Dubai, UAE: Dubai Supreme Council of Energy (DSCE) has announced joining the Building Efficiency Accelerator (BEA) partnership, launched by the United Nations (UN), to double the rate of energy efficiency by 2030. Building efficiency policies, the announcement said, can result in 25-50% reductions in energy demand from both new and existing buildings, saving money and reducing pollution.

Dubai, the Council said, is committed to speeding up the implementation of BEA, to reduce emissions caused by the building sector, while monitoring its progress. Measures, the Council explained, will include updating policies and building codes, developing more creative techniques to enhance efficiency, rehabilitation of existing buildings, such as hospitals, schools and government buildings, and setting regulations for energy use within buildings. Stating that the building sector accounts for about one-third of global energy use and one-quarter of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, the Council said that building efficiency is one of the most cost-effective ways a city can reduce its GHG while benefiting the economy. It added that for every USD one invested in efficiency, USD two are saved in new electricity generation and distribution costs.

The Council informed that Dubai is one among the 12 cities that have joined the BEA programme, bringing up the tally to 23. “This reflects our commitment to a healthier, more productive, and greener future,” said H.E. Saeed Mohammed Al Tayer, Vice Chairman of the Dubai Supreme Council of Energy. “According to a recent report released by the International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA), the global rationalisation of consumption and management of energy demand has received a total annual investment of USD 385 billion. This investment is expected to increase to USD 5.8 trillion by 2030, with USD 125 billion being spent on buildings alone by 2020, as buildings are one of the largest consumers of energy.”

H.E. Ahmed Buti Al Muhairbi, Secretary General of the Dubai Supreme Council of Energy, added, “The BEA is an important programme for Dubai to achieve the Dubai Integrated Energy Strategy 2030 to reduce 30% of energy demand by 2030 and the demand side management programmes including building retrofit, particularly in energy security, and renewable energy.”

Jennifer Layke, Director of the Building Efficiency Initiative at the WRI Ross Center for Sustainable Cities, said that the partnership will bring “technical experts together with local governments to improve policies, deliver more efficient buildings and technologies, and transform cities”.

The Council informed that the following cities have joined the BEA partnership: Dubai, Belgrade in Serbia, Bogotá in Colombia, Eskişehir in Turkey, Medellin in Colombia, Porto Alegre in Brazil, Riga in Latvia, Santa Rosa in the Philippines, Tshwane in South Africa; and Coimbatore, Rajkot and Shimla in India.