Supreme Committee launches project to 'enhance air quality' around 2022 stadiums

The Supreme Committee (SC) has partnered with Hamad bin Khalifa University (HBKU) for air quality research.

The body preparing for the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 has teamed up with HBKU’s Qatar Environment and Energy Research Institute (QEERI) to ensure the availability of proper mechanisms to monitor the air quality ahead of the global footballing event, as part of the mission to deliver a healthy and safe tournament.

The project includes the installation of an initial QEERI Air Quality Monitoring Station (AQMS) at Al Thumama Stadium, which will continuously measure air quality, gases – such as ozone, nitrogen oxides, methane – as well as temperature, wind speed and direction in high-time resolution.

AQMS stations enable researchers and national stakeholders to collect reliable data that help quantify the impact of air quality on the environmental, energy and health systems in Qatar.

“We have built all of our stadiums with long-term sustainability and environmental management as core concepts, including dust management principles to ensure better air quality,” said Eng. Bodour Al Meer, SC Sustainability & Environment Senior Manager.

“To ensure tangible and credible sustainability outcomes, our collaboration with QEERI on will provide us with the necessary data to make sure that we are making the best decisions possible to improve the air quality in and around stadiums,” added Al Meer.

In his comment on the collaboration, Mohammed Ayoub, QEERI’s Senior Research Director of the Environment and Sustainability Center, emphasised the importance of good air quality and its crucial role in a community’s health.

“Building a knowledge base and improving national capacities to enhance environmental sustainability in Qatar is a cornerstone of QEERI’s mandate. This collaboration will serve to improve air quality management in our country for years to come,” Ayoub added.

QEERI aims to be a leader in Qatar in the fields of environment and energy, and to become a science and technology reference in these fields at a national, regional and international level.

According to the SC, at least 1.5 million fans from around the world are expected to visit Qatar for the FIFA World Cup 2022, making health and environment as crucial as ever for visitors and local residents.

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