Masdar “eco-city” is getting its first 500 homes – finally!

Masdar is taking decisive steps to build Masdar City’s first private homes. Adding to existing and planned educational, retail and business facilities just outside of Abu Dhabi, the 500 new houses promise to be “super sustainable” and ready within the next two years. During our last tour of Masdar City, a fellow American journalist said she respected Masdar’s efforts to build a highly sustainable community, but criticized the fact that there are never any people there.

Despite the Masdar Institute buildings, the state-of-the-art Incubator Building, a small solar field, cutting edge research, not to mention Masdar’s various global renewable energy breakthroughs, many visitors to Masdar have insinuated that the initiative is somehow flawed because there aren’t very many people there now.

There are other complaints, including the relative inaccessibility of Masdar City from Abu Dhabi, the capital, where the action is taking place.

Related: Siemens inaugurates the Middle East’s greenest office building at Masdar City

But every new initiative takes time, especially starting from scratch as Masdar has done, so it comes as no surprise that the group smartly developed a certain amount of infrastructure before bringing in hordes of residents. Now they’re ready and we’re very excited to see the outcome.

Woods Bagot will be designing the 500 homes, and people are standing by to move in.

The National reports that the development has already been completely leased to corporations and educational establishments that will be owned by Masdar. This is one part of a wider $15-18 billion development plan that will culminate in 2,000 homes that will house up to 40,000 residents and 50,000 workers.

Mostly Masdar Institute students and educators are likely to live in the new residential neighborhood, as are blue collar workers and representatives of small and large business that set up shop in one of six office plots, but 750 homes will be available on the open market as well.

Tenders will go out in the next six months. And Masdar Director Anthony Mallows believes the city’s developed space should double from 150,000 square meters to 300,000 within a short two years.

Image via Masdar City