Doha: The third International Conference on Energy and Indoor Environment for Hot Climates kicked off in Doha on Wednesday. Organized by ASHRAE Foundation, in collaboration with the Qatar Society of Engineers (QSE) and Qatar University (QU), the event features broad participation from experts and academics from around the globe. It aims to share knowledge and showcase the foremost innovations in heating, ventilation, and air conditioning technologies, contributing to improving indoor air quality, reducing energy consumption, and achieving environmental sustainability principles.
According to Qatar News Agency, in her opening remarks, Chairperson of QSE Eng. Amina Mohammed Al Naimi underscored the importance of this scientific event, which highlights the convergence of professional and scientific efforts on the domestic and international stages to promote energy efficiency and develop enduring solutions amid the rapidly evolving climate challenges. The conference creates an exceptional scientific and professional platform, not only to showcase state-of-the-art energy-efficient solutions driven by technology but also to share expertise and build an engineering society capable of charting a smart and sustainable future, Al Naimi underlined.
She highlighted that the agenda squarely touches the very essence of modern engineering work, in terms of design, implementation, and regulation, in addition to setting realistic solutions for the problems of indoor energy and the environment, particularly in hot climates. Al Naimi expressed her pride in the persistent collaboration between global engineering organizations, foremost among them ASHRAE, which she designated as an active partner in supporting precise scientific practices in the areas of cooling, heating, and air-conditioning.
These partnerships foster the professional and knowledge-based development of engineers and help transfer international experiences to the domestic context, she said. QSE gives significant priority to supporting energy efficiencies in urban environments and adopting the principles of sustainable design, thereby contributing to providing eco-friendly and wholesome work and living environments.
President of ASHRAE, Dennis Knight, asserted that the conference positions itself as a pivotal platform to exchange expertise and innovations, in pursuit of addressing the challenges associated with energy efficiency, especially in hot climates such as the Gulf region. He stressed the commitment to supporting education, training, and empowering the engineering workforce, as well as keeping up with technological advancements and artificial intelligence to build a more flexible and sustainable environment.
For his part, President of ASHRAE Qatar Oryx, Eng. Hassan Sultan, affirmed that the State of Qatar has become a global model in the areas of education, green buildings, and sustainability through institutions like QU and Qatar Foundation. He underscored the leading role Qatar has played in achieving the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), particularly through hosting eco-friendly sports facilities during the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 and bolstering ASHRAE standards in national projects.
Furthermore, Sultan underlined the collective obligation to combat climate change and achieve a healthy and sustainable environment, particularly in hot climates, affirming that he looks forward to outcomes and recommendations from this conference that would contribute to furthering regional and international cooperation in the quest for adopting innovative solutions in the field of energy and indoor environment.