Emirates Central Cooling Systems Corporation (Empower), the world’s largest district cooling services provider, participated in the 10th Car Free Day initiative, which was held under the slogan ‘Be a Carbon Ambassador’, in line with the Year of Tolerance. The initiative was organized by Dubai Municipality under the patronage of His Highness Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Crown Prince of Dubai and Chairman of the Executive Council of Dubai. Empower encouraged all its employees to be a part of the initiative as it aims to promote the use of public transport to commute to work, and contribute to reducing the effects of Greenhouse Gas (GHG) emissions and carbon footprint in the emirate. This comes within the framework of Empower’s Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) and efforts to achieve Sustainable Development Goals.
Empower had arranged special buses for its employees to get to and from the office, and encouraged them to walk in case the distance to and from office is short. Company has also advised the staff to spread awareness on the importance of reducing carbon footprint in Dubai. Many Empower employees participated in the initiative by using public transport and cycling on the designated day. This reflects employees’ awareness about the need to participate in implementing this initiative, to reduce carbon emissions, thus enhancing the quality of life in Dubai.
“Empower is committed to protect the environment, and focuses on energy efficiency as it is one of the major environmental pollutants today. Empower works on developing innovative initiatives and solutions, in addition to contributing to raising awareness about the importance of adopting district cooling solutions and spreading its use across Dubai. This supports the directives of our wise leadership and the implementation of various national strategies, notably the UAE Vision 2021, Dubai Energy Strategy 2050 to make Dubai the city with the lowest carbon footprint, and Dubai Plan 2021 to make Dubai a smart and sustainable city,” said Ahmad Bin Shafar, CEO of Empower.
Bin Shafar stressed that the Car Free Day initiative, adopted by His Highness Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, reminds us of the dangers of vehicle emissions, as it generates about 1.92 tonnes of carbon dioxide per year, in the UAE. He highlighted the importance of supporting national initiatives and efforts to increase awareness, among employees and community members, so everyone can be a part and contribute to reducing carbon footprint, protecting the environment, promoting resource sustainability, and achieving national comprehensive and sustainable development goals.
Bin Shafar concluded by saying that Empower’s participation in this initiative is part of its CSR strategy and its ‘Year of Tolerance’ initiatives, which contribute to preserving air quality and reducing carbon footprint in Dubai. This reflects Dubai’s commitment towards international environmental agreements to reduce Greenhouse Gas (GHG) emissions and supports the implementation of the Dubai Plan 2021, under the theme ‘A city of happy, creative & empowered people – Educated, cultured and healthy individuals’.
Empower has more than 1,090 buildings that are using district cooling services, catering to more than 100,000 customers. The company operates more than 1.43 Million Refrigeration Tonnes (RT), providing environmentally friendly district cooling services to large-scale real estate developments, such as Bluewaters, Jumeirah Group, Business Bay, Jumeirah Beach Residence, Dubai International Financial Centre, Palm Jumeirah, Jumeirah Lake Towers, Ibn Battuta Mall, Discovery Gardens, Dubai Healthcare City, Dubai World Trade Centre Residences and Dubai Design District, amongst others.