Energy and resource management

Key initiatives for 2017:

Apply a 3 percent savings target through E&RM

Conduct training on self-audits for all ENOC business units

Introduce ENOC’s Superior Energy Performance Scheme

A framework for ENOC’s Superior Energy Performance (SEP) Scheme has been developed and was implemented before the end of 2017. Central to a comprehensive sustainability roadmap that ENOC has been preparing for since 2014, the objective is to invest US $15 million in sustainability projects over that period and achieve savings of US $6.9 million. We have already achieved savings of US $10.8 million, double the original target of US $5.5 million.

The Scheme is the US Department of Energy standard that provides guidance, tools and protocols to drive deeper and more sustained savings from ISO 50001. To qualify, facilities must implement an energy management system that meets the ISO 50001 standard, and demonstrate improved energy performance.

The ENOC Scheme establishes minimum requirements relating to the E&RM System, Measurement and Verification (M&V) and energy-related data.

We launched the second edition of ENOC’s Energy and Efficiency Report at the Water, Energy, Technology and Environment Exhibition (WETEX) 2017. In it, we set out how the organisation is moving away from conventional energy management system audits to a culture of superior energy performance and operational excellence. The report also identifies two critical goals: the need for organisations to build their own culture of superior energy performance; and to institutionalise Energy and Resource Management (E&RM) practices within their operations.

In establishing these new benchmarks, the report articulates ENOC’s thought leadership on energy and resource management to help raise awareness among government authorities and stakeholders, and sets out the Group’s contributions towards key strategies such as Dubai Plan 2021, Dubai Integrated Energy Strategy 2030 (DIES 2030), and Dubai Clean Energy Strategy 2050.

Key among these is a fresh approach to how ENOC’s business units determine their own E&RM Business Plans containing individual energy conservation projects, in order to introduce a measure of uniformity across the organisation. Accordingly, it was decided to set a minimum savings threshold of a 3 percent reduction in energy cost in 2017 against baseline energy use.

As part of ENOC’s cultural shift from compliance to performance, management also decided to introduce self-audits to give the business units full ownership of the audit results and the need to take corrective action, if any. But for self-audits to yield good results, it was felt that detailed training programmes would be necessary. Also, suitably qualified internal auditors – ideally with training in energy management – must conduct the self-audits.

Further, the self-audit system will only apply to business units that have scored above the cut-off target of 2.5 out of 4. Those below the 2.5 mark will continue to be assisted by the Group Sustainability Office (GSO).

ENOC is determined that its E&RM strategy should drive innovation and fresh thinking, both within the organisation and as a role model externally. This means that all business units will be required to submit proposals for achieving ISO 50001 certification by the end of 2018.

We remain committed to taking an active role in energy management and sustainability initiatives at the global, national and local levels, and to contributing to the realisation of our leader’s vision: namely, that Dubai should become the city with the smallest carbon footprint in the world by 2050.