Abstract
Sustainable buildings have an important role to play in achieving sustainable development through their improved energy and environmental performance. In Saudi Arabia, the significance of the building sector can be realised from the fact that the per capita carbon dioxide emissions, per capita electricity consumption, and number of buildings are on a steep rise due to the economic and population growth. It is therefore vital for the country to consider energy-efficient buildings in order to promote sustainable development. This article investigates the prospects of sustainable buildings in Saudi Arabia by reflecting upon the findings of a questionnaire survey conducted with pertinent professionals. The analysis in this work is based upon 122 responses received from architects, engineers, project managers, construction contractors, developer and investors. The findings of the survey indicate that the Saudi building industry has yet to realise the importance of sustainability. It is found that the level of formal education and work experience tend to have a positive influence on the appreciation of sustainable buildings. (C) 2014 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ltd. This is an open access article under the CC BY-NC-ND license (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/3.0/).