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Tribune News Network
Doha
Lulu Hypermarket in Qatar has become one of the first retailers in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region to achieve sustainable operations certification under the Global Sustainability Assessment System (GSAS) from the Gulf Organisation for Research & Development (GORD).
Upon completion of necessary audits by sustainability experts from GSAS Trust and GORD Labs, the Lulu Hypermarket’s building located in Al Messila achieved an overall score of 1.51 which corresponds to a ‘GOLD’ rating under the GSAS Operations certification.
Lulu Group International Director Mohamed Althaf received the GSAS certificate and plaque during an award ceremony held at Lulu Hypermarket’s Al Messila branch on May 25.
Acknowledging LuLu Group’s initiative to implement GSAS Operations as a tool to cut down its carbon footprint, GORD Founding Chairman Yousef Alhorr said, “Data emerging from latest surveys is consistently pointing towards changing consumer sentiments and behaviours. Customers today are far more informed to choose sustainability. At the same time, retailers too have the power to influence sustainable practices among their customers. By achieving a GSAS operations certificate with a ‘GOLD’ rating, Lulu International has demonstrated its conscious efforts towards operational excellence that is incomplete without environmental sustainability. We congratulate the organisation and hope that its initiative inspires others in the retail sector.”
Commenting on the sidelines of the event, Althaf said, “I am very pleased to receive the GSAS-OP Certification with ‘GOLD’ rating from GORD. This is an important milestone in our efforts to make our business more sustainable and circular. Lulu group has been making serious efforts to minimise the impact on the environment and reduce carbon footprint by half by 2030 and to achieve carbon neutrality by 2050.”
“We will focus on cutting carbon emissions, plastic packaging, food waste and water use. At the same time, we are looking into increasing sustainable practices such as recycling. We are also exploring to invest in modern innovations like reverse vending machines, and vertical farming,” he said.
“Our cooperation with GORD began in 2019. Over the last two years, we have built a solid collaborative partnership with GORD. The most valuable benefit we have gained from cooperation with GORD is being able to utilise their know-how and long experience,” said Althaf.
GSAS is the MENA region’s first green building certification system that assesses and guides projects on reducing their environmental footprint during design, construction and operations stages. In this context, GSAS Operations programme addresses impacts of building operations in post-occupancy phase. It is premised on the notion that building operations and maintenance practices have a direct impact on the natural environment as well as the economy and human health.
Therefore, GSAS Operations aims to reduce the environmental impact of the existing buildings while also improving the health and wellbeing of its occupants.
LuLu Hypermarket building at Al Messila features two stories and a basement providing a total floor area of 14,650 square meters to accommodate the hypermarket to become the ultimate one-stop-shop for daily essentials and unique product offerings for a multi-ethnic client profile living in and around the Al Messila neighbourhood.
During the audits by sustainability experts at GORD, all these facilities were thoroughly analysed in terms of operations and maintenance before being given the appropriate rating for GSAS Operations certification which is valid for four years from the date of issuance. All these audits were conducted during operational hours without interrupting the day-to-day business at the hypermarket.
LuLu Hypermarket has identified environmental management as one of its highest corporate priorities to reduce the risk to the environment and the organisation. To achieve ‘GOLD’ certification rating, several site audits and desk reviews were conducted for the assessment of current operational and maintenance practices at Lulu Hypermarket’s Al Messila branch.
The project was evaluated against six categories like energy performance, indoor environment, waste management, facility management, water performance, and environmental policy and awareness. Processes undertaken to calculate these parameters included thermal imaging analysis of the building envelope, energy and water labelling, indoor environmental quality analysis and techno-commercial analysis of the energy management opportunities.
Among some green credentials of the building are its energy-saving features. The building is connected to an onsite air-cooled cooling plant operating on constant primary and variable secondary configuration, efficient HVAC system and LED lighting for display, sales area and basement. The building’s indoor environmental quality, waste and facility management practices were also assessed and found to be in line with industry best practices. Wherever possible, waste accumulated from various facilities within the building is segregated at the source for responsible disposal and recycling.
Upon the conclusion of the audit, a list of the recommended energy and water management opportunities (EMOs) were provided for Lulu Group to further improve facility management and energy and water efficiency based on industrially accepted engineering and statistical techniques and site audits.
Upon successful implementation of the recommended EMOs, the building can significantly lessen its impact on the environment and reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. Based on US EPA’s emission factors, it is estimated that the suggested EMOs will help avoid 2,164 tons of CO 2 and 1,051 tonnes of coal emissions, and result in 377 fewer cars on the road, 537 acres of trees planted and energy savings equivalent to annual electricity usage of 406 households.
Based on the outcomes of the energy audits conducted during the certification course, Lulu and GORD are now initiating dialogue on facility upgrade through GORD-managed ‘ESCO model’ approach whereby energy saving opportunities will be implemented resulting in cost savings and carbon emission reduction.
Doha
Lulu Hypermarket in Qatar has become one of the first retailers in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region to achieve sustainable operations certification under the Global Sustainability Assessment System (GSAS) from the Gulf Organisation for Research & Development (GORD).
Upon completion of necessary audits by sustainability experts from GSAS Trust and GORD Labs, the Lulu Hypermarket’s building located in Al Messila achieved an overall score of 1.51 which corresponds to a ‘GOLD’ rating under the GSAS Operations certification.
Lulu Group International Director Mohamed Althaf received the GSAS certificate and plaque during an award ceremony held at Lulu Hypermarket’s Al Messila branch on May 25.
Acknowledging LuLu Group’s initiative to implement GSAS Operations as a tool to cut down its carbon footprint, GORD Founding Chairman Yousef Alhorr said, “Data emerging from latest surveys is consistently pointing towards changing consumer sentiments and behaviours. Customers today are far more informed to choose sustainability. At the same time, retailers too have the power to influence sustainable practices among their customers. By achieving a GSAS operations certificate with a ‘GOLD’ rating, Lulu International has demonstrated its conscious efforts towards operational excellence that is incomplete without environmental sustainability. We congratulate the organisation and hope that its initiative inspires others in the retail sector.”
Commenting on the sidelines of the event, Althaf said, “I am very pleased to receive the GSAS-OP Certification with ‘GOLD’ rating from GORD. This is an important milestone in our efforts to make our business more sustainable and circular. Lulu group has been making serious efforts to minimise the impact on the environment and reduce carbon footprint by half by 2030 and to achieve carbon neutrality by 2050.”
“We will focus on cutting carbon emissions, plastic packaging, food waste and water use. At the same time, we are looking into increasing sustainable practices such as recycling. We are also exploring to invest in modern innovations like reverse vending machines, and vertical farming,” he said.
“Our cooperation with GORD began in 2019. Over the last two years, we have built a solid collaborative partnership with GORD. The most valuable benefit we have gained from cooperation with GORD is being able to utilise their know-how and long experience,” said Althaf.
GSAS is the MENA region’s first green building certification system that assesses and guides projects on reducing their environmental footprint during design, construction and operations stages. In this context, GSAS Operations programme addresses impacts of building operations in post-occupancy phase. It is premised on the notion that building operations and maintenance practices have a direct impact on the natural environment as well as the economy and human health.
Therefore, GSAS Operations aims to reduce the environmental impact of the existing buildings while also improving the health and wellbeing of its occupants.
LuLu Hypermarket building at Al Messila features two stories and a basement providing a total floor area of 14,650 square meters to accommodate the hypermarket to become the ultimate one-stop-shop for daily essentials and unique product offerings for a multi-ethnic client profile living in and around the Al Messila neighbourhood.
During the audits by sustainability experts at GORD, all these facilities were thoroughly analysed in terms of operations and maintenance before being given the appropriate rating for GSAS Operations certification which is valid for four years from the date of issuance. All these audits were conducted during operational hours without interrupting the day-to-day business at the hypermarket.
LuLu Hypermarket has identified environmental management as one of its highest corporate priorities to reduce the risk to the environment and the organisation. To achieve ‘GOLD’ certification rating, several site audits and desk reviews were conducted for the assessment of current operational and maintenance practices at Lulu Hypermarket’s Al Messila branch.
The project was evaluated against six categories like energy performance, indoor environment, waste management, facility management, water performance, and environmental policy and awareness. Processes undertaken to calculate these parameters included thermal imaging analysis of the building envelope, energy and water labelling, indoor environmental quality analysis and techno-commercial analysis of the energy management opportunities.
Among some green credentials of the building are its energy-saving features. The building is connected to an onsite air-cooled cooling plant operating on constant primary and variable secondary configuration, efficient HVAC system and LED lighting for display, sales area and basement. The building’s indoor environmental quality, waste and facility management practices were also assessed and found to be in line with industry best practices. Wherever possible, waste accumulated from various facilities within the building is segregated at the source for responsible disposal and recycling.
Upon the conclusion of the audit, a list of the recommended energy and water management opportunities (EMOs) were provided for Lulu Group to further improve facility management and energy and water efficiency based on industrially accepted engineering and statistical techniques and site audits.
Upon successful implementation of the recommended EMOs, the building can significantly lessen its impact on the environment and reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. Based on US EPA’s emission factors, it is estimated that the suggested EMOs will help avoid 2,164 tons of CO 2 and 1,051 tonnes of coal emissions, and result in 377 fewer cars on the road, 537 acres of trees planted and energy savings equivalent to annual electricity usage of 406 households.
Based on the outcomes of the energy audits conducted during the certification course, Lulu and GORD are now initiating dialogue on facility upgrade through GORD-managed ‘ESCO model’ approach whereby energy saving opportunities will be implemented resulting in cost savings and carbon emission reduction.
