UAE-based renewable energy firm Masdar said more than 35 per cent of the planned built-up area at its 'Masdar City in Abu Dhabi' project  will be ready within the next five years.

One of the world’s most sustainable urban developments, Masdar City said it is helping the Middle East’s real estate industry to acquire valuable green building expertise as it continues to expand.

A significant proportion of the built-up area work will done by third-party developers whose projects will be realised as per stringent environmental standards, it stated.

Third-party developments include a six-floor office block and upscale private apartments and townhouses, to be completed within the city’s existing footprint by the end of next year by Tristar Real Estate, a subsidiary of the UAE-based conglomerate Tristar Holdings.

A new campus of Emirates College of Technology, the Abu Dhabi-based private higher education institution, and a new Gems Education school are also among the third-party projects planned, said a statement from Masdar.

These and other developments will meet a minimum ‘3 Pearl’ rating under the Abu Dhabi Urban Planning Council’s green building standards framework, Estidama, meaning they will be designed to be up to 40 per cent more water and energy efficient than comparable existing buildings, while also using more environmentally friendly materials in their construction.

The Masdar City campus of the Emirates College of Technology aims to incorporate robotic parking technology to maximise the efficient use of space, widening the adoption of architectural and civil engineering innovation in the region.  

On the project, Anthony Mallows, the executive director of Masdar City, said it is a template for sustainable urban development, and its evolution is taking place in partnership with a growing community of developers, investors and private sector companies.

"This community is actively contributing to and benefiting from the sustainable building practices and advanced technologies deployed in the realisation of the city, whether it’s the application of renewable energy, energy- and water-saving processes, or the use of low-carbon cement and recycled metals," he noted.

"At the same time, Masdar City is raising the bar for sustainable urban development through the various R&D (research and development) initiatives and demonstration projects active on site, such as the Eco-Villa Prototype now under construction," he added.-TradeArabia News Service