The World’s First Zero Carbon, Zero Waste City

Masdar City – the world’s first carbon-neutral, zero-waste city. A vibrant and beautiful city, powered by renewable energy, innovative building practices and new standards in sustainable living currently under construction in Abu Dhabi, the capital of the United Arab Emirates (UAE).

Masdar City, soon to become home to 40,000 residents and 50,000 daily commuters, is being built around pedestrians, where open public squares intersect with narrow shaded walkways and connect to homes, schools, restaurants, theatres and shops. A city powered by solar cells and wind turbines, where 80% of the water is recycled. A city planned to be green. An urban environment being built in the desert. The 2.48 square miles (4 square kilometers), of city using micro-climate to both extract energy and keep the streets at comfortable temperatures.The architecture of the city is inspired by the traditional medinas, souks and wind towers of the Arab world. (more…)

Merging Seawater Greenhouses and Concentrated Solar Power (CSP)

Since the 1980’s, rainfall has increased in several regions, while drying has been observed in the Sahel, the Mediterranean, southern Africa, Australia and parts of Asia.

In his report for the Fourth World Conference on the Future of Science “Food and Water for Life” held in Venice last September, Charlie Paton put it this way: The Sahara Forest Project aims to provide a new source of fresh water, food and renewable energy in hot, arid regions, as well as providing conditions that enable re-vegetating areas of desert. (more…)