Diriyah’s first phase of masterplan obtains LEED platinum certification

The first phase of Diriyah’s masterplan has been awarded Platinum Level LEED for Cities Certification by the US Green Building Council (USGBC).

The accreditation in LEED for Cities and Communities marks the first time a project in the Middle East has received the accolade.

The USGBC’s LEED certification is a globally recognised symbol of sustainability achievement, and provides a framework for healthy, efficient and cost-saving green buildings and communities. Its LEED for Cities certification provides cities and communities with a globally consistent way to measure and communicate performance. Platinum certification is the highest level within the LEED framework.

Jerry Inzerillo, Diriyah Company group CEO, said: “We are thrilled to have been awarded LEED Platinum Certification for the first phase of the Diriyah masterplan. As the first project in the Middle East to achieve this formidable accolade, alongside our recent milestone of 50 million safe man-hours, we continue to set a new benchmark for our peers.”

Peter Templeton, president and CEO of the USGBC and its certification body, GCBI, added, “LEED has been a transformative tool for buildings, and we are now seeing the impact it can have at the city and community level, particularly in key areas of human and environmental health. As the first community in the Middle East to earn Platinum certification on LEED v4.1 for Cities: Plan and Design, the first phase of Diriyah’s masterplan is leading the way to a better world and helping USGBC continue toward our goal of sustainability by prioritising issues such as resilience and green infrastructure for all.”

Diriyah – a UNESCO site

Diriyah is a US$63.2 billion mixed-use development and features the UNESCO World Heritage site of the mud-brick-walled At-Turaif District. Its first phase includes entertainment, shopping, cultural, commercial, and residential assets.

In January, Saudi Arabia’s Crown Prince Mohammad bin Salman bin Abdulaziz, Prime Minister and Chairman of the Public Investment Fund (PIF), designated the Diriyah Project as the Public Investment Fund’s fifth giga project in the kingdom, the other four being NEOM, Red Sea, Qiddiya and Roshn.

Read: Mashreq’s global HQ is UAE’s first commercial building to achieve LEED Zero

This article originally appeared on Business Traveller Middle East