From Design to Operations, Sustainability in Action
Global Sustainability Assessment System (GSAS)
A globally acclaimed outcome of the Institute’s research is GORD’s flagship Global Sustainability Assessment System (GSAS), which is the first integrated and performance-based green building rating system in the MENA region, designed for assessing and rating buildings and infrastructure for their sustainability impacts. With more than 2,500 registered projects, GSAS has become the fastest growing green building rating system for new developments in the Gulf region. Developed in 2007, GSAS aims to improve design, construction and operations of buildings and infrastructure projects. GSAS framework draws best practices adopted from 40 different rating systems known regionally and internationally.
Eco-Labelling for Sustainable Products
International Green Mark (IGM)
Another sustainability standard developed by GORD is the International Green Mark, which is an ecolabelling system recognizing products’ environmental performance to encourage sustainable management of resources.
IGM offers several benefits as these labels:
- Promote socially and ecologically responsible practices.
- Provide new trade opportunities via access to high-value niche markets.
- Result in safer and more reliable products.
- Facilitate wider acceptance of products in the marketplace.
- Instill consumer confidence in the eco-labeled products.
- Distinguish manufacturers making products with lower environmental impacts.
From Research to Regulation: Sustainability in Action
GCC Sustainable Construction Code
Building on years of GORD’s research work and the proven success of the Global Sustainability Assessment System (GSAS), the Gulf region’s first Sustainable Construction Code was conceived and developed, representing a direct outcome of GORD Institute’s ongoing commitment to advancing sustainable practices in the built environment. Integrated into the wider Gulf Building Code by the GCC Standardization Organization (GSO), this pioneering code serves as an intergovernmental tool to establish a unified baseline for green building criteria across diverse project types. By embedding sustainability into the region’s construction standards, it marks a significant step forward in supporting the Gulf’s transition toward more resource-efficient, environmentally responsible urban development.
