SAUDI ARAMCO has been recognised for its commitment to sustainable buildings and environmental stewardship by receiving a Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (Leed) Platinum Certification accreditation, which is the Green Building Certification institute’s highest honour.

This is the first time the company has received such recognition, which reflects and validates Saudi Aramco’s compliance with the highest level of environmental standards, including but not limited to water and energy conservation and the creation of a healthy and safe environment for all its occupants.

Al Midra was awarded 80 points, qualifying for Platinum certification. In the category of energy and atmosphere, Al Midra achieved 33 out of 35 possible points, reflecting the high energy performance due to the solar farm installed by Power Systems and the building management system, which provides fully automated lighting control. Also, the indoor environmental quality has been improved by having control over the CO2 level through the building management system.

The president and CEO, along with members of senior management, celebrated the Leed achievement during the Dhahran Executive Management Safety Review tour at Al Midra Tower. One of the Office Services’ young engineers, Faris M Almushref, walked the senior management through the challenges behind achieving this remarkable accomplishment.

Office Services Department manager Ahmed A Alzahid highlighted some of the challenging milestones and thanked all involved parties for a job well done. “The team’s professionalism and commitment to the success of this corporate initiative were the main features that contributed to this achievement,” says Alzahid.

Community Services executive director Hany K Abu Khadra congratulated the Office Services Department for “not only achieving the first Leed certification that appropriately reflects the international image of Saudi Aramco, but on subsequently being awarded the highest level of recognition.”

“It is with pleasure that I recognise the Community Services for its excellence in environmental stewardship, and as a result, achieving the highest certification as awarded by the Leaders in Energy and Environmental Design,” says Khalid A Al Falih, president and CEO of Saudi Aramco.

“As our operations grow in scale and complexity, we choose the leadership role of significantly ‘lightening’ our environmental footprint, which is integral to a comprehensive, operational excellence philosophy,” Al Falih adds. “Our business is ultimately about improving the quality of human life, particularly for those of our own employees and their families, and the local communities we work in and serve. With creative imagination and operational excellence, we can keep energy and nvironmental stewardship in balance.”

“The criteria for awarding this highest of Leed recognitions are stringent and the standards are demanding,” Abu Khadra adds. “The Office Services Department should therefore be proud of its commitment to providing a healthy, efficient and cooperative work environment, which maximises operational efficiency while minimising environmental impact.”

Leed, developed by the US Green Building Council (USGBC), was initiated in 1993 and has grown to encompass more than 14,000 projects in over 30 countries. The Leed rating system certifies and consequently drives the advancement of sustainable buildings.