The techno-urban phenomenon we now call a smart city became widespread in the 2010s. Many metropolises worldwide have risen to the challenge of several interconnected global shifts, driving new developments that set the latest benchmarks for truly smart and sustainable living.
However, some cities go beyond merely meeting expectations — they redefine them. NEOM and Masdar City in the Middle East are among the most ambitious pioneers, reshaping urban living through intelligent design aimed at minimizing the negative impacts of modern cities while creating ideal model communities for the future.
Redefining Urban Movement
Today, traffic congestion is worsening in the world’s major cities. Even as road expansions are implemented, they fail to meet the ever-growing demand for efficient transport systems. In Japan’s largest cities, train rush hours are so extreme that commuters are literally pushed into train cars to accommodate the overwhelming number of passengers. Airports resemble bustling marketplaces rather than streamlined transit hubs and highways often look more like parking lots than efficient roadways.
According to TomTom’s Traffic Index, the world’s most congested city, Barranquilla, Colombia, requires nearly four hours to travel just six miles during rush hour, causing residents to lose at least 126 hours per year in traffic. In contrast, Thousand Oaks, California, in the United States, takes just 18 minutes to cover the same distance. Today, 1.475 billion cars pollute the earth’s roads. If you include motorcycles in the mix, the additional 600 million bikes equals a total of 2.075 billion vehicles.
Urban design and policy are critical in making transportation more efficient. Masdar City prioritizes pedestrian-first urban planning, encouraging sustainable alternatives such as walking and cycling over car-dependent transportation. The city was built with no private cars in mind, instead relying on its Personal Rapid Transit (PRT) system — a driverless, electric vehicle network that minimizes congestion and pollution. This zero-emission transport system knits different parts of the city while preventing the traffic issues common in conventional urban areas.
Meanwhile, NEOM’s THE LINE takes transportation efficiency to an even greater level. Spanning 170 kilometers, the city is designed without cars or roads, relying solely on a high-speed rail system that enables an end-to-end journey in just 20 minutes. This radical reimagining of mobility not only reduces carbon emissions but also enhances accessibility and convenience, setting a new global benchmark for urban transportation.
A Commitment to Net-Zero Emissions
The world’s annual energy consumption has reached an alarming 580 million terajoules, equivalent to 13,685 million tons of oil. Both NEOM and Masdar City are pioneers in attempting to reduce their environmental impact through optimized building design and sustainable energy solutions.
Masdar City is a global leader in clean-tech innovation, operating one of the largest solar photovoltaic plants in the Middle East, which generates 17,500 megawatt-hours of clean power annually. Additionally, the city’s smart infrastructure incorporates optimized natural lighting and passive cooling design, reducing energy demand even in the harsh desert climate of the UAE. As a result, buildings in Masdar City consume 40% less energy and water than conventional structures.
NEOM, on the other hand, is committed to achieving 100% clean energy across all sectors, with ambitions to expand its impact worldwide. At Oxagon, NEOM is constructing the world’s largest carbon-free green hydrogen plant, set to integrate up to 4 GW of solar and wind energy to produce 600 tonnes of carbon-free hydrogen annually by the end of 2026.
A People-Centric Approach
One of the criteria of smart cities isn’t just focusing on technology. It’s being people-centered. It must be designed with an emphasis on its residents’ well-being. In Masdar City, the integration of technology has allowed smart cities to prioritize people’s needs. The green parks within the city highlight the importance of interaction with green public spaces and the lack of private cars also makes it pedestrian-friendly.
However, NEOM’s urban city development, THE LINE, takes the quality of life higher for its residents — by incorporating zero-gravity living where humans live amidst conserved nature. This radical approach addresses both population explosion and environmental challenges at once. It’s also on the way to creating a 5-minute city where its nine million inhabitants are provided equitable access to amenities and services, all within a few minutes. Eliminating commute stress allows residents more free time to engage in leisure activities and family and social interactions.
Future-Proofed Cities
The increasing ocean and atmospheric temperatures bring more disastrous events, making disaster-resilient smart cities necessary to ensure the safety of their inhabitants. Its innovative design allows for its infrastructure to adapt to climate conditions such as extreme heat, droughts, floods, dust and sandstorms. Additionally, it also aims to reduce its contributions to the heating planet. Masdar City’s net zero goal by 2050 makes it an eco-oasis blueprint for other sustainable cities to follow suit.
Meanwhile, climate change was influential in the design of the ambitious Line City. NEOM envisions a city that represents a self-sustaining model metropolis fit for resilient urban living. Its ambitious goal is to provide an ideal year-round climate for its residents, combining the best possible balance of sunlight, shade and natural ventilation.
Leading the Future of Sustainable Urbanization
NEOM and Masdar City offer a glimpse into the future of smart, sustainable cities and what man can do with technology at their disposal. With their innovative approaches to infrastructure, transportation, energy and governance, these cities set a precedent for urban development worldwide. They not only showcase the potential of renewable energy but also demonstrate how sustainability and human-centric design can coexist.
As climate change and rapid urbanization challenge the world, cities like NEOM and Masdar City provide a roadmap for the future — one where technology and nature harmonize to create smarter, greener and more liveable spaces for all.
