Masdar, the Abu Dhabi Future Energy Company, has received the prestigious Dubai Award for Sustainable Transport (DAST) in the Mobility Management category for its initiatives to promote walking and cycling at Masdar City.
Masdar’s Abdulla Balalaa, Director, Real Estate Development and Asha Pawar, Manager, Transportation, accepted the Road and Transport Authority (RTA) award during a ceremony held at the World Trade Centre in Dubai, where judges recognised Masdar’s efforts in promoting a pedestrian-friendly environment by focusing on non-motorised transport within Masdar City.
“Masdar is delighted to accept this award for its transport initiatives that put the safety and comfort of pedestrians first,” said Balalaa. “Through our neighbourhoods, we aim to create a sense of connectivity and community that contributes to a healthier lifestyle for all our inhabitants and visitors. We hope that the success of these initiatives at Masdar City encourages other pedestrian-friendly and sustainable transport projects elsewhere in the UAE and the wider region.”
The Masdar City Master Plan focuses on creating a walkable environment as the basis for a sustainable and liveable community. Throughout the city, pedestrian routes are shaded by trees and buildings, helping to create a microclimate in which it is possible to walk and cycle comfortably for most of the year.
Held under the patronage of H.H. Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Crown Prince of Dubai and Chairman of Dubai Executive Council, DAST highlights initiatives aimed at enabling the UAE to develop an efficient, safe and environmentally sound transportation system.
Masdar City is a template for sustainable urban development. Incubating real-world solutions in energy and water efficiency, mobility, agriculture and waste management, the city is now home to hundreds of businesses and thousands of residents.
A leader in the delivery of innovation and technology for sustainability, the city was the first in the region to implement autonomous vehicles with the arrival of the Personal Rapid Transit (PRT) system, which has successfully completed over two million trips since its launch in 2010.
In October 2018, Masdar launched the second phase of its autonomous transportation network with the unveiling of its first NAVYA autonomous vehicle. The official delivery marked the first operational implementation of such a mode of new energy transportation within the UAE, and also across the Middle East and North Africa region. A total of seven NAVYA vehicles will be delivered as part of the full implementation expected for completion in 2019.