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Diriyah Gate Development Authority (DGDA), the developer and owner of Saudi giga project Diriyah Gate in Riyad said on Monday that the first phase of its master plan has been awarded platinum-level precertification for the Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) accreditation by the United States Green Building Council (USGBC).
The first phase has targeted the certification at both the building and city levels, DGDA said in a press statement, adding that the achievement shows that sustainability is integrated into every aspect of the development’s planning, design, construction and operation phases.
The first phase of DGDA’s master plan will be built entirely in the Najdi architectural style, which will make use of locally sourced materials, including traditionally made mud bricks and limestone from Saudi Arabia, the statement said. It noted that the emphasis on pedestrian-oriented development will reduce Diriyah’s overall fuel emissions and carbon footprint.
Diriyah has also enrolled in Saudi Arabia’s own sustainability certification programme called MOSTADAM.
Last month, Zawya Projects reported that expects to announce $6 billion worth of tenders for the heritage project after summer.
The $50.6 billion tourism development is targeting 27 million domestic and international visitors by 2030 in support of the Saudi national tourism strategy, which aims to host 100 million international tourists by 2030.
(Writing by SA Kader; Editing by Anoop Menon)
