Sunday 15 / December / 2024
Muscat: The Sustainable City – Yiti represents a big advancement in urban planning and integrating green techniques with strict sustainability requirements. The project helps support Oman’s vision for sustainable tourism, while contributing to the country’s environmental preservation and economic diversification plans.
Located 30km from central Muscat, The Sustainable City - Yiti is a coastal development overlooking the Gulf of Oman and is a joint venture between Diamond Developers (part of SEE Holding) and Oman Tourism Development Company, part of Omran Group.
In an exclusive interview with the Times of Oman Mahmoud Shehada, Chief Sales and Marketing Officer in The Sustainable City – Yiti, highlights its key sustainability efforts underscoring its commitment to bringing forward global net zero targets, in line with Oman Vision 2040 and the Sultanate of Oman’s commitment to achieving the UN 2030 Sustainable Development Goals.
Excerpts from the interview:
What is the significance of The Sustainable City – Yiti in Oman’s journey towards achieving net-zero emissions and how does it align with Oman Vision 2040?
The Sustainable City – Yiti, embodies our commitment to supporting Oman’s sustainability objectives and our full alignment with the country’s vision of delivering an emission-neutral city that provides a green, energy-efficient, and people-centric environment for its residents to live, work, and thrive.
Oman’s Vision 2040 paints a clear path towards a diversified, inclusive, and sustainable national economy, with the aim to achieve net-zero emissions by 2050. We have bold ambitions to make The Sustainable City – Yiti the largest operational sustainable community in the region and the first net-zero emissions city in the region by 2040. We hope to extend the blueprint that we have been developing and continue to act as living proof-of-concept of The Sustainable City brand.
What are the key goals you aim to accomplish in the coming years?
We are slated for completion in 2026, with a 93% of the Sustainable City – Yiti infrastructure already completed. Our ambitious project involves a multipronged approach focusing on reducing the per capita emissions footprint of our residents by a minimum of 78% compared to conventional housing in Oman. This includes relying on 100% clean energy, 100% water recycling, 100% waste diversion from landfill, and up to 80% self-sufficiency in food calorific requirements.
An important goal that we strive to achieve is to enhance the economic value of the project by providing net zero service charges and equipping all residential units with energy-efficient appliances to minimise resource consumption and associated costs. As a result, residents of The Sustainable City – Yiti, will enjoy a considerable drop in their utility bills – up to 100% on electricity and 50% on water – compared to conventional households.
Additionally, we are dedicated to fostering community engagement through urban farming, education, and sustainable lifestyle practices. By turning sustainable living into a way of life, we aim to create real generational behavioural change, making sustainability the norm and ensuring a lasting positive impact on future generations.
What are the key features of the clean, renewable energy sources that will power The Sustainable City – Yiti? Do you feel the reduced energy cost makes a case for investing in and opting for more sustainable developments?
To meet sustainability targets, we are aiming to cut down on emissions across all six pillars of environmental sustainability: food, energy, water, products, mobility, and waste.
With the Sustainable City – Yiti, we will harness renewable energy in two main ways: through the installation of rooftop solar photovoltaic (PV) panels, and through the use of biogas plants that convert organic waste into energy. The community will be equipped with smart systems such as electric vehicle charging points, with an EV car sharing programme in the pipeline. Smart systems also provide residents with the ability to share power.
Moreover, the innovative design of our villas, townhouses and plaza apartments, all equipped with energy-efficient appliances, LED lighting, low-flow water fixtures, and smart home systems results in significant savings in consumption and utility bills reaching 100% for electricity.
Residential units avoid the sun and maximise shading. They are also equipped with highly insulated UV reflective walls, roofs, and windows which reduce air-conditioning loads and electrical consumption.
Homes in our cities are likely to have a higher resale value in the years to come given the growing demand for sustainable, energy-efficient living spaces, which not only reduce carbon footprint but as such, have lower operational costs. This makes a compelling case for considering more sustainable developments when looking to invest in property and real estate.
What amenities and facilities are part of the comprehensive master plan of The Sustainable City – Yiti, and how do they contribute to the community’s sustainability goals?
Our residents are at the heart of our communities, so it is invaluable for us to promote a culture of sustainability amongst them. We’re putting in place the necessary platforms, infrastructure, and initiatives to help our community adapt to a more sustainable lifestyle.
We’re bringing a vibrant community built on the live-work-thrive philosophy. Everything from retail, dining, hospitality, leisure, healthcare, education, jobs and services will be available at The Sustainable City - Yiti, minimising the need to leave the community and therefore slashing the collective emissions of the community even further.
The Sustainable City - Yiti is also populated with car-free areas and to facilitate commute, shared e-bikes and electric buggies will be available for travel around the community in the car-free areas. We strongly believe that these mobility solutions will promote healthy commuting and encourage walkability.
In addition, The Sustainable City – Yiti will organise educational, sports, cultural and environmental community events and initiatives that will contribute to creating social ties and spreading environmental culture and sustainable practices in general.
