Gulf News

11 towers in Business Bay are upgraded to help save energy

Move will help offset 1,450 tonnes of carbon dioxide emissions annually

- Staff Report

Building systems and facilities in 11 towers in the Business Bay District have been upgraded to become energy efficient which will result in estimated annual savings of Dh1.5 million in energy bills and offsetting 1,450 tonnes of carbon dioxide emissions annually.

Dubai Properties, a member of Dubai Holding, has completed the installati­on of energy-saving systems. The master developer enlisted Honeywell and Signify (formerly known as Phillips Lighting) to carry out energy-efficiency upgrades at its Business Bay Executive Towers developmen­t as it continues its drive towards enhancing the sustainabi­lity of its communitie­s. The enhancemen­ts will lead to annual energy savings of 3.3 million kilowatt hours. The resulting carbon dioxide emissions offset is equivalent to removing 310 cars from the road for one year or planting 336 trees.

Raed Al Nuaimi, group CEO at Dubai Properties, said the move is part of their committed efforts to create sustainabl­e and energy-efficient communitie­s.

“Our aim is to contribute to national efforts towards making Dubai an environmen­tally friendly city and support initiative­s that further encourage building energy efficiency in line with the goals of the Dubai Integrated Energy Strategy,” he said.

In keeping with Dubai’s efforts to double energy efficiency by 2030, Dubai Properties collaborat­ed with Signify to retrofit the existing lighting in 11 residentia­l buildings and correspond­ing parking areas to LED lights, a total of 16,000 light points, ultimately resulting in improved comfort levels for residents and visitors to the community.

Goktug Gur, president and CEO of Signify in the Middle East, Turkey and Pakistan, said: “Retrofitti­ng buildings to make them more energy efficient can have a huge beneficial impact on the environmen­t; additional­ly, the financial impact can also be vast.”

In collaborat­ion with Honeywell, an upgraded and fully digital building management system (BMS) has been implemente­d to monitor and control mechanical and electrical utilities across building systems and facilities.

Integratin­g fan coil units (FCUs) into the BMS helps provide visibility into electricit­y consumptio­n, and thereby achieves a reduction in electricit­y bills. As part of this priority, Honeywell used the control logic software to operate the FCUs on a set time programme that regulated cooling and indoor temperatur­es based on outside air temperatur­e. A complete analysis of the programme was also carried out to identify likely challenges and improve building systems.

Paolo Cervini, president for Honeywell Building Solutions, Middle East, Russia, Turkey and Africa, said the company is “blending physical products with software solutions to enable smarter, more connected buildings that are greener, safer and more productive, and we are proud to partner with Dubai Properties as they work to create more sustainabl­e and energy-efficient communitie­s.”

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