Sustainability Guidelines in University Buildings in The KSA

DOI: 10.5176/2301-394X_ACE16.2

Authors: Sahl Abdullah Waheeb

Abstract:

The Saudi Arabian Ministry of Higher Education is currently developing and executing a large number of international-standard university building and campus construction projects around the country to accommodate a rapidly growing student body. Energy efficiency and environmental impact have been given consideration in the planning for these projects. This paper explores applications of sustainable building standards to Saudi Arabian university buildings during the design and construction stages. Data for green building standards were collected and a buildings sustainability methodology was chosen for applying sustainable standards to produce guidelines for designing efficient university buildings. Architectural design and construction were evaluated by environmental criteria. This study recommends applying an environmental and sustainable building measurement tool to university building projects in Saudi Arabia and that special attention be given to these projects due to the high energy demands involved in them. Moreover, a national environmental program should be created to set related standards for local architecture, green building and sustainable architecture design in Saudi Arabia.

Keywords: sustainable universities, university buildings, sustainability in Saudi Arabia, green buildings, sustainable building