SAES-A-504 Energy Efficiency For Low Rise Residential Buildings

Engineering Standard
SAES-A-504 13 January 2015

Energy Efficiency for Low Rise Residential Buildings
Document Responsibility: Energy Systems Optimization Standards Committee
Saudi Aramco DeskTop Standards

Table of Contents
1 Scope………………………………….…...….... 2
2 Conflicts and Deviations…………….…..…..…2
3 References……………………………..…........ 3
4 Definitions and Abbreviations…….….….….… 5
5 Climate Zones………………………….……...15
6 Prescriptive and Performance
Based Compliances…………………...……...16
7 Installation, Labelling, Inspection
and Submittals Requirements………............ 32
8 Lighting………………………………………… 34
9 Home Appliances…………………………...... 36
Appendix A - Climate Zoning Code for
Selected Cities within KSA............. 41
Appendix B - ERV Ducting Layout….....……....... 42
Previous Issue: New Next Planned Update: 13 January 2020

Page 1 of 43
Primary contact: Mohammad Hussien on phone +966-13-8801595
Copyright©Saudi Aramco 2015. All rights reserved.

Document Responsibility: Energy Systems Optimization Standards Committee SAES-A-504
Issue Date: 13 January 2015
Next Planned Update: 13 January 2020 Energy Efficiency for Low Rise Residential Buildings
1 Scope
1.1 This standard provides minimum energy-efficiency requirements for the design
and construction of single-family houses and multi residential buildings of three
stories or less.
1.2 This standard applies to new residential house units, new portions of residential
house units, new systems and equipment in existing house units, additions and
alterations to existing residential buildings. This standard applies to the building
envelope, ventilation, air-conditioning equipment, lighting, and home appliances
and provisions for overall building design alternatives and trade-offs.
1.3 The goal of this standard is to improve the energy efficiency of the house units
without compromising either the interior or exterior environments. These technical
requirements shall include both the prescriptive measures and performance goals
that a house must meet. The requirements are intended to give the builder
flexibility in the selection of construction techniques, building products, mechanical
equipment, lighting and appliances. SA Residential Standard is periodically
updated to ensure that newly build houses represent the leading edge of cost-
effective housing technology.
1.4 This standard does not apply to transient housing such as hotels, nursing homes or
dormitories and shall not be used to abridge any safety, health, or environmental
requirements.
1.5 Any modifications, additions, or deletions to this standard shall be in concurrence

with the HVAC Standards Committee
2 Conflicts and Deviations
2.1 Any conflicts between this standard and other applicable Saudi Aramco
Engineering Standards (SAESs), Materials System Specifications (SAMSSs),
Standard Drawings (SASDs), or industry standards, codes, and forms shall be
resolved in writing by the Company or Buyer Representative through the
Manager, Process and Control Systems Department of Saudi Aramco, Dhahran.
2.2 Direct all requests to deviate from this standard in writing to the Company or
Buyer Representative, who shall follow internal company procedure SAEP-302
and forward such requests to the Manager, Process and Control Systems
Department of Saudi Aramco, Dhahran.
Page 2 of 43
3 References
All referenced Specifications, Standards, Codes, Forms, Drawings and similar material
shall be of the latest issue (including all revisions, addenda and supplements) unless
stated otherwise.
3.1 Saudi Aramco References
Saudi Aramco Engineering Procedure

SAEP-302 Instructions for Obtaining a Waiver of a Mandatory
Saudi Aramco Engineering Requirement
Saudi Aramco Engineering Standards

SAES-A-112 Meteorological and Seismic Design Data
SAES-A-503 Energy Efficiency for Non-Industrial Buildings
except Low-Rise Residential Buildings
SAES-K-001 Design and Installation of Heating Ventilating and
Air-conditioning Systems
SAES-K-011 Building Management Systems
SAES-K-100 Saudi Aramco Mechanical (HVAC) Code
SAES-K-101 Regulated Vendor List for HVAC Equipment
SAES-L-105 Piping Material Specifications
SAES-M-100 Saudi Aramco Building Code
SAES-N-004 Design and Installation of Building Thermal Envelope
SAES-P-123 Lighting
SAES-S-060 Saudi Armco Plumbing Code
Saudi Aramco Inspection Procedure

27-SAIP-01 HVAC Inspection Requirements
Saudi Aramco Best Practices

SABP-A-052 Non -Industrial Energy Use Intensities (EUIs)
SABP-K-001 Energy Efficient Buildings
SABP-K-006 Energy Audit Procedures for Residential Buildings
SABP-P-047 Guidelines for Advanced Metering Infrastructure
Design and Specifications
Page 3 of 43
3.2 Industry Codes and Standards
American Society of Heating, Refrigerating & Air-Conditioning Engineers, Inc.

“ASHRAE”
ASHRAE STD 55 Thermal Environmental Conditions for Human
Comfort
ASHRAE STD 62.1 Ventilation for Acceptable Indoor Air Quality
ASHRAE STD 62.2 Ventilation and Acceptable Indoor Air Quality in
Low-Rise Residential Buildings
ASHRAE STD 90.1 Energy Standard for Buildings Except Low-Rise
Residential Buildings
ASHRAE STD 90.2 Energy-Efficient Design of Low-Rise Residential
Buildings
ANSI/ASHRAE/IESNA Energy Conservation in Existing Buildings
Standard 100
ANSI/ASHRAE STD 105 Standard Methods of Measuring, Expressing and
Comparing Building Energy Performance
ASHRAE STD 111 Practice for Measurement, Testing, Adjusting
and Balancing of HVAC Systems
ASHRAE Handbooks
ASHRAE Handbook HVAC Applications
ASHRAE Handbook Systems and Equipment
ASHRAE Handbook Fundamentals
ASHRAE Handbook Refrigeration
Building Performance Institute, Inc.

BPI-101 Home Energy Auditing Standard
Illuminating Engineering Society of North America “IENSA”

Lighting Handbook
International Energy Conservation Code “IECC”

IECC 2012
Residential Energy Service Network “RESNET”

700 “Chapter Seven” RESNET National Standard for Home Energy Audit
Page 4 of 43
800 “Chapter Eight” Enclosure and Air Distribution Leakage Testing
Energy Star Products www.energystar.gov
3.3 Other Standards
Saudi Arabia Ministry of Water and Electricity

Consumer Guide to Rationalize the Consumption of Electric Power and
Load Shedding
Saudi Building Code

Section 601 Energy Conservation
Section 701 Sanitary
4 Definitions and Abbreviations
4.1 Definitions
Above Grade Wall Area: The above grade wall area is measured on the basis
of interior wall dimensions and includes all perimeter boundary walls that are
exposed to the exterior or common to another conditioned unit and perimeter
floor framing (i.e., FFL) extending from the line of finished ground to the
ceiling of the uppermost floor.
Air Barrier: A material assembled and joined together to prevent air to air
leakage through the building envelope. An air barrier may be a single material
or combination of materials.
Air Changes per Hour @50 Pa (ACH50): The number of times per hour the
entire conditioned volume of air in a house is replaced when the building
envelope is subjected to a differential pressure of 50 Pascal with the exterior.
Air-source Heat Pumps: Air-source heat pumps come in two configurations:

split system and single package. Split system air-source heat pumps are
comprised of a matched condenser coil (outdoor unit comprising a condenser
coil, compressor and cooling fan) and indoor coil (typically located with the
furnace or air handler). A single package system has all components in one
cabinet and is located on the roof or through the wall.
Apartment Building: A Multi-unit Residential Building that has four or more

residential units.
Page 5 of 43
Attached House: One residential unit that shares a wall with one or more
adjacent houses, each with a separate entrance. Alternate names are row house,
townhouse, and semi-detached.
Note: Attached houses do not include stacked units - stacked units fall under multi-unit
residential buildings.
Authority Having Jurisdiction (AHJ): For the purpose of this standard,

whenever this term is used, it shall be defined as follows or as noted otherwise
in this standard.
a) The Authority Having Jurisdiction of waiver approval is vested in the
Manager of Responsible Engineering Organization, as defined in SAEP-302.
b) The Authority Having Jurisdiction, regarding the technical aspects,
applicability or clarification of this standard, rests with the Chairman of
Energy Systems Optimization Standards Committee.
Building Area: The greatest horizontal area of a building above grade within
the outside surface of the exterior walls or within the outside surface of exterior
walls and the center-line of firewalls.
Building Height: Building height is the number of storeys fully above the
highest point of finished ground with no more than a combination of three full or
partial storeys above the lowest point of finished ground.
Bypass VAV Damper: Commonly referred as dump box handles a constant

supply of primary air through its inlet and uses diverting damper to bypass part
of the supply air into the plenum return. The damper is directly controlled by
the room thermostat in the occupied space “zone“ to provide volume of air
required to meet thermal demand.
Condensation Resistance: Measures how well the window resists water build-
up. Condensation Resistance is scored on a scale from 0 to 100. The higher the
condensation resistance factor, the less build-up the window allows.
Conditioned Building (Floor) Area: The part of a building area that is capable
of being thermally conditioned for the comfort of occupants.
Cooling Degree Day (10) (Annual): The summation of the number of Celsius
degrees for which the mean daily temperature is above 10°C for a calendar year.
Daylighting: The use of natural light from the sun or sky to provide illumination.
Detached House: A residential unit with walls, floors, ceilings and roof
independent of any other building as opposed to semi-detached or row house
sharing common walls.
Page 6 of 43
Design Conditions: The interior/exterior design conditions of temperature and

humidity shall follow SAES-K-001 and SAES-A-112 respectively.
Direct Expansion Air-conditioning (DX): System that uses refrigerant vapor

expansion/compression cycle to directly cool the supply air to an occupied space.
Drip Water Delivery System (Drip Irrigation): A high-efficiency irrigation

method where water is delivered at low pressure through buried pipes and
sub-pipes, which in turn distribute water to the soil from a network of perforated
tubes or emitters.
Dual Plumbed: A building or structure with two sets of pipes: one for drinking
water and one for recycled or greywater.
Dwelling Unit: A single unit providing complete, independent living facilities

for one or more persons, including permanent provisions for living, sleeping,
eating, cooking, and sanitation.
Economizer, Air: A duct and damper arrangement and automatic control

system that together allow a cooling system to supply outdoor air to reduce or
eliminate the need for mechanical cooling during mild or cooled weather.
Electrical Sub-metering: The installation of separate meters to allow the

measurement of electricity used in specific areas or individual items of equipment.
Electronic Ballast: A piece of equipment required to control the starting and

operating voltages of fluorescent lights. Electronic lighting ballasts use solid
state circuitry and can greatly reduce or eliminate any flicker in the lamps.
Energy Analysis: A method for estimating the annual energy use of the
proposed design and standard reference design based on estimates of energy use.
Energy Efficiency Ratio (EER): The ratio of net cooling capacity in Btu/h to
total rate of electric input in watts under designated operating conditions.
Energy Recovery Ventilation System (ERV): System that employ air to air
heat exchanger to recover energy from exhaust air for the purpose of preheating,
pre-cooling, humidifying or dehumidifying outdoor ventilation air prior to
supplying the air to a space, either directly or part of an HVAC System.
Energy Recovery Ventilator Effectiveness: The efficiency of an ERV system

is the ratio of energy transferred between the two air streams compared with the
total energy transported through the heat exchanger.
Energy Simulation Tool: An approved software or calculation based

methodology that projects the annual energy use per building.
Page 7 of 43
ENERGY STAR®: A registered trademark identifying an international energy

efficiency program developed by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
(EPA) in 1992.
Energy Use Intensity (EUI): For the purpose of this standard, it is the energy
consumed by a building relative to its size. It is calculated by dividing the total
annual site energy consumed by the total conditioned floor space of the building
and measured in (kWh/m²). Typical Representative EUI values for selected
building type’s including residential are listed in SAES-N-004 and SABP-A-052.
Equivalent Leakage Area: The size of the hole through which would pass the
same amount of air that passes through all of the air leakage holes in the
building envelope when the pressure across all holes is equal. It is the area of a
sharp edged orifice (a sharp round hole cut in a thin plate) that would leak the
same amount of air as the building does at a pressure difference of 10 Pascals;
expressed in cm2 or in2.
Exterior Door System: An exterior door system is a door that is exposed to the
outdoors, and includes the door slab, frame, and all packaged integrated glazing,
transoms and sidelights.
Fan Efficacy: Ventilation fan efficacy is measured in CFM per watt input
(CFM/W), the higher the ratio the better (more efficient).
Finished Grade: The average elevation of finished ground as determined

between two points extending from one corner to the next corner along a wall of
the building.
Finished Ground: The elevation of the built and natural environment adjoining
the exterior of the building, as determined at any single point.
Fixture: A complete lighting unit consisting of a lamp or lamps, housing, and a

connection to a source of electrical power. Floor and desk lamps, chandeliers,
vanity light bars, pendulum lights and wall sconces are all considered “fixtures”.
Also known as a luminaire or lamp.
Greywater (grey water, graywater): Untreated household wastewater which

has not come into contact with toilet waste. Greywater includes used water from
showers, wash basins, bathtubs, laundry sinks and clothes washers.
Heating Degree Days (10) (Annual): The summation of the number of Celsius
degrees for which the mean daily temperature is below 10°C for a calendar year.
Hot Water Return Circulation: Return hot water circulating supply from the
furthest faucet to the water heater.
Page 8 of 43
Hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs): Refrigerants that do not deplete the stratospheric

ozone layer. However, some HFCs have a high Global Warming Potential.
HVAC System: Heating Ventilating and Air-conditioning System.
Integrated Energy Efficiency Ratio (IEER): A single number cooling part-

load efficiency figure of merit calculated per the method described in the
Performance Rating of Unitary Air-Conditioning & Air-Source Heat Pump
Equipment AHRI Standard, expressed in Btu/(W.h).
Industrial Building: An industrial building is any building directly used in

manufacturing, processing, technically productive enterprises or storage.
This includes workshops, factories and warehouses.
Instantaneous (Water Heater): Also referred to as a tankless water heater or

an on-demand water heater. See water heaters for more information.
Light Reflective Value (LRV): A measure of the total quantity of useable and
visible light reflected by a surface in all directions on a scale from 0% to 100%.
Zero percent is assumed to be an absolute black and 100% represents an
assumed perfectly reflective white. The blackest achievable wall finish has a
LRV of approximately 5% and the whitest available finish approximately 85%.
Light Transmittance: The percentage of incident light that passes through the
glazing elements. When this percentage increases the day light amount into the
building will increase.
Lighting Power Density (LPD): The maximum lighting power per unit area.
Luminaire: Apparatus which distributes, filters or transforms the light emitted

from one or more lamps and which includes all the parts necessary for fixing
and protecting the lamps and, where necessary, circuit auxiliaries together with
the means for connecting them to the electric supply. The words “luminaire”
and “lamp system” are often assumed to be synonymous. For the purposes of
this standard, the word “luminaire” is restricted to apparatus used for
distributing light in general lighting, while “lamp system” implies use of lamps
in other than general lighting applications.
Luminaire Lifetime: Length of time during which 70% of the measured initial
luminous flux value are provided, as a function of maximum operating
temperature range. The luminaire lifetime of the module is expressed in hours.
Lux: The international system unit of illumination, equal to one lumen per
square meter.
Page 9 of 43
Minimum Efficiency Reporting Value (MERV): Air Filter Minimum

Efficiency Reporting Value (MERV) is an expression of the filtering efficiency
of an air filter that has been evaluated using the ASHRAE Standard 52.2 Test
Procedure. An air filter’s performance is determined by comparing airborne
particle counts upstream and downstream of the air filter (or other air cleaning
device) under test conditions. A higher MERV rating equates to higher air
filtration efficiency.
Multi-unit Residential Building (MURB): A “MURB” is a low-rise building

with three storeys or less of purely residential occupancy that consists of a set of
separate stacked residential units, with each residential unit having a private
entrance from a common hall, lobby, vestibule or stairway inside the building.
Exception:
Town houses are exempted from the MURB definition.
NFRC (US National Fenestration Rating Council): Provides accurate

information to measure and compare energy performance of windows, doors and
skylights.
The following rating parameters shall be part from NFRC certification logo:
 U-Factor (Thermal Transmittance);
 Solar Heat Gain Coefficient SHGC;
 Visible Transmittance (VT);
 Air Leakage (AL);
 Condensation Resistance.
Normalized Leakage Rate: The quantity of air that leaks into or out of the
building per hour, divided by the total envelope surface area (in m2 or ft2) at a
differential pressure of 50 Pa, where total envelope surface area is defined as all
floors, walls (including doors and windows) and ceilings (flat or sloping), and are
based on interior dimensions; expressed in L/S/ m2 @50Pa or CFM/ft2 @50 Pa.
Opaque Assembly: A building assembly that does not let any light passes
through, excluding opaque components of door and window units.
Partition: Is a wall, door, window, floor or ceiling that separates internal spaces
of different temperature.
Performance-Based Compliance: If calculated annual building energy use

intensity (EUI in kWh/m²) of a proposed design equal to or less than that of a
prescriptively code-compliant design, the proposed design is deemed acceptable.
The calculations require the use of an approved building energy modeling software.
Page 10 of 43
Prescriptive-Based Compliance: The compliance with specified construction

requirements according to particular materials and construction methods, rather
than to performance-based.
Prescriptive Design: A design of a living unit or building of the same size and
occupancy type as the proposed design that complies with the prescriptive
requirements of this standard. The prescriptive design includes specified
assumptions concerning shape, orientation, ventilation and air conditioning, and
other system design features.
Residential Compound: For the purpose of this standard a residential compound

is a parcel of land containing lots for single-family houses and multi residential
buildings of three stories or less.
Residential Unit: A building or part of a building operated as a housekeeping

unit, used or intended to be used by one or more persons and usually containing
cooking, eating, living, sleeping and sanitary facilities.
R-value (Thermal Resistance): The reciprocal of the time rate of heat flow
through a unit area induced by a unit temperature difference between two defined
surfaces of material or construction under steady-state conditions. Units of
R-Value is h.ft2.°F/Btu or (m2 .K/W).
Seasonal Energy Efficiency Ratio (SEER): A measure of seasonal energy

performance for cooling equipment. The cooling output energy in Btu during a
typical cooling season divided by the total electric energy input in watt-hours
during the same period.
Shall: A term used to indicate provisions that are mandatory if compliance with
the standard is claimed.
Should: A term used to indicate provisions which are desirable as good

practice, but which are not mandatory.
Skylight: Glass or other transparent or translucent glazing material installed at

slope of less than 60 degrees (1.05 rad) from horizontal. Glazing material in
skylights including unit skylights, solariums, sunrooms, roofs and slopped walls
are included in this definition.
Solar Heat Gain Coefficient (SHGC): A dimensionless quantity representing

the fraction of the solar energy incident on the window that ends up as heat
inside the building. The “effective” value takes into account the opaqueness of
the window frame.
Note: The Shading Coefficient (SC) can be converted to SHGC by multiplying by 0.87.
Page 11 of 43
Total Ventilation Capacity: The minimum rate required, averaged over a

24 hour period, at which the ventilation system shall be capable of supplying
outdoor air.
Triplex: A multi-unit residential building that has 3 stacked residential units.
U-Factor (Thermal Transmittance): heat transmission in unit time through

unit area of a material or construction and the boundary air films, induced by
unit temperature difference between the environments on each side. Units of U
are Btu/h·ft2·°F. or (W/(m2.K)).
Variable Air Volume System: An air handling system that conditions the air to
a constant temperature and varies the supply airflow to ensure thermal comfort.
Vegetated Roof (Green Roof): A vegetated roof consists of vegetation and soil
or a growing medium, planted over a waterproofing membrane on rooftops.
Vegetated roofs may also include additional layers, such as a root barrier and
drainage and irrigation systems. The use of vegetated roofs may have different
purposes, from energy savings to stormwater management and aesthetics benefits.
Visible Transmittance “VT”: The ratio of visible light entering the space
through the fenestration product assembly to the incident visible light, Visible
Transmittance includes the effects of the glazing material frame and is expressed
as number 0 to 1.
Water Heater: Equipment used to produce potable domestic hot water.

Its energy efficiency performance is called the energy factor (EF), thermal
efficiency (TE) or standby loss (measured in watts).
Windows Air Leakage (AL): Measures the rate at which air passes through
joints in the window. AL is measured in cubic feet of air passing through one
square foot of window area per minute. The lower the AL value, the less air
leakage. Maximum acceptable Air Leakage AL is 1.5 L/S/m2 (0.3 cfm/ft2).
Zone: A space or group of spaces within a building with heating or cooling

requirements that sufficiently similar to that desired condition can be maintained
throughout using single controlling device.
4.2 Abbreviations
ACCU - Air-cooled Condensing Unit
ACH - Air changes per hour
AHJ - Authority having jurisdictions
AHRI - Air-Conditioning, Heating and Refrigeration Institute
Page 12 of 43
AHU - Air Handling Unit

BTU - British thermal unit
CFL - Compact Fluorescent Light Bulb
CFM - Cubic Feet per Minute
DDC - Direct Digital Control
DX - Direct expansion
EF - Energy factor
E.A. - Exhaust air
EER - Energy efficiency ratio “output cooling (in BTU/h) to input electrical
power (in watts) at a given operating point”
ELA - Equivalent leakage area
EPA - Environmental Protection Agency (U.S.)
ERV - Energy Recovery Ventilator
F.A. - Fresh Air
FCU- Fan Coil Unit
FFL - Finish floor level
GJ - Gigajoule
GPM - Gallon per minute
hp - Horse power
HVI - Home Ventilating Institute
ICF - Insulated Concrete Form
IEER - Integrated Energy Efficiency Ratio
IESNA - Illuminating Engineering Society of North America
Hz - Frequency
I - Current (Amps)
IAQ - Indoor Air Quality
IMS - Integrated Mechanical System
Page 13 of 43
kWh - Energy, Kilowatt hour

kW - Power, Kilo-watt
LPM - Liters per Minute
MURB - Multi-unit Residential Building
NLR - Normalized Leakage Rate
Pa - Pascal
OAT - Outdoor Air Temperature
Pa - Pascal “Pressure unit”
RH - Relative Humidity (%)
SASO - Saudi Standard Metrology and Quality Organization
SDHW - Solar Domestic Hot Water
SIP - Structural Insulated Panel
SRE - Sensible-heat Recovery Efficiency
T - Temperature (Degrees Celsius °C/Degrees Fahrenheit °F)
U - Over All Heat Transfer Coefficient [W/(°C.m²)]
ULC - Underwriters Laboratories
V - Voltage (Volts)
VFD - Variable Frequency Drive
VRF - Variable Refrigerant Flow
VT - Visible Transmittance
W - Watts
Page 14 of 43
5 Climate Zones
Saudi Arabia is considered to be made up of 3”three” climate zones as presented in

Figure 1. The climatic data contained in this section shall apply to Section 6 for a given
geographic location. Refer to Saudi Aramco Engineering Report SAER-6595.
Zone#1: Very Hot;

CDD(10) ≥5000⁰C Days/Yr.
Zone#2: Hot; 3500<CDD(10)

<5000⁰C Days/Yr.
Zone#3: Warm; 2500 < CDD (10)

≤3500⁰C Days/Yr.
Figure 1 - Saudi Arabia Climate Zones

(See Appendix A for list of cities per zone.)
Page 15 of 43
6 Prescriptive and Performance Based Compliances
New buildings, additions and alterations to existing buildings shall comply with the
requirements of this Standard both Prescriptive Based Compliance and Performance
Based Compliance as set out in the following sections.
6.1 Building Envelope Requirements
6.1.1 Prescriptive Based Compliance
6.1.1.1 General
This section provides thermal performance requirements as per

SAES-N-004 for the residential building envelope that
separates conditioned spaces from either exterior conditions or
unconditioned interior spaces, all other insulation
specifications (design and installation requirements) shall
follow the requirements of SAES-N-004 for buildings and
SAES-K-100 for mechanical systems.
6.1.1.2 Opaque Elements
6.1.1.2.1 Roof Insulation
Roofs thermal resistance shall comply with the values

specified in SAES-N-004.
Note: Roof SRI Requirements: Solar Reflective Index (SRI)
values for seventy five percent (75%) of the roof area
are calculated according to ASTM E1980; as per the
following:
o Steep Sloped Roofs (slopes steeper than 1:6)

≥ 29
o Flat and Low Sloped Roofs ≥ 78
6.1.1.2.2 Walls Above and Below Grade
Above grade walls thermal resistance (including

partitions adjacent to non-conditioned space); shall
comply with the values specified in SAES-N-004.
6.1.1.2.3 Floor Insulation
Floors thermal resistance (suspended floors with

unconditioned space on the other side) shall comply
Page 16 of 43
with the values specified in SAES-N-004.
6.1.1.2.4 Slab-on-Grade Floor Insulation
Slab-on-grade floors thermal resistance shall comply

with the values specified in SAES-N-004.
6.1.1.2.5 Doors
Exterior doors and doors to unconditioned spaces

(Partition Doors); the thermal resistance values shall
comply with the values specified in SAES-N-004.
6.1.1.2.6 Insulation Location
Insulation location shall comply with SAES-N-004

requirements.
Note: For mass walls; the insulation to be installed near
the outside surface to minimize mass wall
temperature fluctuation.
6.1.1.2.7 Water Vapor Retarders and Moisture Barriers
Vapor and moisture barrier shall follow the

requirements of SAES-N-004.
6.1.1.2.8 Labelling
Insulation labeling shall follow the requirements of

SAES-N-004.
6.1.1.2.9 Fenestration Area

Windows and skylight areas requirements shall
follow the requirements of SAES-N-004.
Notes:
 Hinged windows (casement, awning and hopper) are

generally more airtight than sliding-style windows
because of the closing mechanism pull them tight
against the frame;
 Skylights should have a low curb (the part that holds

the glass at the roof line) for better energy efficiency.
Page 17 of 43
6.1.2 Performance Based Compliance
6.1.2.1 Opaque Elements
For all opaque surfaces, performance based compliance shall

be demonstrated by one of the following two methods:
i. Minimum R-values of the added insulation in framing
cavities and continuous insulation only shall follow
SAES-N-004 requirements.
ii. Maximum U-factor, for the entire assembly, shall follow
SAES-N-004 requirements.
6.1.2.2 Fenestration
6.1.2.2.1 Fenestration U-Factor
Fenestration shall have a U-factor not greater than

that specified in SAES-N-004 for the appropriate
fenestration area.
6.1.2.2.2 Fenestration Solar Heat Gain Coefficient (SHGC)
Fenestration shall have an SHGC not greater than

that specified for “all” orientations in SAES-N-004
for the appropriate total fenestration area.
Exception:
With exception to skylights, all windows shall be

double-glazed window with a low-emissivity coating,
and an insulated spacer with a wood, vinyl, metal with
thermal break or fiberglass frame.
Note: Double glazing windows with inert gas filled shall be

considered as first option if proven to be available
and approved for commercial use within KSA.
6.1.3 Air Leakage
Air leakage shall follow the requirements of SAES-N-004.

 Blower Door Test
New and existing buildings shall conduct a blower door tests to

help in determining a buildings’ airtightness. This test is mandatory
for new buildings and existing buildings with recent alteration,
Page 18 of 43
e.g., re-insulation or windows replacement. This test shall follow the

requirements of SAES-K-001 or SABP-K-006.
Maximum allowable ACH50 based on 50 Pa pressure differentials

shall not exceed 5 “five”.
6.1.4 Energy Utilization Intensity “EUI”
This section provides flexibility to permit the use of innovative approaches

and techniques to achieve minimum residential Energy Use Intensities
“EUI” as set out in SAES-N-004 without abridging any of the requirements
contained in this standard or other Saudi Aramco Engineering Standards
related to Thermal Insulation such as per SAES-N-004 and SAES-K-100.
6.1.5 Residential Energy Audit
Residential energy audit procedures shall follow the requirements of

SABP-K-006.
House or houses selection for energy audit shall be decided by the

building proponent, e.g., “Community Services”.
Note: Residential energy audit should be conducted once every five years.
6.2 Heating, Air Conditioning, Ventilation and Domestic Hot Water Systems
6.2.1 Heating, Ventilation Air Conditioning and Systems Optimization

Study for New Construction
Optimization study shall follow the requirements of SAES-A-503 with

exception to area limitation of 20,000 ft2 (1,860 m2). The optimization
study shall be conducted for any residential compound with conditioned
space area more than 150,000 ft2 (13,940 m2).
Optimization study shall not be conducted later than 30% PP (Project

Proposal).
6.2.2 Prescriptive Based Compliance
6.2.2.1 Heating, Ventilation Air Conditioning and Systems
Mechanical equipment efficiencies and systems serving the

cooling or ventilating needs of new buildings and additions to
Existing Buildings or previously unconditioned spaces shall
comply with the requirements of this section as described in
SAES-K-001. When ventilation and air conditioning to an
addition is provided by existing systems and equipment, such
Page 19 of 43
existing systems and equipment shall not be required to comply

with this standard. However, any new systems or equipment
installed shall comply with specific requirements applicable to
those systems and equipment based on the system type:
6.2.2.1.1 DX “Direct Expansion System” Cooling System
For DX “Direct Expansion“ air-conditioning system

the designer and /or the installer shall:
i. comply with the energy efficiency requirements
as per Table 1 and /or SASO latest requirements
whichever higher;
ii. follow design and installation requirements as per
SAES-K-001;
iii. submit to the responsible AHJ; zoning system
proposal (if such a system was not considered in
the early project proposal or the DBSP, “Design
Basis Scoping Paper”). The zoning system
proposal shall be submitted to the AHJ no later
than 30% PP (Project Proposal); this proposal
shall include but not limited to: schematic
diagrams, cost and savings estimate and control
strategy.
Note: Residential unit may have two zones only:
sleeping areas including bedrooms and
associated bathrooms, dressing rooms, closets,
and hallways in one zone. All other conditioned
spaces can be considered as a second zone.
iv. not use Bypass VAV Damper if the zoning

system is approved for installation; unless the
indoor fan motor is less than 3 HP (2.2 kW);
6.2.2.1.2 Air Distribution System

Duct work shall be constructed as per SAES-K-001
requirements;
Notes:
 Long-radius elbows and 45° lateral take-offs should be

used wherever possible. The angle of a reduction
transition should be no more than 45° (if one side is
used) or 22.5° (if two sides are used). The angle of
Page 20 of 43
expansion transitions should be no more than 15°

(laminar air expands approximately 7°);
 Ductwork should not be installed outside the building

envelope. Ductwork connected to rooftop units should
enter or leave the unit through an insulated roof curb
around the perimeter of the unit’s footprint.
 Friction loss coefficient in the air duct shall not exceed

0.08 in/100 ft;
 Duct system components: diffusers and registers,

including balancing dampers, should be sized with a
static pressure drop not to exceed 0.08 in. w.c.
Oversized ductwork increases installed cost but reduces
energy use due to lower pressure drop.
In no case the noise level shall exceed the values that

are listed in SAES-A-105 or ASHRAE Handbook -
HVAC Application requirements for residential
applications, whichever less (less noise level);
6.2.2.1.3 Direct Digital Control System

If proposed; DDC shall follow SAES-K-011
requirements.
6.2.2.1.4 Chilled Water Cooling System
Chilled water cooling system; the designer and /or

installer shall:
i. comply with efficiency requirements as per
SAES-A-503;
ii. follow all items listed in Section 6.2.2.1.1 above.
Table 1 - Unitary Air Conditioners and Condensing Units-

Minimum Efficiency Requirements for Residential Buildings
Nominal Size Heating Sub-category
Equipment Minimum Test
Category Section or Rating
Type Efficiency Procedure
(Tons) Type Condition
Split system 11.5 EER
Air conditioners,
<5.4 Tons All
Air cooled
Single package 10.5 EER
AHRI 210/240
Split system 11.5 EER
Through-the-wall,
Air cooled
 2.5 Tons All
Single package 10.5 EER
Page 21 of 43
Nominal Size Heating Sub-category

Equipment Minimum Test
Category Section or Rating
Type Efficiency Procedure
(Tons) Type Condition
Small-Duct
High-Velocity, <5.4 Tons All Split system 8.8 EER
Air cooled
Electric Resistance Split System and 11.2 EER
 5.4 Tons and (or None) Single Package 11.4 IEER
<11 Tons Split System and 11.0 EER
All other
Single Package 11.2 IEER
Air conditioners,  11 Tons and (or None) Single Package 11.2 IEER
<20 Tons AHRI 340/360
Air cooled Split System and 10.8 EER
All other
 20 Tons and (or None) Single Package 10.1 IEER
All other
Split System and 12.1 EER
<5.4 Tons All AHRI 210/240
 5.4 Tons and (or None) Single Package 12.3 IEER
All other
Air conditioners,
Water Electric Resistance Split System and 12.5 EER
and Evaporatively  11 Tons and (or None) Single Package 12.5 IEER
AHRI 340/360
cooled <20 Tons Split System and 12.3 EER
All other
 20 Tons (or None) Single Package 12.6 IEER
All other
Condensing units, 10.5 EER
Air cooled
 11 Tons -
11.8 IEER
Condensing units, AHRI 365
water or 13.5 EER
Evaporatively
 11 Tons -
14.0 IEER
cooled
Table 1 above shall meet the following requirements:

 Minimum efficiencies shall be verified by an independent approved third party (such as AHRI or
SASO);
 Other types of systems (e.g., Chilled Water) shall follow SAES-A-503 energy efficiency requirements.
Page 22 of 43
6.2.2.1.5 Space Heating System
Heating shall be provided via electric resistance as per

SAES-K-001 requirements.
Other types of systems (e.g., Air Source Heat Pumps)

shall not be installed unless life cycle cost analysis is
proven to be feasible.
6.2.2.1.6 Alterations to Ventilating and Air-Conditioning in

Existing Buildings
New equipment installed as a direct replacement of

existing ones or installed to serve previously
unconditioned spaces shall comply with the specific
minimum efficiency requirements applicable to that
equipment as per Table 1
6.2.2.1.7 Verification of Equipment Efficiencies
Equipment efficiency information shall comply with

SAES-K-101.
6.2.2.1.8 Load Calculations
Heating and cooling system design loads for the

purpose of sizing systems and equipment shall be
determined in accordance with SAES-K-001.
However, it shall account the ERV ventilation load

(if installed) in the heating/cooling load calculations
in lieu of (0.5 ach ) as per SAES-K-001.
Note: Target tonnage per square meter for residential
applications “detached house” built in climate
zone #1; is 25 square meters per ton for DX
cooling system; however, this target shall not
revoke the EUI requirements as per SAES-N-004.
6.2.2.1.9 Controls
A. Temperature Control
Programmable Thermostat shall be installed as

per the requirements of SAES-K-001.
Note: Each zone shall have programmable
thermostat with different space temperature
Page 23 of 43
settings based on actual zone requirements.
B. Ventilation Control
See section 6.2.2.1.11.
6.2.2.1.10 Air Conditioning System Construction, Insulation

Installation and Ventilation Requirements
A. General
Insulation required by this section shall comply

with SAES-K-001 and SAES-K-100.
B. Insulation for Ducts
Air ducts shall be thermally insulated in

accordance with SAES-K-100.
C. Insulation for Piping
Ventilation, air conditioning (refrigerant or

chilled water pipes) and domestic hot water
piping shall be thermally insulated in accordance
with SAES-K-100 and/or the International
Energy Conservation Code “IECC”-2012
(whichever higher).
D. Ducts and Plenum Leakage
Ductwork and plenums shall be sealed in

accordance with SAES-K-001.
Exception:
The following joints are exempt from additional

sealing: self-sealing manufactured pipe, takeoffs,
and fittings (with manufactured seal or
incorporated gaskets); snap lock and folded
seam longitudinal duct joints; and knurled
adjustable joints on manufactured elbows.
6.2.2.1.11 Ventilation Systems
This section defines the residential system ventilation

methodologies:
A. Residential Ventilation
Ventilation requirement shall follow SAES-K-001
Page 24 of 43
requirements.
Residential ventilation system if installed it shall

be sized in according to Table 2 requirements.
Table 2 - Minimum Ventilation Requirements (L/S)

in Residential Applications System
Number of Bedrooms
Conditioned
2 0-1 2–3 4–5 6–7 >7
Floor Area (m )
< 150 14 21
150–300 21 28 35
301–450 35 42 50
451–600 50 57 64
601–750 64 71
Figures in Table 2 above are equivalent to ASHRAE 62.2-2010, Table 4.1b.
The accepted ventilation system for residential

applications is the ERV “Energy Recovery
Ventilator” that shall:
a. conduct feasibility assessment prior to
design or installation; the designer or
installer shall submit to the responsible AHJ,
an ERV system proposal. The ERV system
proposal shall be submitted to the AHJ no
later than 30% PP (Project Proposal).
This proposal shall include but not limited
to: schematic diagrams, cost and savings
estimate and control strategy;
b. be sized according to Table 2 requirements
for the By Pass Ducted system;
c. be sized to accommodate exhaust
requirements of all individual areas (such as
washrooms as per SAES-K-001); for the
Ducted Type system;
d. be installed according to manufacturer
requirements;
e. have minimum effectiveness of 50%
Page 25 of 43
calculated based on design conditions;

f. be certified by the Home Ventilating
Institute (HVI) as an ERV, or be ENERGY
STAR rated or nationally approved agency,
g. be installed such that the supply and exhaust
flows are measured and balanced within
10% at high speed, with a label attached to
the equipment indicating the installing
company and the measured flow rates;
h. be Ducted System as first choice and By
Pass Ducted as a second choice, see
Appendix B for further details about ERV
ducting, and;
i. be controlled via timer switch at individual
areas, “e.g., timer per washroom” plus one
central humidistat installed at the central
area as close as possible to the existing
thermostat and interlocked with the existing
indoor fan central system.
B. Appliances Ventilation
1. Kitchen Range Hood Ventilation
Only residential range hoods are
acceptable. Exhaust air flow from the
range hood shall be 100 CFM (50 L/s)
±10%.
Duct material, sizing, installation and
length shall follow manufacturer
requirements.
Range hood fan shall be controlled
manually by the occupant and shall be
vented directly to outdoors.
2. Cloth Dryer Vent
Material, sizing, installation and length
shall follow manufacturer requirements and
shall be vented directly to outdoors.
Page 26 of 43
No screws shall be used in the dryer vent

duct joints connections.
C. Residential Car Garage Ventilation
Garage ventilation shall follow SAES-K-001
requirements of having either mechanical
exhaust system, or have permanent openings to
the outside.
When an occupiable space adjoins a garage, the
design must prevent migration of contaminants
to the adjoining occupiable space. Air seal the
walls, ceilings, and floors that separate garages
from occupiable space. To be considered air
sealed, all joints, seams, penetrations, openings
between door assemblies and their respective
jambs and framing, and other sources of air
leakage through wall and ceiling assemblies
separating the garage from the residence and its
attic area shall be caulked, gasketed, weather
stripped, wrapped, or otherwise sealed to limit
air movement. Doors between garages and
occupiable spaces shall be gasketed or made
substantially airtight with weather stripping.
D. Ventilation Requirements in MURBs
Ventilation of MURB unit’s shall comply with

the requirements of ASHRAE 62.1 -2010.
Public corridors that serve more than one

residential unit shall:
i. have a ventilation rate not less than 0.3 L/s/m2
(0.06 cfm/ft2), with ventilation air supplied by
one or more ERVs with an SRE at the design
flow rate that is not less than that which is
required for the ERV in an individual
residential unit, and
ii. have airtight gaskets or weather-stripping on
doors between each residential unit and the
corridor.
Page 27 of 43
Note: The ventilation rate is consistent with

ASHRAE 62.1 “Ventilation for Acceptable
Indoor Air Quality.”
E. Exhaust Fans Efficacy
Exhaust fans design and installation shall follow

SAES-K-001 requirements.
House mechanical ventilation system exhaust or

fresh air shall meet the Fan Efficacy
requirements as per Table 3.
Table 3 - Acceptable Fans Efficacy

1
Reference: Table R403.5.1, IECC 2012
Airflow Rate Minimum Airflow Rate

Fan Type Minimum Efficacy Maximum
(CFM) (CFM/W) (CFM)
Kitchen Range 2
Any 2.8 Any
hoods
In line Fan Any 2.8 Any
Bathroom, utility
10 1.4 <90
room (Ceiling Fan)
Bathroom, utility
90 2.8 Any
room (Ceiling Fan)
1) Table 3 above shall follow the latest version from

IECC should the listed values are different.
2) Maximum allowable kitchen range hood exhaust

capacity shall not exceed the requirements of
Section 6.2.2.1.9;
The above Fan Efficacy is based on static

pressure reference measurements as per below
for each qualifying fan type:
a. Ducted products (products with one duct
such as bathroom and utility room fans):
0.1 in. w.g. static pressure
i. Products shall be tested at 0.25 in. w.g.
static pressure for airflow (cfm)
ii. Sound levels and wattage do not need to be
tested at 0.25 in. w.g. static pressure
Page 28 of 43
b. Ducted range hoods shall be tested at

working speed as defined in Airflow Test
Procedure HVI 916.
c. In-line ventilating fans shall be tested at
0.20 in. w.g. static pressure (wattage and cfm
only).
6.2.2.1.12 Indoor Air Quality Features
Filtration and pressure drop across filtration system

shall follow the requirements of SAES-K-001.
6.2.2.1.13 Domestic Hot Water System

A. Electric Domestic Hot Water System
Efficiencies shall meet the requirements of

SAES-S-060. Calculation Procedures for
Domestic Hot Water Heating shall follow
ASHRAE STD 90.2 or equivalent approved by the
AHJ. If the DDC is available; then the Hot Water
Tank shall be tied to the DDC for unoccupied
mode control and monitoring. Tank temperature
standalone controls shall be provided to allow for
storage temperature adjustment from 140°F to a
maximum temperature.
Notes:
 Hot Water Tank shall be installed in the

unconditioned space to minimize stand by losses
effect, or;
o Shall have an additional layer of skin

insulation to minimize stand by losses.
 Temperature controlling valve downstream the

tank (anti-scalding valve) should be installed to
limit the maximum temperature of water
delivered to occupiable space to 120°F.
B. Solar Domestic Hot Water System
If proposed; a solar water heating system shall be

installed to provide seventy five (75%) of
domestic hot water requirements. Solar water
heating installations shall be fitted with insulated
storage tanks and pipes, sized and fitted in
Page 29 of 43
accordance with the solar panel manufacturer’s

requirements for each specific application. The
supplementary heating system shall be controlled
so as to obtain maximum benefit from the solar
heater before operating. Domestic Solar Hot
Water system shall NOT be installed unless the
life cycle cost analysis is proven to be feasible.
C. Domestic Hot Water System in MURB
MURB’s shall consider central hot water system

as a first choice if proven to be more feasible
than the individual hot water tank per dwelling
unit. The Central Hot Water System proposal
shall be submitted to the AHJ (if such a system
was not considered in the early project proposal
or the DBSP, “Design Basis Scoping Paper”).
The Central Hot Water System proposal shall be
submitted to the AHJ no later than 30% PP
(Project Proposal); this proposal shall include
but not limited to: schematic diagrams, cost and
savings estimate and control strategy.
D. Hot Water Return Circulation (HWRC)
HWRC shall follow SAES-S-060 requirements.
6.2.2.1.14 Motors
Motors shall follow SAES-K-001 requirements.
6.2.3 Performance Based Compliance Path
This section provides flexibility to permit the use of innovative

approaches and techniques to achieve minimum residential Energy Use
Intensities “EUI” as set out in SAES-N-004 without abridging any of the
requirements contained in this standard or other Saudi Aramco
Engineering Standards related to Heating, Air Conditioning, Ventilation
and Domestic Hot Water Systems.
This path will include:
6.2.3.1 Energy Modeling
Calculation procedure used to comply with this standard shall

be software tool capable of calculating the annual energy
Page 30 of 43
consumption of all building elements that differ between (base

case) standard reference design and (retrofit case) proposed
design and shall include the followings:
i. Computer generation of the standard reference design using
only the input for the proposed design. The calculation
procedure shall not allow the user to directly modify the
building component of the base case design;
ii. Building operation for full calendar year (8,760 hours);
iii. Climate data for full calendar year (8,760 hours) and shall
reflect approved coincident hourly data as per SAES-K-001
requirements of outdoor/indoor air temperature, solar
radiation relative humidity and wind speed for the building
design location;
iv. Multiple thermal zones as required;
v. Hourly variation in occupancy, illumination, receptacle
load, thermostat setting, HVAC equipment availability,
domestic hot water usage and any other loads;
vi. Part load mechanical curves for HVAC equipment’s;
vii. Capacity and efficiency correction curves for heating and
cooling equipment’s.
viii. Approved simulation software programs for building

energy modeling:
1. Energy Plus:
http://apps1.eere.energy.gov/buildings/energyplus/
2. eQuest:
http://www.doe2.com/equest/
3. IES:
http://www.iesve.com/
Other softwares shall require AHJ approval prior to

utilizing.
6.2.3.2 Annual Energy Cost (AEC)

The AEC of a design shall be provided for each house model
and calculated as the total cost to supply energy for a single
Page 31 of 43
year during which the weather is typical of the long-term

average conditions at the site.
Monthly, daily or hourly data shall be provided upon SA request.
Energy prices shall follow SA Business Analysis Department
list.
In calculating the AEC for both the prescriptive design or the
performance based design, all conditioned spaces shall be
maintained at the specified thermostat setpoints as per
SAES-K-001 at all times except for minor deviations at
thermostat setup and setback and when outdoor conditions
exceed normal design conditions. The calculation tool used for
AEC shall be appropriate for the design parameters that are
being analyzed. The calculation tool shall estimate the AEC
impact of each energy conservation feature of the proposed
design that deviates from the prescriptive design.
7 Installation, Labelling, Inspection and Submittals Requirements
7.1 General Documentation Required
Compliance documents shall be as per applicable Saudi Aramco standards

requirements and show all the pertinent data and features of the building,
equipment, and systems in sufficient detail to permit a determination of
compliance with the requirements of this standard. Supplemental information
necessary to verify compliance with this standard, such as calculations, vendor
literature, or other data, shall be made available on request.
Operating and maintenance information shall be provided to Saudi Aramco, part

from As Built documentation including but NOT limited to data and features of
the building, equipment, and systems in sufficient detail to permit a
determination of compliance by the AHJ and to indicate compliance with the
requirements of this standard.
7.2 Installation of Building Envelope Insulation
Materials shall comply with Section 6 requirements and be installed in accordance

with manufacturers' recommendations over the full component area and in such a
manner as to achieve rated R-value of insulation. Exterior insulation shall be
covered with a protective material to prevent damage from all exterior elements.
Insulation materials in ground contact shall have a water absorption rate no greater
than 0.3% when tested in accordance with ASTM C272.
Page 32 of 43
7.3 Labeling of Building Envelope
Labelling of building envelope thermal insulation, doors and fenestration shall

follow SAES-N-004 requirements.
7.4 Inspections
7.4.1 All building construction, additions, or alterations subject to the

provisions of this standard shall be subject to inspection by the
designated department within Saudi Aramco, and all such work shall
remain accessible and exposed for inspection purposes until approved by
the Saudi Aramco.
Items for inspection include at least the following:

a. wall insulation after the insulation and vapor retarder are in place but
before concealment,
b. roof/ceiling insulation after roof/insulation is in place but before
concealment,
c. slab/foundation wall after slab/foundation insulation is in place but
before concealment,
d. fenestration after all glazing materials are in place,
e. mechanical systems and equipment and insulation after installation
but before concealment,
f. electrical equipment and systems after installation but before
concealment.
7.4.2 Inspection and Cleaning of HVAC Equipment
For new and existing buildings, the cleanness of HVAC equipment and
systems shall be maintained and all its parts shall be inspected and
cleaned in accordance with the standard specifications approved by
Saudi Aramco and in accordance with the technical guidelines issued by
Saudi Aramco. While specialized maintenance companies approved by
Saudi Aramco shall carry out inspection and cleaning or provide a proof
that maintenance shall be done on timely basis.
Notes:
 Air filter to be changed regularly. A clean filter will prevent dust and dirt
from building up in the system, which can lead to expensive maintenance
and/or early system failure. Filter should be checked and cleaned every
month;
Page 33 of 43
 Other operation and maintenance requirements, e.g., system tuning,

outdoor unit and indoor fan system cleaning shall follow applicable SA
and/or global maintenance procedures.
7.5 System Balancing
Construction documents shall require that all ventilation and air conditioning
systems be balanced in accordance with SAES-K-001.
7.6 System Commissioning
Ventilation and air conditioning control systems shall be tested to ensure that
control elements are calibrated, adjusted, and in proper working condition.
Pre-startup and commissioning procedures shall follow SAES-K-001
requirements.
7.7 Electric Metering (Sub-metering)
Each house unit shall have a dedicated electrical and water meter, electrical
smart metering shall follow SABP-P-047.
8 Lighting
8.1 Prescriptive Based Compliance
8.1.1 Lighting Products
Acceptable lighting products shall meet SAES-P-123 requirements.

This is applicable to all lighting fixtures including a lamp or lamps,
housing, and a connection to a source of electrical power. Floor and
desk lamps, chandeliers, vanity light bars, pendulum lights and wall
sconces are all considered “fixtures”, also known as a luminaire or lamp.
In no case the total lighting density in residential application shall exceed

the requirements of Section 8.3.
Note: The use of energy-efficient luminaires, e.g., LED should be maximized.
Exceptions:
 HPS “High Pressure Sodium”, MH “Metal Halide” are not acceptable for
installation in residential buildings unless approved by AHJ;
 Mercury vapor, halogen and incandescent luminaires shall not be used.
8.1.2 Lighting Efficiency
Lumen per wattage shall follow SAES-P-123 requirements.
Page 34 of 43
8.1.3 Energy Efficiency Lighting Ratings
All lighting products shall be energy rated, e.g., SASO, Energy Star or
equivalent.
8.1.4 Lighting Intensity
Lux level shall follow IESNA requirements.
8.1.5 Lighting Control
Living and dining areas to be controlled by dimming switches, the rest

are either dimming or on/off switches. All exterior lighting shall be
controlled by photocell light sensing switch.
2
Note: When the area under skylights in an enclosed space exceeds 250 ft ,
the lamps for general lighting in the daylight area shall be separately
controlled by at least one multilevel photocontrol (including continuous
dimming devices) having the following characteristics:
a) the light sensor for the photocontrol shall be remote from where
calibration adjustments are made;
b) the calibration adjustments shall be readily accessible; and
c) the multilevel photocontrol shall reduce electric lighting in response to

available daylight with at least one control step that is between 50%
and 70% of design lighting power and another control step that is no
greater than 35% (including off) of design power.
8.1.6 Lighting Alterations
The replacement of lighting systems in any residential building shall

comply with the lighting power density requirements of IESNA or
SAES-P-123 applicable to that space.
Exception:
Alterations that replace less than 50% of the lights in a space need not
comply with these requirements provided that such alterations do not
increase the installed interior lighting power.
8.1.7 Installed Interior Lighting Power
The installed interior lighting power shall include all power used by the
light fixtures, including lamps, ballasts, current regulators, and control
devices.
Exception:
If two or more independently operating lighting systems in a space are
Page 35 of 43
capable of being controlled to prevent simultaneous user operation, the

installed interior lighting power shall be based solely on the lighting
system with the highest wattage.
8.2 Performance Based Compliance
Interior Lighting Power: The interior lighting power allowance for a building
or a separately metered or permitted portion of a building shall be determined by
the Building Area Method described in Section 8.3. Trade-offs of interior
lighting power allowance among portions of the building for which a different
method of calculation has been used is not permitted. The installed interior
lighting power identified in accordance with Section 8.1.7 shall not exceed the
interior lighting power allowance developed in accordance with Section 8.3.
8.3 Building Area Method Compliance Path
Building Area Method of Calculating Interior Lighting Power Allowance:

Use the following steps to determine the interior lighting power allowance:
i. The maximum lighting power density for residential building area types is
0.9 watts/ft2 (10 watts/m2);
ii. Determine the gross lighted floor area in square feet (square meters) of the
building area;
iii. Multiply the gross lighted floor areas of the building area times the lighting
power density;
iv. The estimated building EUI “Energy Utilization Index” based on the
performance based compliance path shall not exceed the value set out in
SAES-N-004.
9 Home Appliances
New homes or alterations appliances shall consider the followings when selected:
i. Right sizing;
ii. Right model;
iii. Energy related rating as per the following:
Appliances supplied inside the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia shall be SASO rated and
appliances imported from North America shall carry ENERGY STAR® symbol to
confirm that the products have met the criteria of the most energy-efficient
products.
Page 36 of 43
9.1 Refrigerators
This section applies to household refrigerator or a household combination

refrigerator-freezer that has an automatic defrost system - including a
compressor-cycled automatic defrost system. Refrigerator sizing shall be based
on the following:
i. 1 or 2 people - 14 or less cubic feet;
ii. 3 or 4 people – 14.5 or more up to 18.4 cubic feet
iii. For each additional person, add 2 cubic feet
All refrigerators shall be SASO with five stars at the minimum or ENERGY
STAR rated.
Maximum 2 (two) refrigerators are acceptable per house unit to be sized equally.
Notes:
 The estimated annual energy consumption per refrigerator is 363 kWh.
 Refrigerators with a freezer on top are the most energy efficient, while side-by-side
models are the least efficient.
9.2 Clothes Washer
Only front loading clothes washers are qualified ; standard or compact

Electrically-operated clothes washer that does not require mechanical fastening to
a floor or wall, it shall have an internal control system that regulates the water
temperature without the need for user intervention after the initiation of machine
operation. Clothes washer installation shall follow manufacturer requirements;
sanitary connection shall follow Saudi Building Code Requirements Section 701.
Requirements for the energy efficiency Clothes washer to be provided for approval:
a. type of product (clothes washer);
b. manufacturer brand name;
c. model number;
d. manufacturer;
e. name of the organization or province that carried out the clothes washer
verification and authorized the verification mark that will be affixed to the
clothes washer;
f. modified energy factor in L/kWh/cycle;
g. annual energy consumption in kWh per year (based on 392 cycles per year);
Page 37 of 43
h. test group size category: compact or standard;

i. volume of clothes basket in liters;
j. water consumption factor in liters per cycle per liter;
k. water-fill control systems featured: manual or adaptive.
Table 4 - Front Loading Cloth Washer Minimum Electrical

and Water Efficiency Requirements
Modified Energy Water Factor
(1), (2)
Product Class Factor (liter of water/Cycle/liter
(L/kWh/cycle) of volume)
3
Compact less than 45 L (1.6 ft ) capacity 18.4 1.27
3
Standard 45 L (1.6 ft ) capacity or greater 35.7 1.27
(1)
Cloth washers shall be equipped with an unheated rinse-water option.
(2)
Shall be SASO with six stars at the minimum or Energy Star Rated.
Notes:
 The estimated annual energy consumption for the cloth washer is 494 kWh based on 392
operations.
 The modified energy factor standards are determined by dividing the clothes washer
capacity measured in cubic feet by the total power consumption of the clothes washer
measured in kWh/cycle. The product should be rounded off to two decimal places.
Water factor is determined by dividing the gallons of water per cycle by the clothes
washer capacity measured in cubic feet.
9.3 Cloth Dryer
Requirements for the energy efficiency Dryer to be provided for approval:

a. manufacturer brand name;
b. model number;
c. manufacturer;
d. name of the organization or province that carried out the clothes dryer
clothes dryer;
e. annual energy consumption in kWh (based on 416 cycles per year);
f. energy factor in kg/kWh;
g. test group (size category: compact or standard);
h. nominal voltage;
Page 38 of 43
i. volume of drum in liters; and

j. type of drying control (i.e., timed, auto-temperature or auto-moisture).
Table 5- Dryer Minimum Electrical Efficiency Requirements
Product Class Energy Factor (Kg/kWh)

3
Standard (4.4 ft or greater capacity) 1.42
Minimum requirements:
 SASO or ENERGY STAR rated;
 Automatic controls that use moisture sensors to eliminate over drying.
Note: Estimated annual energy consumption is 940 kWh based on 416 operations.
Exception:
Gas clothes dryers are NOT allowed.
9.4 Residential Dishwasher
Dishwashers shall be ENERGY STAR qualified dishwashers have “smart”

sensors to match the wash cycle and amount of water to the size of each load.
They may also have an internal heater to boost water temperature.
Requirements for the energy efficiency Dishwasher to be provided for approval:

a. manufacturer brand name
b. model number
c. manufacturer
d. name of the organization or province that carried out the dishwasher
dishwasher
e. total annual energy consumption in kWh (kilowatt hours per cycle multiplied
by 215 cycles/year)
f. test group type and size category: built-in or portable compact or standard
g. volume of hot water used in liters
h. energy factor in cycles/kWh and
i. drying options offered: dry heat or heat on/heat off.
Page 39 of 43
Table 6 - Dish Washer Minimum Requirements

Water Consumption Total Annual Energy
Product Class
(L/cycle) Consumption (kWh)
Compact dishwashers
(holds less than 8 place settings 13.23 ≤ 222 kWh
and 6 serving dishes)
Standard dishwasher 18.9 ≤ 307 kWh
9.5 Residential Electric Range
This section applies for free-standing or built-in appliances with one or more
surface elements and one oven.
Requirements for the energy efficiency Electric Range to be provided for approval:
a. type of product (electric range);
b. manufacturer brand name;
c. model number;
d. manufacturer;
e. name of the organization or province that carried out the electric range
verification and authorized the verification mark that will be affixed to
electric range;
f. annual energy consumption in kWh;
g. test group, (type for range and ovens: self-cleaning or non-self-cleaning);
h. size category for ranges: width 24 inches or 30 inches)
i. annual clock energy consumption in kWh.
j. residential Electric Range shall be SASO or ENERGY STAR rated
whichever higher.
Each house unit shall have 1 “one” electrical range only.

Notes:
 Gas stoves are NOT allowed;
 Estimated annual energy consumption is 718 kWh/year.
Revision Summary
13 January 2015 New Saudi Aramco Engineering Standard.
Page 40 of 43
Appendix A - Climate Zoning Code for Selected Cities within KSA
Table 1A
City Climate Zone

Abha 3
Al-Ahsa 1
Al-Baha 2
Al-Jouf 2
Al-Madinah 1
Al-Qaisumah 1
Al-Taif 2
Al-Wejh 1
Arar 2
Bisha 1
Dhahran 1
Gassim 1
Gizan 1
Guriat 2
Hail 2
Jeddah 1
Khamis Mushait 2
King Khaled International Airport 1
Makkah 1
Najran 1
Rafha 2
Riyadh 1
Sharorah 1
Tabuk 2
Turaif 3
Yanbu 1
Zone#1: Very Hot; CDD(10) ≥5000°C Days/Yr.

Zone#2: Hot; 3500 < CDD(10) <5000°C Days/Yr.
Zone#3: Warm; 2500 < CDD (10) ≤3500°C Days/Yr.
Page 41 of 43
Appendix B - ERV Ducting Layout
Main duct
return
Indoor Unit
ERV
Treated E.A Untreated Untreated E.A from Treated F.A to

to Outside F.A. to Inside living space living space
Figure B-1 - (By Pass Ducted ERV Typical Ducting Layout)
Page 42 of 43
Appendix B - ERV Ducting Layout (cont’d)
E.A. from
Kitchen and
Washroom
to ERV
Treated F.A to
living space
ERV
Indoor Unit
Treated E.A Untreated F.A. Main duct

to Outside to Inside return
Figure B-2 - (Exhaust Ducted ERV Typical Ducting Layout)
Page 43 of 43

SAES-A-504 Energy Efficiency For Low Rise Residential Buildings

Caricato da

Informazioni sul documento

Titolo originale

Copyright

Formati disponibili

Condividi questo documento

Condividi o incorpora il documento

Opzioni di condivisione

Hai trovato utile questo documento?

Questo contenuto è inappropriato?

Copyright:

Formati disponibili

SAES-A-504 Energy Efficiency For Low Rise Residential Buildings

Caricato da

Copyright:

Formati disponibili

Engineering Standard

SAES-A-504 13 January 2015

Saudi Aramco DeskTop Standards

Previous Issue: New Next Planned Update: 13 January 2020

Copyright©Saudi Aramco 2015. All rights reserved.

1.5 Any modifications, additions, or deletions to this standard shall be in concurrence

2 Conflicts and Deviations

3.1 Saudi Aramco References

Saudi Aramco Engineering Procedure

Saudi Aramco Engineering Standards

Saudi Aramco Inspection Procedure

Saudi Aramco Best Practices

3.2 Industry Codes and Standards

American Society of Heating, Refrigerating & Air-Conditioning Engineers, Inc.

Building Performance Institute, Inc.

Illuminating Engineering Society of North America “IENSA”

International Energy Conservation Code “IECC”

Residential Energy Service Network “RESNET”

800 “Chapter Eight” Enclosure and Air Distribution Leakage Testing

Energy Star Products www.energystar.gov

3.3 Other Standards

Saudi Arabia Ministry of Water and Electricity

Saudi Building Code

4 Definitions and Abbreviations

Air-source Heat Pumps: Air-source heat pumps come in two configurations:

Apartment Building: A Multi-unit Residential Building that has four or more

Authority Having Jurisdiction (AHJ): For the purpose of this standard,

Bypass VAV Damper: Commonly referred as dump box handles a constant

Design Conditions: The interior/exterior design conditions of temperature and

Direct Expansion Air-conditioning (DX): System that uses refrigerant vapor

Drip Water Delivery System (Drip Irrigation): A high-efficiency irrigation

Dwelling Unit: A single unit providing complete, independent living facilities

Economizer, Air: A duct and damper arrangement and automatic control

Electrical Sub-metering: The installation of separate meters to allow the

Electronic Ballast: A piece of equipment required to control the starting and

Energy Recovery Ventilator Effectiveness: The efficiency of an ERV system

Energy Simulation Tool: An approved software or calculation based

ENERGY STAR®: A registered trademark identifying an international energy

Finished Grade: The average elevation of finished ground as determined

Fixture: A complete lighting unit consisting of a lamp or lamps, housing, and a

Greywater (grey water, graywater): Untreated household wastewater which

Hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs): Refrigerants that do not deplete the stratospheric

HVAC System: Heating Ventilating and Air-conditioning System.

Integrated Energy Efficiency Ratio (IEER): A single number cooling part-

Industrial Building: An industrial building is any building directly used in

Instantaneous (Water Heater): Also referred to as a tankless water heater or

Luminaire: Apparatus which distributes, filters or transforms the light emitted

Minimum Efficiency Reporting Value (MERV): Air Filter Minimum

Multi-unit Residential Building (MURB): A “MURB” is a low-rise building

Town houses are exempted from the MURB definition.

NFRC (US National Fenestration Rating Council): Provides accurate

Performance-Based Compliance: If calculated annual building energy use

Prescriptive-Based Compliance: The compliance with specified construction

Residential Compound: For the purpose of this standard a residential compound

Residential Unit: A building or part of a building operated as a housekeeping

Seasonal Energy Efficiency Ratio (SEER): A measure of seasonal energy

Should: A term used to indicate provisions which are desirable as good

Skylight: Glass or other transparent or translucent glazing material installed at

Solar Heat Gain Coefficient (SHGC): A dimensionless quantity representing

Total Ventilation Capacity: The minimum rate required, averaged over a

Triplex: A multi-unit residential building that has 3 stacked residential units.

U-Factor (Thermal Transmittance): heat transmission in unit time through

Water Heater: Equipment used to produce potable domestic hot water.