Why food-water-energy nexus must be at heart of tomorrow’s communities

As the world marked key sustainability observances last month, including World Food Day, World Energy Day, and Sustainability Day, these moments offered more than symbolic milestones. They served as timely reminders of the inextricable link between three of humanity’s most vital resources: food, water, and energy. 

In a rapidly urbanising, resource-constrained world, the concept of the food-water-energy nexus is not just an academic phrase but rather a blueprint for resilient, future-ready communities. According to the United Nations, the nexus approach recognises that water, energy and food security are “equally important, linked by interdependencies” and central to 14 out of the 17 Sustainable Development Goals. 

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In the UAE, and particularly in Sharjah, this interconnectedness matters profoundly. With water resources under pressure, energy demand growing, and the imperative for local food production strengthened by global supply-chain risks, the country’s strategic frameworks reflect this reality. The UAE’s Food Security Strategy 2051, for example, sets out to bolster domestic production while adapting to climate change-driven water scarcity. 

At Shurooq Real Estate, our landmark project, Sharjah Sustainable City, embodies a purposeful response to this challenge. Positioned as Sharjah’s first fully sustainable master-planned community, it spans 7.2 million sq ft, features 1,250 villas and is powered by rooftop solar panels while treating 100 % of its wastewater for irrigation. Residents have access to biodomes and urban farms, where chemical-free vegetables and greens are grown on-site, waste is recycled into usable materials, and green mobility is encouraged.

Why does this matter? Because designing for the nexus is designing for resilience, affordability and liveability. When energy systems are efficient and solar-enabled, there is a positive impact on household bills, resulting in significant savings. When water is reused and waste is recycled, environmental impact shrinks and communities become healthier. When urban farming and local production are integrated, food security rises and citizens reconnect with their environment. In short, a sustainable lifestyle is also a better lifestyle economically, socially and environmentally.

Behavioural change remains a central part of this evolution. Real-estate developers, architects, and planners can provide the infrastructure, but the true success of the food–water–energy nexus also depends on how residents use, share, and value resources.

At Sharjah Sustainable City, we regularly engage residents through workshops and other community initiatives, covering a wide range of topics including urban farming, composting, energy saving, and sustainable art. Indeed, as global research shows, building low-carbon or energy-efficient communities is only half the story; the other half lies in how occupants behave within them.

Sharjah’s broader sustainability vision sets a strong context. Through Shurooq and its partners, the emirate is positioned as a leader in regenerative urbanism and green infrastructure. The city’s recent move to electrify its public-bus fleet with low-emission vehicles is just one example of a government-driven shift across sectors. 

Looking ahead, the challenge for real-estate stakeholders and policy-makers is clear: to embed the food-water-energy nexus in the DNA of new developments, not as an add-on but as a foundational pillar. That means designing homes and neighbourhoods that use less fresh water, generate clean energy, produce local food and treat waste as a resource. It means making sustainable living the default, not the exception.

At Shurooq, we are already building for that future through developments like Sharjah Sustainable City, which is a working model.

Our ambition is to help shape communities where sustainable resource management is seamless, where everyday behaviour aligns with environmental goals, and where cities remain vibrant, affordable, and future-thinking.

As we observe global milestones for food, energy and sustainability, let us remember: the next generation of communities will not succeed if these systems remain siloed. The nexus is the path forward. It is a path that connects homes to nature, people to purpose, and cities to the planet.

The writer is Chief Real Estate Officer, Shurooq