Masdar institute is an island of sustainability

Abu Dhabi: An island of sustainability in the middle of the desert. That is how Josh Halperin, student at the Masdar Institute of Science and Technology (MI), described the new campus, officially to be inaugurated in November.

Located at the heart of Masdar city, the campus aims to put into action the sustainability practices that students and faculty at the institution are researching.

Currently, MI is home to over 180 graduate students of various nationalities, and 43 faculty members from recognised universities around the world.

Vice-President of operations and finance at MI, Hamza Kazim, explained that the institute provided students with the opportunity to test and put into practice the ideas and designs they work on, through the way the campus was built. Incorporating aspects such as solar panels, narrow streets, shaded areas, and ventilations techniques to reduce the use of artificial cooling, students get to experience substantiality practices on a daily basis, whether in the classrooms, labs, or in the residential space.

Solar farm

"This campus uses 54 per cent less water than campuses of a similar kind. Furthermore, whilst other campuses of this size may up to 3 to 3.5 megawatts of energy, we consume only 2, which we have from the solar panels and a solar farm located in Masdar City," Kazim added.

Electronic journals are also used in the library, which covers an area of around 900 square metres, in order to reduce the presence of physical books, and therefore, the use of paper.

Previous experiences of ancestors were also part of the inspiration when designing the campus.

"Some of this was inspired by the advice of the ancestors and how the survived the heat, such as the idea to build narrow streets and placing lots of shaded areas," Kazim added.

Innovative ideas were also used to ensure that students had the opportunity to enjoy the outdoors without having to suffer through high temperatures during the day. Raised on podiums, outdoor areas received sufficient airflow and breeze , enabling students to sit outside.

Natural light was also used whenever possible, to reduce the need for artificial energy.

For instance, small windows were placed in the ground so that underground labs could receive natural sunlight during the day.

"This is a learning city, and a living learning lab. We all live where we work and where we research," Halperin said of his experience as a second year student at MI.

Highlighting the importance of the institute, Dr Marwan Khraisheh, Dean at MI, said: "The future is about energy efficiency. We cannot afford to go to business the way we are doing now.

"It is logical that since the UAE is one of the leaders in energy, that it is also a leader in renewable energy."