Go Green Abu Dhabi

On a scale of one to 10, how environmentally conscious are you? Even if you’re not a tree-hugging eco-warrior, if guilt niggles at you when you throw out a takeaway container, then you’ll want to know all about Abu Dhabi Sustainability Week.

When you threw out your 2013 diary, old mobile or latest shampoo bottle, did you wonder where they went? Or where our water comes from? And does your office recycle paper?

From 18-25 January, over 30,000 people including heads of states, energy ministers, urban planners and academics will gather at the World Future Energy Summit to discuss these and other questions at Abu Dhabi National Exhibition Centre (ADNEC) as part of Abu Dhabi Sustainability Week.

The summit is not open to the public, but the consequences of it will affect us all, as the experts will be tackling energy, water and environmental issues such as recycling and transporting water to arid regions, debating how to accelerate the global use of renewable energy, and examining ways to make water energy a global issue.

The summit is part of the government’s long-term goal to increase the non-oil share of the economy from 40 per cent to over 60 per cent by 2030, by expanding sectors such as education, banking, tourism, pharmaceuticals, media, transportation and manufacturing. This long term plan is better known as Abu Dhabi Economic Vision 2030.

Naji Haddad is the director of the World Future Energy Summit. He says, ‘Innovation is key, which is why ADNEC will also be hosting a green careers fair to attract talent into the sustainable sector. This will include workshops on renewable energy. But to achieve our long-term goals, we need investment, so the show will also host a project and finance village to showcase new and upcoming environmental and low carbon projects and cutting edge technologies.’

But as the experts discuss Abu Dhabi’s energy and sustainability challenges of the future, TOAD wants to know how sustainable the city is now – and what we can do to make it even greener.

Naji Haddad says, ‘Part of the summit will be a sustainability living expo, which will showcase a prototype of a sustainable hotel suite for the first time. Visitors can also see an actual-size eco-friendly home.

‘But this isn’t a home of the future – it’s the home of today. All the products, from the LED energy-efficient lights and recycled carpet to the insulated walls, already exist. Even the paint reflects heat so walls don’t absorb it. All those products are on sale now, so all consumers have to do is make the choice to invest in them.’
10am-6pm. ADNEC, Khaleej Al Arabi Street, www.abudhabisustainabilityweek.com, www.worldfutureenergysummit.com (02 444 6900).

Abu Dhabi in action

With eight per cent of proven global crude oil reserves, Abu Dhabi is one of the world’s leading producers of oil, and the Emirate also owns the sixth largest natural gas reserves.

But supplies won’t last forever. That’s why the Emirate is investing heavily in renewable and sustainable energy research and technology. But what action has already been taken?

Masdar City, next to the airport, is a government initiative named after the Arabic word for ‘the source.’

The city is a global model for sustainable urban development. The 500-hectare community – the same size as Lulu Island – is currently the site of organic cafes, research and development centres, Masdar Institute of Science and Technology and student accommodation, but there are plans in the pipeline to build residential apartments over the next two decades.

A green print for the future, Masdar City has been built with sustainable or recycled materials. Any leftover wood is turned into mulch to conserve moisture in landscaping, while the buildings are designed to exploit natural sunlight where possible.

Lifts are hidden to encourage residents to use the stairs, narrow streets mean one building shades the next, while restaurants are close to offices to encourage people to walk between them.

For greater distances, residents can hop in one of 12 available electric cars. There is also a personal rapid transit system made up of nine pods, which transport people around the city at speeds of up to 40kph. The driverless pods resemble cable cars and are run by lithium batteries powered by solar energy. They follow an invisible track of magnets embedded under the road – making the whole system look like something from a sci fi film.

A living laboratory, the city’s pioneering technology doesn’t stop there. All of the city’s energy is generated by a solar plant, which reduces the equivalent of 300,000 cars’ carbon emissions. A modern wind tower, meanwhile, directs wind into a courtyard. Sprinklers cool it on the way down, encouraging residents to spend more time outside.

Off-site, the city is responsible for Shams 1, the biggest renewable energy plant in the world. The solar plant is in the desert, and provides enough energy to power 20,000 homes.

Water is reused for fountains and plants, rain water is collected and by the end of 2014 a new desalination plant will be up and running so the city will no longer need to rely on the municipal water system.

These efforts, along with environmentally-friendly LED lights that switch off when not in use, recycle bins and school education programmes, have created a pilot project that combines living and working environments with the lowest possible ecological footprint.

But how does Masdar City affect the average Abu Dhabi resident? Well, the city is playing a key role in helping The Abu Dhabi Fund for Development achieve its target of seven per cent renewable energy by 2020, while its long-term goal is to expand its technology and knowledge globally.

So watch this space. You may well be hot-footing it to work in a sci-fi pod before you know it.