The US Green Building Council (USGBC) has awarded King Abdullah Petroleum Studies and Research Center (Kapsarc) in Saudi Arabia five Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) Platinum certificates under the Existing Building: Operation and Maintenance (EBOM) – the highest in the LEED rating system.

Kapsarc’s facilities are the only buildings in the kingdom to have achieved LEED-EBOM Platinum certification, said the Riyadh-based research institute. The centre was awarded a rating of over 80 points.

Platinum LEED-EBOM certifications were awarded to five of Kapsarc's community buildings, which cover a total 52,284 sq m. The certificates were awarded for achieving the highest sustainability standards across Kapsarc’s facility design, construction, operations, and maintenance procedures, it added.

All five certificates were obtained in 2021 and 2022. In 2021, Kapsarc's waste management programme diverted 94 per cent of solid waste from landfill through rigorous waste stream audits that eliminated single-use goods and developed an effective waste segregation strategy across multiple stages.

During the same period, the centre reduced the compound's water consumption by 30 per cent by utilising advanced tools and techniques. Energy usage was also reduced by 35 per cent. Kapsarc’s modular hexagonal buildings were designed to have low carbon footprints during the summer season.