Etihad Energy Services Company (Etihad ESCO) announced the signing of an agreement with Sharaf Electronics for the implementation of the lighting retrofit project at three terminals of Dubai Airport. The project will replace over 15,000 outdoor and indoor lights with latest energy saving LED lights, resulting in about Dhs5 million annual savings every year, for next seven years for the airport. In addition, the project supports Dubai Airport’s vision of environmental sustainability.

As an accredited ESCO company with Regulatory & Supervisory Bureau (RSB) for electricity and water in Dubai, Sharaf Electronics is tasked to complete the project within a year and a half. With over 8,500 outdoor lights, including high mast lighting and 7,000 indoor lights, latest lighting technologies from Europole and Sylvania will make Dubai Airport a front runner in energy efficient lighting in the world.

Ali Al Jassim, CEO, Etihad ESCO, said: “To begin with, putting together the project in place was a challenge, as not only had the lights to meet Dubai Airport’s highest quality standards but also must guarantee long-term high energy savings. Sharaf Electronics team worked with several vendors to meet the exacting standards to our satisfaction. We wish them success in executing the project. The project will turn Dubai Airport into a leading model of energy efficiency in the emirate.”

Nilesh Khalkho, CEO - Sharaf Electronics, said: “It is a prestigious project for us and start of a new journey. As a local group we are committed to giving something back to the society and energy is one of the areas where we would like to contribute. In this journey forward, we will be retrofitting the leading Dubai International Airport. Hopefully we will continue this journey of executing many more projects for Etihad ESCO.”

LED is the future of lighting. Retrofitting an existing conventional lighting in a building with LED lights can result in 40-50 per cent energy savings. Smart control systems together with significantly efficient luminescent technology allows to achieve significant savings. Typical airport lighting projects are governed by strictest standards of quality and energy consumption.

Etihad ESCO is a Dewa venture that was established in 2013 to make Dubai’s built environment a leading example of energy efficiency.

Etihad ESCO aims to create viable performance contracting market for energy service companies by auditing and proposing energy conservation measures to major building contractors/developers, bringing Dubai closer to the achievement of its sustainability goals.

Meanwhile the Etihad ESCO wants to develop an energy efficient market in Dubai, in line with the Demand Side Management Strategy 2030 which aims to reduce power and water consumption by 30 per cent by 2030.

Conforming with this commitment, Etihad Esco and Dubai Energy Efficient Programme (Taqati- the specialised office that manages the Demand Side Management Strategy) will promote the use of renewable energy and raise awareness on energy-efficient methods. It will also provide internal and administrative advisory support to stakeholders in the Demand Side Management for the implementation of energy efficient projects through cooperation with a large group of stake holders.

Moving ahead, Waleed Salman, Vice Chairman of Etihad Esco said: “Four new projects are planned for this year, and Etihad Esco aims to create an energy-efficient contracting market for energy service companies.”

“We will be doing this by auditing and proposing energy conservation standards for contractors and developers of buildings and look forward to achieving huge financial savings by 2030.”

“Dubai Electricity and Water Authority (Dewa) has a lot of goals and initiatives for the future. This is part of our DNA- creating awareness and changing the mindset,” Salman said during a brief interview on the sidelines of the conference to MECN.

He added: “Last year, with out partnership with public and private sectors, we achieved encouraging success from the initiatives and projects that were undertaken for the retrofitting of buildings.”

Major projects carried out by Etihad Esco last year, included the installation of photovoltaic solar panels on the rooftops of 554 citizens’ houses in Hatta, with DEWA’s support. Under the Shams Dubai Initiative, Etihad Esco has also retrofitted 2092 facilities and buildings in Dubai.

Salman stated: “Our various high-efficiency lighting installations and retrofitting projects achieved total savings of 114.75 million kilowatt-hours of electricity and 132.15 million gallons of water, amounting to $15.16 million.”

These savings have offset around 56,600 tonnes of carbon emissions per year, Salman said during the conference. Ali Jassim, CEO of Etihad Esco told MECN that with respect to Etihad Esco’s solar panel installation initiatives, citizens are very welcoming.

“We are knocking on their doors, approaching them and getting consent from them to install it. Since this scheme is supported by Dewa, it is also free for the citizens.”

Agencies