Uzbekistan Builds 2-Million-Person Sustainable City

A country in Central Asia is building an entire city from the ground up, and sustainability is written into every blueprint.

Uzbekistan officially launched New Tashkent in March 2023, laying the foundation stone for what will become home to 2 million people. The 20,000-hectare city sits strategically between two rivers near the current capital, designed to absorb explosive population growth while introducing green urban living to the region.

The timing couldn't be more critical. Tashkent's official population stands at 3.1 million, but the daily count swells 30 to 35 percent higher with students and workers flooding in from across the country. With 98 of Uzbekistan's 222 universities concentrated in the capital, the pressure on housing, transport, and utilities has reached a breaking point.

New Tashkent offers a fresh start. Every building is being designed to meet international green standards like LEED, BREEAM, and EDGE, ensuring energy efficiency and healthy living spaces. Green roofs will regulate temperatures during scorching summers, while rainwater collection systems will reduce flood risks and conserve precious water resources.

Energy infrastructure takes center stage in the master plan. The city will tap into existing hydropower while adding a massive 400-megawatt solar farm currently under construction. An additional 100-megawatt solar farm will sit within city limits, alongside a tri-generation facility that converts waste into heat and electricity.

Urban planner Timur Ahmedov notes that improving building efficiency by just 20 percent could save over 900 million kilowatt-hours annually. That's energy they simply won't have to generate in the first place.

Transportation follows the 15-minute city concept, where residents can reach essential services within a quarter-hour walk or bike ride. A 21-kilometer metro line will connect New Tashkent to the capital, while reintroduced tram lines will glide through dedicated corridors. Eight multimodal hubs will let people seamlessly switch between metro, tram, bicycles, and buses.

The city's radial design puts people first. Essential services cluster in the center, with residential neighborhoods radiating outward in a pedestrian-friendly layout. Green corridors weave through the entire urban fabric, creating ecological zones that connect different districts.

The Ripple Effect

New Tashkent will create 200,000 high-income jobs driven by innovative technology, offering economic opportunity alongside environmental progress. As more than half of Uzbekistan's 37 million people now live in cities, this project provides a roadmap for how rapid urbanization can happen sustainably.

The city represents more than bricks and solar panels—it's a bet that thoughtful planning today can create livable, breathing cities for tomorrow.