Location: Masdar City, Abu Dhabi, U.A.E.
Goal: To create the world’s first zero-carbon, zero-waste fully functional city.
The Masdar Initiative. Foster + Partners, a multi-national architecture and design firm based in London, has taken on this incredible endeavor to the fullest of their abilities. They are known for some of the most functional and creative designs in the world such as the Hongkong and Shanghai Bank Headquarters, American Air Museum, Wembley Stadium, and Beijing Airport [the world's largest and most advanced airport building]. Creating a sustainable city is unlike any other undertaking. Foster is said to have finished the final planning phase this past spring and, with a team of engineers behind them, expect the project to last the better part of a decade.
The almost 1,500 acre space is set to contain commercial and industrial efforts striving towards eco-friendly products and services. The city will also have housing, a university, and a future energy company which is driving the city project. The developers are striving to keep the city balanced even as it is being built. Which means that as much energy that goes into the constructing of the city will have to be produced by the city. A difficult task indeed. The designer’s are confident that with a combination of solar power and energy efficient constructs the project should go as planned. The University at Masdar City is expected to open 2009 and students studying Sustainability are suggested to contribute to the development of the city and to live as sustainable as possible. 
When complete the city will be home to 45,000 residents and will operate in a completely sustainable manner. An example city for future development if you will. There will be no cars, but instead an efficient rail and public transportation system. Walking will be encouraged by providing shaded walkways so as to be bearable in the intense desert climate of the U.A.E.
