Journal of King Abdulaziz University: Environmental Design Sciences

Reluctance to Use Photovoltaic Energy Technologies in Residential Buildings in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia: Reasons and Challenges

2024-12-10T09:13:24+00:00

Research summary: This paper examines the phenomenon of reluctance to use photovoltaic energy in the residential sector in the city of Jeddah as a case study that also represents cities in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. It discusses the reasons for this reluctance of owners, what are the challenges they face, and what the future will be like for the residential sector in the city of Jeddah. The study passed through two balanced phases. The first phase included the researcher exploring the most prominent developments achieved by photovoltaic energy in the residential sector in terms of system components, costs, performance efficiency, and examining similar experiences in both Jordan and Malaysia. In the second stage, the researcher went to the photovoltaic energy system suppliers sector in the Saudi market and conducted focused meetings with them to confirm the residential sector’s reluctance to use photovoltaic energy and diagnose the reasons and challenges. In the third stage, the researcher designed a questionnaire according to what was achieved in the first and second stages, and the Al-Naseem neighborhood was chosen as a study sample representing the modern neighborhoods of Jeddah. The researcher concluded that the most important justifications and challenges of the study sample in not using photovoltaic panels/solar panels in the residential sector in the city of Jeddah were That photovoltaic energy panels (solar energy) have low effectiveness in producing electrical energy, and there is no financial support or incentives to invest in installing solar energy panels to produce the population’s electricity needs, and that photovoltaic energy panels (solar energy) do not provide the population’s needs of electricity. electricity. The study recommended providing effective awareness campaigns about the benefits and sustainability of using photovoltaic energy technologies to encourage residents to make sustainable decisions, and to support and motivate real estate owners and developers by providing financial and tax incentives to implement projects to install photovoltaic systems in buildings.

GIS Modeling for Economic Agglomeration/ Cluster of Gross Regional Domestic Product (GRDP) Data Using Moran’s I Analysis, a Case Study: Jakarta, Indonesia

2024-02-12T20:44:44+00:00

The Gross Regional Domestic Product (GRDP) is a statistical indicator utilized to quantify the economic magnitude of a certain region. The recent availability of metropolitan area-level measurements of Gross Domestic Product (GDP) has provided a more complete perspective on regional economic activity. The correlation between Gross Domestic Product (GDP) and urban economic growth has garnered substantial attention from researchers, politicians, and economists alike. The research highlights the significance of spatial analysis in understanding urban economic processes. The study utilizes GRDP data to identify significant clusters of economic activity, providing a detailed perspective on the distribution and dispersion of economic concentration in Jakarta. The spatial perspective is crucial for policymakers and urban planners because it helps them identify places with strong economic activity and potential for expansion. The study employs Geographic Information Systems (GIS) with Moran's I Analysis/ Spatial Autocorrelation to identify patterns of economic clustering and agglomeration. This methodology offers valuable perspectives on the spatial dynamics of urban economies, with a special emphasis on Jakarta, a crucial economic hub in Indonesia. This research enhances the topic of urban economics by exhibiting the utilization of GIS and spatial analysis approaches to comprehend complex urban economic trends. The findings have significant implications for developing countries, where fast urbanization and economic expansion provide distinct difficulties and prospects. The study's emphasis on Jakarta serves as a paradigm illustration that might elucidate comparable investigations in various urban settings, both inside Indonesia and globally.

Evaluation of the Basic Urban Aspects in the Sustainable Urban Development and Improvement of Quba Road in Medina (Darb Al-Sunna)

2024-09-18T09:29:20+00:00

In recent years, the Medina region has witnessed remarkable development in

infrastructure and the establishment of distinguished urban projects by and under the supervision

of many parties such as the Medina Development Authority and Al-Maqar Company, the

investment arm of Medina Municipality. This development aims to enhance the status of Medina

as a basic religious destination with a planning and urban system. It contributes to achieving the

Kingdom’s Vision 2030, but some of the main areas and axes of Medina remain developed to a

very limited extent, including Quba Avenue from the south of the Prophet’s Mosque to Quba

Mosque, where the Quba Avenue road was formed in the previous period before it was limited to

pedestrian traffic only during the previous year’s one of the most important commercial hubs in

Medina. The road currently faces a major challenge in restoring commercial activity to what it was

previously. This study aims to evaluate five main urban aspects of urban humanization Quba Road

redevelopment and improvement project to ensure its feasibility in shaping a humanized and

sustainable urban environment. The five basic aspects are the attractiveness of the retail facades at

the ground floor level, the attractiveness of the commercial activity, the attractiveness of the

pedestrian infrastructure, the accessibility of the road, and the type of parking spaces currently

available. The study concluded that the attractiveness of destinations, commercial activities, and

the development of parking lots are among the most important aspects that must be developed. It

also recommends subsequent research into developing attractive urban spaces and squares.

Modeling Water Erosion in Wadi Al-Sadr Basin by Applying the Revised Universal Soil Loss Equation (RUSLE)

2024-11-19T09:54:44+00:00

The study aims to estimate the volume of water erosion in Wadi Al-Sadr basin by applying

the global equation model (RUSLE), using remote sensing data and geographic information

systems. To achieve this aim, study methodology gradated from reviewing the literature to know

criteria for applying this model such as rainfall-runoff erosivity, topography, soil erodibility, cover-

management, and support practice. Then start collecting data for these criteria from several sources

and processing these data in preparation for deriving the informational layers for each criterion.

Then applying (RUSLE) model equation in geographic information systems environment to

estimate annual erosion volume in basin and classify it according its risks. The results of study

concluded that volume of soil water erosion in Al-Sadr wade basin ranged between 0 - 3357.9

tons/ha/ year, with an average 2.2 tons/ha/year at spatial level of basin. The results showed that

most of basin has a volume of erosion less than 0.5 tons/ha/ year, an area 307.75 km2, by 74.91%

of basin area. The area characterized by water erosion ranging between 0.5 - 5 tons/ha/year covers

54.21 km2, by 13.2% of basin area. While area of zone where soil erosion ranges between 5-10

tons/ha/year is 16.68 km2, by 4.06% of basin area. The area of zone in which volume of water

erosion ranges between 10-15 tons/ha/year is 8.67 km2, by rate of 2.11% of basin area, and area of

zone where volume of soil water erosion exceeds 15 tons/ha/year is reached 23.53 km2, by 5.72%

of total basin area.

Urban Renewal as an Approach to Increasing the Housing Stock in Cities: Al-Malaz Neighborhood in Riyadh, a Case Study

2024-06-03T00:19:54+00:00

This paper discusses the decline of residential neighborhoods and the resulting population migration and the lack of use of abandoned and old housing in urban areas, despite the availability of integrated infrastructure. these neighborhoods have become unutilized. The research aims to apply urban renewal methods as an approach to increasing the housing stock to increase the products and housing units that meet the needs of citizens. The study was applied to the Al-Malaz neighborhood in the city of Riyadh. The research followed a descriptive analytical approach based on reviewing a number of government reports and statistics. The research uses field survey tools of the case study model to analyze the residential uses in the Al-Malaz neighborhood that are abandoned by the original population and find out their condition, by assessing the current situation of the residential product in the Al-Malaz neighborhood. The research found that there is a housing stock in the Al-Malaz neighborhood in average condition, constituting 92%, which is the largest percentage, 2% in good condition, and 6% in poor condition, with different floors. It also found that there are 21 vacant plots of land in the neighborhood, which represents an opportunity in the urban filling process, filling empty gaps, and exploiting the land to increase the housing supply. The study also emphasized the application of urban renewal methods through partial development, rehabilitation, and complete removal of the current housing stock according to the urban condition, in order to provide a larger number of homes for affordable housing. Finally, the research paper recommends the need for entities to adopt the concept of urban renewal as an approach to increasing the housing stock.

Trends in Annual Temperature Changes for the Current and Projected Period in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia for the Period from (2016 -2100 AD) Using Geographic Information Systems

2024-10-23T19:06:39+00:00

Climate change, particularly shifts in temperature, has become one of the most critical areas of focus in recent climatological studies due to its profound impact on life on Earth. This study aimed to examine trends in annual temperature changes, both current and projected, in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia for the period from 2016 to 2100, across three intervals: the reference period, mid-century, and end-century. These projections were based on two emissions scenarios: the moderate emissions scenario (RCP4.5) and the high emissions scenario (RCP8.5). The study employed a descriptive and analytical approach, utilizing climate change data from the outputs of the RICCAR initiative. Additionally, a cartographic method was applied through the use of Geographic Information Systems (GIS) to process, classify, and analyse the study's data. Among the key findings was a general trend of increasing annual temperatures in Saudi Arabia under both moderate and high emissions scenarios across all study periods. Theregions most vulnerable to significant rises in annual temperature include the Eastern Province and parts of the northern and north western regions (Medina, Tabuk, and Al-Jawf), as well as portions of central Saudi Arabia (Riyadh, Qassim, and Hail). Furthermore, the high emissions scenario (RCP8.5) projected that by the end of the century (2081–2100), annual temperature increases in some regions of Saudi Arabia will not be less than 3.20°C, reaching up to 4.67°C in certain areas.