5 initiatives making the UAE perfect for eco-friendly startups

It’s a common perception that every Middle
Eastern economy relies completely on fossils fuels, but the UAE is
working towards being more eco-friendly by 2050.

It wants to present itself as a country that has
invested in clean technologies and sustainable
development.

As a result, the government is doing its best to
support whatever green ideas come its way with serious cash and
interesting initiatives.

Here are five that a smart entrepreneur might
want to consider.

1. The Change Initiative

Together, united. (Image via The Change
Initiative) 

The Change Initiative is a Dubai store that sells
green products. The renovated two-story store sells fully organic
eco-friendly products, including organic food, utensils, cleaning
agents and even sunglasses. In 2010, the building officially
became the world’s most sustainable building, getting
107 points out of a possible 110 for the LEED Platinum
certification. The store is made from green recyclable material,
contains a solar power station with PV panels on the rooftop, and a
recycling and water reclaiming system.

2. Estidama

In 2008, the Abu Dhabi Urban
Planning Council launched Estidama, an initiative which aims
to make the country fully sustainable by targeting residential
areas and buildings, governmental entities, and commerce buildings
to meet environmental standards.

Estima’s brochure. (Image via Estidama)

All new developments and construction projects in the
UAE must receive permission from the council to show it has met
with environmental standards. These include energy savings through
building insulation, solar-powered water heating systems, and using
eco-friendly refrigerants which have lower waste emissions.
 

The initiative also includes encouraging the use
of local construction materials.

3. Switching to ‘green’ concrete

Since March 2015 it has become mandatory for all
construction companies in Dubai to use green concrete instead of
the usual Portland cement (OPC). This is because each
ton of OPC produces 164 kilograms of dust pollution,
and is part of the Dubai 2020 urban masterplan to become one of the best
environmentally sustainable cities. Now, construction companies
based in Dubai must use alternative components such as fly ash,
ground granulated blast-furnace slag, stone smashing remnant and
others. Compared to portland cement, these alternatives can reduce
toxic emissions by up to 45 percent.

4. Etihad Esco

Abu Dhabi Electricity and Water Authority’s (ADEWA)
Etihad Esco
is an initiative in the form of a company. Founded in 2013, Etihad
Esco’s mission is to enable more energy efficiency in Dubai’s
buildings by installing technologies such as LED lighting, cooling
systems and photovoltaic solar panels.

Trials and testing. (Image via Dubai
Municipality)

Etihad Esco is on a mission to retrofit 30,000
buildings in Dubai’s existing building stock. The organisation
already audits the energy at the Dubai World Trade Centre, Dubai
Airport Free Zonea and electricity power plants in the Jebel Ali
Free Zone.

5. Masdar Initiative

Shining over Abu Dhabi. (Image via Masdar)

In 2006, the Abu Dhabi government invested
millions of dollars to launch Masdar, one of the largest clean
energy and renewable energy communities in the world. The
initiative includes several huge investments in Masdar city, which
is fully powered by solar energy through 10 MW solar panels, the
Masdar Institute for Science and Technology, and Masdar Capital,
which manages the investments that bring Masdar’s clean and
renewable energy ideas to life.

The latest investment from Masdar is the
Solar Impulse, a
solar-powered airplane.