Q Life Magazine Q Magazine (US) June 2017 | Page 62

Sustainability |
| Issue 3
Building a Sustainable Future:
Qatar Green
Building Council
on a number of areas to raise
awareness and build capacity. This
includes focusing on technical
expertise development, research
and development, and sustainability
education and training. It works with
a range of experts and government
stakeholders to increase awareness
and knowledge of green building
practices, and build the capacity of
industry professionals.
| Downtown Doha
Q
atar Green Building Council
(QGBC) is a non-profit
organization providing leadership
in environmentally sustainable
practices for green building design
and development in Qatar.
Established in 2009 by Her Highness
Sheikha Moza bint Nasser, QGBC
is part of Qatar Foundation. Its
mission is threefold: to generate
awareness, create understanding
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and initiate education; to develop
a clear set of environmental and
green building guidelines; and to
support and pursue research and
development.
Qatar’s National Vision 2030 makes
clear that to be sustainable, the
country’s development needs must
be balanced with the protection and
preservation of the environment.
To support this, QGBC focuses
Qatar Sustainability Week, which
will take place in October-November
this year, is a QGBC initiative
that serves as a unique platform
to promote Qatar’s sustainability
vision, as well as allowing for the
wider community to engage with
those leading the change. It is also
an opportunity for stakeholders
to showcase their innovative
and practical solutions to the
environmental challenges faced by
Qatar and the wider region.
Qatar Moving Towards
Agricultural Self-Reliance
W
ith a dry, subtropical desert climate, low annual
rainfall and hot summers, Qatar might not appear
to be the natural environment for growing fresh produce.
However, thanks to a pioneering new state-funded farming
system that needs no soil and recycles water, Qatar is
aiming to grow 70% of its own vegetables by 2023.
Smart greenhouses with no soil and a “dry air cooling
system” with no water required: this is arguably the most
advanced hydroponic system in the world. Pilot projects
using tomatoes have been highly successful, and peppers,
strawberries, herbs, and flowers are all expected to grow
well under cover.
Agricultural self-reliance is an important component
of Qatar’s long-term vision as its economy expands
and diversifies. However, it’s not just about being
self-sufficient. A sustainable food supply requires a
sustainable environment and Qatar continues to pursue
new environmentally-friendly technologies to support
its development.
This hydroponic technology, developed by a Qatar-Spain
collaboration, can also be deployed outdoors. Although
limited to Qatar’s cooler months, a range of vegetables
including broccoli, corn, and zucchini are expected
to thrive.
This innovative approach is helping Qatar produce its
own safe, abundant, and sustainable food supply. Although
not yet fully self-sufficient, Qatar’s reliance on imported
food is drastically decreasing as these new farming
techniques spread across the country.
When deployed indoors, the new technology even permits
year-round vegetable production, and at a fraction of
present costs due to its low energy consumption.
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