The International Code Council and ASTM International are teaming up to support sustainable construction in the Middle East.

The work is part of The Standards and Codes for Sustainable Construction project funded in part by the Market Development Cooperator Program (MDCP) at the U.S. Department of Commerce’s International Trade Administration. The goal is to enhance the region’s efforts in areas such as energy efficiency, water conservation, materials management, building safety and overall economic growth.

As part of the program ICC and ASTM will conduct technical seminars and training programs through 2017 about sustainable codes and standards, disseminate information at exhibits and trade shows, and accompany industry officials to standards development and green construction code meetings.

In May, ICC and ASTM will hold a workshop in Doha, Qatar, in conjunction with the International Construction Technology and Building Materials Exhibition. The workshop will provide information about codes and standards, build support for sustainable construction, and show the relationship between manufactured products and codes and standards.

In November, ICC and ASTM will host a delegation from the Gulf Cooperation Council Standardization Organization (GCCSO) that is attending GreenBuild 2015 in Washington, D.C. The agenda will include outreach sessions and an exhibition visit, as well as meetings with code officials from that area.

According to ASTM, the organization already has signed memorandums of understanding with all Gulf nations and the GCCSO, engaged 150 experts from GCC countries, and has been cited more than 4,000 times in Gulf region standards and regulations, including many citations related to construction.