Air Conditioning

District Cooling in the Middle East: Potential and Challenges

By Salman Zafar | August 11, 2020 - 12:03 pm |August 12, 2020 Energy, Middle East, Urban Development

District cooling produces chilled water in a centralized location for distribution to buildings like offices and factories through a network of insulated underground pipes. The chilled water travels to different buildings, where the water circulates through refrigeration coils or uses absorption technology to enter the air-conditioning system. During winter, the source for the cooling can often be seawater, so it is a cheaper resource than using electricity to run compressors for cooling. What is District Cooling District cooling provides effective control over internal temperature of a building, requires less maintenance than a standalone air-conditioning system, consumes lesser space and reduces … Continue reading →

Energy Efficiency Perspectives for UAE

By Salman Zafar | July 23, 2020 - 1:38 pm |July 31, 2020 Energy, Middle East, Urban Development

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With Abu Dhabi alone on track to generate more than 10,000 megawatts of electricity for the first time, discussion about improving energy efficiency in the United Arab Emirates is taking on a more critical tone. Daytime energy use in the hot summer months is still experiencing rampant year-on-year growth, with peak demand this year growing by 12 per cent. Lying at the heart of these consumption levels is the need for air conditioning, which accounts for about half of total electricity demand. Business and Government Action At the commercial level, considerable steps are being taken to reduce the Emirate’s carbon … Continue reading →

Water Management in UAE

By Amir Dakkak | March 12, 2020 - 4:52 pm |March 12, 2020 Middle East, Water

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The United Arab Emirates is among the top water-scarce countries in the world. However the country has one of the world’s highest per capita water consumption of 550 liters per day. The country is experiencing a rapid increase in population which has in turn resulted in huge demand for water. In 2009, the total water demand in UAE was estimated at 4.5 billion m3 (BCM) which was met by groundwater (72%), desalinated water (21%) and retreated water (7%). Water consumption in UAE is primarily divided among three sectors: Private households Agriculture Industries Private Household Sector This sector accounts for about … Continue reading →

Tips for Air Conditioning Repair: Signs to Watch For

By Salman Zafar | January 2, 2020 - 10:46 am |January 2, 2020 Energy, Home Improvements

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There are plenty of homeowners out there who make the decision to purchase an AC unit for their home, without necessarily understanding how best to care for the unit. After all, it is often as simple as turning it on and letting the AC unit get the job done. While there is generally no trouble with letting a brand new unit cool the air around your home, there is always a chance that something might go wrong. If you do not understand the warning signs, you might end up paying much more than you normally would for repairs to your … Continue reading →

Energy Conservation in Mosques: A Guide

By Walid Yassin | December 31, 2019 - 5:22 am |December 31, 2019 Architecture, Conservation, EcoIslam, Energy, Environment, Green Building

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A mosque (or masjid) is a place where Muslims worship and offer prayers round the year. In addition, a mosque plays a pivotal role in Islamic communities worldwide. Mosques have a unique operating schedule and are occupied five different times daily for a period of around 30 – 60 minutes for each prayer (this may differ from one mosque to another). For special occasions like Friday Prayers, Eid Prayers and Ramadan nights, people may stay for longer periods in mosques. In recent years, mosques have become big consumers of electricity due to widespread use of air conditioning, hot water systems, … Continue reading →

Eco-friendly Tips to Buy an AC

By Salman Zafar | March 25, 2019 - 9:03 am |March 25, 2019 Energy, Home Improvements, Urban Development

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Many homeowners are now aware of the importance of conserving the environment and how they can contribute towards the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions. They realize that through saving energy, they can not only save some money, but they can also play a part in making the world a better place. One appliance that definitely consumes a high amount of energy in most homes is the air conditioning unit. That is why it is so important that you look for the most eco-friendly brand when making your purchase. Fortunately, these brands are not too hard to find. In order to … Continue reading →