Saudi Arabia has registered 2,000 of the 5,000 green building projects underway in the Middle East. The achievement reflects the kingdom’s commitment to sustainable development, said the country’s Minister of Municipalities and Housing Majed Al-Hogail. His words were reported by the Saudi Press Agency (SPA).

The rise in the number of such projects is linked to Saudi Arabia’s rapidly increasing population and increased focus on environmental awareness, which is fuelling a shift towards energy-efficient buildings and the use of eco-friendly building materials.

Speaking at the opening of the 14th annual Saudi Green Building Forum (SGBF) in Riyadh, Al-Hogail emphasised that such initiatives demonstrate the kingdom’s commitment to improving efficiency in the use of natural resources, reducing carbon emissions and creating a healthy and safe urban environment. He said green buildings play an important role in achieving sustainable development goals and are in line with Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030 programme to diversify the country’s economy.

It is expected that Saudi Arabia’s green building market could generate revenues of US$16.4 billion this year and grow to US$33 billion by 2030 at a compound annual growth rate of 12.3 per cent.

The Saudi Green Building Forum has been held annually since 2010. It is a key platform for dialogue that actively promotes Saudi Arabia’s sustainable agenda and identifies future directions for green building and urban development in the region.

African Times published this article in partnership with International Media Network TV BRICS