The source also said that the construction of the buildings
was expected to be fully completed by 2018. The Kingdom, suffering from a
rapidly growing population and demand for housing must construct at least 2.9
million housing units by 2015 and 4 million housing units by 2020 to satisfy
market needs.
Saudi Arabia, according to organizers has decided to invest
in Smart or Green Building Technology as a means of promoting long-term
sustainability and energy efficiency in the country.
Studies have shown that smart buildings can reduce energy
consumption by 30 percent, cut emissions and water consumption by 50 percent as
well as reduce building waste by 90 percent when compared to their conventional
counterparts.
“Building owners are increasingly becoming interested in
making their facilities more energy efficient to save money and decrease
operating costs,” Shahid Bhatti, project manager of Saudi Build 2010 of Riyadh
Exhibition Company said.
He added that smart building solutions provide a convenient
way to improve energy efficiency and optimize the performance of buildings.
Smart buildings have become such a popular alternative to
conventional buildings that many companies are expected to network at the two
events scheduled for Oct. 18-21 at the Riyadh International Convention and
Exhibition Center.
The events are scheduled to provide contractors, real estate
developers and building owners with direct access to thousands of opportunities
to incorporate Smart Technology into their businesses.
On the regulatory side, reports last month have said that
regulations governing smart building construction and maintenance are expected
to become a mandatory part of building codes in Saudi Arabia by the end of
2010.
“We should have binding regulation by the end of this year,”
Ali Nazzal, sales and operations manager at ABB Smart Home and Intelligent
Building Controls in Riyadh said.
In addition, there has already been talk that the smart
building industry not only in the Kingdom but also in the GCC is expected to
reach new heights in the next couple of years. Currently the Smart Building
industry in the GCC is estimated to be worth 1.2 trillion riyals. Companies
from India, China, Singapore, among others have already forged tie-ups with
several Saudi firms to provide, smart, building materials to supply the local
market.
