Sustainability in UAE is a much talked about word now a days. We at Pactive almost always encourage friendly banter to understand how much our clients (and anybody we can get talking with) really know about sustainability. We were surprised to find that many government initiatives and programmes had breezed by most. We have gone through the endless news updates in 2015 to sift out the most important sustainability initiatives and what it means for you. So take a breath of relief as we jot down the most relevant details on how you can participate in Dubai’s race to become on of the greenest cities in the world and benefit from it! Let’s get the list rolling…
Shams Initiative by DEWA
Shams stands for Sun in Arabic. Dubai Electricity and Water Authority has launched the Shams initiative to encourage building owners to invest in solar energy to augment their energy sources. Shams initiative was launched in March 2015 and is a fairly simple system to install and use.
In a nutshell:
- Contact a DEWA accredited Electrical and Solar PV Consultant or Contractor
- Explore the potential of Solar Energy in your building/villa/campus
- Ask for a feasibility report
- Get multiple quotes to ensure best pricing
- Approve an order for turnkey solutions (includes supply, PV installation, smart meter installation, commissioning)
- Sit back while the contractor ensures quality installation
- Enjoy your free energy for the next 25 years (at least)
Financial Benefit Analysis
- Solar PV may have a long payback period but don’t shy away just yet
- Solar Hot Water heater has been quite successful
- DEWA will approve the installation capacity.
- During months where the generation is more than consumption, DEWA records and carry forwards the surplus, deducting it from future bills, making the entire system more beneficial to the consumer.
Energy Service Companies – ESCO
RSB, Dubai undertook initiatives to regularise the energy service market, starting 2014. By 2015, 14 ESCOs were accredited. Energy Service Companies (or ESCOs) can help building owners identify how they can improve energy use and then deliver the savings identified. The accreditation scheme, standard contracts and mechanism for measuring savings are all designed to make this process smoother for ESCOs and their clients.
ESCOs can help:
- Audit the Energy Consumption pattern of the building
- provide turnkey solutions for energy savings
- provide turnkey solutions for energy management
- provide finance options
Financial Benefit Analysis:
- They often finance the solutions suggested by them to reduce energy consumption
- EPC (Energy Performance Contracting)
- Payback periods, implementation time and projected savings are comprehensively defined before undertaking implementation
Green Deal Energy Saving Campaign
The Department of Economic Development (DED), with environmental agencies the Dubai Green Economy Partnership (Dubai GEP) and Dubai Investment Development Agency (Dubai FDI) and backed by Emirates Islamic bank, has launched the ‘Green Deal’ to encourage citizens to cut energy consumption. Emirates Islamic bank will provide financial incentives for customers to buy and sell energy products and services via a new government-run website.
The service provides:
- green products for domestic use
- pre-verified by government-appointed experts
- financial incentives by Emirates Islamic bank (finance options)
Multiple Cleaning Drives
Cleaning Drives across beaches, parks and Dubai creek has been a huge success. According to the website UAE Interact 2,775 volunteers came together to take on this massive task of making Dubai cleaner and greener. While we could go on and on about the fact that they has already collected over 21 tonnes of waste by the 14th day or that the 14th event saw massive participation from residents, the largest so far or that and that families came together to spend time outdoors cleaning up the beaches, teaching their kids important values at an early age, we will skip the jargon and tell you how it’ll benefit you:
- Cleaner neighbourhoods
- better air-quality
- better health for the residents
- garbage free experience at many locations