Megaprojects pushes sustainable bottom-line

RIYADH — The Saudi Mega Projects Conference and Exhibition approved the establishment of Arabian Code Council and a Students Club as the three-day conference, hosted by the Saudi Green Building Forum and organized by senior management media brand MEED, while calling for the inclusion and integration of energy-efficiency and sustainability into the SR4 trillion megaproject pipeline in Saudi Arabia. Prince Khaled Bin Alwaleed called delegates to action on climate change through the integration of clean energy and sustainability into superstructure and infrastructure planning. “Climate change and the unjustified consumption of energy are two of the most serious issues we face today at the macro-level,” said Prince Khaled. “Our behavior in the built environment plays a significant role in affecting the outcomes of these issues, and there is a real need to create joint programs with government and private sectors in order to nurture our achievements and support the local economy. This is, after all, the most important and prominent objective of the Saudi Green Building Forum: the development of its members’ potentials and a shared investment in creativity and innovation.” “It is my hope that this event represents a useful and rich annual experience for all participants, whereby they can take new networks and learned lessons forward for the betterment of our shared objectives,” Prince Khaled added. Italian Ambassador Mario Boffo, Minister of Islamic Affairs Saleh Bin Abdul-Aziz Al Ash-Sheikh, and Makkah Mayor too participated in the conference. Focal points across the multitude of discussions and presentations on the conference’s final day included the development of program management in the Kingdom, the new industrial city projects for Modon, and a peek into the progress of the Kingdom Tower, soon-to-be the tallest building in the world. In an address on the creation of an enterprise program management office to coordinate projects under the Municipalities and Rural Affairs Ministry, PMO Advisor Akram Hassan said: “We want enterprise PMO to cope with the big picture — we want overall demand management for all the cities of the Kingdom. We need quick wins and we need good governance, including the involvement of city mayors.” Meanwhile, Saudi Industrial Property Authority (Modon) continued its fast-track development of new projects, which include integrated housing complexes, schools, and commercial centers. “There are now almost 6,000 factories in Modon estates,” Director-General Saleh Al-Rasheed said. “We are targeting to complete more than 2,000 model factories compared with the current 605, while also developing Oasis centres for light industry and generate employment opportunities for women.” And the Jeddah Economic Company, which unveiled the latest information surrounding the repositioning of Jeddah as a world-class destination, highlighted accelerated work on the Kingdom Tower and its surrounding area, which will encompass a total of 5.3 million square meters. “The target population in phase one [for the surrounding area] is 18,000 people,” said Jeddah Economic Company Head of Master Planning Fawaz Alharbi. “For the whole development, it will be 60,000. There will be a lake in phase one with an area of 90,000 square meters and a grand mosque capable of accommodating 5,000 worshippers,” he added. Focusing on issues including the importance of project management teams, ways to meet the economic bottom-line in the SR4 trillion megaprojects industry, and several project case studies across Saudi Arabia, the conference was an unprecedented opportunity for over 400 delegates in both government and private sectors to network, share best practices, and develop partnerships for sustainable development, which is a vital cog for the industry. — SG