Some 19 entities of Ras Al Khaimah have achieved the prestigious ISO 50001 energy management certification, making Ras Al Khaimah Government the first in the world get the certification for all its entities. The accomplishment was announced at the World Future Energy Summit 2023, part of Abu Dhabi Sustainability Week.

 

These certifications recognise Ras Al Khaimah Government’s continuous efforts to enhance energy efficiency and drive sustainability. They are the culmination of a multi-year programme, combining asset retrofits with capability upgrades, as part of the Ras Al Khaimah Energy Efficiency and Renewables Strategy 2040. 

 

On becoming the first government in the world to have all its entities certified with ISO 50001, Dr Mohammed Abdullatif Khalifa, Secretary General of the Executive Council and Director General of the Department of Human Resources said: “This accomplishment comes as a direct result of our adherence to the vision and directives of His Highness Sheikh Saud bin Saqr Al Qasimi, UAE Supreme Council Member and Ruler of Ras Al Khaimah, to make our emirate more sustainable and set a global example in energy efficiency and renewable energy.”

 

Energy teams

He added: “We are proud of the energy teams and managers in all the entities that have achieved this milestone and we encourage them to keep pursuing such high levels of ambition to transform Ras Al Khaimah into a global centre for energy sustainability.”

 

Munther Mohammed bin Shekar, Director General of Ras Al Khaimah Municipality said: “This achievement is a recognition of Ras Al Khaimah Government’s commitment to the energy transition. The energy management systems that we have implemented will support government entities in initiating many new projects and developments that will contribute to the net-zero ambitions of the UAE.”

 

A comprehensive retrofit of government buildings was carried out between 2018 and 2022, through energy performance contracting. The upgrade of four Ras Al Khaimah Municipality buildings in 2018 was followed by a larger project, resulting in the retrofit of 50 buildings by December 2022. Today, these retrofits are bringing guaranteed savings of 26% on electricity and water bills.

 

Centralised approach

Over the same period, a centralised approach was adopted to elevate organisational capabilities to manage energy consumption, with the purpose of further improving these savings over the long run. Reem, the Energy Efficiency & Renewables Office of Ras Al Khaimah Municipality, has supported all government entities in establishing best practices in energy management, and capturing synergies such as scale in green procurement and training through the Upskill programme. Collaboration mechanisms are in place among nominated energy teams in each entity, to ensure effective results. 

 

At the onset of the Covid-19 pandemic, in 2020, this coordinated approach led to the adoption of quick-wins in consumption behaviours, resulting in about 10% energy savings with near-zero investment. The results encouraged the teams to take more durable steps, through the implementation of complete energy management systems according to the internationally recognised ISO 50001 standard. These include among others, energy policies, targets, monitoring and reporting tools, periodic audits and management meetings to ensure that the pursuit of energy optimisation opportunities are integrated in the planning and management processes of each organisation.

 

The energy management initiative of Ras Al Khaimah Government is part of the Energy Efficiency and Renewables Strategy 2040 of the emirate, which targets 30% energy savings, 20% water savings, and 20% contribution of electricity from renewable sources by 2040. The strategy supports the UAE commitments for climate change mitigation, as part of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change.-- TradeArabia News Service