Incubator Exterior 21 at Masdar City
The first precept that reporters learn while traveling through the United Arab Emirates is that oil has a finite life and that the county is getting ahead of that curve by focusing now on clean energy. As such, in 2008 it started building a city-of-the-future that it named Masdar City, which has the goal of becoming the world’s most sustainable province — and a magnet for like-minded multinational companies.
The Emirates, or the UAE, has relied on the cash generated by the oil industry — money that it has used to build hospitals, schools and roads. But the nation’s leadership understands that technology is radically reshaping society and it has thus created a 2030 plan to steadily change and expand its economic base.
A trifecta consisting of the economy, the environment and society is the base from which leaders are implementing technologies, committing to timelines and generating returns, which is providing the citizens job security and quality of life. Smart cities can be replicated around the world. But each region has its culture and its climate that would make their endeavors unique. The underlying premise is that innovation and sustainability are paramount.
“We have to be ready to celebrate the last export of a barrel of oil,” says Yousef Baselaib. executive director for sustainable real estate in Masdar City. “It is cheaper to produce solar than to use a conventional gas plant. But it is not 24-7. No matter how many megawatts, we still need backup and we are investing in research and development such as energy storage.”
The city is powered by a 10-megawatt solar farm that is connected to the local grid. Each building in the complex is also equipped with solar panels. Director Baselaib says that every structure on campus is certified by the highest efficiency standards: there’s been a 30% decrease in water consumption and a 35% reduction in energy since 2008. At the same time, the narrow streets and cozy buildings are kept naturally cool while the local avenues use only unmanned electric vehicles.
Specifically, the buildings are geared to gather intelligence and to send that data to the cloud where it is harnessed. Analysts have access to the information, enabling them to use preventative maintenance. Next-generation artificial intelligence, meantime, will eventually do most of that work.
Can The Ideas Be Replicated In The U.S.?
Masdar City Courtyard. UAE
Right now, 2,000 people live in the Masdar community. It intends to double that next year. The city will eventually house 50,000 people. Today, Masdar City is home to 715 businesses that range from start-ups to state-owned enterprises as well as multinationals including Siemens, Honeywell, Schneider and Lockheed Martin
At the heart of this ecosystem is the Mohamed bin Zayed University for Artificial Intelligence, which will begin its programs in September 2020. The institute is the world’s first research-drive graduate university that focuses on such matters.
“The attitude starts from the top,” says Stephen Severance, head of program management for Masdar, who began working on the model city when it was just sand. “Leaders are ready to ‘celebrate’ the sale of the last barrel of oil. But they have created a reasonable pace of change. They have created a safety net while they continue pushing forward.”
By building a model city in the desert, the country aims to enlist name brand companies from around the globe. The goal is to be a catalyst for sustainability and to provide the in-house expertise for those incoming enterprises, all to help them meet the highest efficiency standards and to save money.
Masdar City is a braintrust — a compilation of the best minds that urban developers have recruited. To bring them in, the area offers a lifestyle while the companies have ready access to three continents: Asia, Africa and Europe. The country also serves the regional market with modern aviation, ports and highways. Citizens and companies generally pay no taxes.
The reality is that 90% of the people living in the UAE are ex-pats while 10% are Emiratis. It is an inclusive society in which all nationalities are embraced and welcomed. The best-and-brightest are finding a home there because the broader society is a role model for sustainable living while progressive values are blending well with the UAE’s more traditional mores.
What makes the achievements of Masdar City and the UAE even more compelling is that the region has long been reliant oil and gas. Now, though, it realizes that it needs to expand its reach into all forms of energy — and that it can export those same ideas while leveraging its capital: The country has at least $2.2 billion invested in renewable energy projects around the world
“This is not Appalachia. The UAE has undergone the greatest amount of change of anywhere in the world,” says Lukas Sokol, head of city design and sustainability for Masdar.
“The pressure of change has come, forcing the UAE to use new technologies to create a better life for its people,” he adds. “Any place can become better. There’s been an improvement in the quality of life for 50 years. The adoption of technology has been working. There has to be a willingness to change. If it is for the better and it can be demonstrated, the people will adopt it and adapt to it.”
Thriving in the 21st Century means embracing change and preparing for economic shifts. It means moving beyond an industrial society and into a digital and sustainable era. Resistance is natural and complacency is easy. But those countries and communities that are moving forward are those that are proactive. And Masdar City and the UAE are the perfect examples — a region that is becoming a role model by providing sustainable living and quality of life.
