Using innovation research to achieve sustainability in urban developments: The case of Masdar

The aim of this article is to explore how research on innovation can be used in order to achieve principles of sustainability in urban developments using the case of ‘Masdar’, the first sustainable and research-driven city in the region of Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries. The selected case study was analysed in order to reveal its strengths and weaknesses in achieving principles of sustainability. This research is of particular importance in the context of GCC countries as a number of these countries are considering developing sustainable cities that foster research related to innovation and technology and promote reduction in energy consumption.