Emirates Central Cooling Systems Corporation, Empower, said it has started the construction of a permanent district cooling plant in Barsha Heights, located in one of the premium neighbourhoods of Dubai, at a projected cost of Dh169 million ($46 million).

The construction, which will be completed in 56 weeks, is being carried out in two phases. The plant is expected to start its operations in December next year, said a statement from Empower.

This is a part of Empower’s efforts to develop more areas and increase the operational efficiency of existing district cooling plants, said a senior official.

The new plant will replace the three existing semi-permanent plants located in this area, and also will use the award-winning treated sewage effluent (TSE) and thermal energy storage (TES) technologies in its operations, stated CEO Ahmad bin Shafar.

The plant will take into account the standards of sustainable green buildings and the modern urban developments of Dubai, as well as the overall appearance of the area and the architecture of the surrounding buildings.

The project is expected to be awarded the Gold certification for green buildings from the Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (Leed) of the US Green Building Council (USGBC), he added.

Bin Shafar stressed that this dynamic project aims to enhance customer satisfaction in Barsha Heights by providing them with services that ensure continuity and reliability.

"It also contributes to increasing the operational efficiency of semi-permanent plants in this area, which is characterised by continuous development and expansion. This will also encourage urban developers and contractors to develop their projects according to the district cooling mechanism, and to benefit from Empower’s pioneer services," he added.

Bin Shafar pointed out that Empower’s strategies focus on regional development, by increasing the existing 75 district cooling plants and enriching the existing plants by using its innovative technologies.

"This is the latest example that the award-winning TSE and TES technologies will be used in the new district cooling plant at Barsha Heights. This supports efforts to promote comprehensive and sustainable development of Dubai, in line with the Dubai Plan 2021, to make Dubai a smart and sustainable city whose environmental elements are clean, healthy and sustainable," he added.

Empower currently operates over 1.34 million RT, providing environmentally responsible district cooling services to large-scale real estate developments, such as Jumeirah Group, Jumeirah Beach Residence, Dubai International Financial Centre, Business Bay, Dubai Healthcare City, Jumeirah Lake Towers, Palm Jumeirah, Discovery Gardens, Ibn Battuta Mall, Dubai Design District and International Media Production Zone.-TradeArabia News Service