The Dharma... Masdar Initiative

Abu Dhabi is doing big things and it’s going to benefit the world for decades to come. Recently and initiative has begun where Abu Dhabi is working with international partners to create the first city with a zero carbon footprint, it's called 'Masdar'. The city was designed by the British Architectural firm Foster and Partners and it’s a perfect example of DTI. A vastly wealthy country that has gained success through natural resources and international partnerships has decided to create a visionary city of the future. Although the videos and photographs may create thoughts of Utopian cities and the Jetsons, this dream is becoming a reality. Imaginative, Scientific and vastly wealthy people were able to stand at the edge of the dessert and create whatever came to mind. It is not very often that people make the statement, “Money is not object”. For Masdar this was the case.

I’m excited about this project because innovation and concern over environmental impacts has enabled Abu Dhabi to look at the state of the world and realize that a city needed to be built that was a working, breathing and successful world class city that did not rely on antiquated paradigms of the past. Masdar will be a model for new communities around the world. The combination of an environmentally friendly city, that encourages economic growth, but not at the expense of the communities living or environmental standards is a huge leap forward in urban planning.


The vision of Masdar: “Masdar Initiative, a global cooperative platform for open engagement in the search for solutions to some of mankind's most pressing issues: energy security, climate change and truly sustainable human development.”
The creation of a city where research, business and sustainable development will drive economic growth shows great hope for the future. As stated before many civilizations are judged by their impact on history. From the Roman Aqueducts to the Pyramids, many civilizations have left their mark; I believe Masdar is a testament to our generation but also a beacon of hope for environmentalists and developers around the world.
The project is estimated to cost 22 billion dollars. Some of the notable partners that have come on board with Masdar are General Electric, BP, Royal Dutch Shell, Mitsubishi and Rolls Royce to name a few. Photovoltaic solar plants and wind farms will help fuel the city’s need for energy. The projects are being developed with Abu Dhabi’s ‘Future Energy Company’.

Foster and Partners had the following to say in regards to the Masdar project: 'The first project as a result of the Masdar Initiative is a new 6 million square meter sustainable development that uses the traditional planning principals of a walled city, together with existing technologies, to achieve a carbon neutral and zero waste community. Masterplanned by Foster + Partners, the initiative has been driven by the Abu Dhabi Future Energy Company, and will be a centre for the development of new ideas for energy production'.

The University that will be established to help advance the research in sustainable energy is the Masdar Institute of Science and Technology (MIST). The Masdar Initiative is an exciting project that challenges developers around the world to question how cities will be built from now on. The project is estimated to complete in 2027.