Today's Edition
KHALED AL KHAWALDEH (ABU DHABI)
The Department of Energy (DoE) on Tuesday announced plans to offer 100 free energy efficiency audits for industrial buildings as part of its broader push to promote sustainable development. The initiative also aims to meet demand-side management targets by improving building efficiency through updated regulations and retrofitting older structures.
Speaking at the RetrofitTech and Sustainable Buildings summit in Abu Dhabi, Mohamed Al Hadhrami, Energy Efficiency Sector Executive Director (Acting) at the DoE, highlighted how this initiative fits within Abu Dhabi's wider sustainability goals.
"Building retrofits and efficiency form one of the most important pillars of our demand-side management programme," Al Hadhrami told Aletihad on the sidelines of the summit.
"It supports Abu Dhabi's goal to reduce electricity consumption by 22% and water consumption by 32% by 2030."
The audits, known as walk-through energy audits, will target key industrial sectors, including cement, food and beverage, glass, paper, steel, and heavy metals. Al Hadhrami explained that these audits will provide building owners and operators with clear insights into potential savings opportunities and help guide them towards more efficient energy practices.
"We want industrial owners to identify where they can reduce consumption, cut costs, and contribute to our collective environmental objectives," he said.
"So, the Department of Energy is trying to lead efficiency in the industrial sector by having this project, which we hope will enlighten industrial owners on how to improve their consumption."
Cooling Solutions
According to Al Hadhrami, among the standout technologies being promoted as part of the retrofitting efforts are cooling solutions.
Cooling accounts for 60-70% of energy consumption in most buildings across Abu Dhabi due to the region's hot climate, he said.
"The weather dictates our cooling needs, but we can still enjoy good cooling services while reducing electricity load significantly," Al Hadhrami said.
"This is where efficient cooling solutions come in, and we see enormous potential in scaling these technologies."
One promising model gaining attention in the emirate is Cooling-as-a-Service (CaaS). While globally recognised, the concept is still in its early stages in Abu Dhabi. According to Al Hadhrami, the DoE sees CaaS as a powerful tool for improving efficiency and reducing capital expenditure for building owners.
"Instead of purchasing and maintaining air-conditioning systems, building owners can essentially rent these services from private sector providers," he said.
"The provider ensures the system runs at optimal efficiency, typically delivering at least 30% savings on energy consumption or cost, while the building owner focuses on their core business."
Al Hadhrami emphasised that CaaS represents a major opportunity for the private sector to partner with property owners and play a key role in the emirate's green transition.
"We already have successful cases of this model being implemented in Abu Dhabi, and we're looking to empower more providers and accelerate adoption across the commercial and industrial sectors," he said.
The free audit initiative and the promotion of advanced cooling solutions are part of a broader, deliberate strategy to help Abu Dhabi achieve significant reductions in energy use.
Al Hadhrami revealed that the DoE aims to cut at least 6.7 terawatt-hours of electricity consumption through retrofitting and related efficiency measures by 2030.
"We are leading by example, but we need building owners and businesses to step forward and work with us," he said.
"These free audits are a starting point, and we are calling on industrial players to register and seize this opportunity."
