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For a greener Oman
Now into its second edition, Oman
Green Awards 2011 has come of age as a platform to honour and
appreciate outstanding environmental vision and achievements in
the Sultanate. A report
The prestigious Oman Green Awards (OGA) 2011 were announced at
Al Bustan Palace Hotel’s Majan Ballroom which turned into a
virtual green zone against a tapestry of green messages. Over 20
companies, institutions and ministries made it to the victory
podium, having proven their green intent through measures that
had the larger interest of the society.
OGA 2011 was presided over by HE Mohammed bin Salim bin Said Al
Toobi, Minister of Environment and Climate Affairs, His Highness
Sayyid Tarik bin Shabib, Editor in Chief, Oman Economic Review,
and Sandeep Sehgal, chief executive, United Media Services
(UMS). The OGA, conceptualised and initiated by UMS, and now
into its second edition, was attended by a host of executives,
institution heads and senior representatives from the corporate
world. Officials from the Ministry of Environment and Climate
Affairs, Muscat Municipality, Ministry of Health and Environment
Society of Oman – main supporters of OGA 2011 – also attended
the glittering awards ceremony.
OGA has earned recognition as a platform that honours and
appreciates outstanding environmental vision and achievements in
the Sultanate. It has, simultaneously, raised awareness to the
larger cause of environment and has encouraged companies to work
towards this goal.
HSBC Bank Middle East Limited, Oman, won the ‘Green Campaign’
award, with the special commendation going to Electricity
Holding Company. ‘Green Champion’ award went to Renaissance
Services and the special commendation to Green Cover. Caledonian
College of Engineering grabbed the ‘Green Education’ award,
while American British Academy (an IB World School) won the
special commendation in the same category. For Haya Water it was
the ‘Green Footprint’ award, along with Cowi and Partners who
picked the special commendation.
‘Green Habitat’ award went to Bank Muscat and the special
commendation to Port of Salalah. Mawarid Mining picked the
‘Green Innovation’ award, with the special commendation going to
Al-Abrar Petrogas. On the landscape front, it was Muriya Tourism
Development Co who got the ‘Green Landscape’ award and Sultan
Qaboos University the special commendation for its ‘Central
Control System for Irrigation Water Management Project’.
The Ministry of Tourism and Carillion Alawi won the ‘Green
Guardian’ award and the special commendation, respectively.
‘Green Research’ award went to the Directorate General of
Agricultural and Livestock Research at the Ministry of
Agriculture, with Vale Oman Pelletising Company collecting the
special commendation in the same category.
Panasonic received the maximum votes in the ‘Public Choice
Award’. ‘Special Jury Award’ was picked by Petroleum Development
of Oman and the Department of Soils, Water and Agricultural
Engineering of Sultan Qaboos University. Akshay Kumar Parija,
Producer of ‘The Living Ghost’ received a special recognition in
honour of his commendable work towards environment, through the
entertainment media. ‘The Living Ghost’ has, previously, been
nominated for an international film festival award at Cairo and
the USA.
Over 120 nominations were received in the different categories
that had corporate houses and individuals vying for the coveted
trophy. The final results were collated on the basis of the
marks given by an august panel of judges, who were guided by the
effectiveness, innovation and creativity, impact, originality
and leadership and continuity and sustainability of the
initiatives nominated.
GREEN CAMPAIGN OF THE YEAR
Simple actions, big changes
One of the best public awareness campaigns in the Sultanate,
HSBC Oman’s Earth Hour 2011 instigates a shift in people’s
mindsets vis-à-vis their role in saving the planet
HSBC Oman’s Earth Hour 2011 was an effective public awareness
campaign highlighting the importance of some simple measures in
our daily life in reducing energy consumption. The campaign
promoted public awareness on climate change by encouraging
students, customers, employees, and the local community to
reduce their energy consumption. Advocating a switch-over from
incandescent bulbs to energy saving bulbs, HSBC has distributed
over 8,000 complimentary energy saving bulbs to the public at
all its branches, to all its employees, and to 1,000 students in
two government schools in Muscat – Hassan Bin Thabit school for
boys and Wadi Al Kabeer School for girls. The switch to energy
saving bulbs is a sustainable solution as they would save up to
80 per cent energy and last up to six times longer than standard
incandescent bulbs. It has also encouraged switching off the
lights for 60 minutes during Earth Hour. The HSBC employees were
equally engaged in the campaign, volunteering their time to
deliver environmental awareness presentations at the schools.
The feedback was very much positive as it generated more demand
from the public for energy saving bulbs and could instigate a
shift in people’s mindsets vis-à-vis their role in saving the
planet.
Save energy, save the planet
Symbolically led by an Arabian Oryx named Noor (light),
Electricity Holding Company’s Save Energy Oman is a national
campaign calling for a change to the way we use electricity
Electricity Holding Company’s Save Energy Oman is a national
campaign to spread awareness among individual and corporate
consumers of electricity across the Sultanate on the importance
of reducing energy consumption, especially during peak summer
times. A cartoon character named after Noor, a white Arabian
Oryx found in the Arabian and Omani desert, was made the
campaign’s ambassador. The choice of ‘Noor’ was not only because
she is Omani and looks beautiful but also owing to the fact that
The Arabian Oryx is preserved by the Omani government. The
company’s brochures, sunshades and other branded materials for
the campaign were distributed both in Muscat and beyond. The
company also received paintings of “Noor” from School children
who illustrated her switching off electricity or giving advice
on saving energy. The campaign’s message along with Noor’s
picture was also portrayed on ARAMEX vans which travel across
the country for deliveries so that it can be disseminated among
a large number of people. The company has also kept a pledge
book specifically for the campaign. The campaign won a
prestigious award in the UK for being the number one “Cause
Related Marketing Campaign” as part of the UK’s Annual “Drum
Marketing Awards”.
GREEN CHAMPION AWARD
A green department
Renaissance Service’s Office Green Team (OGT) has served as a
‘green department’ spreading the green awareness message to all
levels of the company
The Office Green Team (OGT) of Renaissance Service is aimed at
setting up a central department in each subsidiary to document
green activities at various locations and to share that
information with the management, colleagues and the
headquarters. The OGT could inspire employee action and
awareness and document the green activities that were taking
place at various multinational locations of the company and
share the information with other green teams. As part of the
initiative, literature and reviews of eco-conferences have been
shared across the company subsidiaries, and presentations were
delivered to the OGT and business heads, motivating companies to
develop green agendas and individuals to actively organise
recycling initiatives. The OGT is a voluntary team and its
members are nominated for a period of three months. The meetings
are scheduled weekly, and each OGT sets a short term agenda and
presents it to the upper management for approval. It has served
as a ‘green department’ meant to actively spread the green
awareness message to all levels of the company. Besides OGT, the
company has also spearheaded a paper and plastic recycling
initiative at the corporate office. Up to 45 kilos of paper is
collected each week from offices and goes straight to recycling.
Both the OGT and paper recycling programmes are sustainable in
that they don’t require many resources and positively contribute
to a better world with little consumption of resource. The
meetings are conducted in natural light, and notes are taken on
the back sides of used papers.
For an eco-friendly stadium
Green Cover has introduced eco-friendly infill materials in
artificial grass at Bel Raimaitha Club Stadium in Dubai
In an effort to explore the possibility of eco-friendly stadiums
in the Middle East, Green Cover has introduced natural infill
materials in artificial grass instead of chemical materials at
Bel Raimaitha Club Stadium in Dubai. The natural infill product
has become the most favoured infill for football fields across
the region. The composition of this product revolutionises the
infill method for an artificial turf field. Thanks to this
product, the stadium always looks fresh and tidy and imparts an
eco-friendly feeling to the players. There is no smell of rubber
in the hot climate. The project is cost-effective as it is not
labour-oriented and no water or fertiliser
is required.
Besides, quality and stability is assured. Weekly moistening of
the infill will expand its life time up to 15 to 20 years. This
natural infill can be recycled for agricultural use when the
artificial turf comes to the end of its life. As an organic
infill of plant origin, it is odourless and microorganism proof.
It has characteristics to keep the median temperature of the
synthetic turf lower than a rubber infill, very much like a
natural grass temperature. The company is looking at doing the
same in Oman by educating people about carbon emissions and
cultivating a green culture.
GREEN CHAMPION AWARD
For a sustainable future
By incorporating environmental awareness learning in its
mission, the Caledonian College of Engineering seeks to mould a
new generation of environmentally conscious young Omanis
The Caledonian College of Engineering has incorporated
environmental awareness in its mission for creating a clean and
green academic culture with focus on reducing the use of paper,
encouraging recycling, saving energy and water and developing
renewable energy. The college has set up an energy efficiency
team to implement and monitor energy efficiency concepts within
the campus. Posters indicating energy and water saving messages
were displayed all over the campus to create awareness among
students and staff members. Other important measures include
digitisation of the records, introduction of paper-cut software
in all PCs and solar lighting at certain places inside the
college, appointment of a company for recycling papers and
plastic and other materials, replacement of some halogen flood
lights with LED floodlights and planting trees and shrubs
wherever possible all across the campus.
The college has undertaken a number of research projects on
solar energy applications for water treatment, desalination,
power generation, water pumping, solid waste management etc.It
also organises international and regional conferences on
renewable energy to create a platform for discussing and
brainstorming innovative and creative ideas on green concepts
and student competitions to extract creative ideas from young
engineers.
Young watchdogs
Grade 5 students at ABA-An IB World School have carried out a
3-month long scientific investigation and research to understand
some of the vexing environmental issues of our time
ABA-An IB World School’s ‘Grade 5 Exhibition: Sharing the
Planet’ was the result of a 3-month long investigation in which
students were able to inquire and learn about various
environment problems. They carried out scientific
investigations, research, and action to better understand and to
educate others about environmental issues. They could learn the
causes and effects of the problems and investigate the
solutions. The findings were presented to the public through
books, power point presentations and movies which were all done
by the students themselves. There were songs, dances, skits,
talk shows and games shows, each showing the problems the
environment is facing along with the solutions to these
problems. It has also encouraged other students to adopt more
sustainable practices at home and school. By placing the
responsibility on the students to first learn about the issues
and then present it to the community, the project enabled the
students to gain ownership of the ideas. When students are
directly connected and responsible for their education they tend
to retain information and change their habits. ABA has
incorporated environmental education into the curriculum. By
changing daily habits and raising awareness in the school
community, the school seeks to adopt more sustainable practices
in water, electricity, and paper consumption. The school also
aims to reduce its consumption of water, electricity and paper
as well as encourage good environmental practices.
GREEN FOOTPRINT AWARD
Composting sewage
At its Composting Plant in Al Amerat, Haya Water composts the
entire sewage sludge generated by its sewage treatment plants
Haya Water has set up its Composting Plant in Al Amerat to reuse
sewage sludge (Biosolids) and convert them to Compost, thereby
contributing to reducing greenhouse gas emissions. The entire
sewage sludge generated by Haya Water sewage treatment plants is
currently composted at the plant instead of dumping them at the
landfill, which will cause the formation of greenhouse gases,
mainly methane gas. The plant has motivated others to deliver
their green waste to Haya Water instead of dumping them at the
landfill. The plant will have a long term positive impact on the
environment in general and the quality of underground water in
particular.
The “Open Agitated Window System” technology used in the plant
is not only the best option for a country with plenty of
sunshine but also it allows the use of different wastes as a raw
material. The plant has branded its product as ‘Kala Compost’
and sells it to generate income which will contribute to the
sustainability of the project. The use of Kala Compost – which
complies with standards of the Ministry of Environment, GCC and
USEPA – by farmers, landscaping contractors and home gardeners
will boost soil fertility, protect from soil erosion and creates
more greenery in Oman.
Green workplaces
In an attempt to give a green hue to the workplaces by reducing
carbon footprint, COWI Oman has set up a baseline for its Oman
office
COWI Oman’s Carbon Footprint Initiative seeks to reduce the
overall carbon footprint of Oman’s construction industry. The
company has adopted a multidimensional approach aimed at
reducing carbon footprint at its workplace and offering climate
solutions to all clients. It has established a baseline
footprint for its Oman office to measure the annual changes. In
addition, there are direct measurements of power consumption,
waste production and vehicle use. Though the idea of setting up
a visible and meaningful baseline involves an element of risk,
COWI international has taken up the challenge and now promotes
these activities in its other offices globally. The company has
achieved improvements, albeit limited, in power and water
consumption. The announcement of the actual figure of carbon
emission for 2009 has generated significant interest among the
staff members who decided to meet regularly to discuss the means
of reducing office and industry footprint. The momentum has
spread to the point where COWI management has decided to move
offices to more energy efficient premises. The decision to move
the offices, despite being an expensive one, reflected the
company’s commitment to climate solutions. Other activities
initiated by COWI includes visiting schools to promote carbon
footprint calculation, developing own expertise in low energy
solutions and making business communication techniques
more efficient.
GREEN HABITAT AWARD
A stunning harmony
Designed in accordance with the highest environmental
standards, BankMuscat’s new headquarters in Seeb pushes back
architectural boundaries
The new head office of BankMuscat in Seeb has turned out to be
an architectural masterpiece and an outstanding landmark in
terms of aesthetics and facilities. Designed in accordance with
the highest environmental standards, the building redefines
modern banking requirements in terms of functionality, security,
productivity and business continuity. All timber products
required for the building were taken from a sustainable source.
While designing the eastern and western elevations of the
building, due consideration was given to the installation of
simple windows for protection from heat. Imported Pilkington
glass, which is one of the most environment friendly varieties
of glass, was used. The Oriel windows of the building reflect
the Omani architectural style blended with traditional Islamic
architecture. Imported Pilkington glass used for the
construction is one of the most advanced and environment
friendly types available. Two key air handling units have been
strategically placed to minimise greenhouse effects; and the
building is fitted with sensor-based lighting devices to reduce
or increase lighting in order to conserve energy. When sunshine
is at its peak, the lighting system automatically remains dim.
Sensor taps and other latest sanitary fixtures have been used to
minimise water wastage. Another attraction of the building is a
Moroccan-style garden. Having successfully pushed architectural
boundaries, the new BankMuscat headquarters is sure to stand the
test of time.
Saving energy
Port of Salalah’s auto cut-off system for flood lights helped it
save ten per cent of the total Quay Cranes energy consumption in
2010
At most ports, during normal operations the floodlights of quay
cranes at the boom and operator cabin are usually switched on.
However, after the operations end and the quay cranes are in
idle mode, floodlights remain on until someone switches them off
manually leading to wastage of power during the idle time of
quay cranes. To address this, Port of Salalah has introduced an
auto cut-off system for flood lights under the Flood Light
project. The project helped the company to save 10 per cent of
the total Quay Cranes energy consumption in 2010. Apart from
this the port has hired an environment consultant to measure and
reduce its Co2 emission levels. It has implemented more than 17
environment related initiatives and it monitors environmental
improvements and ongoing projects.
The port monitors the improvements of the ongoing projects every
month and regular updates are provided to the management team.
It constantly reviews the plans, compares it with other ports
and shares it with the community through joint projects and
education. All projects include continual measurement and
improvement. The port is also engaged in a socioeconomic study
to understand the impact on the environment. Besides, the port
is the first company in Oman to start Carbon Credit trading. It
is also part of a global group of more than 58 ports around the
world which share data, programmes and initiatives among each
other and enjoy access to the service of international
sustainability
experts and consultants.
GREEN INNOVATION AWARD
Conserving water
Tailings Storage Facility has helped Mawarid Mining reduce its
dependence on external water by recovering process water for
reuse in its concentrator
Mawarid Mining’s Tailings Storage Facility (TSF) was prepared
for storing tailings from its Lasail Copper concentrator. It was
mainly aimed at reducing dependence on external water resources
as much as possible and preventing water table contamination.
The mining company had a dedicated team of engineers,
environmental specialists and hydrological consultants working
on this project. The team looked at the best design where
minimum energy consumption is required. A water decant system
was applied to make use of gravitational force to drive
segregated water outside the dam into the return water ponds.
Moreover, all samples were tested on a regular basis to verify
there was no contamination of underground water.
Located at a suitable site that minimises potentially negative
impacts, the TSF is lined with a 2 & 1.5 mm thick HDPE liner to
prevent seepage of process water into the ground. Tailings dam
is monitored on a monthly basis and a fence is installed around
to prevent entry of man and animals. Vegetation will be applied
on the top of the tailing and it is expected that further
seeding of vegetation cover will occur naturally from nearby
grasses. Monitoring will continue until water samples meet the
required standards. The TSF has become a motivation hub for
school students in the region educating them about the
importance of the environment and water conservation.
Against slippage
The Voraxial Technology introduced by Al Abrar Petrogas has
significantly contributed to combat oil spillage and treat
contaminated water
Al Abrar Petrogas has introduced Voraxial Technology as an
innovative solution for recovering oil from oil spills and
produced water used by oil producing companies. The use of this
technology will protect water resources, ground water and sea
water from contamination. It was tested during the Gulf of
Mexico spillage and the results surprised many people. The
technology will also help oil producers and refineries which
dump produced water or waster into Oman Sea to treat such wastes
and meet environment standards. It will be of great importance
to dry dock ports where there are a lot of oil spills by ships
which come for services. This technology will be able to treat
the water and recover the oil and return the clean water back to
the sea. Voraxial Technology also helps in reducing CO2
emissions as it uses less power and energy.
The Voraxial is efficient as a liquid/liquid, liquid/solid or
liquid/liquid/solid separator. The Voraxial Separator is a
compact, 2-way or 3-way separator that is able to process large
volume of liquids with a small footprint and without any
pressure loss. The Voraxial produces a high centrifugal force
and generates a vortex to separate a mixture of fluids or a
combination of fluids and solids by their different densities.
The heavier elements are drawn to the outside of the vortex
while the lighter materials are drawn toward the centre, forming
the central core of the vortex. A specially designed manifold is
utilised at the exit of the separation chamber to collect the
separated streams.
GREEN LANDSCAPE AWARD
Green beaches
Salalah Beach Project of Muriya Tourism Development has emerged
as a role model for eco-friendly landscape and tourist
destinations in Oman
Designed as a ‘Salalah Coastal Zone Tourism Development’, Muriya
Tourism Development Company’s Salalah Beach Project is a
nature-dependent tourist facility in Oman meeting all
eco-friendly landscape principles. The project makes use of open
spaces, through a master plan which incorporates a beach, Khwars
or wetlands, lagoons and a golf course. Its eco-friendly
landscape breaks the density of development by providing an
overall landscape view, water frontage and recreational
activities. The project has been designed to have a minimal
visual impact on populated areas of Dhofar. Low density building
and infrastructure design minimises adverse environmental
impacts. Overall this beach project has emerged as a role model
for eco-friendly landscape and tourist destinations in Oman.
The project is aimed at designing a plan for the sustainability
and environmental protection of Dhofar region in order to
mitigate the environmental impact. A preliminary environmental
impact assessment (EIA) was undertaken to determine the
potential generic environmental impact and possible mitigation
measures for the construction, operation and maintenance of the
proposed development. Based on the environmental setting and
sensitivities of the proposed development area, alternative
master plans were developed and assessed from an environmental
perspective. As many as 950 coconut trees were planted for the
project so far and 2,050 more will be planted in the future.
Besides, when the project will be completed around 1,000,000m2
will be covered by green grass for the golf area.
Innovative irrigation
By implementing an effective water management technology, Sultan
Qaboos University has reduced its annual water consumption for
irrigation by 25 per cent
Central Control System for Irrigation Water Management at Sultan
Qaboos University has effectively employed water management
technology for the maintenance of its large landscape area by
utilising available water and energy resources. The University’s
technical team worked in association with two manufacturers of
the best water management technical expertise – Rain Bird
International (USA) along with their local distributor Al Ansari
Trading Enterprise, and Hunter Industries Incorporated (USA)
with their local distributor Muna Noor Manufacturing and Trading
– to design an effective water management technology.
In the first five months from the actual date of operation,
water consumption has reduced by 25 per cent compared to the
same period in the previous year. In addition, the new
technology contributed to reduce ground water table depletion
around SQU, prevent the deterioration of water quality, and
increases the life of irrigation equipment like pumps,
controllers, rotors, etc.The effective implementation of water
saving technology has impressed the local distributor and it has
become a role model for various government and private sector
organisations which are interested in implementing technologies
that conserve natural resources. The success of this project has
prompted many people and organisations to modify their existing
method of irrigation applying the effective central control
system which will bring them the ultimate benefit of water
saving and effective utilisation of available natural resources.
GREEN GUARDIAN AWARD
Boosting ecotourism
With its sustainable tourism policy, the Ministry of Tourism has
always given greater priority to conserving Oman’s natural
beauty and diversity
The Ministry of Tourism has developed a sustainable and
responsible tourism sector in the country with its sustainable
tourism policy, planning and operations, destination marketing
and public awareness and education programmes. It has done a
review of current international best practices and an assessment
of local conditions and industry consultation to formulate a
sustainable tourism policy, planning and operational guidelines.
The Ministry called on international experts and lead agencies
on sustainable tourism to ensure that standards, expectations
and benchmarks were fully understood. Its marketing strategy has
greatly assisted Oman to emerge as a destination for culture,
heritage and nature. In 2010, the Ministry initiated a wide
range of inter-connected initiatives to elevate the industry and
held discussions on the benefits of sustainable and responsible
tourism. As the government’s lead agency for the destination
marketing of Oman, the Ministry has reviewed and refined Oman’s
brand positioning to give greater priority to nature and natural
values. This included a review of messaging and images to better
communicate Oman’s natural values to consumer segments as well
as to Omanis. Nature was a core theme of the Ministry-sponsored
photographic competition which was designed to excite Oman’s
photographers to take images that could market Oman to the
world, and educate the community on the value of tourism and the
environment. In October 2011, the Ministry will host the third
International Geotourism Conference to build awareness about
Oman’s natural values at an international level and provide an
industry training opportunity for Oman’s tour companies.
Tapping sustainable sources
Carillion Alawi – Joinery Workshop contributes to avoid
deforestation in Oman by using only FSC-approved materials for
joinery and construction
Carillion Alawi sought to reduce the environmental impact as
much as possible by using energy-efficient technologies and
Forest Stewardship Council approved timbers for construction and
joinery. It uses FSC-approved timbers for joinery works and PEFC-approved
papers through the business. The company is very particular
about using energy efficient equipment and advanced and
sustainable technologies to joinery works to reduce the process
waste as much as possible and to increase the recycling rate. It
also recycles the by-product for charcoal preparation and
surface layer preparation for poultry firms.
Moreover, it raises awareness among the clients to adopt the FSC-approved
products instead of using the traditional trees like teak from
non-suitable sources. A pure green initiative, it gives positive
motivation to others to adopt and protect the Omani environment
from deforestation and avoid the products from non-sustainable
sources.
GREEN RESEARCH AWARD
Enhancing productivity
The Ministry of Agriculture has proved how treated wastewater
can be used for growing seasonal forage crops like sorghum,
maize and barley at the farms in Saham
The Ministry of Agriculture – Directorate General of
Agricultural & Livestock Research – has explored how effectively
non-conventional water resources can be utilised for agriculture
production. The Directorate has studied the use of treated
wastewater for producing seasonal forage crops like sorghum,
maize and barley in Saham. The idea came to fruition when the
regional municipality agreed to provide treated wastewater and
farmers in the area showed a keen interest to cultivate such
crops. The project has turned out to be a remarkable success
with the new method enhancing productivity and reducing the
pressure on ground water resources considerably. Sorghum crop
was most profitable. Farms which were degraded due to drought or
salinity can now be rehabilitated in Batinah and other regions.
The cultivation of fodder by using treated wastewater is likely
to boost green land development across the country. This will
have a favourable socioeconomic impact due to high crop yield.
The experiment points to the necessity of developing new
possibilities for reusing treated wastewater for irrigation,
especially because of the importance of fodder under food
security. Promotion of such projects utilising treated
wastewater for increasing fodder supply with the government
support is of paramount importance.
A vision for sustainability
Driven by a strong sustainability strategy, Vale Oman
Pelletising Company has built a blueprint for preserving the
environment and rich biodiversity of the Sultanate
Vale Oman Pelletising Company has explored innovative and
cost-effective techniques using cutting-edge technology for
better crop management and boost crop yields. It has pursued
sustainable development and believes in positively impacting the
communities it operates within. It works hand in hand with its
partners like the Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries, The
Research Council, Sultan Qaboos University and the local
community to build a blueprint for preserving the environment
and maintaining high quality natural resources. As a part of the
Agriculture Project in Oman, a Memorandum of Understanding was
signed with Vicosa Federal University, the leading agricultural
educational institute in Brazil to conduct agronomic studies in
Oman. The project aims to investigate the effects and preventive
measures that can be taken to reduce the incidence of diseases
and pests on Mango, Lime and Date plantations in the Sultanate.
Five Brazilian agricultural experts from the University visited
Sohar’s plantations to observe first-hand the diseases and
pests. This was followed by a Memorandum of Understanding
consisting of four years of research and total investment of
around RO2mn to fight pests that afflict mangos, limes and
dates, important crops in Oman. Furthermore, researchers from
SQU visited the commercial mango and lime plantations in
Brazil’s semi-arid regions.
PUBLIC CHOICE AWARD
Preserving for the posterity
A long term vision for a healthier and greener Oman has been at
the core of a number of initiatives undertaken by Panasonic
Panasonic (Omasco) has undertaken several environmentally
friendly initiatives aimed at conserving Oman’s environment and
preserving its rich biodiversity. It has provided water proof
cameras to the Environment Society of Oman (ESO) to help them
with their research. These cameras have enabled ESO to take
images both under and over water to ensure the safe conservation
of the natural habitat of whales and dolphins. The current study
is an on-going process which will lead to greater revelations of
the habitat of whales and dolphins helping ESO identify concrete
steps to preserve the same. An awareness programme was set up by
the company at Ras Al Jinz to educate the youth about the
threats to our environment and simple solutions that can help
save the planet. Pledge boards were set up for people to come
and take a pledge to preserve precious resources like water and
power. The company has organised various competitions such as
eco-diary competition and painting activities for children. Eco
Diaries were distributed across the Sultanate for children to
put down their views on the environment and what they can do to
preserve it. The company has distributed movie cameras among a
group of children to create a short film about the environment,
its problems and simple solutions to preserve the planet.
Panasonic has also introduced biodegradable bags in all its
showrooms across the Sultanate keeping in mind the hazards of
plastic bags on the environment.
SPECIAL JURY AWARD
Advocating a paradigm shift
Petroleum Development Oman’s Ecology Centre is a non-profit
institution for informing and inspiring the general public to
appreciate and adopt an eco-friendly attitude and lifestyle
The main theme of Petroleum Development Oman (PDO)’s Ecology
Centre revolves around the current global environmental concerns
and the necessity of a shift from traditional nonrenewable
fossil fuels to renewable Eco-friendly energy resources. The
centre is equipped with exhibits, videos and games for different
age groups to explain concepts like how energy is produced,
generated and worked out for human use. It teaches how people
can use alternative fuels to achieve ecological goals. Several
learning activities such as workshops and presentations are
provided all through the year in order to educate younger
generation about critical environmental concerns in Oman and
increase awareness of global environmental issues. EcOman is the
first of its kind exhibit in Oman that is meant not only to
promote environmental awareness but also to educate the public
about the best way to make a difference. The internal design of
the centre displays the same theme and objective. The LED
lighting in the exhibition hall, the double glazed windows, the
building architecture are all designed in respect with energy
and environmental preservation. The roof is well isolated by
using insulation form 15cm sandwich panels and the walls five cm
of a form layer were applied. Since the opening of EcOman centre
in March 2011 to the public, it has been receiving more than
1,000 visitors every month.
Simple but effective
A low-cost- low maintenance water treatment system developed by
Sultan Qaboos University will be helpful in treating ablution
water in mosques in order to reuse them for irrigation
Sultan Qaboos University’s Department of Soils, Water and
Agricultural Engineering has designed a low-cost-low-maintenance
treatment system to collect, treat and reuse ablution water from
small to medium size mosques. The department has designed and
constructed a water treatment system for a selected community
mosque after studying the quantity and quality of the ablution
water there. The treated water samples tested as a part of this
project were found to meet all Omani standards for irrigation
water. Treated ablution water was reused to irrigate grass and
trees around the mosque.
The system reduces the use of fresh municipality water and the
pressure on the sewage treatment network or local septic tanks.
The risks of soil and ground water contaminations as a result of
septic tank leaks at small community mosques are also
considerably reduced. The Ministry of Regional Municipalities
and Water Resources has installed a similar unit at Abu-Hamzaa
Al-Shaari mosque in Al-Hail South, Seeb. The structure of
treatment unit is relatively very simple and easy to maintain.
This is because of the use of locally available materials such
as a water storage tank and washed beach sand in its
construction. There are more than 13,000 community mosques in
Oman where a large quantity of fresh water is being used for
ablution. With this low cost- low maintenance ablution water
treatment system this water can be re-used to irrigate grass and
trees around the mosques.
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