Sharjah Investment and Development Authority (Shurooq) on Wednesday unveiled plans to build a AED2 billion ($544 million) sustainable city. Spread over 7.2 million sq ft, Sharjah Sustainable City will be completed in four phases in partnership with Diamond Developers, the company behind Dubai Sustainable City.
Construction set to start in the next three months and the first phase will be finished by the last quarter of 2021. The project will include a sustainable school, which will promote the concepts of sustainability through school curricula. It will also features a sustainability experience centre, a platform to host meetings and forums by government and academic entities, NGOs, as well as school and university students, centered around promoting awareness about environmental issues and sustainable living.
The project encompasses 3, 4 and 5 bedroom villas which are being built to offer up to 100 percent savings on electricity bills and 50 percent cuts on water bills. The project includes a number of public facilities – a community shopping centre, a venue to host social events, health clubs, swimming pools, cycling and jogging tracks, restaurants, nurseries, medical clinics and a mosque. Shurooq said Sharjah Sustainability City reflects its commitment to promote the green economy culture in Sharjah and the UAE, and create new opportunities for the establishment of world-class infrastructure that promotes environment-friendly and sustainable living. Marwan bin Jassim Al Sarkal, executive chairman of Shurooq said: “In recent past years, the standards and criteria of social development have seen remarkable change. Sustainability, natural resources and environment preservation, public health protection, greenhouse gas reduction are development priorities.
“These new standards are instrumental to sustainable development. They are an urgent global requirement that cannot be ignored.”
He added: “Shurooq is continuously motivated to implement the very best of emerging trends in real estate, and adapt them optimally to drive Sharjah’s economic aspirations, and at the same time improve the quality of life of the emirate’s residents by offering them an environment to practice essential 21st century sustainability ethos.” He said that Sharjah Sustainable City, located at Um Funnain, will be powered entirely by renewable energy produced by solar panels, and has recycling plants that will recycle water and waste, a 100 percent. The city will feature biodome greenhouses and outdoor gardens to support sustainable farming of a variety of fruit and vegetables within the community.
Faris Saeed, CEO of Diamond Developers, said: “The project is the first of its kind in Sharjah, which thanks to its wise leadership, has come a long way in promoting environmental sustainability with a focus on preserving our natural resources for generations to come.”
SOURCE: www.arabianbusiness.com