DEWA uses behavioural science to help Dubai residents save energy and water this summer

Dubai: Dubai Electricity and Water Authority (DEWA) is turning to behavioural science this summer to help residents cut waste, lower bills and live more sustainably.

By combining real-time data, personalised advice and social comparisons, DEWA’s digital services are designed to nudge households towards smarter choices in electricity and water use.

The initiative is part of DEWA’s seasonal campaign, “Expand Your Smart Choices This Summer,” which aims to guide customers in managing their consumption more efficiently, particularly during peak summer months.

By giving residents instant feedback and tailored tips, the authority hopes to encourage long-term habits that reduce both costs and carbon emissions.

One of DEWA’s flagship services is the ‘Smart Living Initiative’, which enables customers to monitor their bills and track daily, weekly and monthly consumption through an easy-to-use dashboard on the DEWA smart app and website.

The service helps users keep an eye on tariff brackets and plan their usage to avoid unnecessary costs.

The ‘My Sustainable Living Programme’ takes personalisation a step further. It allows customers to compare their household’s performance with similar high-efficiency homes in their neighbourhood.

The tool uses a dynamic profile to ensure fair comparisons and provides tailored tips, a step-by-step action plan and monthly reports.

Residents can access the programme through the DEWA smart app or website by logging in, opening the dashboard, and viewing how their consumption stacks up against neighbouring homes.

To deepen awareness, DEWA offers a ‘Consumption Assessment Tool’, which uses a simple survey to generate personalised reports. Customers provide details about their home, number of occupants and appliances, and in return, they receive an instant efficiency score along with practical recommendations to reduce waste.

The assessment helps residents understand their strengths and identify areas for improvement, turning data into actionable steps.

DEWA has also rolled out supporting tools to make efficiency even easier. The ‘High Water Usage Alert’ notifies customers immediately if consumption exceeds normal patterns, often indicating leaks.

The ‘Away Mode’ function lets travellers track daily or weekly consumption by email while abroad, ensuring peace of mind even when away from home.

Alongside digital tools, DEWA continues to share practical guidance to help households cut waste.

These include: sealing air leaks with insulation strips, unplugging appliances instead of leaving them on standby, setting thermostats to 24°C or higher, maintaining refrigerators at 4°C and freezers at -18°C, using smart irrigation systems, and running dishwashers and washing machines only with full loads.