Katara Towers development at Lusail is the first hospitality project in Qatar to receive a certificate for GSAS Design-and-Build five-stars rating while still at design stage.
The Global Sustainability Assessment System (GSAS) is MENA region’s first performance based green building certification system utilised by buildings, districts and infrastructure projects to assess their environmental impact.
With the project design assessed by sustainability experts at the Gulf Organisation for Research and Development (GORD), the awarded provisional certificate reflects the expected level of green credentials to be achieved by Katara Towers upon completion.
Speaking about the project, GORD Founding Chairman Dr Yousef Alhorr said that GSAS-D&B has been implemented on a range of public and private projects in Lusail City but the iconic twin towers stand out in more ways than one.
As the first GSAS-D&B five-star hotel project, Katara Towers will be a pioneering name in Qatar’s sustainable hospitality sector. The provisional certificate marks the continuity of Katara Hospitality’s journey towards sustainable built environment.
Katara Hospitality is one of the first investors that understood the significance of the project, added Katara Hospitality Chairman HE Sheikh Nawaf bin Jassim bin Jabor Al Thani. Their aim was to create the hospitality icon of the 21st century that is within one of the world’s most exciting urban developments.
Our vision is to set new standards that go beyond the borders of the hospitality industry and provide a landmark location that is instantly recognised internationally.
HE Sheikh Nawaf said they have put in place a comprehensive, integrated approach to sustainability as they are strong believers that travel and tourism, are the world’s largest economic and employment sectors, and consequently has a huge global influence on the environment.
He also said that sustainability is an important element in shaping how to better manage costs and revenue.
Being responsible reduces our expenditure, especially on energy. We have increased our focus on understanding the environmental impact of our activities to reduce negative environmental impacts resulting from our activities by adopting environmentally preferable business practices and innovative technologies.
While they regard 2022 as a milestone in the country’s development, he said that this new property in Lusail will also occupy a focal point for residents and travellers during the FIFA World Cup.
We believe that this is our opportunity to showcase a country that has grown into an international destination and Katara Hospitality will create the landmark to underpin lifetime memories.
Sheikh Nawaf concluded that as Qatar National Vision 2030 creates the perfect framework, he said they will continue to develop peerless hospitality at home and abroad that are not only jewels in their portfolio but are emblematic for Qatar as well.
Lusail’s Iconic Towers
Symbolically intertwined with Qatar’s heritage, the Iconic Towers in Lusail are an architectural translation of Qatar’s national seal, representing the traditional scimitar swords. Raising gracefully from the podium level, the arched towers will host a five-star hotel with 361 rooms and suites to cater to discerning business travellers.
Under the scope of GSAS-D&B certification for the towers, the project will feature a range of features aimed at minimising negative environmental impacts linked with building and construction.
To conserve energy consumption, all interior spaces with dense occupancy loads are proposed to be complemented with demand control ventilation. By using lighting control system and energy-efficient HVAC, fixtures and appliances, the project is expected to further reduce its energy footprint as well as the associated costs.
As recommended by GSAS, the project will follow sub-metering approach whereby all major types of energy loads will be recorded separately to evaluate and improve energy performance. The project is also implementing many additional measures, anticipating an overall 40% less energy consumption compared to a conventional building design based on ASHRAE 90.1-2016 guidelines.
Water Conservation Standards
Understanding water as a finite resource, the GSAS framework has a dedicated water category concerned with water conservation for indoor and outdoor use. To achieve the water conservation standards set forth by GSAS, Katara Towers will make use of water efficient plumbing fixtures and appliances.
Water used in hotel facilities will be treated and reused alongside the stormwater collected over time. Ultimately, reused water will meet the requirements of toilets flushing for indoor use as well as the irrigation needs required by outdoor landscaping. Similar to energy submetering, advance water metering solutions will help keep a tab on overconsumption and water leakage across all facilities within the twin towers.
The twin towers will also ensure a healthy indoor environment for residents by maintaining optimum levels of air quality, acoustics, lighting, and thermal comfort.
The twin towers project has gone an extra mile by ensuring sufficient waste management procedures and facility management operations, engaging an independent commissioning agent prior to the installation of equipment and systems.
A sustainable design will pave the way to sustainable operations in the long run.
For updates and more information about the Katara Towers project, visit katarahospitality.com.
Check out Marhaba’s FREE e-Guide for everything you need to know about Qatar.