The Saudi Green Buildings Forum, to be held in Riyadh on Oct. 16- 18, is designed to demonstrate the efforts being undertaken in Saudi Arabia to monitor and control the environmental impact of building construction and to promote the design of efficient green buildings. Forum delegates will hear from government officials, experts and other proponents of green buildings about sustainability guidelines, building codes, ratings systems and green initiatives that are being developed and implemented in the Kingdom. There will also be several case study presentations from exciting new projects from across the Kingdom. The goal of a green building is to build structures that are environmentally sustainable, capable of sustaining the earth's natural resources. Green buildings use less water, optimze energy efficiency, conserve natural resources, generate less waste and pollution, and provide healthier spaces for occupants as compared to conventional buildings. “Today, Saudi Arabia's ecological footprint is estimated at 4.5 global hectares per capita, or roughly twice the world average. We are also ranked among the Top 20 most environmentally challenged countries in the world. With the depletion of the earth's resources and the pressing global need to save energy and water, the recent decades have seen adoption of the concept of green buildings by governments as well as the private sector. There is wide acceptance now that homes and commercial buildings should incorporate green values to decrease their impact on the environment, both during the construction process and through the lifetime of the building. Understandably, the Saudi government, non-government organizations and the community at large are greatly concerned by these figures.
