Indoor Environmental Quality Around the World: Saudi Arabia’s Green Building Revolution

As countries around the world reckon with the relationship between buildings and well-being, Saudi Arabia has emerged as a surprising leader in the push for sustainable design that centers human health. In this third installment of our series on global initiatives to improve Indoor Environmental Quality (IEQ), we explore how Saudi Arabia is using regulatory innovation, public-private partnerships, and smart urban design to ensure that the future of its buildings is not only greener—but healthier, too.

Saudi Arabia is undergoing a profound shift in how it views sustainability, transforming its cities not just to meet environmental goals but to improve the quality of life for its citizens. Once driven solely by energy efficiency and economic diversification, the Kingdom’s Vision 2030 now places a clear emphasis on human-centered design—especially when it comes to indoor spaces. In this context, the concept of Indoor Environmental Quality (IEQ) has moved to the forefront. Improved air quality, thermal comfort, and lighting are no longer luxuries, but essential outcomes of Saudi Arabia’s green building push.

This momentum is visible in a rapidly expanding construction sector committed to green principles.

The Rise of Green Building in Saudi Arabia

According to P&S Market Research, the green buildings market in Saudi Arabia reached USD 16.4 billion in 2024 and is projected to grow to USD 33 billion by 2030, marking a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 12.3%. This isn’t just growth—it’s a transformation. Much of it is being driven by new housing developments, public buildings, and tourism megaprojects that aim to meet both global sustainability standards and local performance metrics. With climate-conscious design becoming the norm, this movement is laying the groundwork for long-term indoor comfort and wellness. Guiding this transformation is a new regulatory framework developed to address the region’s unique environmental and social needs.

Mostadam: Saudi Arabia’s Green Building Rating System

To ensure that green buildings in the Kingdom aren’t just imported ideas with foreign metrics, the Ministry of Municipal and Rural Affairs and Housing launched Mostadam, a Saudi-specific green building rating system. Unlike LEED or BREEAM, Mostadam was created for the desert environment, and gives special attention to aspects of IEQ such as indoor air quality, lighting, acoustics, and thermal regulation. In fact, the “Health and Comfort” category of the Mostadam residential rating system represents a significant portion of the overall score, encouraging developers to prioritize occupant well-being (Mostadam Guidelines). These guidelines aren’t just theoretical—they’re already producing measurable outcomes.

Impact on Indoor Environmental Quality

Studies across Saudi Arabia demonstrate the positive effect of green design on IEQ. A 2024 assessment of a higher education building in Riyadh reported strong satisfaction among occupants for indoor air quality, lighting, and daylight access, though it identified areas for improvement in thermal comfort and noise levels (MDPI, 2024). In Taif, simulations have shown that optimizing façade design and shading can reduce thermal dissatisfaction by more than 65%, particularly during hot seasons. These results highlight how green strategies tailored to the Saudi context can meaningfully enhance how people feel and function in their indoor environments. Many of these breakthroughs are being implemented by some of the country’s most high-profile projects and developers.

Leading Organizations and Projects

Pioneers like NEOM, the futuristic smart city in northwest Saudi Arabia, have committed to 100% renewable energy, zero-emission transport, and regenerative design—all of which support healthier, more breathable indoor environments. Red Sea Global is building sustainable tourism resorts that rely entirely on solar energy and have set WELL and Mostadam certification goals for occupant health. ROSHN, backed by the Public Investment Fund, is embedding native tree landscaping and passive design strategies into all of its residential developments to mitigate heat and improve air quality. Even Saudi Aramco is embracing high-performance building design in its new Digital Hub in Dhahran, which targets LEED Platinum with advanced air filtration, smart ventilation, and dynamic glazing systems.

Another key player in this transformation is SABIC, whose initiatives are setting new benchmarks for sustainable building and indoor environmental quality.

SABIC: Innovating for Sustainable Indoor Environments

SABIC, the Saudi Basic Industries Corporation, has been instrumental in advancing sustainable building practices in the Kingdom. Their flagship project, the Home of Innovation in Riyadh, exemplifies this commitment. The High-Performance Demonstration Home within this initiative is the first residential building in the Middle East to achieve LEED Platinum certification. Designed to be a net-zero energy building, it features:

• Enhanced Indoor Air Quality: Incorporation of paints and finishes with low or no volatile organic compounds (VOCs), along with controlled ventilation and pollutant mitigation measures, ensures cleaner indoor air.

• Energy Efficiency: A 28 kW rooftop solar array and energy-efficient cooling systems contribute to a net-zero energy balance.

• Water Conservation: Implementation of low-flow plumbing fixtures and a rain and gray-water reclamation system reduces water consumption by up to 50%.

• Sustainable Materials: Use of environmentally responsible building materials and techniques throughout the construction.

These features not only reduce the building's environmental footprint but also significantly enhance the comfort and health of its occupants.

Beyond individual projects, SABIC's broader sustainability strategy includes a commitment to process at least one million metric tons of TRUCIRCLE™ circular materials annually by 2030, aiming to advance a circular economy and reduce environmental impact (SABIC Sustainability).

This sets the stage for dramatic improvements ahead.

Looking Ahead: The Next Decade

By 2035, these changes are expected to fundamentally reshape the indoor environment for millions of people across the Kingdom. Indoor air quality is projected to improve significantly as filtration, smart ventilation, and plant-based design reduce particulate matter and CO₂ buildup. Thermal comfort will become more consistent and less energy-intensive, thanks to inverter AC systems, shading strategies, and high-insulation materials. Daylighting will enhance mental alertness and reduce electricity use, while noise pollution will decrease through better acoustic design and smarter building materials. Saudi Arabia’s buildings are becoming more than just structures—they’re evolving into spaces that actively support human health and productivity.

Conclusion

The future of green construction in Saudi Arabia is not just about saving energy or reducing emissions. It’s about creating indoor spaces that work with the environment to support the people living, learning, and working inside them. As national frameworks like Mostadam take root and flagship developers integrate sustainability into every stage of construction, the next decade will bring indoor environmental quality to the center of the Kingdom’s built environment strategy. Saudi Arabia isn’t just building for a greener future—it’s building for a healthier one, too.

References

1. P&S Market Research. "Saudi Arabia Green Buildings Market Size, Share, Trends Analysis." Link

2. Mostadam Green Building Guidelines (Ministry of Municipal, Rural Affairs & Housing). PDF

3. MDPI. "Evaluating Indoor Environmental Quality of a Higher Education Building in Riyadh." Link

4. NEOM Official Website. Link

5. Red Sea Global Official Website. Link

6. ROSHN Official Website. Link

7. Saudi Aramco Official Website. Link

8. SABIC Official Website. Link