Dubai, UAE: HE Saeed Mohammed Al Tayer, Vice Chairman of the Dubai Supreme Council of Energy (DSCE) honoured the winners of the inaugural Dubai Demand Side Management Recognition Programme at a ceremony held at Four Seasons Resort Dubai.

Witnessing outstanding programs and projects in energy efficiency and sustainability, 26 Leaders from government and private sectors were honoured in the ceremony out of 86 nominations. The event was attended by HE Ahmed Butti Al Muhairbi, Secretary-General of Dubai Supreme Council of Energy (DSCE) along senior officials from the government and private sectors as well as experts in sustainability, water and renewable energy.

HE Saeed Mohammed Al Tayer, Vice Chairman of the Dubai Supreme Council of Energy (DSCE) said: “In line with the far-sighted vision of HH Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, Dubai has a comprehensive plan to ensure the sustainability of energy and water resources in adherence with the Dubai Integrated Water Resource Management Strategy 2030 and the Demand Side Management Strategy that targets to reduce energy and water consumption by 30% by 2030.”

HE Al Tayer added: “Implementing the directives of the wise leadership, Dubai Supreme Council of Energy works to make Dubai a global model for clean energy and green economy and to support the goal of the Dubai Clean Energy Strategy 2050 and the Dubai Net Zero Emissions Strategy 2050 to generate 100 per cent of Emirate’s energy production capacity from clean energy sources by 2050. The ceremony we are holding today, to recognize the winners of the Demand Side Management Recognition Programme, promotes the utilization of energy and water while fostering remarkable advancements in energy efficiency, sustainability, and the circular economy.”

“Today marks not merely a celebration but a reaffirmation of Dubai's commitment to sustainability and energy efficiency, embodied by our Demand Side Management (DSM) Strategy,” said H.E. Ahmad Buti Al Muhairbi, Secretary General of DSCE.

“The DSM Strategy, our long-term visionary blueprint, plays an important role in the sustainable growth of Dubai and is even more important in pursuit of a sustainable 2050 net-zero future,” HE Al Muhairbi added.

With nominations opened for a duration of three months, DSCE received a total of 86 submissions, reflecting a substantial interest and commitment to sustainability initiatives within the government sector and business community. Following a rigorous evaluation process, 26 winners were selected across various categories, representing both government and private sectors.

The Dubai Demand Side Management Recognition Programme has announced 13 winners in government sector categories, including 6 winning organizations and 3 distinguished leaders. Among the notable winners are Dubai Electricity & Water Authority (DEWA) and the UAE Ministry of Industry and Advanced Technology, recognized as DSM Programme Champion and DSM Programme Contributor, respectively. On the other hand, Dubai Municipality and Dubai Police received honours for Exemplary Retrofit Projects, while Dubai Police also excelled in the Exemplary Solar Project and Exemplary EV Fleet Programme categories.

Dubai Municipality and the Road & Transport Authority (RTA) were commended for their Exemplary Circular Economy Projects, and RTA was lauded for its Green Transport Initiative. Additionally, the Museum of the Future, Dubai Future Foundation, received acclaim for its Exemplary Green Building Project.

Also, in the Individual Category, Mr Sultan Alzaabi, DEWA, Miss Alia Ali Mubarak Busamra, ENOC, were recognized as Energy Efficiency Leaders and Mr. Adel Mohamed Almarzooqi, Dubai Municipality was recognized as Water Efficiency Leader.

In parallel, in the private sector, there were also 13 winners, including 11 winning companies and one distinguished leader. Enova was named Leading ESCO, while Emirates Central Cooling Systems Corporation (EMPOWER) secured the title of Leading District Cooling Company. DP World received awards for their Exemplary Decarbonization Initiative and Exemplary Solar Project, while SEE Institute was recognized for an Exemplary Green Building Project and Sobha Realty for an Exemplary Circular Economy Programme. Expo City Dubai received an award for Exemplary Community Engagement Programme, TECOM Group secured recognition for an Exemplary Retrofit Project, and Unilever was honoured for an Exemplary EV Initiative. Emaar District Cooling won for Exemplary District Cooling Project asTaka Solutions received accolades for an Exemplary Energy and Water Management Programme in the Commercial Sector. Distinguished individual winners included Mr. Hassan Younes from GRFN as an Energy Efficiency Leader while Emirates Green Building Council was commended as a Distinguished Energy Efficiency Advocate.

Serving as a significant platform to celebrate and acknowledge the remarkable contributions of organizations and individuals towards advancing sustainability, Dubai Demand Side Management Recognition Programme exemplifies the Emirate's dedication to sustainability and energy efficiency as it continues its journey towards a net-zero future by driving sustainable growth and resilience.