Masdar city
The whole city is designed by the British architectural firm Foster + Partners, the city will rely entirely on solar energy and other renewable energy sources, with a sustainable, zero-carbon, zero-waste ecology.
Link: http://www.theguardian.com/environment/2011/apr/26/masdar-city-desert-future
Eco villa
The first environmentally friendly Eco Villa in Qatar.
It is a modern contemporary dwelling featuring traditional Qatari architecture, culture and heritage with using sustainable and recycled environmentally friendly building materials and an in-house energy generating system, water efficient plumbing and irrigation and intelligent building control systems. Design by LSI Archetects.
Link: http://www.ifpinfo.com/asa/asa-news.php?news_id=482
Cactus Building
An excellent example of desert architecture, MMA’s new building is designed be very energy efficient and utilizes sun shades on its windows. Depending on the intensity of the sun during the day, the sun shades can open or close to keep out the heat when it is too much. This is similar to how a cactus chooses to perform transpiration at night rather during the day in order to retain water – another great example of biomimicry. The botanic dome at the base of the tower will house a botanical garden. Hopefully it will include an edible garden and a living machine as well. Designed by Aesthetics Architects
Link: http://inhabitat.com/qatar-cactus-office-building/cactus-building-2/
Solar-powered cooling for 2022 world cup stadium
Qatar is racing to develop efficient solar-powered cooling technology to counter the searing heat of the Middle Eastern summer in its stadiums during the 2022 soccer World Cup, said a senior organising committee official.
The issue is that Qatar has promised to hold a carbon-neutral World Cup and so is researching solar-powered cooling technology. It will either create a central solar power farm or have individual ones installed in each of the 12 stadiums it is building, said Al-Khater.
Link: http://www.aljazeera.com/sport/football/2013/04/201341815028187915.html
Desert Farm
Delegates at the UN Climate Change Conference COP18 – which will be held in Doha at the end of November – are being offered a tour of a groundbreaking pilot project in Qatar’s desert.
The Sahara Forest Project aims to be 100 percent green, using saltwater to grow vegetables in the desert and helping to remove carbon dioxide from the atmosphere, all powered entirely by solar energy.
Link: http://dohanews.co/post/34559886057/pioneering-project-aims-to-turn-the-desert-green
New Green LEED Convention Center
The center will have an area of 177,000 sq meters and will have a specially designed roof containing 3,600 sqm of solar panels which will supply about 12.5% of the project total energy needs.
The center will also include other energy saving features such as LED lighting in the exhibition halls and a special wireless convention management system, reducing the need for paper while providing delegates with free internet access. It is also being aesthetically well designed with a unique curving escalator. It is being designed so that a number of events can be held at the same time.
Link: http://www.greenprophet.com/2010/02/qatar-convention-center-leed/
Green Buildings
Msheireb Properties is building a 35-hectare (86 acres) sitethat will blend ancient building practices with modern green building techniques.
Link: http://www.triplepundit.com/2012/02/arabian-architecture-msheireb-properties-doha-qatar/
Floating Hotels
Sigge Architect’s designs are linked to the mainland by boats and new transit lines in Qatar. The hotels will be accompanied by luxury apartments and are part of a new island called Oryx Island off the coast of Doha. This new island will be equipped with its own utilities and power, and these new hotel buildings will exist entirely off Qatar’s grid. The hotel will have an independent sewage treatment plant, power generation and recycling possibilities.
Link: http://inhabitat.com/qatar-unveils-luxurious-off-grid-floating-hotels-for-2022-world-cup/
Lusail City
In 2006, Lusail Real Estate Development Company (LREDC) began creating Lusail Development, a 38-km² site that is 15 km north of Doha
Through environmentally responsive protection policies and a controlled development strategy, Lusail City will generate significant economic diversification as it strengthens Qatar’s tourism sector, transforming existing raw tidal flats into a valuable product that highlights sustainable features:
- Energy and water conservation
- Indoor environmental quality
- Cogeneration
- Renewable energy
- Alternative transportation
- Reduced trucking distance
- Reuse of construction spoils for fill
Link: http://www.parsons.com/projects/pages/lusail-development-project.aspx
Contemporary Silk Road 