The Masdar Initiative in Abu Dhabi is an ambitious USD $22 Billion project that aims to be the world’s first zero-carbon, zero-waste, car-free city. The city design is a “microchip-like” layout within walls, with with northern wall raised to baffle airport noise, and other perimeters design to deflect sunshine or allow predominant sea breezes into the city to naturally cool it.
The development area covers 640 hectares within six square kilometers, and is designed to have an eventual population of 47,500. The development is being designed by the renowned British design firm Foster + Parnter. The expected completion date is 2016.
The first infrastructure stage is a photovoltaic power plant, that went online in December 2007, and has contributed 5,500 kilowatt hours of electricity since then. The first step of the development is the creation of the Masdar Institute of Science and Technology (MIST), the world’s first graduate university dedicated to renewable energy.
The city is designed to be a compact, high-density layout, with zero carbon emissions, zero waste, and zero use of fossil fuels. Waste will be recycled 100% within the city walls.
Water will come from desalination plants, and will be recycled to be used for tree and food plantations. As the population and water use grows, so to will the number of trees. Inhabitants will also enjoy locally grown produce.
Free of cars, the city will rely on electrical personal rapid transit tied to a higher-speed and longer route light rail system. The compact city layout means that noone will be more than 200 meters from transit. The light rail system will link the development with the center of Abu Dhabi, adjacent developments and the airport.
Learn more about this development at http://www.masdaruae.com/.
{ 6 comments… read them below or add one }
insanly cool. hope it’s succesful. at least there will be one city with no pollution at all. soon the whole world will start building cities like this if possible. and finally our world will be pollution free. and just a question. What about Tsunami, earthquakes etc. how is that going to be prevented?
Who will live in Masdar?
when the population maximum has been exceeded how will the city constrol its ever growing popualtion?
For Question no 2. & 3. – If I was the chosen one, man I would love to live in Masdar. And for the Q # 3, its an experimental city! If this city could be constructed with all its constraints, then it will be possible to analyze the pros and the cons to make the world a carbon free place. With all our dependence on fossil fuel and to eliminate it through out our system, there will be cons, however, its not possible to see them with out experimenting. And one good point about your question is, if the population exceeds the maximum, then you would at least answer people can live and multiply in this kind of city, which basically answers some questions.
I am not an expert in this project, I am just a fan and that is how I see the Masdar Project.
I am very privilidged to be working on this project and believe me if the rest of the city is going to be as impressive as the science and technology building it will be a fine place to live considering it is in the middle of the desert a big thankyou goes out to the person who dreamt up this concept !
Disgusting idea, looks like a prison. It’ll be like growing up on an industrial estate. There is nothing green about it