Connecting Policy And People: A Comparative Evaluation Of Mostadam For Communities Model And Field Survey Results In Saudi Arabia

Abstract

The present paper, in turn, compares the content of the Mostadam for Communities (Design + Construction) sustainability assessment framework in Saudi Arabia with the real needs, preferences, and experience of residents, as evidenced by a comprehensive field-based survey carried out in 2025. The study will be comparative, mixed with the grounded option of qualitative content analysis of the criteria of Mostadam, and quantitative and thematic analysis of the survey with 108 participants located in the various neighborhoods of Saudi Arabia. The results indicate a high degree of compatibility between the concerns of Mostadam and the residents regarding the delivery of fundamental infrastructure (water, electricity, waste management, and sewage), mobility (walking, cycling, public transport, and parking systems), safety and security, and the delivery of public and green spaces. Nevertheless, the analysis also recognizes the gaps at which the current scope and weighting of Mostadam does not perfectly encompass the user experience or newer ideas of the urban necessities, especially in the provision of service quality, occupation community interactions in the post construction, thermos comfort and adaptability, discourse on integration of smart infrastructure, and safety in the service area that was gender sensitive.

The findings offer specific improvements to the very framework, such as a slight re-weighting of community participation credits, a Quality-of-Service Index, thermal comfort enhancement via the use of indicators obtained in the field, a special credit associated with smart infrastructure, and a gender-sensitive safety audit. These recommendations preserve the structural integrity of Mostadam to make it more responsive to bottom-up priorities in the community. The study finds that Mostadam is generally aligned with the aspirations of the Saudi residents, yet could use certain selective amelioration to support the cause of ensuring that it falls into place as an effective, user-informed tool enhancing sustainable development of neighborhoods. The implications concerning the design of sustainability rating systems at a global scale are also related, especially to the use cases where the regulatory and grassroots purposes of policies have to be balanced to facilitate the creation of inclusive, livable, and resilient cities.