SAE Newsletter – October 2023, Volume 13, Issue 4, Meezan 1402

SAE Mission

To present a forum for Afghan engineers, architects and scientists in the sharing of experiences and knowledge and foster the promotion of scientific, architectural and engineering ethics in our quests to enhance Afghan capacities in these fields for the service of Afghanistan and the well being of the people.

Contents

• Cover Sheet
• Table of Content
• Acting Editor’s Note
• Message From the President of SAE
• Message from the Chairman of the SAE Board of Directors
• SAE Members Report
• Bamiyan Briefs: International Students Design Competition
• SAE 2023 General Assembly Meeting
• A brief report of the Board of Directors Chairman at the General Assembly
• SAE Reports from Afghanistan, By Walid Howaida, SAE Rep.
• Tombs of Lovers and Mystics, Part-I, by Hashmatullah Atmar
• A brief Biography of Hashmatullah Atmar
• Optimization of window area in building from the viewpoint of energy efficiency
• A brief biography of Mustafa Karimi
• Members Comments and Suggestions
• Engineering and architecture job opportunities
• The SAE Membership Renewal
• The Society of Afghan Engineers Organization
• Membership News

Note from the Acting Editor-in-Chief, SAE eNewsletter

Dear Readers of SAE eNewsletter, October 2023

As the acting Editor-in-Chief of the SAE Electronic-Newsletter, I am pleased to present to you the October 2023 issue of the historical SAE eNewsletter. Since July 2023, I was honored to take the responsibility of designing, preparing and publishing the SAE eNewsletter. I am thankful for the help and support of our two members of the SAE eNewsletter editorial board, Ustad Abdul Hassani and Ustad Manan Khalid.

The first issue of the SAE eNewsletter was published in January 2011 under the guidance and supervision of Ustad Mujtaba Khan. Since January 2011, SAE eNewsletters were published quarterly and non-interrupted. Ustad Mujtaba Khan was responsible for designing, preparing, and publishing forty-three (43) consecutive issues of the SAE eNewsletter until July, 2021. The SAE community honor and appreciate Ustad Mujtaba Khan’s hard work and dedication to the continuous publication of the SAE eNewsletter during the eleven years, since 2011.

In July 2021, Ustad Mujtaba Khan resigned from his post as the SAE eNewsletter Editor-in-Chief due to health reason. I requested Ustad Hafizullah Wardak to take the responsibilities of publishing the SAE eNewsletter and he graciously accepted my invitation. Ustad Wardak diligently worked hard to continue the publication of the newsletter after July, 2021. Ustad Hafizullah Wardak designed, prepared, and published the SAE quarterly eNewsletter since October, 2021. He designed, prepared and published seven (7) consecutive issues of the SAE eNewsletter until April, 2023. In April 2023, Ustad Hafizullah Wardak resigned from his post as the SAE eNewsletter Editor-in-Chief due to his other professional commitments. The editorial board of the SAE eNewsletter requested me to take the responsibility of an Acting Editor-in-Chief and I am honored to produce the last two issues of the SAE eNewsletter.

With Regards,

Najim M. Azadzoi, AIA
Acting Editor-in-Chief/SAE President

• Mujtaba Khan, SAE Editor-in-Chief, January 2011-July 2021
• Hafizullah Wardak, SAE Editor-in-Chief, July 2021-April 2023
• Najim Azadzoi, SAE Acting Editor-in-Chief, July 2023-January 2023

Message From the President of SAE

Members of the Society of Afghan Engineers
October, 2023

It was a privilege for me to serve as the President of this noble organization since January 1, 2021. I enjoyed working with each one of you during this time and we together have accomplished a lot.

In January 2021 upon my election as the President of the Society, I traveled to Virginia to meet with our outgoing president, Mr. Atiq Panjshiri and other colleagues for the transfer of the SAE documents to the new administration. It was the beginning of Covid-19 surge and also a day of rioting in the Capital. I was not able to meet with all of our colleagues, but I was fortunate to meet with our outgoing president, Mr. Atiq Panjshiri and the newly appointed Treasurer, Mr. Mahmoud Samizay. I am thankful to Mr. Panjshiri for the successful transfer of SAE documents to the new administration. Mr. Mahmoud Samizay went with us to the SAE bank, Truists, and we transfered the SAE account to a new SAE account. I also requested Mr. Hamayon Ibrahim to be the Vice President of the Society and he graciously accepted and proved to be one of top collaborator. Since January 2021 SAE has achieved several milestones.

Membership in the SAE: Membership in the SAE was very low. Several new members join the Society and others who left the Society returned back. With the help of active SAE members invitations were sent to Afghan engineers and architects around the globe. Currently, SAE has around 80 active members, including some 30 plus members from Afghanistan. SAE friends and colleagues counts over 200 in our list. The SAE global email listing is over 1,000 email addresses.

SAE Committees and Subcommittees:
– I started building up and re-establishing SAE’s committees and subcommittees. My sincere thanks and appreciations to Mr. Rafaat Ludin who accepted my request for the subcommittee of SAE/Afghan Government Agencies Liaison Chairperson position. Mr. Ludin’s contribution to the Society was invaluable. He drafted a one-year plan and a 3-years strategic plans for the SAE and traveled to Afghanistan and met with several Afghan government agencies and signed and drafted several MOUs and agreements in early 2021.
– Many thanks and appreciation also go to Professor Bashir Kazimee who accepted to serve as the Chairperson of SAE-Subcommittee of Architecture and Urban Planning. Mr. Kazimee’s team included architects such as Prof. Rafi Samizay, Prof. Reinhard Goethert, Prof. Mehdi Sabet, and Ms. Tooba Rooshan. The Bamiyan International Students Housing Competition team, headed by Professor Bashir Kazimee completed successfully and became one of the most outstanding educational projects of SAE.
– Ustad Amin Mahmood, a prominent member of the Society joined me as the Chairperson of Students committee and made tremendous contribution to Society online education activities. Mr. Mahmood designed several pilot projects for implementation in Afghanistan. He traveled on his own to Afghanistan and lectured at several universities in Afghanistan. I commend him for his hard work, determination and contribution to Afghan engineers’ education in Afghanistan.
– Ms. Donya Amiri joined the Society and accepted my request to be the Chairperson of the SAE Membership Committee. Ms. Amiri proved to be one of the stars of the Society by making tremendous contribution to the Society’s activities. The SAE website was outdated and was not functional. Donya offered to design and build a new website for the Society and she completed the task with the help of several other SAE members such as Ludin Sahib, Kazimee Sahib, Reinhard, and Hamayon. Thank you Dony Jaan for your excellent contributions to the Society.
– Jan Mehrzai was appointed as the SAE Corporation Committee Chairperson. He drafted a strategic plan but due to his professional commitments the plan was not finalized.
– Wali Shairzay was appointed as the Capacity Building and Academic Development Subcommittee Chairperson. Due to his health reason and other commitments, we have not received his plan activities.
– Water Resources Subcommittee was activated under the direction of Mr. Hadi Rakin.

SAE eNewsletter: During the first year of my service in 2021, Ustad Mujtaba Khan, SAE Editor-in-Chief, resigned from his position due to health reason. Ustad Mujtaba Khan served as the SAE Electronic Subcommittee Chairperson since 2011 and produced the quarterly SAE eNewsletter for over 11 years. We thank him for his outstanding contribution to the SAE Publication Committee. Upon Mr. Mujtaba Khan’s resignation, I requested Ustad Hafizullah Wardak to take over the responsibility of publishing the SAE eNewsletter and he was responsible for designing and producing the SAE eNewsletter starting in July, 2021. Unfortunately, Ustad Wardak also resigned from this post due to pursuing his other professional activities in April 2023. Since then, I had the honor of being the acting SAE Editor-in-Chief and I am responsible for publishing the July 2023 and October 2023 SAE Newsletter, with the help of Ustad Hassani Sahib and Manan Khalid.

SAE Annual General Assemblies: Aside from numerous zoom meetings by the Board of Directors and the Executives, SAE successfully held the Annual General Assembly meetings each year. Due to Covid-19 restriction, all three meetings were held virtual and a large number of SAE members and Colleagues attended these meeting.

SAE Fundraising: SAE successfully completed three major Fund Raising since January 2021. The first fund raising for to help and support of the displaced families in Kabul and Kandahar in the summer of 2021. For the Bamiyan project SAE raised enough fund to support the participant students in the competition from Polytechnic University in Kabul, Kabul University, and Kandahar University, aside from giving cash prizes to the first three winners and six winners as Honorary Mentions. Also, during the earthquake of 2022 in Paktika, SAE raised funds and supported families affected by the earthquake in Paktika and Paktia.

SAE Election 2023 is in the process of being completed. Many thanks and appreciation to Mr. Atiq Panjshiri chairman of the election committee and four members of the election committee; Dr. Saleh Keshawarz, Mr. Qaseem Naimi, Mr. Nazir Babacarkhial, and Mr. Fayeq Fasihi. Election is one of the most important events of the Society that happens every three years.

SAE MOUs: SAE signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with Afghan American Chamber of Commerce in 2021. The two-organization worked together to better serve the professional and business communities in Afghanistan and outside of Afghanistan. This collaboration proved to be fruitful for the SAE.

SAE and AEBT: The Society, in collaboration with the Afghan Education for Better Tomorrow (AEBT), provided online training courses on a variety of engineering topics to Universities in Afghanistan. Many thanks to Professor Sabor Rahim, Ustad Amin Mahmood, and Engineer Sahib Amanullah Mommandi for taking parts in presenting several topics.

SAE Representative in Afghanistan: Last but not the least, we would not have been able to accomplish much without the help and support of our local SAE representative in Afghanistan. I am grateful for the help and support of our first representative, Mr. Habib Rahman Rahmat Mayar who served from January 2021 to July 2021. During his service, he introduced the Society to several Afghan government agencies and accommodated meetings with Afghan ministries. During his service, SAE prepared a number of MOUs to be signed. We thank him for his dedication and service. Upon his resignation due to relocation of his full-time job to Badakhshan, we were fortunate to had Mr. Walid Howaida joined the Society as SAE representative in Afghanistan in July 2021. Since then, Mr. Howaida helped the SAE to be connected with several universities in Afghanistan including Kabul University, Polytechnic University, Kandahar, Mazar-e-Sharif, Herat, Paktia, Paktika and Bamiyan Universities. He attended conferences in these universities and spoke on behalf of the SAE. He played a key role in the Bamiyan International Students competition and his support and communication with the participants from Afghanistan were effective.

SAE Bylaws: I am honored to be able to present the Society with a draft of a new SAE bylaws 2023 prepared by a well-known law firm, the Goodwin Proctor LLP. The 2015 SAE bylaws, Third Edition, needed to be updated as required by the bylaws every five years. The Board of Directors established a team from the members of the Board of Directors to review and update the 2015 bylaws in January 2021. The team/task force completed a revised updated bylaws in June 2022. In the meantime, SAE executives and Board members agreed to have an attorney review the updated 2022 bylaws for compliance and accuracy. Goodwin Proctor LLP offered to review the SAE bylaws on a pro-bono basis and to draft a new Bylaws for the SAE. A draft of the revised SAE Bylaws completed in September 2023. We are thankful for the service and cooperation of the Goodwin Proctor LLP. The draft of the new Bylaws 2023 will need to be reviewed by the Board of Directors and to be presented to all members for final approval.

SAE Bank Account: SAE membership fees were the only source of income plus a limited contributions by the members. Therefore, SAE bank account remained unchanged. SAE expenses included the salaries of the SAE representatives in Afghanistan, paying for the design and construction of a new website, mailbox fees, and other miscellaneous expenses.

SAE Social Media: Aside from the new website, SAE opened a new Facebook account which posted SAE activities and news regularly. The SAE Face account attracted over a thousand members mostly Afghan engineers and architects from Afghanistan and around the globe. Also, SAE launched a new YouTube account where videos of the society activities were published.

With Regards,
Najim M. Azadzoi, AIA, SAE President

Message From the Chairman, SAE Board of Directors

Dear Readers of the SAE eNewsletter,

The 2023 Election has been completed awaiting the announcement of its final outcome. On September 16, we had a very successful and productive General Assembly Meeting. The message that stood out in the meeting was our role as the Society in the future of education in Afghanistan.

Education is the foundation of the future of every nation and especially our beloved country. Nelson Mandela once said “Education is the most powerful weapon which you can use to change the world”, and I strongly believe that. We went through several brain drains while the number of universities swelled to more than one hundred and fifty in our country. There is no better time than today to help the knowledge hungry future generation.

In my current job, we design and build schools. On the day the building opens, and the students walk in, nothing can replace the smile and satisfaction on their faces. The school buildings that we build are castles in comparison to the best buildings back in our country. Yet, those out there are hungry for knowledge and strive to become someone to help their families and country someday. I returned from a personal visit to Kabul recently. I visited my completely changed hometown in a northern Woloswali of Kabul province and was thrilled to see little girls in the midday’s sizzling sun on their way to school with blue backpacks apparently donated by UNICEF. There was no school in our village and I still wonder where they were going to acquire knowledge. They are the hope for the future, and it is incumbent upon us to help.

As a onetime educator, I urge all colleagues at the SAE to get involved in distant education in whatever capacity and field they can. I also urge the future administration of SAE to make this the most important task of their immediate plan.

Since there will not be another general assembly meeting during the current administration, I would like to use this opportunity to sincerely thank the directors for their trust in me and for their patience and understanding. They were ready to roll their sleave and get to work whenever called upon. During all 36 meetings to date, we always had the quorum and plowed through and dealt with issues at hand with complete focus and sense of duty while weathering unfair criticism. This Board Members deserve a lot of gratitude, and I sincerely thank them for their service and dedication to the Society.

Sincerely,

Abdul Manan Khalid, P.E., LEED (BD+C), Chairman, SAE Board of Directors

SAE Members Report 2023

Gul A Saleh

Dr. Gul A Saleh and his family moved to the United States in 2014 from their home country Afghanistan. Prior to his arrival in the U.S., Dr. Saleh, an engineer, worked over ten years with USAID from 2003 to 2014 and with other International agencies on many construction projects. For example, he oversaw the USAID/Afghanistan $1 billion infrastructure that featured reconstruction of over 300 miles of Afghanistan’s heavily land-mined highway from Kabul to the center of Taliban activity in Kandahar. This construction program not only included road construction but also hundreds of new and rehabilitated schools and health clinics, all of which required in-person guidance and inspection. As a former USAID official recently said, “We respected Gul as a professional peer of ours, a man of demonstrated physical courage in the face of lethal situations and a patriot who loved his country and risked his life to see it develop.”

Dr. Saleh has been a key member of the American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE) for over eight years. He is a licensed Professional Engineer (PE) with a PhD in urban planning and design, a certified Project Management Professional (PMP) and has over 35 years of professional experience. Dr. Saleh has worked and/or studied in many countries, including Japan, Egypt, Thailand, India, Germany, Pakistan, and many more.

Before moving to the U.S., Dr. Saleh worked for over 30 years with international organizations, including USAID, but also the World Food Program and United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime and the Afghan Government. He also joined the United Nations Institute for Training and Research’s (UNITAR) Hiroshima Fellowship Afghanistan program as a Fellow and climbed his way up to becoming a Mentor, helping other Fellows from Iraq and Afghanistan. During these decades, he worked under many titles and with many organizations as he designed, developed, managed, and was consulted on countless engineering and environmental projects including much philanthropic work and humanitarian aid.

In the U.S., besides his regular work on building vital infrastructure benefiting millions of residents in the DMV area, he also continues his philanthropic and volunteer work and is currently not only a member of the ASCE, but also a Founding and Board Member of the Afghanistan Engineers’ Association. He is also an Executive Director for the Society of Afghan Engineers, a U.S.-based organization and continues to serve as a volunteer U.N.-certified Trainer and Mentor for UNITAR/Afghanistan. Dr. Saleh continues his professional and personal endeavors as a Civil Engineer and an Afghan American.

Dr. Saleh and his wife Lailuma reside in Northern Virginia. Their seven children, who are completing or have completed their higher education, also reside in the area. He enjoys reading, walking, listening to music, home gardening, dining with friends and playing with his children.

On behalf of the Society, I congratulate Dr. Gul Afghan Saleh for his continuous success in his professional career and his achievements.

N. Azadzoi, SAE President.

Bamiyan Briefs: International Student Design Competition

By:
Bashir Kazimee, AIA
Professor Emeritus, Washington State University
Chairperson: SAE-Architecture and Planning Division

The Society of Afghan Engineers (SAE), Architecture and Planning Division hosted the International Student Design Competition in July 2022 to provide sustainable housing and infrastructure for the war displaced families of Bamiyan, who occupy the caves at the historically known cliffs of Bamiyan where the remains of the Statues of famous Buddha are located. The sandstone cliffs of Bamiyan are most famous for the giant 6th century Buddha statues carved out of the rock, which were destroyed in 2001. Historically, these caves on the side of the cliff were dug out by monks and used for meditation and retreat.

On behalf of the Bamiyan International Student Competition Committee, I am pleased to inform that the Bamiyan International Student Design Competition is completed and the competition proposals from around the world and the winners are publicly announced.

We have received a total of twenty-three entries from eleven universities worldwide, including three universities from Afghanistan. After thorough deliberation and evaluation of the submissions, following the “criteria for evaluation,” the jury has carefully chosen the top three projects deserving of the first, second, and third prizes. Additionally, six projects have been recommended for honorable mention.

I want to express that both the competition organizer committee and the jury members were remarkably impressed with the quality, thoughtfulness, and effort that students devoted to their proposals. We want to congratulate all the winners, their selection was based on careful consideration, and quality of their proposals.

As of today, all the winners have received their cash prizes as outlined in the competition brief, along with an elegantly designed SAE Certificate of Achievement. Each certificate features a breathtaking panoramic scene of Bamiyan and has been forwarded to the respective winning teams. Furthermore, we are pleased to announce that the prizes and certificates were presented to the winners during a formal award ceremony organized by the university’s advisors.

The award money is supported by the generous donations of the Kazimee Family charity Funds, Toba Roshan Education Funds and Afshar Charity funds. We want to extend our sincere gratitude to them for funding this important cause. In addition, we would like to extend our gratitude to numerous esteemed members of the SAE for their generous contributions to the competition fund, which have greatly assisted us in achieving our funding goals.

Once again, on behalf of the Society of Afghan Engineers (SAE) and the Competition Organizing Committee, I, as well as Najim, the President of SAE, extend our heartfelt gratitude to all esteemed members of the Competition Organizing Committee.

The respected Competition Organizer Members are:

1. Najim Azadzoi: President of the Society of Afghan engineers
2. Professor Mehdi Sabet, Department of Interior Design, Zayed University, Dubai, UAE
3. Professor Rafi Samizay, School of Design and Construction, Washington State University, USA.
4. Professor Dr. Reinhard Goethert, MIT, School of Architecture, Cambridge, MA, USA
5. Eng. Donya Amiri, CEO & President, AIM Engineering Consultants Inc. California, USA.
6. Eng. Walid Hwaida, SAE representative in Kabul, Afghanistan.
7. Professor Bashir Kazimee, Chairperson: School of Design and Construction, Washington State University

The respected Jury members are:

1. Dr Daniela Ottmann: Associate Professor, Centre for Comparative Construction Research, Bond University, Australia.
2. Samia Rab Kirchner, PhD: Associate Professor of Urban Design and Interim Chair, Morgan State University, Baltimore, MD, USA
3. Joseph Ashmore: Senior Emergency Post Crisis Partnerships Specialist, International Organization for Migration, Washington DC., USA
4. Professor Rafi Samizay, AIA: Professor Emeritus and former director, School of Architecture and Construction Management, Washington State University, USA.
5. Professor Dr. Reinhard Goethert: MIT, School of Architecture, Cambridge, MA 02139, USA

Recommendations for the future:
1. We recommend for the next administration the establishment of an implementation task committee to actively seek potential international and private funding sources interested in supporting this project.
2. In light of securing funding, we recommend recruiting the Kabul University winning student team members (the four girls). Their role would involve finalizing and refining the winning proposal for eventual implementation with the help of an advisory professional framework.
3. Prior to making any decisions, the implementation task committee is obligated to engage in close consultation with the district government authorities, residents (users), and the planning authority in Bamiyan.

Rehousing Cave Dwellers of Bamiyan – Selected Proposals

Winning Teams:
– 1st Prize: “Developable Community” – Liverpool University, Xi’an Jiaotong. Student Team: Yuxing Wu, Yang Zhang, Tianyi Chen.
– 2nd Prize: “Bamiyan Hills Project” – University Sebelas Maret of Surakarta. Student Team: Trevi Marisa, Adesti Ulfatunnisa, Yulita Devina.
– 3rd Prize: “Tradition Respected, Future Oriented, Incrementally Built” – Nanjing Technical University. Student: Kaiqing Tan.

Honorable Mentions:
– “Furrow Valley” – American University of Sharjah (Zainab Oghai Gawjari, Ahmad Khalil Ammar, Ranya Ataya, Rabab Al-Ali, Razan Nabil Almajid)
– “Craft Village” – American University of Sharjah (Nada Hani Barqawi, Meera Tareq Lootah, Mrinaalini Nagaraja, Tala Asakka-Amini, Sabiha Ameen)
– “Reunion at Higher Place” – Xi’an Jiaotong – Liverpool University (Shuyang Li)
– “Building for Peace” – Effat University (Sabeen Alharthi, Lina S. Abouelnaga)
– “A Community Housing” – University of Hartford (Vivek Parekh)
– “Development Opportunities” – Kabul University (Huda Amini, Lima Hamza, Diana Anwari, Salma Sharif)

SAE 2023 General Assembly Meeting

The Society holds an annual General Assembly Meeting each year. It is a requirement of the Bylaws of the Society. This year’s meeting was held virtual, via zoom, on Saturday September 16, 2023 at 1:00 pm.

Agenda of the SAE 2023 General Assembly Meeting

• Start of the General Assembly: Facilitator Ms. Donya Amiri
• Registration and Roll Call: Hamayon Ibrahim, Vice President
• Welcome Remarks: Najim Azadzoi, President
• Keynote Speaker: Mr. Jeffery Grieco, President; Afghan American Chamber of Commerce (AACC). Topic: “Humanitarian and Economic Update on Afghanistan”
• Message from Executive Committee: Najim Azadzoi
• Message from the Board of Directors: Manan Khalid, Chairman
• SAE Financial Report: Najim Azadzoi, Acting Treasurer
• Reports from Afghanistan: Walid Howaida, SAE representative
• Summary report on Bamiyan Housing: Prof. Bashir Kazimee
• Online Education for Afghanistan: Eng. Feda, AEBT President
• Open discussion and adjournment: All Members

A Brief Report of the Board of Directors at the General Assembly Meeting

September 16, 2023
By: A. Manan Khalid, Chairman of the Board

During the past 33 months, the Board held 35 meetings while Bylaws mandates only 12 during the entire three-year term. Within its duties as a policy maker and as a manager of the policies and business affairs, following are the highlights of the Board activities:

• Review and Approval of nominees for the Executive Committee.
• Approval of Vice Chairman and Executive Director of the Board.
• Review and approval of hiring a local representative in Kabul.
• Review and approval of work plans for AGA Liaison and Architectural Subcommittees.
• The SAE’s 2021, 2022 and 2023 budgets were reviewed.
• Review of collaborations with AACC and MOUs with AEBT and various Afghan government organizations.
• Modernization of the SAE website.
• Emergency fundraising for displaced families and earthquake victims in Paktika.
• Review and revision of SAE Bylaws.

The Third Revision of the SAE Bylaws dated October 2015 stipulated that the Bylaws be reviewed every five years. The Board approved a Final Draft of the 2022 Bylaws on June 30, 2022. Due to disagreements, the draft was assigned to an attorney for a pro bono review, which is currently in progress.

An Overview of SAE Activities: January 1, 2021 to January 2024

Presentation by Najim Azadzoi, SAE President

SAE Executives, Committees and Subcommittees

• Hamayon Ibrahim, Vice President
• Mahmoud Samizay, Treasurer
• Donya Amiri, Membership Committee
• Rafaat Ludin, AGA Liaison
• Bashir Kazimee, Architecture and Urban Planning
• Hafizullah Wardak, eNewsletter Editor-in-Chief (Former)
• Amin Mahmood, Students Committee
• Jan Mehrzai, Corporation Committee
• Wali Shairzay, Capacity Building

Collaborations and MOUs

• Signed MOU with AACC.
• Signed Joint Venture with AEBT.
• Agreed to MOUs with Afghan National Standard Authority (ANSA), Ministry of Housing and Urban Development, and National Water Affairs Regulation Authority.

Connections with Afghan Universities

• Kabul Polytechnic University
• Kabul University
• Sheikh Zayed University (Khost)
• Paktika University
• Balkh University
• Bamiyan University
• Herat University
• Kandahar University

Fundraising and Humanitarian Services

• Supported students at Kabul, Polytechnic, and Kandahar Universities.
• Supported displaced families in Kabul and Kandahar (Summer 2021).
• Supported earthquake victims in Paktika and Paktia.

SAE Representatives in Afghanistan

• Habib Rahman Rahmat Mayar: Served Jan-July 2021. Graduate of Kabul University (Electrical Dept).
• Walid Howaida: Served Sept 2021 to present. Graduate of Kabul University (Civil Engineering).

SAE Reports from Afghanistan

July 2023

Mr. Walid Howaida visited Balkh University and met with Prof. Shahab, Dean of Engineering, and Mr. Ghulam Sarwar Mubarez, Dean of Science. Discussions focused on technical support and laboratory equipment. On July 26, 2023, he attended the graduation ceremony at Kabul Polytechnic University where 504 male and 144 female engineers graduated.

August 2023

Howaida met with Dr. Rafiullah Ata, president of the new Afghanistan Islamic International University (formerly American University of Afghanistan). The university requested SAE help with curriculum design for Master’s programs and access to online libraries. Ustad Aminullah Mahmood also visited Kabul and consulted with the Curriculum Committee at the Ministry of Higher Education.

September 2023

On September 6, 2023, an international conference “Afghanistan Trade and Economic Relations in 2023” was held in Kabul. Mr. Jeffrey Grieco and Mr. Walid Howaida spoke regarding SAE’s mission and achievements.

Tombs of Lovers and Mystics, Part-I

By PhD Architect Hashmatullah Atmar

Ziarat of Ashoqan & Arifan (Pilgrimage of Lovers and Mystics)

The architectural style of the building is simple and old, utilizing traditional Kabul materials: mud brick, wood, planks, and clay. It is an Afghan architecture with wooden decorations.

Description of Site:
1. Main Entrance gate
2. Courtyard
3. Covered Veranda
4. Corridor to Ashoqan tomb
5. Tomb of Ashoqan
6. Tomb of Arifan
7. Mosque corridor
8. Mosque
9. Ablution unit
10. Langar khana (charity kitchen)

The Ziarat is dedicated to two brothers, Khwaja Abdul Salam (Ashoqan/Lovers) and Khwaja Abdul Samad (Arifan/Mystics). They were the sons of Khwaja Jaber Ansar and grandsons of Hazrat Masih Abu Ismail Khwaja Abdullah Ansari. They arrived from Ghazni to Kabul during the reign of Bahram Shah Ghaznavid (1117-1157 AD) and became spiritual leaders.

The building features a covered veranda with decorated woodwork and geometric Islamic forms. The roof consists of wooden beams, planks, and mud plaster. The adjacent houses were built during the reign of Shah Mahmood Durrani.

Biography of Hashmatullah Atmar

Hashmatullah Atmar was born in Bulan village, Laghman province. He earned his Bachelor, Master, and PhD in Architecture from the Azerbaijan Civil Engineering Institute. He has worked with PAMA and served as a lecturer at Kabul University and Salam University. He is the author of 38 books, including 28 on architecture.

Optimization of Window Area in Building from the Viewpoint of Energy Efficiency

Research Data Summary

• Heating Energy Consumption: Analyzed across window orientations (N, NNE, NE, E, etc.) and Window-to-Wall Ratio (WWR).
• Cooling Energy Consumption: Correlation between WWR (0.05 to 0.7) and energy use in kWh.
• Energy Consumption Reduction (ECR) Formula:
  ECR = [(E(WWR_x, WO_x) - E(WWR_0, WO_0)) / E(WWR_0, WO_0)] x 100

Biography of Mustafa Karimi

Mustafa Karimi earned his Bachelor’s in Architecture from MA-NIT, Bhopal, India and an MSc from Ritsumeikan University, Japan. He is currently a Ph.D. candidate at Ritsumeikan University focusing on sustainable architecture and indoor air quality.

Members Comments and Suggestions

From Ustad Hafizullah Wardak:
“Thank you for your outstanding leadership as the President… You made efforts to motivate and engage Afghan Engineers… During your tenure as president of SAE, the membership grew to a record high.”

From Zarjon Baha:
“The work is outstanding and congratulations for another great accomplishment… You make us all proud to be leading our society.”

From Nadir Sidiqi:
“Thank you for sharing the SAE e-Newsletter… I appreciate your hard work and dedication.”

From Sahar Mahmood (Kabul):
Expressed concern regarding the suspension of engineering education for women in Afghanistan and proposed creating an online platform for training courses and seminars for female Afghan engineers.

Engineering and Architecture Job Opportunities

Planate Management Group (PMG) has the following openings:
– Electrical Engineer (Kinshasa, DRC)
– Civil/Structural Engineer (Kinshasa, DRC)
– Mechanical Engineer (Kinshasa, DRC)
– Construction Superintendent (Washington DC)
– Construction Manager (Washington DC)
– Mechanical Engineer (Palo Alto, CA)
– Design Manager (Albuquerque, NM)
– Civil Engineer (Subic Bay, Philippines)

The SAE Membership Renewal

The Management of the Society of Afghan Engineers (SAE) reminds all members that 2023 membership renewal and annual fees of $60 are due. These fees support website security, maintenance, and technical seminars. The SAE is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization.

The Society of Afghan Engineers Organization

SAE Executive Committee:
– President: Najim Azadzoi
– Vice President: Hamayon Ibrahim
– Treasurer: Mahmoud Samizay

SAE Board of Directors:
– Chairman: A. Manan Khalid, P.E.
– Vice-Chairman: Jalal Masumi
– Executive Director: Gul Afghan Saleh
– Members: Wahed Hassani, Sharif Hossainy, Amanullah Mommandi, Hadi Rakin, Masood Sattari, Zabi Zaca.

Past Presidents: Atiq Panjshiri, Ghulam Mujtaba, Abdul Hadi Rakin, M. Quasem Kadir, Mohammed Hashim Rayek, Ahmad Wali Shairzay, Sohaila Sanie Shekib, Malik Mortaza.

Chairpersons:
– Najim Azadzoi (eNewsletter – Acting)
– Wali Shairzay (Capacity Building)
– Bashir Kazimee (Architecture)
– Rafaat Ludin (AGA Liaison)
– Amin Mahmood (Students)
– Jan Mehrzai (Corporation)
– Donya Amiri (Membership)
– Hadi Rakin (Water Resource)

SAE eNewsletter Editorial Board:
– Acting Editor-in-Chief: Najim Azadzoi
– Members: A. Wahed Hassani, Ph.D., P.E.; A. Manan Khalid, P.E.

Membership News

SAE is pleased to announce that many professional engineers and architects in the United States, Canada and Afghanistan have shown their interests becoming SAE team members since January 2021. We welcome our newest high qualify members and look forward to their contribution to the purpose and mission of the Society of Afghan Engineers.