DUBAI, UAE, 17 November 2025: Empower said it and its fully owned subsidiary, Empower Insulated Pipe Systems (ELIPS), a provider of thermal solutions and insulated pipe manufacturing, reaffirmed their commitment to global standards through the renewal of key ISO certifications following surveillance audits by Bureau Veritas. Making the announcement through a Press Release, Empower said the organisations were re-certified for ISO 9001:2015 (Quality Management Systems), ISO 14001:2015 (Environmental Management Systems and ISO 45001:2018 (Occupational Health and Safety Management System) after audits conducted across Empower’s head office and District Cooling plants as well as at the ELIPS manufacturing facility in Jebel Ali. Empower said the renewals reflect its commitment to implementing best practices and maintaining the highest global standards in quality sustainability environment health and occupational safety.

The company said it also completed the surveillance audit for the Information Security Management System standard (ISO 27001:2022) with Bureau Veritas. Empower added that this audit reaffirms its commitment to protecting customer and stakeholder data and complying with corporate governance requirements.

H.E. Ahmad Bin Shafar, CEO, Empower, said: “The renewal of our ISO certifications reflects our unwavering commitment to the vision of our wise leadership, which has made quality, innovation, and sustainability fundamental pillars of our national excellence journey. At Empower, we remain dedicated to adopting the highest international standards and practices across all our operational and administrative processes, in line with the UAE’s strategic direction toward building a sustainable, knowledge-based economy founded on advanced technologies. We believe that maintaining an integrated system for quality, environment, health, safety, and information security is an essential part of our corporate culture and a key driver in continuously developing our services and strengthening the trust of our partners and customers. We continue to work steadily to reinforce Dubai’s position as a global model for the sustainability of District Cooling systems and efficient resource management, supporting the country’s efforts to achieve Net Zero and enhance its competitiveness on the global stage.”

THE UAE Federal Decree Law No. 11 of 2024 on Climate Change Mitigation and Adaptation, issued in August 2024, is a landmark step in the country’s sustainability journey. Unlike past voluntary strategies, this law is binding and enforceable. It came into effect on 28 May 2025, with full compliance required by May 2026. Penalties for non-compliance range from AED 50,000 to AED 2 million. For the real estate sector, a major contributor to emissions, this marks a turning point, as global climate commitments are embedded into enforceable domestic law.

The law directly links to global climate obligations:
■ Paris Agreement (2015): UAE actions must align with its Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs)
■ UAE NDC (2023): 40% emissions reduction target by 2030
■ Net Zero by 2050 Initiative: Now legally reinforced
■ COP28 Legacy: UAE strengthens its role as a hub for climate compliance and carbon markets

For the real estate sector, this means binding requirements for emissions reduction, adaptation planning and verified reporting

Dr Samiullah Khan: Law No. 11 promotes alignment with international climate frameworks planning and verified reporting.

CORE COMPLIANCE MECHANISMS

Monitoring, Reporting and Verification (MRV) – Article 6

■ Companies must prepare auditable emissions inventories
■ Records must be registry-verifiable and stored for five years
■ Real estate must track wholebuilding emissions, including Scope 1 and Scope 2
■ Digital systems with sensors and AI tools will be needed

Mitigation Obligations – Article 4

■ Clean energy procurement
■ Efficiency upgrades and retrofits
■ Waste management and recycling
■ Carbon offsets retired in the national registry This shifts compliance from formality to active decarbonisation.

Adaptation and Resilience – Article 7

■ Projects must address risks like flooding and heat stress
■ Insurers will model climate losses, affecting property values
■ Climate risks must be factored into valuations and financing

Incentives and Market Instruments – Article 10

■ National Carbon Credit Registry: All offsets and certificates must be retired here
■ Carbon Pricing: Firms must factor costs of CO2 into project economics
■ Carbon Trading: Creates new financial opportunities for early movers

Virtual PPAs: From Voluntary to Mandatory

■ Virtual Power Purchase Agreements (VPPAs), once voluntary CSR tools, are now compliance instruments
■ Recognised as a pathway for clean energy procurement
■ Certificates must be retired in the national registry
■ Contracts must clearly define responsibility for certificate retirement

CFOs must treat carbon exposure like financial debt in reporting and financing.

RISK LANDSCAPE UNDER THE LAW

Real estate must adopt robust contracts and align sustainability with legal and finance teams.

MARKET IMPLICATIONS FOR REAL ESTATE

■ Clean Energy Demand: Legally required procurement creates stable demand.
■ Premium for Compliance: Verified low-carbon projects gain higher valuations
■ Finance & Insurance Integration: Banks and insurers will favour climate-ready assets
■ Asset Differentiation: Compliant properties will gain value, while non-compliant ones risk “brown discounts”

CONCLUSION: REAL ESTATE AS A NET-ZERO ENABLER

Federal Law No. 11 makes climate compliance a license to operate. For the real estate sector, the next 18 months are crucial:
■ May 2025: Enforcement begins
■ May 2026: Penalties apply

The sector now plays a dual role, as both a compliance subject and a driver of net zero. Properties that are low-carbon, resilient and registry-verified will attract green finance and international investors.

At Fakhruddin Properties, we see this as a paradigm shift: The future of real estate is no longer about square metres, but about carbon meters and resilience scores.

The writer is Chief Sustainability Officer, Fakhruddin Properties. He may be contacted at <k.sam@fakhruddin.ae>

DUBAI, UAE, 14 November 2025: Seeley International said its Breezair evaporative cooling units continue to operate at the Mina tent city in Saudi Arabia, one of the world’s largest temporary accommodation sites. Making the announcement through a Press Release, Seeley said the project remains one of the most extensive deployments of evaporative cooling technology in a single location.

According to Seeley, the original installation included approximately 50,000 Breezair units supplied to the Saudi Government and the Ministry of Hajj. The company said the systems were selected following comparative testing involving more than 200 brands. The Mina site, which comprises over 100,000 tents and accommodates roughly three million people across an area of 20 square kilometres, requires substantial cooling infrastructure during the annual pilgrimage season.

Seeley said the decision to deploy Breezair systems was based on several performance factors, including energy efficiency, water economy, operational reliability and the ability to maintain comfort during summer temperatures exceeding 45 degrees C. The company added that the project has contributed to energy savings of up to 35% for the Mina Valley.

The company said its Breezair units incorporate Mini-cell Chillcel pad technology and a Permatuf corrosion-proof cabinet, developed and manufactured in Australia, to support durability and cooling performance in high-ambient environments.

Seeley said it is showcasing its Breezair solution at Stand C101 in Za’abeel Hall 5 during BIG5. The company said the system’s ongoing performance in Mina tent city illustrates how evaporative cooling can support large-scale, sustainable cooling applications.

ABU DHABI, UAE, 14 November 2025: TAQA Energy Services, a subsidiary of Abu Dhabi National Energy Company, said it has signed an agreement with Sdeira Group, a subsidiary of AD Ports Group, to implement what it described as one of the Emirate’s largest building-retrofit projects aimed at enhancing energy and water efficiency at Aryam ICAD Residential City in Mussafah, Abu Dhabi.

Making the announcement through a Press Release, TAQA said the partnership was initially announced at the World Utilities Congress 2023, and said the implementation agreement was signed during ADIPEC 2025 by Khalid Al Qubaisi, CEO, TAQA Energy Services, and Abdulaziz A. Bawazeer, CEO, Sdeira Group, in the presence of senior officials and industry representatives.

According to TAQA, the 14-month programme is one of the largest retrofit initiatives undertaken for a service-sector residential development in Abu Dhabi, and said the project underscores the Emirate’s drive toward sustainability and efficiency in the built environment.

As part of the programme, TAQA said it is upgrading heating, ventilation and air conditioning systems, deploying advanced energy-monitoring and control technologies and installing water-saving solutions across eight building clusters, including residential compounds and a shopping mall, with the aim of improving operational efficiency, reducing environmental impact and enhancing the quality of life for residents at Aryam ICAD Residential City.

Khalid Al Qubaisi, CEO, TAQA Energy Services, said the partnership marks “a significant step in delivering future-ready, energy-efficient infrastructure in the Emirate” and said the initiative aligns with the Abu Dhabi Energy & Water Efficiency Strategy 2030 and the UAE’s Net Zero by 2050 target.

Al Qubaisi said the project “is expected to yield tangible environmental and economic benefits, with a projected annual reduction of approximately 17,000 tonnes of carbon dioxide emissions and AED 12 million in savings” and said the savings will be reinvested into the programme.

Abdulaziz A. Bawazeer, CEO, Sdeira Group, said sustainability is a core component of the organisation’s business model and said the collaboration reflects a shared commitment to environmental stewardship while supporting economic development.

Bawazeer said Aryam ICAD Residential City houses more than 58,000 residents and said the retrofits will “enhance the overall living environment for our community” while reducing utility consumption and costs.

TAQA said the project is expected to reduce annual electricity consumption by 36 gigawatt-hours and water consumption by more than 616,000 cubic metres, and said the emission reduction impact is equivalent to the carbon absorption of more than 250,000 tree seedlings grown for a decade.

TAQA added that beyond measurable outcomes, the retrofit will enhance system resilience, improve air quality and increase comfort and reliability for residents.

TAQA said Aryam ICAD Residential City, owned and operated by Eskan, plays a vital role in Abu Dhabi’s urban landscape, and added that the transformation positions the development as a model for sustainable living communities.

ABU DHABI, UAE, 14 November 2025: National Central Cooling Company PJSC (Tabreed) said that it recorded revenue of AED 1.87 billion for the nine months ending 30 September 2025, attributing the 1% year-on-year increase to continued capacity expansion. Making the announcement through a Press Release, the company said that total connected capacity rose 4.5% year-on-year to 1.38 million refrigeration tons (RT), adding that the record organic capacity addition of 52.9k RT achieved so far in 2025 is more than double the total added during 2024.

Tabreed said its EBITDA grew 5% year-on-year to AED 975 million, explaining that the margin expanded to 52.2% due to operating leverage, scale efficiencies and sustained cost discipline. The company added that net profit for the first nine months of this year stood at AED 420 million compared to AED 425 million during the same period last year, noting that the decrease mainly reflects higher finance costs from its Green Sukuk issuance at the end of Q1 2025. Tabreed said that excluding these financing impacts and other one-off items, adjusted net profit would have increased by approximately 5% driven by EBITDA growth.

Tabreed reported that two major strategic milestones were completed in 2025. The company said that, together with CVC DIF, it acquired PAL Cooling Holding from Multiply Group for an enterprise value of AED 4.1 billion, adding approximately 600,000 RT of capacity across eight exclusive concessions in Abu Dhabi and Al Reem Island. Tabreed stated that PAL Cooling increased its connected capacity from 182,000 RT to 189,000 RT in the first nine months of 2025, raising Tabreed’s pro-forma connected capacity by about 14% to 1.57 million RT.

Tabreed added that it finalised a concession agreement with Dubai Holding Investments to supply District Cooling to Palm Jebel Ali, stating that the 250,000 RT system will be delivered through a joint venture. The company said construction began in Q3 2025 with first cooling expected in 2027. Tabreed stated that these two transactions expand its total site capacity to around 2.6 million RT, reinforcing its platform for secure and capital-efficient growth.

Tabreed reported further operational progress in 2025, stating that three new greenfield plants were commissioned during the period. The company added that it signed a long-term framework agreement with Johnson Controls to co-develop next-generation cooling technologies, including centrifugal chillers with variable-speed drives and AI-enabled performance analytics.

Dr Bakheet Al Katheeri, Chairman, Tabreed said: “Tabreed’s performance this year demonstrates the strength of our foundation and the discipline with which we continue to deliver on our growth strategy.” Tabreed added that Al Katheeri said the PAL Cooling acquisition and Palm Jebel Ali concession strengthen future earnings visibility and reinforce the company’s contribution to the UAE’s energy efficiency and sustainability goals.

Khalid Al Marzooqi, CEO, Tabreed said: “This year has been about building for the next decade; investing in capacity, technology and execution so Tabreed can grow predictably and sustainably.” Tabreed added that Al Marzooqi said the company is positioning itself to serve more customers reliably and convert today’s foundations into long-term value.

Tabreed said its financial position remains strong following the issuance of a USD 700 million Green Sukuk earlier in the year to refinance near-term maturities, adding that its Green Revolving Credit Facility was increased from AED 600 million to AED 1.2 billion while retaining the same financing terms. The company said that net debt to EBITDA stood at 4.5x as of the nine-month period, reflecting financing related to the PAL Cooling acquisition, and added that it maintains investment-grade ratings from Moody’s and Fitch.

Tabreed said shareholders approved its first-ever interim dividend of AED 184.9 million, equivalent to 6.5 fils per share, in September 2025. The company said it achieved inclusion in the MSCI Emerging Markets Small Cap Index effective 24 November 2025, stating that the milestone reflects expanding investor confidence in its strategy.

Tabreed also said that during a Board meeting it was agreed that Khalid Al Marzooqi would retire from his position as Chief Executive Officer. Tabreed quoted Dr Al Katheeri as saying: “Khalid has proved to be an exceptional leader of this company.” Tabreed added that Al Katheeri said the Board wishes him well in retirement. Tabreed further quoted Al Marzooqi as saying: “Leading Tabreed has been a privilege beyond compare.” The company said he will remain in the role until 2 January 2026, with a successor yet to be announced.

DUBAI, UAE, 14 November 2025: Seeley International, an Australian air-conditioning manufacturer and a provider of energy-efficient climate-control systems, is participating at BIG5 to showcase its latest evaporative-cooling technologies that are designed for high-ambient Middle Eastern climates. Making the announcement through a Press Release, Seeley said the event is scheduled on November 24, 2025 at 4:00-4:20 p.m. in Za’abeel 4 Stage.

Seeley said it will deliver a technical presentation titled “Sustainable Building with Multi-Cycle Indirect Evaporative Cooling” on Monday, November 24, 2025, from 4:00pm to 4:20pm at the Za’abeel 4 Stage. The session will be presented by Luca Belli, Technical Manager (EMENA), Seeley International.

Seeley said the presentation will examine how multi-cycle indirect evaporative cooling can support energy-efficient and sustainable building design. The company said the technology uses only water as the cooling medium without increasing indoor humidity levels.

According to Seeley, the multi-cycle indirect evaporative cooling approach offers several advantages, including the ability to cool below the wet-bulb temperature of outside air, no added moisture to indoor spaces and reductions of up to 80% in energy consumption compared to conventional air-conditioning systems. The company added that the technology can be integrated into existing HVAC systems to support improved energy performance.

Seeley said it is exhibiting at Stand C101 in Za’abeel Hall 5, where it is displaying its latest sustainable cooling solutions for commercial and industrial applications.

BALI, Indonesia, November 13 2025: Güntner marked three decades in Indonesia with the IMPACT Summit 2025, the company said, hosting more than 200 customers and partners from across Asia Pacific and the Middle East in Bali. Making the announcement through a Press Release, Güntner added that the one-day summit formed part of a broader three-day customer gathering exploring how innovation, partnership and shared responsibility are shaping the future of sustainable cooling.

Opening the event, Michael Bauer, Head of Sales, Growth & Success, Güntner, highlighted the broader purpose of the industry by saying: “Our sector enables modern life, from fresh food and safe medicines to the digital networks we rely on. The work is often invisible, but it is indispensable. Every decision, design choice and partnership carries responsibility for our communities and our planet.”

Glen Wiles, Managing Director, Asia Pacific, Güntner, underscored the region’s leadership and the company’s 30-year commitment in Indonesia by saying: “Asia doesn’t wait for policy to move; we act because it’s right. Progress is a shared responsibility, built on genuine partnership, mutual learning and collective action. Let’s measure impact not only in kilowatts or cubic metres, but in trust, reliability and responsibility.”

The summit included contributions from global and regional leaders, Güntner said, focusing on technologies and strategies for the next decade of cooling. The company added that topics ranged from natural-refrigerant innovation and defrost-efficiency optimisation in the cold chain to AI-driven refrigeration, ESG assurance and renewable-energy readiness, with input from solution providers, advisory firms and end-user communities.

Outside the conference hall, attendees explored hands-on exhibitions, Güntner said. The company said it highlighted its aicore™ controls and IoT solutions, which enable remote monitoring and performance optimisation of condenser units, while Cubic VARIO Air Coolers demonstrated advancements in defrosting efficiency and sustainable operation.

Güntner said the IMPACT Summit 2025 reinforced its message that progress is a shared responsibility and that shaping the future of cooling begins with open dialogue, innovation and trust.

DUBAI, UAE, 13 November 2025: Systemair said members of the Air Movement and Control Association International (AMCA) elected Asokdas Damodaran, Managing Director, Systemair India, as President for the 2025-2026 term during the Association’s Annual Meeting 2025. Making the announcement through a Press Release, Systemair said Damodaran became the first AMCA president from South Asia.

Systemair said the Annual Meeting 2025 was held in a hybrid format in Dubai and online, bringing together AMCA members from its Americas, Asia, Europe and Middle East regions. Systemair said that in his video address, Damodaran introduced the theme “Global Vision. Sustainable Action.”, adding that it reflects his goal of strengthening AMCA’s position as a global organisation driven by regional expertise, shared values and sustainable growth. Systemair said his leadership would focus on aligning AMCA’s initiatives with industry megatrends such as sustainability and digital transformation while addressing regional priorities.

“My focus is on building a global AMCA, united by local strength and sustainable progress,” said Damodaran. “We aim to expand AMCA’s global reach while empowering AMCA’s regions and their regional members to advance air movement and control standards worldwide,” he added.

Systemair said Damodaran’s priorities include enhancing AMCA standards and the Certified Ratings Programme beyond compliance, developing new performance differentiators and fostering strategic partnerships to address global industry challenges collaboratively.

Systemair said Damodaran brings over 24 years of HVAC leadership experience, adding that he has been instrumental in the growth of Systemair India by driving innovation and energy-efficient ventilation solutions suited to diverse climatic conditions. Systemair said he holds a Bachelor of Engineering degree from Bangalore University and a Diploma in Mechanical Engineering from Government Polytechnic, Palakkad, adding that he has also led the establishment of AMCA-accredited testing facilities in India.

Systemair said it shares AMCA’s values of trust and transparency, adding that its Skinnskatteberg laboratory in Sweden became Europe’s first AMCA-accredited facility for airflow and sound testing in 1996. Systemair said it has since expanded its accredited laboratories to Germany, India and the United States.

ATLANTA, Georgia, United States, 6 November 2025: ASHRAE said it partnered with Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL), to organise the Buildings XVI Conference said to take place from December 8 to 11, 2025 in Clearwater Beach, Florida. Making the announcement through a Press Release, ASHRAE said the Building Conference series is held every three years and is an international forum on building envelope science.

ASHRAE said that at this year’s conference, attendees can expect an in-depth exploration of how building envelope design and performance directly influence energy efficiency, durability, indoor environmental quality and occupant comfort.

André Desjarlais, Conference Chair, Buildings XVI Conference said: “Our technical program highlights advances in materials science, modeling techniques and construction practices that improve thermal resistance and moisture control while supporting decarbonization and resilience goals. We’re emphasising a whole-building perspective, examining how envelope systems interact with mechanical, lighting and ventilation systems to deliver high-performance, low-energy buildings in all climates.”

ASHRAE said the Buildings XVI Conference will feature three programme tracks designed to balance fundamental research with real-world applications: Principles, covering research and development in thermal and moisture performance; Practices, focusing on case studies and field applications; and Residential Buildings, offering practical insights for improving performance and resilience in residential construction.

ASHRAE listed several notable sessions, including Assessing Residential Deep Energy Retrofit Performance Based on Resilience to Future Weather Conditions; Smartphone Application for Visualising Building Air Leakage; Impact of High-Rise Buildings on Wind Driven Rain, Wind and Thermal Comfort; and Scalable Thermal and Resilience Exterior Envelope Strategies for the Manufactured Housing Sector: Results from a Year of Simulated Field Testing.

ASHRAE said two keynote sessions will offer global perspectives on the past, present and future of building envelope science. ASHRAE elaborated that Sam Rashkin, Senior Researcher, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, will speak on “Charting a Path to Scaling Deep Energy Retrofits and How This Impacts Building Science Research”, while Angela Sasic Kalagasidis, Professor, Chalmers University of Technology, will present “A 21-Year Retrospective and an Outlook on Hygrothermal Building Simulation Tools.”

ASHRAE added that pre-conference workshops will also be offered, to provide attendees the opportunity for deeper engagement with emerging research, analytical tools and best practices.

JEDDAH, Saudi Arabia, 10 November 2025: elm said it is participating as the strategic sponsor of the 5th Hajj Conference and Exhibition, which is being held from November 9 to 12, under the patronage of the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques, King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, and organised by the Ministry of Hajj and Umrah in collaboration with the ‘Pilgrim Experience Program’. Making the announcement through a Press Release, the company said the event serves as a platform to present technological innovations and solutions that support the Umrah and Hajj ecosystem and is in line with Saudi Arabia’s goals of Saudi Vision 2030, which aims to enhance services for pilgrims.

elm said its participation is supported by its long-standing partnership with the Umrah and Hajj ecosystem and its ongoing support for development initiatives across previous editions of the conference. The company said its involvement reinforces its role in fostering the digital transformation of pilgrimage services through AI-powered solutions that have increased service efficiency and quality. elm added that it continues its efforts to digitise procedures and leverage advanced technologies to deliver seamless and integrated experiences for pilgrims.

elm said that during the conference its pavilion showcases a portfolio of AI-powered digital solutions that demonstrate its expertise in enhancing services and operations across the Umrah and Hajj ecosystem. The company said it continues to develop solutions using intelligent analytics, system integration and predictive capabilities to improve efficiency and advance digital transformation.

elm said one of the showcased offerings is its API & Integration Solutions Platform, which it described as enabling the connection of government and commercial services through flexible APIs, to enable the rapid launch of services. The company said it is also presenting payment, invoicing and e-wallet solutions to support secure financial transactions that integrate into government systems.

elm said it is demonstrating its digital security and safety solutions that enable permit management, facility monitoring and early warning capabilities within a unified digital environment. The company added that it is also presenting automated logistics platforms designed to improve operational processes and service efficiency for Hajj operations.

elm said its portfolio includes field solutions aimed at enhancing pilgrim experiences and crowd control, including the ‘Nusuk Marhaba’ project which provides a structured digital journey from arrival to departure. The company said it is also showcasing flow management solutions for Al-

Rawdah Al-Sharifa Simulations and Tawaf Simulation as models of AI-enabled crowd management and visitor safety. elm said it is presenting digitisation and electronic platform solutions that form its integrated AI ecosystem, including the ‘Nuha’ elm Linguistic AI Model developed in-house, which the company described as an AI-powered partner that combines natural language processing, task automation, and voice interaction. The company said these technologies support operational activities, analyse field data and predict patterns to enhance the quality and sustainability of pilgrim services.

Majid bin Saad Al Arifi, Official Spokesperson and Vice President of Marketing, elm, said: “By participating in the Hajj Conference and Exhibition 2025, we reaffirm our commitment to support the advancement of the Hajj and Umrah services by offering our state-of-the-art digital and AI-powered solutions. It further reinforces our role as the national partner working alongside government entities to offer exceptional experiences for the Guests of Allah, combining operational and technological efficiency with a human dimension.”

elm said its strategic sponsorship underscores its commitment to driving digital transformation through AI-powered technologies that align with Saudi Vision 2030. The company said its participation supports the Kingdom’s aim of providing smart service delivery and crowd management for Hajj and Umrah pilgrims.