Saudi vision calls for urban development that will last

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22 Feb 2018

Saudi Vision 2030 adds sustainability to the agenda as it pushes to expand urban development; points include prolonged asset lifecycle, lower utility bills, and infrastructure to promote physical activity.

U.S. Green Building Council Faculty Regional Manager, Dr Mohammed S. Al Surf, sheds light on the role of sustainable building design in Saudi’s booming urban landscape-

“Applying these building methods to residential projects is a win-win case where all stakeholders benefit from the economic, environmental and social pillars of sustainability: owners benefit by reducing the cost of running the building, the occupants will feel healthier, and the community will benefit from engaging together.”

Dr Mohammed will further explore the KSA Green Building movement at The Big 5 Saudi show next month at the Jeddah Centre for Forums & Events, the event will run from 5-8 March 2018.

The show will offer 54 free talks on General Construction, Project Management, and Sustainability, Architecture & Design – visitors will gain CPD (continuing professional development) points.

Senior Civil Engineer at University of Jeddah, and speaker on 2030 environmental dimensions at The Big Saudi, Eng. Omar Al Touqi points out initial cost as a current challenge with the green concept:

“Cost is particularly a challenge when choosing the right material and resources, however, we should understand the value of buildings which truly consider standards like Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) for example. Sustainable buildings will be highly valued with capital appreciation and gradual reduction of cost at the end.”

Omar also comments on the recyclability aspect of Vision 2030; he counsels that concrete can be crushed and used for roads, or that steel reinforcing bars can be melted and reused for construction.

Consulting with leading architects and contractors on sustainable design, CEO/Partner of ENTEC Environmental Technology Dr Dina Al-Nahd reinforces the current status of green building in Saudi:

“The private sector is now aware of the need to build this way – they know that in this millennium you have to consider the sustainable concept; that’s energy efficiency, water efficiency and reuse, and solid waste management.”

She reveals the top mega projects considering sustainable building design in Saudi Arabia today: The Red Sea tourism project, NEOM in Tabuk, and Qidiya – Saudi’s largest entertainment city.

“Vision 2030 targets the contribution to GDP of real estate alone to grow from 5% to 10% by the deadline, in response there are over 3,300 urban projects underway, representing 70% of all KSA construction. There are an incredible 4,700 construction projects active in the Kingdom today,” comments Event Director for The Big 5 Saudi, Roni El Haddad.

“Aside from keeping professionals up to date with their industry, The Big 5 Saudi will offer a wealth of building materials and construction solutions from 400 local and international exhibitors, including an outdoor zone dedicated to heavy machinery.” Haddad adds.