Global sustainable developer URB recently unveiled its plan to design a sustainable net-zero community for 100,000 residents in the southern part of Kuwait. Spread across 1,600 hectare, XZERO City will comprise 30,000 residential units, 5-star eco-resort and eco-lodges, a utility park and nature conservation centre and more. Here is a detailed report on SURFACES REPORTER (SR).
Spread across 1,600 hectare, XZERO City will comprise 30,000 residential units, 5-star eco-resort and eco-lodges, a utility park and nature conservation centre.
Touted to be a planned sustainable community that will provide a net-zero carbon lifestyle for 100,000 residents, XZERO City will also provide food and energy security and promote a green circular economy. In addition to the 30,000 residential units, the city will also generate 30,000 green jobs in the field of medical, tourism, technology, education, retail and entertainment. Through its sustainable tourism, it will also promote eco-friendly hospitality assets and edutainment attractions.
XZERO City will be designed using passive design strategies and include green and blue infrastructure.
XZERO City will be designed using passive design strategies and include green and blue infrastructure. To provide the highest standards of living through its smart city grid, active strategies and state-of-the-art technologies will be integrated into the city. Baharash Bagherian, CEO, URB, comments, “The creation of sustainable cities that follow the highest standards of living with the lowest impact on the environment is no longer a choice, it has become a necessity. XZERO is planned with multi-functional holistic solutions that address the three key pillars of sustainability – social, economic and environmental.”
With a Biophilic design approach, XZERO City is expected to provide various environmental, social and economic benefits for its residents.
The density of XZERO will be optimized to maximize the green space ratio to mitigate the effects of climate change. For this, mixed-use areas will be strategically located in the heart of the project. This will reduce the walking distances for most of the city dwellers. The walking networks will be shaded and connected to other green modes of transportation such as cycles and electric bikes. The city will offer a 35km cycling and running zone and a 9km equestrian track. The green-tech hub within the city will be established to encourage a collaborative innovative environment in food, energy, water and waste tech, while the medical hub will comprise an autism village, wellness centre and clinics. The educational hub will include a nursery, school and an institute, and the commercial hub will feature indoor mall and flexible office spaces.
The city will have the world’s first high-tech scalable FEW+W smart urban farms which use saline water.
With a Biophilic design approach, XZERO City is expected to provide various environmental, social and economic benefits for its residents such as reducing air pollution, promoting biodiversity, managing stormwater, increasing social interaction and connecting the community together. Its landscape will create a carbon sink to minimize the carbon footprint, and retain and enhance biodiversity. The landscape of the city will also focus on water-sensitive urban design and make the most use of any rainwater.
Additionally, the city will have the world’s first scalable food-energy-water and waste farms and the world’s first high-tech scalable FEW+W smart urban farms which use saline water.
Image credits: URB