GORD, American Concrete Institute Collaborate On Low-Carbon Concrete Solutions

Doha, Qatar: The Gulf Organisation for Research & Development (GORD) and the American Concrete Institute (ACI) signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) to collaborate on advancing climate mitigation and sustainability within the concrete industry.

The MoU was formalised by Dr. Yousef Alhorr, Founding Chairman of GORD, and Michael J. Paul, President of ACI, a US-based non-profit technical body that develops and disseminates consensus-based knowledge on concrete and its applications.

Addressing the audience, Dr. Alhorr said,“The challenge of decarbonising concrete production while meeting the growing demands of our region's development requires this kind of comprehensive, multi-level approach. Through this MoU, we are taking important steps toward reducing the environmental footprint of concrete production and promoting sustainable practices that align with global climate goals. By combining GORD's expertise with ACI's technical and educational resources, we aim to drive innovation and create a lasting impact on the construction sector.”

Paul said,“The need for sustainable practices in the concrete industry is more urgent than ever. As the demand for concrete grows through urbanization and development, we must ensure that sustainability becomes a fundamental part of its production and use. Working with GORD, ACI addresses this challenge head-on. ACI is pleased to be able to draw upon GORD's expertise in environmental standards, carbon markets, and sustainable practices to help the industry reduce its environmental impact and to create a more resilient and sustainable built environment for future generations.”

The MoU outlines several key areas of collaboration between the two organizations, centring on capacity building, training, and the promotion of sustainable innovations within the concrete sector. The collaboration also aims to create frameworks that support change through standardized certifications and sustainability assessments, such as GORD's International Green Mark (IGM), an ecolabeling system which ensures that construction materials meet rigorous environmental standards, enhancing transparency and accountability in the concrete industry.

The collaboration will also include joint research to create solutions that enable sustainable cities and communities, as well as the development of technical and educational materials.

One of the key areas of focus in the MoU is the joint exploration of innovative methods to reduce the environmental impact of concrete production. To this end, a significant contribution will come from GORD's affiliate Global Carbon Council (GCC), a leading voluntary carbon market in the MENA region. GCC is well-positioned to provide expertise in carbon markets and help develop methodologies that provide financial incentives for reducing carbon emissions in concrete manufacturing. Notably, in the Global South, GCC is the only carbon credit program approved by the Carbon Offsetting and Reduction Scheme for International Aviation (CORSIA). The platform has already received over 1,500 projects across 45+ countries.

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