Doha
THE Gulf Organisation for Research and Development (GORD) has signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with the American Society of Heating, Refrigerating and Air-Conditioning Engineers (ASHRAE), Qatar Oryx Chapter, to foster sustainable development through joint initiatives.
The MoU was signed by GORD’s Founding Chairman Dr Yousef Alhorr and President of ASHRAE, Qatar Oryx Chapter Engineer Kinan Fahs at GORD headquarters located in Qatar Science & Technology Park.
Broadly, the agreement outlines four areas of cooperation whereby the partnering organisations will work towards capacity building through joint training and educational programmes. The areas include: driving technological dissemination through industry events; embarking on research projects of mutual interest; developing technical publications; and improving standards to speed up sustainable development.
Speaking on the sidelines of the event, Dr Alhorr said, “For years, GORD has been spearheading sustainability efforts in MENA and beyond. Similarly, ASHRAE has become a point of reference for heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) industry across the world with its standards and guidelines. Our partnership with ASHRAE today will be a coming together of knowledge and expertise that will undoubtedly benefit Qatar and the wider region.”
Engineer Fahs said, “Together, we can establish better guidelines and eventually more sustainable buildings.”
Giving out details of the upcoming projects resulting from the partnership, Fahs mentioned collaboration in establishing standards and guidelines for sustainable outdoor cooling in MENA’s hot climate.
He added that sustainability experts from GORD will be invited to present their research and findings at ASHRAE’s future industry events within Qatar.
Following the MoU, ASHRAE will closely work with GORD Institute, which is engaged in continuous long-term applied research projects on various themes including carbon and climate change, eco materials, energy efficiency, sustainable HVAC solutions, environmental sciences and renewable energy. In addition, the partnering companies have plans to hold training sessions focused on sustainable built environment.
ASHRAE is a pioneering engineering body founded in 1894. In Qatar, it has been active since 2007.
Providing a history of GORD-ASHRAE relationship, Engineer Hassan Sultan, advisory committee chair of ASHRAE, Qatar Oryx Chapter, and director of Mechanical Department at MZP Architectural & Engineering Consultancy said that the two organisations have been collaborating on mutually beneficial projects since 2007.
Source:qatar-tribune.com
