(24 October 2011)
Masdar City, an integrated unit of Masdar and one of the most sustainable cities in the world, today announced it will once again welcome members of the wider community in the UAE to ‘The Market@Masdar City’, a family-focused street fair and organic market.
To be held from 10.00am-5.00pm on 28 October at the campus of Masdar Institute of Science and Technology, entry to “The Market@Masdar City” will be free to the public. In addition to providing a showcase of the City’s renewable energy and sustainable elements, more than 30 retail exhibitors have pledged to participate in the event that will bring general organic products, diverse cuisine, as well as arts and crafts including jewellery to the heart of Masdar City for the street fair. The event is supported by Environment Agency-Abu Dhabi (EAD) and follows the highly successful initial event in April which attracted over 8,000 visitors.
Special performance by artists, recreational activities for the entire family including entertainment and games for kids such as magic shows and face painting, in addition to a raffle draw offering attractive prizes will entice visitors to “The Market@Masdar City”. An interesting feature will be the opportunity to experience Masdar City’s Personal Rapid Transit (PRT) system and electric vehicles (EVs), which will whisk guests to and from the fair site at the Masdar Institute campus.
Ahmed Baghoum, Director, City Zone, Masdar City, said: “We are inviting everyone in the community to visit the emerging global hub for renewable energy and get a first-hand glimpse pilot projects, technology testing and construction on some of the world’s most sustainable buildings. Families will find the clean transportation system most fascinating and eco-friendly, and we believe they will share the sustainable lifestyle concept of the urban planning, engineering, architecture and operation at Masdar City. The event is part of our endeavour to engage with the community and share our new energy concepts.”
Eduardo Goncalves, Environment Awareness Sector Director, Environment Agency-Abu Dhabi (EAD), said: “As the organization is mandated to raise awareness about environmental issues, the EAD partners with other government and non-government entities on green and sustainable initiatives. Masdar is committed to developing and implementing various renewable and clean energy technologies and we are privileged to support events such as The Market@Masdar City that aim to bring the community closer to a sustainable lifestyle.”
Renewable energy being the crucial element that drives Masdar City, visitors will have an opportunity to see the roof-mounted PV panel arrays on the Masdar Institute and the 10MW PV plant located in Masdar City. Visitors can also sign up for an onsite tour that will be organized every hour during the day to see the narrow streets, shaded walkways and the Wind Tower at Masdar City, which reflect the architecture and urban planning of traditional Arab cities.
Masdar City embodies Abu Dhabi’s commitment to a sustainable future. Pioneering best practices in sustainable urban planning, design and development, it is continuously evolving as an attractive destination for the knowledge-intensive industries, companies and organisations operating in renewable energy as well as sustainable and clean technologies globally.