Majid Al Futtaim Properties are about to install thousands of new solar panels at four of its malls. The panels will reduce carbon emissions equivalent to taking 700 cars off the road, it has been announced.
Energy firm Enova inked a new deal with Majid Al Futtaim Properties to provide enough solar panels to save up to Dhs 80 million in traditional electricity costs according to a joint statement released this week.
“The deal is set to cut the four malls’ carbon dioxide emissions by 3,200 tonnes per year - the equivalent of taking 700 cars off the roads - and will see the technology installed at Dubai’s Mall of the Emirates, City Centre Deira, City Centre Mirdif and City Centre Fujairah,” said Enova.
The announcement follows solar panel installations already completed by Majid Al Futtaim at City Centre Me’aisem and My City Centre Al Barsha, the first malls to be fitted with solar panels in 2016.
Enova said the 12,500 panels installed at the four malls will absorb solar energy and feed it into the mall’s networks. The panels will cover a total 25,000 square metres of mall rooftop space and 1,020 car ports.
Enova said the project will enable Majid Al Futtaim Properties to generate 6,000MWh of electrical energy annually, earning it points with the LEED certification system (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design), the globally recognised green building benchmark.
Fouad Mansour Sharaf, managing director for UAE, Bahrain & Oman - Property Management, Shopping Malls for Majid Al Futtaim, said the firm is acting upon its environmental values. “Investing in renewables aligns with Majid Al Futtaim’s commitment to become a regional leader in environmental stewardship… We want to lead by example by applying international best practices across our portfolio and have a positive impact on the communities we serve.”
Ebrahim Al Zu’bi, head of Sustainability at Majid Al Futtaim - Holding, said “At Majid Al Futtaim, our sustainability mission is to enhance people’s lives through sustainable real estate. We aim to slash water and energy consumption, creating more of these resources than we consume by 2040, and at least 5% of energy used will come from renewable sources by 2018.”