Masdar Park in Masdar City, Abu Dhabi, and the surrounding area has earned the “Exemplar” design certification under the Estidama Public Realm Rating System, making it the second community park to achieve this. This recognition shows that Masdar Park’s designs have surpassed or satisfied the economic, environmental, social, and cultural sustainability standards of the Estidama Public Realm Rating System.
The second ‘Exemplar’ certification, according to Mohamed Al Breiki, executive director of sustainable real estate for Masdar City, “confirms Masdar City’s commitment to sustainability, innovation, and combating climate change.” He further stated that the innovative, sustainable, and forward-looking designs of the parks met cultural needs and improved quality of life, which helped them receive the Estidama certification.
Masdar Park’s Greenprint: A Model for Sustainability
Masdar Park is important to Masdar City’s “greenprint” for sustainable urban growth. This plan aims to expand open green spaces, public recreation facilities, and sustainable social infrastructure projects to make Abu Dhabi a desirable place to live, work, and play. The park’s recycled-material amenities include a multipurpose sports playground, beach volleyball courts, badminton and basketball courts, and various leisure attractions and amenities.
The park also has a food hall with various cuisines, from regional specialties to global brands, offering locals and visitors a unique experience. In addition, for dining and events, the area provides both indoor and outdoor spaces.
In honor of the UAE’s Year of Sustainability, which aims to improve the emirate’s social harmony and quality of life, the park will also have Abu Dhabi’s first LEED Platinum-rated community mosque. The LEED scores from the U.S. Green Buildings Council are the gold standard for eco-friendly buildings all over the world. The highest rating available is LEED Platinum.
Al Breiki also added that the mosque was built to meet the UAE’s top sustainability standards and was a modern interpretation of traditional Arabic architecture. He also said that getting the LEED Platinum certification showed that the mosque was very efficient and met the highest world standards for sustainability.
The public realm manager for Masdar City, Sebastien Miller, said that they used advanced sustainability practices to create the park so that Abu Dhabi residents would want to visit the park and see sustainability in action. He expressed hope that the most recent Estidama rating would increase public awareness of the park’s sustainability benefits and said he was looking forward to welcoming visitors soon.
Central Park in Masdar City was the first park in the area to receive the Estidama PRRS “Exemplar” rating for the public realm in 2022. In addition, it has been built to support a 4-Pearl rating in accordance with Estidama’s Pearl Community Rating System. Urban communities as a whole are rated by the community system, which rates public gathering places like parks.
Takeaways
Masdar Park’s “Exemplar” design certification from the Estidama Public Realm Rating System confirms its commitment to sustainability. This award recognizes its exceptional contributions to the sustainability of the economy, environment, society, and culture.
