Abu Dhabi: The United Arab Emirates has devised a strategy to conserve resources and rationalise consumption with the use of latest technology.
In this regard, Abu Dhabi Distribution Company (ADDC) has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) in collaboration with the General Authority of Islamic Affairs & Endowments (AWQAF) to invest approximately AED 20 million in a project that will optimise air conditioning (AC) equipment in 850 mosques.
This number includes 65 percent of the mosques in the Abu Dhabi and Al Dhafra regions. These 850 mosques serve over half a million worshipers.
Through the collaboration between ADDC and AWQAF, the project will reduce 20 percent of electricity consumption in these mosques, saving 26 gigawatt-hours of electricity and approximately 4,600 tonnes of CO2 annually — equivalent to taking more than 900 vehicles off the road for a year.
The initiative will contribute to Abu Dhabi’s Demand Side Management (DSM) and Energy Rationalisation Strategy, which aims to reduce overall electricity consumption by 22 percent and water consumption by 32 percent in the emirate by 2030.
H. E. Saeed Mohammad Al Suwaidi, Managing Director of ADDC, said: “Aligned with Abu Dhabi’s sustainability goals and the UAE’s Net Zero by 2050 strategic initiative, our collaboration with AWQAF encompasses a comprehensive approach to use energy more efficiently in Abu Dhabi mosques. It is a testament to the potential that these types of projects can have in dramatically increasing energy efficiency and reducing overall carbon footprint. With the right mix of expertise and innovation, ADDC will continue to develop initiatives to facilitate a more sustainable future.”
In response, H. E. Mohammed Saeed Al Neyadi, Director General of AWQAF, affirmed the authority’s eagerness to upgrade mosques in accordance with the commandments of Islam. This includes providing a clean and comfortable environment for worshippers, utilising the latest technology available to improve services, and instituting regulations that ensure the effective management of mosques.
He praised the UAE leadership, indicating that the signing of this agreement falls in line with the authority’s strategy and plans for rationalising electricity consumption in mosques, stemming from our wise leadership’s interest in achieving a balance between economic and energy conservation requirements to reduce the operating costs of mosques and their associated institutions in Abu Dhabi.
As part of the agreement, ADDC will provide smart, programmable thermostats that can be monitored and controlled remotely to maintain optimal temperatures while keeping power consumption low and prolonging the life of the air-conditioning equipment.
The control system will also be capable of performing predictive maintenance activities that will utilise performance metrics to forecast maintenance needs, minimising major equipment failure and saving energy.
In addition, a control room featuring advanced technology with live control and monitoring will be established at an AWQAF facility to keep track of equipment performance in all participating mosques while maintaining targeted consumption for long-term sustainability.
ADDC’s long-standing partnership with AWQAF has already helped reduce the volume of water used for ablution in more than 600 mosques.
That partnership led to annual savings of approximately 700,000 cubic metres of water.
