Project meets April 2014 deadline, high-quality standards
NYU Abu Dhabi (NYUAD) announced today the completion of construction on its Saadiyat Island main campus, in line with its scheduled completion date first announced at the start of construction in June 2010.
The campus includes academic buildings, a library, theaters, indoor sports facilities, student and faculty residences, and laboratories. In addition, the outdoor sports facilities, including pitches, a grandstand, and an athletics track, are scheduled for completion by mid-July.
Delivered in less than four years, the campus has been built to be environmentally sustainable. Measures to generate 75 percent of household hot water and 10 percent of power from renewable energy sources will be implemented.
The NYUAD project has been awarded the 2 Pearl Estidama rating for its design. The Abu Dhabi Urban Planning Council requires new buildings to comply with its Estidama standards, a new sustainability framework based on global best practice spearheaded by the LEED (US) and BREEAM (UK) certification systems. Estidama goes beyond these existing certifications with extra requirements reflecting Abu Dhabi’s unique environmental, social, cultural, and economic landscape.
Covering 450,000 square meters — an area equivalent to eight New York City blocks — and reaching a height of more than 50 meters, the campus promotes interaction between the University's disciplines, living and learning, research and teaching, and faculty, students, and staff.
Designed by award-winning Rafael Viñoly Architects, the state-of-the-art campus includes 21 buildings built to the highest specifications and featuring the latest technology. The construction was completed under a Statement of Labor Values, which set forth the standards and expectations for the appropriate treatment of individuals building and staffing NYU Abu Dhabi.
The third annual compliance report published today by third-party auditor Mott MacDonald documents the project’s 2013 labor compliance record, including what issues arose and the actions taken to resolve them.
NYUAD Vice Chancellor Al Bloom said: “NYU Abu Dhabi has set uniquely demanding goals for the quality of the faculty, students, and staff that it recruits, and for the excellence of its academic programs. We have likewise set rigorous standards for the fair and humane treatment of those who are building, maintaining, and operating our facilities. This remarkable campus reflects in the beauty of its architecture, and in the functional capacity of its facilities, that same commitment to achieving excellence. It will contribute powerfully to realizing our educational mission, tighten the bonds of our own community, and help transform the University into an intellectual and cultural magnet for the UAE and the world. We are excited that NYU Abu Dhabi’s first commencement on May 25th will be the first event we celebrate on the new campus.”