Passivhaus standard applicability for buildings in hot and dry Climate – a case study for Saudi Arabia

Fahad Mohammed Hamad Alrefai

Passivhaus standard applicability for buildings in hot and dry Climate – a case study for Saudi Arabia

Publication Date

September 15, 2026

Creator

Fahad Mohammed Hamad Alrefai

Department of Architecture and Built Environment, University of Nottingham, United Kingdom, fahad.alrefai@nottingham.ac.uk

Abstract

The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia targets 70 per cent homeownership by 2030 amid unprecedented residential housing demand. The building sector consumes over 75 per cent of national electricity production, predominantly driven by air-conditioning in the hot and arid climate. Although the Passivhaus standard has demonstrated the potential to reduce building energy use by up to 90 per cent in suitable contexts, its application in Saudi Arabia remains largely unexplored. This thesis investigates the applicability of core Passivhaus principles and the adaptation of its performance metrics for Saudi residential buildings across five representative climatic zones. Using DesignBuilder for dynamic building energy modelling, validated against empirical data from an existing residence in Madinah, the research develops a refined climatic classification based on meteorological records from 2017–2021, with Madinah, Riyadh, Dammam, Tabuk, and Abha selected as representative cities. A calibrated baseline energy model, aligned with measured annual electricity consumption, is systematically transferred across the five climates while maintaining consistent geometry, construction, and operational assumptions. Three scenarios, baseline practice, Saudi Building Code (SBC 602) compliance, and the Passivhaus implementation, are evaluated using DesignBuilder simulations. An optimal window-to-wall ratio (WWR) is investigated to support an adapted Passivhaus framework, assessing configurations from 5 to 20 per cent across all climate zones to balance solar gains, daylight provision, and occupant thermal comfort. Passivhaus design principles, including external wall and roof U-values and airtightness, are further optimised to develop climate-specific recommendations. Results demonstrate annual total site energy reductions of approximately 25–70 per cent through the application of Passivhaus strategies across the five climatic zones, with the greatest savings achieved in Zone Five, Abha, which is the coldest Saudi climate zone. Core Passivhaus design principles remain valid under Saudi conditions; however, the rigid thermal envelope specifications of the European standard require local adaptation to address high cooling loads. Comparative analysis shows that SBC 602 compliance yields more modest energy improvements of around 16–37 per cent relative to conventional construction, with the largest gains occurring in milder climates. Overall, Passivhaus principles, appropriately adapted to local climatic and regulatory conditions, offer a technically feasible pathway to transformative improvements in residential energy efficiency and thermal comfort in Saudi Arabia, with the optimisation results indicating that climate-sensitive envelope specifications can achieve substantial savings without resorting to extreme insulation levels. The research closes a significant knowledge gap regarding the feasibility, performance, and optimisation of rigorous, performance-based sustainable building standards in hot and arid regions, and provides evidence-based guidance for policymakers, designers, and practitioners engaged in the Kingdom’s rapidly expanding housing sector.

Item Type

ethesis

Thesis Type

PhD

Supervisors

A. Omer, Siddig

Department of Architecture and Built Environment, University of Nottingham, United Kingdom, siddig.omer@nottingham.ac.uk

Gadi, Mohamed

1 Department of Architecture and Built Environment, University of Nottingham, United Kingdom, mohamed.gadi@nottingham.ac.uk

Keywords

Passivhaus

Saudi Arabia