Dubai-based Tecom has launched a programme to measure the carbon footprint of each building in its business parks in a move to reduce their emission of carbon dioxide (CO2).
The project is being carried out in collaboration with EcoVentures, the Middle East partner of the CarbonNeutral Company, one of the world's leading carbon offset and climate consulting firms. EcoVentures will conduct the study for Tecom business parks in conjunction with its science partner, the Edinburgh Centre for Carbon Management, based on the guidelines of the World Business Council for Sustainable Development.
Tecom business parks, where carbon assessments are being carried out, include Dubai Internet City, Dubai Media City, Dubai Knowledge Village and Dubai International Academic City.
The project is being conducted under the overall supervision of Energy and Environment Park (Enpark) – Tecom's newly launched comprehensive eco-friendly community for both commercial and residential use, which is seen as a role model for Dubai's commitment to sustainable development.
Ali bin Towaih, Executive Director of Enpark, told Emirates Business the body was working towards making all buildings within Tecom's parks greener.
The entire process was started two years ago and has now entered its next stage with the measuring of the carbon footprint. The results of the exercise should be available within a month, bin Towaih said.
"Our aim is to identify the main ways to eliminate [carbon and greenhouse gas] emissions or reduce it to a bare minimum," said bin Towaih. "We will identify the single biggest contributor to the total emissions and try and eliminate it."
Enpark, he said, was launched with the aim of providing an enabling platform for environmentally sustainable business operations through the integration of eco-friendly policies and standards and to reflect Dubai's benchmark for sustainable development.
Earlier, Tecom, a member of Dubai Holding, announced the reduction of water consumption within its properties by 6.2 million gallons during the first quarter of this year, which indirectly reduced its carbon footprint. Tecom also managed to reduce 9,512 tonnes of CO2 emissions with its Energy Conservation Programme, carried out between April 2007 and February this year.
A carbon footprint, or the amount of CO2 generated by an organisation or individual per year, can be compensated by way of a carbon offset – a financial instrument representing a reduction in greenhouse gas emissions.
Under the carbon footprint assessment, CO2 emissions are measured from specific activities, processes and operations, with a particular focus on energy use, consumption pattern, waste and transport. The resulting report will provide a breakdown of CO2 emissions by individual business parks and will account for the six greenhouse gases identified by the Kyoto Protocol.
Shezan Amiji, director of EcoVentures, told Emirates Business the idea is to help Tecom invest in a portfolio to responsibly manage carbon credit so that it can achieve carbon-neutral status. "Our work is progressing well. The results will be out within a month, following which we are going to submit our proposals. We will work with Tecom to identify where, how and within what timeframes they can reduce the CO2 emissions," he said.
The greenhouse gas assessment, he said, was the first step towards defining a carbon management strategy.
"By quantifying all emission sources of Tecom's business parks, they will be able to see their overall environmental impact. Once the sources of emissions are identified, effective plans to reduce them can be put in place," said Amiji. "We believe that Tecom's commitment to this process highlights the importance of having a green agenda and we hope that by the example they are setting, many other establishments will follow."
The data is being collected for six main factors that comprise an organisation's environmental footprint: energy, water, un-recycled waste, business travel, deliveries and staff commuting.
"This is just the beginning. Through our efforts we want to invite the whole industry to participate in the green initiative and help significantly reduce carbon emissions," said bin Towaih.
Terming Tecom's efforts in reducing 9,512 tonnes of CO2 emissions as phenomenal, he said the initiative was a result of the Energy Conservation Programme.
"It was the outcome of a step-by-step exercise carried out by the Sustainable Energy and Environment Division (Seed). We retrofitted washbasins across Dubai Internet City, Dubai Media City and Dubai Knowledge Village with ultra low flow restrictors, to have a flow rate of 0.5 United States gallons per minute, an 80 per cent reduction over the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) standards," he said.
If followed on a similar scale, the initiative is estimated to bring down water consumption by approximately 37.2 million imperial gallons annually, which can support approximately 1,500 apartments, or reduce carbon emission to the tune of 2,500 tonnes a year.