Princess Noura Bint Abdulrahman University, the world's largest female-only university which is scheduled to be completed early 2012, is also set to be Saudi Arabia's first “green campus” as the university responds to increased electricity consumption in the Kingdom. The campus, located in north Riyadh near King Khaled International Airport Road over an area of eight million sq. meters, will house a range of smart buildings with ABB, the leading power and automation technology group, having been recruited to provide its KNX intelligent building control system. The system is described as “a global standard for home and building automation control, designed to increase comfort and energy efficiency”. “We've witnessed increasing demand for smart building solutions in Saudi Arabia, not only because of increased energy savings but also due to a desire for technology that automates basic functions such as lighting and shading,” said Adel Jaber, ABB Saudi Arabia's low-voltage products business unit manager. “There has been an annual 40 percent increase in the consumption of electricity here and the introduction of energy-saving technology will make the country more energy efficient.” The university campus will contain administration buildings, 13 faculties, a 700-bed student hospital, laborataries, research centers, and a residential area with accommodation for staff and a projected 26,000 students.
