Sabic’s headquarters in Riyadh.
Sabic caters for a sustainable future
01 December 2019
Sabic, one of Saudi Arabia’s largest producers for the petrochemicals and building and construction sectors, has been demonstrating the use of sustainable practices in building design and leaving its mark on Riyadh’s landmarks.
Last year, the company came onboard with one of the world’s most ambitious transportation schemes, the Riyadh Metro Project, in a new commercial partnership. Through the tie-up, Sabic elected to lend its name to a station in Al Falah District, close to its global headquarters.
“The strategic initiative gives Sabic a direct way to engage with Riyadh’s emerging workforce as the new Sabic Station will serve both Al Imam Muhammad Ibn Saud Islamic University and Princess Noura University, as well as many nearby secondary schools and commuters accessing King Khalid International Airport,” a spokesman for the company tells Gulf Construction.
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The Sabic station of the Riyadh Metro ... a direct way to engage with the city’s workforce. |
He estimates up to 11 million people will pass through the Sabic Station annually, providing a strong platform for the company to promote the company’s brand, solutions and the high value jobs that it is creating within the kingdom.
Growth in population is part of the global urbanisation megatrend and its effects are not only felt in transportation and infrastructure, but in almost all aspects of modern life.
From purification to pipes, Sabic collaborations are supplying many of the essentials for urban living while also enabling industries to accelerate innovations and sustainability. This collaboration is what Sabic calls ‘Chemistry that Matters’.
It marks the first time that the petrochemicals giant has acquired naming rights for a project of this type and builds on a legacy of direct collaboration with large international architectural projects including train stations, airports, city infrastructure and sports stadia.
Meanwhile, 20 km from the Sabic Station in eastern Riyadh, the company’s Home of Innovation (HOI) shows how collaborations are transforming challenges into opportunities. The HOI provides a glimpse into the future of building and construction and offers new ways to deliver energy-efficient, long-lasting homes that can meet the needs of a growing population.
Opened in 2016, the HOI is purpose-built to provide the necessary environment and expertise to respond to the trends of a changing world with new and practical solutions.
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Lexan sheets ... enabling the creation of buildings with dramatic roofing and glazing elements. |
More than 45 organisations from nine different countries are represented at the facility’s Collaboration Centre which holds a Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) Platinum certification from the US Green Building Council.
Equally, the HOI Demonstration Home exemplifies the best in current sustainable home design and reflects a commitment to reduce energy and water consumption through fully integrated systems. It was the first LEED Platinum-rated home in the Middle East, and is designed to achieve a net-zero energy balance in the challenging conditions of the desert.
It showcases commercially available technologies yielding net zero energy use, water conservation and environmentally responsible building materials and techniques to guide sustainable home building around the globe.
“HOI innovations and collaborative partnerships are producing better, sustainable solutions that help drive the construction industry forward and build a better world,” the spokesman says.
He adds: “Architects and builders are looking for new solutions to satisfy public demand for environmentally responsible structures, meet current and upcoming regulatory requirements and achieve recognition through programmes such as the LEED green building certification system.”
He says the challenge for the construction industry is clear and Sabic is pioneering new materials for greener structures that function more efficiently without limiting architectural vision or compliance with safety standards.
“Sabic is helping builders with a plastomeric foam pipe insulation that can be integrated directly in walls of buildings being renovated and new buildings. It utilises the company’s materials that have a range of mechanical properties from low temperature flexibility and thermal resistance to puncture and tear resilience. Delivering greater energy efficiency, it is the foundation for a future that reduces emissions and generates savings for the consumer,” he says.
Sustainability pressures extend also into traditional infrastructure and piping. Consumers want products with low carbon footprints that ensure their health and safety; and specifiers want high-performance, reliable solutions with low total cost and extended lifetimes.
“By 2025, global demand for plastic pipes is expected to grow from 26 to 40 million tonnes per year, driven by global urbanisation and population growth, especially in the Middle East and Africa (MEA) and Asia.
“Plastic pipes are competing with more traditional materials like concrete and metal as pipe network owners and pipe converters seek material solutions that can boost performance and the lifespan of pipes in infrastructure, industrial, domestic and agriculture markets,” the spokesman says.
Sabic’s advanced materials allow installers easier and cost-effective installation of pipes, having a better resistance against increasing pressure and temperature requirements. “Anti-abrasion pipe with PE100 HDPE, for example, is constructed using high-density polyethylene (HDPE) in the outer layer and an anti-abrasion polyolefin (PO) compound in the inner layer. The result is increased safety and a longer service life than pipes made of conventional materials,” he explains.
For more than 40 years, Sabic’s products have enabled customers to achieve competitive differentiation through unique designs, safety, durability and comfort. The broad product portfolio can meet an outstanding balance of requirements – including light weight, impact strength and rigidity – and is backed by Sabic’s technical experts who often collaborate directly with architects to identify the right choice of materials for their exact needs.
Lexan sheet products, for example, have become a material of choice of architects and designers for more than 50 arenas and stadiums around the world because it enables the creation of remarkable buildings with dramatic roofing and glazing elements that meet strict requirements for performance and safety.
As a trusted partner for the building and construction sector, Sabic is providing solutions that are helping to future-proof societies and business growth. Its innovations are enabling dynamic building designs for an increasingly urbanised world, reducing emissions, meeting the growing consumer and regulatory demands and helping to create the places we need without damaging the world in which we live.
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The Home of Innovation (HOI) Demonstration House reflects a commitment to reduce energy and water consumption through fully integrated systems:
• The structure is designed to separate inside conditions from the outside climate, withstand structural loads imposed and allow natural lighting utilisation while enhancing performance and comfort.
• The water system is pressurised to deliver, dispose of and reclaim the home’s water, optimising this resource while enhancing performance, comfort and convenience.
• The air system utilises cooling, heating and controlled ventilation equipment, combined with air-tight ductwork and a whole-house pressurisation system to reliably deliver comfort and energy efficiency.
• The power and control system features energy-efficient appliances, components and lighting combined with renewable and back-up energy sources and building control devices to reduce overall building energy use.
