i think you need to decide on the location before deciding on other needs. maybe this site provides enough wind for a windmill that can power a house? or enough sunlight throughout the year for a solar panel? just how can you benefit from the natural resources that this area provides? i think the solution to most of the issues a city faces will be in the site since its getting build from ground zero. also, if it's rural with no roads then what kind of construction material should be applied? maybe bricks and concrete isn't the right way to go due to it's embodied energy. i just think that the site is the most important aspect to think of before, while, and after designing.