A Dubai school is not only teaching students about man’s impact on the environment but doing something about reducing its own carbon footprint – making big savings in energy costs at the same time.
Energy saving measures being installed this month are forecast to cut by up to 300,000 kilogrammes the amount of carbon dioxide emissions Jumeirah English Speaking School (JESS) is responsible for and slashing bills by more than AED300,000 (almost $82,000) a year.
Like many schools, JESS has a swimming pool popular with students in the hot summer months. But cooling the pool leads to heavy use of energy, the production of which means emission of carbon dioxide (CO2) – the main greenhouse gas blamed for global warming.
Award-winning energy conservation company Farnek Avireal, which has been advising international hotels, building owners and major companies on how they can dramatically cut their utility bills, came up with the simple plan for the school to help the planet and cut costs.
“Kids love to jump into a cool pool in the summer, it’s refreshing and good fun,” said Markus Oberlin, General Manager of Avireal Middle East. “The flipside is that cooling the water means using a lot of energy and, consequently, the production of CO2.”
Farnek Avireal’s simple solution is the fitting of its Energy Saving Modules to the pool’s chillers and the installation of an insulated pool cover. “The enormous open space of the pool is responsible for the energy loss and the evaporation of water,” Oberlin added. “If the space is covered with an insulation cover when the pool is not use at nights, weekends and holidays, the energy loss is heavily reduced and water evaporation blocked.”
With the modules fitted to the chillers and the pool cover installed, JESS will reduce its energy consumption by up to 700,000 kilowatt hours, reduce CO2 emissions by up to 300,000 kilogrammes and save more than AED 300,000 AED a year, says Farnek Avireal.
JESS Director Robert D. Stokoe said the school cares about environmental issues and its new buildings are state-of-the-art to avoid energy losses. “When Farnek Avireal came with a solution to reduce even further our energy consumption with a payback time of only 14 months, we agreed immediately,” he added.
“This will show our students that it doesn’t have to be a complex technology when we speak about energy saving,” Stokoe added. “Avoiding the problem is often the best formula. That can be as simple as avoiding sunshine coming through the windows by shading; switching off lights when it is bright enough or nobody is in the room; and closing the doors of an air-conditioned room. Going green makes real sense.”
Dubai, with one of the world's biggest carbon footprints on a per person basis, has embarked on a major programme to cut energy consumption. Average individual electricity usage in Dubai is said to be 20,000 kilowatt hours per annum and 130 gallons of water daily, among cities with the highest consumption per person in the world.
New tariffs introduced recently are aimed at encouraging individuals and organisations to keep a closer eye on electricity and water consumption, paving the way for a more responsible use of natural resources.
“We estimate buildings using our Energy Saving Modules can reduce their consumption by up to 30% - producing savings that can pay back the investment in just a few months," said Oberlin. “These potential energy savings apply to virtually all buildings and facilities, from residential and commercial complexes to shopping centres, hotels, hospitals and large institutions and now schools."
Farnek Avireal last year won an Emirates Energy Award after conducting a survey which showed five-star hotels in Dubai use up to 225% more energy than their counterparts in Europe. Two of the world’s leading premium hotel chains - Mővenpick and Swissôtel - have since brought in Farnek Avireal's auditing system to help them to go green by trimming their energy and water costs and reduce CO2 emissions across their properties.
For more on Farnek Avireal's energy saving solutions, please visit www.farnek.com
Farnek Avireal is joint venture between Zurich-based real estate and facilities management company Avireal AG, along with its local business partner Khalifa Juma Al Nabooda Group and Farnek, a leading local facilities management services provider.
Farnek Avireal maintains over 500 buildings accommodating in excess of one million square metres. They clean more than 500,000 square metres of commercial and residential space. They protect over 100 properties in Dubai, keep 100 installations fully operational and can reduce buildings’ energy costs by up to 30%.
