SAAF System Drives 312 Green Projects Across 22 Arab Countries In 2025

The Saudi Green Building Forum reported that 312 green building projects are now registered under the saaf system in 22 Arab countries, covering 785,123.20 square metres of built-up area, and delivering an estimated yearly reduction of about 62,800 tons of carbon dioxide equivalent.

SGBF explained that these reductions are measured against typical construction practices and are linked to designs that reduce energy and water demand, apply climate-responsive planning, and manage consumption before efficiency technologies, aligning with wider efforts to shift the regional built environment toward lower greenhouse gas emissions.

The forum stated that the estimates are based on the sufficiency methodology embedded in the saaf system, which prioritises lowering resource needs at the design and planning stage, then complements this approach with efficiency solutions, creating a structured pathway for green building projects across Arab markets.

According to SGBF, the projects registered so far demonstrate how the Saudi-developed saaf system is being used beyond national borders, indicating a growing regional acceptance of a unified professional framework for assessing green buildings and supporting construction sector alignment with climate targets.

The announcement is part of the forum’s contribution to the work of the United Nations Environment Programme and the Global Alliance for Buildings and Construction, which are using data from saaf-registered projects while preparing the Global Status Report for Buildings and Construction for the international community.

On this occasion, SGBF Secretary-General Eng. Faisal Al-Fadl said: "These figures represent a landmark outcome for 2025. Closing 2025 with such an achievement reflects the Arab region’s confidence in the saaf system as a professional national framework leading transformation in the construction sector through a sufficiency-first approach before efficiency. Registering more than 312 projects in 22 Arab countries and achieving an estimated impact exceeding 62,000 tons of annual emissions reductions stress that investment in green buildings is no longer merely an environmental option, but a developmental, economic, and strategic pathway that serves the objectives of Saudi Vision 2030 and supports commitments to global climate action."

Al-Fadl highlighted that SGBF plans to keep working closely with national stakeholders, the United Nations ecosystem, and GlobalABC to strengthen Arab participation in global efforts to decarbonise buildings and construction, while reinforcing the Kingdom’s position as a reference point for sustainability practices and environmental innovation in the sector.

With inputs from SPA