The Dubai Sustainable City development is the first of its kind in the United Arab Emirates and will use an impressive amount of space to house the solar cells required to power it.
Construction of Dubai Sustainable City is planned across four phases. The first batch of 100 villas and townhouses within the city will be made available by the end of 2014; similar sized batches are likely to be released over the following years until the expected completion date in 2016.
Being overseen by Stringa Planning Studio, the project is currently being handed over to UK-based Baharash Architecture for phase 2 of the city’s construction. The company had to win an international competition for the privilege and plans to open an office in Dubai as a result.
Phase 2 will consist of a mixed-use zone, a mosque, the Institute for Ecological Engineering, a museum and planetarium, a “green” school, an eco-resort, a country club, and an equestrian center.
When finished, the Dubai Sustainable City will cover an area of 46 hectares, containing 550 residential villas. As well as housing, the development will include organic farms, educational facilities, and 600,000 square feet of solar panels.
The solar panels themselves will be spread across the city, with many houses and villas incorporating them into their architecture These panels will provide residents with 60 percent of their energy needs, with plans to offset the carbon footprint even further by introducing alternative modes of transportation.
Apart from using solar energy, the project will also make use of a smart water system that will reduce the water demand of buildings by 30 percent. No aspect within the city has been overlooked when it comes to recyclability. Grey and waste water will be used to irrigate plants across the city, and a waste recycling system will make it possible to reuse many other byproducts.
What do you think about sustainable technology? Would you be willing to live in the Dubai Sustainable City?