An impression of Masdar HQ by day
Chicago architecture firm Adrian Smith + Gordon Gill Architecture (AS + GG) is to design Masdar's headquarters in Abu Dhabi’s Masdar City. The city is set to be the world’s first zero-carbon, zero-waste fully powered by renewable energy.
The headquarters will be the world’s first large-scale, mixed-use 'positive energy' building, producing more energy than it consumes. In addition to being the location of Masdar HQ, the building will accommodate private residences and businesses starting up in the city.
Dr Sultan Al Jaber, CEO of Masdar, said: “We know Adrian Smith + Gordon Gill Architecture share our vision for Masdar’s headquarters. This building is at the heart of Masdar City, and its net positive energy design and new innovations will reflect our mission of developing sustainable future energy solutions.”
Design plans include numerous systems that will generate a surplus of the building’s energy, eliminate carbon emissions and reduce liquid and solid waste.
The complex will utilise sustainable materials and feature integrated wind turbines, outdoor air quality monitors and one of the world’s largest building-integrated solar energy arrays.
Compared with typical mixed-use buildings of the same size, the Masdar headquarters will reduce its water consumption by 70%.
In addition to being the first mixed-use net positive energy building in the world, the building will:
• Be the lowest energy consumer per square meter for a modern class A office building in an extremely hot and humid climate;
• Feature one of the world’s largest building-integrated photovoltaic arrays;
• Employ the largest solar thermal driven cooling and dehumidification system - the world’s lowest impact active building conditioning system;
• Be the first building in history to generate power and protect workers during the construction process through a staged construction of the roof prior to the rest of the complex.
Construction of Masdar City began with a ground-breaking ceremony. The city will be constructed over seven phases and is due to be completed by 2016. Masdar’s headquarters is part of phase one and will be completed by the end of 2010.
