King Abdallah University of Science & Technology (KAUST)

King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST) is a singular meta-building with all spaces interconnected. Integrated into the architecture of the local environment, KAUST’s 27 buildings include 5.5 million square feet of space. Despite the challenges of building the campus in Saudi Arabia’s desert climate, KAUST became the world’s largest LEED Platinum project at the time of its certification. By integrating sustainability into the site planning, community organization, building design and campus operations, the university is demonstrating new ways to build in the region and promoting responsible stewardship of the environment.