The Sustainable City – Yiti has shared insights into its sustainable strategies, through which it aims to become the region’s first net zero emissions community by 2040, with the broader ambition of becoming the largest operational sustainable community in the world.
Located just outside of Muscat, and spanning one million square meters, it will feature 300 villas/townhouses and 1225 plaza apartments.
Further, it was shared that The Sustainable City – Yiti will reduce its residents’ per capita emissions footprint by 78% compared to conventional housing, which will be facilitated through a number of different measures.
Powered by 100 per cent renewable energy, with 100 per cent water recycling, and 100 per cent waste diversion from landfill, the City will also have 80 per cent self-sufficiency in food calorific requirements.
The Sustainable City – Yiti noted that this figure of 80 per cent food security will be reached through planting date palms and other productive trees, housing four biodomes for indoor vertical farming, and dedicating small plots for community gardening in the Sustainable District.
The development will also be home to SEE Lab, it was noted. This food hub will produce vegetables, herbs, milk, eggs, and fish, with the Lab and biodomes digitally integrated with the latest food production technologies.
From the power side of things, the City is set to deploy rooftop solar photovoltaic (PV) panels on all the villas and parking areas, which will offset up to 100 per cent of the operational energy demand on the residential villas and townhouses.
Further, the villas, townhouses and plaza apartments will reduce energy consumption through ‘demand side management’, including passive and active design.
Additionally, all residential units will be equipped with energy-efficient appliances with the aim of minimising resource consumption and associated costs.
Residential units will be equipped with low-flow water fixtures and appliances to reduce total water consumption and footprint, too, it was shared.
A Sewage Treatment Plant (STP) where all wastewater will be reused in landscape irrigation using a smart irrigation system to maximise efficiency, and for the District Cooling Plant to reduce water loss.
Further, the development aims to deploy humidity harvesting, collecting water vapour and moisture in the atmosphere to produce potable water.
According to the City, it promotes soft mobility, electrification and shared mobility, and will also introduce shaded car-free areas for improved walkability, while shared e-bikes and electric buggies will be available for residents.
Up to 297 electric vehicle charging points will be deployed across the development, supplied by surplus renewable energy and managed by smart systems to promote self-consumption before injecting back into the grid.
The development said it is also aiming to achieve zero waste to landfill through waste minimisation, recycling, and sorting by recyclable, organic, electronic, and residual waste.
On-site biogas will handle up to 100 tons of organic waste per day.
Finally, there will be a green spine running the length of the community with numerous green spaces throughout, as well as an animal sanctuary and the protected biodiversity in the surrounding environment.
The infrastructure of The Sustainable City – Yiti has reached 75 per cent completion and is set to be finished in 2026.
The City also noted that it is utilising eco-friendly and low-emissions materials in construction and fit-out, prioritising contractors that value sustainability and are “well-versed” in the relevant environmental documentation and certification.