Sustainable Living in Saudi Arabia

Abstract

This thesis attempts to investigate ways of using sustainable architecture for a desert climate like Saudi Arabia to achieve better levels of energy efficiency by incorporating traditional values and considerations that were applied to the built environment in the past. My research uses precedents throughout history to compare and benefit from the lifestyles of similar conditions in order to explore what is lacking today. By doing this the goal is not only to reach a sustainable lifestyle in terms of energy consumption alone, but also social sustainability and cultural sustainability. All three categories of sustainability can be enabled or hindered through the communities surrounding built environment. In the case of expat housing in Saudi Arabia, these categories for sustainable living are hindered due to the culture-less built environment that gate a community in instead of allowing it to grow.