Dubai, United Arab Emirates: Emirates Central Cooling Systems Corporation PJSC (Empower), the world’s largest district cooling services provider, signed an agreement with Sobha Realty, one of UAE’s leading premium real estate developers, to provide environmentally district cooling services to the developer’s mixed-use projects, most notably the Sobha Hartland master community with a capacity of 17,000 refrigeration tons (RT).
As part of the agreement between the two companies, Sobha Hartland will join Empower’s extensive district cooling portfolio and Empower will provide world-class district cooling services across eight buildings of Sobha Hartland project by extending the distribution network from company’s Meydan district cooling project. The agreement was signed by H.E. Ahmad bin Shafar, CEO of Empower, and Mr. Francis Alfred, Managing Director of Sobha Realty.
Empower will start serving the first two buildings during the current year, through a dedicated pipeline network to transmit and distribute district cooling energy extending from Empower’s Meydan plant, which has a cooling capacity of 45,000 RT and uses advanced technologies. The Meydan plant is a part of the Meydan master community district cooling project, which was acquired by Empower in 2021 through an agreement to supply the Meydan master community with 382,000 RT district cooling energy, covering 750 buildings in the city. Empower had also announced during the acquisition that it would build three new district cooling plants and a pipeline network to meet the required cooling energy through a total investment of more than AED 1.6 billion.
Sobha Hartland is an 8 million sq. ft waterfront community situated in the iconic Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum City, with access to world-class amenities, restaurants, retail centres, educational and entertainment facilities.
Ahmad Bin Shafar, CEO of Empower, said: “Adding Sobha Realty projects to Empower’s portfolio reflects the confidence of real estate developers and customers in our reliable services, and highlights Empower’s role in providing high quality district cooling services that save up to 50% energy than traditional air conditioning systems.” He explained that Empower focuses on serving landmark real estate projects and aims to provide all sectors such as, residential, commercial, hospitality, healthcare, and others in Dubai with world-class environmentally friendly district cooling services, to support the pioneering role of the emirate in reducing carbon emissions, in line with the directives of His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai.
Commenting on the new collaboration, Francis Alfred, Managing Director of Sobha Realty, said: “Our goal is to create a portfolio of buildings that reflect our commitment to sustainably constructed environment. In every phase of our projects, sustainability is a top priority, right from incorporating eco-friendly practices, materials, and technologies during the design stage to reducing carbon emissions and enhancing project efficiency during the execution stage. This collaboration is in line with our dedication to supporting the UAE’s sustainability-focused programs, such as the Net Zero Strategic Initiative 2050. Our vision and approach clearly echo our unwavering commitment to imbibe key environmental and social metrics like energy, water, waste, wellness, community development, climate resilience, open spaces, among others, in all stages of construction. With this partnership, we are ensuring that we offer sustainable district cooling services to the residents of Sobha Hartland,” he added.
ABOUT EMPOWER:
Emirates Central Cooling Systems Corporation PJSC, (Empower) was established in 2003 by Ruler’s Decree, with the objective of providing world-class District Cooling Services to Dubai and the region. Empower’s principal activities focus on the provision of district cooling services and the management, operation and maintenance of central cooling plants and related distribution networks, as well as the production and selling of pre-insulated pipes and fittings.
From a modest beginning of its operations with a single temporary plant serving DIFC (the financial district of Dubai), Empower grew exponentially and became the largest District Cooling Services provider in the world by capacity within a span of a decade. Empower serves more than 110,000 corporate and individual customers in 1,463 buildings with a connected capacity of more than 1.41 million refrigeration tons (RT) and a contracted capacity of more than 1.53 million RT.
Empower provides its services to the landmark projects in Dubai such as Deira Waterfront, Blue Waters, Jumeirah Group, Jumeirah Beach Residence, Dubai International Financial Centre, Museum of the Future, Marsa Al-Arab, Business Bay, Meydan, Dubai Healthcare City, Jumeirah Lake Towers, Palm Jumeirah, Discovery Gardens, Ibn Battuta Mall, Dubai Design District, Dubai Production City, Dubailand Residence Complex and many more.
ABOUT SOBHA REALTY:
Sobha Realty is an international luxury developer committed to redefining the art of living through sustainable communities. Established in 1976 as an interior decoration firm in Oman by PNC Menon – a visionary entrepreneur, the company has grown its presence with developments and investments in the UAE, Oman, and India. Over the last four decades, Sobha Realty has also redefined the real estate value chain through “Backward Integration”, by leveraging its inherent in-house capabilities of conceptualisation, design and development. Sobha Realty is currently developing Sobha Hartland, a luxurious freehold community spread across eight million square feet in the heart of Dubai, as part of the Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum City master development. Additionally, Sobha Realty has a robust pipeline of luxury projects that would be launched at various prime locations in Dubai.
