DIAMOND Developers has put the finishing touches to plans to develop what it says will be Dubai’s first sustainable city.

The city is expected to meet the highest standards of sustainability requirements, including optimal use of land, according to Faris Saeed, chairman of Diamond Developers and a member of the Dubai Real Estate Community founded by the Dubai Land Department.

The city will harness solar energy, and to combat growing water shortages in the region, waste and sewage water will be treated and recycled for irrigation.

The city will also adopt several initiatives to reduce carbon emissions by more than 75 per cent and will be totally free of waste due to a fully integrated waste treatment system. Residents will enjoy a sustainable transport system that constitutes solar-powered vehicles and horses.

“Green areas account for 70 per cent of the total area and include gardens and farms engineered to produce organic food products for the nutritional requirements of the population. There will also be a solar energy farm and a green belt of 100,000 ghaf and palm trees, stretching along 8 km in and around the city, that will be able to accommodate 2,500 families.

The city will have a mosque, hospital, school and a multi-use complex and reflect the architectural identity and heritage of the UAE integrated into sustainable design. The project will also feature a unified complex for government departments and a university to teach sustainable environmental sciences at its three faculties. Housing facilities will be available for students who are eager to obtain a bachelor’s and master’s degree affiliated to a prominent world university.
The city can accommodate 10,000 residents, students and employees. Infrastructure and landscaping works will commence during the second half of this year on an area of 8 million sq ft, and the built-up area will not exceed 5 million sq ft.

The city will also host a resort of 143 rooms where guests can experience sustainable environmental practices first-hand, which include environment-friendly products, organic foods and a sustainable transport system on horseback, said Saeed.

The revolutionary project will be completed through four phases; the first will be completed in 2013 with each of the three remaining stages finalised over consecutive years. The project will be ready in 2016.

“The announcement of the launch signifies the culmination of over three years of vigorous efforts to develop the first sustainable city in Dubai. The final concept is the product of in-depth studies and discussions carried out with international universities, experts and UN specialised organisations,” Saeed concluded.