INTEGRATED MEP INFRASTRUCTURE PLANNING FOR TOURISM MEGAPROJECTS IN SAUDI ARABIA UNDER VISION 2030: ENHANCING REGIONAL DEVELOPMENT THROUGH ENERGY EFFICIENCY AND UTILITY RESILIENCE

Abstract

Saudi Arabia's tourism megaprojects are reshaping regional economies while creating unusually concentrated demands for cooling, electricity, potable water, fire protection, drainage, waste handling and digital connectivity. This review examines how integrated mechanical, electrical and plumbing infrastructure planning can convert those demands into an enabling platform for Vision 2030 rather than a source of operational fragility. A structured integrative review of thirty sources published between 2020 and 2025 was undertaken, combining peer-reviewed engineering research, policy documents, sector reports and resilience guidance. The synthesis shows that destination-wide performance depends less on isolated high-efficiency assets than on early alignment between the tourism programme, land-use phasing, utility corridors, critical-load classification and operating scenarios. District cooling, diversified electricity supply, treated-water reuse, modular utility capacity and supervisory controls can reduce resource intensity, but their value weakens when contracts, data models and commissioning responsibilities remain fragmented. The paper proposes an integrated planning framework that links regional objectives to demand envelopes, shared networks, resilience layers, delivery controls and measurable outcomes. It argues that redundancy should be risk-based rather than uniformly duplicated, and that efficiency should be assessed alongside recoverability, service continuity and expansion flexibility. The review concludes that coordinated MEP infrastructure can support regional development by improving investment confidence, reducing lifecycle exposure, enabling local capability formation and protecting visitor experience during climatic, operational and demand shocks.