A Testbed for Progress
In response to the increasing severity of climate change, QF has strengthened its strategic focus on sustainability, particularly in hot and arid climates. Aligning with government priorities, sustainability at QF involves identifying solutions to address local issues through its unique ecosystem of education, research, and community development.
Education City serves as a testing ground for projects addressing various issues, including air quality, waste reduction, and environmental education. QF has embraced its role as a change-maker, using research and practice to create lasting, positive change for our climate and environment.
QF’s renewable energy sources produced almost five million kWh of energy, and 92 buildings in Education City have recycling facilities. To lower QF’s carbon footprint, particular emphasis has been placed on water preservation, particularly potable, desalinated water. QF has made significant strides to replace potable water with grey water in building cooling systems, with more sustainable, grey water now used in most targeted buildings.
Education City is also a testbed for locally driven solutions that can be scaled nationally and regionally. Its first roof garden has allowed the assessment of its impact on air quality, water usage, and biodiversity. One year into implementation, the importance of emphasizing biodiversity through thoughtful practices has been highlighted.
In response to the increasing severity of climate change, QF has strengthened its strategic focus on sustainability, particularly in hot and arid climates. Aligning with government priorities, sustainability at QF involves identifying solutions to address local issues through its unique ecosystem of education, research, and community development.
Education City serves as a testing ground for projects addressing various issues, including air quality, waste reduction, and environmental education. QF has embraced its role as a change-maker, using research and practice to create lasting, positive change for our climate and environment.
QF’s renewable energy sources produced almost five million kWh of energy, and 92 buildings in Education City have recycling facilities. To lower QF’s carbon footprint, particular emphasis has been placed on water preservation, particularly potable, desalinated water. QF has made significant strides to replace potable water with grey water in building cooling systems, with more sustainable, grey water now used in most targeted buildings.
Education City is also a testbed for locally driven solutions that can be scaled nationally and regionally. Its first roof garden has allowed the assessment of its impact on air quality, water usage, and biodiversity. One year into implementation, the importance of emphasizing biodiversity through thoughtful practices has been highlighted.
| Education City Footprint | 2024 |
|---|---|
| Energy generation within QF from renewable sources (Kwh) | 4.9M |
| Education City buildings with recycled waste | 92 |
| % of cooling tower sourced from recycled water | 95% |
+
Community, Culture, Positive Change
A tangible example of sustainable solutions in action is Green Island, which opened its doors at Education City in 2024. Green Island is a community-centric recycling facility featuring educational exhibits, workshops, and interactive displays that offer experiential learning experiences for visitors of all ages. It also hosts a self-service recycling station with streams for paper, plastic, glass, metal, batteries, cables, and electronics.
In 2024, there were 17 formal visits and 2,900 visitors to Green Island’s educational sessions, while 13 partners from QF, the private sector, and beyond have joined its work, and the number continues to grow.
To honor and promote the critical role of the traditional knowledge passed down through generations in addressing the pressing environmental issues of our time, Earthna Center for a Sustainable Future launched the Earthna Prize in 2024. The prize aims to support projects and organizations that preserve, integrate, and adopt traditional knowledge and cultural heritage to tackle contemporary sustainability challenges. More than 400 submissions for the first edition of the prize were received from over 100 countries.
QF continues to advance research and policy initiatives to drive positive change for Qatar and other hot and arid climates. In 2024, QF reported over 300 research publications and 12 patents for sustainability-focused discoveries, including climate change mitigation technologies, water treatment, energy, agriculture, and food consumption.
A tangible example of sustainable solutions in action is Green Island, which opened its doors at Education City in 2024. Green Island is a community-centric recycling facility featuring educational exhibits, workshops, and interactive displays that offer experiential learning experiences for visitors of all ages. It also hosts a self-service recycling station with streams for paper, plastic, glass, metal, batteries, cables, and electronics.
In 2024, there were 17 formal visits and 2,900 visitors to Green Island’s educational sessions, while 13 partners from QF, the private sector, and beyond have joined its work, and the number continues to grow.
To honor and promote the critical role of the traditional knowledge passed down through generations in addressing the pressing environmental issues of our time, Earthna Center for a Sustainable Future launched the Earthna Prize in 2024. The prize aims to support projects and organizations that preserve, integrate, and adopt traditional knowledge and cultural heritage to tackle contemporary sustainability challenges. More than 400 submissions for the first edition of the prize were received from over 100 countries.
QF continues to advance research and policy initiatives to drive positive change for Qatar and other hot and arid climates. In 2024, QF reported over 300 research publications and 12 patents for sustainability-focused discoveries, including climate change mitigation technologies, water treatment, energy, agriculture, and food consumption.
| Sustainability Research | 2024 |
|---|---|
| Publications | 300+ |
| Granted patents | 12 |
+
Setting the Agenda
In 2024, Earthna co-hosted the 4th Qatar National Dialogue on Climate Change (QNDCC) along with the Ministry of Environment and Climate Change and in collaboration with the German Embassy in Qatar and the German Industry & Commerce Office in Doha. Attendees discussed critical topics like climate adaptation strategies in Qatar, eco-tourism, and nature-based solutions. Other research pieces focused on the outcomes of the United Nations Climate Change Conference COP28 and input at COP29, as well as on carbon management.
During COP29, Hamad Bin Khalifa University (HBKU) demonstrated Qatar’s vibrant research and development ecosystem and collaboration with partners locally and globally.
Education City has long been a pioneer in sustainable practice and research within its educational institutions. To enhance how children learn about and develop their understanding of the natural world, QF has placed a renewed emphasis on sustainability as part of the curriculum at QF schools.
Eco-Schools, operated nationally by QF through Earthna, aims to empower young people to adopt sustainable behaviors and practices. As of 2024, five QF schools have earned Green Flag certification. In addition, Earthna has worked with HBKU and local experts and researchers to create lesson plans based on Qatar’s unique environment, from mangroves, seagrass, and coral reef ecosystems; these place-based plans foster a sense of identity and responsibility among students towards their surroundings and environment.
In 2024, Earthna co-hosted the 4th Qatar National Dialogue on Climate Change (QNDCC) along with the Ministry of Environment and Climate Change and in collaboration with the German Embassy in Qatar and the German Industry & Commerce Office in Doha. Attendees discussed critical topics like climate adaptation strategies in Qatar, eco-tourism, and nature-based solutions. Other research pieces focused on the outcomes of the United Nations Climate Change Conference COP28 and input at COP29, as well as on carbon management.
During COP29, Hamad Bin Khalifa University (HBKU) demonstrated Qatar’s vibrant research and development ecosystem and collaboration with partners locally and globally.
Education City has long been a pioneer in sustainable practice and research within its educational institutions. To enhance how children learn about and develop their understanding of the natural world, QF has placed a renewed emphasis on sustainability as part of the curriculum at QF schools.
Eco-Schools, operated nationally by QF through Earthna, aims to empower young people to adopt sustainable behaviors and practices. As of 2024, five QF schools have earned Green Flag certification. In addition, Earthna has worked with HBKU and local experts and researchers to create lesson plans based on Qatar’s unique environment, from mangroves, seagrass, and coral reef ecosystems; these place-based plans foster a sense of identity and responsibility among students towards their surroundings and environment.
QF graduates of sustainability, science, and engineering programs – 2023/24 Academic Year
| Hamad Bin Khalifa University | Master of Science in Sustainable Energy | 180+ |
|---|---|---|
| PhD in Sustainable Energy | ||
| Master of Science in Sustainable Environment | ||
| PhD in Sustainable Environment | ||
| Master of Science in Logistics and Supply Chain Management | ||
| PhD in Logistics and Supply Chain Management | ||
| Texas A&M University at Qatar | Bachelor of Science in Chemical Engineering | |
| Bachelor of Science in Electrical Engineering | ||
| Bachelor of Science in Mechanical Engineering | ||
| Bachelor of Science in Petroleum Engineering | ||
| Master of Science in Chemical Engineering |
+