuable experience and input to offer the LEED International Roundtable on the system’s local relevance and application.
Scot Horst, Senior Vice-President, LEED, of the USGBC said, “At the USGBC we have been impressed with QGBC’s active support for our aim to create global consistency for the use of LEED internationally.
“This MOU presents USGBC and QGBC with an unprecedented opportunity to make a difference in this time of unparalleled environmental awareness.”
The Peninsula
