Ras Al Khaimah, UAE — The government of Ras Al Khaimah became the first in the world to achieve the ISO 50001 energy management certification for all its 19 entities.
The accomplishment was announced at the World Future Energy Summit 2023, held as part of Abu Dhabi Sustainability Week (ADSW).
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 save 26 percent on electricity and water bills.
Over the same period, a centralized approach was adopted to elevate organizational 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 program. 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 percent 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 optimization opportunities are integrated in the planning and management processes of each organization.
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 percent energy savings, 20 percent water savings, and 20 percent 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.
These certifications recognize the emirate’s efforts to enhance energy efficiency and drive sustainability. They are the culmination of a multi-year program, combining asset retrofits with capability upgrades, as part of the Ras Al Khaimah Energy Efficiency and Renewables Strategy 2040.
Mohammed Abdullatif Khalifa, Secretary-General of the Executive Council and Director General of the Department of Human Resources, said, “We are very excited by this accomplishment, which comes as a direct result of our adherence to the vision and directives of H.H. Sheikh Saud bin Saqr Al Qasimi, 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.”