The conference theme, “District Cooling: Greener Buildings, Smarter Grid”, emphasizes how district cooling infrastructure can improve the end-use energy efficiency in customer buildings and reduce the economic and environmental strain on the regional power grid, in line with Qatar’s 2030 National Vision and Environmental Development program that seeks to harmonize economic growth, social development and environmental protection.  
District cooling is growing globally as communities, developers and utility providers seek scalable, proven strategies to reduce peak demand on the power grid and to fully utilize thermal energy and water resources more efficiently. Across the expanding economies of the Gulf Cooperation Council, district cooling provides essential infrastructure to aggregate the energy demands of growing urban centers, universities, healthcare, military bases, and vibrant residential, mixed-use communities. Merging the engineering, economic and environmental objectives of multiple stakeholders requires informed dialogue and collegial discussion focused on real world, technical solutions that work in a successful district energy business.