Honeywell has announced a strategic collaboration agreement with Alfaisal University in Saudi Arabia, with the aim of driving greater sustainability in buildings and supporting the Kingdom’s ambition of reaching net-zero carbon emissions by 2060.
As part of this agreement, Honeywell Building Technologies and Alfaisal University’s College of Engineering will design and deploy joint research programs to enhance the sustainability of buildings through advanced energy projects.
“We’re proud to be collaborating with Honeywell to support the Kingdom’s environmental, social and governance and net-zero goals. This agreement will help us enhance our position as a leading research institute that supports knowledge exchange and improves the opportunities available for our graduates in their chosen professions,” said Dr. Maha Al-Saud, vice president for external relations at Alfaisal University.
“We look forward to working with Saudi Arabia’s Alfaisal University to develop local talent and enhance the knowledge and skills for executing energy projects in our efforts to advance the industry’s capabilities and understanding of ready-now technologies,” said Abdullah Al-Juffali, president, Saudi Arabia and Bahrain, Honeywell.
Honeywell will also launch the Sustainable Energy Training Program, which will provide a sustainable source of qualified energy professionals and auditors to help support the company’s energy projects in the region. The training program augments the company’s expanding capabilities in creating solutions to increase sustainability of buildings. Alfaisal University will work with Honeywell as the first education partner for this unique program. The two entities will jointly create the Honeywell Sustainability and Energy Training Program to support learners and enhance local capabilities.
The program will engage participants in the principles of energy and sustainability, as well as how to effectively evaluate energy problems, assess the cost and benefits of various sources of renewable energy and calculate consumption. They will also be involved in understanding building materials, systems, and methods of construction, recommend best strategies to achieve sustainable, energy-efficient and healthier buildings and eventually perform actual audits of energy use in building structures.
In recently commissioned YouGov research, more than 300 business leaders and decision-makers in the region were surveyed to understand the awareness, challenges and priorities of sustainability policies. Overall, the findings indicate that energy management tops the list of priorities, with almost 90 percent of respondents saying ESG considerations are important to their organization’s strategy. The top reason among respondents in Saudi Arabia for this was cost reduction.
“The launch of the Sustainable Energy Training Program is a testament to our commitment to supporting the Kingdom’s localization and initiatives such as the In-Kingdom Total Value Add Program and net-zero by 2060, whilst expanding our cooperation with the private sector. It will help develop local talent and grow capabilities for the implementation of sustainable energy projects in the country,” added Al-Juffali.
Honeywell’s investment in local talent will support Saudi Aramco’s IKTVA Program by growing local industries and providing upskill training and jobs to Saudi citizens.
