What is the Smartest City in Europe?
With London previously taking the top spot for smart technology infrastructure, which European city has emerged as 2024’s smartest? The Smart City Index uses...
Read Full ArticleMasdar City is being hailed as a best-in-class example of an eco city of the future and a hub for cleantech companies.
Located in Abu Dhabi, the city was built by Masdar, a UAE-government-owned renewable energy company. The initial plan was for the city to act as a “greenprint” for sustainable living, becoming home to one of the Middle East’s largest clusters of high performance buildings.
ThisWeekinFM spoke to Chris Wan, Masdar City’s Associate Director of Sustainability and CSR to ask about what makes Masdar City different from other eco cities.
"Masdar City is already a blueprint for future cities. We’ve been pioneering sustainable urban development since 2008—long before sustainability was on trend."
–Chris Wan
Associate Director of Sustainability and CSR, Masdar City
Masdar City uses design to minimise energy consumption as much as possible. For example, building envelopes are airtight and well-insulated, and windows are placed and angled strategically to minimise direct sun while maximising natural light. On average, our buildings use 40 per cent less energy and water than conventional equivalent buildings.
For the remaining energy requirements, we use as much clean and renewable energy as possible within the business case. While we’re still connected to the grid, we have a 10 MW solar farm on the outskirts of the city, and another 1 MW of solar panels on rooftops throughout the city to generate solar power. The number of solar panels will increase in the next few years as we have three net-zero energy projects in progress, with more in the works.
Another way Masdar City conserves energy is through operations and maintenance. Design and construction can be extremely sustainable, but how a building’s occupants use that building has a significant impact on energy use. We’re prioritising green building use through education and sustainability programs. We’re also rolling out plaques in the lobbies of our buildings that will show energy use water use as well as waste management data in real time. Recently, we received LEED Gold ratings for operations and maintenance on three of our older buildings.
Picture: a photograph of Chris Wan. Image Credit: Masdar City
Social sustainability is one of our major sustainability pillars – we’re building developments for tomorrow’s workforce, which means they’re sustainable, technology-forward, and flexible. The Link, a new mixed-use development under construction, will feature a net-zero energy building called Co-Lab that will be a shared working and living space, meaning that entrepreneurs, small-business owners, and other professionals on the move will have the option of working and living flexibly within the same building.
Masdar City is already a blueprint for future cities. We’ve been pioneering sustainable urban development since 2008—long before sustainability was on trend. We’ve used sustainable urban design principles to make outdoor temperatures as comfortable as possible to encourage walking and other sustainable transportation methods. Our buildings use 40 per cent less water and energy than conventional buildings. We make extensive use of solar power, and we have three net-zero energy buildings in the works.
Other cities and developments have been learning from us for years—we regularly host heads of state and other professionals at Masdar City, and we share our expertise at events around the world.
The other sustainable developments in progress are a sign that we’re meeting our goal of becoming the world’s reference point for sustainable urban development.
We use smart technology throughout the city to maximise sustainability. Our buildings use smart systems to monitor energy usage, and we’re in the process of rolling out digital plaques in our building lobbies that report on energy and water use and waste management in real-time.
We also use a lot of smart technology in transportation. We’ve pioneered two generations of electric, autonomous, shared vehicles in the last decade at Masdar City, and they’ve carried over 2.5 million passengers. The next generation of autonomous transportation is in the works.
Picture: a photograph of one of the buildings in Masdar City. Image Credit: Masdar City
Article written by Ella Tansley | Published 28 June 2023
With London previously taking the top spot for smart technology infrastructure, which European city has emerged as 2024’s smartest? The Smart City Index uses...
Read Full ArticleRepresentatives from The Chartered Institution of Building Services Engineers attended COP28 in Dubai. CIBSE President Adrian Catchpole and CEO Ruth Carter represented...
Read Full ArticleLibraries, theatres and leisure centres in the South East of England are being targeted for carbon emission reduction in association with SSE Energy Solutions and Medway...
Read Full ArticleEquans and Valeo have launched their partnership to create intelligent and low-carbon cities of the future at the VivaTech trade show in Paris. The companies will work...
Read Full ArticleA study from a PropTech platform has revealed the ten European cities that are best prepared for a smart future – but which city has topped the list? Using...
Read Full ArticleFirst announced in January 2021 by His Royal Highness Mohammed bin Salman, Crown Prince of Saudi Arabia and Chair of the NEOM Company Board of Directors, THE LINE is...
Read Full ArticleRinnai, in collaboration with Toyota and Woven Planet, is working on an innovative new application of hydrogen for food preparation. All three companies share a...
Read Full Article15 minute city concepts have been demonstrated in Paris, Adelaide, London and Dublin. But is the concept as new as we might have thought? Watch the...
Read Full ArticleAfter almost two years of stops and starts due to the pandemic, enduring resilience is defining the built environment – that’s according to Gensler’s...
Read Full ArticleThe Smart Centres Index has published its latest findings on the world’s best hubs for the development of new technology. The global ranking is updated every six...
Read Full Article