Masdar City?s Etihad Eco-Residence has won the Green Residential Building award at the Emirates Green Building Council (EmiratesGBC) Middle East and North Africa (MENA) Green Building Awards 2018
Inaugurated in March 2018, the Etihad Eco-Residence comprises 500 one and two-bedroom apartments in a total of 11 buildings, accommodating more than 900 Etihad Airways cabin crew.
Designed by project partners Woods Bagot and Brewer Smith Brewer Group (BSBG), the Etihad Eco-Residence is Platinum-certified, according to the Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) building rating system. It is also rated three Pearls under the Estidama Pearl Building Rating System (PBRS), introduced for new buildings by the Department of Urban Planning and Municipalities, Abu Dhabi.
?The addition of the Etihad Eco-Residence to Masdar City further enhances the city?s reputation as a leader in sustainable urban development while also raising awareness of the distinct commercial benefits of environmentally responsible building construction,? said Yousef Baselaib, executive director of Sustainable Real Estate at Masdar.
The complex features airtight building ?envelope? comprising high-performance insulation, as well as solar thermal water heaters, a low window-to-wall ratio, and high albedo or solar-reflective index (SRI) coatings, which reflect light away from the surface of a building with minimal absorption, resulting in an estimated 63 per cent reduction in total energy consumption compared with the Estidama PBRS baseline.
Meanwhile, the potable water consumption of the Eco-Residence is expected to be 40 per cent lower than the Estidama PBRS baseline thanks to highly efficient water fixtures and the low water demand of the project?s landscaping.
Richard Fenne, principal and studio chair of Woods Bagot, said, ?The focus of the Etihad Eco-Residence?s design has been to create a highly sustainable building which exemplifies the overall development of Masdar City.?
The Etihad Eco-Residence aims to enhance its sustainability. The shape and arrangement of the buildings themselves, together with its landscaping, protects against wind and dust while also promoting natural ventilation, contributing to the project?s energy savings.
Each of the buildings has been constructed using low-environment-impact materials, which reduce heat gain and the heat island effect within the complex itself while maximising available natural daylight. Transport-related carbon emissions during the construction of the project were reduced by using a modular design, prefabricated systems and sourcing from local suppliers, with at least 20 per cent of the materials either sourced or manufactured within 800km.
Solar hot water systems provide 76 per cent of the community?s water demand, while each Etihad Eco-Residence apartment is equipped with highly energy efficient white goods. There are also operational waste recycling facilities on site, as well as bicycle parking to encourage more active lifestyles.
?The Etihad Eco-Residence is a pioneering venture focused on achieving world-leading sustainability objectives, and is an example of a holistic approach to sustainable development,?? said Nick Turbott, director at BSBG.
In addition to this award, the Etihad Eco-Residence has been named Sustainable Project of the Year 2018 by MEED and Sustainable Project of the Year 2017 by CPI Media Group?s Big Project Middle East.
