Saudi Arabia’s Sustainable Construction Limitations:

The Experts’ Views

By:  Dr.  Mohammed  Al  Surf  LEED  GA  Assistant  Professor  

Chairman  of  Educa>on  at  SGBF  

My name, Mohammed Al-Surf, PhD, LEED GA. Chairman of Education by Saudi Green Building Forum. My research studies are in sustainable building construction and projects management in architecture. Affiliated with SAAF, SCE, AsRES, PRRES, USGBC, GBCI, PMI. I hold 8 years of experience in design and management including public and private projects. My future vision is to see green building's initiative methods are mandatory. My mission is to promote knowledge by education for green building and sustainability.

Outline

• Construc)on  Updates  in  Saudi  Arabia  • Construc)on  Slowing  Down!  • Public  Percep)on  on  Sustainability  in  Construc)on  • Sustainable  Construc)on  and  the  Stakeholders    • Research  Method:  A  Delphi  Study  • The  Future  of  Sustainable  Construc)on  in  the  Kingdom  

Construction Updates in Saudi Arabia

• The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia has witnessed an explosion of economic development • Traditional societies of the Kingdom transformed into lifestyles similar to those in many developed societies • Saudi Arabia’s cities are the fastest growing cities in the Middle East, (Gamboa, 2008)

• Within a period of 42 years (1950-1992), Saudi Arabia’s urbanization level increased markedly from 10 to 75 per cent (Library of Congress, 2011)

• Cities such as Riyadh expanded in such an exponential manner, bearing both sweet and bitter fruits for Saudi Arabia (Al-Hemaidi, 2001; Gamboa, 2008). • “The largest and fastest growing building markets are today found in the developing world” (Bonetti, 2009) .

• This transformation resulted in an urban sprawl of all major cities in Saudi Arabia. • This urban sprawl contributes to about 40 per cent of the annual energy consumption and up to 30 per cent of all energy-related greenhouse gas emissions in the country (Bonetti, 2009). • This transformation resulted in an urban sprawl of all major cities in Saudi Arabia.

• Saudi Arabia’s urbanization level, according to the Central Department of Statistics and Information (2010), is at 82.3 per cent of total population and rate of urbanization is 2.38 per cent annual rate of change. • The population estimate in 2013 for Saudi Arabia is 29.20 Million which includes 32.1 per cent non-nationals (Ministry of Economy and Planning, 2013).

• The 2012 census of the five largest urban areas in Saudi Arabia according to administrative regions are Riyadh 7.310 million; Makkah 7.472 million; Eastern Region 4.414 million; Medina 1.911 million (Ministry of Economy and Planning, 2013).

• This exponential increase will only add strain to the construction industry

• Falling oil prices will not halt Saudi Arabia’s multi-billion dollar investment in infrastructure, according to a new report. • But it warns that there will be a slowdown in contract awards compared with the country’s previous ‘frantic pace’. • The Saudi government has set a budget of $167.82 billion for infrastructure and transport in 2015, its third largest commitment ever. (Wright, 2015)

• There are more than $3 trillion worth of development projects due to start in the kingdom by 2020 • The International Monetary Fund has projected the country’s economy will grow 4.5% this year and next. • It will be boosted by a forecast 5.75 percent growth in its non-oil private sector, which accounted for 14 percent of government revenues in 2014. (Wright, 2015)

• Over the first six months of the year there are five strong drivers of growth: •  Strong demand – 40 percent of its 30m population is

under 14 years old. •  Infrastructure – improving rail, roads and transport

have been a focus for a decade as part of its drive to modernize and attract private investment. •  Social infrastructure buildup – education, 3 new

universities and refurbishment elsewhere as well as healthcare and housing. The country needs 5.5 million new homes, says the report and health accounts for 19% of this year’s spend, including 3 new hospitals. •  Developing religious tourism in the Madinah-Makkah

corridor, worth millions in pilgrim revenue. •  Relaxation of stock market regulation and

restrictions on international contractors. (Wright, 2015)

Construction Slowing Down!

• The first sector in the Kingdom to experience the strain was the housing sector • Almost 11.2 million Saudis are estimated to live in rented accommodation • An estimate of 2.2 million rented accommodation units (Central Department of Statistics & Information, 2010) • A shortage of housing has resulted due to sheer increases in rental prices.

• Rapid urbanization is fueled by the lack of regulation to control the current and future urbanization rate, (Al Surf et al., 2013). • “Saudi Arabia has the largest shortfall in the Gulf of 400,000 homes followed by 40,000 homes in Bahrain, 20,000 in the UAE and 15,000 in Oman, according to property consultant” (Ferris-Lay, 2011) .

• The problem is not in the area of urban growth itself. Rather it lies in the rapid rate of the growth (Mandeli, 2008). • The following lists the reasons for this rapid rate of urbanization: • International labor migration, • Substantial rural-urban migration, • High fertility rates • The concentration of economic activity in urban areas. (El-Batran, 2008)

• Rapid rate of urbanization led to the development of unplanned settlements. • Lack of infrastructure, schools, hospitals and safe areas are characteristics of unplanned settlements worldwide and in the Middle East • There are more than 50 unplanned settlements in the city of Jeddah which occupy over 4,800 hectares, (Alsharif, 2013).

Public Perception on Sustainability in Construction

• Results from a survey indicated that “over 52.2% of the participants are not aware and have not heard the term ‘Sustainable Construction’ • More than 70% of participants agreed that sustainable construction will save energy bills (electricity and water). • Only 21% of the participants think that there are sustainable projects in Saudi Arabia • 71% would be prepared to retrofit their house so as to make it sustainable when possible. (Susilawati & Al Surf, 2011).

• The sheer novelty magnified by the perception of its expensive nature held back the spread of sustainable construction. • A critical element of sustainable construction is the interaction between local governments, planners and the involvement of the public in both the planning and implementation stages • The implementation of sustainable construction requires strong support from the public, government and the construction industry

• The importance of public participation is an active process where the recipients have an influence on the direction and implementation of a development which in turn should enrich their well-being in terms of income, personal growth, self-reliance or other cherished values. • Economic growth, social equity and ecological integrity can only be understood and appreciated if public participation is achieved

• Including public participation in planning and proposes will only serve to improve the legitimacy of the planners and developer’s decision-making processes • A report done by UN-Habitat states that in order to achieve social sustainability, public participation is vital and it includes involving citizens in the decision-making process and building bonds and trust between development key stakeholders and the public

Sustainable Construction and the Stakeholders

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• New types of authority and decision-making procedures that involve a wide range of stakeholders are the requirements to achieve sustainability • Must consider internal and external stakeholders • Should have diversity of stakeholders • Mono direction opinions and judgments will be eliminated

• Sustainability is an ambitious goal which requires new kinds of governance and decision-making processes involving a large variety of stakeholders • Must come together to achieve a common goal based on •  agreed priorities, •  polling resources and •  maximizing comparative advantage

• Until developers are either mandated to adopt green standards through tougher laws or the financial benefits of green buildings can be more clearly demonstrated, progress is likely to remain limited • The U.S. Green Building Council states •  “in today’s greenest buildings, our impact is still net negative. On the road to sustainability, it’s not a choice between rating systems or codes. We need both, and more.”

Research Method: A Delphi Study

Barriers to the Application of Sustainability in Saudi Construction: 1. Lack of public awareness on the benefits of

sustainable construction; 2. Lack of key stakeholders’ interest in

applying sustainable construction; 3. Shortage of sustainable construction

materials; 4. High initial cost of sustainable projects; 5. Long period of return of investment

(Payback period);

Barriers to the Application of Sustainability in Saudi Construction: 6. Low levels of investment in sustainable

projects 7. Lack of alternative designs 8. Lack of awareness from designing firms of

how to design viable sustainable projects 9. Lack of Government Support (Guidelines,

Building Codes); 10. Lack of Financial incentives (Subsidies,

Insurance discounts, bank loans, etc.).

• How extensive does the Saudi government intervene in the design and construction of houses in Saudi Arabia? • How would “change” in the ideas of the Saudi population regarding the application of sustainable methods on projects, be acknowledged by the Saudi government and other official bodies in Saudi Arabia? • The Saudi Building code discuss or relate to the cultural needs of the Saudi population and their unique cultural characteristics • Design firms stick to and follow the Saudi Building code

• New housing projects must use the Saudi building code at least to the minimum standards • Increase public awareness of the Saudi building code, e.g. through local media. • Saudi Architectural designing firms don’t use the Saudi Building Code • I use the Saudi Building Code constantly • The Saudi Public has knowledge about the Saudi Building Code • This is the first time I have heard of the Saudi Building Code

• Outcomes: • The highest ranked element was “all designing firms should have a good understanding of the Saudi building code” • The sheer-newness of the SBC can have a great influence on the level of involvement of key stakeholders

The Future of Sustainable Construction in the Kingdom

Enablers to the Application of Sustainability in Saudi Construction: • Educating firms on how to design sustainable housing • Enlightening the public on the advantages of sustainable housing • Implementing new laws that enforce the utilization of sustainable methods to housing construction • Applying sustainable construction methods that meet the environmental comfort needs of residents

Enablers to the Application of Sustainability in Saudi Construction: • The provision by Saudi Government agencies of affordable sustainable housing units for Low-income families • Green energy should be the main energy source of sustainable housing in Saudi Arabia, such as solar energy • Enforce rainwater collection and grey water treatment systems on every housing project, new or old

Enablers to the Application of Sustainability in Saudi Construction: • Residents in any Saudi neighborhood should have all basic needs within walking distance • The Saudi Government should provide financial incentives (subsidies) to whoever applies sustainable construction methods

Thank You

CONSERVATION   IS  A  STATE  OF  HARMONY  BETWEEN  MEN  AND  LAND.   -­‐  ALDO  LEOPOLD  (1993)