RIYADH: The King Abdullah University of Science and Technology has signed two agreements with the Ministry of Energy to improve sustainability in the Kingdom.
The first agreement with the ministry’s Oil Sustainability Program will have the two entities analyze the environmental and economic performance of seawater concrete technology, the Saudi Press Agency reported on Wednesday.
They will carry out sustainability evaluations for the technology under the program’s NovusCrete consortium.
Seawater concrete’s effectiveness will be compared with conventional materials, to deliver scientific data to support decision-makers working on sustainable construction projects.
The second agreement aims to deepen sustainability integration in the program by developing broader methodologies to evaluate environmental, economic, and social impact; improve data quality; and standardize assessment frameworks.
It will improve readiness for future initiatives and align related efforts with Saudi Vision 2030 and the Saudi Green Initiative, the SPA reported.
Coinciding with the signing, KAUST hosted a workshop with global experts, policymakers, and industry leaders to advance the adoption of Life Cycle Assessments as a cornerstone for sustainable development in Saudi Arabia.
The sessions highlighted the role of LCAs and environmental product declarations as essential tools for improving global competitiveness, increasing supply chain transparency, and enabling evidence-based decision-making in industry and policy.
KAUST said in a statement that this represents a significant step in national capacity building and harmonizing sustainability practices.
It added that the event highlights the university’s role as a key national partner in advancing environmental data and establishing decision-making systems based on life-cycle methodologies, supporting the transition toward a low-emission circular economy.
NovusCrete was established in late 2024 as a globally collaborative effort to develop and accelerate the adoption of sustainable and durable saltwater concrete.
