RIYADH, September 20, 2010 - The Saudi Green Buildings Forum, to be held in Riyadh from October 16 to 18, is designed to demonstrate the efforts being undertaken in Saudi Arabia to monitor and control the environmental impact of building construction and to promote the design of efficient green buildings.

Forum delegates will hear from government officials, experts and other proponents of green buildings about sustainability guidelines, building codes, ratings systems and green initiatives that are being developed and implemented in KSA.  There will also be several case study presentations from exciting new projects from across the Kingdom.

More than one hundred participants from across the construction industry value chain, including senior public sector officials, leading real estate business leaders, architectural firms, engineers and other sustainability- and construction-associated professionals, are expected to attend this pioneering Saudi event.

Saudi Green Buildings 2010 is being organised by MEED Events, which is part of the region's leading business publication MEED, which prides itself as the region's top provider of business news and intelligence.

Announcing the event, MEED Events' Chairman Edmund O'Sullivan said "Saudi Green Buildings 2010 will be an excellent networking opportunity for officials, business people and professionals to exchange information and ideas on the latest developments concerning green and sustainable buildings."

The organisers have listed an impressive line-up of speakers and topics, designed to ensure that the three-day conference will enable participants to understand the full extent of Saudi Arabia's proactive approach and coordination between various agencies to reduce the environmental impact of the booming construction sector in the Kingdom.

O'Sullivan noted that key representatives from a host of leading public and private sector based Saudi Arabian organisations would be taking part in the conference. The Saudi Ministry of Water & Electricity, Saudi Electricity Company, Saudi Green Building Council, Arriyadh Development Company, Dar Al Handasah, MODON, Omrania Associates, King Saud University and Saudi Tabreed have confirmed participation, and will fill key speaker spots

With the depletion of the earth's resources and the pressing global need to save energy and water, the recent decades have seen adoption of the concept of green buildings by governments as well as the private sector.  There is wide acceptance now that homes and commercial buildings should incorporate green values to decrease their impact on the environment, both during the construction process and through the lifetime of the building. 

The goal of a green building is to build structures that are environmentally sustainable, capable of sustaining the earth's natural resources. Green buildings use less water, optimise energy efficiency, conserve natural resources, generate less waste and pollution, and provide healthier spaces for occupants as compared to conventional buildings.

"Today, Saudi Arabia's ecological footprint is estimated at 4.5 global hectares per capita,  or roughly twice the world average. We are also  ranked among the Top 20 most environmentally challenged countries in the world. Understandably, the Saudi Government, Non-Government Organizations and the community at large are greatly concerned by these figures.

"With very high levels of spending on urban development, key Saudi developers are looking for more efficient ways to build. More sustainable construction is a key option and with increasing political interest, it is only a matter of time before green guidelines become mandatory," Faisal Alfadl, Secretary General of the Saudi Green Buildings Forum.

In Saudi Arabia and elsewhere in the Gulf region, the governments, private agencies and other leading key stakeholders, have recognised the important role of green buildings in reducing water and energy consumption and reducing waste and pollution. "In this context, we believe that Saudi Green Building 2010 will play a key role in not only sharing information and knowledge about the global trends, but in advancing the sustainable building agenda in the Kingdom," Alfadl said.

"The Saudi construction industry, valued at more than SR 1 trillion, is driven largely by large and medium infrastructure projects and the growing demand for housing and commercial spaces.  With the ever-stronger emphasis on sustainability, the Saudi market for products and services associated with green buildings is expected to grow rapidly in the coming years," he added. 

The conference is being sponsored by Schneider Electric, ABB, Interfaceflor and Jotun Paints.

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For more information, contact:
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Email: saidh@alefinternational.com
Phone: +966 50 856 3316

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Email: sanak@alefinternational.com
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© Press Release 2010