Leading developer Emaar Properties said its community management company has earned two key certifications, the ISO 50001:2011 certification for its energy management system, and ISO 14001:2004 for its environmental management system.

With this, Emaar Community Management (ECM) has become the first organisation dedicated to association management in the UAE to earn the ISO 50001:2011, said a senior official.

These certifications are in addition to the ISO 9001:2008 certification for quality management systems the company had earned previously.

The ISO 50001:2011 certification specifies the requirements that an organisation must adhere to in establishing, implementing, maintaining and improving its energy management system. It envisages continual improvement of energy performance including energy efficiency and consumption.

The ECM officials received the certification from Basem Obaid, the Middle East and Africa manager of Lloyd’s Quality Register.

Ahmad Al Falasi, the executive director, Property Management, Emaar Properties, said: "With the region currently focused on promoting sustainable built environments in line with the ‘Green Economy for Sustainable Development’ initiative launched by Dubai ruler, we will continue to focus our energies on incorporating sustainable practices across all our communities."

“To achieve this, we looked at each of our 52 developments and analysed the 106 Giga Watts of energy usage over 101 million sq ft of common area, which are in line with the international standards. The ISO 50001:2011 certification endorses our commitment to the highest standards in energy management,” he added.

Proactive measures introduced and commended by the auditors were motion sensor lights and energy-efficient halogen bulbs, and reducing the working hours of roof façade lights, where applicable.

Changes were also made to the functioning of air-handling units in addition to adapting measures to optimise air-conditioning.-TradeArabia News Service