Empower receives senior delegation from the American Society of Heating, Refrigerating and Air Conditioning Engineers (ASHRAE)

Technological advancements made district cooling industry widely and fast acceptable around the world recent years, said by HE Ahmad Bin Shafar, Chief Executive Officer of Emirates Central Cooling Systems Corporation (Empower), while receiving a senior delegation from the American Society of Heating, Refrigerating and Air Conditioning Engineers (ASHRAE). 

HE Bin Shafar and Mr. Timothy Wentz, President - Elect, ASHRAE, discussed the latest updates in the district cooling industry and how they will impact the sector at large. 

Wentz praised Empower’s strong relationship with ASHRAE and underlined the importance of Empower being based in a region where best practices in the district cooling industry areessential for sustainable development. 

Bin Shafar stressed that the continuity of district cooling as a competitive service is strongly linked to technologically sound designs that address issues emerging time to time and in geographical regions where the DC systems are implemented. Role of century-old global organisations such as ASHRAE in supporting the technology behind district cooling has become integral to this industry, he said. 

HE Ahmad Bin Shafar pointed the challenges in implementing district cooling systems and how Empower overcomes those challenges through continuous research and development. The meeting also discussed further scope of knowledge-sharing as well as educating the communities about adopting and using district cooling. 

Bin Shafar also highlighted the new techniques and innovations provided by Empower for the first time in the world in this service. He highlighted some of Empower’s successful case studies in energy consumption reduction, water wastage reduction, carbon footprint reduction, and the significant achievements brought to the region by Empower throughout more than a decade since its inception. 

“Sustainability will not be achieved without actual involvement of all energy-related service providers in Dubai. Any contribution, no matter how small it is, makes a difference in the long run,” added Bin Shafar.

Both the parties discussed about publishing second edition of District Heating & Cooling Design Manual, based on the feedback received from world-wide users of the first edition, published by ASHRAE in 2013 with core contribution and sponsorship of Empower.The Guide is the first research project of its kind to be sponsored by a district cooling company. The manual has helped to standardise the design of district cooling plants and chilled water networks globally.

Empower currently operates more than 1,100,000 RT, providing environmentally responsible district cooling services to large-scale real estate developments, such as Jumeirah Group, Business Bay, Jumeirah Beach Residence, Dubai International Financial Centre, Palm Jumeirah, Jumeirah Lake Towers, Ibn Battuta Mall, Discovery Gardens, Dubai Healthcare City, Dubai World Trade Centre Residences and Dubai Design District, among others.