Hamdan bin Zayed visits Masdar City and inspects EcoVilla

Sheikh Hamdan bin Zayed Al Nahyan, the Ruler's Representative in the Western Region, visited Masdar City in Abu Dhabi today.

Also present were Sheikh Theyab bin Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan; Dr Sultan Ahmed Al Jaber, Minister of State and Chairman of Masdar, Abu Dhabi Future Energy Company; Mohamed Hamad bin Azzan Al Mazrouei, the Under-Secretary of the Ruler's Representative Court in the Western Region; Sultan bin Khalfan Al Rumaithi, Director of the Office of Ruler's Representative in the Western Region; Saif Badr Al Qubaisi, Director General of the Abu Dhabi Housing Authority; Falah Mohamed Al Ahbabi, Director General of the Abu Dhabi Urban Planning Council; Atiq Khamis Hamad Al Mazrouei, Acting Director General of Western Region Municipality; and a number of other Masdar officials.

Sheikh Hamdan toured Masdar City, Abu Dhabi’s flagship sustainable urban development, and was briefed on the Eco-Villa prototype formally unveiled at the city during Abu Dhabi Sustainability Week.

Sheikh Hamdan bin Zayed Al Nahyan said: "Under the leadership of President His Highness Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan, the UAE is embracing sustainability to ensure the wellbeing of tomorrow’s generations. Thanks to the sustainable development strategy supported by His Highness Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi and Deputy Supreme Commander of the UAE Armed Forces, new economic sectors are emerging, offering the potential for further growth. Initiatives such as Masdar focus on promoting innovation and the adoption of clean technologies, in turn securing a better lifestyle for UAE communities."

Dr Al Jaber said: "We are honoured to receive His Highness Sheikh Hamdan bin Zayed Al Nahyan at Masdar City. Today’s visit illustrates his invaluable support for Masdar City’s mission and the commitment of the UAE to sustainable development. Masdar has made tremendous strides over the last decade to advance commercially viable solutions in sustainable living. Its progress has acted as a beacon to encourage the rapid development of the sustainability sector in the region and throughout the world."

Developed by Masdar, the Eco-Villa prototype is a fully furnished, four-bedroom residential property that uses energy- and water-saving technologies and best practices to minimise both its environmental impact and running costs.

The objective of the prototype is to develop viable and cost-effective practices in sustainable real estate development that may be applied on a wider scale.

The Eco-Villa uses approximately 72 per cent less electricity and 35 per cent less water than a standard villa of the same size in Abu Dhabi. It is designed to meet a 4 Pearl rating according to the "Estidama" framework for the sustainability of buildings developed by the Abu Dhabi Urban Planning Council.

Eighty nine rooftop solar panels generate as much electricity as the Eco-Villa consumes from the electricity grid. Moreover, the Eco-Villa costs about the same amount to build as conventional villas.

The Eco-Villa is walking distance from the Masdar Institute of Science and Technology, the world’s first graduate university specialising in advanced energy and sustainable technologies and the core of Masdar City.

The total residential population of Masdar City is expected to exceed more than 3,500 within the next three years. Today, the city is home to around 300 students of the Masdar Institute, and more than 2,000 apartments are either in design or under construction.

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