- As real estate developers, we must have a comprehensive vision of real estate development needs and strike a balance between the environment, the economy, and values.
- Sustainable development meets the needs of current without compromising the potential of future generations future generations to meet their economic needs.
- Sustainable planning defines the shape of future development and determines the extent to which societies can sustain production and regenerate themselves.
Urban areas are considered the most important sources of economic, social, and cultural prosperity, accounting for approximately 70% of the global gross domestic product.
More than half of the world’s population—3.9 billion people—lives in cities, a fivefold increase compared to the population in 1950.
Studies indicate that the urban population will grow at an unprecedented rate, and it is projected that two out of every three people will live in cities by 2050.
This rapid urban growth places pressure on the natural environment and public health, presenting significant challenges as well as significant opportunities for addressing environmental problems caused by the negative impacts of urban activities.
In response, urban planning policies have shifted toward sustainability, and the Kingdom has begun developing new strategies to improve the quality of life and the urban environment.
Urban planning has thus become a functional requirement in building the cities of the future, by meeting human needs and using natural resources in the most effective and sustainable ways, based on a fundamental approach to achieving a balanced use of environmental resources.
Based on my experience and perspective on real estate development needs, I find that the most important foundation for the success of all projects is sustainable planning guided by a forward-looking vision that takes into account available resources and current and future potential.
In this article, I will discuss the concepts of both sustainable development and urban planning, as they mutually reinforce one another and both reflect the principles of the Kingdom’s Vision 2030.
Sustainable development meets the needs of current generations without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own economic, social, and environmental needs.
Sustainable planning defines the shape of future development, identifies needs, and works to fulfill them, while determining the extent to which communities can sustain production and regenerate themselves.
Thus, sustainable urban planning ensures the achievement of sustainable development goals in all areas across its three dimensions, with the aim of creating a society that is environmentally sound, economically productive, and socially equitable and just.
We find that modern urban planning directs effective development policies toward environmental concerns and gives practical form to the ideas of sustainable development by taking the social dimension into account and addressing, on a global scale, environmental crises and their impact on cities.
To achieve sustainable urban planning, we must take into account the concerns of urban planners and designers regarding the shaping of urban space, the specific activities of urban areas, urban configurations, the economic dimension, respect for social traditions and the human dimension, as well as the conservation of environmental resources.
Therefore, as real estate developers, we must have a comprehensive vision of the needs of real estate development, as this is its true challenge. It is governed by striking a balance between the environment, the economy, and social values so that it meets the needs of work and quality of life.
