Today we need "carbon neutral" cities running on clean energy. Masdar, a global platform for open engagement in the search for sustainable development, will show how this can be done.
The world may soon see the Arabian Gulf in an entirely new light - the land of hydrocarbons having "carbon neutral" cities running on clean energy, leaving no "ecological footprint" - if the attention Abu Dhabi's Masdar initiative has received is anything to go by. Launched only in April 2006, Masdar, Abu Dhabi Future Energy Company, is a global cooperative platform for open engagement in the search for energy security, reversing global warming, and truly sustainable human development.
Last month, Masdar's project for a "zero-carbon zero-waste zone" in the heart of Abu Dhabi was chosen as the "Sustainable City of the Year" at the Euromoney and Ernst & Young Global Renewable Energy Awards 2007. Promoted by the Renewable Energy and Finance Forum (REEF), it is Europe's top event for the renewable energy finance community. REFF conferences unite public and private investors, project developers and executives from across the renewable energy, technology and corporate funding sectors worldwide. Delegates and members of the public can vote in the Global Renewable Energy Awards, which recognise projects, companies and individuals who have made significant contributions to the renewable energy sector.
"We are honoured by this gesture of trust and confidence from our peers in the industry," said Dr Sultan Ahmed Al Jaber, CEO, Masdar. "This is a valuable recognition of Masdar's commitment and vision of a clean energy future and a significant impetus to move forward." The award shows the centrality of the Masdar initiative in the global renewable energy sphere.
In June, Masdar had received the first World Clean Energy Award from the Transatlantic21 Association in Basel, Switzerland. In September, Dr Al Jaber joined global decision makers in New York at the third annual meeting of the Clinton Global Initiative (CGI). Created by former US president Bill Clinton, CGI aims to stimulate innovative solutions to some of the world's most pressing challenges by bringing together the world's best minds and problem solvers.
Dr Al Jaber is on the CGI Energy and Climate Change panel, which will develop mechanisms for political, corporate and civic leaders to work together to promote renewable energy and prevent global warming. Along with Dr Al Jaber on the panel are Ted Turner, Chairman, Turner Enterprises, Inc; Jim Rogers, Chairman, President & CEO, Duke Energy; Mindy Lubber, President, Ceres; Daniel Esty, Professor of Law & Policy, Yale University and David Sandalow, Energy and Environment Scholar, The Brookings Institute. "Being invited by President Clinton to be on the panel is a great honour," said Dr Al Jaber. "But more importantly, it provides Abu Dhabi a seat at the table in international efforts to solve the great energy and environmental challenges of our time. It also positions Abu Dhabi as a major clean energy player."
"Masdar City," the carbon-free zone, is being designed as a 6 sq km, car-free walled city by Foster + Partners. "They have provided us with a challenging design brief that promises to question conventional urban wisdom at a fundamental level," said Norman Foster.
"The environmental ambitions of the Masdar Initiative - zero carbon and waste free - are a world first. Masdar promises to set new benchmarks for the sustainable city of the future." The design, unveiled at the Cityscape conference in Abu Dhabi, is rooted in the Arabic tradition of walled cities, relying on construction features that resist high temperatures, including extra shading and slab cooling. The new city's stone-and-mud walls will be covered with photovoltaic panels. Power will also come from solar panels integrated into rooftops and a 20-MW wind farm. The water source will be a solar-powered desalination plant. To be built in two stages and scheduled to open in late 2009, Masdar City will house the Abu Dhabi's Future Energy Company's headquarters, commercial and manufacturing space for eco-friendly products, residential units, and the Masdar Institute of Science and Technology, which will focus on education and research in core energy and sustainability.
The concept is not just architecture, but a way of living, said Al Jaber. Drawing up the tender document itself was a challenge, as the unusual terms had to be understood clearly, and Masdar's experts made sure that the five companies shortlisted were really responding to expectations. "We began with the rule that there will be no vehicles on the site," said Al Jaber. People will go around via a rapid transit system. However, no location would be more than 200 metre from a link in the public transport system. Designed with shaded walkways and narrow streets, a pedestrian-friendly environment will be created. This will be complemented by the world's first personalised electric transport system. It will have small electric driver-less cabs carrying up to six passengers at a time. A passenger will be able to choose from designated destinations throughout the city.
The Masdar team is now moving on to developments within the master plan, inviting firms to do business. "We are not trying to attract the usual investor, but those committed to the environment, and willing to adapt," said Al Jaber. "The objective is zero carbon, and every element in this project will be expected to respect this goal."
Al Jaber does not think that it will be all that tough to win over the right investors. Technologies for the concept are available, but working on a small scale. The aim is to develop and deploy them in Masdar City. "Everything will be designed to save energy. If you don't need to have light, it will switch itself off. Air conditioning will operate only when somebody is in the room," he said.
"The whole concept is life - everything is for life." The project has been designed using the principals of "One Planet Living," a set of ten guiding principals of sustainability, proposed in a joint initiative by WWF and Bioregional Development, whereby everyone lives within their fair share of the Earth's resources.
Indeed, technology may be the easier part. The challenge, points out Al Jaber, is not technology, but mind-sets and biases. "This will be a very different way of living, and it means people must change their ways. We need new attitudes. The people here will be pioneers. This will be the biggest challenge." But he is quite confident of making the vision a reality. "We are not saying it will be easy. We are more than ready to face the challenges. This is a very inspirational project. We believe a lot of people will come and help this work." Al Jaber has set great store on educating people about the concept. The Masdar CEO, energy-conscious as he is, will nevertheless "devote a lot of energy to communicating the details" to all.
Masdar's commitment to education is indeed deep. The Masdar Institute is being set up in cooperation with the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, for which an agreement was signed in December 2006. MIT will help the Masdar Institute become a regional engine for technology-driven growth by combining cutting-edge research with high-calibre education. It will also have extensive collaboration with other leading global institutions. This will be done through the Masdar Research Network, a collaborative framework with institutions like the Imperial College, London, the Tokyo Institute of Technology, and the German Aerospace Centre.
Masdar City is thus only a part of the initiative. An Innovation and Investment Unit is identifying new green technologies and will help investors commercialise them. This is expected to help start-ups as well as established firms adopt new processes. The Carbon Management Unit will develop ways to cut carbon dioxide emissions and fight global warming.
A Special Projects Unit is developing large-scale capital-intensive projects like solar power plants - Masdar has already launched a $ 350-million, 500-MW solar power plant which will begin generation in 2009. "Solar power is ideally suited to the region," says an expert with Masdar, as power demand peaks in the middle of the day for air conditioning. Photovoltaic systems can reduce home-energy demand by more than half. "Masdar," which means "resource," is no mirage. The initiative is visionary, but also practical, and an investment the future may reward with greater wealth than what oil has brought - indeed, it might well prove a veritable cornucopia.
© Construction World 2007
