The United Arab Emirates began constructing Masdar City years ago as model for a sustainable, zero-carbon city. It is an ambitious goal for a country in a harsh desert climate and with the third highest carbon footprint per capita, but the city is now ready to become a hub for start-ups and consumers. The four-square mile area centrally located in the Middle Eastern country comes complete with offices, retail space and a graduate institute devoted to renewable energy and sustainability research, but no people.
For now, at least, the "City of Possibilities" seems to refute the cliche that if you build it, they will come. They built it, but according to eerie video and a recent report from Fast Company's Julien Eymeri, only about a hundred students came.
Read the full story on Fast Company.
