Saeed Mohammed Al Tayer, MD & CEO of Dubai Electricity and Water Authority, DEWA, and Mahesh Ramanujam, CEO of the US Green Building Council, USGBC, and Green Business Certification, have discussed ways to enhance cooperation in innovation, renewable energy, climate change and sustainability.
Al Tayer presented DEWA’s renewable and clean energy and sustainability projects that are aligned to the UAE National Agenda, the UAE Vision 2021, and the UN Sustainable Development Goals to Ramanujam.
Al Tayer discussed DEWA’s ambitious initiatives in clean and renewable energy, which enhance Dubai’s electricity and water infrastructure, according to the highest international standards. He also highlighted DEWA’s strategic projects, especially the Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum Solar Park, the largest single-site solar park in the world based on the Independent Power Producer (IPP) model, with a total planned capacity of 5,000 megawatts (MW) by 2030 at a total investment of AED50 billion.
Al Tayer also talked about DEWA’s Sustainable Building, which is the first sustainable government building in the UAE and the largest government building in the world to receive a Platinum Rating for green buildings from Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED). The building saves 66% in energy consumption and has a solar power plant with a capacity of 660 kilowatts (kW). It also reduces water consumption by 48%. DEWA is also working on its new building, called Al-Shera’a (Arabic for sail), which will be the tallest, largest, and smartest Zero Energy Building (ZEB) in the world.
Al Tayer explained the green buildings standards to improve energy efficiency and sustainability. DEWA seeks to achieve the objectives of the Demand Side Management Strategy to reduce energy and water use by 30% by 2030. DEWA’s establishment of Etihad Energy Services (Etihad ESCO) has enhanced investment opportunities in the retrofit market in Dubai. Work is underway to retrofit 30,000 existing buildings across Dubai.
Ramanujam commended DEWA’s efforts and initiatives, in promoting sustainability and green economy, in the UAE.