DOHA: The Public Works Authority (Ashghal) has won a major recognition for its efforts to develop sustainable and environment-friendly designs for schools, health centres and other public institutions.
Ashghal projects have been awarded the three-star Global Sustainability Assessment System (GSAS) certification in design and construction by the Doha-based Gulf Organisation for Research and Development Group (GORD).
The GSAS system is based on the application of sustainability criteria and the requirements of green construction for educational and healthcare facilities.
About 100 projects being implemented by Ashghal, with a total area of over 500,000 square metres, will be evaluated by GSAS on the level of performance equivalent to three-star.
The projects include 43 schools and kindergartens, 19 health centres and hospitals and 27 mosques either completed or are in different stages of design and construction.
“Design professionals of different engineering disciplines have joined efforts to develop establishments that can achieve a mix of environmental, economic, and social objectives. The process aims to achieve high performance schools that are fundamentally different from conventional practice,” Ashghal said yesterday.
“Recent studies indicate that the interior design and general environment of a building affect the educational level of performance of students and can effectively contribute to raising the level of productivity and efficiency for employees of faculty and administrators alike,” it added.
Similarly, interior design and quality of the environment in health facilities contribute effectively to the level of comfort and health improvements of patients and raise the productivity and efficiency of medical staff and other employees.
GORD continues to review and audit Ashghal project graphics and designs and visit project sites to ensure that the principles and standards of sustainability are implemented according to the GSAS system.
The Peninsula
