The Abu Dhabi Department of Energy (DoE) has signed a Memorandum of Understanding on the ‘Building Retrofit Programme to Improve Electricity and Water Efficiency’ across five Abu Dhabi Government entities on the side lines of its activities during Abu Dhabi Sustainability Week 2022.
The MoU falls within the Department’s mandate to enhance energy efficiency and engage all relevant entities in its efforts to improve energy & water demand-side management in the emirate. The five entities that signed the agreement were the Abu Dhabi City Municipality, Department of Education and Knowledge, Department of Health, Department of Community Development, and Abu Dhabi Energy Services, and Zayed Higher Organization for People of Determination.
DoE Chairman His Excellency Eng. Awaidha Murshed Al Marar, and Undersecretary His Excellency Eng. Ahmed Mohammed Belajer Al Rumaithi attended the signing of the MoU, along with H.E. Amer Hammadi, Undersecretary of the Department of Education and Knowledge in Abu Dhabi, H.E. Dr. Jamal Mohammed Al Kaabi, Undersecretary of the Department of Health - Abu Dhabi, H.E. Abdullah Al Sahi, Undersecretary of the Department of Municipalities and Transport, His Excellency Eng. Hamad Ali Al Dhaheri, Undersecretary of the of Department of Community Development, Khalid Mohammed A Qubaisi, Chief Executive Officer of Abu Dhabi Energy Services (ADES), and H.E. Abdullah Abd Al Aali Al Humaidan, Secretary-General of the Zayed Higher Organization for People of Determination (ZHO)
The Memorandum of Understanding aims to accomplish the objectives of the Building Retrofit Programme, which, in turn, targets the implementation of the Abu Dhabi Demand Side Management and Energy Rationalization Strategy 2030 to reduce electricity consumption by 22% and water consumption by 32% by 2030. The agreement pinpoints 39 government buildings – occupied by the five entities that signed the MoU – to be retrofitted to reduce their overall electricity and water consumption using energy rationing procedures.
“The Abu Dhabi Department of Energy is committed to engaging all relevant entities in accomplishing the ambitious objectives of the Abu Dhabi Demand Side Management and Energy Rationalization Strategy 2030,” said H.E. Eng. Ahmed Al Rumaithi. “We aim to promote the Building Retrofit Programme – which originates from the strategy – to establish an eco-friendly network of buildings that support Abu Dhabi’s strategic vision for a more sustainable future across all key sectors.”
“We are confident in our ability as one group spanning the entire Emirate of Abu Dhabi to create a pioneering new model for expediting sustainability initiatives, particularly in terms of energy efficiency,” H.E. Al Rumaithi added. “This, in turn, supports the Abu Dhabi Energy Sector and its efforts to preserve natural resources and protect the environment in the emirate.”
H.E. Amer Hammadi, Undersecretary of the Department of Education and Knowledge in Abu Dhabi, said: “We are committed to dedicating all our efforts to support the Abu Dhabi Department of Energy in achieving the objectives of its Building Retrofit Program, which is set to notably enhance the efficiency of energy and water consumption in our buildings, ultimately cutting government expenditures and enhancing resource sustainability for future generations, in line with the strategic objectives of the Abu Dhabi Government.”
For his part, H.E. Dr. Jamal Mohammed Al Kaabi, Undersecretary of the Department of Health - Abu Dhabi, noted: “Sustainability has always been and remains a major focal point of the wise leadership’s efforts to create a sustainable and better future for all. As part of Abu Dhabi Sustainability Week, we applaud the Abu Dhabi Department of Energy for its efforts to promote sustainability. For its part, the Department of Health - Abu Dhabi is pleased to be adopting effective energy conservation measures to reduce electricity and water consumption in our buildings, which will help enhance sustainability, preserve resources, ensure a better future for generations to come, and empower leaders of tomorrow to sustain the momentum of development in the UAE for the next 50 years.”
H.E. Abdullah Al Sahi, Undersecretary of the Department of Municipalities and Transport, stressed that Abu Dhabi Government consistently applies the highest standards of sustainability in all its operations, working together with all relevant authorities.
Her Excellency Dr Layla Abdulaziz Al Hyas, Executive Director of the Social Monitoring and Innovation Sector at the DCD, said: Our MOU is aligned with Abu Dhabi’s Vision 2030 that comprises dual focus areas – pragmatic thresholds and idealistic sustainability values – as well as the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals. Moreover, unsustainable consumption and climate change remain some of the biggest challenges for humanity, and it is our responsibility to contribute towards creating a more sustainable world. But we cannot do it alone. Everyone has a role to play in creating a sustainable reality.
Dr Al Hyas added: Even though high consumption of energy and water is often linked with harsh weather conditions that we live in, it is still possible to reduce usage significantly that will benefit everyone individually and collectively. It will help save our environment which, in turn, will help us live healthier and better lives, while it will enable the government to save money that could be allocated to various developmental projects. The MOU can achieve its objective only by bringing about a behavioral change, the drive is part of our ongoing effort to establish the foundations of environmental sustainability and support the sustainable development of Abu Dhabi by using electricity, water, and natural resources sensibly, to ensure their sustainability for generations to come.
H.E. Abdullah Abd Al Aali Al Humaidan, Secretary-General of the Zayed Higher Organization for People of Determination (ZHO) said: ‘The collaboration between the ZHO and Abu Dhabi Department of Energy (DoE) comes under the framework of the Abu Dhabi Demand Side Management and Energy Rationalization Strategy (DSM) 2030 launched in 2019 - a government initiative to rehabilitate government buildings to improve energy and water efficiency. The main objective of the programme is to reduce the total electricity and water consumption of buildings by adopting energy rationalisation measures to preserve vital resources for future generations.
The Memorandum of Understanding sets out a pathway for us to implement sophisticated energy and water efficiency systems for our energy and water facilities. Under the terms of the agreement, the ZHO will embrace a more sustainable method of operation by identifying ways to reduce energy and water consumption in all our buildings in Abu Dhabi, Al Ain and Al Dhafra.”
On his part, Khalid Mohammed A Qubaisi, Chief Executive Officer of Abu Dhabi Energy Services (ADES), said: "The signing of the cooperation agreement with DoE falls under the company's strategy as the Emirate’s energy services market. At Abu Dhabi Energy Services, we reaffirm our commitment to the importance of rationalizing energy and water consumption within the integrated vision of the Emirate's Government. We are fully prepared to launch these projects with our partners in the government sector to enhance consumption efficiency, reduce costs, and achieve environmental sustainability goals.”
"This Memorandum of Understanding constitutes an additional step for the Department of Municipalities and Transport to reflect its long-term strategy for comprehensive and sustainable planning. This will be achieved through participation in the energy and water rationalisation initiative in five buildings of the Department of Municipalities and Transport, along with working with the Abu Dhabi Energy Services' team to explore further possible solutions for energy rationalization across all of the Department's facilities and provisions. In addition to developing regulations and policies that follow sustainability standards, we are fully aligned and committed to achieving the wise vision of the UAE’s leaders and the aspirations of the people of Abu Dhabi to preserve the environment and our natural resources for future generations.”
As per the Memorandum of Understanding, the Abu Dhabi Department of Energy will finance the Building Retrofit Programme at government facilities, while the projects implementations will be carried out by Abu Dhabi Energy Services company, which will contribute to reducing expenses and meeting sustainability goals. The MoU calls on the company to extend its services and expertise in energy efficiency to all participating government entities, in addition to training government employees.
The agreement also includes implementing the Building Retrofit Programme in 39 buildings and compiling data from government entities on past and present energy consumption levels, as well as data on systems, services, and operations. Areas of cooperation also include facilitating access to select buildings and implementing maintenance procedures recommended by Abu Dhabi Energy Services, including energy conservation measures that reduce total energy consumption in the entities covered by the MoU.
The Building Retrofit Programme is one of nine programmes under the Abu Dhabi Demand Side Management and Energy Rationalization Strategy 2030. It aims to drive significant cost reductions while enhancing system reliability and benefitting the environment, in line with Abu Dhabi and the UAE’s vision and strategies for sustainability. The department completed the first pilot project on the energy-saving performance contract system with the aim of raising energy efficiency and consumption and rehabilitating eight government buildings in early 2020.
The Abu Dhabi Department of Energy completed the Emirate’s first Energy Saving Performance Contracting (ESPC) pilot project to promote efficient energy consumption and retrofit eight government buildings in early 2020. The DoE also organised a workshop on the ‘Energy & Water Efficiency Policy for Government in June 2020 targeting 20 government entities. The workshop sought to move forward with the Policy’s objectives, providing the necessary training to manage energy in the government sector.