Make cities and human settlements inclusive , safe , resilient and sustainable
11.1 EDUCATION & RESEARCH
Planning and adapting the resilient cities of the future
Ensuring the sustainability of current and future human settlements is pivotal to securing the livability of the human population in a time of climate crisis . Launched in 2021 , the
Climate and Livability Initiative ( CLI ) aims to play a central role in identifying , guiding , and delivering strategies and solutions that address the multi-faceted climate challenge , including its cascading impacts and the needed mitigation and adaptation measures for urban cities .
Research projects are categorized into four main pillars : Bridging Regional to Local Scale ; Climat Impact , Adaptation and Mitigation ; Ecosystem Restoration , Enhancement and Resilience ; and Urban Systems and Livability .
Under the scope of the last pillar , KAUST researchers aim to guide the development of resilient and sustainable cities in Saudi Arabia and the Middle East in a time where increasing temperatures and climate change have disruptive potential in terms of the livability , functionality and basic operation of the region ’ s cities .
CLI Projects 2021
7
Funded research Projects
25 Involved scholars
Digital twins as a way to research sustainable urbanism
KAUST researchers started a project in 2022 to build connected digital twins of KAUST , considering interactions between KAUST and its community through a realtime population model . Digital twins , which consist of digital representations of physical systems , are being increasingly regarded as valuable tools to improve urban planning , optimize asset management and create secure , sustainable cities . As part of the project , simulations , calculations and gathered data will be connected at city scale through a ‘ twin-of-twins ’ approach , which eventually empower true virtual testing at city scale . The final models will allow KAUST not only to optimize its operations , but also be a pilot to test different urban development parameters , serving as a model for other national urban development projects such as NEOM or The Red Sea Project .
Studying Saudi air quality
Assessing the impact of air pollution on the population ’ s health is highly relevant to the KAUST Smart-Health Initiative , shedding light on the way air pollution impacts the health of the Saudi population . In 2022 ,
KAUST researchers initiated a study to characterize indoor air quality in Saudi Arabia . As the first research project on indoor air quality conducted in the Kingdom , the team expects to generate important data to be used in the investigation of links between specific health outcomes , such as respiratory problems , and air quality and pollution . It is known that air quality is highly affected by desert dust , anthropogenic air pollution , intensive sunlight and high outdoor temperature , a combination of factors highly prevalent in Saudi Arabia . By filling this knowledge gap , the team takes a fundamental step towards designing effective and personalized treatment strategies to combat respiratory illnesses in KSA and the region .
Dust and air pollution are factors that affect respiratory health in Saudi Arabia ; shown here above Riyadh , Saudi Arabia .
26 | KAUST SDG HIGHLIGHT REPORT