The relevancy of Masdar City for low carbon urban development in Norway

Abstract

Masdar City has gained much attention for its carbon neutral and zero waste image. The thesis suggests that the carbon neutrality concept should be reconsidered as a worldwide development goal. Other more realistic and direct concepts, as low carbon development, should be used instead.

The thesis studies the relevancy of Masdar City for low carbon urban development in Norway. This is conducted by studying the city planning and metabolism measures. Original goals are compared with currently developed parts of Masdar City. Evidence is collected by literature reviews, observations and analyses. The gathered information is used to evaluate the city´s relevancy to Norway.

The results show that the measures made within urban form and building design in Masdar City are of relevance, but that the overall concept of Masdar City is of limited relevancy for low carbon urban development in Norway. One of the reasons is that the development has not fulfilled its original goals. However, it is also due to the already well developed recycling policy and renewable share in Norway.

The city can nevertheless still claim to be carbon neutral due to the limitations embedded in the overall concept. Carbon neutrality is currently set as a goal for Norwegian development as well. It is suggested that the goal is reconsidered and changed to a goal that does not disunite responsibility. Recommendation for further research is therefore to study how the current belief of carbon neutrality as a credible goal can be reconsidered in a worldwide context.