Empower highlights the importance of ‘IDEA Campus Energy 2022’
Emirates Central Cooling Systems Corporation (Empower), the world’s largest district cooling services provider, highlighted the importance of the ‘IDEA Campus Energy’ conference 2022, which was held in Boston, USA last week under the theme ‘Leading the Way’. The event witnessed a participation of more than 1,000 delegates from around the world and was organised by the International District Energy Association (IDEA), which includes members representing more than 30 countries.
Hosted by Harvard University and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, the event was rich with in-depth discussions on various ideas and experiences to build new energy facilities in campuses, as Boston is the home of many innovations in district energy systems and the center of many IDEA members operating in different fields such as healthcare, research, airports and other industries.
The conference also touched several themes for improving, expanding, upgrading and renovating the district cooling services, integration of renewable energy sources with district cooling energy, developing strategies to conserve and improve water resources, in addition to other topics that represented a priority for the cooling industry and its stakeholders. As part of its activities, the conference presented working papers that addressed the most prominent changes and developments in the industry, and the future perspectives for the renewable and clean energy.
Ahmad Bin Shafar, CEO of Empower, member of IDEA Board of Directors and Chairman of the Association of District Cooling Operators Dubai, said, “The IDEA Campus Energy conference is an important opportunity to exchange experiences between key players in the district cooling and energy industry from around the world, as it provides direct access to energy professionals on the globe. This year’s agenda was full of in-depth panel discussions on the current and future energy trends and technologies. It also helps shape a more resilient, efficient, and low-carbon future for energy systems in universities, healthcare providers, and research centers, in addition to developing effective strategies to conserve and improve water resources and reimagine their relationship to energy”.
“The event also contributes to ensuring access to new, reliable and sustainable energy for all by shedding light on latest studies on district energy, and best practices in urban infrastructure planning and management”, Bin Shafar concluded.
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Switching to Solar Energy – Design Middle East
Marjan van Aubel, a Dutch designer, reveals the vibrantly coloured solar panels that her studio created just for the Netherlands pavilion.
Marjan van Aubel Studio was been commissioned to supply The Netherlands Pavilion of the Expo 2020 Dubai with energy. Within the pavilion, named the Dutch biotope, designed by V8 Architects and consortium partners, its main theme is ‘Uniting water, energy and food’, which are being showcased by unique Dutch innovations. The solar-panelled roof designed by Marjan van Aubel is made out of coloured transparent organic photovoltaics (OPV). In addition, they are made of non-toxic materials and installed in a circular way. By combining technology, aesthetics and sustainable materials, the studio has created a new vision of solar energy. The Netherlands Pavilion is indeed one of my key milestones projects and I am very proud to be part of this mega event.
Expo 2020 Dubai is located in the middle of the desert and only takes place for six months, the assignment was to take the installation, shipment and afterlife into account to create circular solar roof panels. The solar panels are lightweight films with ink printed on PET to reduce shipping materials and thereby cost as well. The protective glass is sourced locally and returned after its use. The solar panels not only harvest energy but also provide shade and filter the right light spectrum for the plants to grow within the pavilion.
Importance of solar energy and how it will change the world for the better
By giving a possible solution of how we can design our surroundings, we hope to inspire an international audience to move together with us towards a sustainable future. Only together we can reach the global climate goals and make a long-lasting positive impact on our planet. We believe that when technology, sustainability and design meet we can cater for the demands of a society that wants to live in a more sustainable but also beautiful world. The ambition of Marjan van Aubel Studio is to make solar energy available for everyone, everywhere. Every surface in itself has the opportunity to harvest energy. By making those active surfaces look beautiful and appealing to people, we hope we can drive positive change.
Generating solar energy circularly and from organic materials is new in the solar industry. Its energy payback time is only a few months and has a significantly lower footprint compared to classical PV panels. More importantly, the panels are multi-functional. Not only do they harvest energy but they are also beautifully designed and therefore more likely to be easily integrated into our daily lives. In addition, they are able to let parts of the sunlight through. The skylights for the Netherlands pavilion will immerse the visitor in rays of light. The colours are carefully chosen to provide the perfect spectrum of light for the edible plants inside the pavilion to grow. The graphic design is made with a coloured Moiré effect; the lines interact with each other which will create beautiful light reflections in the pavilion and different shades of colour. The vibrant design patterns make light and colour reflect, refract and dance inside the pavilion.
How is solar going to be the future of creative economies?
To tackle the world’s climate goals and to build a sustainable future we need to move away from just technocratic solutions and add emotional values. We need to take a long-term approach and think more than three generations ahead instead of just one, keeping in mind what we leave behind in this world. To achieve this goal, it’s inevitable that the technology of active surfaces harvesting energy must be combined with beautiful design, a design that we want to be surrounded by.
We can only do that by working together and therefore need to seek new opportunities to work towards a future in which we can use our resources sustainably and efficiently. Beautifully integrating solar panels will help to make it more attractive to a wider audience. The panels are not only modular but also circular and made of organic materials, something that is unique when talking about solar panels. They are made of PET and are lightweight, which makes them easily transportable and reusable. Dubai and the greater UAE region, with its ambitions in the field of sustainability, are very inspiring to us. It would be great to work together with local companies to contribute to these ambitions.
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ALEC Energy secures DEWA HQ contract to provide a solar photovoltaic solution
ALEC Energy has been awarded the contract to supply a solar photovoltaic solution for the Dubai Electricity and Water Authority’s (DEWA) new headquarters, Al-Shera’a (Arabic for sail), in the Al Jaddaf area of Dubai.
The solar project will ensure the new DEWA headquarters will reach its net zero targets and that total energy used in the building during a year will be equal to or less than the energy produced onsite in a year. DEWA’s new headquarters has been designed to receive a platinum rating by LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) and a gold rating from the WELL Building Standard.
Speaking about the importance of this project, HE Saeed Mohammed Al Tayer, MD and CEO of DEWA, said: “We work in line with the vision and directives of His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, to make Dubai a global hub for clean energy and green economy. DEWA contributes to accelerating the shift towards Net Zero Energy Buildings and establishing a sustainable energy model that supports economic growth, without damaging the environment and its resources. By building Al-Shera’a, DEWA’s new headquarters, which will be the tallest, largest, and smartest government Zero Energy building in the world, we establish a global benchmark for buildings that achieve a balance between development and the environment, to protect the right of future generations to live in a clean, healthy and safe environment.”
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King Salman Energy Park receives the U.S. Green Building Council 2021 Leadership Award
King Salman Energy Park (SPARK), received the 2021 U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC) Leadership Award for the Middle East in recognition of SPARK’s exemplary leadership and contribution towards creating sustainable, healthier, equitable and resilient buildings, cities, and communities. Serving as a gateway upon which the world’s energy sector can build an integrated future, SPARK has adopted advanced construction solutions that are environmentally friendly and maximize long-term efficiency.
President and CEO Saif Al Qahtani commented: “At SPARK, we are committed to ensuring sustainable solutions are continuously implemented as we grow to become the leading energy-centric ecosystem in the world. We have achieved many firsts in our initial stages of development and will continue to adopt and support innovative initiatives that help improve the quality of life for our people, while also strengthening our business and the Kingdom’s economy. We are very proud of our team and the work they have done to guarantee SPARK provides long-term value and supports national and regional programs aimed at building a more sustainable future.”
In the Kingdom and in the region, SPARK is the first entity to pioneer the use of multiple cutting-edge technologies, ensuring that sustainability remains at the heart of the development. Recognised as the first industrial city in the world to obtain Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) Silver Certification, SPARK continually demonstrates its commitment to environmentally responsible building and construction practices. Developed by the U.S. Green Building Council and recognized as the most highly-regarded green building rating system, LEED provides a framework for construction and building solutions that aim to reduce environmental impact, limit resource use, reduce carbon emissions and address climate change.
“It is truly inspiring to recognize our leaders that have continued their commitment to green building and sustainable communities while adapting to the changing environments around us,” said Mahesh Ramanujam, President and CEO, USGBC. “The 2021 USGBC Leadership Award awardees have improved our world through the power of green building, and it is their contributions and work that have helped our communities stay safe and healthy.”
The 2021 USGBC Leadership Award recipients represent some of the best of USGBC’s 10,000 member organizations, a network of committed professionals with more than 106,000 LEED commercial projects in more than 180 countries and territories around the world. In addition to the USGBC 2021 Leadership Award, SPARK was also awarded four ISO certificates by world testing, inspection and certification leader Bureau Veritas for integrated management systems certification programs and asset management systems that lower costs, maximize return on investment and optimize growth throughout asset life cycles.
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King Salman Energy Park receives LEED Silver certification
King Salman Energy Park (SPARK) in Saudi Arabia has become the first industrial city in the world to receive Silver level accreditation for Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED).
The LEED certification strengthens SPARK’s ability to support future tenants and investors on their journey towards LEED certification of their facilities, as part of a fully-integrated energy community. It also affirms the city’s integrated sustainability practices, which are at the heart of the community’s planning.
SPARK President & CEO, Saif S. Al Qahtani, said: “SPARK is distinguishing itself as a leading global energy, industrial and technology hub, cementing Saudi Arabia’s position as a progressive innovator in these fields on the international stage. The certification reaffirms our commitment to reducing the city’s carbon footprint. LEED communities are in high global demand, as they offer better rates of profitability, productivity and quality of the workplace. Our goal is to create an ecosystem for energy-related companies to grow with minimum environmental impact, and we encourage other industrial cities to follow our lead.”
Strategically located at the heart of Saudi Arabia’s Eastern Province, SPARK’s vision is to be the primary gateway to the regional energy sector. Its technologically-advanced ecosystem offers investors unmatched supply-chain efficiency and has been designed to provide an ultramodern “plug and play” infrastructure. As well as targeting large corporations, SPARK also caters to small and medium-sized enterprises and provides support through its SPARK SME Hub, creating a tailored microcosm for Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs). This allows streamlined and cost-effective operations near major workforce providers and close to highway and railway networks. At maturity, it will be home to over 300 industrial, technology and service facilities focused on meeting the demand for energy goods and services across the entire value chain.
Sharaf DG Energy delivers lighting retrofit project at Drydocks World Dubai
Sharaf DG Energy has successfully completed a lighting retrofit project at Drydocks World-Dubai, with the aim of deploying energy saving measures and tackling the pressure on natural resources. The project is expected to result in annual savings of AED600,000 for three years and involved replacing 5500 fluorescent, metal halide and conventional lights with high efficient LED fixtures.
The project was implemented on five buildings and three mess, workshops, camp streets, which are mainly used for the Junior Staff Accommodations of the shipyard. Retrofitting, a measure taken to replace conventional light fittings and accessories with new energy saving LED lights, is a key component in helping the UAE achieve their sustainable related targets.
With the help of the latest technologies, commercial and industrial sectors can now receive a number of benefits. Advantages include the reduction of energy consumption and carbon emissions, productivity enhancement, a decreased amount of maintenance expenditure and the ability to ensure more safety measures are in place for workers.
As the Junior Staff Accommodation buildings were considered outdated, companies have refrained from working on them. In turn, this has left the retrofitting project on hold for a period of two years with suggestions of demolishing them altogether. Sharaf DG Energy fortunately took on the project and have successfully completed it on 31st May 2020.
The organisation augmented the whole plan in a record timeframe and overachieved with the annual savings against proposed savings. Throughout the project, Sharaf Electronics ensured and maintained the highest safety standards with zero accidents on site.