A new Emerald City?
Abu Dhabi, the capital of the United Arab Emirates, has begun working on what it is calling the world’s first zero-carbon, zero-waste, car-free city. This suburb of Abu Dhabi City is called Masdar City. The city, which will cost $22 billion to build, is projected to be completed in eight years from now, however the first phase is slated to open in 2009 and it is designed to have 50,000 residents. Some of the major green features include extensive solar power, desalination plants, and design efficiencies projected to require 25% of an equivalent city’s electricity and 40% of the water.
As the BBC notes in the article, critics contend that “Abu Dhabi has one of the world’s biggest per capita carbon footprints [and] fear Masdar [City] may be just a fig leaf for the oil-rich Gulf emirate.” Abu Dhabi, which is funding much of Masdar City, is hoping the project will also lead to other profitable green ventures.
Where the Venice LEED house we reviewed this morning was a high-end showcase that will be difficult for average individuals to emulate, Masdar City will be a high-end showcase that will be difficult for average governments to emulate. Not many countries have the cash resources, let alone physical space, available for such a project. Nonetheless, Masdar City will set an example that hopefully will spur other nations to take action (albeit presumably on a less grandiose scale).
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