Empower awards Vanderweil Engineers contract to design pipeline network for district cooling plant at 'The Lagoons'

Vanderweil Engineers, one of the largest and most experienced engineering firms, to carry out the design and supervision of the distribution pipeline network for its district cooling plant at 'The Lagoons' project.

The contract was signed by Ahmad bin Shafar, CEO of Empower, and Garen Demirchian, Managing Principal of Vanderweil Engineers.

The district cooling plant will provide 300,000 refrigeration tonnes (RT) to the 70 million sq. ft. waterfront project, 'The Lagoons' that is being developed by Sama Dubai in an area adjacent to the Ras Al Khor Wildlife Sanctuary. Protection of the environment is a key component of the development, which will encompass a large number of parks and green belts, and will feature reduced density housing and building heights in the ecologically sensitive buffer zone.
Bin Shafar said: "We are committed to supporting energy conservation and environmentally friendly systems and methods as part of our mission to provide energy efficient services for supporting Dubai's economic development.

"In all the projects that we undertake, we seek to establish partnerships with industry leaders who boast an outstanding track record in performance schedules. With their commitment to endorsing global quality standards, we are confident that Vanderweil Engineers will effectively match the requirements demanded by an ambitious project such as 'The Lagoons'."

District cooling systems distribute thermal energy in the form of chilled water from a central source to multiple buildings through a network of underground pipes as an alternative to using one local system for each building, thus generating both economic and environmental benefits.

Garen Demirchian Managing Principal of Vanderweil Engineers said: "We are delighted to be associated with Empower on 'The Lagoons' development to design and optimize a system that will perform and meet the needs of one of the largest projects in Dubai.

"Sama Dubai is regarded a pioneering master developer of self-sustaining communities, and 'The Lagoons' has already earned a distinction of being one of the most unique real estate developments in Dubai. Our synergy with Empower and our mandate at 'The Lagoons' will significantly add to our portfolio of industry majors."

District cooling can reduce annual CO2 emissions by about one tonne for every tonnne of district cooling refrigeration demand served. The envisioned district cooling potential in the Middle East (cumulative total of 2.9 million tonnes of refrigeration demand by 2015) could reduce carbon dioxide emissions by about 2.8 million tonnes annually.

Empower currently handles projects for several prominent developments in Dubai, including the Dubai International Financial Centre (DIFC), Dubai Healthcare City (DHCC), Jumeirah Beach Residence (JBR), Culture Village, Business Bay, and the City of Arabia.