Impact of University Campus Design on Local Urban Development and Sprawl: A Case Study Analysis of Albaha University, Saudi Arabia

Abstract

The paper investigates and analyses the urban design of the Albaha University campus from an economic and environmental perspective. With coronavirus pandemic, the education protocol, precautionary measures and social distance have been applied in order to achieve safety environment within the university boundary. The study analyses the university campus design in light of sustainable requirements, social distance protocol, employment of natural resources and application of urban sustainable design criteria. Regional urban planning and development needs to include attraction factors to boost the economy and trigger reverse migration. Establishing a university in the region helps significantly in terms of local urban growth but environmental aspects including energy conservation and management should also be considered for environmental reasons. The approach used in this study involved: (a) an environmental site analysis including an analysis of natural resources such as the wind, solar energy and annual rainfall to determine how such resources can be employed in the operation of the university; (b) a site visit survey analysis to investigate the sustainable use of the current facilities and open spaces of the university campus and the application of on-site renewable energy; and (c) a SWOT analysis to determine the role of the university in the local economy system. The urban sustainable design and possibility of using landscaping, shading devices, and solar radiation systems was investigated through building plans and a site visit to the campus. In addition, the form and fabric of the academic buildings was investigated to identify the application of shading devices, the windows design and use of insulation. The study highlights the fact that many buildings are still under construction while other buildings are still currently on plan. The paper concludes by giving some recommendations from an economic and environmental perspective.