As cities grapple with an intensifying urban heat island (UHI) effect, King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST) researchers are pioneering innovative solutions tailored for arid climates. Focusing on green infrastructure, such as green spaces and greenery on buildings, KAUST’s Urban Lab is mitigating rising temperatures and enhancing durability through cutting-edge sustainable science and technology. 

“These multifunctional approaches are essential for enhancing urban resilience and supporting climate adaptation,” said Associate Professor Sami G. Al-Ghamdi, Environmental Science and Engineering, who works with the Climate and Livability Initiative (CLI) at KAUST, highlighting the importance of sustainable design in preventing property damage, ensuring safety and minimizing daily life disruptions. His team is investigating the influence of building materials and infrastructure on warming cities, offering potential solutions. 

“One of the major challenges we face is understanding the unique heat dynamics in desert climates, where the UHI effect amplifies already extreme temperatures,” added Naushin Yasmin, master’s student, Environmental Science and Engineering. “Balancing the cooling benefits of vegetation with the region’s scarce water resources is a significant hurdle.” 

The UHI effect occurs when urbanized areas experience significantly higher temperatures than rural and sub-urban surroundings, primarily due to human activities and physical factors such as concrete, asphalt and low vegetation contributing to heat absorption and retention. This exacerbates heat-related issues in these densely populated regions. KAUST researchers seek to understand and combat these challenges, ensuring more livable environments for the Kingdom’s future. 

“We focus on key indicators such as land-surface temperature, UHI and the urban thermal field variance index,” noted Safi Ullah, post-doctoral fellow, Biological, Environmental Sciences and Engineering. “Our work includes trend analysis and machine-learning-based projections to analyze observed and forecast future heat patterns and urban expansion.” 

By leveraging advanced technologies, KAUST researchers are working to better understand and enhance the role of sustainable architecture and landscapes in mitigating urban heat and conserving water resources — both critical to combating desertification in Saudi Arabia and beyond. 

Green infrastructure matters  

Central to the Urban Lab’s UHI solutions is green infrastructure, operating via three main mechanisms: shading, which uses vegetation to block sunlight; evapotranspiration, where plants release moisture into the air and cool their surroundings; and increased albedo, referring to reflective surfaces that bounce away more sunlight. 

Large-scale green infrastructure projects can lower arid urban air temperatures by up to 2.1 degrees Celsius citywide, said Amjad Azmeer, Ph.D. student, Environmental Science and Engineering. Individual trees can reduce localized temperatures by around 5 C. “Research also shows that a combination of green infrastructure and reflective materials can reduce cooling loads by up to 16 percent in desert climates.” 

Using native and salt-tolerant plants is essential for long-term viability. KAUST’s Urban Lab researchers note that Saudi Arabia’s biodiversity, with more than 2,000 native species, can support afforestation. But sustainability in water-scarce regions demands water-energy-environment frameworks and lifecycle assessments to find viable solutions.  

Treated wastewater for urban greenery purposes and precision-drip systems with smart sensors help optimize freshwater use and support sustainable greenery, Ullah added. “These techniques enable water conservation while promoting resilient and sustainable green spaces in arid regions.”  

Stakeholder impacts  

KAUST keeps supporting Saudi Arabia policymakers, urban planners and industry leaders in creating sustainable urban solutions. With 85 percent of the population in cities, partnerships are key to achieving goals such as carbon neutrality by 2060 and cutting land degradation in half by 2040. 

Through the Urban Lab, researchers apply advanced techniques and collaborate on initiatives such as the Saudi Green Initiative, helping plant 10 billion trees and promoting green spaces.  

Particularly in green infrastructure integration and smart water management systems, the lab’s innovations hold considerable export potential, especially across the Middle East, North Africa and other arid areas. Al-Ghamdi said: “The environmental challenges faced by these regions align closely with those in Saudi Arabia, making KAUST’s solutions highly adaptable and viable for global markets.”  

The university promotes collaboration through workshops, conferences and educational programs to address urban heat and sustainability. KAUST integrates research into student projects, preparing them to facilitate climate-resilient cities. Notably, the lab is involved in projects such as King Salman Park, using urban greenery to improve livability.  

Remote sensing and modeling 

KAUST is harnessing various advanced digital technologies in its Urban Lab, including remote sensing, numerical modeling and artificial intelligence to optimize green infrastructure in urban planning. “Remote sensing using satellite and drone imagery helps map existing and new green infrastructure to enhance urban cooling,” noted Azmeer. A data-driven approach informs planners on how to conserve existing vegetation and implement effective strategies.  

“These insights allow us to support sustainable land use and contribute to ecosystem restoration,” he stated. Deep learning and AI models enhance this process by analyzing large datasets to quantify vegetation diversity, monitor plant health and estimate tree heights and diameters. Numerical models predict the climate impacts of increased greenery.  

KAUST’s supercomputer plays a key role in simulating complex urban environments, positioning the university at the forefront of sustainable transformations in Saudi cities, suggested KAUST researcher Athira Nambeesan. “Urban Lab runs weather research and forecasting [WRF] simulations using the urban canopy model (WRF-UCM) in Shaheen III to assess the UHI effect and explore cooling strategies like green roofs and vegetation.”  

The laboratory’s research could help mitigate extreme weather events’ impacts in Saudi Arabia, such as storms and flash floods intensified by climate change. KAUST researcher Vinodh Kumar noted: “Through the dynamical downscaling of future climate projections, WRF can quantify extreme rainfall events in cities, which is essential for flood resilience planning.” 

Zheng Cong, Ph.D. student, Environment Science and Engineering, added: “Our researchers use flood-exposure analysis, hydrological models and machine learning to assess high-risk areas and identify vulnerable locations.”  

Legacy vs. new  

In existing urban areas such as Jeddah or Riyadh, integrating green infrastructure with incumbent developments presents significant challenges. However, by focusing on nature-based solutions instead of large-scale reconstruction, KAUST researchers aim to find multifunctional and cost-effective solutions for flood mitigation in established cities.  

“The opportunities lie in evaluating the multiple functions of green infrastructure and incorporating its various benefits, such as urban cooling, improving public health and enhancing ecosystem biodiversity, into the assessment framework,” noted Cong. New developments, such as NEOM, offer greater opportunities for urban planners.  

“Incorporating green infrastructure from the initial planning stages allows for more efficient and sustainable integration,” said Ullah. KAUST contributes to both legacy and new urban development by advancing scientific research and supporting collaborations with government and industry. “This approach enhances urban resilience, reduces future costs and fosters environmentally friendly spaces from the outset.”  

These efforts also reflect KAUST’s role in creating sustainable infrastructure on its own campus, where laboratory research and practical implementation develop urban sustainability solutions. Al-Ghamdi added: “Recent workshops hosted by KAUST on life-cycle assessment and sustainable development demonstrate our commitment to building resilient, sustainable systems in line with Saudi Vision 2030.”