ID :
122400
Sun, 05/16/2010 - 15:53
Auther :
Shortlink :
https://oananews.org//node/122400
The shortlink copeid
UAE takes lead in setting a green example
Abu Dhabi, May 16, 2010 (WAM) Announcements on green energy initiatives and awareness drives have been coming thick and fast from the Gulf countries – a region long associated with an abundance of fossil fuel and an equally abundant consumption of it according to a report in Emirates Business 24|7
Worldwide, three key factors have been driving the quest for clean fuel and eco-friendly construction – one, the days of cheap oil are about to end; two, the climate is being killed by the reckless burning of fossil fuel; and three, while green technology is expensive in the short term, it leads to huge savings in the long term, whether for individuals or corporate firms.
In the UAE, green investments total about $60 billion (Dh220.38bn) at present and in the near future. The capital Abu Dhabi has become the headquarters of International Renewable Energy Agency (Irena) – although this is an interim HQ – and in January this year it hosted the World Future Energy Summit. On March 27, some 66 hotels and hotel apartments across Abu Dhabi switched off their lights to observe Earth Hour, and that resulted in power savings of 8,601 kWh and reduction in hotel carbon emission by 5,246 kg. This year, more than 150 organisations took part in Earth Hour in Abu Dhabi, compared to a mere 15 last year.
On the level of participation in Earth Hour, Abu Dhabi Tourism Authority (Adta)?Director Nasser Al Reyami said: "This exercise had great synergy with Adta's Tourism Sector Environment, Health and Safety Management System, which aims to improve the environment performance of hotels."
The Dubai Electricity and Water Authority (Dewa) organised a walkathon to mark Earth Hour and participants numbered 5,000. The utility recently gave away awards to several consumers for their exemplary controlled use of power and water. All these are pointers that 'being green' is increasingly seen more than just a politically correct gesture.
Majed Al Mansouri, Secretary-General of the Environment Agency Abu Dhabi (Ead), said: "We must work together to raise public awareness and pass a strong message that something can be done today."
Dewa has got wise to the benefits of carbon credits and is seeking projects that could give it enough credits for trading on European markets. In March, Dewa said it had received "interesting" offers from international and local firms for projects that would help cut its carbon emissions. Chief Executive Saeed Al Tayer talked of "negotiations" on the basis of bids offered.
The bids followed a Dewa announcement in October 2009, calling for bids on projects that could be registered with the Kyoto Protocol's Clean Development Mechanism, an instrument that lets firms set up carbon-reduction projects and rack up carbon credits that may be traded later, a move that has financial benefits for the concerned company.
Such projects are either on the drawing board or in the pipeline also for Masdar and the Abu Dhabi Water and Electricity Authority. Among companies that sent green proposals to Dewa are BNP Paribas, EDF Trading, First Climate, German utility giant RWE and Shell Trading.
Bert Kleinveld, Director of Special Projects at Dewa, had earlier told this newspaper: "We are looking at all projects across Dewa's divisions from customer service, generation, transmission and distribution where we can reduce emission." The utility has put in place phase two of its green building regulations – a code that builders have to abide by.
To make sure that developers comply with government regulations, the Dubai Municipality announced recently that it is deploying new testing equipment. This will be used to test various building components, such as paint, lighting, thermal insulation and tiles.
While different emirates are adopting green building measures to suit their own needs and abilities, what is awaited is the UAE federal green code, the draft of which was completed about a year ago, according to Rashid Ahmad bin Fahad, Minister of Environment and Water. No timeframe had been set then for the draft to be turned into a law, but as voices in favour of green measures grow in number, a nationwide code may only be a matter of time.
Abu Dhabi Future Energy Company (Masdar), the leading investor in clean energy and promoter of the world's first carbon neutral city, plans to spend some $22bn on green energy. Investments by private sector companies will take the capital's total green spend to $40bn. Add to this the UAE's peaceful nuclear project worth $20bn, and the investment rises to $60bn.
Nawal Al Hosany, Assistant Project Director for Sustainability at Masdar, said: "The challenge is to raise awareness regarding the dangers of climate change and on the many ways we can reduce energy consumption, so that companies understand that spending money on energy-saving technologies and systems should not be considered a cost, but rather an investment with real and substantial dividends."
Masdar Venture Capital operates two funds – Masdar Clean Tech Fund, a fully vested $250 million fund; and the Deutsche Bank Masdar Clean Tech Fund, which held its first close in January of $265m. Asked about Masdar's views on private sector investments in energy-saving measures, Al Hosany said there would always be need for more investment in renewable energy and clean technologies – both in the UAE and around the world.
In 2008, the Abu Dhabi Government launched an initiative called Estidama (Sustainability), making it compulsory for all new projects to be developed with special designs to save energy and water. The green building programme, with a locally developed rating and codes for buildings, has been implemented since January 2009.
Under the programme, every building is rated for sustainability under Pearl Coding. The programme was developed by the Urban Planning Council in accordance with the Abu Dhabi 2030 Plan. Five main categories – living systems, liveable city, precious water, renewable energy and stewarding materials – are the core elements of the code.
Speaking about Estidama, Gurjit Singh, Chief Operating Officer of leading developer Sorouh, said: "We comply with the regulations, and therein lies a big opportunity for us to implement sustainable practices, in terms of not only capital improvement but also long-term management practices. That directly translates into better energy management."
"Generally, six to eight per cent of the total development cost can contribute to some longer-term energy management sustainability practices," Singh continued. "We have to look at this from a long-term perspective. Why are people taken aback every time capital costs need to be expanded for sustainability? Because they are looking at it in a three-year term, and in that period, they find the cost [to be] a very big burden. But if you were to look at the life cycle of that building for more than 50 years, that cost that you incurred there, you could save many times over in terms of good management practice, because you have invested in sustainability."
Hazem Al Nowais, Chief Operating Officer of Waha Land, asserts the company's greed credentials. "Our projects are designed to be energy efficient. We are following the UPC [Urban Planning Council] guideline, Estidama, to help reduce power consumption and save energy and water.
"We design our projects to fulfil the highest standards – whether occupation, facilities, management or efficiency."
While new ratings systems come up for buildings or even entire cities, the UAE Government has not lost sight of the details. In early April, the Emirates Authority for Standardisation and Metrology (Esma) launched a new initiative – a certification for all electrical and electronic goods produced in the country or imported. The quality check regulation will come into force by the end of 2010. The regulation particularly targets the air-conditioner, an appliance used in almost every UAE home and, therefore, responsible for a large chunk of the power consumption.
Among other major markets in the Gulf, Qatar has taken the lead in promoting the 'greening' of construction through the Qatar Green Building Council. In April, the council launched a website for highlighting sustainability issues. Its membership programme aims to promote green building initiatives and it will also undertake professional programmes to develop industry knowledge. Oil superpower Saudi Arabia, meanwhile, is working on its own version of Leed, the international green building rating system
Worldwide, three key factors have been driving the quest for clean fuel and eco-friendly construction – one, the days of cheap oil are about to end; two, the climate is being killed by the reckless burning of fossil fuel; and three, while green technology is expensive in the short term, it leads to huge savings in the long term, whether for individuals or corporate firms.
In the UAE, green investments total about $60 billion (Dh220.38bn) at present and in the near future. The capital Abu Dhabi has become the headquarters of International Renewable Energy Agency (Irena) – although this is an interim HQ – and in January this year it hosted the World Future Energy Summit. On March 27, some 66 hotels and hotel apartments across Abu Dhabi switched off their lights to observe Earth Hour, and that resulted in power savings of 8,601 kWh and reduction in hotel carbon emission by 5,246 kg. This year, more than 150 organisations took part in Earth Hour in Abu Dhabi, compared to a mere 15 last year.
On the level of participation in Earth Hour, Abu Dhabi Tourism Authority (Adta)?Director Nasser Al Reyami said: "This exercise had great synergy with Adta's Tourism Sector Environment, Health and Safety Management System, which aims to improve the environment performance of hotels."
The Dubai Electricity and Water Authority (Dewa) organised a walkathon to mark Earth Hour and participants numbered 5,000. The utility recently gave away awards to several consumers for their exemplary controlled use of power and water. All these are pointers that 'being green' is increasingly seen more than just a politically correct gesture.
Majed Al Mansouri, Secretary-General of the Environment Agency Abu Dhabi (Ead), said: "We must work together to raise public awareness and pass a strong message that something can be done today."
Dewa has got wise to the benefits of carbon credits and is seeking projects that could give it enough credits for trading on European markets. In March, Dewa said it had received "interesting" offers from international and local firms for projects that would help cut its carbon emissions. Chief Executive Saeed Al Tayer talked of "negotiations" on the basis of bids offered.
The bids followed a Dewa announcement in October 2009, calling for bids on projects that could be registered with the Kyoto Protocol's Clean Development Mechanism, an instrument that lets firms set up carbon-reduction projects and rack up carbon credits that may be traded later, a move that has financial benefits for the concerned company.
Such projects are either on the drawing board or in the pipeline also for Masdar and the Abu Dhabi Water and Electricity Authority. Among companies that sent green proposals to Dewa are BNP Paribas, EDF Trading, First Climate, German utility giant RWE and Shell Trading.
Bert Kleinveld, Director of Special Projects at Dewa, had earlier told this newspaper: "We are looking at all projects across Dewa's divisions from customer service, generation, transmission and distribution where we can reduce emission." The utility has put in place phase two of its green building regulations – a code that builders have to abide by.
To make sure that developers comply with government regulations, the Dubai Municipality announced recently that it is deploying new testing equipment. This will be used to test various building components, such as paint, lighting, thermal insulation and tiles.
While different emirates are adopting green building measures to suit their own needs and abilities, what is awaited is the UAE federal green code, the draft of which was completed about a year ago, according to Rashid Ahmad bin Fahad, Minister of Environment and Water. No timeframe had been set then for the draft to be turned into a law, but as voices in favour of green measures grow in number, a nationwide code may only be a matter of time.
Abu Dhabi Future Energy Company (Masdar), the leading investor in clean energy and promoter of the world's first carbon neutral city, plans to spend some $22bn on green energy. Investments by private sector companies will take the capital's total green spend to $40bn. Add to this the UAE's peaceful nuclear project worth $20bn, and the investment rises to $60bn.
Nawal Al Hosany, Assistant Project Director for Sustainability at Masdar, said: "The challenge is to raise awareness regarding the dangers of climate change and on the many ways we can reduce energy consumption, so that companies understand that spending money on energy-saving technologies and systems should not be considered a cost, but rather an investment with real and substantial dividends."
Masdar Venture Capital operates two funds – Masdar Clean Tech Fund, a fully vested $250 million fund; and the Deutsche Bank Masdar Clean Tech Fund, which held its first close in January of $265m. Asked about Masdar's views on private sector investments in energy-saving measures, Al Hosany said there would always be need for more investment in renewable energy and clean technologies – both in the UAE and around the world.
In 2008, the Abu Dhabi Government launched an initiative called Estidama (Sustainability), making it compulsory for all new projects to be developed with special designs to save energy and water. The green building programme, with a locally developed rating and codes for buildings, has been implemented since January 2009.
Under the programme, every building is rated for sustainability under Pearl Coding. The programme was developed by the Urban Planning Council in accordance with the Abu Dhabi 2030 Plan. Five main categories – living systems, liveable city, precious water, renewable energy and stewarding materials – are the core elements of the code.
Speaking about Estidama, Gurjit Singh, Chief Operating Officer of leading developer Sorouh, said: "We comply with the regulations, and therein lies a big opportunity for us to implement sustainable practices, in terms of not only capital improvement but also long-term management practices. That directly translates into better energy management."
"Generally, six to eight per cent of the total development cost can contribute to some longer-term energy management sustainability practices," Singh continued. "We have to look at this from a long-term perspective. Why are people taken aback every time capital costs need to be expanded for sustainability? Because they are looking at it in a three-year term, and in that period, they find the cost [to be] a very big burden. But if you were to look at the life cycle of that building for more than 50 years, that cost that you incurred there, you could save many times over in terms of good management practice, because you have invested in sustainability."
Hazem Al Nowais, Chief Operating Officer of Waha Land, asserts the company's greed credentials. "Our projects are designed to be energy efficient. We are following the UPC [Urban Planning Council] guideline, Estidama, to help reduce power consumption and save energy and water.
"We design our projects to fulfil the highest standards – whether occupation, facilities, management or efficiency."
While new ratings systems come up for buildings or even entire cities, the UAE Government has not lost sight of the details. In early April, the Emirates Authority for Standardisation and Metrology (Esma) launched a new initiative – a certification for all electrical and electronic goods produced in the country or imported. The quality check regulation will come into force by the end of 2010. The regulation particularly targets the air-conditioner, an appliance used in almost every UAE home and, therefore, responsible for a large chunk of the power consumption.
Among other major markets in the Gulf, Qatar has taken the lead in promoting the 'greening' of construction through the Qatar Green Building Council. In April, the council launched a website for highlighting sustainability issues. Its membership programme aims to promote green building initiatives and it will also undertake professional programmes to develop industry knowledge. Oil superpower Saudi Arabia, meanwhile, is working on its own version of Leed, the international green building rating system
