The first net-zero office building in the city will be located in a new construction that will be housed in Masdar City, Abu Dhabi’s sustainable neighborhood.
Masdar City Square will cover 29,000 square meters and feature seven single and multi-tenant office buildings, plus a parking facility, enhancing Masdar’s contribution to the UAE’s net-zero by 2050 strategy.
Work on the development will begin this year and is scheduled for completion in 2024.
The building will use no more energy than it produces by integrating energy efficiency-focused design and systems, and renewable energy technologies, Masdar said.
“The MC2 Headquarters building will be immediately identifiable by its innovative solar photovoltaic panel canopy,” it said.
Six of the buildings will be 4-Pearl Estidama, LEED Platinum, and WELL Gold certified. LEED Platinum is the highest certification provided by the Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design program, used to evaluate the environmental performance of a building and encourage market transformation towards sustainable design.
Masdar City Square will be located adjacent to Masdar City’s existing development, which is centered around the Mohamed bin Zayed University for Artificial Intelligence and the Siemens Middle East Headquarters.
The new development will incorporate the existing International Renewable Energy Agency headquarters and will include courtyards, a daycare, an amphitheater plaza, shaded pedestrian boulevards, a fitness center, a meditation room, and more.
Faithful+Gould, a member of the SNC-Lavalin Group, has been awarded a project management consultancy services contract, while global architectural and consulting firm Woods Bagot will handle design and construction supervision consultancy.
Masdar City opened in 2010. All buildings within it are mandated to achieve at minimum a 3-Pearl Estidama rating, meaning they are designed to reduce energy consumption by at least 40 percent and reduce water consumption by at least 40 percent, compared with regular buildings.
