Masdar City: Transsolar KlimaEngineering

Masdar City is a new ecologically-oriented urban development situated 30 kilometres east of Abu Dhabi. “At the beginning, there was the conviction that respon­sible dealing with our environment necessitates to give up nuclear energy sources, to cut down the utilization of fossil fuels and to increase the use of solar energy and other regenerative energies.”
Masdar City aspires to be completely supplied by renewable energies and to act as example for ecology aware construction. This planning approach is based on subjects that have become more and more important in recent years, such as energy costs and energy savings, accompanying the development of our society. “The more a society develops, the more its needs become challenging, also those to be fulfilled in buildings.” Urban planners, architects, scientists and engineers from ­all over the world participate at the unique project Masdar City to transform this city into the archetype of most modern, environmentally aware and sustainable urbanisation in the United Arab Emirates.

Already in February 2008, construction of the ecological city started. Completion has recently been predicted for 2025. The International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA) will open its headquarters here.
By consistent recycling and zero CO₂ emissions, Masdar City will be nearly waste-free and supplied entirely by renewable energies. For example, fresh air corridors and parks will traverse the building area, decreasing the ambient temperature of the buildings significantly compared to the city of Abu Dhabi. Masdar City will be appraised as the prototype of a sustainable, future-oriented city.
Transsolar has been mandated to establish the development plan for climate engineering, identifying the necessary potential energy savings, and to develop directions to create an energy-autarkic and state-of-the-art city.

To achieve highest possible user comfort with lowest possible impact on the environment is an essential aim of the city’s design. Therefore, innovative climate and energy concepts have been developed to create a CO₂-neutral city.

Today, Transsolar has offices in Stuttgart, Munich and New York and has realised more than 500 projects. Matthias Schuler is one of the most renowned designers in the area of innovative, resource-friendly building, working together with well-known architects from all over the world such as Foster + Partners, Jean Nouvel, SANAA, Murphy/Jahn and Renzo Piano.