By : Waseem Emam

Dubai Electricity and Water Authority (DEWA) is currently organising a workshop in Arabic and English for shortlisted participants of the 14th Conservation Award as part of the Distinguished Conservation Project. This is part of DEWAs efforts to build a sustainable environment. The Award is organised under the theme, For a better tomorrow, in collaboration with the Ministry of Education (MOE); the Knowledge and Human Development Authority (KHDA); and Etihad Energy Services Company (Etihad ESCO), the consultative and technical supporting partner for energy efficiency services. The workshop is being held at the Reading Tent, Zabeel Park, 120 high school and university students are attending the workshop. 40 projects are participating in the Distinguished Conservation Project, 21 from government and 19 from private schools. The workshop is comprehensive with theoretical and practical skills being imparted for attendees to add value to their proposed projects. It will also include training courses on programming Lego Mindstorms NXT, robots, Arduino MKR IoT, and smart home control systems using Wi-Fi. DEWA is committed to introducing the new generation to the concept of sustainability, including using electricity and water responsibly and preserving precious natural resources. The Conservation Award sets an example for collaboration between public and private organisations in Dubai, aligning with the directives of His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai. We are pleased to have this fruitful cooperation with the MOE and KHDA to support the objectives of the long-term national initiative launched by HH Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum to build a green economy in the UAE under the theme Green Economy for Sustainable Development. We are also proud to contribute to the objectives of the UAE Centennial 2071 and the UAE Vision 2021. The Award also supports the Dubai Plan 2021, and the Carbon Abatement Strategy to reduce carbon emissions by 16% by 2021, said HE Saeed Mohammed Al Tayer, MD & CEO of DEWA. Al Tayer said that DEWA spares no efforts to organise training courses to prepare students for promising careers, providing them with technical skills, and developing their scientific research and their innovation and creativity. It also motivates the new generation to learn science and technologies, and take education to new levels. From 2005 till 2018, DEWA has organised 1610 lectures, benefiting nearly 381,000 students. The savings achieved by educational establishments, students and faculty during this period amounted to 283GWh of electricity, and 1.7 billion gallons of water, contributing to the reduction of 152,000 tonnes of carbon emissions. These cumulative savings are equivalent to approximately AED 192 million. The Conservation Award aims to honour educational institutions in Dubai for their efforts in reducing electricity and water consumption. The Award also recognises the efforts of individuals in these educational institutions including students, faculty, staff, and administrators. The Conservation Award includes four categories: Distinguished Educational Institution in Conservation, Distinguished Conservation Leader, Distinguished Conservation Team, Distinguished Conservation Project who can win prizes amounting to AED 180,000. To register for the Award and for more information, please visit the Conservation Awards section on DEWAs website www.dewa.gov.ae