URB unveils plans for XZero City

Dubai-based developer URB has revealed its designs for XZero City, a sustainable community in Kuwait that aims to provide 100,000 residents with a net-zero-carbon lifestyle.

The company said that the 1,600-hectare development, in the country’s southern region, will include 30,000 homes and create 30,000 environmentally friendly jobs in sectors such as medicine, tourism, technology, education, retail and entertainment.

Hospitality assets designed to promote sustainable tourism include a five-star eco resort and eco lodges. There are also plans for a nature-conservation center, a utility park, an autism village, an equestrian center, a wellness center, a nursery and a school.

URB said XZero is designed and optimized to be the most walkable city on earth and that primary and secondary pedestrian routes will be well-shaded and connect with green transport options such as cycle paths and electric buggies.

Highlighting the significance of XZero in setting a benchmark for future cities, URB CEO Baharash Bagherian said: ““The landscape is also productive, incorporating many different urban farming methods, such as community gardens, bio domes, aquaponics, vertical farms and biosaline agriculture.”

XZero’s density has also been optimized to maximize the ratio of green space, URB said, which will help to mitigate the effects of rising temperatures and urban heat islands, resulting in a cooler environment.