(MENAFN- The Peninsula) Qatar has started recycling excavation waste and concrete debris to reuse in the ongoing massive construction sector projects, said an expert from the industry yesterday at a conference on raw materials.
"Qatar as part of its environmental commitment and ensuring sustainable supply of sand and other raw materials is recycling the huge amount of excavation waste. Currently it expecting to recycle about 20 percent of the concrete waste, which may eventually be increased to up to 50 percent," said Dr Khaled Hassan, Regional Manager at TRL, Qatar.
Dr Hassan, while delivering a keynote address on behalf of Dr Mohamad Saif Al Kuwari, Undersecretary at the Ministry of Environment and Chairman of Qatar Standards, at the opening of the 'Future Concrete Qatar 2014' conference, said that Qatar, given its harsh climate such as extreme heat, humid and saline conditions, has been conducting extensive research to address construction industry related challenges, and improving construction specifications standards for durability and sustainability of various projects. "Qatar is also working to find alternatives of sand, gabbro and other raw materials to reduce its dependence on imports," he said during his presentation.
The sixth international Future Concrete conference was organised by Advanced Construction and Technology Services (ACTS), a leading consulting organisation in the field of construction materials and geotechnical engineering.
The event was co-sponsored by the American Concrete Institute (ACI), ASTM, and the Public Works Authority (ASHGHAL).
Experts from the industry touched upon the latest in infrastructure and construction technologies and revolved around structural health monitoring; innovative practices in repair, evaluation and protection of structures; concrete quality in fast track projects, and the intelligent use of construction materials in large-scale projects.
Qatar's construction industry value is forecast at approximately $32.3bn in FY14-15, representing a real value annual growth of 54 percent. MEED estimates the total value of projects planned or underway in Qatar at $222bn.
Khaled Awad, Chairman of ACTS, said: "The Qatari construction market has witnessed buoyant real growth over the last 2-3 years. With several new large scale infrastructure projects being announced recently, and of course, all the projects related to the 2022 FIFA World Cup, we expect growth rates to remain elevated. Given this favourable scenario, the Future Concrete conference provides an ideal platform to discuss various industry issues, trends and opportunities, with the participation of eminent industry professionals from across the region and internationally."
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