Sustainable Local Materials: A Study of Adobe Bricks in Saudi Arabia

Abstract

The importance of local building materials has long been a significant point in all communities for thousands of years. It is well established that local materials form the backbone of construction in societies as they are the best response to the region's climate conditions. This study aims to determine the advantages and disadvantages of utilizing local materials in building construction. Specifically, it focuses on analyzing adobe bricks and examines whether it is suitable for the modern times. Saudi Arabia, a country that extensively relied on petroleum to flourish, is re-establishing itself by introducing the Saudi Vision 2030, a call of action to rely on available sustainable assets to develop the country. In this context, this research intends to demonstrate how promoting local materials' usage in construction would correspond with the vision's aims. This paper attempts to raise awareness about the local alternatives available and encourage utilizing them rather than the conventional building materials widely used, which are often not entirely suitable for Saudi Arabia's harsh desert climate. To further support this research, historical research proved that buildings built with local materials had withstood the test of time. This paper explores adobe as a case study because it is a unique building material in its style and sustainability. The intensive research results revealed that adobe bricks are a versatile material that gives different characteristics depending on the mixture of materials used to make them. On this basis, this paper examines the advantages and disadvantages of adobe bricks while proposing potential solutions to overcome the drawbacks.