Sustainability is Ashghal's way of achieving value

The Public Works Authority (Ashghal) has set sustainability as a means of achieving value while implementing its development projects across Qatar, an official has stressed. “We have implemented sustainability best practices in the ‘Infrastructure Programme for Areas’ while yielding environmental benefits and helping the country realise better value,” said Ashghal’s Doha City section head Mooza al-Sowaidi. She was talking in a podcast episode by WSP Middle East, a leading consulting firm, about Ashghal’s strategy for continuous development. Al-Sowaidi elaborated on Ashghal’s continuous development strategy while discussing how Ashghal’s continuous improvement is part of a vision that focuses on delivering world-class infrastructure and creating the best national capabilities and utmost support to the local manufacturers and contractors.While giving instances for the sustainability-incorporated development model adopted by Ashghal, al-Sowaidi said recycled milled asphalt is used within the base course of new and upgraded roads, which helped Ashghal achieve cost savings. “We also used crumb rubber in the wearing course to reduce the environmental impact of waste tyres and increase the durability of our roads. We have also recently piloted the use of solar panels for temporary site lighting in replacement of the traditional diesel-powered lights that cause a lot of noise and affect the air quality of construction site,” she explained. “The clarity of our vision and our agile adaptability to change are two of the main factors that contributed to the progress we achieved in delivering large-scale road and infrastructure projects within short schedules and without compromising the best international standards for quality, safety and sustainability."In response to a question about Ashghal’s success in achieving the best value for the budgets assigned to the 'Infrastructure Programme for Areas', al-Sowaidi pointed out that Ashghal used a special gateway system for design approvals. “Each project would have to pass certain gateways to ensure that the best design options have been identified and the optimum concept has been implemented all the way until the project completion. Ashghal also used value engineering to achieve considerable cost savings in the design and construction phases,” she explained.On delivering large-scale projects to realise Qatar National Vision 2030, the official pointed out that Ashghal opened communication channels with the construction and engineering industry to brief them about its plans and the standards that the authority aspires to achieve in addition to the challenges facing project delivery. “Ashghal has also invested a lot of effort in creating local capabilities and reaching out to local contractors and manufacturers providing them with all possible support. These efforts are part of Ashghal’s contribution to Qatar National Vision 2030, which emphasises the importance of building a sustainable world-class infrastructure for Qatar’s economic and social development,” she noted.Asked about Ashghal’s success in responding to change within the last few years, she pointed out that the authority has implemented several strategies to realise this success. “Ashghal shared its vision with its local and international industry partners to ensure that all materials and resources are supplied on a timely basis using Qatari manufacturers. Ashghal also opened communication channels with all relevant stakeholders to uncover the challenges, set optimised protocols and procedures, and exchange thoughts on the best ways to achieve infrastructure delivery,” she said.Ashghal has adopted several contractual enhancements within its 'Infrastructure Programme for Areas'. One of these enhancements is lean construction, a set of techniques and principles that are based on collaborative planning within each project. Through the use of lean construction, Ashghal could achieve better decisions, and firm change and contingency management.