Diriyah’s masterplan Phase 1 became the first project in Middle East to be awarded a Platinum Level LEED for Cities Certification by the US Green Building Council (USGBC), the developer said in a press statement.
The mixed-use Phase 1 incorporates entertainment, shopping, cultural, commercial, and residential components anchored around public squares and open spaces, and accounts for 63.2 billion Saudi riyals ($17 billion) worth of projects under construction.
According to the statement, the project’s urban form encourages a cooling microclimate with narrow streets and courtyards, providing shade and enhancing favourable winds, while car-free zones promote a sustainable and pedestrianised public realm.
Diriyah Company Group CEO, Jerry Inzerillo, said: “We are thrilled to have been awarded LEED Platinum Certification for the first phase of the Diriyah masterplan. As the first project in the Middle East to achieve this formidable accolade, alongside our recent milestone of 50 million safe man-hours, we continue to set a new benchmark for our peers.”
President and CEO of the U.S. Green Buildings Council (USGBC) – and its certification body, GCBI – Peter Templeton, added: “As the first community in the Middle East to earn Platinum certification on LEED v4.1 for Cities: Plan and Design, the first phase of Diriyah’s masterplan is leading the way to a better world and helping USGBC continue toward our goal of sustainability by prioritising issues such as resilience and green infrastructure for all.”
(Writing by SA Kader; Editing by Anoop Menon)