ENERGY EFFICIENCY IMPROVEMENT THROUGH SUSTAINABLE MEP SYSTEMS AND ELECTRICAL INFRASTRUCTURE INTEGRATION IN SAUDI MEGA PROJECTS

Saudi mega projects combine large cooling loads, complex service networks and increasingly sophisticated electrical infrastructures. Their energy outcomes depend not only on the efficiency of individual equipment but also on coordination between mechanical, electrical and plumbing (MEP) systems, controls, distribution architecture and operational governance. This critical review examines research published during 2020-2025 to establish how integrated design and operation can improve efficiency while maintaining indoor environmental quality and electrical reliability. Evidence is organised around cooling plant selection, hydraulic and ventilation design, demand flexibility, onsite generation, digital coordination, fault management and whole life carbon. A transparent thematic search and appraisal approach distinguishes demonstrated findings from context dependent proposals; no sites pecific savings are attributed to projects without measured evidence. The synthesis suggests that meaningful improvement arises when demand reduction precedes capacity selection, control objectives are coordinated across services, and commissioning data remain usable during operation.