RIYADH: The King Salman Energy Park (SPARK) has been awarded the 2021 US Green Building Council (USGBC) Leadership Award for the Middle East in recognition of its environmentally friendly approach to construction and development.

SPARK, in Saudi Arabia’s Eastern Province, was the first industrial city in the world to obtain Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) Silver Certification.

Developed by the US Green Building Council, LEED aims to reduce the environmental impact of the construction process, limit resource use, reduce carbon emissions and proactively address climate change.

Saif Al-Qahtani, president and CEO, said in a press statement: “At SPARK, we are committed to ensuring sustainable solutions are continuously implemented as we grow to become the leading energy-centric ecosystem in the world. 

“We have achieved many firsts in our initial stages of development and will continue to adopt and support innovative initiatives that help improve the quality of life for our people, while also strengthening our business and the Kingdom’s economy. 

“We are very proud of our team and the work they have done to guarantee SPARK provides long-term value and supports national and regional programs aimed at building a more sustainable future.”

The 2021 USGBC Leadership Award recipients are selected from among USGBC’s around 10,000 member organizations and the 106,000 LEED commercial projects in more than 180 countries.

SPARK is being built on an area of 50 square kilometers between Dammam and Al-Ahsa. Phase one will be 14 square kilometers, in addition to a dedicated logistics zone and dry port. SPARK announced in March that 80 percent of the project’s first phase was officially complete.

Oilfields Supply Center Ltd. (OSC) announced in April it is to invest $570 million in building a center at SPARK.