The foundation stone for the new ICT and business development facility at Knowledge Oasis Muscat (KOM) in Oman was laid by the Under Secretary for Com
The recent laying of the foundation stone for the expansion of Knowledge Oasis Muscat (KOM) is not just good news for the development of technology and the creation of related jobs in the sultanate, it also shows the commitment of the technology park to environmental issues, said Tabreed Oman business development director Musallam Al Hadaifi.
KOM has signed an agreement with Tabreed Oman for cooling the new KOM 4, and KOM Buildings 1 and 2.
Al Hadaifi argued that district cooling provided is energy-efficient, economical and environment-friendly, as this innovative technology invariably means that power requirements for cooling are lower, thus cutting carbon emissions.
On top of that, refrigerant emissions are reduced, contributing to a better regional air quality and benefiting the ozone layer. Supplying cooling with this system also needs less equipment such as electrical cabling, so fewer demands are made on our resources.
Reductions in global energy consumption and carbon emissions are crucial, especially given the findings presented at the recent International Climate Change Congress in Copenhagen, remarked Al Hadaifi.
The congress underlined the importance of prompt action to reduce carbon emissions and cut energy consumption in order to combat global climate change.
Significant contribution
“District cooling is, on average, three times more efficient in converting energy than conventional cooling systems,” argued Al Hadaifi. “With air-conditioning equipment consuming around 70% of the total energy used by buildings, and constituting 70% of peak electricity demand, reductions in this area can make a real and significant contribution to the issue of global climate change.
KOM director-general Mohammed Al Maskari said: “Our partnership with Tabreed Oman emphasises the importance we place on providing a more efficient infrastructure network to our growing number of tenants. We are delighted to be able to offer technology that has such strong ‘green’ credentials. The signing is a very important step that will help businesses in Oman focus on important environmental issues.”
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Al Hadaifi explains that district cooling can be a key strategy for accomplishing an economical and environmentally-sound phasing out of harmful refrigerants.
“District cooling systems use ozone-friendly refrigerants, and are better able to control the emissions of whatever refrigerant is used. It is wonderful to see a government-run technology park embrace this groundbreaking technology,” said Al Hadaifi
Deteriorating circumstances
“I understand that some commentators have used the deteriorating global economic circumstances to argue that tackling climate change through the transition to a low-carbon economy is a luxury item, saying it is too expensive and that it could damage national competitiveness. This is an understandable, but shortsighted, view that does not account for the long term,” said Al Maskari.
According to the KOM director-general, the global economy and climate change are linked, and the current economic slowdown represents a unique opportunity to use public-sector investment to reinvigorate the economy and build the low-carbon infrastructure needed for long-term prosperity.
New CFO for Tabreed
Tabreed, the Abu-Dhabi based utility company, has announced today that it has appointed Steve Ridlington to the position of chief financial officer. Ridlington brings more than 20 years’ experience with BP in fundraising and global finance to Tabreed.
Commenting on the appointment, Tabreed MD Khaled Al Qubaisi said: “Ridlington brings best-in-class managerial expertise to Tabreed, and will complement the company’s already strong finance function. His global finance experience will be an asset to Tabreed’s management and the company’s growth in the region.” Ridlington joins Tabreed from TNK-BP in Moscow, where he was VP Treasury and deputy CFO.
The appointment is effective immediately, and follows the release of Tabreed’s 2008 consolidated financial statements, which reported strong performance across all four business sectors of services, chilled water, contracting and manufacturing. For 2008, Tabreed reported a 30% increase in revenues and a 26% increase in gross profit over 2007.
Tabreed currently has 19 district cooling plants under construction across the Middle East, with 16 new plants expected to come online in 2009.
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