Dubai Electricity and Water Authority (DEWA) has completed the field assessments for educational institutions participating in the 12th Conservation Award, as part of its preparations to announce the winners in early May. This is a continuation of DEWA’s efforts to educate future generations about the importance of rationalising electricity and water consumption and adopting a sustainable lifestyle.
During the field visits, DEWA’s evaluation team reveiwed the procedures applied by the educational institutions participating in three of the award’s categories: Distinguished Educational Institution in Conservation, Distinguished Conservation Leader and Distinguished Conservation Team.
Some of the measures taken to reduce electricity consumption included the installation of solar panels to generate electricity in educational institutions, and replacement of conventional bulbs with energy-saving LED bulbs. In addition, many institutions were keen to replace electrical appliances with eco-friendly ones. Measures taken to reduce water consumption included replacing standard taps with ones equipped with sensors, or the installation of water-saving devices. Some educational institutions have begun reusing water from air conditioners and ablutions to irrigate gardens, including smart irrigation systems, and presented practical innovative projects that help with conservation in their facilities.
Over 3 months, DEWA organised an integrated programme for participants in the Distinguished Conservation Project category. The programme targeted nearly 200 students from high schools, universities and colleges, during which training workshops were held at the Reading Tent at Zabeel Park. It included training courses on teamwork, the foundations of smart applications, working on Arduino Integrated Development Environment (IDE), and learning how to use 3D printers; one of the latest innovative manufacturing technologies, to help them implement their project models.
After the completion of the programme, the participating students presented 29 practical conservation projects that they created using the knowledge they gained during the workshops held by DEWA within the same category. This took place during a workshop organised with the participation of a specialised jury, DEWA’s stakeholders, and university professors. All projects were reviewed and discussed with the candidates.
“The Conservation Award reflects our commitment to promote environmental awareness and encourage institutions and individuals to apply best practices in the field of rationalisation of consumption and energy efficiency. This supports the vision of HH Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, to promote sustainability in all its environmental, social and economic aspects and achieve the objectives of the UAE Centennial 2071 to make the UAE one of the best countries in the world. It also supports the Demand Side Management Strategy 2030, to reduce energy and water consumption by 30% by 2030. Through this award, we aim to instil the culture of conservation in our youth. They are the driving force of any nation and its hope for building a better tomorrow as nations are built and the future shaped by youth, capitalising on their capabilities and skills. They are the driving force behind any nation’s progress and advancement. We invest in our youth to achieve our desired progress and steadily pave the way for a prosperous future for current and coming generations,” said HE Saeed Mohammed Al Tayer, MD & CEO of DEWA.
“Through this award, we honour educational institutions that adopt clear and achievable strategies and objectives and implement innovative initiatives in the field of rationalising electricity and water consumption. During the current award, the participating educational institutions demonstrated exceptional efforts and presented innovative and creative projects that serve the primary purpose of the award. They reflected the awareness of students, faculty and administrators of their responsibility to preserve natural resources. We have also allocated a cash prize of AED 25,000 for each of the two high school and university projects in the Distinguished Conservation Project category, in addition to AED 5,000 for the supervisor of each project. The winners will be announced at the awards ceremony, which will be organised by DEWA, in cooperation with the Ministry of Education and the Knowledge and Human Development Authority, in Dubai, on 2 May 2018,” concluded Al Tayer.
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