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Tafilelt, as a new urban extension in the south of the ancient ksar of ben-Isguen in the M'Zab Valley of the Algerian Sahara, seems to have a considerable potential for sustainability. It is worldwide recognized as a sustainable and ecological city in a country which is not entirely involved in these concepts. One of the main factors of this qualification seems to be the association between the ancient know-how of the 11th century and the new notion of sustainability of the 20th century. The first objective of this paper is to understand Tafilelt's black box to contribute to the current debates on the correlation between the reinterpretation of heritage values and sustainable development. The second objective is to produce knowledge on the importance of the contemporary reinterpretation of the vernacular and socio-cultural built heritage and the role of this process in safeguarding the image of the M'Zab Valley. This research work is based on a qualitative analysis supported by the on-site observational study methods. The approach is at once descriptive, explanatory, and prescriptive, attempting to analyze the case of Tafilelt city, measure its potential in sustainable urban environment, and produce knowledge on the importance of a contemporary reinterpretation of the vernacular and socio-cultural built heritage. The results show that a significant potential is found in the use of vernacular resources and the reinterpretation of the built and socio-cultural heritage of the region. The latter seems to be defined as an essential operation for achieving urban and societal sustainability, which succeeds in making people react, bringing them together and unifying them. Within this context, the paper looks at how Tafilelt's civil society has approached urban sustainability and discusses the importance of its principles, objectives, and strategies inspired from the M'Zab's heritage and vernacular resources. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]