GORD Academy, a center of excellence within the Gulf Organisation for Research and Development (GORD), recently hosted two impactful in-person workshops aimed at bolstering the adoption of green building practices under the Global Sustainability Assessment System (GSAS). The workshops catered to professionals pursuing GSAS Design & Build and GSAS Operations Certified Green Professional (CGP) licenses. Together, the two workshops drew more than 60 practitioners working on prominent building and infrastructure projects across Qatar.

Attending these trainings were representatives from Qatar Investment Authority (QIA), Public Works Authority (Ashghal), Hamad International Airport (HIA), Primary Healthcare Corporation (PHCC), Naufar, Qatar University, Carnegie Mellon University, MEEZA and other representatives from leading entities in the region.

Addressing the audience, Dr. Yousef Alhorr, Founding Chairman of GORD, shared his perspective on the workshops' objectives, saying, "GSAS workshops serve a dual purpose. On a theoretical level, they provide professionals with an in-depth comprehension of the GSAS framework, its principles, categories, and the necessary procedures for implementing sustainability best practices in building and infrastructure projects. On a practical level, they empower individuals to assume the role of green professionals, enabling them to make a tangible impact on the ground and support the transformation of the built environment towards a sustainable future."

The three-day GSAS Design & Build (GSAS-D&B CGP) Workshop offered attendees the essential knowledge required for evaluating the sustainability performance of new building and infrastructure projects.

GSAS Operations Green Professional (GSAS-OP CGP) Workshop, spanned a day and equipped attendees with the knowledge, tools and expertise to evaluate the environmental impact of existing building and infrastructure projects.

The workshops garnered participation from various representatives from local and regional bodies and institutions. These events marked the beginning of a series of in-person training sessions aimed at equipping engineering teams with comprehensive knowledge of GSAS principles. The ultimate objective of these capacity-building workshops is to firmly integrate green building practices in alignment with GSAS standards throughout all government and private structures in the region.

Among the attendees of GSAS-OP workshop was Sohail Rabbani, Associate, HSSE, at QIA. Speaking about GSAS and the recent training, he said, “I am impressed with the quality of content, knowledge of the trainers and amount of work done by GSAS.  Green building framework seems like a great foundation for us to follow. Something made in Qatar makes it much more useful to get the commitment from all levels of the organization.”

Asmaa Al Mohannadi, Acting Director of Facilities at Naufar, highlighted the importance of energy conservation and GSAS's role in achieving sustainability goals, stating, “At Naufar, we prioritize energy conservation, recognizing that it directly impacts the environment as well as the well-being of our patients and all other occupants of the facility. GSAS provides us with valuable insights into the latest advancements in green building, allowing us to integrate them into our projects. Given Naufar's continuous efforts to ensure sustainability, staying current with international best practices is essential."

Elissar Hajjar, Director of Facilities at Carnegie Mellon University in Qatar, emphasized the simplicity of the course material and its alignment with the institute’s Eco Campus program. She remarked, "Even though it’s a lot of information, the course material is very straightforward."

Capacity building remains a central focus of GORD, critical to the successful implementation of sustainable systems. Since 2009, GORD Academy has trained thousands of professionals in GSAS workshops, resulting in more than 5,000 GSAS-certified practitioners. The academy offers GSAS workshops both in person and online, along with several sustainability capacity building courses.