The impact of the current design of school buildings on the health and safety of its users in Saudi Arabia

Abstract

A study on school building design in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia has been conducted. The aim was to investigate the impact of school building health and safety design features on user outcomes. The objectives of the research were: to review health and safety guidance on designing school buildings; to review current design practices of school building in Saudi Arabia and compare them to international practices; to investigate appropriate design of school buildings; to study the impact of various designs on health and safety and comfort of occupants of school buildings; to develop recommendations for selecting suitable design appropriate for Saudi Arabian climate. 113 school building stakeholders including faculty, students and maintenance personnel participated in a survey, and 5 school management and maintenance personnel participated in the interviews. School buildings in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia are influenced by extreme climatic conditions, large class sizes, less spending on equipment and technology. Each school management is responsible for design effectiveness because Saudi Arabia does not set standards for school building design. There is a wide-ranging variation in health and safety features in school building design in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. Public schools enjoy free services and amenities, but health and safety features are minimal. Private schools feature responsive design from schools in developed countries such as France, United Kingdom and the United States. Thermal comfort is one of the most important programs relevant to schools in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia because the region experiences temperature extremes from below 0°C to over 50°C. The region also experiences dusty conditions from sandstorms affecting indoor air quality. These factors provide unique opportunities for school building design. The schools, with better health and safety features in building design, surveyed enjoy higher-than-average outcomes, and a greater proportion of pupils go on to higher education and professional careers. Recommendations include building support for policy development, conducting exposure assessment, using evidence-based design, using responsive design, and involving community to raise issues and find solutions.