Clean air-con slashes 20% off energy bill at Kanoo

Ms Maha Kanoo and HE Dr Rashid Bin Fahad.

The Kanoo Group plans to improve the energy efficiency of its headquarters by 20% by running a chemical additive through the cooling pipes of its air-con system to remove accumulated oil.

The company is the first corporate member of the Heroes of the UAE campaign launched by the Emirates Wildlife Society – World Wide Fund for Nature (EWS-WWF), which states that corporate entities can achieve dramatic cost-savings and reduce their carbon-footprint through the adoption of relatively simple energy and water efficiency practices.

To demonstrate that these practices also provide noticeable financial benefits, EWS-WWF conducted case studies working closely with two companies, the Kanoo Group headquarters in Dubai and One to One Hotel in Abu Dhabi.

Together with each company, EWS-WWF conducted energy and water audits to calculate a baseline carbon footprint and identify potential savings. These savings will be reached through the implementation of simple changes with small upfront investments and through education of the workforce.

The EWS-WWF case study showed that, by adopting its recommended energy-conservation practices, One to One Hotel could achieve a carbon footprint reduction of up to 17%, which would translate to total savings of around AED72,000 a year.

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The Kanoo Group study showed that the company could achieve a carbon footprint reduction of up to 25%, which translates to AED49,000 savings on the yearly energy bill by the implementation of energy-efficient lighting. Further savings are projected through behavioural changes and by optimising the air-con system.

“Our high consumption rate of energy and water has lead to an increase in the nation's ecological footprint. The government has taken several initiatives in order to document and understand the main contributors and to arrive at long-term solutions that are capable of both reducing the UAE footprint, and creating a sustainable future,” said UAE Minister of Environment and Water HE Dr Rashid Ahmad Bin Fahad.

“Tackling this issue requires the involvement of everyone. The private sector is an important part of the country’s economy and a major contributor to its prosperity and development; however, by reducing their carbon footprint, companies will also help build a sustainable future for the UAE.

“As a leading environmental NGO promoting sustainable lifestyles in the UAE, EWS-WWF is committed to assisting the private sector on their journey towards sustainability, and we invite all companies to sign up to the campaign and work with us to create a more sustainable business community,” said EWS-WWF MD Razan Khalifa Al Mubarak.

The Heroes of the UAE – Private Sector Campaign was developed in partnership with the Environment Agency Abu Dhabi and Masdar, with the support of Emirates Foundation and Etisalat. The Kanoo Group and One to One Hotel audit studies are part of five makeovers sponsored by the Emirates Foundation of Philanthropy and Etisalat.