Dubai Integrated Economic Zones Authority (DIEZ), through its economic zones, achieved exceptional sustainability results in 2022, highlighting its commitment to sustainability and its efforts to reduce carbon emissions through responsible practices that meet the ISO 50001 international standards for optimal and sustainable use of energy and the Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) standards. This comes in line with the directives of the wise leadership to promote sustainable development, invest in renewable energy infrastructure, and raise energy efficiency under the guidance of His Highness Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, President of the UAE, and the UAE’s declaration of 2023 as the Year of Sustainability.
DIEZ’s commitment to sustainability resulted in a series of achievements, including a 24% reduction in carbon emissions and a 46% improvement in the performance of the smart waste management system compared to 2021. These results are attributed to the implementation of responsible environmental initiatives and practices, as well as leveraging the latest sustainable and smart technologies. This contributed significantly to reducing electrical energy consumption and supported the effective management of cooling, irrigation, and waste recycling systems.
The innovative initiatives launched by DIEZ in 2022 included the implementation of integrated building management systems to monitor and control various building systems and integrate them into single databases based on artificial intelligence solutions. DIEZ also adopted an effective demand flow control system for cooling services and utilised the green gas cooling system (407 R/410) to reduce energy consumption and environmental impact. Additionally, it replaced traditional lighting in offices and buildings and halogen lamps used in street lighting with energy-saving LED lamps, adopting smart waste management to help reduce transportation, operating costs, and carbon footprint, in addition to increasing the number of waste recycling centers to 50. DIEZ also used greywater to reduce the temperature of cooling towers and a smart irrigation system to reduce water consumption by 60% compared to traditional methods.
Eng. Muammar Al Katheeri, Chief Officer Engineering & Smart City at Dubai Integrated Economic Zone (DIEZ), said: “DIEZ has achieved remarkable progress and has demonstrated a strong commitment to meeting sustainability standards, in line with the directives of our wise leadership to build a sustainable future. This reflects our dedication to promoting a culture of corporate sustainability. These record results further align with our ongoing efforts to contribute to Dubai’s economic growth by elevating the Emirate’s competitiveness and enhancing its economic ecosystem and position to continue attracting foreign direct investment, businesses, and investors.”
“This year, we will continue to pursue the objectives as part of the UAE’s Year of Sustainability, as announced by His Highness Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, President of the UAE. We will continue to maintain an enabling business environment, protect natural resources, and strive to achieve the highest levels of operational efficiency to shape a better and more prosperous future,” he added.
These exceptional results align with DIEZ’s commitment to realising the objectives of the UAE Net Zero 2050 strategic initiative, which seeks to reduce emissions and achieve climate neutrality by 2050, thus contributing to positioning the UAE as an ideal destination to live, work, and thrive in vibrant and prosperous communities.