Dubai goes green! Plans unveiled for ambitious Sustainable City in the desert with a 100% solar-powered hotel, organic farms, recycled water and a grass amphitheatre

• Intercontinental Hotels Group set to launch Hotel Indigo in Dubai's new eco-resort
• As well as being powered entirely by solar energy, hotel will recycle all waste water
• Diamond Developers, who head the project, describe Indigo as 'perfect brand for new community'

By JOHN HUTCHINSON FOR MAILONLINE
PUBLISHED: 08:26 GMT, 20 May 2015 | UPDATED: 09:48 GMT, 20 May 2015

Plans have been unveiled for a hotel entirely powered by solar energy as part of Dubai's ambitious The Sustainable City (TSC) development.

Due to open in the first half of 2017, the 170-room Hotel Indigo will be part of Dubai's first community of its kind in the region and 100 per cent of its energy needs will be met by solar power.

All waste water produced by the hotel will be recycled, and all material waste will be sorted at source and then recycled.

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The hotel will form like so, with two separate kind of lodgings, cabin in the middle, flanked by large suites

Baharash Architecture helped design Phase 2 of the plans, and laid out a host of amenities that all conformed to eco-necessity

Instead of grass, that requires a lot of water and treatment for its longevity, native plants will be used to provide the greenery.

A solar powered shuttle bus transportation service will be available to guests of the hotel, ensuring they are well-connected to Downtown Dubai.

Pascal Gauvin, chief operating officer, India, Middle East & Africa, Intercontinental Hotels Group (IHG), said: 'Hotel Indigo Dubai The Sustainable City will set us apart – it will be a truly unique hotel, perfect for guests looking for boutique style and design with the story of its exciting new location woven into the very fabric of the property.

'We're looking forward to working closely with Diamond Developers to bring this hotel to Dubai and help showcase another great neighbourhood in a way that only Hotel Indigo can do.'

The whole complex will include residences, a green school, a community center, an equestrian centre, solar covered car parks and an organic farm which will supply all the herbs the community needs, as well as tourist attractions such as a Planetarium and a grass Amphitheatre for hosting events.

The whole complex will include residences, a green school, a community center, an equestrian centre, solar covered parking lots and an organic farm

The sustainable city in Dubai will not only manage its own waste, it will rely on solar power

Faris Saeed, CEO of Diamond Developers, who are leading the city project, added: 'Dubai is a truly global city and is expanding in new and interesting ways every day. The Sustainable City will set the standard for environmental standards and will include a number of interesting tourist attractions as well as venues to attract business events and meetings.

'Hotel Indigo is the perfect brand for this new community and with IHG's strong track record of operating hotels in the UAE, we're confident the hotel will be a success here.

'We look forward to working with them to open Hotel Indigo Dubai The Sustainable City.'

Dubai was not renowned for being self-sufficient some years ago; the hope is by 2020 is will be globally known as so

TSC is expected to meet the highest environmental, social and commercial sustainability standards by adopting a sustainable approach in its quest to become a regional leader in eco-tourism and global environmental protection.

IHG currently operates 18 hotels in the UAE, with another 10 hotels due to open in the next three to five years.

Baharash Bagherian and his company Baharash Architecture was the lead designer for Phase 2 of the operation, and speaking to MailOnline Travel he said: 'It's about the experience of eco-tourism; while things are aimed at lowering the footprint, it can also prove to be an educational experience.

'Tourists will come to Dubai, and they will not only have to live within the rules of the city, but they will also get to see how the local live their lives too.

Until a few years ago Dubai was at the very bottom of the list for being self-sufficient; now by 2020 the aim is to be at the top.'

Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/travel/travel_news/article-3087751/Dubai-goes-green-Plans-unveiled-ambitious-Sustainable-City-desert-100-solar-powered-hotel-organic-farms-grass-amphitheatre.html#ixzz3ak8855ua