São Paulo – The former mayor of São Paulo, Gilberto Kassab, signed last week an agreement with Masdar Institute of Science and Technology , from Abu Dhabi, for technicians at the institute and at the future Nucleus for City Studies, which Kassab is setting up at the University of São Paulo (USP), to developed research in areas like renewable energy, clean transport and sustainable cities. In future, this partnership could result in exchange between researchers and students of both institutions.
Kassab travelled to the United Arab Emirates to participate in the Abu Dhabi Sustainability week, which took place from January 13th to 17th. The former mayor of São Paulo, who left the post on January 1st, also visited the city and Dubai, which is the main competition against São Paulo in the dispute to host the 2020 world fair.
The Nucleus for City Studies, which Kassab is creating at USP and of which he should be the coordinator at least for the period of one year, should discuss and study solutions to problems in large cities, especially in areas like transportation, finance, urbanisation, infrastructure and governance.
Masdar Institute was established by Abu Dhabi to develop other forms of energy, all sustainable, as alternatives to oil and gas. The institute is part of the Masdar holding umbrella company, which also includes Masdar City, a sustainable city that is under construction in the emirate.
Everything in the city is designed not to cause an impact on the environment. Vehicles in the area, which covers six square kilometres, were developed especially for the project. They are electric and have no drivers. The material used in the construction is reusable and the water consumed in the city is recycled for reuse. The site was designed to house 40,000 people and to provide office space for over 1,000 companies.
*Translated by Mark Ament
