Masdar enters new phase of development following first study

Some of the experience gained from the Masdar City project is already influencing the wider city of Abu Dhabi and the Emirate as a whole, such as the valuable transfer of knowledge to aid the development of the locally based 'Estidama' environmental rating system (similar to LEED).

The masterplan has been designed from the outset to be highly flexible, in order to anticipate and incorporate emergent technologies, as well as to respond to lessons learnt during the implementation of the first phases of the project. This flexibility has allowed for exploration into, for example, off-site power generation and a transport strategy that links into the wider Abu Dhabi network.

This study marks an important stage in Masdar's evolution which has been under development for 3 years, in preparation for the next phase of construction. Further mixed-use phases of Masdar City are now being prepared for imminent start on site.

Lord Foster commented:

"We are honoured to be working on the quest for the world's first sustainable city - and we are excited to be able to review the project at this important moment - with the benefit of many lessons learned over the past three years. Masdar has far reaching significance as a test-bed and an integrated urban research project of unprecedented scale and ambition. It shows a commitment to infrastructure at the highest political level that is vital for the future of cities, demonstrating the potential for significant reductions in terms of energy consumption, with lessons for wider, global application. I very much hope that by example it will encourage other bold initiatives around the world."