SEWA | THE DECLARATION OF SHARJAH CITY OF CONSERVATION

Under the unlimited support and farsighted directives of His Highness Sheikh Sultan bin Mohammed Al Qasimi, the Supreme Council Member & Ruler of Sharjah, Sharjah Electricity & Water Authority (SEWA) is looking forward to achieving the ultimate sustainable development and providing high quality services at the latest international standards and global specifications. SEWA has already started efforts towards creating one of best model cities of power conservation within an ambitious strategy and creative initiatives and enhancing the role of SEWA as model to be globally intimated in the competiveness and leadership and its commitment to maintain the rights of our next generations in the natural resources

SEWA's strives to realize the dream of crowning Sharjah as the first City of Conservation in the region constitute an integral part to its on-going development process and its civilized mission in a bid to promote Sharjah’s regional and international image to take a lead in sustainability and environment. It is recognition of SEWA that preserving our energy resources will be one of the greatest challenges in our drive towards sustainable development. We have been always pioneering in meeting customer satisfaction and promoting Sharjah’s vision by providing electricity and water services at a world-class level of reliability, efficiency, safety and environment by a competent workforce and effective partnerships; supporting resources sustainability. SEWA considers its strategic partners and suppliers as main milestone in its strategy to deliver the best possible services to the Emirate of Sharjah. We look to world-class organizations from around the world to present and review the most advanced solutions in electricity, water, environment and other technologies that drive our excellence-centric approach to service delivery. We have conducted a range of awareness campaigns to encourage everyone to be more conscious and aware of how much electricity and water they use so that everyone can make greater efforts to rationalise their use.

In line with its policy focusing on integrated strategy focusing on the implementation of energy efficiency and reduction of energy consumption and comparative recent studies of consumption trends, SEWA has set a conservation target of 30% reduction in the consumption of power and water in the Emirate of Sharjah. Within its drive for excellence and high quality, SEWA has initiated the application of the principles on the maintenance of the energy resources declared by the UN Industrial Development Program Organization which adopted by the International Standardization Organization under ISO 50001 certification. SEWA is considered as the first Arab Electricity and Water Authority that adopted and applied the principles of Energy Resources Maintenance which have achieved objective results. SEWA would like to urge the concerned parties to cooperate and work together in order to enhance the march towards our prosperity and welfare and make further achievement to meet the aspirations of the citizens as well as the residents of our homeland.

The objectives of the Declarations:

Raise the efficiency of power and water consumption in the Emirate of Sharjah and reduction of at least 30% of power consumption.
To enhance the role of Sharjah city as the international model for power and water conservation.
Achieve the sustainable development and maintain rights of our next generation in the natural resources.
Maintain the environment through the rational use of eco-friendly fuels and application of the latest international standards to eliminate pollution and emission of greenhouse gases as per the Kyoto Protocol, then international treaty linked to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change, which commits its Parties by setting internationally binding emission reduction targets.
Raise the awareness of all community categories about the rational use of power and water.
Use the power saving lights at all government building, commercial establishment and streets.
Raise the efficiency of power production by about 50% and reduce the running costs at SEWA power generation stations.
Minimize the loss in the power networks to the globally acceptable rate (3%)
Minimize the loss in the water networks to the globally acceptable rate (10%)
Raise the public awareness about the importance of regular maintenance of the electrical devices and the continuous check of the internal water installation to avoid any invisible leaks
Reduce the dependence on aquifer water resource to maintain the same for the next generations.
The rational consumption of the piped-gas supply in the residential areas, the first of its kind service in the AGCC region to save the electrical power
Compile and provide the necessary information to support the policies of the power and water in the Emirate of Sharjah.
Encourage the medium and small companies to convert their forklifts to natural gas firing and install gas filling stations to provide such forklifts with natural gas.
Support the scientific researches in fields of power and water conservation through the establishment of several Professorship chair in the universities,
Encourage the use of the electric cars and establish the necessary infrastructure including electrical charge stations in several areas of Sharjah.

The Strategies:

Launch awareness drives targeting the students of the schools and universities and all community categories under the theme: With conservation, we are all beneficiaries”
Collaborate with federal and local departments and ministries to apply the principles of this declaration
Introduce the-state-of-the-art technologies in the field of power and water conservation.
Prepare the necessary programs and plans to implement the One Saving Hour launched by His Highness Sheikh Sultan bin Mohammed Al Qasimi, the Supreme Council Member & Ruler of Sharjah
Application of the principles on the maintenance of the energy resources declared by the UN Industrial Development Program Organization which adopted by the International Standardization Organization under ISO 50001 certification as the first Arab Electricity and Water Authority that adopted and applied the principles of Energy Resources Maintenance
Support and join forces with the international initiatives such as Earth Hour
Prepare the necessary legislations and regulations to apply conservation systems at the new buildings.
Use eco-friendly materials and equipment on all SEWA projects
Hire an approved power verifier to analyze the power consumption trends at the buildings and make recommendations about the required improvements of power consumption.
Approve the UAE Technical Power Efficiency Statement for the electrical devices and encourage the customers to select the electrical device as per its efficiency
Conduct specialized studies in collaboration with the local and international research centers and universities
Endeavor to diversify the energy resources and introduce new renewable energy resources such as solar and wind energy.
Participate in symposia, conferences and exhibitions to promote SEWA initiatives in the field of conservation
Promote SEWA conservation initiatives by the means of media and social media websites
Invite Celebrities and public figures to promote SEWA initiatives in the field of conservation.
Follow up the latest scientific publications and develop abilities and skills of the employees.
Introduce incentive awards and gifts to those who managed to reduce their power and water consumption.
Prepare plans and initiatives to spread economically feasible applications for the use of the renewable energies and modern technologies at the residential, commercial and industrial premises.
Adopt specific indicators and standards to measure the rates of development and growth.
Take advantage of the local and international indications and statistics for power and water projects, compile, classify and analyze the relevant date to highlight the changes and developments in power sector, water and natural gas.
Provide the necessary information and date for the local, regional and international researchers, individuals and institutions about the power and water projects and activities of SEWA, fuel consumption of the production plants, fuel future requirements with growth rate of 7%, without the conservation initiatives and comparison of the same with figures of powers which may be saves within a period of 10 years with the conservation initiative (30%).

SEWA’s Pioneering Initiatives of Conservation:

(a) Initiatives for Children and students of schools and universities:

Sharjah Electricity & Water Authority is eager to `enhance the contribution of the children and school students to the environment protection issues and instill the culture of the power conservation among those children since their childhood as they represent the generations of future who will ensure the continuity of the march of prosperity and welfare of their community. SEWA has prepared special programs that suit the requirements of such age category to develop their abilities and skills under such programs which combine the learning with entertainment.

(1) Lunch an initiative titled “the Ambassadors of Conservation”, targeting the age category of 5 – 7 years to encourage them learn the correct conversation characters since childhood.

(2) Enhance the role of SEWA cartoon characters ((Qatoora, Kahroob and Sha'alool)), to help the children learn conservative characters in an attractive entertainment atmosphere.

(3) Create attractive toys and applications that encourage the children to learn the conservation trends.

(4) Establish conservation groups at schools and universities.

(5) Organize awareness lectures for the students of schools and universities.

(6) Organize events and competitions at Sharjah Youth Centers

(7) Cooperate with authors, writers and poets as well as cultural organization to compile stories, cartoon films, plays suit the targeted age category.

(b) Sharjah Annual Energy Forum:

In January of each year, SEWA organizes the Energy Forum to achieve the following:

(1) Attract the representatives of the international and local leading companies as well as the ministries and government bodies to the events of the forum

(2) Attract the international experts and all those concerned with the energy issues to take part in the same

(3) Review the latest international researches and technologies of energy and technical papers and representations.

(c) Initiatives with the government bodies:

SEWA devotes great attention to the role of the government bodies in promoting the power and water conservations and raising the awareness of their employees about the rational use of power and water. SEWA cooperate with the government bodies to reduce the power and water consumption at their facilities and premises as follows:

(1) Initiate technical collaboration to conduct studies and researches about the requirements of the government bodies for saving tools and devices

(2) Raise the employees’ awareness about the saving tips and technologies of conservation by means of lectures and visits

(3) Coordinate with government bodies to erect saving kits and devices.

(4) Coordinate with government bodies to convert the vehicles and plants to natural gas fuel,

(5) Collaborate with the UAE power and water authorities and bodies and exchange views and establish strategic partnership with them to provide new energy resources in the Emirate of Sharjah.

(d) Initiatives with the Department of Islamic Affaires:

In recognition of the important role of the mosques and educating people and raising their awareness about the ideal use of electricity and water, SEWA is eager to work in close partnership with Department of Islamic Affaires to encourage the mosques to save power and water and spread the conservation culture among the believers as part of religious teachings:

(1) Erect saving kits at mosques’ ablution installations

(2) Establish small prayer location in large mosques to avoid use the full power load.

(3) Raise the awareness of the Imams and muezzins about the best conservation techniques to act as good models for the believers.

(4) Fixing awareness poster at the ablution installations

(5) Present conservations tips and advices to the prayer particularly after Al Juma’a Prayer

(6) Encourage the mosques to erect necessary plants to recycle the water of ablution

(7) Install smart power management systems at the mosques to control switching off and on the A/C and lights

(e) Initiatives with Companies, manufacturers and Tourist Faculties:

The manufacturers, companies and Tourist Faculties are the largest consumers of power and water. So they are in need of special awareness programs about the rational use of power and water for their operations and adoption of rational systems and techniques to enable them save power and water without any adverse effect on their operations or quality levels:

(1) Replace the electrical heaters with gas firing ones

(2) Arrange visits to the labor camps to educate the workers about the importance of saving water and power

(3) Conduct studies and researches to develop the operations of A/C systems as per the latest international standards

(4) Erect saving kits at the labor camps

(5) Encourage the factories and companies to connect the piped gas supply to save power

(6) convert the forklifts of the manufactories and companies to natural gas firing

(7) Coordinate with auto manufacturers to supply gas firing cars to save the conversion costs

(8) establish the necessary infrastructures including electrical charge stations in several areas of Sharjah

(f) Initiatives with Families and Individuals of the Community:

Preparation of special objective programs that suit the needs and nature of each category of the community is one of SEWA’s top priorities. Based on recent scientific researches, SEWA arrange the following:

(1) Launch an initiative titled (Forenoon Tea) to organize field visits to the housewives and housemaids to educate them about the best techniques and methods to save power and water

(2) Launch an initiative titled (Make the right decision from the beginning) to raise the awareness of the owners of new buildings about how to make the right decision from the beginning of their projects in respect of applying the latest power and water saving techniques and systems for their buildings

(3) Coordinate with the Supreme Council of Family to educate the ladies about the conservation principles.

(4) Take part in community events such as Sharjah Heritage Days to spread the conservation culture

(5) Take part in exhibitions and conferences such as Sharjah Heritage Days to spread the conservation culture

(6) Encourage the individuals to use the solar energy for the heaters instead of electricity

(7) Allocate annual conservation award for the outstanding family who managed to strictly comply with the conservation instructions.

(g) The Technical Initiatives:

The technical initiatives lacked by SEWA in power and water conservation are intended to follow the best international technical specifications and standards approved by Emirates Standardization & Specification Authority which ensure the ideal use of resources and maintenance of environment and natural resources:

(1) Establish the Commercial Section at the Electricity Services Department to ensure the supply of best products for the electricity facilities and systems in the Emirate of Sharjah at the approved international specifications and high quality in collaboration with the leading international electrical suppliers.

(2) use power saving bulbs for street lighting in the Emirate of Sharjah

(3) Embark necessary projects and studies to minimize the loss of the electrical networks

(4) Establish sophisticated center to control and monitor the performance of the electrical networks

(5) Establish sophisticated center to control and monitor the performance of the water networks

(6) Establish sophisticated center to control and monitor the performance of the gas networks

(7) Introduce smart meters and replace all old meters with the smart ones

(8) Develop the technical maintenance and troubleshooting systems to work round the clock.

(h) Initiatives relating to the legislations and regulations:

Under such initiatives, SEWA devotes attention to the preparation and applications of the necessary legislations and rules of power and water conservation and recognize the owners of the new buildings developed in consistent with the conservation instructions.

(1) Introduce the billing slab tariff to encourage the customers to save power and water

(2) Enact the Law on Maintenance of Water Resources

(3) Encourage the consultants to observe the building conservation requirements such as installation of thermal insulation and power saving devices

(4) Develop the skills and performance of the technical inspection teams to enable them to promptly deal with any violations and rectify the status of the violators

(i) Initiatives with sports Clubs:

The sports clubs play a vital role in preparing the youths and provide them with correct characters and values to serve the community. Therefore, SEWA has established strategic partnership with Sharjah Sports Council in order to take advantage of the sports clubs’ role in spreading the conservation messages and achieve the sustainable developments:

(1) Change the stadium lights to power saving ones

(2) Launch conservation initiatives targeting both players and fans of the clubs

(3) Conduct conservation feasibility studies to save power and water at the clubs

(4) Distribute conservation publications to the fans

(j) Initiatives with people of Special Needs:

People of special needs are one of the important community categories targeted by the conservation drives conducted by SEWA to enhance their role and contribution to the community issues.

(1) Prepare special conservation programs that suit the requirements of the people of Special Needs

(2) Distribute the first of its kind Braille water conservation publications issued by SEWA to the people of Special Needs

(3) Arrange visits to the clubs and societies of people of Special Needs

(k) Initiative for Saving Family’s day-to-day events

This Initiative is intended to highlight the huge difference between a saving family and non-saving one in respect of their daily practices and uses of power and water from the morning to the midnight and specify the saving quantities per day, week , month and year.