The world’s major governments are diversifying their focus away from fossil fuel industries and investing hundreds of billions of dollars in sustainable sectors such as clean energy and green tech, drawing further investment from the private sector. It’s obvious that there needs to be a fundamental change in our approach to economics, growth and development, with sustainability as a core objective. Through demand-side management, we can drastically reduce the global demand for fossil fuels to offset carbon emissions, applying passive and active design techniques to real estate projects from conception to development to greatly reduce their projected total energy demands. Sustainable real estate projects such as Masdar City in Abu Dhabi, The Sustainable City in Dubai and Sharjah Sustainable City are leading the global movement towards sustainable living, promoting a lifestyle that is compatible with a long-term future for generations to come. Designed to be working models of future cities, these developments provide practical solutions related to food security, water and energy management, as well as natural resources conservation, in fully integrated, net-zero energy and vibrant communities offering a unique and eco-friendly lifestyle.
One of Sharjah’s main attractions was as an affordable option with proximity to Dubai as a business and tourism hub. However, initiatives in recent years by the Sharjah government to increase economic activity within the emirate itself, such as its thriving free zones, as well as developing the city as a hub for culture and tourism, have truly boosted demand for upscale property that is suitable for professionals and their families to call home. Sharjah’s real estate sector has displayed significant stability, recording minor fluctuations mainly under 10 per cent in both sales and rental prices. The emirate’s growing off-plan sector and healthy rental yields of up to 6 per cent have also been instrumental in attracting real estate investors. This powerful combination of attractive location, desirable lifestyle and a sustainable way of living is going to be the gold standard for real estate developments in the coming years, making eco-friendly lifestyle destination projects in the UAE, and Sharjah in particular, a savvy choice for property investors.