He also said that green building standards should be compulsory in Qatar.

The Qatar Green Buildings Council, which was formed in 2008, will soon invite project business to become a members and Qatar is expected to become a member of the World Green Building Council by the end of 2009.

“All of us in the GCC, we have to join forces to adopt a regulation at the GCC level for us to enjoy a minimum level of good standards for green buildings,” Al-Mohannadi said.

Turning to compulsory green building regulations in Qatar, Al-Mohannadi said: “Regulation (of green building standards) is a very important aspect and without it we shall be challenged.”

Dohaland is a real estate developer supported by the Qatar Foundation which was officially launched earlier in March.

Dubai is expected to introduce the Middle East’s first compulsory green building code by the end of 2009. Abu Dhabi is also working on its own green building rating system. Qatar is expected to be the third Middle East country to adopt a green building standard.

Observers say that the GCC is in danger of creating multiple green building standards that will complicate efforts to introduce sustainable building codes in the region.