Dubai Municipality on Sunday said its new Smart Inspection Programme has automated organising, planning, and overseeing the environmental monitoring operations in industrial and service facilities and development projects.
The new programme will ensure that the owners of these establishments and projects adhere to environmental requirements and standards to enhance their sustainability in line with international practices.
The Municipality aims to complete the automation of all monitoring operations related to environment, health and safety, and food safety.It said the programme will help save time, effort and costs incurred to save the data and records of the inspections.
The Smart Inspection Programme has many features that make the monitoring processes easier. It provides all data by making it possible to view a summary of all inspections, including planned, in-progress, and completed inspection visits.
The programme also facilitates the modification of their details and contact data, adding any new facilities or projects, scheduling annual inspection plans for all inspectors in the system, as well as the possibility of entering and resetting follow-up inspection plans or emergency visits.
Source: Khaleej Times
Sharjah Sustainable City – the first sustainable master-planned community developed by the Sharjah Investment and Development Authority (Shurooq) in partnership with Diamond Developers – has kicked off a sustainable community engagement program with its first event, the ‘Discover Your Urban Farm’ initiative.
Discover Your Urban Farm’ is designed to introduce Sharjah Sustainable City’s residents to urban farming with access to Agri Pods on which they can grow their own plants or vegetables. ‘Discover Your Urban Farm’ will invite the first of the community’s residents to a planting activity in the community garden pockets, with workshops on learning how to compost using organic waste and growing different plants and vegetables suited to Sharjah’s climate.
An enjoyable family-friendly initiative is aimed to further reduce city’s carbon footprint while creating awareness of the food-energy-water nexus, waste management and promoting health and wellbeing.
Commenting on the initiative, Mr. Yousif Ahmed Al-Mutawa, Chief Executive Officer of Sharjah Sustainable City, said: “With over 110 villa handovers completed smoothly, it is thrilling to see our community come alive, with residents experiencing the many benefits of life in Sharjah’s first sustainable residential development. However, creating a truly green community goes beyond simply using sustainable materials and construction techniques, renewable energy and smart home technology. It extends all the way to encouraging an entirely sustainable way of life. Through our community initiatives, we aim to educate our residents on everything related to eco-friendly living, including urban farming, landscaping, local wildlife, biodiversity, waste reduction and recycling and more. Together, we will work towards a Net-Zero community that offers an aspirational lifestyle that is in harmony with the well-being of future generations.”
Green All Year Round
‘Discover Your Urban Farm’ is the first initiative in an ongoing educational campaign that will take place on an ongoing basis, hosting enjoyable activities and offering holistic guidance on the most sustainable urban farming and landscaping practices, including which plant species thrive in the UAE climate, support local habitats, and consume the least resources in terms of water and soil. The program will also include activities focused on wellness to encourage healthy lifestyle, green mobility, and special Ramadan sustainability programs.
Overall, the initiative aims to bring together residents and promote wellness and sustainability practices. It will also serve as a great platform, especially for children, to learn about the efforts and resources required to grow food and create a sense of appreciation, thus reducing food waste.
Sharjah Sustainable City
Extended over an area of 7.2 million square feet in Sharjah’s Al Rahmaniya Area, Sharjah Sustainable City is a leading eco-friendly residential community, promoting a lifestyle that is compatible with the future. With a total of 1,250 sustainable villas, the city is divided into blocks of three-, four- and five-bedroom properties ranging between 2,035 square feet and 3,818 square feet in a built-up area.
The development is in line with national efforts related to the food-energy-water nexus as it provides practical solutions related to food security, water and energy management, as well as natural resources conservation.
The city is equipped with renewable energy produced from rooftop solar panels and built with sustainable materials and passive designs that reduce utility bills and operational costs. As a result, residents can save up to 50% on water and electricity bills. On top of that, the city offers zero service fees for the first five years, as well as complimentary energy-efficient kitchen appliances and smart home features.
In 2022, the city’s first two phases, including 604 spacious and modern villas, were entirely sold out, and it also launched the third phase comprising 324 villas. What’s more, the phase 1 handover has been completed, with handovers of phase 2 and phase 3 expected to take place in 2023 and 2024, respectively.
The project will utilise DEWA’s existing green hydrogen production facility and ENOC’s knowledge of the fuel market to build a hydrogen fuelling station
Dubai Electricity and Water Authority (DEWA) and ENOC have signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) to conduct a feasibility study for the establishment, development, and operation of a joint pilot project on the use of hydrogen in mobility.
The MoU was signed at the World Government Summit 2023 in the presence of in the presence of H.H. Sheikh Ahmed bin Saeed Al Maktoum, Chairman of the Dubai Supreme Council of Energy, Suhail bin Mohammed Al Mazrouei, Minister of Energy and Infrastructure, Omar bin Sultan Al Olama, Minister of State for Artificial Intelligence, Digital Economy, and Remote Work Applications, Saeed Mohammed Al Tayer, Managing Director and CEO of DEWA, and Saif Humaid Al Falasi, CEO of ENOC Group.
The project will utilise DEWA's existing green hydrogen production facility and ENOC's knowledge of the fuel market to build a hydrogen fueling station and contribute to the Dubai Green Mobility Initiative 2030. The project supports the UAE's hosting of the 28th Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change and the country's goal to develop the hydrogen economy and open local markets to hydrogen vehicles. Both DEWA and ENOC aim to support the vision of a sustainable and green future and to achieve net-zero carbon emissions by 2050.
Al Tayer said, “DEWA and ENOC Group have a strategic partnership that supports the vision and directives of His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, to promote as a global model in sustainability and green transformation. We are pleased to sign this MoU with ENOC Group to use green hydrogen, which is one of the environment friendly energy sources and represents one of the pillars of a sustainable future that depends on accelerating the transition to net-zero carbon emissions to achieve the Dubai Clean Energy Strategy 2050 and Dubai Net-zero Carbon Strategy 2050.”
Al Falasi said, “ENOC Group’s partnership with DEWA follows the announcement of 2023 as the 'Year of Sustainability' by President His Highness Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan. It also aligns with the Dubai Economic Agenda 'D33' that was announced by His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum. The agreement underpins the Group’s efforts to nurture public-private partnerships to achieve Dubai’s Clean Energy Strategy 2050 as well as lay the foundation for a green economy and lead the adoption of sustainable energy solutions.”
The Abu Dhabi Waste Management Company (Tadweer) and LanzaTech NZ, Inc., an innovative Carbon Capture and Transformation company, today announced a collaboration to explore business opportunities to develop a large-scale conversion plant for transforming solid municipal waste into sustainable alternative fuel.
LanzaTech is a company that transforms waste carbon into materials such as sustainable fuels, fabrics, packaging, and other products that people use in their daily lives.
Ali Al Dhaheri, Chief Executive Officer of Tadweer, said, "This is another great partnership we are exploring in 2023 – the UAE's Year of Sustainability. It exemplifies our commitment to partnering with leading waste management entities and driving sustainability across our organisation. We believe that waste is a resource to be harnessed, and with LanzaTech's support, we aim to make this a reality."
"The project represents a tremendous opportunity to protect the planet by turning waste carbon into sustainable aviation fuel, keeping fossil fuels in the ground," said Jennifer Holmgren, Chief Executive Officer of LanzaTech.
He added, "The carbon found in municipal solid waste, which is piling up in landfills or being incinerated globally, can play a critical role in eliminating the virgin fossil resources used to make fuels and chemicals. It is a testament to the UAE's leadership and strong sustainability agenda that our technology has found a home here. This collaboration further advances the US and UAE's Partnership for Accelerating Clean Energy (PACE) and provides a foundation for deepening cooperation on circular economy and low-carbon fuels.
Source: WAM, Rola AlGhoul/ Esraa Esmail
Dubai Islamic Bank (DIB) has successfully priced its second Sustainable Sukuk – a landmark US$1 billion 5.5-year senior issue with a profit rate of 4.80 percent per annum, representing a spread of 102.4 bps over 5-Year US Treasuries.
The Sukuk was issued in line with DIB’s Sustainable Finance Framework, which was created to facilitate financing of green and social initiatives and projects. This deal achieved several landmarks including the largest issuance by a Middle East financial institution in the international capital markets since June 2021 and the largest-ever sustainable issuance by a Middle East Financial Institution.
This deal once again demonstrated DIB’s leadership in Islamic and Sustainable finance, with an established and strong investor following from Europe, Asia and the Middle East. The Sukuk was priced after completing a comprehensive marketing exercise where DIB updated investors on its positive financial performance as well as its Sustainable Finance Framework.
The response from investors was overwhelming and despite issuing a larger size (US$1 billion), DIB achieved a 3x oversubscription - which itself was the largest book size seen for a GCC bank in over a year.
Dr. Adnan Chilwan, Group Chief Executive Officer, DIB, commented, “Driven by our detailed and meticulously crafted balanced growth strategy as well as the bank’s commitment towards the Sustainability agenda of the UAE and the larger ‘Net Zero by 2050’ goal of the nation, we are delighted to announce the issuance of our second Sustainable Sukuk today, the largest-ever by a Middle East Financial Institution.
"The success of DIB’s inaugural sukuk in 2022 strongly reflected the market’s faith in the franchise and the reputation the bank enjoys in the local and international capital markets. The investor response for this latest issuance was overwhelming with more than US$3bn of orders allowing us to issue a larger size well within our pricing parameters. I would like to thank our investors for the continued trust and confidence placed in DIB. As the country prepares to host COP 28, we remain committed to play an active role in fulfilling the UAE’s long-term sustainability objectives. We hope the success of our offering will encourage other issuers from the UAE to follow suit in this format.”
The Sukuk is issued under DIB Sukuk Ltd. and is listed on Euronext Dublin and NASDAQ Dubai. Standard Chartered Bank acted as Sole Sustainability Structurer while Bank ABC, Dubai Islamic Bank, Emirates NBD Capital, First Abu Dhabi Bank, HSBC, KFH Capital, Mashreq, Sharjah Islamic Bank, Standard Chartered Bank and The Islamic Corporation for the Development of the Private Sector acted as Joint Lead Managers and Bookrunners on the transaction.
Source: Esraa Esmail / Binsal Abdulkader - Emirates News Agency
Al Fattan Energy will join hands with LTechUVC, a company based in South Korea, to produce green hydrogen-based ammonia.
On January 19, Al Fattan Group and LTechUVC, a hydrogen-based smart city consulting company in Korea, attended Al Fattan Energy headquarters in Abu Dhabi for the official signing of a “200MW green hydrogen-based ammonia business investment contract” with AL Fattan Energy (AFE), a subsidiary of Al Fattan Holding and Investment.
The objective of this initiative is to build a 200MW class green hydrogen and ammonia production project with a total project cost of about USD 400 million. The facility will, provisionally, be situated in KEZAD, the largest industrial complex in Abu Dhabi
This venture is a synergistic alliance that brings together the strong credentials of AFE in designing, executing, and delivering EPC projects, and the expertise of LTechUVC in offering and developing utility-scale renewable energy solutions.
Al Fattan Energy, a subsidiary of Al Fattan Holding Investment, specializes in nuclear, oil & gas and renewable energy engineering in the MENA (Middle East and North Africa) region.
LTechUVC is a consulting company specializing in hydrogen-based energy businesses, with a 20MW hydrogen fuel cell project due to start construction in May this year. .
Green hydrogen refers to hydrogen produced using renewable energy, and green ammonia is synthesized using green hydrogen as a feedstock.
Korea is one of the world's top three ammonia importers. Recently the Korean government has decided to promote green ammonia mixed combustion power generation in coal and gas-fired power plants to achieve 'zero greenhouse gas emissions' by 2050.
Al Fattan Energy CEO said, "At a time when the interest in eco-friendly energy is high worldwide, we strive to establish ourselves as a leader in the global hydrogen economy together with Korean companies with technological prowess."
The Board of Directors of the Roads and Transport Authority (RTA) has endorsed a plan to transform taxis in Dubai (Dubai Taxi and franchise company taxis) into 100% environmentally friendly (hybrid, electric and hydrogen-powered) by 2027. The move meets the requirements of the Dubai Supreme Council of Energy, the Green Economy drive, and the Dubai Government's strategic directions toward comprehensive environmental sustainability.
His Excellency Mattar Al Tayer, Director-General, Chairman of the Board of Executive Directors of the Roads and Transport Authority, said, “The plan to transform taxis into environmentally-friendly vehicles translates the directives of His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice-President, Prime Minister of the UAE, Ruler of Dubai to optimise energy usage and promote environmental sustainability in the UAE. RTA has taken decisive action toward creating a safe, clean, and sustainable environment that befits Dubai's reputation. This initiative supports the Dubai Government's efforts to introduce green vehicles and promote a cleaner environment.
RTA has made remarkable progress in this regard, successfully transforming 72% of the taxis in Dubai into environmentally friendly vehicles, comprising a total of 8,221 hybrid vehicles. This significant accomplishment aligns with the overarching goal of optimising energy usage, creating a sustainable environment, and positioning Dubai as a leader in promoting green transportation.
“The 5-year plan (2023-2027) aims to switch the entire taxi fleet into fully environmentally-friendly (hybrid, electric and hydrogen-powered) within five years at a rate of 10% per annum to achieve the targeted 100% by 2027. The plan is aligned with RTA’s roadmap for transforming public transport means into emission-free by 2050,” explained Al Tayer.
“The results of experiments on eco-friendly vehicles, which RTA started trialling in 2008, confirmed the environmental benefits of reducing carbon emissions, fuel consumption, and maintenance costs, as well as decreasing noise levels. Hybrid vehicles also have a longer lifespan compared to regular vehicles and cost less in the long run. They are characterised by lower purchase prices, maintenance fees, fuel expenses, insurance premiums, and other associated costs that potentially could be as low as 50% of regular vehicles,” he further added.
Emirates Water and Electricity Company (EWEC) today announced that it will conduct the Q1 auction for Clean Energy Certificates (CECs) in Abu Dhabi, with registration now open and will close on 14th March.
The CECs scheme is a strategic initiative introduced by the Abu Dhabi Department of Energy (DoE) that enables Abu Dhabi-based companies to validate their clean energy consumption claims and support the UAE’s transition towards a sustainable, decarbonised economy. It also offers participating companies a competitive advantage by holding internationally recognised certificates that certify their green credentials.
Francois Brice, Commercial Executive Director at EWEC, said, “Following the record results achieved in our Q4 2022 auction, where we sold over 9 million CECs to numerous Abu Dhabi-based entities, EWEC is proud to be at the forefront of supporting Abu Dhabi and the UAE achieve its economic and sustainability goals as the nation prepares to host COP28.
“The market for CECs is rapidly growing and gaining further momentum as organisations take positive, tangible action to decarbonise their energy consumption and contribute to the UAE Net Zero by 2050 strategic initiative.”
He also urged organisations and entities to participate in the upcoming auction and demonstrate their commitment to a more sustainable future.
CECs are tradable digital certificates issued by the Department of Energy in units of 1 MWh. They conform to International REC Standard (I-REC) measures and are currently the only accredited instruments in Abu Dhabi to prove ownership of the environmental and economic benefits of consuming clean energy.
EWEC plays a key role in implementing the CECs scheme by being the Single Registrant and Auction Operator.
Source: WAM, Rola AlGhoul/ Esraa Esmail
An all-girl team of first year engineering students from Canadian University Dubai (CUD) have developed an award-winning solution for the sustainable transportation of water. The wind-powered lifting system was recognized for its efficient, innovative design, winning first place in a recent competition staged by global industry body, the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE).
The team of seventeen-year-olds Danica Reyes and Jana Nozamy, and eighteen-year-olds Marwa Khaled and Somayya Khaled, joined forces just a few weeks into their degree program at CUD to embark on the engineering design project. The challenge was to build a cost-effective and efficient wind-powered wheel, capable of lifting water between two levels without the use of electricity.
Explaining the purpose behind the project, Danica said, “The idea was to create a solution for water transportation in rural areas and other places with limited infrastructure. The prototype we developed combined modern engineering practices with an ancient pumping mechanism driven by wind power. The system demonstrates how centuries-old techniques can be combined with innovative approaches to produce sustainable energy.”
Speaking about the development process, Marwa explained, “We were all just starting out on our mechatronics degree and had to develop a whole new range of skills in a very short space of time. From product design to 3D printing and precision cutting, we had an exciting and challenging hands-on experience that helped us learn a lot about the practice of engineering very early in our studies.”
Somayya continued, “We went through a number of different ideas in designing the propeller blades to optimize the wind power and also in developing the pump action to increase the volume of water transferred. We were determined to get the best possible output so there was a lot of trial and error, and we tested four alternative approaches before creating the final solution.”
Featuring a unique combination of advanced technology in the form of 3D-printed components, alongside simple household items such as a wooden bread board, the prototype successfully and efficiently pumped water in both upward and downward directions. The team earned first place in the IEEE competition for pumping the highest volume of water, combined with their creative design approach.
Speaking about their success Jana said, “As an all-girl team we are very proud that our project stood out at a competitive industry-led event. We feel empowered by this win to challenge the stereotypes that we’ve all encountered around women in science and technology, and we will continue to follow our passion for engineering and encourage other girls to do the same.”
Mentoring the team through the competition was Associate Professor, Dr. Ahmed Al-Gindy, who added, “I was extremely impressed with the creativity the team showed in sourcing and adapting the raw materials and the excellent technical skills they demonstrated at such an early stage in their university studies. We want to encourage even more girls to participation in STEM subjects and this team has scored a remarkable achievement that will be an inspiration to other aspiring female engineers.”
Source: Press release
In line with the recent announcement of President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan on declaring 2023 as the Year of Sustainability, Middle-East-based investment services company Century Financial has announced a series of initiatives as part of its contribution towards strengthening sustainability in the financial sector.
Century Financial’s sustainability agenda will primarily focus on forging strategic partnerships with like-minded organizations in the region under the banner ‘Sustainability and U’. The initiatives, which are anchored on actively engaging the financial community, will work towards achieving a robust ecosystem that will, in turn, help to strengthen the environment, sustainability and governance efforts (ESG) across the region.
To drive this all-important agenda, Century Financial has appointed veteran industry professional Sameera Fernandes, Director of Sustainability to initiate and lead ESG initiatives. According to Sameera, Century Financial is taking a quantum leap in spearheading and rallying the regional financial sector in taking decisive and effective climate actions to ultimately achieve a net-zero future.
“To re-affirm our support for the UAE’s green development drive towards COP28, we are rolling out an ambitious multi-pronged agenda in driving sustainability initiatives across the company and our industry. With the appointment of our Director of Sustainability to lead sustainable business transformation, various strategies, policies, and breakthrough collaborations have been flagged off this year to commence our journey,” said Bal Krishen Rathore, Chairman and CEO, Century Financial.
On her part, Sameera Fernandes, Director of Corporate Affairs & Sustainability commented, “Over the course of the next few months, we have initiated several programmes that will actively promote sustainable best practices in the financial space. By leveraging the UAE government’s focus on sustainability with the impending COP28 climate conference to be hosted later this year, we shall also be actively engaging with stakeholders to promote sustainable practices that impact the economic, environmental, and social conditions.”
The initiatives will be steered by a strategically constituted think tank comprising banks, wealth management and investment companies brought together to share best practices based on the newly introduced ESG criteria of the GHG reporting standards. Further, various sustainable finance frameworks such as the Task Force on Climate-related Financial Disclosures (TCFD) and the United Nations' Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) will be actively incorporated into the reporting.
As part of the framework, the initiatives will also generate sustainability audits, rating systems, certifications and share best practices across the financial sector to encourage other players in the industry to adopt and introduce similar initiatives.
“With regards to our internal initiatives at Century Financial we are focused on strengthening our communities through financial literacy- From students across universities, frontline workers to corporates and empowering women on being self-sustainable. The financial literacy initiative is ready to be rolled out in the first quarter. These developments also complement the various efforts we are undertaking to incorporate and embed ESG considerations into our approach and operations. Through this, we will be able to have measurable benchmarks in the UAE,” noted Sameera.
Century Financial has been a pioneer in the UAE’s investment sector understanding investors evolving demands and harnessing this allegiance toward impact investing. Boosting the millennials and Gen Z’s inclination to value and proactively invest in companies that support SDGs; Century Financial has recently included ESG-focused instruments in its diverse product offering to complement the shift towards socially responsible investing.
Source: Press release
