City Update: Abu Dhabi, UAE

Masdar city will be the home to the new Irena HQ.

The emirate of Abu Dhabi is growing apace amid the city’s ambitious urban structure framework plans to reveloutionise the region over the next 21 years. Yas Island - the new home of Formula 1 racing; the huge waterfront development Al Raha Beach; and the unique structural designs of buildings like the Aldar HQ have given tourists and investors a new reason to visit the UAE capital.

Because of this, you’d be forgiven for thinking the launch of the first zero-carbon, zero-waste city is simply part of the country’s strategy to keep turning heads of investors and potential residents.

And, in truth, Masdar City is a head-turner. It has all the qualities of a mega project; it is worth a total value of US $22 billion (AED80.8 billion), it’s spread across 6 million m² and, once complete, it will become home to 50,000 people and 1500 businesses. But, most importantly, it is setting a benchmark for sustainable building both in Abu Dhabi and the rest of the world.

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Swiss Village Association (SVA) is one firm that is active in the project. Last week, CW learned that Swiss Village, set to be 200,000m² of built up area, will break ground at Masdar City early next year. It will serve as a home for Swiss companies such as the Swiss embassy, educational offerings, as well as residential and commercial buildings.

“For Switzerland and Abu Dhabi, it’s about creating links for tech transfer and wider co-operation, mutual brand association,” says co-founder and CEO of the Foundation of Global Sustainability Nick Beglinger, who is also a partner of Maxmakers, a real estate and infrastructure advisory firm based in Zurich, Switzerland, which has also acted as Masdar’s financial advisor since 2006.

The news followed the recent signing of a Memorandum of Understanding between Swiss Village Association (SVA), with Masdar to develop the project.

“Masdar and Swiss Village go to the limit of what is today technologically feasible,” Beglinger adds. “Their aim is to set a reference case of what is achievable today - and that’s 100% renewable energies, nearly zero waste, and a zero carbon balance.”

The development will be built in accordance to the Minergie sustainable building standard, which was launched by SVA and is expected to be completed between 2011 and 2012.

But, while Masdar City is proof that the UAE capital is working towards building sustainability – after all, it will be the new destination of the International Renewable Energy Agency – it isn’t the only green project that Abu Dhabi is focusing its efforts on.

As a strategic partner of the Environment Agency, Abu Dhabi (EAD), the Norwegian Institute for Air Quality (Nilu) is responsible for monitoring the air quality and noise in the emirate.