Masdar city begins construction of Masdar institute campus second phase

Masdar city begins construction of Masdar institute campus second phase

The Masdar Institute second phase will include over 200 student apartments.

November 12, 2010 4:38 by Rasha Reslan

Masdar today announced the commencement of work on the second phase of the Masdar Institute of Science and Technology campus, marking the next milestone in the development of Masdar City.

The new building complexwill sit alongsidethe existing campus and will incorporate similar energy efficient design elements such as shaded streets, natural ventilation and heat reflecting facades that make the Masdar Institute facility one of the most technically and architecturally unique buildings in the world.

The Masdar Institute second phase will include over 200 student apartments, seven open laboratories, a multi-use hall/conference facility, a swimming pool and a gym. At 82,000 square metres, the new construction will be approximately 35 per cent larger than the current facility.

The Masdar Institutewas established in cooperation with Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT); it focuses on research, technological development and human capital development in renewable energy and clean technologies.The Masdar Institute aims to be a world-class, research amd educational environment, attracting future leaders and critical thinkers in science and technology with a particular focus on renewable energy and clean technologies.On completion of the second phase,the Masdar Institute will educate in excess of 500 graduate students with 9 open laboratories, 2 clean rooms, 13 hi-bay laboratories, a 90 seat auditorium, 12 classrooms and 324 student apartments.

The two clean rooms – rated at class 1000 and class 100 respectively – are used to support the educational and research needs for the Microsystems Engineering Masters program. The program will support research in the areas of semiconductor devices and fabrication technologies, and the creation of new electronic and photonic circuits. The launch of this program allowed for the establishment of the first clean room in the Middle East and North Africa. The clean rooms are currently being equipped with state of the art equipment for educational and basic research activities.

The existing and new campus buildings form part of the first phase of Masdar City, which will also include the Middle East and Asia headquarters of German conglomerate Siemens and a GE Ecomagination Centre.

Dr. Sultan Al Jaber, Managing Director and CEO, Masdar, said: “Creating a knowledge economy and fostering human talent lies at the heart of Abu Dhabi’s long-term vision and strategy. That is where Masdar adds real value. The community we are creating at Masdar City, with the Masdar Institute at its core, forms an important aspect of this vision by establishing Abu Dhabi as a knowledge hub for renewable energy and sustainable technology. The commencement of work on the second phase of the Masdar Institute campus reflects the steady progress we are making at Masdar City. The building’s completion will extend the world-class facilities available to the Masdar Institute as it carries out its research and academic programmes.”

Professor Fred Moavenzadeh, President of Masdar Institute, said: “The sophistication of the campus provides a perfect setting for innovation and learning. This is an integral part of what we are creating at the Masdar Institute. Abu Dhabi and Masdar have already accomplished much over a short space of time, staking a claim to leadership in the renewable energy space. The new facilities will help build on these accomplishments by allowing us to enhance our research and academic work and I look forward to their completion.”

Alan Frost, Director of Masdar City, said: “On completion, in 2012, the Masdar Institute and the surrounding buildings will represent approximately 30% of the almost one million square meters of commercial, residential, retail and educational space to be constructed in Phase 1. Having completed our recent Masterplan review, we are continuing, at pace, to deliver the first phase by 2015. This will be a living Masdar community, with retail and community facilities, to service the City’s estimated 8,000 residents and up to 10,000 workers in the first phase.”

“We continue to innovate and adapt as we develop Masdar City. The valuable lessons learned in relation to building design, constructability and green supply chain management encompassing the reduction of embodied carbon have been incorporated in the design and construction planning for the second phase of the Masdar Institute,” said Mr Frost.

Abu Dhabi real estate developer Aldar has been chosen by Masdar as the development manager for the new construction and will be responsible for the project’s execution and cost control. The general construction contract for the development has been awarded to the Arabian Construction Company. Construction is anticipated to take approximately 18 months.