Promoting sustainability and material recycling is an essential goal within Ashghal’s Corporate Strategy 2018-2023 as all of the efforts employed in this field, not only aim to achieve environmental protection and create balance between economic growth and environment preservation, but also seeks to provide a model which can be followed locally and regionally, in addition to sharing knowledge and best practices with all concerned parties and those working in this field.
Application of Global Programmes and Systems
Ashghal has launched several systems, programmes and initiatives aimed at engaging all stakeholders from consulting companies, contractors, suppliers, workers, and others, to encourage them to adopt positive environmental practices, create solutions and new methods, and apply them during different stages of project implementation.
The Public Works Authority has been adopting many initiatives and modern work systems with the aim of applying the highest environmental and sustainability standards and increasing the efficiency of the road network and traffic safety, in addition to recycling materials used in construction works. The volume of the recycled materials and their use in projects reached more than 11 million tonnes, by about 49%.
Environment and Sustainability Monthly Report
As part of its efforts to improve environmental performance, Ashghal has developed and implemented its Environment and Sustainability Monthly Report in 2019. The ESMR is an innovative tool to accurately monitor and report all construction materials and carbon emissions to record them in the report.
The ESMR has allowed Ashghal to measure its projects’ carbon emissions, as opposed to the previously used conventional method, and as reported, Ashghal has announced a total carbon emissions reduction of the Roads Projects Department’s projects 2023.
Construction Material Recycling Zones
Furthermore, Ashghal has established three strategically located construction material recycling zones, located in the North, West and South of Doha to optimize resource efficiency. These facilities became operational in 2020 for processing and recycling projects’ construction waste materials (excavated material, reclaimed asphalt, concrete, and demolition waste) instead of disposing them in landfill.
Ashghal’s designated recycling zones have contributed to reducing the distance of transportation for landfill disposal by 60 km on average, in addition to reducing the demand for imported construction materials, leading to the reduction of carbon emissions.
Recycled Asphalt Materials
Sustainability initiatives implemented in Ashghal’s projects include the recycling and use of rubber tires as an enhanced material for bitumen use modified with crumb rubber (CRMB) which is used in asphalt mixes, where more than one thousand tonnes of this material was produced in 2023, thereby increasing the stability and durability of asphalt for longer periods of time and reducing noise on the road. The initiative also contributed to recycling older tires rather than dispose them in landfills to preserve the environment and achieve sustainability.
In addition to producing modified bitumen, reclaimed asphalt from existing roads is also used prior to the commencement of development projects and is recycled in the asphalt layers that are paved on new roads and upgraded roads. During 2023, 93 thousand tonnes of reclaimed asphalt was reused in paved roads asphalt layers.
Furthermore, concrete and extracted materials of excavation and aggregate works is recycled within the construction works of the projects, as 2 million tonnes was used in base layers and 8 million tonnes used in backfill work, as well as 176 thousand tonnes was used as a material for pipe and cable insulation.
Moreover, reclaimed asphalt from road upgrades is considered as “Qatar’s topsoil”, as it has high recycling value and can be processed into asphalt mixes for paving new roads, similar to how traditional topsoil is preserved for rehabilitation. Approved Reclaimed Asphalt Pavement (RAP) mixes are used only in base layers, and Crumb Rubber Modified Binder (CRMB) asphalt mixes are used in the surface course layer.
Road Operation Maintenance Techniques
The Public Works Authority has also invested in introducing the latest sustainability techniques for road operation and maintenance to increase its longevity and reduce maintenance waste by scanning roads, bridges and drainage network using latest inspection techniques to identify any defects prior to it surfacing and conduct proactive maintenance work.
Various Initiatives
To optimize the utilization of water resources, water resulting from dewatering has been used instead of potable water in projects work, such as spraying it over sand and soil to prevent dust volatilization, which in turn contributed to reducing carbon emissions resulting from water transportation and supply and the consumption of natural resources, noting that a total of 2 million tonnes of groundwater was reclaimed and treated in Roads Projects Department projects in 2023.
As for the innovative solutions used in Ashghal’s projects, many of the projects include smart transportation systems which can be easily developed and improved in the future, with the aim of managing road and traffic networks, thereby increasing the efficiency of the road network, enhancing traffic safety, and reducing congestion, which will contribute to reducing travel time, air pollution and auditory pollution. Ashghal also worked to establish the largest solar-powered electric charging station in the region and provide high-efficiency solar cell shades for bus station becoming the first in the region to operate solely on a solar power source, which is an important aspect of renewable energy.
Uses of Treated Wastewater
Ashghal also designs, constructs, and operates 22 wastewater treatment plants distributed across the cities of Qatar. These plant have produced approximately 773 thousand m3/day of treated and produced wastewater during 2023 according to global and local specifications in this field.
The power of one of these plants ranges from 280 -100 thousand m3/day, and the highest techniques are used in the wastewater treatment of biological treatment with nitrogen removal, phosphorus, sand filters, microns, sterilization process by chlorine and ultraviolet rays, and odor management technology.
Treated water produced by plants daily is also utilized in several uses supporting environmental sustainability as a type of recycling such as: green spaces irrigation, road beautification, fodder agriculture, cooling systems, and sand washing used in road and construction projects.
Dr. Ali Al-Marri Statement
In this regard, Dr. Ali Mohammed Al-Marri, Manager of Quality and Safety Department at the Public Works Authority ‘Ashghal’ stated that all its programmes, projects and services aim to promote best practices, encourage innovation, and adopt new technologies with a focus on achieving environmental sustainability to achieve the sustainable development goals of Qatar National Vision 2030 aimed at balancing economic growth and environmental conservation.
He added that the most important ongoing Ashghal initiatives aimed at achieving sustainability are the recycling of structural materials such as scraped asphalt, drilling residues, demolition and utilization of alternative recycled materials such as stone aggregates and rubber tires crumb through which they are used in projects.
Ashghal Green Awards
1- Business Intelligence Group – Sustainability Initiative for 2023:
The main objectives of the Quality and Safety Department at The Public Works Authority ‘Ashghal’ are to improve the environmental performance and qualifications of its projects, enhance their environmental performance and sustainability and increase the use of the recycled material in these projects.
2- Green Initiatives Award (Communitas Global Award)
Ashghal received the Green Initiative Award due to its environmental practices and green programmes inside and outside the Authority, and the award includes the recycling, use of local recycled materials, switching to alternative fuels, improving air and water quality, reducing waste, and increasing energy efficiency.
3- Sustainability Award (Construction Material Recycling) (Communitas Global Awards)
The Public Works Authority ‘Ashghal’ is committed to environmental responsibility by protecting the supply of natural resources. This can include city planning to conserve green spaces, using renewable resources, restoring water, and reducing carbon emissions.
4- Green Apple Award – Environmental Policy and Management and Green World Ambassador
The Public Works Authority ‘Ashghal’ represented by the Quality and Safety Department, was awarded the International Green Apple Award for Environmental Policy and Management and the Green World Ambassador as part of the Search for Greener Companies campaign.
Ashghal showcased their winning paper in the Green Book (International Reference Book on Best Environmental Practices) on key themes and improvements in the environmental management system, giving priority to environmental sustainability in projects in Qatar.
5- WSHAsia 2023 First Place Award:
The Public Works Authority ‘Ashghal’ represented by the Quality and Safety Department, participated in the Asia International Competition of The World of Safety and Health Asia (WSHAsia) in Singapore, that is specialized in providing the best health and safety solutions to industries, contractors, and organizations through its platform in compliance with international health and safety legislation and standards.
The Safety and Occupational Health section won the "WSHAsia 2023" award by presenting the Third-Party List to highlight the Quality and Safety Department’s commitment to best practices in all Ashghal projects.