Qatar's green buildings: an examination of water efficiency education, science and culture (UNESCO, 2009) has established that water conservation is the most important global issue, and this issue is expected to increase in importance considering continued population growth and the effects of global warming (Cheng et al., 2016). Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on "Why Violent Video Games Shouldn't Be Banned"? Get an Original Essay Qatar is an arid country that faces a unique set of challenges regarding water scarcity (Darwish and Mohtar, 2012). For example, renewable natural water resources, such as rainfall, are scarce in Qatar, as Qatar receives only seven inches of rain per year. Furthermore, the demand for water in Qatar is estimated to increase as the country expands its agricultural and industrial sectors in the coming years (Al-Kuwari, 2016). As a result, Qatar is in dire need of managing water resources efficiently and effectively ( Al-Kuwari, 2016 ). Reducing water use and improving water sustainability on construction sites are strategies that water management can achieve (Waylen, Thornback, & Garrett, 2011). Studies (see Ali and Nsairat, 2009; Das et al., 2015; Cheng et al., 2016; Latief et al., 2017) indicate that green buildings can significantly increase water efficiency by reducing water consumption. Increasing water efficiency is one of the most effective processes towards sustainable water management that also effectively combats global warming and climate change (Cheng et al., 2016). Therefore, this thesis aims to examine green building criteria related to sustainability and water efficiency currently used for individual buildings in Qatar. Despite the development of environmentally friendly building criteria in Qatar, efforts to implement these criteria are hampered by several natural and operational challenges, such as lack of awareness on sustainability and environmental issues (Issa and Abbar, 2015) and modernization of existing buildings, together with other social and cultural challenges such as the lack of a positive attitude towards water reuse (Ahmad, 1991; Ibrahim, 2012). This is a cause for concern because it has been estimated that there will be an increase in demand for non-residential and residential building spaces in Qatar in the future (Kemp, 2017). The increased demand for residential and commercial buildings will lead to increased water consumption, both in terms of water consumption for construction purposes and once people move into building spaces. This will affect Qatar's already scarce water resources. Consequently, it is important to ensure that individual buildings constructed in the future have maximum water efficiency. Water scarcity and increased demand for building space in Qatar, as well as the natural, operational and cultural challenges Qatar faces when implementing green criteria, motivate the present study. The main motivation in evaluating green building criteria is to understand whether an update of green building criteria is necessary to increase the water efficiency of individual buildings (Issa and Abbar, 2015). To achieve such understanding through this study, the following research question will be examined: To what extent do current green building criteria need to be modified to help improve the water efficiency of individual buildings in Qatar? Considering these points, the main aim of this thesis will be to evaluate the relevant green building criteriato improve water efficiency for individual buildings currently in use in Qatar. The objectives of this thesis are as follows: Identify factors in Qatar's building criteria that need to be improved to increase the water efficiency of buildings Based on the findings of the thesis, suggest ways to improve the water efficiency of individual Qatar buildings To answer the research question, interviews will be conducted with two officials from the Gulf Organization for Research and Development (GORD). GORD is a non-profit organization that develops sustainability and green building standards and works for the sustainable development of the Middle East and North African region. In addition to GORD officials, interviews with officials from Qatar's Ministry of Development Planning and Statistics (MDPS) and officials from the Ministry of Municipality and Environment will also be included in the study. To achieve the objectives of the thesis and respond to the proposed research in question, the construction criteria of individual buildings in Qatar will be assessed based on environmental assessment methodologies such as the Building Researchestablishment Environmental Assessment Method (BREEAM) and the Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED). These environmental assessment methodologies are known for addressing environmental and sustainability issues and were selected because they focus on key design areas such as water conservation, material selection, sustainable site development, indoor environmental quality and 'energy efficiency and (Abdullah et al., 2016) However, these methodologies need to be evaluated to take into account the specific needs of Qatar (Ibrahim, 2012). Therefore, the selection of the two rating systems will help to identify whether the two systems can lead to greater water efficiency in individual buildings when implemented in Qatar (Gomaa, 2016). Furthermore, using the methodologies to evaluate the construction criteria of individual buildings in Qatar can also provide crucial information on whether Qatar needs to develop newer building systems with green building evaluation criteria or whether it simply needs to add them to the framework of existing green building.This thesis also aims to present recommendations to develop and update the current green building criteria in Qatar to increase the water efficiency of individual buildings. These recommendations will be drawn from the study findings and literature analysis of green building criteria used to increase the water efficiency of individual buildings in developed countries. These recommendations could be seen as suggestions for developing green building criteria to conserve water and meet Qatar's specific water needs. Methodology A qualitative research methodology will be used to conduct the study. Interviews with GORD officials and interviews with officials from government agencies such as the MDPS and the Ministry of Municipality and Environment will be used as primary data for this thesis. Secondary data will also be analyzed in the form of a literature review of studies examining different green building criteria used in developed countries. To achieve this aim, the thesis will first define the concept of green building. It will then examine the differences between green building criteria for water efficiency in Qatar compared to countries that use the BREEAM and LEED rating system, such as the UK and US. An analysis of both primary and secondary data will then be conducted. Based on this analysis, recommendations will be made to update existing building criteria to increase the water efficiency of individual buildings in Qatar..

Topic > Qatar's green buildings: an examination of water efficiency education, science and culture (UNESCO, 2009) has established that water conservation is the most important global issue, and this issue is expected to increase in importance considering continued population growth and the effects of global warming (Cheng et al., 2016). Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on "Why Violent Video Games Shouldn't Be Banned"? Get an Original Essay Qatar is an arid country that faces a unique set of challenges regarding water scarcity (Darwish and Mohtar, 2012). For example, renewable natural water resources, such as rainfall, are scarce in Qatar, as Qatar receives only seven inches of rain per year. Furthermore, the demand for water in Qatar is estimated to increase as the country expands its agricultural and industrial sectors in the coming years (Al-Kuwari, 2016). As a result, Qatar is in dire need of managing water resources efficiently and effectively ( Al-Kuwari, 2016 ). Reducing water use and improving water sustainability on construction sites are strategies that water management can achieve (Waylen, Thornback, & Garrett, 2011). Studies (see Ali and Nsairat, 2009; Das et al., 2015; Cheng et al., 2016; Latief et al., 2017) indicate that green buildings can significantly increase water efficiency by reducing water consumption. Increasing water efficiency is one of the most effective processes towards sustainable water management that also effectively combats global warming and climate change (Cheng et al., 2016). Therefore, this thesis aims to examine green building criteria related to sustainability and water efficiency currently used for individual buildings in Qatar. Despite the development of environmentally friendly building criteria in Qatar, efforts to implement these criteria are hampered by several natural and operational challenges, such as lack of awareness on sustainability and environmental issues (Issa and Abbar, 2015) and modernization of existing buildings, together with other social and cultural challenges such as the lack of a positive attitude towards water reuse (Ahmad, 1991; Ibrahim, 2012). This is a cause for concern because it has been estimated that there will be an increase in demand for non-residential and residential building spaces in Qatar in the future (Kemp, 2017). The increased demand for residential and commercial buildings will lead to increased water consumption, both in terms of water consumption for construction purposes and once people move into building spaces. This will affect Qatar's already scarce water resources. Consequently, it is important to ensure that individual buildings constructed in the future have maximum water efficiency. Water scarcity and increased demand for building space in Qatar, as well as the natural, operational and cultural challenges Qatar faces when implementing green criteria, motivate the present study. The main motivation in evaluating green building criteria is to understand whether an update of green building criteria is necessary to increase the water efficiency of individual buildings (Issa and Abbar, 2015). To achieve such understanding through this study, the following research question will be examined: To what extent do current green building criteria need to be modified to help improve the water efficiency of individual buildings in Qatar? Considering these points, the main aim of this thesis will be to evaluate the relevant green building criteriato improve water efficiency for individual buildings currently in use in Qatar. The objectives of this thesis are as follows: Identify factors in Qatar's building criteria that need to be improved to increase the water efficiency of buildings Based on the findings of the thesis, suggest ways to improve the water efficiency of individual Qatar buildings To answer the research question, interviews will be conducted with two officials from the Gulf Organization for Research and Development (GORD). GORD is a non-profit organization that develops sustainability and green building standards and works for the sustainable development of the Middle East and North African region. In addition to GORD officials, interviews with officials from Qatar's Ministry of Development Planning and Statistics (MDPS) and officials from the Ministry of Municipality and Environment will also be included in the study. To achieve the objectives of the thesis and respond to the proposed research in question, the construction criteria of individual buildings in Qatar will be assessed based on environmental assessment methodologies such as the Building Researchestablishment Environmental Assessment Method (BREEAM) and the Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED). These environmental assessment methodologies are known for addressing environmental and sustainability issues and were selected because they focus on key design areas such as water conservation, material selection, sustainable site development, indoor environmental quality and 'energy efficiency and (Abdullah et al., 2016) However, these methodologies need to be evaluated to take into account the specific needs of Qatar (Ibrahim, 2012). Therefore, the selection of the two rating systems will help to identify whether the two systems can lead to greater water efficiency in individual buildings when implemented in Qatar (Gomaa, 2016). Furthermore, using the methodologies to evaluate the construction criteria of individual buildings in Qatar can also provide crucial information on whether Qatar needs to develop newer building systems with green building evaluation criteria or whether it simply needs to add them to the framework of existing green building.This thesis also aims to present recommendations to develop and update the current green building criteria in Qatar to increase the water efficiency of individual buildings. These recommendations will be drawn from the study findings and literature analysis of green building criteria used to increase the water efficiency of individual buildings in developed countries. These recommendations could be seen as suggestions for developing green building criteria to conserve water and meet Qatar's specific water needs. Methodology A qualitative research methodology will be used to conduct the study. Interviews with GORD officials and interviews with officials from government agencies such as the MDPS and the Ministry of Municipality and Environment will be used as primary data for this thesis. Secondary data will also be analyzed in the form of a literature review of studies examining different green building criteria used in developed countries. To achieve this aim, the thesis will first define the concept of green building. It will then examine the differences between green building criteria for water efficiency in Qatar compared to countries that use the BREEAM and LEED rating system, such as the UK and US. An analysis of both primary and secondary data will then be conducted. Based on this analysis, recommendations will be made to update existing building criteria to increase the water efficiency of individual buildings in Qatar..