Doha: Qatar Research, Development, and Innovation (QRDI) Council hosted its RDI Sustainability Community Event, focusing on "Circular Economy: Recycling and Reuse." The event is part of QRDI Council's National RDI Community initiative, which aims to nurture collaboration and knowledge sharing among researchers, innovators, and industry stakeholders in Qatar.
According to Qatar News Agency, the Secretary General of QRDI Council Eng. Omar Al Ansari emphasized the importance of such events in building a collaborative ecosystem for sustainability in Qatar. By connecting researchers, innovators, and industry partners, the event aims to drive practical solutions that advance scientific knowledge and contribute to the nation's environmental goals. He highlighted that the circular economy and waste reuse initiatives presented during the event demonstrate Qatar's commitment to sustainable innovation and responsible resource management.
The event commenced with opening remarks from Director of Strategic Partnerships at QRDI Council Bader Al Saai, who provided an overview of QRDI Council's programs on sustainability. This was followed by the award ceremony for the Climate Change and Environment Call (CCEC), where Eng. Omar Al Ansari presented awards to leading research teams.
One of the major highlights was the Research and Innovation Showcase, where eight pioneering projects demonstrated cutting-edge approaches to advancing the circular economy through recycling and reuse. Dr. Mohamed Al-Kuwari from the Ministry of Environment and Climate Change opened the session with a presentation on the development of a novel technology for producing green cement and advanced construction materials from solid waste. He elaborated on the Green Cement project, which focuses on converting and replacing polluting materials by recycling and transforming them into environmentally friendly cement through advanced thermal processes.
Other notable projects included the Segregation of Airline Catering Off-Loads by UHV Technologies and the Sustainable Conversion of Agricultural Waste into Protein-Rich Animal Feed by HBKU-QEERI. The showcase also featured the Development of Carbonate Plasterboard as a Locally Sourced and Carbon-Negative Construction Material by GORD, and Industrial Crop Production Using Biosolids, Treated Effluent, and Industrial Water led by Shell.
Further presentations included the Valorization of Tomato Waste by Qatar University, Commercially Viable Indoor Farming of Lettuce in Arid Conditions presented by VFarms in collaboration with Hassad Food, and the Use of a Novel Multifunctional Hydrogel to Protect Date Farms, led by UDST.
The event concluded with an open discussion and networking session, accompanied by an electronic poster exhibition that allowed participants to engage directly with researchers and explore the outcomes and potential future applications of the showcased projects. The RDI Sustainability Community Event exemplifies QRDI Council's strategic role in advancing Qatar's national research and innovation agenda.