Northwestern University in Qatar campus building in Education City.
Doha: Northwestern University in Qatar has been awarded LEED Operations and Maintenance (O+M) Platinum certification, a top-tier global achievement for sustainable building operation and maintenance for its building in Education City.
LEED certification is a globally recognised symbol of sustainability achievement and one of the most used green building rating systems in the world. It assesses the sustainability practices adopted in new and existing buildings across six building phases and categories, including Building Design and Construction (BD+C), Interior Design and Construction (ID+C), Building Operations and Maintenance (O+M), and other development and categories.
To achieve a LEED O+M certification, a project earns points for professional implementations of sustainable practices to improve performance and efficiency and reduce environmental impact in existing buildings. Projects go through a verification and review process by an independent assessment body and are awarded points that correspond to a level of LEED certification: Certified (40-49 points), Silver (50-59 points), Gold (60-79 points) and Platinum (80+ points).
In evaluating operation and maintenance at Northwestern Qatar, inspectors from the Qatar Foundation (QF) and Global Sustainability Assessment System (GSAS) Trust assessed the building’s adherence to prerequisites and credits addressing energy and water performance, indoor environment, waste and facility management, as well as environmental policy and awareness. Both the audit inspectors and QF team commended Northwestern Qatar for its adoption of innovative water-saving and energy utilization and control best practices.
Northwestern Qatar Dean and CEO Marwan M Kraidy said this recognition is a testament to the school’s commitment to sustainable and responsible operations and highlighted its impact on the well-being and growth of the community. “We are confident that this accreditation will benefit not only our campus but the wider community as we continue to lead by example,” said Kraidy. “The enhanced energy efficiency and reduced carbon footprint will help us move towards a more sustainable future while focusing our commitment to our academic mission and knowledge production.”
