World's First Sustainable City

Pilot air conditioning systems in Masdar City, a development project in the world's first sustainable city, on the edge of Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates. The city will have a sustainable energy system, waste utilization, and also carbon neutral activity.

Original Text by ANDREAS MARYOTO executive summary by Darmansjah Godjali

 
 

In the midst of various issues concerning the global environment, an ambitious project being built in the United Arab Emirates. The project is not a joke! An urban development project with almost all systems in the city with the concept of sustainable development.

If all goes well, Masdar City in United Arab Emirates will become the world's first sustainable city. This project began construction in 2008. In 2010 these two buildings has been completed, the first building of six main buildings and the Masdar Institute of Science and Technology. In 2013 the company expects to be operational in the first place.

In this case, Masdar City, located on the outskirts of the capital Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates-will be a city that applying carbon neutral, sustainable utilization of waste, and using renewable energy. Understanding carbon neutral is an existing activity does not increase the production of carbon dioxide into the atmosphere or if the carbon dioxide in the use of carbon dioxide is also in the same amount.

Cities within 17 kilometers from downtown Abu Dhabi will be a special economic zone inhabited by corporate managers, researchers, and academics from several countries. When Compass visited in mid-December, people from several countries working at the venue.

"Masdar City development vision is to build sustainable cities in all corners of the city," said Director of Masdar City, Alan Frost when met journalists from several countries in Masdar, UAE, in a media visit program implemented by General Electric Middle East and Africa.

With the concept of sustainability, Masdar City will be supplied from sustainable energy utilization of sunlight energy. Currently being conducted pilot projects of energy generation. For the generation of 40-60 megawatts of electricity, they are building solar power plants of cells.

They continue to make effective use of sunlight for maximum electricity production. Other energy supply from geothermal, wind power, and use of waste to electrical energy. On the other hand, they are also carrying out research efforts that could be done so that the city's energy use could be 51 percent lower than the settlement in general.

Construction of air conditioning systems using energy from sunlight was tested. This system is called solar thermal cooling system. This simple system can be called cool the room by using sunlight energy. There is also a mention of green AC.

"We were testing this system. If successful, this system can be used to make air conditioning, "said Project Manager Pilot Solar Cell Cooling System Simon Brauniger.

This cooling system will first use of electricity from sunlight for the compression system, and both will use heat to activate a chemical compound that can produce cold water which serves to cool the room. Surely they keep the details of this project because it is associated with a patent.

Problem air conditioning is important because the cooling system becomes very important for the cities in the Gulf region. During summer, air temperatures can reach above 40 degrees celsius. During this time, the use of energy requires a large cooling. To that end, the cooling system with solar power is expected to push overall energy use and sustainable energy use.
Utilization of waste

In addition to researching air conditioning systems. They are also being researched the manufacture of water heaters for the needs of citizens, also using sunlight. This method is relatively better known. However, they are still looking for efficient ways to produce hot water.

For the utilization of waste, Masdar City estimates 95 percent of waste will be recycled. Masdar City will also use low-carbon material. The city will attempt to minimize water usage up to 54 percent compared with other cities in general.

Area of ​​Masdar City reached 700 hectares or about 3.7 million square meters. The city is projected to be home to 40,000 residents. Population density estimated 140 residents per hectare. Developers have calculated that the amount of urban land use. The details are as much as 52 percent residential, 38 commercial area, two percent for retail businesses, and 18 percent for the good of the community.

Other trials that have been implemented are the use of personal rapid transit (PRT) to transport residents. PRT is run using electricity. So there is no conventional car in this place. When the media requests, this transport can be used and has terminals to lower and raise the passenger. Domestic capacity as much as 6 people.

At the project site has established the Masdar Institute of Science and Technology. This institution is an educational institution that focuses on future energy and sustainable technologies. Students are expected to practice this institution directly with the development of sustainable cities.

 

City of the future
Masdar City project is managed by the Abu Dhabi Future Energy Company, a company under the group Mubadala is owned by the Government of the United Arab Emirates. In addition to building the city of Masdar, Abu Dhabi Future Energy Company Masdar Carbon also oversees, Masdar Energy, Masdar Institute of Science and Technology, and Masdar Capital.

General Electric is a strategic partner of Masdar City. The company would set up the Ecomagination Center in the city. The institute will promote businesses that are sustainable and build the research that supports the use of technology in the city as clean-tech city.

"Masdar City and Abu Dhabi is a good site for General Electric to build the first Ecomagination Center. We see many opportunities to implement sustainable technologies in these areas, encouraging new innovation, and harness the interest and willingness to use technology, "said President and CEO of General Electric Middle East and Africa, Nabil Habayeb.

For just about energy, Masdar City is an example of how a company take a holistic approach to energy issues, both in terms of generation, transmission, and consumption. During this time, cities in the world has always had a lot of energy-related issues.

If the future has been completed, at least the world has examples of how a city in the future. Example for those who would build a city worthy of its citizens, but also protecting the environment. In Masdar City will eventually reflected how people experience life and work everyday.