Prof. Sami G. Al-Ghamdi is deeply committed to advancing the fields of architecture, engineering, and construction (AEC) through both academic leadership and professional engagement. His work bridges research and practice by fostering collaboration, facilitating knowledge exchange, and contributing to national and international standards of sustainability. Through organizing conferences, reviewing academic papers, contributing to editorial boards, and sustaining professional affiliations, Prof. Al-Ghamdi plays an active role in shaping the global discourse on sustainable development.
Academic Conferences and Engagements
Prof. Al-Ghamdi has led and supported numerous scientific conferences focused on energy, sustainability, and the built environment:
Scientific Committee Member – June 19–20, 2019, Istanbul, Turkey Prof. Al-Ghamdi reviewed submitted research and shaped the conference direction through active committee participation.
Scientific Committee Member – October 10–12, 2019, Gaziantep, Turkey He contributed to setting the scientific agenda and reviewing technical submissions in his capacity as a member of the international committee.
Organizing Committee Member – December 20–24, 2020, Doha, Qatar Prof. Al-Ghamdi played a pivotal role in theme development, reviewing abstracts, coordinating with speakers, and securing strategic sponsorship from Kahramaa. He also involved his graduate students in logistics and media outreach for the event.
The event addressed sustainability solutions and their impact on creating a more resilient built environment for Qatar, the Gulf region, and beyond. The conference led the debate on sustainability tasks and highlighted research and industry best practices. The forum helped the construction and sustainable development sector deliver green building solutions to environmental challenges in Qatar, the region, and the world. My students and I played a significant role in the organization logistics and moderated some technical sessions.
Hosted by Kahramaa in March 2018 and in collaboration with QGBC, I organized in a seminar on Water in the Built Environment. My students, Mehzabeen Mannan and Mohamed Alhaj, presented on the environmental impact of urban water systems in Qatar. This activity highlighted the roles my research group plays in mentoring its members to be leaders in the sustainability community.
I hosted Her Excellency Professor Gurib Fakim, a biodiversity scientist who served as the sixth President of Mauritius from 2015–2018 during her visit to Doha in 2019. During her tenure as President, H.E. Fakim advocated for the global sustainability agenda. I organized and led a roundtable discussion with our graduate students from Hamad Bin Khalifa University, Qatar Foundation, to discuss their research work. Our students engaged in a very informative discussion of biodiversity, climate change, sustainable building design, and construction.
I organized and chaired two roundtable discussions in January 2020 with the local architecture, engineering, and construction (AEC). The first was focused on the programming and design of green buildings, while the second focused on the construction and operation of green buildings.
As a part of the World Urban Campaign and UN-Habitat, I organized the technical session, “The Intelligent City – City Level Mobility” in collaboration with QGBC. I moderated and led the session alongside distinguished industry leaders. It is available to watch online the at USGBC website under the title “Sustainable Cities in the Age of Big Data.” Attendance of session recordings qualify for two Continuous Education Credit (CESs) by the USGBC.
I organized, led, and moderated the technical session, “Delivering Sustainability in Mega Projects” during the third annual conference of the Qatar Green Building Council, which was conducted from October 29–31, 2017 in Doha, Qatar. This session was necessary because Qatar is a fast-growing nation and faces many construction and infrastructure megaprojects to be able to host the 2022 World Cup as well as to meet the needs of a growing population.
Conference Reviewing Services
Prof. Al-Ghamdi regularly serves as a reviewer for key conferences addressing sustainability, smart cities, and environmental technology:
Reviewer – June 25–28, 2018 As a reviewer, he evaluated high-quality submissions on sustainability and policy, contributing to the long-standing impact of this conference.
Reviewer – November 12–15, 2019, Guangzhou, China He provided detailed peer reviews for technical papers addressing smart cities and digital urban infrastructure.
Editorial Leadership
Prof. Al-Ghamdi currently serves as Associate Editor for the Multi-Criteria Decision Making section of the journal Frontiers in Sustainability, where he oversees the full editorial process—assessing submissions, assigning reviewers, and making final publication decisions in alignment with scientific integrity and scope. He is also an active peer reviewer for several high-impact journals in the fields of sustainability and engineering.
Professional Memberships and Accreditation
He fulfills all licensing and continuing education requirements, affirming his standing as a certified practitioner and academic in Saudi Arabia
Prof. Al-Ghamdi maintains his credentials by completing 30 hours of continuing education every two years, reflecting his commitment to lifelong learning and leadership in green building practices.
American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE)
Prof. Al-Ghamdi’s professional service demonstrates his belief that researchers must not only generate knowledge but also guide how it is applied in practice. His work continues to influence policy, standards, and best practices across both academia and industry.