MEED reported that the UAE's Al-Jaber Group has started on the enabling works and foundations package for the Masdar headquarters project at the Masdar City development in Abu Dhabi. Masdar has invited contractors to bid by 31 May for the main construction contract.

The pre-qualifiers are a JV of the local Al-Ahmadiah and Hong Kong's Hip Hing; the local Amana with US based Walbridge; the local/Lebanese Arabian Construction Company; US based Contrack International; France's Bouygues; Germany's Ed Zueblin; the local Al-Habtoor Engineering Enterprises and South Africa's Murray & Roberts Contractors; Australia's Multiplex; South Korea's Samsung Corporation and Japan's Taisei Corporation.

Chicago based firm Adrian Smith & Gordon Gill Architecture has designed the building as the world's first large scale, positive energy building, which will generate more energy than it consumes. The building has systems to produce energy, eliminate carbon emissions as well as reduce liquid and solid waste.

US-based Louis Berger Group is the project manager and Environmental Systems Design from Chicago is the mechanical, electrical and plumbing engineer.

(Sourced from MEED)