The Middle East's five best green buildings

King Abdullah University of Science and Technology, and its fan, architect Sultan Faden, founder of the Saudi Green Building Council, Saudi Arabia.
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Sustainability has become a bit of a buzzword in recent years, and the myriad ranking systems and acronyms can distract from green design’s true purpose – creating buildings that do not do more harm than good.

Middle East Architect asked the people who spend their lives encouraging others to build green – the consultants, designers and experts – to pick a favorite. The result? Five fascinating local projects that, bar one or two, have so far failed to court the limelight.

These five projects, as yet, are in no particular order, and it is MEA readers who will have the final say on which should take the top spot. To cast your vote, visit the ConstructionWeekonline homepage here: www.constructionweekonline.com.

King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST)
Date of completion: 2010
Location: Jeddah, Saudi Arabia

In terms of green projects, KAUST is the latest darling of the architecture world. The development, designed by HOK architects, makes use of solar power, water saving measures and shading to achieve a LEED platinum ranking, the first of its kind in Saudi Arabia.

FAN

Architect Sultan Faden, founder of the Saudi Green Building Council, Saudi Arabia.

WHY?

“Despite Saudi Arabia’s extreme climate KAUST has been able to achieve a LEED Platinum ranking. Not only will sustainable initiatives have an effect once the building has been finished, but also during the construction phase, with developers using 38% locally-sourced and 20% recycled materials. It’s basically a great project, and one that paves the way for many more in this part of the world – the fact that it has been built in Saudi Arabia is fantastic.”

THE BEST BIT

“The best bit for me is the chilled beam HVAC (heating, ventilation and air-conditioning) system. A chilled beam HVAC is a system which uses cold water to remove heat from a room, requiring significantly less energy than conventional air-conditioning. The plugs for electric cars in the car park are also a nice touch. “

THE BIG PICTURE

“The KAUST development has proved what architects in this part of the world can do if they truly want to make a building sustainable. Its platinum rating has created a benchmark for up and coming LEED registered projects in the region.”

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FEATURED COMMENT KAUST is just a magnificent project that Saudi community should be proud of. Actually, this project encouraged most busi   7 Comments Read more comments »

Set in a dusty and non-descript industrial section of Dubai, the Waagner Biro camp is an oasis of sustainability in action. The camp uses engineered wetlands to process human sewage and waste water from a car washing to generate clean water suitable for re-use as garden irrigation, fresh water to fish ponds, PV panel wash-down, car and truck wash operations.

FAN

Chris Pal, Director of Engineering Services, NORR Group Consultants International.

WHY?

“The reason I would cite WBLC as our favorite example of a green project is because they continuously improve upon the initiatives that they have implemented. They are completely off grid and potable water must be brought in at substantial expense, so their sustainability initiatives are successful examples of enlightened self interest where operating costs are reduced and quality of life for the facility occupants is improved. This is grass roots sustainability at its best and should be a lesson to us all that actions speak louder than words. We should spend less time ticking boxes and more effort on achieving real and meaningful results.”

THE BEST BIT

“The best bit for me is the fish pond that surrounds the main complex with the lushness of the greenery and diversity of life that is present there. Dragonflies and interesting insects, bird species not usually spotted in the city and a pleasant shaded vegetable garden combine to create a sense of peace and nature that is all too often missing from our urban lives.”

THE BIG PICTURE

“When we think of the global issues that face us all, the problems seem insurmountable. The WBLC is an example of the success that can be achieved when people think about what good can be accomplished within the local sphere of their personal influence. If we all act locally, we will be able to make a difference globally.”