!

Saudi Building Industry's Views on

Sustainability in Buildings:
Questionnaire Survey
Farajallah Alrashed and Muhammad Asif
INTRODUCTION
Per Capita Co
2
- Saudi Arabia and World Figures
International Conference on Sustainability in Energy and Buildings, 25
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-27
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June, 2014
0
5
10
15
20
2006 2007 2008 2009 2010
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Year
Saudi Arabia Middle East
Europe Norht America
Central and South America Asia and Oceania
World
INTRODUCTION
Per Capita Energy Consumption and Population in Saudi Arabia
International Conference on Sustainability in Energy and Buildings, 25
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-27
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June, 2014
0
5
10
15
20
25
30
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25
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1990 1995 2000 2005 2009
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Per capita energy consumption Population
INTRODUCTION
The construction industry in Saudi Arabia
International Conference on Sustainability in Energy and Buildings, 25
th
-27
th
June, 2014
0
20
40
60
80
100
120
1
9
9
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Year
Construction Licenses 1990-2011
38%
4%
2%
14%
36%
6%
Construction Industry in GCC
Countries
Saudi Arabia Kuwait
Bahrain Qatar
United Arab Emirates Oman
SURVEY METHODOLOGY
International Conference on Sustainability in Energy and Buildings, 25
th
-27
th
June, 2014
" The sample size that required for this survey was identied to be
100 respondents.
" The survey is targeted to key professionals in the Saudi building
industry, (Architects, Engineers, Project Managers, Construction
Contractors, and Developers/Investors)
" About 500 questionnaires were distributed randomly among
professional.
" The number of responses received is 122.

RESULTS AND ANALYSIS
1. Ranking the Project Factors
International Conference on Sustainability in Energy and Buildings, 25
th
-27
th
June, 2014
o Cost
o Modernity
o Safety
o Architectural Outfits
o Quality and Durability
o Construction/Development Time
o Sustainability
Quality and Durability
Cost
Safety
Architectural Outfits
Construction/Development Time
Modernity
Sustainability
RESULTS AND ANALYSIS
2. Familiarity of sustainable-energy building concepts
0
%

1
0
%

2
0
%

3
0
%

4
0
%

5
0
%

6
0
%

7
0
%

8
0
%

9
0
%

1
0
0
%

Sustainable Building (Green Building)
Passive House (Passivhaus)
Low or Zero Carbon Building
Zero-Energy Building (NetZero Energy Building)
Energy-Efficient Buildings
Vernacular Architecture
Renewable Energy Applications
Energy conservation and management
Percentage
S
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E
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C
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Very familiar Familiar Moderately familiar Of little familiar Unfamiliar
International Conference on Sustainability in Energy and Buildings, 25
th
-27
th
June, 2014
RESULTS AND ANALYSIS
3. Current buildings versus Vernacular buildings
0%
10%
20%
30%
40%
50%
60%
70%
80%
90%
100%
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Profession
Better Same Worse
0%
10%
20%
30%
40%
50%
60%
70%
80%
90%
100%
V
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y

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Familiarity with Vernacular Buildings
Better Same Worse
International Conference on Sustainability in Energy and Buildings, 25
th
-27
th
June, 2014
RESULTS AND ANALYSIS
4. Experience with Sustainable-Energy Building Principles
0%
5%
10%
15%
20%
25%
30%
35%
40%
45%
50%
A
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Profession
Energy-Effeciency Measures
Renewable Energy Technologies
Sustainable Design Solutions
0%
5%
10%
15%
20%
25%
30%
35%
40%
45%
50%
<

5

Y
e
a
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s

5

-

1
0

Y
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1
1

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1
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1
6

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2
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>

2
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P
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Years in Building Industry
Energy-Effeciency Measures
Renewable Energy Technologies
Sustainable Design Solutions
International Conference on Sustainability in Energy and Buildings, 25
th
-27
th
June, 2014
RESULTS AND ANALYSIS
5. Eagerness to follow standards and codes for sustainable buildings
0%
10%
20%
30%
40%
50%
60%
70%
80%
90%
100%
A
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Profession
Very eager Quite eager Not eager
0%
10%
20%
30%
40%
50%
60%
70%
80%
90%
100%
5

y
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5
-
1
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1
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>
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P
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Years in Building Industry
Very eager Quite eager Not eager
International Conference on Sustainability in Energy and Buildings, 25
th
-27
th
June, 2014
RESULTS AND ANALYSIS
6. Options to support the application Sustainable-Energy Building
0% 20% 40% 60%
Offer rewards and incentives for those who use
sustainable design solutions
Initiate major sustainable building projects
Support the research in the discipline of sustainable
buildings
Establish an information center to support the use of
sustainable design concepts
Train people in the building sector through
workshops and seminars
Offer both undergraduate and postgraduate degrees in
the discipline of sustainable design
Develop comperhensive rating tools for sustainable
buildings
Improve building codes and standards
Percentage
S
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g
e
s
t
i
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n
/
O
p
t
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n

International Conference on Sustainability in Energy and Buildings, 25
th
-27
th
June, 2014
# Highlights:
" The Saudi building industry has yet to realise the importance of sustainability.
" The level of formal education and work experience tend to have a positive inuence on the
appreciation of sustainable buildings.
" The awareness on the concept of sustainable building and international best practices needs
to be boosted in the Saudi building industry.
# Recommendations:
" The provision of short curses, workshops, and seminars.
" Offering both undergraduate and postgraduate programmes in the eld of sustainable
buildings.
" Stimulation the application of sustainable-energy buildings via a combination of academic,
legislative and nancial measures.

CONCLUSIONS
International Conference on Sustainability in Energy and Buildings, 25
th
-27
th
June, 2014
!
Thank you very much for your attention
Alrashed, Farajallah
Glasgow Caledonian University
United Kingdom
Tel.: + 44 141 3318480
E-mail: Farajallah.Alrashed@gcu.ac.uk
Asif, Muhammad
Glasgow Caledonian University
United Kingdom
Tel.: + 44 141 3318721
E-mail: Muhammad.Asif@gcu.ac.uk