Yousef Alhorr

Yousef M. Alhorr  (Arabic: يوسف الحُر, born January 10, 1967) is a Qatari scientist, innovator and environmentalist known for his work in the field of sustainability and climate actions. He is the founder and chairman of the Gulf Organisation for Research and Development (GORD),^[1][2] established in 2009 at Qatar Science & Technology Park, where he led the development of the Gulf region's fastest growing green building rating system – the Global Sustainability Assessment System (GSAS), under which more than 2,500 projects have been certified. ^[3][4][5][6] Launched in 2009, GSAS has since been used in Qatar and the Middle East as one of the chief sustainability systems alongside alongside other internationally recognized systems.^{[7][8][9][10][11][12]} Alhorr has led the development of the first Gulf Sustainable Construction Code for the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) Countries which is published under the umbrella of the GCC Standardization Organization (GSO).^[13]

Yousef Mohamed Alhorr
Born	(1967-01-10) January 10, 1967 (age 58)
Education	B.Sc in Mechanical Engineering from Qatar University (1989), M.Sc Materials Engineering from the George Washington University (1996), PhD Materials Engineering from the University of Manchester Institute of Science and Technology
Occupation	Engineering
Known for	Environmental Efforts
Notable work	Global Sustainability Assessment System (GSAS) Synergia 9n1 hybrid ultra-efficient patented, smart cooling technology

Alhorr’s earlier work involved leading the drafting of the first version of Green Construction (Section 7) of Qatar Construction Specifications.^[14] Launched in 2010, the original draft replaced by its 2014 edition now serves as the  national guide setting the required building sustainability norms for the industry.^[15] Establishing a benchmark for environmentally responsible products, he led the development of the International Green Mark (IGM) scheme and authored its manual.^[16]

His influence as a key figure in sustainability policy enforcement has extended across multiple domains, shaping urban planning for new cities such as Lusail City^[17] and Qatar Economic Zones in establishing sustainability benchmarks for public buildings sector and large-scale infrastructure projects such as railways, stadiums and airport, etc; and developing host country sustainability strategies for mega events such as the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022^[18] and the International Horticultural Expo 2023 Doha.

Alhorr is the founding chairman of Global Carbon Council. In the Global South, GCC is the first international program fully accredited by ICAO’s CORSIA to supply carbon credits to international airlines to meet their carbon neutral growth.^[19][20][21] GCC is also accredited by ICROA. GCC has received approximately 1600 projects from 50 countries seeking accreditation for their mitigation activities by issuing high-quality, high-integrity carbon credits. Alhorr is also the founding chairman of the Global Accreditation Bureau – an accreditation body which is a Full Member of Asia Pacific Accreditation Cooperation (APAC), and an Accreditation Body Member of International Accreditation Forum (IAF). He is the president of Green Building Committee at the GCC Standardization Organization (GSO).^[22][23]

On the technological front, Alhorr led the research and development of innovative energy-efficient solutions, including Synergia9n1 – a hybrid ultra-efficient patented, smart cooling technology for fresh air, that earned him the award for AEE’s Energy Innovator of the Year 2022.^[24] Synergia9n1 also earned him the Best Patent in Energy Efficiency from the League of Arab States^[25] as well as the General Secretariat of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) award and Gold Medal  at the 15th International Invention Fair of the Middle East held in Kuwait.^[26] He is also the recipient of Takreem Award for Environmental Development and Sustainability Leadership presented during the 13th edition of the Arab Excellence Awards Ceremony 2023 as well as the Emirates Energy Award by Dubai Supreme Council of Energy.^[27][28] For the MENA region, Alhorr has pioneered the sustainable manufacturing landscape by introducing an advanced additive manufacturing facility serving diverse industries by housing nine different 3D printing technologies under one roof. The center provides functional metal and non-metal parts, offers reverse engineering services, and also advances knowledge in this emerging field through research and publications in peer-reviewed journals.^[29]

Academic background

Alhorr received his Bachelor of Science degree in Mechanical Engineering from Qatar University’s College of Engineering in 1989,  followed by Master of Science in Materials Engineering from the George Washington University, United States, in 1996. In 2000, he earned a doctorate degree in Materials Engineering from the University of Manchester Institute of Science and Technology, UK.

Professional background

From 2000 to 2004, Alhorr was the assistant professor at Qatar University’s College of Engineering. In September 2004 until 2006, he joined the institute’s active research wing, taking up the position of Assistant Vice President for Research. From then onward up until 2011, he held several positions at Qatar’s leading Barwa Real Estate Company as a deputy CEO, strategic adviser and president for strategy and investment, and CEO and chairman of Barwa Knowledge.^[30][31][32] In 2009, Alhorr set the foundation of the Gulf Organisation for Research and Development (GORD), which has grown from a local research-focused organization into a multi-discipline entity through its diversified portfolio of activities. GORD’s low-carbon solutions, offered by its affiliates and centres of excellence, have positioned the organization on the regional and global arena of sustainability and climate action.^[33]

Alhorr was the recipient of the Emerging CEO – Green Buildings prize from the Federation of GCC Chambers^[34][35] as well as the Environment & Sustainability Award.^[36] Alhorr is a member of the board of trustees for the University of Doha for Science and Technology (2017-2022) and advisory board member of the College of Engineering at Qatar University^[37] His name comes in the list of the Qatar University’s most notable alumni.^[38] He has worked as a sustainability adviser for a variety of projects across the MENA region. This advisory work included providing strategic guidance and implementation roadmaps on sustainable development, notably for all stadiums built to host the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022.^[39] He served as an adviser for sustainable delivery and legacy of the tournament and orchestrated the sustainability strategy and implementation for the International Horticultural Expo 2023 Doha Qatar.^[40]

Speaking Engagements

Alhorr has lectured several seminars during and after his time as a faculty member and director of research at his alma meter, Qatar University.^[41] He has chaired several conferences^[42] and has been regularly invited as a keynote and guest speaker at regional and global industry events including the United Nations Climate Change Conferences (COPs), including COP18 in Doha,^[43][44] COP26 in Glasgow,^[45] COP27 in Egypt,^[46] COP28 in Dubai,^[47] COP29 in Azerbaijan, COP30 in Brazil, the AEE World Conference held in Atlanta, United States (2023), Hong Kong Connect (2024),^[48] Cairo Sustainable Energy Week (2024),^[49] UNEP’s Regional Dialogue to Accelerate Readiness for Article 6 of the Paris Agreement held in State of Kuwait (2025),^[50] and the 41st Meeting of the Arab Negotiating Group on Climate Change held in Cairo, Egypt (2025).^[51]