DUBAI, UAE, 25 September 2023: As part of its endeavours to enhance the performance of the local sector and make it more competitive globally, Dubai’s District Cooling Operators Association (DCOA) discussed ways to adopt the highest sustainability standards in production and distribution processes during its 8th meeting, chaired by His Excellency Ahmad Bin Shafar, Chairman, DCOA and CEO, Emirates Central Cooling Systems Corporation PJSC, Empower said through a press release. Empower said the meeting was held in the presence of the representation of member companies, National Central Cooling Company PJSC (Tabreed), Emaar District Cooling, Emirates District Cooling LLC (Emicool), and Meydan District Cooling, besides representatives from the Dubai Supreme Council of Energy (DSCE). During the meeting, various topics were discussed, including ways to improve the operational efficiency of the District Cooling industry in light of the significant increase in adoption of the District Cooling systems by the public and private sectors, the District Cooling utility provider further said. 

World-class performance 

According to Empower, the meeting witnessed in-depth discussions on its agenda to enhance its global performance, emphasising the use of recycled water in District Cooling operations and optimising electricity consumption in line with the implementation of government directives to protect natural resources and reduce carbon footprint. Empower said the Supreme Council of Energy presented the current status of the Efficient Cooling program in the Emirate under the Demand Side Management Strategy, which aims to reduce the usage of electricity and water. Empower further said the presentation also revealed the positive impact of using District Cooling and the proposed future strategy for the Efficient Cooling programme to achieve the targeted 40% penetration of District Cooling by 2030. 

Government Policies 

H.E. Bin Shafar said the association, with the professionalism of its members, is rapidly interacting with government trends and policies to develop a unique approach to applying global sustainability standards in all fields. He said the cooling industry is a key player in sustainability and that the association is working with government agencies, most notably the Dubai Municipality, to accelerate sustainable business practices, such as increasing the use of recycled water in District Cooling operations. He further said that the association is focused on adopting innovation and modern technologies to improve the sector’s performance, especially technologies related to energy efficiency, natural resource conservation, and carbon footprint reduction.