On Wednesday, August 26th An Najah National University's Green Buildings Project, a partnership with the American Consulate in Jerusalem and Arizona State University, held its 2nd International Sustainable Expertise Exchange (SEE) Forum at the IT Korean Institute Hall. 

In attendance were An Najah's Acting President, Prof Maher Natsheh, VP of International Development, Dr Kherieh Rassas, American Consul General Donald Blome, American sustainable building engineer Dr Kristen Parrish, Global Communities' Country Director Lana Abu Hijleh and other esteemed guests as well as professional engineers from across Palestine and An Najah's engineering students. 

 The program started with opening remarks by Prof Maher Natsheh who outlined the success and details of the Green Buildings Project and stressed the importance of sustainable driven initiatives and discussed some of the other projects and work An Najah has and plans to implement. 

Following Prof Natsheh's remarks, Consul Blome welcomed guests and congratulated the Green Buildings participants for their hard work and outstanding achievements.

Iyad Ghazzal of the first place team that traveled to ASU on an academic and cultural exchange trip shared his experiences and feedback with the audience and also screened a short film illustrating the project. 

The sustainable building engineer Dr Kristen Parrish of Arizona State University (ASU) delivered a keynote presentation titled 'Green Buildings in the US: A Construction Perspective.'  Dr Parrish discussed the process of green building design and construction and presented tools such as often employed in the U.S. market for green building design and construction.  Cost implication of achieving green building performance based on data collection through Dr Parrish and ASU's research was also reviewed. 

After Dr Parrish's presentation, the Green Building Project student participants who completed the project's 60+ hour sustainable design and innovation training as well as the Palestinian sustainable experts who served as guest judges received certificates and plaques in recognition of their participation and contributions.

In conclusion there was an outside exhibition of all completed projects that included their poster presentations and scale models.  Members of each group presented their work and discussed the inspiration for the building model and how their projects innovatively accomplished a range of sustainable considerations. 

Notes:

 A short film created by An Najah's media department was screened at the beginning of the projgram documenting the students' experience in the Green Buildings Project.

  The Green Buildings Project is organized and implemented through the International Office's American Corner Nablus Alia Gilbrecht as well as  the the Construction and Transportation Research Unit’s Dr Mutasim Baba, Dr Sameh Mona, and Dr Muhannad Haj Hussein.