Türkiye's One Planet Habitat unveils self-sufficient luxury living model

One Planet Habitat — a residential project under development in Türkiye's western Izmir province — claims status as the world's first fully self-sufficient luxury living model, with developers saying the settlement will generate its own energy, recover water on site and produce food without pesticides while withstanding earthquakes through carbon-fiber reinforcement.

New civilization model

The company described the development as "The Settlement of a New Civilization" in an official statement, noting that the model represents six years of research by a multidisciplinary team of academics, engineers, architects and nutrition specialists. "Some projects build new houses. We are building a new way of living for the generations to come," the company said, adding that the design can be adapted to different climates and income levels. Citing a May 2026 UN Environment Programme report stating that buildings account for roughly 37% of global carbon-dioxide emissions, the company said One Planet Habitat was designed to answer that reality through a Passive House insulation envelope, on-site solar generation and extensive tree planting across the settlement.

Redefining luxury

Payiz Yesil, a board member and director of sustainability at IZKA Construction, said the project redefines luxury for the future. "The luxury of the future is not larger homes or more expensive materials," Yesil said. "True luxury is being able to sustain yourself without depending on anyone — knowing your energy will not be cut, that you can reach your water with confidence, and that you can produce your own healthy food," she added, noting that the aim was not to isolate residents but to build resilient settlements capable of continuing without interruption when external systems come under strain.

Passive House standard and food production

The homes will be built to the Passive House standard developed by the Germany-based Passive House Institute — a measure that reduces heating and cooling energy by up to 90% through unbroken insulation, triple-glazed windows and heat-recovery ventilation. This marks the first collective application of the standard in Türkiye, according to the company, with AI-supported infrastructure operating integrated energy, water and food cycles that adjust to residents' daily rhythms. Water management will rely on rainwater harvesting, controlled groundwater use and greywater treatment, while food production centers on aquaponic systems combining plant cultivation with fish farming.

Each household will receive annually 800 kilograms of vegetables across 35 varieties, 500 kilograms of fruit across 30 kinds, 75 kilograms each of fish and shrimp, plus fresh eggs, dairy and honey — all grown without pesticides, the company said. The aquaponic systems use up to 90% less water than conventional agriculture, according to the UN Food and Agriculture Organization, with scientific calculations determining each family's annual nutritional needs.

Construction and philanthropic vision

IZKA Construction — which holds NATO Facility Security Clearance and reports completing more than 35,000 homes over three decades — will use carbon-fiber reinforcement technologies inspired by aerospace engineering to improve seismic performance beyond standard building codes. In a written statement, the Board of One Planet Habitat said: "Humanity is searching for ways to build a self-sustaining life on the Moon and Mars. We wished to answer the same question first for our own planet. The future of humanity does not have to begin on another planet; the future can be built on Earth today."

The board said the founder's entire share of proceeds will be transferred to the One Planet Habitat Foundation to support scientific research and nature protection, inspired by the philanthropic traditions of Andrew Carnegie and Jamsetji Tata. Applications for the limited number of villas have been accepted since Aug. 10, 2026, with candidates evaluated individually to form a community aligned with the project's living philosophy.