Abu Dhabi’s DoE to retrofit 150 government buildings
The project is the first of its kind and utilises private ESCOs to implement energy and water conservation measures
The Abu Dhabi Department of Energy (DoE) has announced the completion of the Emirate’s first Energy Saving Performance Contracting (ESPC) project encompassing eight retrofitted government buildings. It further aims to retrofit 150 government buildings.
Government buildings including Abu Dhabi Distribution Company, Abu Dhabi Transmission and Despatch Company, Al Ain Distribution Company, and Emirates Water and Electricity Company, participated in the retrofitting project to study energy efficiency by introducing a number of energy conservation measures.
The Building Retrofit programme is a part of Abu Dhabi’s Demand Side Management and Energy Rationalisation Strategy 2030, which aims for a 22 per cent reduction in energy consumption and a 32 per cent reduction in water consumption over the next decade. One of the nine key programmes of the DSM strategy, building retrofitting aims for significant cost savings, system reliability and environmental benefits, in line with the vision of Abu Dhabi and UAE’s national strategies for sustainability.
Building Retrofit aims to improve energy efficiency in the buildings while generating savings and reducing costs to building owners, tenants and the government. As part of the programme a number of smart energy-saving solutions were deployed in the buildings to improve the efficiency of cooling, lighting and water components.
Moreover, following the success of the pilot and the potential ESPC holds in terms of resource and cost savings, Abu Dhabi aims to retrofit 150 governmental buildings starting this year. The pilot project is the first for government/public buildings, which follows the ESPC model and utilises private ESCOs to implement energy and water conservation measures.
The pilot will not only improve existing building eftficiency but also develop the market for ESCO. The project has shown an initial average energy saving of 38 per cent across the eight buildings, and it is expected to have far-reaching economic impact once the ESCO model is adopted across the board.
Mohamed Bin Jarsh Alfalasi, undersecretary of the Abu Dhabi Department of Energy, said: “The Building Retrofit pilot project will pave the way for Abu Dhabi’s Super ESCO, which aims for achieving unprecedented levels of efficiency in the emirate.”
“The Energy Efficiency Policy for government buildings is a step forward in the direction towards energy efficiency goals set by the DSM Strategy. The Policy encourages government entities to lead by example by adopting habits and practices for efficient use of water and electricity. As we strive to achieve sustainability, these are some of the steps which will lead to a better future,” he added.
The ESCO programme has been projected to result in a saving of 2.7 TWh electricity and 9 M cubic meter water over the next decade. The programme will also be an economic booster for the emirate by creating new business opportunities and will introduce new companies operating in the field.
