RAK Government signs MoU with Grundfos for seven-week energy audit
Exclusive interview with Grundfos’ area MD to understand the wider applications of RAK initiating an energy audit in the emirate
Ras Al Khaimah (RAK) Municipality has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Grundfos to provide an energy audit for HVAC, irrigation, water supply and disinfection pumping systems across 50 buildings and operational facilities, including large scale sewage plants.
The energy audit will be overseen by the Municipality’s Energy Efficiency and Renewables Administration (Reem) which is also coordinating the implementation of the RAK Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy Strategy 2040. In addition to the energy audit, Grundfos will also conduct systems’ certification and maintenance for RAK government’s building managers and supervisors.
The MOU signing follows Grundfos’ recent launch of the free ‘Energy Check’ to organisations in the UAE to help root out inefficient equipment and promote water conservation.
Commenting on the MoU, His Excellency Munther Mohammed bin Shekar, Director General, Ras Al Khaimah Municipality, said: “The MOU is aligned with the Municipality’s vision to pioneer sustainable urban development and create healthy and happy communities.”
“The audit will help us explore further ways to reduce energy costs, by working with Grundfos’ expert team on pumping systems, which drive a significant part of our energy consumption,” he added.
Meanwhile, Kostas Poulopoulos, Grundfos Area Managing Director, Gulf, Levant and Pakistan said the MoU reflects the coming together of two like-minded organisations.
Speaking exclusively to MECN, he added that Grundfos had initiated an energy optimisation and retrofit approach two and half years ago in Dubai, with both private and public clients who had some very good cases, however this energy audit is the first of its kind with the RAK government.
“Additionally, we have been involved with RAK on their wastewater treatment plant site, in optimisation and helping them in their operations.”
“In terms of ambitions, this is exactly what we need from government and private entities, that they have big responsibilities for energy management,” Poulopoulos stressed.
“And from our side, we are confident that we can identify the opportunities related to pumping applications and where we can optimise energy consumption, if we are focusing on buildings, it can be on the HVAC side, or irrigation or even water management.”
“The UAE has some of the highest water consumption rates in the world,” Poulopoulos further added.
He stated that the per capita water consumption rate in the Emirates is 550 l per day compared to the global rate of 170-300 l. Poulopoulos stated that such initiatives will help in raising awareness in energy optimisations and retrofitting opportunities, in the wider region.
“Much can be done to minimise water consumption by utilising the latest digital technology to make pumping solutions as efficient as possible and reduce wastage,” he concluded.
