DUBAI, UAE, 25 May 2021: Seventy per cent of residents are concerned about the increase of their utility bills this summer, according to a survey commissioned by Taqeef. The independent study of 1,000 respondents, Taqeef said through a Press release, explored views around air conditioning bills and energy efficiency ahead of the summer peak. The study, the company said, revealed that while efficiency awareness and adoption of conscious cooling habits was high at 78%, the use of old air conditioning units was a barrier to energy savings. Sixty-three per cent of the respondents said they would upgrade their air conditioning to a greener model, if it was in their power.

Tariq Al Ghussein

Taqeef said that in response to this, and in support of Dubai’s Demand Side Management (DSM) strategy, which aims to achieve 30% energy savings by 2030, it is contributing 30% towards the investment in green air conditioning technology by home and building owners this summer. The strategy, introduced by the Dubai Supreme Council of Energy, aims to achieve this target in part by promoting the use of efficient cooling technology in new and existing buildings (Efficient Cooling Program) and retrofitting 30,000 buildings with electricity- and water-efficiency measures (Building Retrofits Program).

When questioned about the energy efficiency of the air conditioning units in their homes, 39% of respondents felt that they are not efficient, with 15% admitting that their air conditioning breaks down regularly every summer, Taqeef said. A quarter of respondents believed their air conditioning technology was in need of an upgrade, while one in five (19%) estimated that their unit is over five years old, it added.

According to Taqeef, cooling and air conditioning represent 70% of the UAE’s electricity use during the summer months, and over 3.3 million refrigeration tonnes of cooling is used in Dubai alone at the summer peak[1].  Older, less efficient units can use up to 30-50% more energy[2].

“There are many factors that contribute to AC bills and energy consumption, but the two key ones are overuse and inefficiency,” said Tariq Al Ghussein, Chairman and CEO, Taqeef. “Our survey suggests UAE residents are already using their ACs responsibly, so it’s likely that older less efficient units are preventing the efficiency gains we’d expect to see from good cooling habits. It’s something that needs to be addressed on a larger scale, particularly if we’re to achieve the ambitious energy savings targets set out by the DSM strategy.”

Over a fifth (23%) of respondents admitted concern that older units are more harmful to the environment when compared to newer models, Taqeef said. When buying a new air conditioner, 24% consider the impact it will have on the environment and 33% on reducing utility bills, it added.

Luay Ghussein, Technical Director, Taqeef, said: “Innovation in the AC space is rapidly developing and is focused on increasing energy efficiency. This means that upgrading a system or unit that is 10 years or older can cut cooling costs and emissions by 20-40%[1].

“We are committed to achieving the ambitious energy saving targets set out by the UAE and Dubai governments. We hope that through offering this incentive on the greenest cooling technology by industry leaders, General and Midea, we can encourage home and building owners across the UAE to replace their old units in support of these goals.”

Taqeef said the 30% discount is available online and instore at www.taqeef.com/shop and at Taqeef’s network of showrooms throughout the UAE.

References:

1. UAE State of Energy Report from the Ministry of Energy
2. US Department of Energy
3. US Department of Energy