Masdar, Fraunhofer Gesellschaft to build Masdar façade test centre

Masdar and Fraunhofer Gesellschaft are joining forces to build a façade test centre (FTC) in Masdar City, United Arab Emirates (UAE). Fraunhofer’s Institute for Building Physics IBP and Fraunhofer ISE will supply planning and supervision services for the test centre.

The FTC aims to support designers and contractors in selecting the buildings materials that will help reduce energy waste in the UAE and the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region.

Providing the blueprint for the centre will be Fraunhofer IBP’s full-scale façade test centre in Munich, Germany. The building will see each of its test rooms equipped with the ability to calculate the energy code values, thermal and light transmission properties and overall performance of each façade that is tested. Construction on the facility is scheduled to begin in the first quarter of 2012.

Dr. Sultan Ahmed Al Jaber, the CEO of Masdar, said, “It is important for Abu Dhabi to host a dedicated facility of this stature, given its relevance to the integrated facades that need to be constructed in line with the Emirate’s Estidama guidelines. Offering ratings on the material selection for buildings in Abu Dhabi assumes enormous significance and we are pleased to provide such a service in partnership with a world-renowned organisation.”

Both companies’ teams will offer several services to the industry, including the selection of high-performance building materials and façades while additionally providing direct links to programmes of façade research.