KAUST CASE STUDY

King Abdullah University of Science and Technology and Edama Organic Solutions is a leader in soil science in the middle east. In partnership with Edama Solutions, research staff wanted toi develop a state of the art compost facility to research how regional feedstocks would influence local soil health; KAUST would provide the site, while Edama would operate the facility.

KAUST needed a system that could accommodate research into compost applications for desert soils, including soil health impacts and varying feedstock combinations. Groundwater proximity was an additional site constraint that needed to be addressed in the facility's design. 

The partnership required a composting system capable of supporting ongoing research while providing practical organic waste processing capacity. Flexibility and scalability were key priorities, allowing the facility to expand over time and accommodate the evaluation of different composting approaches. 

GMT provided a reversing-aeration system with wireless temperature probes, allowing operators to alternate between pushing air into the compost and drawing air through it. The facility can operate as an aerated static pile system, with provision for a turned aerated pile process if mechanical turning is added in the future.

The layout allows capacity to double through a future expansion. This gives Edama and KAUST flexibility to increase throughput as their operational and research needs evolve.

The composting system supports the partnership’s broader goal of converting food and horticultural waste into soil improvers for arid environments. Alongside day-to-day operations, the facility provides a platform for studying how compost can improve soil health and support cultivation in Saudi Arabia.