Sustainable Business Park design in desert climates: Insights from Zak World of Façades conference by Director Tom Klingholz

The 169th edition of the Zak World of Façades conference took place at the prestigious St Regis Hotel in Cairo, Egypt, drawing an impressive 500 attendees on February 5th 2025. Among the highlights was a presentation by Chapman Taylor Director Tom Klingholz, who shared insights into early concept stage strategies for designing business parks in desert climates. His talk focused on applying these strategies to create an environmentally responsible flagship business park at Palmet, New Cairo, for Palm Hills Developments.

Designing in hot and arid climates presents unique challenges, requiring innovative solutions to mitigate overheating, reduce energy consumption, and enhance user comfort. “By conducting effective optioneering, we tested key parameters like building heights, street widths, and public space dimensions to minimise urban heat islands and maximise natural ventilation”, explained Tom. These principles laid the foundation for sustainable design decisions throughout the project.

The 169th edition of the Zak World of Façades conference took place at the prestigious St Regis Hotel in Cairo, Egypt, drawing an impressive 500 attendees on February 5th 2025. Among the highlights was a presentation by Chapman Taylor Director Tom Klingholz, who shared insights into early concept stage strategies for designing business parks in desert climates. His talk focused on applying these strategies to create an environmentally responsible flagship business park at Palmet, New Cairo, for Palm Hills Developments.

Designing in hot and arid climates presents unique challenges, requiring innovative solutions to mitigate overheating, reduce energy consumption, and enhance user comfort. “By conducting effective optioneering, we tested key parameters like building heights, street widths, and public space dimensions to minimise urban heat islands and maximise natural ventilation,” explained Tom. These principles laid the foundation for sustainable design decisions throughout the project.

The Palm Hills New Cairo Admin Park and Headquarter Building, currently under construction, embodies these sustainable principles. With the first three buildings slated for completion later this year, the park is set to offer a socially responsible, environmentally friendly, and economically viable workplace that reduces its tenants’ carbon footprint.

Zak World of Façades, an international series dedicated to façade design and engineering, has welcomed over 55,000 delegates across its 169 events. The Cairo conference showcased sustainable innovations, industry challenges, and cutting-edge technological solutions, providing a platform for thought leaders and solution providers to engage in the future of building design.

To learn more, read Tom Klingholz’s Insight Paper on Designing Business Parks in Desert Climates.