As part of their joint efforts to conserve the environment and reduce carbon emissions, TECOM Investments’ Sustainable Energy and Environment Division (SEED), and IBM Middle East at Dubai Internet City, today announced the implementation of energy conservation programme to significantly reduce IBM’s carbon emissions.

The programme is expected to reduce approximately76 tonnes of carbon emissions annually in the IBM Middle East offices alone.

Ali Bin Towaih, Director of SEED, said: “We are living at times of heightened awareness of the finite amounts of natural resources, there is an ongoing need for energy conservation to reduce costs, decrease dependency on foreign energy sources, minimize the environmental impact of consumption and preserve these resources for future generations.

Alternative sustainable methods have proven to provide a host of benefits including a huge reduction in business costs, while exerting a significantly lighter strain on the region’s natural resources. As the first-ever organization in the Middle East to launch a sustainable development initiative, we are committed to carry our endeavour forward for the benefit of the community.”

The implemented program covers the following:

• Air Conditioning in the office area goes to higher temperature after office hours and during weekend holidays.
• Air conditioners and lights in the conference rooms and meeting rooms are turned off during night and weekends.
• Some of the printers and photocopy machines are kept OFF after office hours and on weekends.
• 50% of the lights at common areas and corridors are turned off completely.
• Low voltage halogen bulbs are turned off in most of the areas.
• All window blinds are kept open during day time to utilize natural daylight.
• Cleaning crew is turning off lighting in unoccupied areas after cleaning up.

Dureid Hilal, Real Estate and Site Operations Manager at IBM Middle East, said: “It is gratifying to see a region that is currently growing so rapidly giving considerable attention to environmental impact, reflecting smart strategic thinking. Sustainable energy solutions through optimal use of the region’s richest natural resource like solar energy could even help reformulate the operational structure at IBM Middle East for the long-haul.

The move comes nine months after SEED initiated its comprehensive Energy Conservation Programme in April 2007, by optimizing the operations of all electro-mechanical equipment at facilities managed by TECOM Investments as well as common areas.

The initiative, as of January 1, 2008 has been able to generate a monthly average savings of 9% kWh consumption and therefore a direct reduction of 6,567 Tons of CO2 emissions into the atmosphere.

Jamal Abdulsalam, Executive Director of Dubai Internet City, said: “The fast growing trend among business partners such as IBM Middle East to be actively involved in similar initiatives confirms a mutual understanding that climate change is a prime concern not only among citizens but for corporations as well. Effective use of low voltage bulbs in the office premises and optimal utilisation of natural sunlight are some of the simple ways to save energy costs.”

“As the first entity under TECOM Investments to engage business partners in the sustainability drive, we aim to work closely with SEED’s project and play an active role to make a sizeable contribution towards this initiative.”

TECOM Investments, a member of Dubai Holding has successfully implemented several energy management and water conservation projects with significant results. As the region’s foremost green building developer, it also houses the largest number of projects undergoing Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) certification. The cluster currently hosts 12 registered green buildings that are classified with LEED standards silver certification.