Empower launches health, safety and environment award to recognise best practices at project sites

The new initiative is part of Empower's ongoing commitment to endorsing sound HSE practices, particularly in environmental sustainability.

Through the award scheme, Empower aims to recognize contractors and consultants working on its project sites for best practices in establishing, developing and implementing occupational health, safety, and environment programmes.

District cooling can reduce annual CO2 emissions by about one tonne for every tonne 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.

Ahmad bin Shafar, CEO of Empower said: "We aim to improve aspects of our HSE performance through getting our business partners and employees to participate in such an award. Empower recognizes that environmental issues are global in nature and environmental responsibility is integral to our operations.

"We are committed to reducing the impact on the planet and delivering more sustainable products and solutions to our customers. We have integrated sustainability into every area of our business for the benefit of our clients, employees and the world around us."

District cooling systems work on thermal energy from chilled water in a centralised cooling plant and are up to 40-50 percent more energy efficient than traditional forms of air conditioning technologies.

The total installed district cooling capacity in the GCC region is expected to reach 9.6 million refrigeration tonnes (RT) by 2010 against 745,000 RT in 2005, according to an industry study. The UAE alone is expected to account for more than four million tonnes RT by 2012.

Recently, Empower received four prestigious awards at the International District Energy Association's (IDEA) 99th Annual Conference in Florida, US.

Three gold awards came its way for the total square footage committed to district cooling on the UAE level; the total number of buildings committed on the UAE level, and for the total number of buildings on a corporate level in the GCC.

The silver award acknowledged Empower's total square footage committed on a corporate level in the GCC.