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Coordinates: 24°25′45″N 54°37′6″E / 24.42917°N 54.61833°E / 24.42917; 54.61833
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== References ==
== References ==
{{reflist}}
{{reflist|2}}


== External links ==
== External links ==
* [http://www.masdarcity.ae/ Masdar City official website]
* [http://www.masdarcity.ae/ Masdar City official website]
* [http://www.masdar.ae/ Masdar Initiative official website]
* [http://www.masdar.ae/ Masdar Initiative official website]

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[[Category:2006 establishments]]
[[Category:2006 establishments]]
[[Category:Development projects in Abu Dhabi]]
[[Category:Development projects in Abu Dhabi]]

[[Category:Planned cities]]
[[Category:Planned cities]]
[[Category:Norman Foster buildings]]
[[Category:Norman Foster buildings]]

Revision as of 01:50, 15 July 2010

Masdar
مصدر
Walled city
Rendering of the future Masdar City from the air
Rendering of the future Masdar City from the air
CountryUnited Arab Emirates
EmirateAbu Dhabi
Initiated2006
Government
 • ChairmanAhmed Ali Al Sayegh
 • CEOSultan Ahmed Al Jaber
Area
 • Total6 km2 (2 sq mi)
Time zoneUTC+4 (Iraq Summer Time)
WebsiteMasdarCity.ae

Masdar (Arabic: مصدر, maṣdar, literally the source) is a project in Abu Dhabi, in the United Arab Emirates. Its core is a planned city, which is being built by the Abu Dhabi Future Energy Company, a subsidiary of Mubadala Development Company, with the majority of seed capital provided by the government of Abu Dhabi.[1][2] Designed by the British architectural firm Foster + Partners, the city will rely entirely on solar energy and other renewable energy sources, with a sustainable, zero-carbon, zero-waste ecology. The city is being constructed 17 kilometres (11 mi) east-south-east of the city of Abu Dhabi, beside Abu Dhabi International Airport.

It will host the headquarters of the International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA).[3][4]

Design and intent

The project is headed by the Abu Dhabi Future Energy Company (ADFEC).[5] Initiated in 2006, the project is projected to cost US$22 billion and take some eight years to build, with the first phase scheduled to be complete and habitable in 2009.[6][7][8] The city is planned to cover 6 square kilometres (2.3 sq mi) and will be home to 45,000 to 50,000 people and 1,500 businesses, primarily commercial and manufacturing facilities specialising in environmentally friendly products, and more than 60,000 workers are expected to commute to the city daily.[7][9][10] It will also be the location of a university, the Masdar Institute of Science and Technology (MIST), which will be assisted by the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT).[11][12] Automobiles will be banned within the city; travel will be accomplished via public mass transit and personal rapid transit systems, with existing road and railways connecting to other locations outside the city.[9][13] The absence of motor vehicles coupled with Masdar's perimeter wall, designed to keep out the hot desert winds, allows for narrow and shaded streets that help funnel cooler breezes across the city.[1]

Masdar City will be the latest of a small number of highly planned, specialized, research and technology-intensive municipalities that incorporate a living environment, similar to Novosibirsk, Russia or Tsukuba Science City, Japan.

Partners in the project through its Clean Tech Fund are Consensus Business Group, Credit Suisse and Siemens Venture Capital.[14] Construction of the first phase of the project is being managed by CH2M HILL. Infrastructure construction for the city will be handled by the Al Jaber Group and design of the central Masdar headquarters building has been awarded to Adrian Smith + Gordon Gill Architecture.[2][8][15]

Renewable resources

Masdar will employ a variety of renewable power resources. Among the first construction projects will be a 40 to 60 megawatt solar power plant, built by the German firm Conergy, which will supply power for all other construction activity.[9][16] This will later be followed by a larger facility, and additional photovoltaic modules will be placed on rooftops to provide supplemental solar energy totalling 130 megawatts. Wind farms will be established outside the city's perimeter capable of producing up to 20 megawatts, and the city intends to utilise geothermal power as well.[9][17] In addition, Masdar plans to host the world's largest hydrogen power plant.[6]

Water management has been planned in an environmentally sound manner as well. A solar-powered desalination plant will be used to provide the city's water needs, which is stated to be 60 percent lower than similarly sized communities.[6] Approximately 80 percent of the water used will be recycled and waste water will be reused "as many times as possible," with this greywater being used for crop irrigation and other purposes.[9][13]

The city will also attempt to reduce waste to zero. Biological waste will be used to create nutrient-rich soil and fertiliser, and some may also be utilised through waste incineration as an additional power source. Industrial waste, such as plastics and metals, will be recycled or re-purposed for other uses.[13]

Reaction

The project is supported by the global conservation charity World Wide Fund for Nature and the sustainability group BioRegional. In response to the project's commitment to zero carbon, zero waste and other environmentally friendly goals, WWF and BioRegional have endorsed Masdar City as an official One Planet Living Community.[18][19]

Some sceptics are concerned that the city will be only symbolic for Abu Dhabi, and that it may become just a luxury development for the wealthy.[6]

References

  1. ^ a b "Masdar plan". The Economist. 2008-12-04. Retrieved 2009-06-09.
  2. ^ a b Hope, Bradley (2009-02-09). "Al Jaber secures Masdar deal". The National. Retrieved 2009-06-11. {{cite news}}: Unknown parameter |coauthors= ignored (|author= suggested) (help)
  3. ^ Al Lawati, Abbas (2009-06-29). "UAE to host Irena HQ". Gulfnews.com. Retrieved 2009-07-01.
  4. ^ Lawton, Michael (2009-06-29). "Renewable energy agency to call United Arab Emirates home". Deutsche Welle. Retrieved 2009-07-01.
  5. ^ "The Masdar Initiative: Introduction". MasdarUAE.com. Retrieved 2009-06-09.
  6. ^ a b c d "Work starts on Gulf 'green city'". BBC News. 2008-02-10. Retrieved 2008-05-10.
  7. ^ a b "Masdar City: Fast facts". MEED. 2008-02-17. Retrieved 2008-05-10.
  8. ^ a b "Bush Previews Abu Dhabi's Planned Carbon Neutral, Car Free City". Environmental News Service. 2008-01-14. Retrieved 2008-05-10.
  9. ^ a b c d e Dilworth, Dianna (2007). "Zero Carbon; Zero Waste in Abu Dhabi". BusinessWeek. Retrieved 2008-05-10. {{cite journal}}: Unknown parameter |month= ignored (help)
  10. ^ Carvalho, Stanley (2009-01-15). "First Solar to help power Masdar, UAE's green city". Reuters UK. Retrieved 2009-06-09.
  11. ^ "Masdar Institute of Science and Technology". MasdarUAE.com. Retrieved 2009-06-09.
  12. ^ "MIT, Abu Dhabi Future Energy Company sign cooperative agreement". MIT.com News Office. 2007-02-26. Retrieved 2008-05-10.
  13. ^ a b c Palca, Joe (2008-05-06). "Abu Dhabi Aims to Build First Carbon-Neutral City". National Public Radio. Retrieved 2008-05-10.
  14. ^ "Masdar Partners". MasdarCTF.com. Retrieved 2009-06-09.
  15. ^ "Masdar HQ to be Located in World's First "Positive Energy" Mixed-Use Building" (Press release). Masdar.ae. 2008-02-20. Retrieved 2009-06-09.
  16. ^ "Abu Dhabi, Germany's Conergy sign solar power deal". Reuters UK. 2007-07-02. Retrieved 2008-05-10.
  17. ^ Hamner, Susanna (2007-08-06). "World's first carbon-free city". Business 2.0 via CNNMoney.com. Retrieved 2008-05-10. {{cite news}}: Italic or bold markup not allowed in: |work= (help)
  18. ^ "WWF, Abu Dhabi unveil plan for world's first carbon-neutral, waste-free, car-free city" (Press release). World Wildlife Fund via Panda.org. 2008-01-13. Retrieved 2009-06-09. {{cite press release}}: Italic or bold markup not allowed in: |publisher= (help)
  19. ^ "One Planet Living: United Arab Emirates Endorsed Community - Masdar City" (Press release). BioRegional.com. 2008-01-08. Retrieved 2008-04-23.

24°25′45″N 54°37′6″E / 24.42917°N 54.61833°E / 24.42917; 54.61833

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