Knowledge Village to phase out use of halogen lamps

Knowledge Village to phase out use of halogen lamps
Staff Report GULF NEWS Published: January 03, 2008, 01:31

Dubai: As part of its efforts to conserve the environment and mitigate air pollution, Dubai Knowledge Village with the support of Sustainable Energy and Environment Division, have launched a campaign to phase out the use of halogen lamps in the Knowledge Village premises.

The Sustainable Energy and Environment Division (SEED) was created by Tecom Investments as one of its key initiatives under the Sustainable Development Policy, in line with the vision of His Highness Shaikh Mohammad Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice-President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, to make the emirate a sustainable place to live in.

Initiative
The Dubai Knowledge Village's (DKV) initiative is estimated to reduce at least 174 tonnes of CO2 emission per year, which is equivalent to one passenger abstaining from 26 round trip flights from Dubai to New York.

Dr Ayoub Kazim, Executive Director, DKV and Dubai International Academic City, said: "[DKV] has come a long way since its launch in 2003. However, we know that success comes with a responsibility to contribute something of benefit to the community that has impacted our growth.

"We are expressing this through a series of initiatives towards safe guarding the environment, which we believe will not only have a sustainable impact on our immediate surroundings but also motivate others to emulate our example.

"In April 2007, we rolled out a comprehensive Energy and Water Conservation Programme that reduced CO2 emissions by 1,148 tonnes within seven months. Two months ago, we erected the first and largest solar tracker in the Middle East in front of DKV buildings on Al Soufouh road.

"This year, we have accomplished a major feat in switching off the halogen lamps in our indoor areas at DKV.

"Our next step is to involve our business partners in the initiative, and we are currently discussing the extension of the programme to their offices," said Dr Kazim.

Ali Bin Towaih, Director, Seed, said: "We are extremely pleased with the commitment that DKV has shown toward this project, which has already generated sound results. Switching off the halogen lamps not only helps reduce energy consumption, it also makes indoor areas cooler and comfortable by eliminating the harsh glare that is emitted by the lamps.

"We hope the initiative will encourage the participation of every facility in Dubai as studies have shown that approximately 270,000 tonnes of CO2 emission can be stopped from reaching the atmosphere if everyone switches off or replaces their halogen lamps, using of course, certain assumptions and conservative extrapolations."

SEED has carried out several sustainable development initiatives across all entities of Tecom Investments, while playing a vital role in setting up the Energy and Environment Park (Enpark) as a comprehensive eco-friendly community for both commercial and residential use.