Zero Emission Neighbourhoods Case Studies

Zero Emission Neighbourhoods

Case Study Masdar City, Abu
Dhabi, United Arab Emirates

A Zero-Carbon, zero-waste
and car-free city
Summary What is it?
Abu Dhabi is mostly desert. However, by 2009 Masdar City, a
Project Benefits carbon-neutral city of 6 square kilometres housing 50,000 people
will be built. The city will have net zero greenhouse gas emissions,
Carbon emissions* zero with no oil or gas burnt on-site.
Zero waste* zero The first phase of the development, initiated by the Government of
Abu Dhabi through Mubdala Development Company in cooperation
Water consumption 50%* with BioRegional, Foster & Partners and WWF UAE, is scheduled to
reduction be habitable in 2009.
Water recycling 80%*
Mobility A fossil-fuel-free, solar-powered
personal rapid transit system*
*Development targets

Location
Masdar City is being constructed 17 kilometers from
the city of Abu Dhabi in the United Arab Emirates.

Overall size
Masdar City will cover 6 square kilometers and will be
home to 50,000 people and 1,500 businesses. An
expected 40,000 workers will commute to the city daily.

Project partners
It is an initiative by the Government of Abu Dhabi through
Mubadala Development Company together with BioRegional,
Foster & Partners and World Wildlife Fund for Nature (WWF) UAE.

Project status
Initiated in 2008, it will take around eight years to build,
with the first phase scheduled to be complete and habitable
in 2009. Above Masdar City Aerial Shot Credit ©Foster & Partners
Zero Emission Neighbourhoods Case Studies

Water conservation The 10 ‘One Planet Living®’ principles are:

Around 80% of water will be recycled on-site through different 1. Zero Carbon
mechanisms. The intention is to reuse water as many times as 2. Zero Waste
possible. For instance, leftovers from watering crops will be
captured through irrigation recovery. This mechanism works by 3. Sustainable Transport
collecting leftover water from the top soil, after irrigation through
an underground collection system. The collected water can then be 4. Local and Sustainable Materials
used for other purposes. 5. Local and Sustainable Food
Landscaping within the site will be irrigated with grey water and 6. Sustainable Water
treated waste water produced by the city’s water treatment plant.
7. Natural Habitats and Wildlife
Through these different mechanisms, water consumption will be
reduced by over 50%, in comparison to the Abu Dhabi baseline. 8. Culture and Heritage
9. Equity and Fair Trade
Energy conservation
10. Health and Happiness
Masdar City’s carbon emissions will be zero.
Solar panels and solar collectors on roofs and elsewhere will generate
enough electricity to meet most of Masdar City’s needs. Additionally,
narrow streets and shaded walks will reduce the need for air- Further information
conditioning and the city will be oriented north-east to minimise
the amount of direct sunlight on buildings’ sides www.masdar.ae/en/home/index.aspx
and windows. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Masdar_City
As much of the construction equipments is powered by gas, some http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/science/nature/7237672.stm
carbon dioxide will be released into the atmosphere during the
construction phase. This emission will be offset by planting trees www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=90042092
or putting surplus solar energy back into Abu Dhabi’s national
power grid. www.fosterandpartners.com/Projects/1515/Default.aspx
www.bioregional.com/oneplanetliving/uae/masdar
Waste to energy
www.oneplanetliving.com/index.html
All waste in Masdar will be recycled, re-used or converted to energy.
No waste will go to landfill. All organic waste will be re-used as
fertilisers for landscaping or converted into energy through digesters.

Transport system
Private vehicles will not be allowed in the city.
Designers envision an emission-free transport system called a
personal rapid transit (PRT) system. Solar-powered cars will run
under the city like a subway system. The cars won’t run on fixed
routes but will take their passengers directly to their destination.
PRTs represent an energy-efficient way of moving people among
roughly 1,500 stations.

Materials and resources

Material needed for construction, such as recyclable plastic, will be
re-used or recycled. Preliminary plans are being made for recycling
the concrete used in city buildings when the city is ultimately torn
down some time in the future.

‘One Planet Living®’ community

The project is supported by the global conservation charity WWF
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.