Dubai: Summer months are not an excuse to let your utility bills skyrocket. Yes, AC use could push your bills up but there are ways you can do to slash your bills.
The Dubai Electricity and Water Authority (Dewa) has reminded the public about its annual ‘Let’s Make This Summer Green’ campaign that aims to educate stakeholders of simple tips to do to reduce electricity and water use.
The campaign is part of Dewa’s strategy to encourage society members to adopt sensible practices, which help protect the environment and reduce the carbon footprint. Dewa has also given a number of simple tips that consumers can follow to reduce electricity and water use. Tips include setting the air conditioning at 24 degree Celsius, and rescheduling appliances that use a lot of energy to the morning or the evening, away from the peak load hours from noon to 6pm, using smart irrigation systems, and fixing any water leakages. The campaign also includes tips before travelling and other tips that are available on Dewa’s website and smart app.
- Saeed Mohammad Al Tayer | Managing director and CEO of Dewa
“Dewa attaches great importance to the environmental sustainability of Dubai. This supports the Dubai Clean Energy Strategy 2050 to establish a sustainable model of energy conservation that supports economic growth without damaging the environment or its resources and to make Dubai the city with the lowest carbon footprint in the world by 2050,” Saeed Mohammad Al Tayer, managing director and CEO of Dewa, said.
“These efforts also support the Demand Side Management Strategy to reduce electricity and water use by 30 per cent by 2030, and Dewa’s vision to become a sustainable innovative world-class utility. We encourage everyone to adopt a responsible lifestyle in electricity and water use,” he added.
Amal Koshak, vice-president of Marketing and Corporate Communications at Dewa, said the ‘Let’s Make This Summer Green’ campaign encourages community members to adopt positive practices in their daily lives to reduce electricity and water use. “This can be achieved by making simple changes to their daily habits such as setting the AC to 24C, unplugging electrical appliances after use, irrigating plants and gardens in the early morning or in the evening to reduce evaporation, and checking water connections to make sure there are no leaks,” he added.
of electricity is consumed by connected devices, even if they are turned off. Therefore Dewa has advised consumers to unplug all electrical appliances before going on vacation.
Dewa aims to make these simple practices a culture and daily habit for all. Koshak noted that the campaigns launched by Dewa during the past years achieved significant results in the rationalisation of consumption, and proved the importance of joint efforts to reduce carbon emissions and protect the environment.
As part of the campaign, Dewa organises a comprehensive programme that includes awareness lectures in government organisations, private companies, shopping malls, union co-ops, Ramadan iftar tents set up by the Islamic Affairs and Charitable Activities Department and the UAE Red Crescent Authority, as well as other gatherings.
The campaign also includes awareness tips on Dewa’s social media channels to raise awareness about the importance of the rational use of resources and involve all customers and society members in the efforts to protect the environment and preserve natural resources.
Dewa’s guidelines include conducting regular maintenance of AC units including cleaning and replacing the filter, ensuring all doors and windows are closed so cold air doesn’t escape, closing the water valve before going on vacation, using a specialist to check the water supply before travelling to avoid leakage, and unplugging electrical appliances. Connected devices, even if turned off, use 5-10 per cent of electricity consumption at home.
Simple ways to save on water and electricity
Set your AC thermostat to 24C. If your room is too cold, it’s consuming a lot of energy. Setting your AC at 24C is often enough to keep you comfortable in a room. Each degree can mean up to nine per cent savings on cooling costs.
Ensure regular maintenance of AC units, including cleaning and replacing the filter. Also make sure that all doors and windows are closed so cold air doesn’t escape.
Unplug electrical appliances when not in use. Connected devices, even if turned off, use 5-10 per cent of electricity consumption at home.
Reschedule use of energy-intensive appliances before or after peak load hours (noon to 6pm). Ensure you have a full load of laundry before running the machine to save both water and energy. If you can’t wait for a full load, use the right water level to match the size of the load. Cloth washers can use as much as 30-35 gallons (114-133 litres) of water per cycle.
Use smart irrigation systems when watering plants in the gardens and schedule it in the early morning (before 8am) or in the evening (after 6pm) to reduce evaporation. By watering the lawn in the middle of the day, as much as 30 per cent of water can be lost due to evaporation during summer months.
Checking water connections to make sure there are no leaks. One in five toilets has leaks.
Close the water valve before going on vacation. Check for any leaks before travelling as leaks within the house are the responsibility of residents.
