Dubai, UAE, 11 April 2018: Dubai aims to abate more than one million tonnes of carbon dioxide by 2030, as part of a new set of environmental targets, revealed Etihad Energy Services Company, Etihad ESCO, at the 4th annual RetrofitTech Dubai Summit & Awards, which concluded today in Dubai. The body said the emirate will be working to save 1.7 TWh of electricity by the same year, in line with the same new targets.

The event highlighted the growing investments being made and projects being established to help save electricity, reduce water consumption and raise awareness on energy efficiency in Dubai, according to a Press release by ACM, the organisers of the Summit.

According to the release, Ali Al-Jassim, CEO, Etihad ESCO, revealed other new targets, including an aim to save 5.6 billion imperial gallons of water by 2030 through new initiatives.

Solar projects were also a key focus of the event, among them an initiative to generate 1,000 kWp through solar panels installed on the rooftops of the Dubai World Trade Center and another to generate 3,000 kWp from solar panels on the roofs of 640 villas in Hatta, the release said. According to the release, Al-Jassim said that through such projects and, overall, through implementing cost-effective electricity- and water-demand-saving measures, Dubai would become a role model in energy efficiency as well as in developing a green service market.

According to the release, Jassim also stated that the partnership with the British University in Dubai, supported by the Dubai Supreme Council of Energy, is a complete success, embracing as it does training programmes for executive managers, engineers, technicians and financiers. The programme will add the solar sector and reach out to the GCC region countries.

According to the release, case studies during the event showed how DEWA has achieved 30% energy savings through retrofit projects as well as AED 2 million a year in monetary savings. This, the release said, was a result of replacement of chiller plants, significant retrofit of HVAC systems and retrofit of seven DEWA buildings in Dubai.

According to the release, Al-Jassim said: “It is important that we continue raising awareness in Dubai on the benefits of retrofitting and its positive impact on the environment. We are working closely with residential groups, government, commercial entities and industrial organisations to provide support and assistance on education around energy efficiency and sustainability. This event goes a long way in spreading the message and in setting new targets for the future.

“We have launched the Dubai Energy Efficiency Training Program, which is a consortium of three local and international partners, who will deliver 19 training sessions, offering 12 certifications for members. Initiatives like these will help educate and motivate people to consider changes in technology that will lead to more energy efficient buildings across the Emirate.”

According to the release, Etihad ESCO has signed its first project outside of Dubai, in Abu Dhabi, to retrofit two industrial facilities. Another significant announcement was that Etihad ESCO will now manage the building labelling scheme for existing buildings under the leadership of the Dubai Supreme Council of Energy and the regulation of Dubai RSB.