Dubai Hotels to Assist in Energy Saving

June 19, 2008

The Department of Tourism and Commerce Marketing (DTCM) has appealed to hotels in Dubai to decrease their carbon dioxide emissions by 20% by the close of 2011. This request by the DTCM forms part of a voluntary environmental scheme revealed in June of this year (2008), the main aim of which is to assist Dubai’s hospitality industry to become more conscious of the importance of protecting the environment and safeguarding natural resources.

The Deputy Director of Business Development at the DTCM, Sheikha Ebrahim Al Mutawa, says, “We want to create a partnership with Dubai’s hotels, their energy providers and their engineers.” And what better way to protect our environment by pooling our knowledge and resources together to better enable us to preserve our natural resources? Hotels will have access to technology to assist them in their efforts, but knowledge and education on more simple and just as effective methods of saving energy will also play a large part in the process.

Dubai’s hotels will be able to reduce their carbon footprint by doing simple things such as turning off lights when not needed, keeping doors and windows closed to maximize the effects of air conditioning and heating, and covering swimming pools to lessen water evaporation. Other relatively easy things to do include using solar reflective coatings to cool the exterior hotel walls, making use of energy-saving methods of operating air conditioning equipment, and using solar panels to heat water.

Hotels in Dubai aren’t required by law to participate in this programme, but are certainly encouraged to do so, and will receive a certificate from the DTCM should they choose to be involved. Ultimately, it’s expected that many environmentally conscious visitors seeking accommodation in Dubai will give preference to hotels that are able to boast a DTCM certificate as proof that they play their part in protecting our environment.