The Saudi Green Building Council (SGBC) has once again underscored the necessity of adopting energy conservation measures in the design and construction of news buildings and related infrastructure. Speaking at the "Renewable Energy & Energy Efficiency Knowledge Forum" held in Dammam recently, Ali U. Al-Najim, Deputy Chairman of SGBC, highlighted the importance of energy saving in buildings, noting that 80 percent of total energy are consumed by buildings, out of which, 70 percent are due to air condition usage. He said that by adopting the Green building guidelines, energy consumption would be reduced by 50 percent or more, and if renewable energy is used, an additional 10 percent or more energy saving could be achieve. By encouraging the application of Green building guidelines in the Kingdom, Al-Najim said energy efficiency will thrive, resulting in energy saving of at least 75 percent. A green building is an environmentally sustainable building, designed, constructed and operated to minimize the total environmental impacts. Well-designed green buildings will save money, increase comfort and create healthier environments for people to live and work, using improved indoor air quality, natural daylight, and thermal comfort. The main strategies to achieve a green building include reduced energy consumption, water conservation and recycling waste. To ensure that energy efficiency and Green building prerequisites are observed, Al-Najim recommends that architects should be involved in the Kingdom's energy conservation decisions and that energy efficiency centers in the universities and economic cities should give emphasis on architecture. Moreover, he called for greater awareness in the importance of Green building sustainability in order to remove obstacles in the large-scale implementation of energy efficiency measures. Sustainable building is aimed at reducing the harmful effect on the environment of buildings and construction activities SGBC is a non-profit-organization whose primary mission is to promoting awareness about the importance of sustainable buildings and encouraging its implementation within the different construction sectors.
