A luxury eco-resort in Saudi Arabia is gaining recognition for protecting its environment with a net-zero energy and water design.

Located on an island in the Red Sea, 25 km from the Saudi Arabian shoreline, Shebara features 73 guest villas. Mangroves, desert flora, dunes, turtle nesting areas, and coral reefs surround it.

The resort, designed by Killa Design for Red Sea Global, operates off-grid with net-zero energy, water-free, and waste-free systems. The project team constructed, fitted out, and commissioned the villas offshore to help preserve the island’s natural environment.

Shebara minimizes its physical footprint through its elevated design. The design cantilevers the accommodation spaces above the coral restoration areas, setting them back more than 50 m (164 ft) from the natural coral reef.

This approach limits the ground impact to only a few square meters at the base of each supporting column. This allows the accommodation pods to hover directly above the marine ecosystem, allowing guests to observe the fish, birds, and turtles in the area.

The resort includes its own 110,000 m² (1,184,030 sf) solar farm. It also features desalination and reverse osmosis systems, as well as sewage and water reclamation treatment plants.

The project incorporates recyclable materials, native landscaping, and electric land and marine vehicles to reduce its carbon footprint.

The LEED Platinum-certified resort offers educational programs focused on regenerative mangrove expansion, coral gardening, and turtle nesting enhancement.