Dubai Electricity and Water Authority (DEWA) constantly strives to support the sustainable development of Dubai by promoting the rational use of electricity, water, and the sustainability of resources for generations to come. DEWA launches a number of awareness campaigns annually, to support its efforts towards reducing Dubai’s carbon footprint.
This supports the Dubai Plan 2021, to transform Dubai into a smart city whose environmental elements are clean, healthy and sustainable, and the Demand Side Management Strategy to reduce energy and water demand by 30% by 2030, and DEWA’s vision to become a sustainable innovative world-class utility. DEWA’s efforts over the past seven years has reduced water consumption by 5.6 billion imperial gallons, and 1,344 gigawatts (GW) of electricity, saving a total of AED 841 million, and limiting carbon dioxide emissions by over 715,000 tonnes.
“During the summer of 2016, we organised 129 activities and lectures across a number of government, semi-government, and private organisations, in addition to several malls and social facilities. We targeted over 33,000 people as part of our ‘Let’s make this summer green’ campaign. We ensured the retrofitting of over 1,700 houses with LED light bulbs, in cooperation with the Mohammed bin Rashid Housing Establishment (MBRHE).
DEWA graduated 32 children as part of its Engineers of the Future activity, and also organised the Best Consumer Award, which witnessed the participation of over 4,000 people.
DEWA’s Marketing and Corporate Communications team cooperated with 48 government and semi-government organisations in Dubai, to organise a host of awareness activities. DEWA also enlisted 74 of its employees in the Demand Side Management Programme, and installed smart meters in their homes. This reflects DEWA’s commitment towards raising awareness and environmental responsibility among the community, each and every year,” said HE Saeed Mohammed Al Tayer, MD & CEO of DEWA.
Let’s make this summer green campaign
To coincide with International Environment Day, DEWA launched an awareness campaign from June to August 2016 under the theme ‘Let’s make this summer green.’ The campaign was launched on social media and audio-visual channels to promote the rational use of electricity and water during the summer months.
DEWA’s Conservation Team organised lectures and field visits to government organisations and departments, private companies, malls, and union centres, about the importance of rational use of water and electricity, when temperatures rise and during the holiday season.
DEWA organised activities and workshops in collaboration with the General Authority of Islamic Affairs & Endowment, the Dubai International Holy Quran Award and KidZania. Al Tayer noted that the Green Summer Campaign is part of DEWA’s ongoing awareness campaigns and initiatives that take place throughout the year. This adheres to the Dubai Clean Energy Strategy 2050, launched by HH Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, to establish a sustainable model in energy conservation which can be exported to the whole world. The campaign also supports the Dubai Integrated Energy Strategy 2030 to reduce energy demand by 30% by 2030. Under the umbrella of the ‘Let’s make this summer green campaign’, DEWA launched several awareness pillars:
•The first pillar: Providing tips to Dubai residents regarding peak load hours (12pm-5pm) during summer months. Through this campaign, we encouraged consumers to cut down on energy use during the peak load period of 12-5pm in the summer. We also encouraged people to reduce their use of electrical appliances that use large amounts of energy, such as washing machines, hair dryers, kettles, and electric furnaces. It encouraged customers to rather make use of their appliances in the morning or in the evening.
• The second pillar: Encouraging customers to set their AC’s to 24 degree centigrade.
• The third pillar: Fixing water leaks as quickly as possible, because every drop matters.
• The fourth pillar: Encouraging customers to install drip irrigation systems.
• The fifth pillar: Recommending tips for people when travelling. Ensuring that the taps are turned off, unplugging appliances, and either increasing the temperature of their ACs, or turning them off completely.
Over the last period, a team from DEWA visited mosques, Iftar tents, Ramadan majlis, forums, and malls, to promote and highlight the values of Islam, which stresses the importance of conservation and rational consumption in all areas of life. DEWA’s team visited about 8,500 prayer sessions and 12,000 people across 10 Ramadan Iftar tents, and 3 Ramadan majlis. Over the duration of 3 days, the team participated in the Rashid bin Mohammed Ramadan Forum, which targeted over 4,000 people. In addition to this, the team also visited malls, and distributed thousands of gifts to encourage and promote conservation among all targeted categories of people.
DEWA’s first Engineers of the Future summer camp
DEWA successfully concluded its first Summer Camp under the theme ‘Engineers of the Future’ for children between the ages of 12-15, from 7-18 August 2016, as part of the ‘Reading is Positive Energy’ exhibition. The exhibition was organised by DEWA in cooperation with the Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum Foundation (MBRF). The summer camp encouraged innovation and creativity among the children, while providing an educational platform for them to develop their skills in engineering, electricity, mechanics, science and mathematics.
The camp also featured specialised training programmes allowing children to develop their communication and team work skills. During a ceremony held at the Reading is Positive Energy Exhibition, HE Saeed Mohammed Al Tayer, HE Jamal bin Huwaireb, Managing Director of MBRF, with Major General Mohammed Saeed Al Marri, Director of the Community Service Department at Dubai Police, presented the participants with certificates and awards.
Both parents and children enjoyed the summer camp and its efforts to educate children on the fundamentals of electricity and electronics, how to measure energy, and semiconductors like diodes and transistors. Children were able to build electrical circuits in a safe way.
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