A delegation of the Ministry of Climate Change and Environment, headed by Dr. Thani Ahmed Al Zeyoudi, recently visited The Sustainable City, the first Net Zero Energy city, in Dubai.

The visit was aimed at strengthening partnership ties between the Ministry of Climate Change and Environment and The Sustainable City, and follows the recent World Future Energy Summit in Abu Dhabi.

Faris Saeed, CEO at Diamond Developers, the real-estate company behind the Sustainable City, said: "We are honoured to welcome Mr. Al Zeyoudi to our city, and it has been enlightening for us to discuss ways of building closer ties and exchanging examples of best practice. It has also been highly advantageous to share experiences about green cities and climate change, and explore strategies for enhancing the environment and protecting our precious natural resources."

The delegates’ tour of the city explored the smart design of the villas, including cutting-edge energy-saving solutions such as insulating materials, solar water heaters, and energy-saving home appliances and lighting. All these features contribute towards reducing energy consumption by up to 50 percent in each villa.

A variety of sustainable solutions were also demonstrated to the delegates, including the city’s contribution towards separation of grey and black water and recycling of grey water for community irrigation. The Green Area, used for agriculture and sustainable transportation within the city, helps align our efforts in ensuring sustainable commitment.