We know that climate change and the upcoming energy and water crunch will affect the economic performance of businesses in the UAE both now and into the future. However, good planning and immediate action can mean that your business is better prepared to cope with the changes. Indeed, many companies are already taking action to reduce their energy and water consumption as an important first step. Not only are these companies helping to save the UAE but they are also saving significant sums of money by being more efficient in their energy and water consumption.

Take a look at some of our case studies, which demonstrate just how much money can be saved by taking these actions, while enhancing the reputation of these companies. Media and public attention is now fixed constantly on companies’ environmental policies and performance. A company that is seen to ignore environmental concerns is doing itself no good, as more and more people prefer to deal with businesses who have a positive, proven record of corporate social responsibility. Nowadays there is much evidence that corporations wish to deal with other environmentally considerate corporations, and what’s more, consumers want to buy from them!

While it is important that companies demonstrate intent to change behaviours, we encourage them to act on these intentions and to be part of the solution. The good news is that there are lots of measures that any organization can take to reduce their energy and water consumption. We encourage all organizations to show their support by registering and pledging to be a corporate hero of the UAE, by implementing the tips that we provide and to monitor the impact of these actions on their consumption. We want to hear about the impact this is having on your energy and water bills as well as your footprint. So make a start today and by following some simple steps:

Energy saving tips

• Air conditioning

  Whether at home or in an office, AC is our greediest energy consumer, accounting for 55% or more of most energy bills. Obviously, with the UAE’s hot climate, we depend on AC. But there are many ways to curb its consumption. The three changes that result in the greatest impact to your consumption and bill include the following:

  • Set the AC at a comfortable 24-25 degrees Celsius or above. In many offices, people are uncomfortably cold!
  • Regular maintenance – cleaning the coil and dust filters – can make an AC unit 100% more efficient! So make sure to have yours done frequently.
  • Set the temperature higher outside normal office hours. Better still, switch the AC off altogether.

  Extra tips:

  • Don’t leave the AC running in empty rooms. Turn it off completely in spare offices, or in meeting rooms as soon as the meeting is over. Also set the temperature much higher in unused or rarely used office areas like corridors.
  • If your AC system offers a choice of fan speeds, set it on low.
  • Use night pre-cooling to ensure that the temperature is at a comfortable level in the morning.
  • If you’re specifying or fitting a new unit, make sure it features energy recovery.
  • Lower window blinds to reduce direct sunlight and close windows while the AC is switched on to keep cool air from escaping.
  • Fit ‘open window detectors’, which automatically shut down or reduce the AC intensity when a window is open.
  • Keep doors closed as much as you can. Use air curtains if it’s practical.

     

  • A heat source that’s located directly under a thermostat – such as a coffee pot or a computer – can make the AC work unnecessarily hard. Have a look round the workplace and make sure your thermostats are in a clear, unheated space.
  • In winter months when the outside temperatures are cooler, use fans instead of the AC, and let in as much outdoor ventilation as possible.

• Lighting

  We all need light to work, but lights are the second biggest energy consumers in businesses and office environments. There are many simple things that we can do to reduce energy consumption. The top three things include:

  • Replace regular light bulbs with energy saving bulbs such as CFLs or LEDs. These can bring up to 60% savings compared to normal bulbs.
  • It goes without saying that we should turn off lights that aren’t in use – but it’s surprising how many offices ignore it!
  • Install occupancy sensors to turn off lights automatically, especially in lesser used areas like corridors and toilets.

  Extra tips:

  • Lighting control systems
    • an integrated daylight and dimmer control can bring 30% savings
    • install separate switches for zones with or without daylight.
  • Lighting options and fittings
    • Replacing "fat" tubes (T10 or T12 flourescent lamps) with "thin" tubes (T5 or T8 flourescent lamps) can also save huge amounts of energy.
    • Replacing electro-magnetic ballast with electronic ballast for fluorescent fittings will save another 20%.
    • Installing parabolic reflectors will make fluorescent tubes work harder, so you’ll need less of them.
    • Clean light fittings regularly to maintain optimum performance.
    • Replace conventional “Exit” signs with LED signage.
    • Display “save energy” stickers near switches as reminders.
  • Better use of natural light
    • Make use of natural daylight whenever possible to cut down on energy bills.
    • Cut down the number of lights in areas with natural sunlight.
    • Instal blinds, solar screens or window shades to cool your office and instal reflective window film, double glazing or awnings to bring savings of 15%
    • Indirect lighting is particularly energy-inefficient. Plan your lighting so that it illuminates an entire area.

• Computers and office equipment

  We all need office equipment such as computers, printers and photocopiers, but together they do consume a lot of energy. And our use of such equipment is increasing rapidly, meaning that they will account for a rapidly growing portion of our energy consumption. From the type of equipment that we buy, to how we use it and dispose of it, there are many things that we can do to ensure these equipments leave behind a lower footprint.

  • When buying new equipment, choose those that are the most energy efficient (eg. energy star rated).
  • Responsibly use all equipment like computers, photocopiers and printers and ensure they are switched off after office hours or when they are unused for prolonged periods of time.
    • Remember, switching off is not the same as leaving it on standby! The energy wasted by leaving a photocopier on standby overnight would make 700 A4 copies!
    • And the power wasted by a desktop printer left on standby outside office hours accounts for 70% of its total energy consumption.
    • Switch off computer monitors when not in use.
    • If your computer must be left on when you’re not using it, use its power management features to put it on sleep mode.
    • If you use fax machines, divert all calls to one or two units outside office hours and turn the other units off.
    • If you have it, enable the hibernation mode setting – it’s more energy efficient.
    • Unplug chargers and adapters when they’re not is use. If you don’t, they’ll continue to consume energy.
    • Set any 'low power' and 'off' default intervals to the lowest settings.
  • Don't forget to keep up the maintenance schedules of your appliances.
  • When replacing your old equipment, ensure that they are disposed of responsibly.
  • Check with local recycling centres and the manufacturers if they recycle electronic waste.

  Extra tips:

  • Printing and copying:
    • Try to do photocopying in batches. This can minimise energy consumption due to less frequent start-ups.
    • Think before you print – do you really need to print every email that you receive?
    • Use 'print preview' to avoid printing incorrect documents, especially on bigger print runs.
    • Use the double sided print option – and halve your paper use instantly! Or better still print two pages per side and make it double sided and quadruple your efficiency.
    • Use inkjet instead of laserjet printers.
  • Computers:
    • Avoid using screen savers as they don’t allow sleep mode on computers.
    • Use LCD monitors instead of CRT monitors.
    • Reduce the brightness level of your computer screen to the lowest comfortable level.
    • Use laptops instead of desktops whenever possible.
    • Use "thin clients" and concentrate your computer power in ”data centres”, making sure your server is as efficient as possible.

Water saving tips:

We already know how precious water is, especially in a desert country like the UAE. Being one of the highest per capita water consumers in the world in not a statistic to be proud of and there is plenty of room for improvement in the way we use and manage water. There are many simple things that organizations can implement today both indoors and outdoors to ensure we use this precious commodity more efficiently.

• Office

  Place water saving devices in cisterns or, if it's a new appliance, choose a dual flush cistern.

  • We all have to get into the habit of turning off taps when we’re not using them. Please only use as much water as you need and never leave the tap running.
  • Instal water saving faucets on your taps and shower heads – these keep the pressure the same but by mixing air with the water, you actually consume less water.
  • Repair leaks as soon as you spot them – even if they’re small.

  Extra tips

  • Display reminder stickers with the water-saving message in prominent need places.
  • Instal a grey-water recycling system that uses dishwater for irrigation or to flush toilets.
  • Instal waterless urinal systems
  • Regulate water pressure by installing pressure regulators and automatic shutoff nozzles - available at hardware stores.

• Landscaping

  Everyone likes to have plants in their green spaces and landscapes. But to maintain these plants in a hot and dry climate requires huge quantitites of water. Over 50% of business water consumption is due to outdoor use.

  • Think carefully about your irrigation schedules; save it for early mornings or late afternoons.
  • Don't leave automated sprinklers running when they’re not strictly needed - through weekends for instance.
  • Be very careful about the plants you choose. Imported plants need a vast amount of water and care to survive in our climate. Instead, choose native plants – they use less water and are more much likely to live longer! (see recommendation of plant types suitable for the UAE in our downloads section)
  • Don't buy expensive, elaborate fountains or water features unless you can recycle 100% of the water ion-site.