Sustainability Seminar Series: Rethinking Our Cities — Building Resilient, Sustainable and Livable Communities

Rethinking Our Cities: Building Resilient, Sustainable and Livable Communities

Join us for the Sustainability Seminar Series, an initiative organized by the KAUST Office of Sustainability in collaboration with Students for Sustainability (S2).

This seminar will feature Prof. Sami G. Al-Ghamdi, Associate Professor of Environmental Science and Engineering at KAUST and Founder and Principal Investigator of the KAUST Urban Lab.

Cities are at the center of many of the defining sustainability challenges of our time. They concentrate people, infrastructure, economic activity, energy, and resource consumption, while also providing some of the greatest opportunities to implement sustainability solutions at scale.

Through the lens of SDG 11 — Sustainable Cities and Communities, this seminar will explore integrated approaches to urban resilience, climate adaptation, resource efficiency, and quality of life. The discussion will examine the connections between urban form, buildings, infrastructure, energy, water, materials, mobility, and nature, and why these relationships are critical for developing cities that are resilient, sustainable, healthy, and livable.

The seminar will also reflect on the rapidly evolving urban landscape in Saudi Arabia and the opportunities presented by the Kingdom’s ongoing transformation to integrate sustainability, resilience, and innovation into the cities and communities of the future.

About the Speaker

Prof. Sami G. Al-Ghamdi is an Associate Professor of Environmental Science and Engineering and Associate Dean for Research and Partnerships in the Biological and Environmental Science and Engineering Division at King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST).

He is the Founder and Principal Investigator of the KAUST Urban Lab, where his research focuses on sustainable and resilient cities, climate change mitigation and adaptation, life-cycle assessment, low-carbon buildings and infrastructure, and urban environmental systems.

His work bridges scientific research, policy, and real-world urban development, with a particular focus on Saudi Arabia and rapidly developing regions.

Speaker: Prof. Sami G. Al-Ghamdi
Date: Monday, October 5, 2026
Location: KAUST
Organized by: Office of Sustainability in collaboration with Students for Sustainability (S2)

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