Dubai: Shopping mall owners Majid Al Futtaim Properties are set to install thousands of new solar panels at four of its malls to reduce the equivalent carbon emissions of taking 700 cars off the road, it was announced on Wednesday.
According to a joint statement, energy firm Enova said it inked a new deal on Monday with Majid Al Futtaim Properties to provide enough solar panels to save up to Dh80 million in traditional electricity costs.
“The deal is set to cut the four malls’ carbon dioxide emissions by 3,200 tonnes per year — the equivalent of taking 700 cars off the roads — and will see the technology installed at Dubai’s Mall of the Emirates, City Centre Deira, City Centre Mirdif and City Centre Fujairah,” said Enova.
The announcement follows solar panel installations already completed by Majid Al Futtaim at City Centre Me’aisem and My City Centre Al Barsha, the first malls to be fitted with solar panels in 2016.
Enova said the 12,500 panels to be installed at the four malls will absorb solar energy and feed it into the mall’s networks.
The panels will cover a total 25,000 square metres of mall rooftop space and 1,020 car ports.
Enova said the project will enable Majid Al Futtaim Properties to generate 6,000MWh of electrical energy annually, earning it points with the LEED certification system (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design), the globally recognised green building benchmark.
Fuad Mansoor Sharaf, Managing Director for Majid Al Futtaim Properties, Shopping Malls (UAE, Bahrain & Oman), said the firm is acting upon its environmental values.
“Investing in renewables aligns with Majid Al Futtaim’s commitment to become a regional leader in environmental stewardship … We want to lead by example by applying international best practices across our portfolio and have a positive impact on the communities we serve.”
Ibrahim Al-Zu’bi, Head of Sustainability at Majid Al Futtaim – Holding, said: “At Majid Al Futtaim, our sustainability mission is to enhance people’s lives through sustainable real estate. We aim to slash water and energy consumption, creating more of these resources than we consume by 2040, and at least five per cent of energy used will come from renewable sources by 2018.”
Enova CEO Anne Le Guennec said: “Every day throughout the Middle East, Enova helps firms achieve their best performance and environmental targets, freeing them to concentrate on their core business activities. Our energy management solutions are based on a comprehensive package of services, including design, commissioning, strategy and long-term maintenance — and when parts eventually expire, we’ll take them away for recycling.”
