With COP28 set to take place in the GCC this year, sustainability has been a key theme for regional economies, and this is especially evident in Saudi Arabia which aims to achieve Net Zero by 2060. Under this government vision, sustainability is at the heart of the Kingdom’s transformation projects such as Neom, the Red Sea, and Qiddiya. AESG, a specialist consultancy,engineering and advisory firm, intends to be a fundamental enabler of this ambition. The company today announced it has successfully achieved Certification under the Saudi National Center for Environmental Compliance (NCEC).With this, AESG’s qualified Environmental team will continue to actively preserve and protect the environment, by providing high-quality services that contribute to raising the level of compliance with environmental regulations and standards across the Kingdom’s giga projects.

“Saudi Arabia has demonstrated clear intention for its giga-projects to set new sustainability benchmarks aligned with its Vision 2030 agenda,” said Saeed Al Abbar, CEO of AESG. “In doing so, these projects are set to become showcases of innovative new construction and development paradigms and future-focused design concepts. Bringing this vision to life will call for the support of international engineering firms whose world-class expertise can ensure the incorporation of the highest industry standards.”

The company’s Global Director of Environment, Nivine Issa, added, “At AESG, we are proud to have achieved the NCEC Certification which enables our qualified team of environmental scientists, engineers and experts to guide developers in bringing the Kingdom’s impressive giga-projects to life, while actively preserving and protecting the environment.”

The firm’s commitment to the Kingdom is further evidenced by the appointment of Tom Burkitt as AESG’s new Country Director.Burkitt is a scientist, business analyst, and environmental consultant with thirty years of professional experience and a technical background spanning environmental impact assessment, coastal planning, climate risk assessment, capacity building, infrastructure asset management, and the implementation of technologies for solving complex environmental and engineering challenges. In his new role, Burkitt will spearhead the company’s expansion across the Kingdom, while drawing on his extensive experience to advance the Kingdom’s journey towards Net Zero.

AESG established its dedicated operations hub in Riyadh in 2018, and over the last five years has grown to become a leading consultancy firm in the Kingdom. The company distinguishes itself through its unique, multidisciplinary approach that combines expertise in Engineering, Cost Management, Environment and Sustainability and Building Commissioning, for the delivery of comprehensive value on large and complex projects. As a result, AESG now plays an integral role in some of the Kingdom’s more iconic undertakings by working with developers and organisations that include Red Sea Global, NEOM, The Royal Commission of AlUla (RCU), SEVEN, Saudi Downtown Company, Qiddiya Investment Company, and ROSHN.

Commenting on his new role, and outlining AESG’s objectives in the Kingdom for 2023, Burkitt said, “2023 will be a pivotal for the Kingdom as work on a multitude of iconic, transformational projects announced in recent years surges ahead. The eyes of the world will be on these undertakings as the international engineering and construction industry looks to draw inspiration from the revolutions in design and implementation. I am excited to lead AESG’s multidisciplinary team at this inflection point. Our holistic approach will help unlock tangible value through all phases of these projects, translating to high performing developments that balance ambition with sustainability.”