Frederic Claux

DUBAI, UAE, 16 September 2019: Facility management (FM) will play a vital role in the Middle East’s unfolding energy narrative, said Frederic Claux, Head of Assets, Engie MESCAT, and board member, Tabreed. Claux said the increasing importance the region is placing on energy efficiency and energy savings is one of the reasons the company acquired Cofely BESIX Facility Management (CBFM), now called ENGIE Cofely, earlier this year. “This will be used as a platform across the region to broaden the type of services we offer, to move away from pure facilities management to installation and energy efficiency concession,” he said. “For instance, we install panels on the roof of large buildings of government entities and, at the same time, manage the facilities and optimise consumption.”

Across the GCC region, he said, government entities are paving the way for the development of projects that integrate renewable energy and are showing greater interest in net-zero-energy buildings (nZEBs). “In Oman, as well as in Bahrain, they want to equip ministry buildings with solar panels,” he said, by way of giving an example.

Highlighting the importance of a holistic approach in the move towards net-zero-energy buildings, Claux said that through ENGIE Cofely’s FM and energy efficiency portfolio, there is strong potential to offer the relevant solutions to real estate developers, companies and various industries that would also be interested in such projects. “It’s a huge market that is opening,” he said. Already, Claux pointed out, there are many net-zero-energy buildings built and operational in other regions, adding that this has been a key development objective in Australia, Europe and the United Kingdom. In the region, Claux said that he believes flagship projects would pave the way for broader development in this direction. “Masdar City is a great example,” he said, “So, too, will be the innovations presented at Expo 2020 in Dubai. I’m sure many examples will be on show there.”

Claux said that Cofely Engie will strengthen its position in key markets, such as the UAE, and will start further developing its presence in Saudi Arabia, Oman and India. “Beyond the region too, we are strong in FM in France, and many European countries, as well as in Northern America,” he said. “Plus, we aim to expand in Asia and Australia.”