Abu Dhabi - Visit to Masdar City

I was in Dubai in April 2011 to attend the 59th UITP World Congress.

On the back on of the Congress, I made a visit to Masdar City in Abu Dhabi which is only just over an hour's drive away. Masdar aims to be the first carbon neutral city in the world.

Here, in the heart of the desert, thousands of dedicated people, billions of dollars and years of effort are coming together to achieve a groundbreaking goal: the world’s first entirely carbon-neutral, zero-waste city... constructed from scratch !

Masdar City will be a clean technology research hub, designed to rival Silicon Valley. Commissioned by the Abu Dhabi Future Energy Company, the city’s five and a half square kilometres will be home to 50,000 people, 1,500 businesses and some 40,000 daily commuters, and will strive to be entirely self-sufficient for all energy needs.

Some 80 percent of water will be recycled. In addition to solar and biomass conversion, other renewable sources of power under consideration include geothermal, hydrogen and wind. Biological waste will be used to create fertiliser, whilst industrial waste will be recycled or re-used.

This is an experiment of colossal proportions, with no historical frame of reference. Yet it’s also a serious business venture with a tight schedule and savvy project managers. The question is, how do you manage a build of this scale? How can you contain costs and manage cash flow of such vast sums of money? And how do you prove to the watchful eyes of the world that the entire build is, and always will be, completely carbon-neutral?


Watch a video on the concept of this city here .


Masdar City's website is found here.

If you like to know more about the developments of Masdar City, read this very interesting presentation " Building the World's Most Sustainable City"

Transportation

Along with a public metro line and light rail, Masdar's driverless cars, or Personal Rapid Transit (PRT) vehicles were at the core of Masdar City's public transportation strategy.

After touring Masdar City, I can personally attest to the fact that cruising around in a driverless electric car that is pre-programmed to take you to the next station at the touch of a button is a remarkable experience. However, it is a rather expensive option since such vehicles are really not proven to work when the demand is high. Whilst the ride and the look of the vehicle is good, we have to wait and see it the technology is really reliable and cost effective.

Watch the PRT video here. 

All these features are very interesting, but will Masdar become the world's greenest city. Read Jan 25 2011 Time magazine's article ... Masdar: World's Greenest City ?