The world today is faced with an ever increasing energy crisis . The demand for energy is rising everyday while current sources of the same are getting depleted rapidly . Fossil fuels have been the primary source of energy for mankind but these cause tremendous pollution . Therefore, the need for economically viable alternate energy sources which are environment friendly  i.e. clean energy sources is of utmost importance.

This has been the founding stone of ?Green Cities? of the future which  are being developed on the infrastructure of alternate , reusable and clean energy sources .

MASDAR city in Abu Dhabi is a prime example of a Green City which works on this principle of sustainability. Aspiring to be one of the most sustainable cities in the world, of size approximately 6 sq.kms. , Masdar City is an emerging global clean-technology cluster that places its resident companies in the heart of the global renewable energy and cleantech industry.   Situated 17km from downtown Abu Dhabi, Masdar City is a high-density, pedestrian-friendly development where current and future renewable energy and clean technologies are showcased, marketed, researched, developed, tested and implemented.

The city, which at full build out will house 40,000 residents and hundreds of businesses, will integrate the full range of renewable energy and sustainability technologies, across a living and working community. As with most dynamic technology clusters, the city has a top-notch research university that is a source for innovation, technologies, R&D and highly skilled graduates.

When I visited Masdar , I was thrilled to be driven around in a hybrid car built by Mitsubishi Electric . These cars have ZERO emissions and run on rechargeable cells which get their power from solar panels. The entire city is lit by solar powered lights. To help raise awareness about reducing the usage of plastic bags , a camel made from plastic bags , is displayed in the town centre.

Similar to MASDAR , the Msheireb Downtown in Doha is being built as Qatar?s green city. About 100 buildings will be built to a souq design following LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) Gold standards. One of the major green selling points is the whole site has been designed to be self-cooling, encouraging people to walk around the area, even in the stiflingly hot summer months. The north side features smaller, open buildings that let in the wind off the sea, the breeze is then expected to funnel through the narrow streets of the downtown area, providing respite from the heat, according to a report published in The National. Moving from the north side to the south, the buildings become progressively taller, each shading the one before it from the sun?s rays. Msheireb Properties is a fully-owned subsidiary of the Qatar Foundation for Education, Science and Community Development, which was established in 1995 with the goal of converting the country?s human resources into an educated and resourceful population.