Sharjah’s BEEAH broadens operations with climate-smart facilities management services

Sharjah’s global holding company BEEAH, which has made a mark as a leading sustainability and environmental innovations agency, has expanded its ecosystem by way of facilities management services.

The services, which are now available through public-private partnerships with BEEAH’s Tandeef Waste Collection and City Cleaning arm, were presented before stakeholders at the BEEAH Headquarters on Monday.

Highlighting its “sustainable environment management” achievement which also has reached Saudi Arabia and Egypt and within Sharjah alone is at “92 per cent diversion rate, a first in the region and one of the highest in the world,” BEEAH-Environment chief executive officer (CEO) Fahad Shehail in his address, said that the inclusion of facilities management is part of the legacy of the organisation, established in 2007, through an Emiri Decree by His Highness Dr Sheikh Sultan Bin Mohammed Al Qasimi, Member of the UAE Supreme Council and Ruler of Sharjah.

“Our facilities management services are uniquely positioned to address the region’s most pressing challenges, which increasingly call for resilient, climate smart solutions. Each service in our portfolio has been tested and refined through BEEAH’s experience in managing waste on a city scale, optimising community infrastructure and services, and operating advanced recycling facilities. Through this new service line, we are adding more value to our partner cities, complementing the established legacy of our waste collection and city cleaning arm, Tandeef by BEEAH.”

The launch saw individual demonstrations of robots and equipment. In his remarks, Tandeef by BEEAH CEO Rafael Lopez pointed out that the addition of facilities management is the “natural movement” considering the BEEAH mission to achieve its zero-waste-to-landfill primary goal.

Lopez mentioned the necessity to pursue the establishment of “resilient environments.”

He aligned the new “vertical service” to the UAE Net Zero by 2050 Strategy: “For over 15 years, we have led waste collection and city cleaning services across the UAE and more recently, in Saudi Arabia and Egypt, developing innovative solutions to keep waste out of the environment. With the facilities management, we are helping partners move toward net zero by digitalising and future-proofing their facilities with emerging technologies already in motion across our operations.”

Waste management, power, industry, transport, buildings and agriculture are the “key sectors” of the UAE Net Zero by 2050 Strategy which also underscores the importance of the reduction of non-hazardous and hazardous wastes to the minimum and even at best, zero, in order to obviate any unsanitary to fatal effects on the environment and population.

In answer to Gulf Today, Lopez, whose penchant for the preservation of the environment has its origins from his childhood in Spain, defined facilities management as not merely maintaining buildings and their surroundings clean with the presence of cleaners, security and pest control.

“But also making sure that these are healthy. Facilities management is like a thorough medical check-up. That we look good outside and the insides or the assets of the buildings such as the airconditioning and with the surroundings, waste management and water systems are sustainably guaranteed protected” from disintegration. “Their lives are extended by way of predictive check-ups through the Internet of Things” by way of embedded sensors and other Artificial Intelligence-driven technology leading to energy efficiency and reduced waste and proper waste management.

“The idea and the solution to waste management is to reduce the waste produce because waste reduction is waste management,” Lopez also said.

For Lopez who has a background on environmental engineering, “resilient environments starts with instilling sustainability and environment education in children. These must be taught as a subject matter that has to be understood because all of us are here on Earth. Everything and everyone must not be taken for granted because after us, somebody will be coming around.”

“Like if we are renting a house, we cannot destroy the house not only for the landlord because when we exit, somebody will be coming in. We must always think that as we enjoyed the comforts of that house, the next person must enjoy those comforts too. Do not spoil everything,” Lopez continued, adding that among those instrumental in waste management are his colleagues out there who give him the feedback on how to better equipment for much improved services.