Muslims building first carbon-free city

Blogger's Note: This is an old article from NPR, but I just read about this initiative today in Juan Cole's book "Engaging the Muslim World", which is why I felt it needed to be posted, even if it is a bit dated.

Here is there official site:
http://www.masdaruae.com/en/home/index.aspx

In Abu Dhabi, there's an area of nothing but wind-swept desert. But 10 years from now, if all goes according to plan, a city of 6 square kilometers housing 50,000 people will rise in the United Arab Emirates — and it will be carbon neutral.

The project, called Masdar City, will burn no gas or oil, so its contribution to greenhouse gases will be minimal. Masdar is the centerpiece of emirate Abu Dhabi's plans to get into the renewable energy market, a hedge against the day its oil wells run dry.

A computer animation of the design depicts narrow streets shaded by buildings that, though modern, capture the flavor of an ancient Arabic city. It turns out that copying those historic designs will help planners reach ambitious energy goals, they claim.

[...]

One goal: "Masdar will be the first city where carbon emissions are zero."

Narrow streets and shaded walks would reduce the need for air conditioning. The city would be oriented northeast to minimize the amount of direct sunlight on buildings' sides and windows. Solar panels and solar collectors on roofs and elsewhere would generate enough electricity to meet most of Masdar City's needs.

Another goal is to ban cars in the city, which wouldn't be small enough for people to get around just by walking. Designers envision something called a personal rapid transit (PRT) system.

Read the whole article at:
http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=90042092