Qatar General Electricity and Water Corporation (Kahramaa) and its partners on the Tarsheed 22 (T22) project are optimistic of greater success in imparting lessons to Qatari youth on how to change their consumption habits and protect the country’s natural resources.
Speaking on the successful completion of the first phase of the T22 project, Kahramaa president Essa bin Hilal al-Kuwari said the co-operation between the two, along with support from the Ministry of Energy and Industry and Ministry of Youth and Sports, has helped achieved the targets set as part of the project.
The project is part of Kahramaa’s National Programme for Conservation and Energy Efficiency (Tarsheed), and its second phase has been announced by the stakeholders.
The ceremony was attended by HE the Minister of Energy and Industry Dr Mohamed bin Saleh al-Sada, HE the Minister of Education and Higher Education Dr Mohamed bin Abdul Wahed Ali al-Hammadi and Supreme Committee for Delivery and Legacy (SC) secretary-general Hassan
al-Thawadi and other dignitaries.
Al-Thawadi said: “We were delighted to work with Kahramaa on this project, which not only result in reducing water and electricity consumption in the participating schools, but also changed the perception of our students who now adopt sustainability as a way of life.”
The first phase of T22 was formally launched at the beginning of 2014-2015 in 22 primary schools, covering 1,500 students in communities near stadium construction sites for the 2022 FIFA World Cup.
The T22 targets primary school students in the 6-12 age group as well as employees, parents and families, using sports activities, presentation of training materials on sustainability and energy conservation and energy monitoring in
participating schools.
Spark, the official animated mascot of T22, encourages children to play football and be passionate about the game. With the support of the Supreme Education Council, Tarsheed and SC will expand the project to include all Qatari primary and secondary schools by 2022.
The results of T22’s first phase have also been announced. It was disclosed that the introduction of energy-saving technologies helped the 22 schools reduce their annual consumption of electricity by 3GW-hours and save QR750,000 annually. The project also helped decrease carbon emissions
by 1,600 tonnes per year.
Every year, 22 schools will join the project.
Football players Adel Lami of Al Arabi Sports Club, Hamed Ismaeel of Al Rayyan SC, Mohamed Omar of Qatar SC and Hilal Mohamed of Al Khor Sports Club received certificates of recognition for their involvement in T22.
Energy-efficient schools awards went to Al Wakrah Primary School for Girls, Al Dayen Primary School for Girls and Simaisma Primary School for Boys.
The best school co-ordinators are Mohamed al-Obaidali (Mesaieed Primary and Intermediate School for Boys), Hessa Lahdan (Al Khor Model School for Boys) and Sheikha Al Mas (Al Wakrah
Primary School for Girls).
The T22 video competition winners are Alghala al-Kubaisi (Al Daayen School for Girls), Fatema Hamad al-Bakri (Al Riffa School for Girls) and Abdullah Saad al-Mohannadi (Al Khor Model School for Boys).
Abdul Aziz Ahmed al-Hammadi, conservation and energy efficiency department manager at Kahramaa, said the three winning schools will use a solar-powered lighting system by the end of 2016 to encourage them to set an example for conservation methods.