Partnership to create 'green' city

Masdar and global chemical group BASF have announced a strategic partnership agreement for collaboration on the world’s first so-called carbon-neutral and zero-waste city.

Named Masdar City, the region will be located around 30km from Abu Dhabi and will form a clean-tech cluster for companies in the region as well as a hub for technology innovation, research and development.

Under the agreement, BASF will be the preferred supplier of materials and system solutions for construction of the city and will open an office there once construction is complete.

Dr Sultan Al Jaber, chief executive officer of Masdar, said: ‘BASF will be an invaluable partner for Masdar and the development of Masdar City. We’ve made a bold commitment to advance the use of sustainable materials in urban developments; tapping into BASF’s expertise in this field takes us one step closer to that goal.’

BASF’s energy-saving products include phase-change materials that are integrated into wall boards as an alternative to air conditioning, a black pigment in roof coatings that absorbs little infrared solar radiation and prevents dark surfaces from heating up and concrete admixtures that the company claims lower concrete manufacturing carbon emissions by up to 60 per cent.