A glimpse into the future: Masdar City–the world’s greenest place on earth

Ok, this is not a science fiction story I’m about to share with you. Although if it were, I’d be one of the first to read it…especially since it pertains to the future of our planet.

So check this out. The city of Masdar in Abu Dhabi located in the United Arab Emirates (together with The Worldwide Fund for Nature) “launched a Sustainability Action Plan to deliver the world’s greenest city – Masdar City. Located near Abu Dhabi International Airport, Masdar City will be the world’s first zero-carbon, zero-waste, car-free city, aiming to exceed the 10 sustainability principles of ‘One Planet Living™’– a global initiative launched by the Worldwide Fund for Nature and environmental consultancy BioRegional.” ::Source: The Masdar Initiative

Model of the future city with 50,000 inhabitants

Here are some of the green details as stated by The Masdar Initiative:

ZERO CARBON: 100 per cent of energy supplied by renewable energy – Photovoltaics, concentrated solar power, wind, waste to energy and other technologies

ZERO WASTE: 99 per cent diversion of waste from landfill (includes waste reduction measures, re-use of waste wherever possible, recycling, composting, waste to energy)

SUSTAINABLE TRANSPORT: Zero carbon emissions from transport within the city; implementation of measures to reduce the carbon cost of journeys to the city boundaries (through facilitating and encouraging the use of public transport, vehicle sharing, supporting low emissions vehicle initiatives)

Check out the car rail system…How fun! That definitely appeals to my inner 7 year old.

SUSTAINABLE MATERIALS: Specifying high recycled materials content within building products; tracking and encouraging the reduction of embodied energy within materials and throughout the construction process; specifying the use of sustainable materials such as Forest Stewardship Council certified timber, bamboo and other products

SUSTAINABLE FOOD: Retail outlets to meet targets for supplying organic food and sustainable and or fair trade products

SUSTAINABLE WATER: Per capita water consumption to be at least 50 per cent less than the national average; all waste water to be re-used

HABITATS AND WILDLIFE: All valuable species to be conserved or relocated with positive mitigation targets

CULTURE AND HERITAGE: Architecture to integrate local values.

EQUITY AND FAIR TRADE: Fair wages and working conditions for all workers (including construction) as defined by international labour standards

HEALTH AND HAPPINESS: Facilities and events for every demographic group

Sound like a green utopia? Maybe. Or maybe, world leaders are starting to catch on to higher thinking in terms of dealing with the global crisis And just maybe, Masdar City will lead other world cities into doing the exact same thing and we’ll be out of this mess before it’s too late. That thought gives me the goose bumps all over…