First row, (L-R): Joel Greene, Rob Thornton, Chris Lyons, Tim Griffin, Jim Lodge, Jim Adams, Bruce Ander Second row (L-R): Scott Clark, Henry Johnstone, Nina Axelson, H.E. Ahmad Bin Shafar, Christopher Potter, Tom Nyquist, Mark Spurr, Meghan Riesterer Back row (L-R): Joe Riemer, Walter (Buddy) Doll, Robert Manning, Richard Damecour, Jim Riley, Kevin Fox, Mark Vogler

Dubai, UAE: According to a press statement issued by Emirates Central Cooling Systems Corporation (Empower), United States-headquartered International District Energy Association (IDEA) has renewed the membership of H.E. Ahmed Bin Shafar, Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Empower, at its Board of Directors for a second three-year term, until 2019.

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The other board members include:

Nina Axelson of Ever-Green Energy

H.E. Ahmad Bin Shafar of Empower Energy Solutions

David Bump of Enwave Chicago

Scott Clark of Burns & Mcdonnell

Edward Conway of Consolidated Edison

Richard Damecour* of Fvb Energy Inc.

Walter (Buddy) Doll of Johnson Controls, Inc.

Jeffrey Duncan of R.G. Vanderweil Engineers Llp

Kevin Fox of Jacobs Engineering Group

Henry Johnstone of Glhn Architects & Engineers

Tom Nyquist of Princeton University

Christopher Potter of Architect Of The Capitol, Capitol Power Plant

Joe Riemer of Trane

Meghan Riesterer of Oberlin College

Jim Riley of Texas A&M University

Mark D Vogler of Citizens Thermal

*Canadian Seat

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The membership, the statement said, reflects the role played by Empower on local and international levels, and the success of its strategy to popularise the District Cooling sector worldwide.

Bin Shafar, the statement highlighted, reportedly became the first Arab from the United Arab Emirates to hold this title in the history of the association, when he was appointed to IDEA’s Board of Directors in 2013.

“This membership is to voice out the Arab District Cooling industry to the world,” said Bin Shafar. “I have felt a great appreciation of the IDEA’s Board of Directors to the directives of H.H. Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE, and Ruler of Dubai, to diversify energy sources in Dubai, and Dubai Plan 2021 that aims to ensure that the environmental elements in Dubai are clean, healthy and sustainable.”

He added that Empower had noticed international interest to transfer its business model to other parts of the world. He said: “The UAE is garnering a leading role in the environmental sustainability sphere. This membership shows the greater awareness District Cooling is achieving among energy decision makers and specialists as a sustainability alternative to conventional cooling systems.”

Bin Shafar emphasised that the membership goes along with IDEA’s objective of advancing future water and clean energy technologies, and anticipated that the membership will lead to pioneering partnerships locally and internationally.