Dubai, UAE, 6 February 2018: Ahmad Bin Shafar, CEO, Empower, and George Koutsaftes, President, Honeywell, have agreed to explore opportunities to improve energy efficiency in the region, as the UAE gears up to become home to leading smart cities in the world, Empower said through a Press communiqué. The two company representatives met recently, during which they focused on the latest environmentally friendly refrigerant solutions for cooling buildings, which could help Empower further conserve energy in its operations, the communiqué said.

The two leaders exchanged knowledge and shared latest innovations, like low-global-warming-potential (LGWP) refrigerants focused on energy efficiency, the company further said. Energy- efficient refrigerants not only help improve energy efficiency but also meet environmental targets to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, the communiqué said. GCC region countries are key signatories of the Kigali amendment to the Montreal Protocol, which is focused on phasing down the use of high-global-warming hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs).

According to Empower, earlier this year, the company purchased 60 advanced, eco-friendly EcoWise chillers, one of the largest trade deals in District Cooling, with a total capacity of 200,000 tonnes of refrigeration (TR), which helped the company in its drive towards achieving its carbon emission reduction goals.

Bin Shafar said: “Empower welcomes Honeywell’s efforts to explore collaboration opportunities regarding eco-friendly alternative refrigerants as well as some of the innovative concepts in managing District Cooling that could further enhance UAE’s smart city initiatives. Empower supports all efforts that would push the country towards achieving its global commitment to phase out harmful gases from industries and build a sustainable city.”

Koutsaftes added, “Honeywell is committed to developing next-generation technologies that help meet the global goal of conserving energy, as well as eliminating GHG emissions that contribute to global warming. With annual, average energy usage in the UAE projected to increase to five per cent through 2020, there is a strong demand for these types of solutions. Together, Empower and Honeywell are working to help customers to meet regional goals of sustainability and energy efficiency.”