Masdar City completes first zero-energy office building in the region | Al Khaleej newspaper

Abu Dhabi – WAM
Masdar City, a pioneering urban community in sustainability and a global hub for business and technology, has completed construction of the region’s first zero-energy office building, NZ1.
The building’s simple design demonstrates that almost any developer can achieve climate neutrality, setting a new standard for architects and city planners around the world.
Ahmed Baqhoum, CEO of Masdar City, said: “The completion of NZ1 is a real achievement for Masdar City, especially ahead of the 28th session of the Conference of the Parties (COP28). Our vision has always been to accelerate the UAE’s ambitious efforts towards achieving climate neutrality, something we are very close to achieving. NZ1 is just the beginning. Through our distinctive approach to achieving sustainability, which focuses on societal needs and financial sustainability in addition to environmental protection, we are proving that sustainability is not a luxury limited to the elite of society, but rather a possible option for everyone.”
For his part, Lutz Felgen, Head of Design Department at Masdar City, said: “Masdar City has been keen to push the known limits of sustainable development for more than 15 years, and NZ1 is considered the most efficient building in Masdar’s history in terms of energy consumption, and represents its best experiences so far. Its design is among the simplest in the city, demonstrating the ability of all developers to create an environmentally friendly building once they have the right tools and expertise. We are currently cooperating with other specialists seeking to replicate this experience.”
NZ1 is designed to consume 53% less energy than a similar conventional building, and the photovoltaic panels on site will generate 101% of the building’s annual energy needs, making it a net-zero energy building, and any excess energy produced will be sent to feed the Abu Dhabi electricity grid.
Masdar City designed NZ1 with a strong focus on ‘passive design’, an architectural technique that blends into the local environment and the physical components of the building to reduce the need for electrical heating or cooling technologies.
For example, NZ1 has a low window-to-façade ratio and uses window angle and shading to minimize direct sunlight while maximizing natural light. The building also features airtight envelopes and first-class insulation to retain heat and cool air.
The award-winning building was constructed using sustainable and locally sourced materials wherever possible, and around 90% of construction waste was recycled and reused.
The building also uses low-flow water equipment and fixtures, with gardens and landscaping designed to consume minimal water. The total estimated carbon offsets for the building are approximately 550 kg of CO2 per square meter.
NZ1 is the first of many zero-energy projects underway in Masdar City, and is expected to soon receive LEED Platinum and LEED Zero-Energy, the two highest international green building ratings awarded by the US Green Building Council.
It is also on track to obtain a four-pearl sustainability rating according to the Pearl Building Rating System, Abu Dhabi’s local green building rating system, and “WELL Gold,” which focuses on the safety and well-being of building occupants.
The building’s lobby will be equipped with a dashboard showing water and energy consumption, as well as real-time waste management and building experience data to help tenants adopt more sustainable practices. The data will also be sent to a new digital control center in Masdar City which monitors the performance of buildings across the city.
It is noteworthy that NZ1 won the “Best Zero Energy Building Project of the Year” award during the Middle East and North Africa Green Building Awards held in early November 2023. It is currently pre-leased to a tenant who will work to enhance the sustainable technology system in Masdar City.
Masdar City has two other zero-energy projects under construction: the headquarters of the Masdar City Complex project, which is scheduled for completion in 2024, in addition to the co-working and living space CO-LAB located within the “The Link” project, which is scheduled for completion in 2025. .