It was built by Masdar, a subsidiary of the state-owned Mubadala Investment Company, with the majority of seed capital provided by the Government of Abu Dhabi.

[2][3] Masdar City aims to be a model for sustainable urban living, combining renewable energy, green building practices, and advanced technology.

Masdar City is designed to minimise its environmental impact with energy-efficient buildings, a reduced carbon footprint, and a focus on research and development in clean technologies.

The city is undergoing significant expansion, with numerous projects in development, including new offices, laboratories, and residential buildings designed to accommodate the increasing demand for sustainable urban spaces.

Home to over 1,000 organisations, the Free Zone provides an ecosystem that supports a diverse range of businesses, from startups and SMEs to multinational corporations.

This business community benefits from state-of-the-art infrastructure, sustainable office spaces, and a streamlined regulatory environment, all designed to accelerate innovation and growth.

Masdar City Free Zone offers a unique One-Stop-Shop service that simplifies the setup process for companies, allowing them to focus on core business activities.

Additionally, companies benefit from 100% foreign ownership, zero personal income tax, no import tariffs, and the freedom to repatriate capital and profits.

Collaborations with the Abu Dhabi Global Market (ADGM) provide businesses with the option to operate under Common Law, facilitating greater foreign investment.

Headquartered in Masdar City, the company spearheads a range of initiatives aimed at advancing clean energy technologies and reducing carbon footprints worldwide.

Masdar's portfolio includes investments in renewable energy projects, such as wind and solar power plants, as well as sustainable real estate developments that set new benchmarks for environmental performance.

As the world's first graduate-level, research-based AI university, MBZUAI offers specialized programs in machine learning, computer vision, and natural language processing.

G42, based in Masdar City, is a leading artificial intelligence and cloud computing company that plays a pivotal role in advancing technological innovation in the region.

Known for its work in big data analytics, AI research, and cloud infrastructure, G42 supports a wide range of industries, including healthcare, finance, and smart cities.

The company has been instrumental in driving significant advancements in AI applications, including the development of cutting-edge solutions that address complex challenges such as healthcare diagnostics and urban planning.

The building's façade incorporates innovative design features to minimize cooling requirements, such as slanted glass sides that reduce solar gain by over a third.

Masdar City is home to the widely pictured Eco-Residences, which have terracotta walls decorated with arabesque patterns and are rated LEED Platinum.

This design philosophy leverages the building’s physical components and the natural environment to enhance energy efficiency and occupant comfort without relying on mechanical systems.

[28][29] In 2018, as part of a trial project, seven autonomous shuttles, called NAVYA, began to operate on the podium, carrying passengers between the car park and the city center.

Abu Dhabi's planned but delayed light rail and metro line may eventually connect Masdar City's center with the greater metropolitan area.

Gerard Evenden, the lead architect, says that the original plan for Masdar called for powering the entire city through on-site methods such as rooftop solar panels.

[19][37] The exterior wood used throughout the city is palmwood, a sustainable hardwood-substitute developed by Pacific Green using plantation coconut palms that no longer bear fruit.

In 2008, in response to the project's commitment to zero carbon, zero waste[25] and other environmentally friendly goals, WWF and Bioregional endorsed Masdar City as an official One Planet Living Community.

The US Department of Energy has signed a partnership agreement with Masdar in a deal that will see the two organizations share expertise to support plans on zero-carbon cities.

"[35] Its use of solar energy is not a practical model for others to follow, Heal further noted, given that few places in the world enjoy as much year-round sunlight as the Persian Gulf.