The Qatar Green Building Council (QGBC) has launched the ‘Qatar Sustainability Awards’ to commend the commitment and contributions of organisations in advancing sustainable development and environmental protection in Qatar and beyond.  
There are six categories: ‘Green Buildings’, for buildings constructed or re-modelled in accordance with sustainability standards; ‘Green Hospitality’, open to hotels that apply sustainability best practices; ‘Green Service Provider’, honouring construction companies committed to sustainability; ‘Sustainability Initiatives’, recognising start-ups furthering sustainability within societies; ‘Building Products & Technologies’, technologies that contribute to the green building industry; and ‘Applied Green Research’, recognising completed research projects that have released significant research findings.
QGBC director Meshal al-Shamari recalled that in recent years, the sustainability movement in Qatar has really begun to gain traction, with more organisations across all sectors actively seeking out ways to advance their sustainability practices.
“We believe it is time that these efforts are brought to light and given the recognition they deserve. The Qatar Sustainability Awards also serve to raise awareness about sustainability and encourage the wider community to do their part towards building a greener future.”
Award categories are open to all organisations operating in the region including public and private sector enterprises, associations, consultants and industry practitioners.
All nominations will be reviewed by an expert panel of judges comprising senior sustainability practitioners and academics. Shortlisted nominations will be announced on October 30. The winners will be announced at the QGBC Conference taking place from November 13 to 15.
Hamoda Yousef, head of communications at QGBC, said that through the six award categories, and several sub-categories, all sectors and practices most relevant to the industry have been covered.
“We anticipate receiving a host of nominations that will no doubt make for an exciting and competitive selection process. QGBC looks forward to learning about and celebrating outstanding initiatives that are making great strides towards sustainability.”
Members of the industry are encouraged to nominate their organisations to showcase how they are making an active contribution towards achieving sustainability in the region. To submit a nomination in one or more of the six categories, an application form needs to be completed through: http://qatargbc.org/conference/awards.  
The logo of Qatar Sustainability Awards was designed by Peter Grapsopoulos, a Doha-based graphic designer, as part of the public competition recently launched by QGBC. The logo represents the ongoing sustainable growth in Qatar.
All required documents should be sent to qgbcconference@qf.org.qa or delivered to the QGBC. The submission deadline for all nominations is October 20.