The Edge Supplement ECO FA

Magazine

eco supplement

nov 2012

Reduce, Reuse, Recycle: Towards a sustainable Qatar

QATAR: KINGS OF CONSUMPTION? Qatar’s phenomenal economic growth in the last decade has had a major impact on the environment, with the country’s carbon footprint and water usage the highest per capita in the world, exacerbated by an increasingly consumer-orientated lifestyle. In TheEDGE magazine’s Environ supplement, Sybrandus Adema takes a look at what the country is doing to incorporate the ‘3Rs’ – Reduce, Reuse and Recycle – to lessen its impact on the natural world.

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t a round table during the Rio +20 conference on the subject of food security in June this year Najib Saab, secretary general for the Arab Forum for Environment and Development made a speech regarding the most recent research done into the Arab region’s ecological footprint assessment, highlighting Qatar at the top of the list, measured in global hectares (gha).

“Regional averages of the Arab states mask great internal disparity,” said Saab. “The average resident of Qatar had the highest ecological footprint in the world (11.7 gha per capita), higher than the ecological footprint of the average Yemeni (0.9 gha per capita) by 13-fold.”

Look around Doha and you will see evidence of this per hectare consumpution everywhere. Gardens are watered in the sun, natural areas are under immense industrial and housing pressure, and plastic bag culture, an indicator of a nation’s green consciousness, is still everywhere. Local landfills are brimming, but remain the primary waste-management option – though Qatar is not alone in this, regionally, most of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries rank in the top 10 worldwide for per capita solid waste generation According to a Living Planet Report, if every human being lived like the average Qatari, the planet would need nearly five times more resources. Indeed, from the outside it seems most inhabitants are not aware of the dire ecological situation or are under the mistaken belief that recycling and other pro-environment efforts do not exist, so clearly there is there is a long way to go.

RECOGNITION AND EFFORT

However, the government, local environmentalists, companies, communities and individuals have started to acknowledge and address the challenges, often with some international support. And with the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) Conference of the Parties (COP 18/CMP 8) due to take place in Doha at the end of November, the spotlight is now firmly on the steps Qatar is taking to reduce its carbon footprint, and consumption and waste habits.

In 2011, the Ministry of Environment (MoE) launched a new five-year plan for environmental management, and this year Qatar also joined a consortium of founding member countries in initialising the establishment of Global Green Growth Institute (GGGI) to ultimately improve the economic, environmental and social conditions of developing and emerging countries. Qatar is set to launch a Centre for Climate Research and an air quality monitoring sytem, called Haw’ak, in the near future, while aiming to supply 20 percent of its energy demands from renewable sources in the future.

The Qatar National Vision 2030 (QNV 2030) directs the country towards a balance between developmental

needs and the protection of its natural environment, with an emphasis on establishing an effective legal framework, and the environmental institutions that can serve as the guardians of Qatar’s environmental heritage as well as the awareness of citizens.

These campaigns include a focus on the waste management concept called the ‘3R’s’ – ‘Reduce, Reuse and Recycle’. These are considered internationally to be a base of environmental awareness and a way of promoting ecological balance through conscious behaviour and choices. Of late even more R’s are considered, including ‘Recover’ (energy), ‘Reforest’ (denuded landscapes) and ‘Rethink’ (the whole waste system, including the original 3Rs).

The simple fact that COP 18 is taking place in Qatar in itself implies huge carbon outputs due to transport, air conditioning, paperwork and more for the expected 18,000 plus attendess. Nevertheless, the organisers hope to make it as carbon neutral as possible, and recycling, reduction of emissions and the extensive use of electronic communication (and a first-time ever use of electronic visas for Qatar) will be practised. At various workshops and side events to COP 18, the 3Rs will be under discussion, and exhibitors will showcase the latest technologies to implement these.

COP 18 will be taking place in the Qatar Convention Centre (QNCC), one of the greenest buildings in the country, which features 3700 square meters of solar panels, providing around 12 percent of the building’s total power. The choice to go with solar energy made a lot of sense, granted the region’s sunny arid climate.

The centre is also fitted out with occupancy sensors, water-efficient fixtures, LED lighting, carbon dioxide monitors, and variable air-volume systems that minimise the use of resources and improve the indoor air quality of the space.

IMPleMeNTING AWAReNess

More than 35 non-governmental environmental organisations have started in Qatar, especially in the last five years. These well-supported initiatives have led to an increase in information and practical efforts to reduce, reuse and recycle.

The Friends of the Environment Centre (established in 1992) makes environmental issues central to primary and secondary education in Qatar, as well as works to expand Qatar’s threatened mangrove areas, which are 50 times better in terms of carbon sequestration than traditional fauna. In 2007 UNESCO enlisted Qatar’s Al Reem biosphere reserve in its man and biosphere programme, an international project that promotes specific relationships between biodiversity conservation and human wellbeing.

In addition, a number of governmental and community events and campaigns – such as the ‘Think Plastic’ awareness and recycling month earlier this year – increases public understanding of environmental issues. The annual World Environment Day 2012 painting competition in Qatar, for instance, attracted a record 2000 plus local entries as part of a global World Environment Day. The Qatar Foundation (QF) this year hosted the first ever Qatar Environmental Education Fair where close to 30 organisations, all striving to raise environmental awareness, gathered.

Most of the major gas and other companies are making efforts to reduce their impact on the natural environment and air quality. Last year the country integrated the Qatar Sustainability Assessment System (QSAS) – a green building certification system developed for the State of Qatar – into the Qatar Construction Specifications (QCS), making the implementation of certain criteria mandatory for buildings developed in Qatar.

Although the primary objective is to create a sustainable built environment that minimises ecological impact, while addressing the specific regional needs and environment, QCS has yet to implement the organic waste requirement and recycling elements. However, the Qatar Green Building Council (QGBC) is one of the important players in encouraging the rapidly expanding hospitality sector to adopt best environmental practices, and launched its Green Hotel Interest Group (GHIG) in September 2012, which some Doha hotels have now adopted with regard to reducing, reusing and recycling.

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“The average resident of Qatar had the highest ecological footprint in the world, higher than the ecological footprint of the average Yemeni by 13-fold.” – Najib Saab, secretary general for the Arab Forum for Environment and Development.

For any new construction developments, an Environmental Impact Assessment is now required, and companies have to adhere to legally-binding environmental provisions like reusing and recycling in terms of their ‘Consent to Operate’. Other government initiatives include No Plastic-days and the construction of the first Ozone and Pollution Monitoring Ground Station for West Asia in Qatar.

cONsuMPTION By NuMBeRs

• The average ecological footprint per capita in Arab countries increased by 78 percent from 1.2 to 2.1 global hectares (gha) per capita over the past 50 years.

• The average Arab countryman demands more than twice what is available locally.

• If all humans lived like the average resident of Qatar, 6.6 planets would be required to satisfy this level of consumption and emissions of carbon dioxide. By contrast, if everyone lived like an average Yemeni, humans would demand only half of planet Earth. source: Arab Forum for environment and development

PuBlIc PeRcePTION

But are the the green technology advances made by local companies and research institutes to implement the 3R principles enough? As many commentators point out, persuading the inhabitants of Qatar to change their wasteful ways may prove to be the most daunting task of all.

Qasim Radaideh, operations director of annual environmental event EcoQ, held in Doha in 2011, says that more education, improved infrastructure and better legislation are the key factors to improving the situation.

“There’s no other way. We’ve grown up like this,” Radaideh says, referring to the high carbon and gha footprint output per capita.

However, Radaideh believes the new generation is already more aware, and things are changing, albeit slowly. There are many ways to improve this awareness, such as more education and increasing the infrastructure for recycling. This includes enforcing waste separation at the source and more government support for Qatar’s fledgling recycling industry.

“Most big companies in Qatar want to turn green and make money at the same time, but being environmentally friendly usually means you need to spend some money in the short term,” points out Shaker Alansari, general manager of the recycling company Doha Plastic.

However, if confronted daily with reminders and

encouragement regarding the 3Rs, as well as the resources to make it a reality, a lifestyle-change is possible, as has been the case in many other countries.

“Qatar is a developing market and thus the main challenge is finding suppliers or partners to work with in implementing environmental initiatives,” says Clare Wait, director of facilities management at Georgetown University School of Foreign Service Qatar. “If more people demand the resources, then more providers will be interested in fulfilling these needs.”

Tarek Khouri, managing director of Averda, a Dohabased tyre and waste recycling facility, believes the will is there but the legislation and availability of venues to implement them are still lacking.

“The Reduce part is already evident. The recycling part is under development and the Reuse part still needs much work,” says Khouri, “Already, much can be done with little effort and a serious commitment.”

commercial energy consumption per capita (kg of oil equivalent per capita)

Japan

Brazil

Malaysia

Qatar

United States

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2000

4000

6000

8000

10000

12000

14000

16000

Source: World Bank data 2009

South African Sybrandus Adema, who compiled the text for TheEDGE Environ supplement, is a freelance journalist, editor and translator. His articles – news, in-depth, travel and editorials – and photographs have appeared in various publications and on websites worldwide. Adema has managed production processes at newspapers, on documentaries and at radio stations.

This year, his illustrated bilingual children’s book was published. A keen environmentalist and avid recycler, Adema is currently travelling and working across Southeast Asia and Qatar. www.sybrandus.withtank.com

THE FIRST R IS REDUCE...

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orldwide a reduction in the amount of waste created in the first place is seen as the most practical way to help the environment. A decrease in the demand for energy, water and consumer goods leads to less pollution and cuts the costs of reusing or recycling. It also eases pressure on landfills, and helps to avert health and environmental problems.

This principle is widely accepted by the Qatari government and major companies here, and most have taken some steps to reduce the amount of pollution and wasteful practices. However, due to Qatar’s fast economic and population growth and increasing consumer spending, the reality is that much more waste is being created.

According to Qatar’s National Development Strategy 2011-2016 the country generates nearly 7200 tonnes of domestic, construction, commercial and industrial solid waste per day, and with the huge infrastructure and private building projects on the horizon, many tonnes of construction waste will be added.

EMISSION REDUCTIONS

While Qatar, which has the highest per capita emission rate in the world, signed and ratified the Kyoto Protocol, it is currently not bound by specific targets for greenhouse gas emissions, although it is taking steps to reduce them. In January 2009 Qatar became the first Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) state to join a World Bankled partnership to reduce gas flaring, which was halved between 2008 and 2010. It also registered Al Shaheen oil field as a clean development mechanism and last year’s World Petroleum Congress (WPC) in Qatar was carbonneutral as the country purchased enough carbon credits to cancel out carbon emissions linked to the convention.

Nevertheless, Pawan Bassi from Chevron Phillips Chemical says energy companies must look for more efficiencies. “There is already a lot happening in terms of recycling emissions and materials. It’s not always visible or sexy, but it’s happening.”

Many reduction initiatives are underway. One example is RasGas, which in 2010 completed a five-year flare minimisation programme, the first of its kind in Qatar, with an overall reduction of 66 percent achieved.

In 2011, RasGas won a GCC award for being the best industrial organisation complying with environmental requirements. “We have also successfully reduced our air

Qatar Airways has used gas-to-liquid (GTL) jet fuel in order to reduce emissions. (Image Corbis)

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emissions of nitrogen oxide, volatile organic compounds and sulphur oxide by implementing various projects and initiatives,” says Yosra Koura, media relations officer.

According to Marléne Janse van Vuuren, head of environment at Oryx GTL, Oryx has reduced air pollution and implemented water and electricity saving awareness campaigns, in line with their overall support of Qatar’s legislation, international standards, environmental best practices and stakeholder inputs.

This year’s EU-GCC Co-operation on Renewable Energy Sources, Energy Efficiency and Carbon Capture and Storing seminar in Doha, dedicated much time to these issues, followed by Qatar University’s (QU) drafting of a Carbon Capture and Management map for the country. Although Qatar’s economy is largely built on gas, gas-to-liquid (GTL) fuels are becoming more environmentally attractive in terms of emissions, compared to traditional fuels.

According to Nimir Elbashir from Texas A&M University in Qatar, GTL fuels give rise to low-sulphur diesel and low octane gasoline, which, if widely used, should improve the air quality in the country. Qatar Airways (QA) has already used GTL jet fuel, and as this takes off, the air quality at busy airports will improve.

QatarGas is developing MEGI (main engine gas injection) which will enable ships to use liquefied natural gas (LNG) – a process which has no sulphur emissions and cuts CO2 emissions by 20 percent compared to fuel oil.

Qatar Fuel Additives Company Limited (QAFAC), which specialises in the production and export of methanol and methyl tertiary butyl ether, says its products are clean burning fuels, which reduce the

tail gas pollution generated by combustion engines.

Furthermore, QAFAC’s production methods and products have seen it honoured as the first industrial operation to obtain the Environmental Permit from the Qatari government, after submitting a comprehensive Environmental Impact Assessment Report.

The Qatar Science & Technology Park (QSTP, part of the Qatar Foundation) is home to 21 international companies and provides the premises, services and support to create an incubator for new, green technology.

In an interview, Tidu Maini, executive chairman of QSTP, said that research and development plays a very important role in creating a sustainable future for Qatar. “Many of our energy projects cross boundaries into the environment, and one area that is of particular importance in Qatar in this regard is carbon dioxide emissions.”

In November 2008 the Qatari government signed an agreement with the United Kingdom (UK) to invest more than US$230 million (QR837 million) in the Qatar-UK Clean Technology Investment Fund, which will see the Qatar Investment Authority and the UK’s Carbon Trust work together. “Research into the storage or continued use of carbon emissions through enhanced oil recovery is also quite important for the country and is being studied extensively at QSTP,” adds Maini, “Alternative and renewable energy is also an area of focus. One important source of renewable energy in Qatar is solar energy, which Chevron will be looking into at QSTP.” Chevron and GreenGulf will field test the resilience of renewable technologies, specifically solar, to the desert environment while ConocoPhillips is establishing a water research centre to examine ways of

According to Qatar’s National Development Strategy 2011-2016 the country generates nearly 7200 tonnes of domestic, construction, commercial and industrial solid waste a day.

Ras Laffan complex: Qatar’s emission prone hydrocarbon industry has taken major steps – many internationally recognised – to improve its CO2 output, but its critics feel it still has a long way to go, and the sector will no doubt be under serious scrutiny at this year’s COP 18 event in Doha. (Image courtesy QatarGas)

The government has committed itself to a National Water Act by 2016, that aims to lower current network water loss from 25 percent to 10 percent. treating and using by-product water from oil production and refining operations. Shell is developing new GTL products and TCE Consultants Engineers, a subsidiary of India’s Tata Group, will develop software used to design green buildings. Additionally, French energy giant Total is doing research and development on multiphase oil and gas production, carbonate reservoir modelling, acid gas management, polymer production and air-quality management.

CONSTRUCTION DEMANDS

Qatar’s many and extensive building projects create a lot of waste, pollution and energy demands, while the finished products often necessitate huge long-term energy inputs in terms of air conditioning and water. For this reason, the Qatar Green Building Council (QGBC) and Qatar’s construction sector are working together to reduce the damage and long-term operational costs.

One example is the Doha High Rise Office Building, which features cladding of which the diameter of the openings varies in accordance with the solar orientation to reduce sunlight penetration. Qatar’s largest aluminium and glazing company, Alutec, also installed the first ventilated curtain wall project in Qatar, where the building facade has cool air circulating through it between two insulated glass panels, leading to decreased air conditioning costs.

These initiatives also have trickle-down effects.

According to the Middle East-based environmental consultancy firm AESG it has more than doubled its turnover between 2011 and 2012, in part because of increasing government regulations and green construction awareness in Qatar.

Local architect Ibrahim Jaidah also feels the country has made progress, but more can be done. “The way that I can see it coming in the next few years is that we are pushing it, as the QGBC, and eventually the green building movement will become legislation rather than a luxury. In other words, even if you are building a house there should be a minimum aspect of green building that you should implement.”

Qatar’s mushrooming cement manufacturing industry also produces large amounts of carbon dioxide; globally the industry is responsible for around five percent of all greenhouse gas emissions. In response, Msheireb Properties announced in August that it is introducing more environmentally responsible concrete at Msheireb

Downtown Doha, one of the world’s largest urban sustainable regeneration projects.

Msheireb Properties’ on-site concrete batching within Msheireb Downtown Doha means that, compared with making 100 round trips per day to the nearest concrete batching plant, located 25 kilometres from Doha, the new facility will slash the distance travelled by supply trucks by nearly half, from 3.9 million kilometres per year to 1.4 million kilometres per year, and reducing vehicle CO2 emissions by 4551 metric tonnes per year or equivalent to 750 passenger vehicles consuming 1,759,470 litres of gasoline.

“Locating the batching plant at the construction site also saves fuel in the transportation of labour and raw materials, and reduces the need for cooling to maintain concrete at a stable temperature during summertime transportation and pouring,” says Mohammed Al Marri of Msheireb Properties. It is calculated that upon completion, the expected energy and water reduction in the project will reduce carbon dioxide emissions by as much as 110,000 metric tons per year, compared to a conventional urban development of a similar size.

Though ‘green concrete’ reduces emissions by using recycled materials as a substitute for cement in the concrete mixing process, which is then not only stronger than ordinary concrete, but emits less heat while curing, Sarah Clarke, co-ordinator for the Qatar Green Building Council’s Solid Waste Interest Group, is not convinced however this is allowed under current legislation, “which goes...to the need for policy and legislative change,” says Clarke.

Qatar’s growing population and burgeoning building projects create bigger demands for green spaces, projects that require huge amounts of water. In response a pilot project to grow trees using 90 percent less water was launched this year in West Bay and Lusail under the joint auspices of the Netherlands embassy, Doha Municipality, Dutch company AquaPro Holland and Lusail City.

A total of 160 saplings have been planted using the Groasis waterboxx technology. “This is a planting technology, and not a way of irrigation. While planting during the first year water savings go over 90 percent compared to any other planting method,” an official explains. “The technology is a copy of how Mother Nature solves the problem of planting in deserts, eroded areas and on rocks. Thus we can replant in manmade desert or eroded areas, restore the vegetation cover and make them

The Qatar Science & Technology Park (QSTP, part of the Qatar Foundation) is home to 21 international companies and provides the premises, services and support to create incubators for new, green technology. “One area that is of particular importance in Qatar in this regard is carbon dioxide emissions,” says Tidu Maini, executive chairman.

Award-winning Doha High Rise Office Building, which features cladding of which the diameter of the openings varies in accordance with the solar orientation to reduce sunlight penetration.

productive with fruit trees and vegetables.” If successful, the pilot project could be replicated all over Qatar.

Efficient drip irrigation systems and a planting palette that focuses on native and adapted species, which is one of Msheireb Downtown Doha project’s landscaping commitments, can achieve further reductions.

According to Qasim Radaideh, operations director of annual Doha sustainability exhibition EcoQ, there are new greening technologies available that not only reduce the amount of irrigation water by 90 percent, but also create a new biological soil system that drastically increases the fertility. “But until companies are legally forced to do these things, they will continue as before.”

WATER PROBLEMS

Renewable energy in the form of solar desalination is being placed at the heart of the Qatar National Food Security Programme (QNFSP’s) plans. World class research and development centres are being established to develop and test the technology in Qatar, and the fresh water produced will be used in agriculture and revive the country’s very depleted aquifers.

However, the demand for water also needs to be brought under control. Qatar has one of the lowest renewable water resources but highest rates of water consumption in the world, with Qatari nationals receiving water free from charge. The government has committed itself to a National Water Act by 2016, which will enforce piping and leak-sealing operations to lower network water losses from 25 percent to 10 percent.

“The fact that Qataris don’t pay for water and electricity means there is little motivation to save,” explains Radaideh. “I agree, give an example amount of it for free, but only up to a point, and make them pay for the rest.” Radaideh feels that only government legislation can help to seriously reduce the demand. “It’s good to want to reuse the water, but the best is to use as little as possible to begin with.”

A system is needed to make Qataris realise the value of water, Fahad bin Mohamed Al Attiya, chairman of the Qatar QNFSP, said earlier this year. “[Water] is more valuable to us than oil and gas. If you expect to pay for petrol, why not for water?” he asked at the 45th meeting of the board of governors of the World Water Council in Doha. “One also has to understand that this country and its people never had access to water for many centuries. So the right to access water has come as a result of the absence of access to water, before the desalination plants came. Today we don’t have that hardship of the past generations and we want to make sure that we act responsibly.”

One government initiative is the Tarsheed campaign, aimed at conservation and efficient use of water and electricity, though the effect of this is yet to be determined.

The Qatar Green Building Council (QGBC) and Qatar’s construction sector are working together to reduce the damage and long-term operational costs.

As air conditioning accounts for most of the electricity consumption, cleaner technologies such as district cooling – the centralised production and distribution of cooling energy – have been developed.

This year the non-profit, pro-environment International District Energy Association (IDEA) presented its System of the Year Award to Qatar Cool for its method that uses 50 percent of the energy utilised in conventional cooling systems. The work of the company, which built and operates the world’s largest integrated district cooling plant, translates into less harmful emissions and less refrigerant leakage, takes up less space and eliminates unsightly and noisy air conditioning units.

PAPeR, TRANsPORT ANd WAsTe

On a national scale, the government is investing heavily in green technologies that should help the country become more energy efficient. New laws regulating and encouraging the use of renewable energy sources are to also be promulgated within the near future.

To reduce paper use, Qatar launched its official E-government portal. Through cooperation with government agencies and public service providers, the new Hukoomi (www.gov.qa) has emerged to make online information more readily available for locals and expatriates. The portal, which can also be accessed from mobile devices, hosts a number of important e-services, as well as government documents, programmes, events, initiatives, service application forms and general information.

In another effort, the government of Qatar earlier teamed up with the UN Environment Programme for an international conference on the protection of the ozone layer. The conference, held in November 2008 in Doha, was an effort to reduce the amount of paper handed out to delegates by using electronic means instead. The event organisers gave delegates laptops with special software that allowed them to share and amend papers. They were also given lessons on how to minimise paper use in terms of documents, reports and publications. Beyond simply saving paper, the initiative reduced greenhouse gas emissions linked with the shipment of conference documents and publications to and from such meetings.

Although an integrated public transport system is still in its infancy in Qatar, the public transport operator Mowasalat recently began using electric buses and taxis, and some vehicles powered by LNG. It is also expected to launch a fleet of water taxis by 2013 that

will initially cover Lusail, West Bay and the new Doha International Airport. At the Qatar Foundation, an internal tram system is being built with hybrid energy storage systems, consuming up to 30 percent less energy per year and producing less CO2 emission than vehicles without such systems, while the transportation of goods should also be 30 percent cheaper than by road. As part of the implementation of the Qatar Transport Master Plan, it is foreseen that the increase in the cost of vehicle ownership, coupled with an effective public transport system, will reduce the dependency on privately owned vehicles.

The new multi-billion QR rail and metro network, much of it set for completion before 2022, will hopefully reduce the amount of cars on the road, and as part of the implementation of the Qatar Transport Master Plan, it is foreseen that the increase in the cost of vehicle ownership, coupled with an effective public transport system, will reduce the dependency on privately owned vehicles.

Another issue that needs urgent attention is domestic waste that is increasing by approximately 10 to 15 percent per annum. The government is making efforts to contain domestic waste generation to 1.6 kilogrammes per capita per day.

Much can be done, for example such as the steps taken by the real estate agency LS Properties, based in Tornado Tower, one of the greener building projects in Qatar. Says Arron Browne, managing director: “We try and use screen presentations rather than handouts. We do not have a kettle in the office, which requires boiling every time a tea or coffee is made. We have very few light switches, as they all operate on motion sensors.

We ensure that each person’s computer is pre-set to turn off when not used.” According to Browne, most acts of reduction are also money savers, the biggest motivator to change habits.

On the occasion of World Environment Day celebrated on June 5, Qatari Diar and VINCI Construction (QDVC) organised a workshop on eco-driving methods at the Tornado Tower where its head office is also located. “We started this awareness campaign last year for World Environment Day with our own employees and their families,” says Sheikha Athba Al Thani, sustainable development manager at QDVC. “This year, we have decided to go one step beyond and to invite all the tenants of the Tornado Tower.

7000

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Total CO2 emissions in millions of tonnes CO2 emissions per capita in tonnes

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LEGEND: CO2 EMISSIONS PER CAPITA

TOTAL CO2 EMISSIONS IN MILLION

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Total cO2 emissions in millions of tonnes against emissions per capita

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India

Saudi Arabia

Russia

United States

Qatar

Source: united Nations statistics division 2007 figures updated in 2010

Leading local architect Ibrahim Jaidah feels the country has made progress in greening construction, but more can be done. “Eventually green building will become legislation rather than a luxury,” he says.

During the workshop, we explained how to implement simple tips while driving to decrease the fuel consumption and thus decrease the pollution. With the 20 points of advice we gave, people can reduce their CO2 emissions up to 20 percent. This initiative is one of the sustainable development actions organised all year long and in collaboration with all our services,” adds Al Thani.

A further example is the Georgetown University School of Foreign Service Qatar where green efforts, such the installation of LED lighting, have led to some significant wins in the last two years. “We have reduced our energy consumption by 32 percent, paper procurement by 25 percent and plastic bottle procurement by 23 percent,” says Clare Wait, director of facilities management.

In September the Green Hotel Interest Group ‘GHIG’ was launched in Doha. It saw leading hotels, organisations and individuals come together to create a forum that will join forces with hospitality partners across Qatar and work towards offsetting the CO2 emissions generated by the hospitality sector.

The “Green Team” at Wyndham Grand Regency Doha, for example, explained how it is already saving energy, water, gas, paper and washing chemicals and setting a model for the concept of ‘reduce’ hospitality sector in the country. “By replacing the halogen spotlights in 242 rooms with LED lights, we reduced energy consumption by about 75 percent,” says Manish Dahal from the engineering department. The hotel also asked its suppliers to use reusable plastic containers.

Part of one of the Middle East’s largest environmental solutions providing companies, Averda Qatar is another active player in this regard, as Tarek Khouri, managing director, explains: “Our role may be to collect waste from our clients on a daily basis, but our aspiration is to reach out to the communities which we serve. Therefore, we have been diligent in taking on the task of raising awareness on minimising waste and making recycling a part of each individual’s daily habits. We explain to our clients the adverse effects that improper disposal of waste has on our health and on our environment.”

When the future speaks, we listen.

Taking noTe Today for a cleaner, greener Tomorrow.

Jaidah Group understands that the growth of tomorrow depends on the decisions we make today. That’s why we are listening to the voices of the future and taking measures to protect the environment for many generations to come.

P.O.Box:150, Doha-Qatar, Tel: +974 4446 6888 - 4441 4100, www.jaidah.com.qa

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THE second R IS REuse...

ven though the concept of reusing objects and resources is ostensibly lagging in Qatar, some progress is being made. This principle refers to several points, be it investing in items that can be reused, for example using cloth shopping bags or buying reusable food containers. Or it can entail reusing articles, repairing them if necessary, or reusing waste water. Due to Qatar’s economic growth and consumer culture, the economic advantages of reusing are not that obvious. Whereas the government can introduce laws to reduce energy use and pollution, or put infrastructure in place to facilitate recycling, the act of reusing is often up to individuals’ awareness and initiative.

WATER REUSE

Local agriculture is almost entirely dependent on irrigation from pumped groundwater, but Qatar’s aquifers will be depleted in 20 to 30 years at the current rates of withdrawal. The Arab Forum for Environment and Development (AFED) has noted that 13 Arab countries are among the world’s 19 most water-scarce nations.

To increase fresh water supplies to the country, desalination projects (some solar powered) continue, but have negative environmental impacts as the by-products are toxic. Therefore the effective reuse of grey water, sewerage and storm water is under discussion by the private sector and the government.

Oryx GTL, for instance, produces two litres of processed (waste) water for every one litre product it creates. “The processed water is upgraded in an effluent treatment system to irrigation water quality, meeting Ministry of Environment requirements,” says Marléne Janse van Vuuren, the company’s head of environment.

“And almost all this water is then used in the Ras Laffan Industrial City Complex for landscaping purposes.” At Msheireb Downtown Doha, a non-potable water system will treat municipality supplied treated sewage effluent to be used in the cooling system, and for irrigation as well as the flushing of all toilets. This will save millions of litres of potable water per day, the developers say.

Other Qatari businesses have launched similar

initiatives, such as the Gulf Contracting Company’s accommodation camps that have eliminated the removal of sewerage. They recycle the water, which is then used for urinals and toilets, and at building sites where it is used for dust suppression and curing concrete.

Qatar University and ExxonMobil also announced in October a 12-month, QR 2.2 million study to assess the potential to treat industrial waste water through phytoremediation, a process using plants to naturally clean the water. It will evaluate the effectiveness of native plant species to contain, degrade or eliminate contaminants present in industrial waste water in an engineered wetlands system. The treated water could then be reused in nonpotable applications such as park or green-space irrigation.

Technology too, is bringing some relief, with highly saline land now recovered for agriculture use through beneficial microbes called Mycorrhiza. This also reduces the amount of fresh water needed for farming by 25 percent. Water purification company AquaDania promotes its WaterStiller solar technology in Qatar, which can distil any water by simply using a solar panel as an energy source. At this stage it is mainly used by inland dwellers and the hospitality industry, but given that it requires no chemicals and leads to no CO2 output, technologies like these should become more popular.

Besides reusing steel and some wood in their operations, Averda Qatar recycles the rest with different suppliers says Tarek Khouri, managing director, “We have a service called Lavora where we help businesses such as laundromats to reduce their water consumption by up to 70 percent by using a closed loop system to filter and recycle their laundry wastewater.”

At the 10th Gulf Water Conference in April in Doha, Fahad bin Mohamed Al Attiya, chairman of Qatar National Food Security Programme, also pointed out that there are small but important techniques to reuse water more efficiently. “When building a house, think about the most efficient way in designing the water recycling system. For instance, grey water (wastewater generated from domestic activities) could be captured at home and used for gardening, car washing, and other purposes.”

The Pearl-Qatar development has a policy stating that no retailer operating on the island can give customers a plastic bag. Shoppers either buy a degradable or reusable bag or bring their own reusable bags with them.

Qatari agriculture is almost entirely dependent on irrigation from pumped groundwater, but Qatar’s aquifers will be depleted in 20 to 30 years at current rates.

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Arron Browne, managing director of real estate agency LS Properties, says if any of their documents are misprinted or unusable, they turn those pages into notebooks. “A small act, but it saves a great deal of waste per year,” he says.

SOLID WASTE

Reusing organic material to create fertile soil in this sandy country seems like an obvious thing to do – to help green the environment and reduce the pressure on landfills. Yet earlier this year Dr. Sarah Clarke, Qatar Green Building Council’s Solid Waste Interest Group co-coordinator, pointed out that more than 50 percent of municipal solid waste generated in Qatar is organic waste, with food waste constituting the majority.

“Residents who have space in their backyard could turn organic waste into compost with a little effort and use it as a natural fertilizer for the home garden, effectively tackling the solid waste disposal issue,” she said.

Georgetown University School of Foreign Service in Qatar (SFS-Q) is set to host QF’s pilot programme for composting in Education City. With the purchase of the A900 Rocket, a two metre long metal cylinder capable of handling up to 1750 litres of food at a time, SFS-Q will be able to process up to 5260 litres of organic waste products per week, greatly reducing its output of material destined for Qatar’s landfills.

Daily, a huge amount of paper is used in Qatar, yet little of it is reused or printed on both sides. Arron Browne, managing director of real estate agency LS Properties, says if any of their documents are misprinted or unusable, they “ring-bind the scrap paper and then use these as notebooks.

Again, a small act, but it saves a great deal of waste per year.” Similar initiatives are supported at various other places, including Georgetown University Qatar.

The best way to deal with the excess plastic in Qatar is to dramatically reduce its use or cut it out completely. This why the Pearl-Qatar development has a policy stating that no retailer operating on the island can give customers a plastic bag. Shoppers either buy a degradable or reusable bag or bring their own bags with them. At Georgetown University Qatar the institution has introduced reusable sturdy plastic water bottles. And at the Wyndham Grand Regency Doha, the half-used shampoo bottles and soap collected from the rooms are being used to clean the public areas of the hotel, including the floors and toilets.

Another local project to reduce the amount of waste is the Qatar Scientific Club’s (QSC) collaboration with other institutions to repair and reuse discarded computers. The ‘green computer’ project, which was launched in 2008, has recently picked up steam with a QR200,000 grant from the Commercial Bank. Microsoft, the Ministry of Interior and the Public Works Authority, among others, have also contributed. Organisers say the bottom line of such an initiative is not just about supporting poorer people to give them access to technology, but more significantly on QSC’s contribution to reuse possible waste to help the environment.

Advertorial

Arabian Green Buildings co. & Qatar Green Leaders join forces to provide Comprehensive Green Building Services: In response to the large interest in the Green Building Design & Sustainable Construction that emerged in Qatar recently, and in line with Qatar National Vision 2030, a new Joint Venture between Arabian Green Buildings Co. & Qatar Green Leaders has been established. The Joint Venture aims at providing a State-of-the-art Green Building Certification Facilitation, Design Management & Project Management for projects seeking certification under LEED (Leadership in Energy & Environmental Design) and/or GSAS/QSAS (Global/Qatar Sustainability Assessment System) rating systems. Capitalizing on the vast experience of the two companies & equipped with a long track record in the Green Building field, the Joint Venture will have the capacity & the know-how to handle & manage the certification process for projects of any type, of any size and at any phase.

The AGB-QGL JV team provides the following professional, comprehensive and innovative green building consulting services to its clients in Qatar. Our services include: LEED and/or GSAS/QSAS Design Management, Green Building Certification Facilitation and Training. We developed a comprehensive, clear, and concise sustainable design management and methodology to assist project owners and design/construction teams achieve LEED and/or GSAS/QSAS certification.

Our innovative process has proven to be consistently successful in providing the following service packages: Owners/Developers Sustainability Advisors: During the early Planning Stage of a building project, we may be hired by the Building Owner/Developer as Green Building Facilitators to guide the whole process from inception to completion towards achieving sustainability goals or earning certain certification LEED and/or GSAS/QSAS. Our involvement may include: • Green Building Feasibility Assessment • Green Building Certification Facilitation • Review RFPs, plans and specifications • Suggest design alternatives • Interview contractors and consultants • Provide peer reviews of other green consultants • Review LEED and/or GSAS/QSAS Strategies Assessment Sustainable Design Management: After the project design is awarded to a specific consultant, we may be hired by the Design Team as Green Building Design Managers to guide the design towards achieving the building owner’s goals. Our involvement may include: • Organize & manage design Charettes & LEED and/or GSAS/QSAS kick-off meetings • Facilitate establishment of green design goals • Educate team on achieving required rating

Contact PO Box 37986 Doha, Qatar Tel. +974 4455 4309 Fax +974 4455 4310 Mob. +974 5516 8239 info@qatargreenleaders.com - info@agbqatar.com www.qatargreenleaders.com - www.agbqatar.com

• Coordinate between all design disciplines • Tracking, measuring & reporting progress • Supporting the design team

Design and Specification Review: • Identify opportunities for reducing energy use and identify potential operations and maintenance issues • Identify occupant health and comfort improvements • Suggest improved specification language and recommend products and materials LEED/QSAS Certification Project Management: • Educate project team about LEED and/or GSAS/ QSAS process and identify potential LEED credits or GSAS/QSAS criteria • Review design, documentation, and calculations.

• Monitor overall progress.

• Register and submit projects with USGBC and GORD. Green Building Technical Support & Coordination: After the project construction is awarded to a specific contractor, we may be hired by the Construction Team as Green Building Project Managers to guide the construction towards achieving the building owner’s goals. Our involvement may include: • Evaluation of Construction Documentation & Specifications • Providing Green Building Technical Support to the Construction Team

• Coordination between Construction Team & Green Building Facilitator • Tracking, measuring & reporting progress • Assisting the construction team

Building Commissioning / Energy Modelling / Day lighting Simulations :

In collaboration with other affiliate specialists, we provide LEED-compliant and/or GSAS/QSAS-compliant Commissioning Services (Cx), Energy Modelling & Daylighting Simulations to ensure project compliance with certification requirements

Sustainable Design/LEED Training:

• Prepare candidates for the LEED AP & GSAS/QSAS CGP exams • Introduce Concepts of GSAS/QSAS • Deliver In-depth Training for LEED and GSAS/QSAS • Sustainable Project Management Training

THE third R IS recycle...

A

Qatar National Development Strategy 2011-2016 report outlines a guideline whereby the country must establish a solid waste management plan by 2016, which will facilitate greater recycling, the primary object, and reduce generation of domestic waste substantially. It will cover households, industry and commercial establishments as well as construction and demolition, and provide classification for all types of domestic and non-domestic waste mapping their sources.

SOLID WASTE

Given that 7156 tonnes of solid waste is being collected daily from more than 54,000 points and disposed of in Qatari landfills, the country now aims to recycle 38 percent of the total solid waste generation by 2016 – against the existing eight percent. Not only are landfills environmentally unsound, but it is also not a practical solution given the limited land available.

“Recycling is high on Qatar’s agenda and there have been some initiatives,” says Qasim Radaideh, operations director of EcoQ. According to Radaideh people need to be sure that the effort they make to segregate their waste has a purpose.

“Where does it go, what happens to it, is it not simply dumped somewhere without being recycled?” Yet the biggest obstacle is a lack of demand for recycled materials.

“There is no point in recycling if nobody wants to buy the products,” Radaideh says, “The main challenge is that the complete cycle is missing; if there is no demand for the recycled articles, all the other parts of the process fall apart.”

Sarah Clarke, coordinator of the Solid Waste Interest Group (SWIG) at Qatar Green Building Council (QGBC), says there are around 25 companies in Qatar who do various forms of recycling; however these are for industrial and commercial producers. “It is very difficult as a member of the public to do any form of recycling except to take it to your office or to one of the parks where there is no guarantee that it is actually being recycled,” adds Clarke.

In the interim, one response has been the closure of the domestic landfill and the construction of an Integrated Domestic Solid Waste Management Centre (DSWMC) and four waste transfer stations. The 300 hectare facility near Mesaieed is designed to treat up to 2300 tonnes of mixed domestic solid waste per day, in principle serving the waste treatment needs for the whole of Qatar. It comprises state-of-the-art waste sorting and recycling facilities, an engineered landfill and a composting plant – the world’s biggest in an integrated waste-to-energy facility. Furthermore its 1500 tonnes per day Waste-to-Energy (WTE) incineration plant takes care of the waste that cannot be recycled. The transfer stations are equipped with collection bunkers for separating recyclables such as glass, paper, aluminium and plastic.

The DSWMC aims to reduce the share of total waste sent to landfills from 92 percent to 64 percent.

According to the builders and current operator of the DSWMC, Keppel Seghers, the integrated waste management chain can ultimately help to achieve up to 95 percent diversion from landfilling, but is currently receiving waste beyond its daily capacity. Therefore a plan has been mooted to expand the facility in the short term as replicating it would take over five years.

Efforts are underway to make inhabitants aware of the opportunity to use recycled products, such as furniture made from recycled wood, or the 300 tonnes of compost produced daily at DSWMC. For now, the government accepts that public awareness campaigns, collection networks and recycling bins will encourage waste separation, and for this

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Though by no means pervasive in Qatar the concept of recycling is starting to gain traction among the citizens of the country, though the number of recycling facilities remain wanting, in part due to economies of scale as well as public demand.

purpose it has sponsored some activities. There are also recycling bins for glass, plastic, cans and paper at the Dahl Al Hamman Park, Qatar Foundation, Doha Zoo, Rumeillah Park, at some shopping centres and businesses, and in many apartment buildings. Tornado Tower, for example, boasts its own recycling facilities, which are built into the structure, and all of the office waste is separated and recycled daily.

Most commentators are adamant that the government needs to do a lot more in terms of setting up the necessary infrastructure and supporting the underdeveloped recycling industry. At this stage the Waste Recycling Committee, in partnership with the Ministry of Business and Trade, may arrange subsidies to jump start the local recycling industry, subject to review after five years. Inhabitants also need to see waste reduction and recycling as an ordinary responsibility, adopted out of respect for future generations.

E-Waste

With the fast turnover of new and cheaper electronic devices, electronic waste (e-waste) has become a hallmark of current consumer societies. Internationally e-waste is the fastest growing part of the overall waste stream, and mobile devices are a mounting issue, since they contain heavy metals and a number of non-biodegradable elements. These cause harm to the environment, food and human health. To help manage this issue, Qatar Telecom (Qtel) launched a waste

recycling programme, where locals and expatriates could drop unwanted electronic equipment in Qtel shops. For larger items, telecommunications giant Qtel hosted ‘Big Drop Days’ where large items such as TVs, refrigerators and other kitchen appliances, computers, printers are accepted for recycling – all in line with the National Program for Raising Awareness and Safe Disposal of Electronic Waste (NPRASDEW).

RasGas, as part of its growing programme of recycling, also commenced with e-waste recycling last year. Although these initiatives divert waste from landfills, the big challenges are still to find a market for the recycled materials, and to recycle it locally instead of shipping it off to overseas recyclers.

Msheireb Properties has also awarded Sweden’s ENVAC AB a major contract to install a state-of-theart automated waste recycling system for its flagship Msheireb Downtown project in Doha.

The installation of the processing system reflects Msheireb Properties’ commitment to sustainable development across all its projects and is in line with Qatar’s Vision 2030. The system, which can handle around 80 percent of household waste, will see three vertical chutes installed in each residential building, with inlets on each floor. Each is specially designed to handle organic waste such as kitchen refuse, ‘dry’ mixed recyclables such as glass, plastic, metal, cardboard packaging, newspapers etc, and residual waste such as wet paper, clothes, and other refuse.

“Recycling is high on Qatar’s agenda and there have been some initiatives, [but] there is no point in recycling if nobody wants to buy the products.” – Qasim Radaideh, operations director of EcoQ.

RUBBER OUT

As more than 981 million rubber tyres are being scrapped worldwide every year, the recycling of these items are now acknowledged as partly the manufacturers’ responsibility. In the European Union (EU), rubber is banned from waste disposal sites due to, among other reasons, the slow decomposting rate. Tyres can be retreaded and later recycled to be turned into rubber crumb, which is used in road construction, flooring, insulation material and footwear. According to petrochemical expert Rajeev Pandia from GRP, a large rubber recycling firm in India, the cost of partially devulcanised rubber, compared to virgin sources of rubber, is much more favourable and the product is environmentally friendlier, as there are huge savings in terms of the energy required to make it.

Currently India and China are leaders in this field because of low labour costs.

In Qatar the Seashore Tyre Recycling facility has the ability to process up to 30 tonnes per day, yet has experienced a lack of demand for the rubber pellets recycled from the tyres.

According to TK Aboosali, Seashore general manager, the rubber powder could be used as modified asphalt for road paving and this technology is very common in advanced countries.

“But rubber mixed asphalt is not yet approved by Qatar Construction Standard (QCS) and it is a big challenge in marketing the product within Qatar,” Aboosali says. “Tyres are a huge problem,” adds Clarke.

“The metal can be recycled but the rubber pellets have no market unless shipped out of Qatar until legislation allows it to be used in construction.”

PLASTIC, PAPER, etcetera

The recycling of plastic, specifically polyethylene terephthalate (PET) used in plastic water bottles, is also high on manufacturers’ agenda. With the Middle East and Asia accounting for nearly half of the world demand of more than 17 million tonnes of PET per year, it only makes sense that more if not all of it is recycled. While the collection rate of used PET is high in Asia, it is very low in the Middle East. Pandia from GRP feels more government incentives would help to improve the situation, seeing that the evolution of technology has given us the optimal solutions. “The recycled PET versus virgin PET price relationship ration has increased, making it economically much more viable,” adds Aboosali.

One of the largest plastic recyclers in Qatar is Doha Plastic, whose factory of 15,000 square meters and 70 employees recycles all types of plastic material to provide a large range of products. According to Shaker Alansari, the general manager, they are planning to increase their recycling ability to cover expected increase in the level of work in Qatar. “Green efforts are a mutual effort between government and public; sometimes it needs a stick and carrot policy,” Alansari says in reaction to the low recycling rate in the country. “Recycling should be changed from a voluntary work to more organised and obligatory acts.”

According to Clarke, plastic recycling is a

The Qatar Seashore Tyre Recycling facility has the ability to process up to 30 tonnes per day. “The metal can be recycled but the rubber pellets have no market unless shipped out of Qatar until legislation allows it to be used in construction,” says Sarah Clarke, coordinator of the Solid Waste Interest Group (SWIG) at Qatar Green Building Council.

With 7156 tonnes of solid waste collected daily from more than 54,000 points, Qatar aims to recycle 38 percent of the total by 2016 – against the existing eight percent. problematic issue. “My advice for the public is not to use it in the first place – rather use glass, instead of plastic bottles for water, for instance.”

As for Qatar’s used paper, some of it is recycled at the Al Suwaidi Paper Factory in Doha’s industrial area.

This stand-alone company started business in 2001 and now has more than 200 employees involved in recycling the paper waste of a host of companies and turning it into cardboard. Al Suwaidi also educates the participating companies’ staff regarding recycling and teaches them about waste separation.

Environmental solutions provider Averda Qatar, for its part, offers their clients the most secure and environmentally sound method available to safeguard private paper-based information.

“All documents are destroyed on-site with 100 percent of the resulting waste material recycled into new paper products,” says Tarek Khouri, managing director.

“Each time we complete a shredding service, we report

Doha Plastic is one of the largest plastic recyclers in Qatar, with a floor space of more than 15,000 square metres. “Recycling should be changed from a voluntary work to more organised and obligatory acts,” says general manager Shaker Alansari. (Image courtesy Doha Plastic)

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how many trees were saved and provide clients with an annual Treesaver environmental certificate at the end of the year, stating the total number of trees saved.”

For metal waste – which according to Clarke is in great demand because it has value – Lucky Group, one of the largest metal recyclers in the Middle East, has a huge modern facility in Doha. According to Salman Shaban, commercial manager of Lucky Group, better public awareness and government policies are key to increasing recycling. But more practical things also need to be done.

“Qatar should set up public recycling depots across the country to make it easier for the public to drop off their recyclables,” says Shaban. “And more villa compounds and condominium communities should make their own recycling depots in their club houses and community centres.” The company’s mission is to make every Gulf citizen understand that recycling is the key to saving finite resources. “In future, we plan to work closely with other recycling partners in Qatar that handle waste such as plastic, paper and wood to increase our scope of recycling,” adds Shaban.

In another step, the Arab International Aluminium Conference, to be held in Doha in November, will discuss environmental issues and their correlation with the aluminium industry. Recycling is high on their agenda as the process uses no more than five percent of the energy needed to manufacture new aluminium.

Qatar currently generates around 4000 tonnes of used batteries each year from workshops, garages, heavy trucks, cars, machines and other sources, and the amount is growing by five to seven percent per year. To deal with this, the Rassas Battery Recycling Factory, located in the Mesaieed Industrial City, is expected to enter service by 2013 and ultimately treat some 10,000 tonnes of used batteries per year. This facility, which will also neutralise hazardous sulphuric acid, will be the first environment friendly battery recycling facility in Qatar. Once operational, the factory will produce about 72,000 battery units of different sizes for the local market, which is expected to reduce the price of batteries as well as Qatar’s reliance on imports of the product.

Continued on page 20

Advertorial

Ras Laffan Industrial City and the Climate Change The need to combat climate change is on top of the State of Qatar and QP and international agenda with focus on greenhouse gas emissions reduction. Qatar is taking a lead on this and is part of their 20-30 vision. As such Qatar has start preparing national strategies for the low carbon future and to formulate the necessary approach and ensure meeting the climate change requirements.

QP/RLC has completed a greenhouse gas study in respect of the RLIC concession area by working closely with its stakeholders, Ministry of Environment, and QP Oil and Gas Venture Directorate towards identifying the sources and quantifying the emissions with the aim of reducing current flaring and minimizing emissions from their operations and jointly established accounting and reporting system In parallel with the MoE of lower emissions requirements, the Ras Laffan industrial planning, infrastructure and environmental policies and programmes are developed based on the premise that natural resources are not inexhaustible commodities to be exploited but are limited assets which should be wisely managed for the benefit of present and future generations. Accordingly, RLIC end-users have invested substantial amounts of financial and technological support for using higher efficiency and lower emissions equipments. Also applied both mitigation and retrofitting of existing equipment to ensure current GHG emissions is not exceeded with the new expansions and or new development..

As one of the main flare reduction and control project, QP Ras Laffan and QG recently announced a major project to build a jetty boil off gas recovery system where recovered gas will be used as fuel for both Qatargas and RasGas operations. The project will improve the using of integrated land management system; and apply the RLC policy of synergy and single point operator philosophy.

Viewing the Climate Change Challenges from QP/ Ras Laffan Industrial City Perspective QP/ Ras Laffan Industrial City have addressed the climate change challenges and achieved carbon emissions reduction through the different means including reuse and recycle of liquid wastes, minimizing and managing solid waste, responsive and efficient policies and programmes and by successful implementation of projects through the partnership with the stakeholders and contractors.

Water Conservation: RLC Zero discharge policy mandated all operators with RLC to reuse the Treated Sewage Effluent (TSE) and Treated Industrial Water (TIW) generated from camps and industrial plants for landscaping and other uses. It has been regulated that 3.5% of the total plant area must be used for landscaping.

Air Quality: RLC have installed six (6) air quality monitoring stations in and around the RLC area to ensure air quality is maintained within the regulated permissible quality limits.

Air Emissions: Minimizing air emissions using the most effective and efficient technologies. The most stringent environmental legal requirements and the corporate social responsibility constituted the drives for industries to retrofit existing equipments and use the

Contact PO Box 22247 - Doha, Qatar Tel. +974 4473 3452 Fax +974 4473 3459 Email rlc-pr@qp.com.qa www.raslaffan.qp.qa

The Common Volatile Organic Compounds Facility receives the following product streams during loading and unloading operations: Naptha, Kerosene, Gasoline, Gasoil and Baseoil

Abdulaziz Jassim Al-Muftah – Director, Ras Laffan: RLC QP recognizes that climate change is one of the main global challenges, involving risks that could be significant for society and ecosystems. Accordingly, RLC QP have its own policy and working with other RLC end users towards strategic approach that address the global warming risk while maintaining economic growth and protecting social development. most advanced technology as and if required. Hence, contributed to significant GHG reduction.

Waste Management: Provide adequate waste management facilities using the concept the waste that we generate is managed.

Impact Avoidance and Mitigation Measures where Restoration, rehabilitation and compensation is the hierarchy of impact avoidance.

Conservation of marine ecosystem: RLC is actively involved in conserving and maintaining an integrated biodiversity system. Marine turtles’ conservation, sea grass restoration and marine environment compliance monitoring are projects implemented to ensure biodiversity is sustained. Also, natural coral reef for example shelter a variety of marine species and therefore maintain marine environment integrity and sustain growth. Biological diversity has a value for agriculture, social, economic, scientific, ecological, cultural and aesthetic purposes.

Harmonious Coexistence: The integration of resources and environmental consideration in the planning and design stages of RLC is evidence of the harmonious coexistence between environment and industry. RLC from the early planning stages onwards, committed to conducting its activities in such a manner that minimize the impact of its operations on the environment and continually improve our environmental performance.

What has been done to face the Climate Change challenges?

1. Building and operating a common volatile organic compound control system

The system achieves up to 98% destruction removal efficiency, reduce significantly the VOC’s equivalent CO2 emissions, avoid smell nuisance complaints from neighboring communities, optimize land and infrastructure requirements and minimize cost, and meet environmental legal requirements.

2. Jetty Boil-Off Gas (BOG) Recovery System The system will achieve complete recovery of BOG from Ras Laffan LNG berths, minimize flaring and reduces air emissions, minimize climate change impact, meeting State environmental legal requirements, use recovered BOG as fuel gas supply.

3. Environmental Impact Assessment Studies RLC has conducted a very comprehensive and thorough environmental impact assessment study of the city’s Master Plan development. Accordingly, the type of industries and its production capacity has been determined to achieve compliance with the environmental regulations and has minimum contribution to the climate change.

4. Environmental Effect Monitoring (EEM) and Compensation Plans Approach RLC have designed an EEM to verify impact predictions of EIA on Biodiversity and evaluate effectiveness of mitigation measures; provide an early warning of undesirable change in the terrestrial and marine environment; and improve understanding of cause and effect relationships in the environment.

Dr. Mohammad Albeldawi – Head of Environment: The climate change is one of the main challenges facing the societies.

We believe that climate change will only be addressed comprehensively if individuals, industries and governmental organizations as well as environmental authorities take responsible steps to reduce the GHG emissions and offset the remaining unavoidable and compensate residual emissions.

Advertorial

meeza green data centres The demand for greater data centre capacity in further and higher education is rising rapidly: the SusteIT survey found that 63% of responding institutions were expecting to make additional investments in housing equipment within the next two years. This has considerable implications for future ICT costs, and makes data centres one of the fastest growing components of an institution’s ‘carbon footprint.

The green data centre has moved from theoretical to realistic, with IT leaders being challenged to develop strategies to deliver computing resources with energy saving features, sustainable materials, and other environmental efficiencies in mind.

Sustainable Design and Construction As a key priority for MEEZA has been social responsibility and commitment to Qatar’s sustainable future and 2030 Vision. These commitments have been critical success factors for both the business requirements and technical design of MEEZA’s data centres. MEEZA’s data centres have been designed to exemplify environmental, human and economic sustainability concerns throughout its construction, its operation phases and at the end of its life. To address these concerns in the design and construction of the data centres MEEZA targeted LEED certification for their new data centres.

LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) is an accepted benchmark for building energy and environmental impact during design, construction and operation. The LEED framework provides an immediate tool for measuring and comparing the environmental impact performance of new construction buildings. Adopting the LEED framework in design and construction promotes a whole building approach to sustainability looking at 5 key areas of human and environmental health:

Sustainable Sites • • • •

Water Efficiency Energy and Atmosphere Materials and Resources Indoor Environmental Quality

MEEZA set an aggressive and aspirational target as part of its design brief for the new M-VAULT 2 and M-VAULT 3 data centre facilities; targeting New Construction v3 LEED ‘Platinum’ for the M-VAULT 2 facility and LEED Core and Shell v3 ‘Gold’ for M-VAULT 3 by aiming to achieve the required points for each of the target levels • • • •

LEED Certified 40 - 49 LEED Silver 50 - 59 LEED Gold 60 - 79 LEED Platinum 80 - 106

Whilst the LEED certification is recognised for sustainable construction for new buildings it does not specifically address the requirements of data centre facilities, in this instance the design challenge is greater to ensure that the efficiency of the building and its associated systems does not impact the data centres ability to deliver the required levels of availability and resilience, MEEZA had identified the business requirement to also have an aggressive aspirational target for the functional design of its new data centre facilities. The critical systems serving the new M-VAULT 2 and M-VAULT 3 facilities had targeted design in accordance with Tier III requirements as defined by the Uptime Institute.

The fundamental Tier III criterion is that the system

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is concurrently maintainable. Each and every element of the system, including chillers, pumps, tanks, valves, and sections of pipe work are designed such that they are isolated for maintenance or replacement while that system continues to provide “N” or duty capacity.

The following should be noted:

When a Tier III system is in maintenance mode (i.e. some change has been made to the normal operating mode to allow for maintenance or replacement of capacity or distribution elements) the system will be operating at a reduced level of resilience.

Achieving the requirements identified for LEED whilst also achieving the functional design requirements of a Tier III data centre presented a significant challenge.

In the first instance the requirement was to identify critical sub-systems design that met the criteria defined by the LEED framework.

In order to achieve the functional and sustainability requirements, the MEEZA data centre environment adopted an innovative approach to the complete building

and compute environment by adopting the following energy saving features: • Effective, low-energy lighting design, including automatic lighting controls • Data Hall Hot aisle/cold aisle containment system, including: • Reduced, variable Computer Room Air Conditioning (CRAC) unit fan volume matched to server demand • Increased data hall air temperatures allowing higher chilled water temperatures • Increased data hall supply/return air temperature difference • High-efficiency CRAC unit fans • Efficient, low-energy design of all space cooling systems including: • High-efficiency electronically-commutated plug fans on CRAC units and electrical plant room cooling units • Central air-based heat reclaim on both the fresh air supply and dehumidification systems.

•

High performance building envelope including minimal glazing, low fabric U-values and a high level of air tightness At design stage however, it is a major challenge to prove the efficiency of the design. In order to do this, MEEZA required the use of sophisticated modeling tools that modeled the performance of the design using Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD), A CFD analysis was conducted by MEEZA to predict the temperature and air-movement that will occur in its Data Centre environments.

Computer models (or Virtual Facilities) were constructed to represent the Data Centre environments.

The computer models were analysed to predict the temperatures based different IT equipment loads. The ability to model and demonstrate the innovative design approach secured maximum points for MEEZA and as such the new MEEZA data center facilities M-VAULT 2 will achieve Uptime Institute Tier III certification and New Construction v3 LEED ‘Platinum’; the first colocation data centre to achieve this in the MENA region; for the M-VAULT 3 facility and Uptime Institute Tier III certification and LEED Core and Shell v3 ‘Gold’ for the M-VAULT 3 facility.

Efficient Data Centre Operations The M-VAULT 3 facility has already started operation earlier this year. It comprises 524sqm offering on average eight kilowatts of compute power racks. The MEEZA M-VAULT 2, project in Al Dayyen municipality north of Doha, consists of a 10,000sqm data centre providing

Contact Qatar Science & Technology Park Office # 106, 1st Floor, Tech 2 PO Box 5825, Doha - Qatar Tel. +974 44051000 Fax +974 44052000 Email info@meeza.net www.meeza.net

3,000sqm of data center compute space and will be operational during Q4 of 2012. The challenge now is to take a sustainable design and implement an efficient operational model that serve the building lifecycle and IT services that the building provides over this lifecycle.

In order to ensure that the compute operations of the data centres are as efficient as possible, MEEZA has adopted the Power Usage Effectiveness metric, which is known as the Green Grid standard. Applying this metric to understand the energy efficiency of IT services and compute devices ensures that MEEZA will deliver a more efficient computing model for the benefit of its clients and ensures that the design intent of the facilities will be realised during its useable life. This effectiveness also equates to a lower cost computing service as resources are maximized in the delivery of the service.

The Power Usage Effectiveness metric determines the effectiveness of the data center operation by measuring the energy used by the IT equipment; Total IT Equipment Power (IEP); as a ratio to the energy used by the facility to deliver that IT power; Total Facility Power (TFP).

Total Facility Power (TFP) is the power being provided to the data centre facility and includes all building sub-systems such as lighting, power generation, power conversions and mechanical systems power usage for cooling equipment.

Center Total IT Equipment Power (IEP) is the power used by the IT equipment in the data centre facility such as storage equipment, servers, network switches and local support machines.

Within a high-density computational environment

such as MEEZA data centres, the power distribution defined by Power Usage Effectiveness metric is the most critical factor. A Power Usage Effectiveness score of 2, indicates that the data centre facility power demand is two times greater than the energy required for powering the IT equipment. A Power Usage Effectiveness value approaching 1.0 indicates 100% efficiency. MEEZA targets a Power Usage Effectiveness of 1.4 ensuring a 60% efficiency gain in the IT operations that it delivers to its clients.

Achieving this effectiveness is a result of the innovative approach of MEEZA to data centre design utilising cold aisle containment for its compute environment. The data centre racks are set up in self-contained aisles behind sealed doors for cooling efficiency. Cold air is only required in the sealed zone.

High heat load densities can be accommodated without discharge air re-circulating to the server inlet resulting in overheating and hence shutdown or failure of the servers and wasted energy for the cooling plant. The data centre supply air volume can be matched exactly to the server demand minimising computer room air conditioning unit fan and power consumption.

As air re-circulation within the data hall is eliminated, cooling air can be supplied at a higher temperature without overheated air entering a server. This allows an increase in the chilled water supply temperature and hence more efficient operation of the chillers this innovation provides a 30% more efficient compute environment ensuring that the sustainable design intent of the facilities is achieved through efficient operations and service delivery.

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Advertorial

Qatar Green BUILDING Council …development that meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs…

Qatar Green Building Council (QGBC) is a nonprofit, membership-driven organization providing leadership and encouraging collaboration in conducting environmentally sustainable practices for green building design and development in Qatar. QGBC also aims to support the overall health and sustainability of the environment, the people, and economic security in Qatar for generations to come. The council, a member of Qatar Foundation, was formally established in 2009 by a decree signed by H.H. Sheikha Moza Bint Nasser and is helping Qatar on its journey to establish a posthydrocarbon, knowledge economy and progressive society. Through QGBC, Qatar will join a network of 80 different countries that run active national green building councils under the umbrella of the World Green Building Council.

QGBC’s members include, representatives from government, real estate developers, investors, facilities managers, consultants, constructors, manufacturers & suppliers, oil & gas, professional firms, financial services, telecom/technology, academia, NGOs & media.

QGBC is setting up operations from its HQ, organizing awareness events, knowledge seminars, training, forums and networking sessions with the like-minded.

To learn more visit www.qatargbc.org.

QGBC Launches Green Hotel Interest Group in Preparation for COP18 Qatar Green Building Council (QGBC) is encouraging the rapidly expanding hospitality sector to adopt best environmental practices in preparation for the coming United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) Conference of the Parties Nº18 (CoP 18) by launching its Green Hotel Interest Group (GHIG). GHIG will join forces with hospitality partners across Qatar and work towards offsetting the CO2 emissions generated by the hospitality sector Eng. Meshal Al-Shamari, Director of Qatar Green Building Council, “The establishment and launch of the Green Hotel Interest Group is timely amidst the flurry of activity following last year’s announcement that Qatar will host the 2022 FIFA® World Cup and the forthcoming CoP18. All eyes are really on Qatar right now.” He also highlighted the importance of sustainable development as a main pillar of the Qatar Vision 2030.

QGBC has already established a number of interest groups within its Research and Innovation Department, including the Solid Waste Interest Group, the Water Interest Group, and the Green Infrastructure Interest Group. The Green Hotel Interest Group represents the latest addition.

Contact PO Box 5825, Doha - Qatar Tel. +(974) 4454 0242 Fax +(974) 4454 0245 Email info@qgbc.org.qa www.qgbc.org.qa

QGBC, Texas A&M and Embassy of the Republic of Corea at collaborative workshop QGBC seek to develop strong partnerships that result in a sustainable and greener Qatar by holding workshops themed around the greening of the urban environment.

Qatar Green Building Council (QGBC) in collaboration with Texas A&M University at Qatar and the Embassy of the Republic of Korea in Qatar.

These sessions ranged from the challenges of adapting engineering systems within existing buildings to the interplay of engineering, building users and facility management practices, how to improve indoor environmental quality and reduce energy consumption.

The event was geared at empowering and educating the ever-evolving green building industry in Qatar, and was organised as part of QGBC’s mission to equip a sustainable building industry that is aligned with the ambitions of the Qatar National Vision 2030, in particular its environment protection pillar.

QGBC Encouraging Volunteers QGBC, a non-profit organization, depends on the strength of its volunteers and members to promote environmentally sustainable practices for green building design and development. The volunteer force is comprised

of members from, who serve with the interest groups that make up QGBC, including, the Solid Waste Interest Group, Water Interest Group, and Green Infrastructure Interest Group. Through volunteering, members support QGBC by steering the agendas of the various interest groups and driving sustainability initiatives. Volunteering ranges from support at events, serving on the various committees, to education outreach initiatives.

INTERESTING FACTS ON RECYCLING

• You can recycle an aluminium drink can repeatedly.

• Recycling one aluminium can can save enough energy to run a TV for three hours.

• Recycling one plastic bottle would save enough energy to light a 60 watt light bulb for three hours.

• The energy saved by recycling one plastic bottle will power a computer for 25 minutes.

• It takes just 25 two litre drink bottles to make one adult size fleece (warm jacket).

• Each ton of recycled paper can save 17 trees, 380 gallons of oil, three cubic yards of landfill space, 4000 kilowatts of energy and 7000 gallons of water.

Continued from page 12 As part of Qatar’s largest industry, energy companies have also stepped up their game. Qatargas, for instance, has over the past five years achieved up to 65 percent recycling of all waste produced. Its recycling includes office waste paper, waste oils, scrap wood, waste concrete, scrap metal, used oil and plastic drums, batteries and plastics. According to Marléne Janse van Vuuren, head of environment at Oryx GTL, huge amounts of catalysts, containing non-renewable precious metals, are used in their chemical processes. These metals are recovered from the spent catalyst and re-used during the production of new catalysts. “Waxy wastes produced during the process are sent to Europe and used in industries as energy in furnaces, while hydrocarbon wastes are either recovered in the refinery or sent to a contractor who can recover hydrocarbon to be sold as industrial oils,” says van Vuuren.

In the end recycling can only work if there is an awareness, demand and segregation of waste at source.

“Our aim is to ensure that each person will be responsible for the sustainability of his or her environment. We separate, bale, and recycle (through our suppliers) wood, plastic, cans, paper, and cardboard,” says Khouri from Averda. “Furthermore, we’ve introduced ReVa, an automated machine enabling users to deposit their plastic bottles into the machines in exchange for coupons which can be redeemed for rewards.”

Averda was also responsible for the waste collection at the recently held, five-day TEDxSummit 2012. Hosted

by Doha Film Institute, the summit was the first event of its kind, hosting over 700 TEDx organisers from across the world. During the event, Averda provided bins for general waste, paper, plastics and other recyclables.

Averda also had 10 Reverse Vending Machines (RVM) on display to collect plastic bottles and cans.

Averda’s role in participating was to aid Doha Film Institute and TEDxSummit organisers in making this into a zero waste event, to the greatest possible extent, from every cycle of the waste streams collected at the event.

Magazine

Publications director Mohamed Jaidah m.jaidah@firefly-me.com MANAGING editor Miles Masterson m.masterson@theedge-me.com Deputy Editor Erika Widén e.widen@theedge-me.com DIGITAL/editorial assistant Shehan Mashood s.mashood@theedge-me.com

The Arab International Aluminium Conference, to be held in Doha in November will discuss green issues within the aluminium industry.

This included paper, cardboard, plastic, cans, glass and food waste, with the aim to educate people to recycle and segregate their waste at the source. All waste collected was taken to Averda’s operations facility to be further segregated and for follow-up treatment as necessary.

Staff from the environmental solutions provider were present across every aspect of the event to ensure all waste was picked up for recycling, and all TEDxSummit participants and hotels were encouraged to get involved – including Fauchon and Movenpick, which assisted in the collection of waste.

All paper, cans, plastic bottles collected were recycled. Food waste was either composted or

transformed into energy at the Doha waste facility. With Averda’s assistance, the TEDxSummit event achieved an 85 percent recycling rate.

“We are proud to assist Qatar in its mission to promote sustainability and environmental awareness.” adds Khouri. “Our participation in TEDxSummit allowed us to encourage and inspire delegates to be more environmentally responsible, by providing them with easy, interactive ways to consciously make a difference by recycling. Our RVMs proved to be especially popular, proving that our solutions resolve problems affecting our eco system by making them beneficial to the local community.”

Plastic bales ready for processing at Doha Plastic. (Image courtesy Doha Plastic)

REGIONAL SALES DIRECTOR Julia Toon j.toon@firefly-me.com +974 6688 0228 Head of Business Sales Manu Parmar m.parmar@theedge-me.com +974 3332 5038 SALES managers Joseph Issac j.issac@firefly-me.com +974 3367 5301

Johanna Romero j.romero@firefly-me.com +974 5500 7108

Finaliser Michael Logaring Photographer Herbert Villadelrey

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TheEDGE is printed monthly © 2012 Firefly Communications. All material strictly copyright and all rights reserved. Reproduction in whole or in part, without the prior written permission of Firefly Communications, is strictly forbidden. All content is believed to be factual at the time of publication. Views expressed by contributors are their own derived opinions and not necessarily endorsed by TheEDGE or Firefly Communications. No responsibility or liability is accepted by the editorial staff or the publishers for any loss occasioned to any individual or company, legal or physical, acting or refraining from action as a result of any statement, fact, figure, expression of opinion or belief contained in TheEDGE. The publisher (Firefly Communications) does not officially endorse any advertising or advertorial content for third party products. Photography/image credits and copyright, where not specifically stated, are that of Shutterstock and/or iStock Photo or Firefly Communications.

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| TheEDGE | Eco Supplement

Advertorial

Doha Bank: At the Forefront of Green Banking Doha Bank is the largest private commercial bank in the State of Qatar. It was incorporated in 1978 and commenced its domestic and international banking services in Doha, Qatar on March 15, 1979.

As one of Qatar’s leading financial services companies, Doha Bank is committed to making banking work for customers and clients like it never has before.

Through innovative technologies and the ingenuity of its people, Doha Bank provides individuals and commercial, corporate and institutional clients across Qatar and even internationally, new and better ways to manage their financial lives – by enabling customers to conduct their banking and investment whenever, wherever and however they choose through an extensive network, and multiple access channels.

Doha Bank is vision-driven in supporting its future activities, progress and expansion with a more diverse portfolio that integrates environmental and social considerations into its product design, mission policy and strategies.

The Bank is one of the most active advocates of sustainability and environmental protection in the Middle East. These values are deeply entrenched in the corporate culture of the Bank, demonstrated by the establishment of the Green Banking Task Force Committee, the first of its kind in Qatar, which implements Doha Bank’s Environmental Policy, initiates environmental and social responsibility-related activities and aligns the Bank’s business operations with green initiatives to promote green culture within the organization and in society.

The Planet Savers Club is a prime example of the Bank’s staff coming together to make this possible.

Established in February 2008, with Doha Bank staff as volunteers for environmental protection, the club falls under the umbrella of the Task Force Committee and its vision is to raise awareness amongst staff on the need to protect the earth’s limited resources and to make it a corporate work culture and habit to use resources wisely.

Doha Bank is aware that corporate institutions have a real and implied commitment to help build the social and environmental standards that are necessary to support their economies.

Doha Bank Group Chief Executive Officer Dr. R. Seetharaman says CSR activities have the potential to create several distinct forms of value for customers: “It is the customer perception of this value that mediates the relationship between CSR activities and subsequent financial performance. CSR leads to outcomes such as increased customer loyalty, willingness to pay premium prices, and lower reputational risks in times of crisis. Improving customer satisfaction, creating products that are easy to use and securing quality are some CSR measures which benefit customers.”

Doha Bank proactively integrates eco-consciousness into its daily operations through knowledge sharing, paperless banking and awareness campaigns on social responsibility to gradually instill the value of ‘green

Contact PO. Box 3818, Doha - Qatar Tel. (+974) 4445 6600 Fax (+974) 4441 6631 / 4441 0625 Hello Doha Service 4445 6000 Email hellodoha@dohabank.com.qa www.dohabank.com.qa

culture’ within the organization and ultimately towards the environment and the society.

The Bank’s vision is to lead as a Green Banking institution and be the pioneer in raising awareness to help save the environment, whilst encouraging and converting existing normal Account Holders to Paperless Banking by opening Green Accounts and using Go Green Credit Cards.

The Bank supports environmental sustainability and education by reaching out on both the public and private sectors to act together on domestic and global environmental issues, key challenges and sustainable development.

One of the Bank’s major focus areas in recent years has been to generate awareness by encouraging children at schools to become environmental advocates at a young age. A positive step forward in this direction was the launch of ECO-Schools Programme which is designed to create a long-term legacy of sustainable environmental protection and development.

The ECO-Schools Programme engages School Management, Teachers, Staff and Parents in ways that that help mould them into socially and environmentally responsible citizens of the country committed to sustainable development for the benefit of many coming generations.

The initiative also brings together NGOs, Ministries and other interested public and private sector participants.

Doha Bank launched the ECO-Schools Programme website www.ecoschools.com.qa, dedicated to the environment which encourages schools of any discipline; whether pre-school, primary, secondary, collegiate, universities, Arabic schools etc. to proactively participate in the implementation of good environmental practices, reduction of carbon footprint and increase ecoconsciousness amongst the youth.

Doha Bank has also been working with the Ministry of Environment in greening the environment in conjunction with activities such as School Exhibitions, Beach Cleanups, Tree Planting, Recycling and Waste Management programs. The Bank is also a leading sponsor of School Exhibitions for all Arabic Schools in Qatar in coordination with the Ministry of Environment. As of 2012, the Bank has been involved in this initiative for 3 years.

Doha Bank has also launched a dedicated Green Bank Website, www.dohagreenbank.com to promote environmental issues. It features the Bank’s various eco-activities, green products and services offered and upcoming environment-related events. The website provides an insight into the Bank’s transformation into an eco-friendly institution and the practical steps taken by the Bank to encourage society to shift their mindset into going Green.

For more information please visit: www.dohabank.com.qa www.dohagreenbank.com www.ecoschools.com.qa

Al Dana Green Run to be hosted on 24 November 2012

In conjunction with Qatar hosting the UN Climate Change Conference, Doha 2012 Doha Bank, which organized its latest Al Dana Green Run in January 2012, will be hosting a special edition of the 3km community event on 24 November to commemorate Qatar hosting the United Nations Climate Change Conference which takes place from 26 November – 7 December, 2012. Sessions of the 18th Conference of the Parties (COP18) to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) and the 8th Meeting of the Parties to the Kyoto Protocol (CMP8) will be held at the iconic Qatar National Convention Centre in Doha during the period.

Doha Bank will be hosting this special edition of Al Dana Green Run on the sidelines of the event, encouraging people from all over Qatar to show their commitment to the environment during this time when the world’s top environmental advocates and policymakers will be in Doha to chart a course for a more sustainable future.

All members of the community are invited to participate.

Doha Bank: Key Achievements

• Golden Peacock Global Award for CSR 2012 • Golden Peacock Global Award for CSR 2011 • Golden Peacock Global Award for Sustainability 2011 • Golden Peacock Global Award for Sustainability 2010 • Green Systems Implementation of the Year - Arab Technology Awards 2010 Arabian Computer News • Best Environmental Leadership Award 2010 - Qatar Today • Best Public Awareness Campaign Award 2010 - Qatar Today • Best Public Awareness Campaign Green Award 2009 - Qatar Today • Best Green Bank 2008 - Banker Middle East • Best Internet Banking Service in Middle East 2008 - Banker Middle East