King Salman Energy Park receives the U.S. Green Building Council 2021 Leadership Award
King Salman Energy Park (SPARK), received the 2021 U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC) Leadership Award for the Middle East in recognition of SPARK’s exemplary leadership and contribution towards creating sustainable, healthier, equitable and resilient buildings, cities, and communities. Serving as a gateway upon which the world’s energy sector can build an integrated future, SPARK has adopted advanced construction solutions that are environmentally friendly and maximize long-term efficiency.
President and CEO Saif Al Qahtani commented: “At SPARK, we are committed to ensuring sustainable solutions are continuously implemented as we grow to become the leading energy-centric ecosystem in the world. We have achieved many firsts in our initial stages of development and will continue to adopt and support innovative initiatives that help improve the quality of life for our people, while also strengthening our business and the Kingdom’s economy. We are very proud of our team and the work they have done to guarantee SPARK provides long-term value and supports national and regional programs aimed at building a more sustainable future.”
In the Kingdom and in the region, SPARK is the first entity to pioneer the use of multiple cutting-edge technologies, ensuring that sustainability remains at the heart of the development. Recognised as the first industrial city in the world to obtain Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) Silver Certification, SPARK continually demonstrates its commitment to environmentally responsible building and construction practices. Developed by the U.S. Green Building Council and recognized as the most highly-regarded green building rating system, LEED provides a framework for construction and building solutions that aim to reduce environmental impact, limit resource use, reduce carbon emissions and address climate change.
“It is truly inspiring to recognize our leaders that have continued their commitment to green building and sustainable communities while adapting to the changing environments around us,” said Mahesh Ramanujam, President and CEO, USGBC. “The 2021 USGBC Leadership Award awardees have improved our world through the power of green building, and it is their contributions and work that have helped our communities stay safe and healthy.”
The 2021 USGBC Leadership Award recipients represent some of the best of USGBC’s 10,000 member organizations, a network of committed professionals with more than 106,000 LEED commercial projects in more than 180 countries and territories around the world. In addition to the USGBC 2021 Leadership Award, SPARK was also awarded four ISO certificates by world testing, inspection and certification leader Bureau Veritas for integrated management systems certification programs and asset management systems that lower costs, maximize return on investment and optimize growth throughout asset life cycles.
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King Salman Energy Park receives LEED Silver certification
King Salman Energy Park (SPARK) in Saudi Arabia has become the first industrial city in the world to receive Silver level accreditation for Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED).
The LEED certification strengthens SPARK’s ability to support future tenants and investors on their journey towards LEED certification of their facilities, as part of a fully-integrated energy community. It also affirms the city’s integrated sustainability practices, which are at the heart of the community’s planning.
SPARK President & CEO, Saif S. Al Qahtani, said: “SPARK is distinguishing itself as a leading global energy, industrial and technology hub, cementing Saudi Arabia’s position as a progressive innovator in these fields on the international stage. The certification reaffirms our commitment to reducing the city’s carbon footprint. LEED communities are in high global demand, as they offer better rates of profitability, productivity and quality of the workplace. Our goal is to create an ecosystem for energy-related companies to grow with minimum environmental impact, and we encourage other industrial cities to follow our lead.”
Strategically located at the heart of Saudi Arabia’s Eastern Province, SPARK’s vision is to be the primary gateway to the regional energy sector. Its technologically-advanced ecosystem offers investors unmatched supply-chain efficiency and has been designed to provide an ultramodern “plug and play” infrastructure. As well as targeting large corporations, SPARK also caters to small and medium-sized enterprises and provides support through its SPARK SME Hub, creating a tailored microcosm for Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs). This allows streamlined and cost-effective operations near major workforce providers and close to highway and railway networks. At maturity, it will be home to over 300 industrial, technology and service facilities focused on meeting the demand for energy goods and services across the entire value chain.