Dubai is known for the Jumeirah Beach Hotel, the Burj Al Arab, and the Burj Khalifa, the tallest building in the world. What most people aren’t aware of is that there’s another architectural achievement that sits less than 15 miles from downtown Dubai, in an area that was barren until a few years ago. Called The Sustainable City, the residential eco-experiment is a living research center that was born out of a desire for positive change. At full occupancy, The Sustainable City has around 3,000 residents living in 500 villas and 89 apartments. Solar panels cover the roofs of homes, parking garages and businesses, harnessing enough energy to make it a net-zero community. The city consumes no more energy than it creates, making it an international model for high-quality sustainable living. Earlier this year, Dubai launched its 50-year charter, including a mandate that 10% of homes be self-sufficient in terms of water, food and energy. That means that they are looking at a future of solar-powered houses and electric cars, and The Sustainable City is part of that future.
