Reducing Your Carbon Footprint Is Beneficial to You and the Environment

As per the general data figures released every year by the United Nations Data Acquisitions department, it is generally estimated that our current lifestyles ensure 49 billion tons Green House gas is emitted into the atmosphere every year. Addiction to fossil fuels alone, the burning of which contributes around 30 billion tons of CO2e or 56.6% of our total global emissions, is reason enough for change.

As fuel prices are going up, it is necessary that residential (& related entities) ensure energy saving and conservation measures into their overall building and performance factors, that will ensure cost cuts and invest in long-term savings & thus ensure reduce carbon footprint in the region and globally.

• Cool roof technologies are highly beneficial for buildings in the UAE Climate. Cool roofs reflect sun instead of absorbing heat; reducing internal temperatures. These roofs increase energy efficiency and are adept at reducing greenhouse gas emissions.

• Installing Green Roofing (or “living roofs”) covered with vegetation and soil. Green roofs have many environmental and energy-efficiency benefits, helping reduce urban air temperatures and providing building insulation. A green room is beneficial by insulating a building from heat loss in winter and from heat gain in summer.

• Additionally, they can reduce rainwater run-off by up to 50%; preventing flooding and additionally beneficial to health by filtering pollutants and carbon dioxide from the air; lowering disease rates.

• Installing Solar panels on business sites such as offices, factories or warehouses or even on the housing; with most businesses remaining in a set location for long-term periods of 20-30+ years you can ensure you get a strong return on your investment.

• Install solar water heaters. Solar water heaters use the suns natural energy to heat water. There are a few main types of water solar heaters; such as ICS or batch collectors, Flat plate collectors, Unglazed or formed collectors and Evacuated tube collectors.

• Change your current lighting to LED’s; they are more expensive compared to other lighting solutions but they reduce power usage by as much as 80%. LED lights also last for up to 10 years so this means fewer replacement costs, reduced labor for changing lighting and increased occupant safety and produce efficient energy savings. They can now be purchased in almost any size or type of light fitting, including circle downlights and standard light globes.

• Add motion sensor lights to bathrooms, storerooms, and areas that are not used continually to ensure electricity will not be wasted as these auto lights allow for light to be automatically turned off when the area or room is not in use. These savings all add up and can be significant.

• Add local and adaptive trees and ferns inside your building. Trees are effective at controlling humidity and cleaning the air, although this will not directly cost cut; the end result is happier occupants with improved productivity.

• Implement recycling: organize for different waste to be delivered to different recycling programs, such as tires, oils, sawdust, batteries and scrap metal. Once different waste items are separated they become more valuable and hence you can get paid for removing them or at least free removal of the waste; saving you money and reducing landfill.

• Install power and water meters. For the most efficient use of these meters; place them in an area which is in common way of the occupants, which will make them pass often and take more notice. Making people more aware of their cost & consumption may motivate them to be more efficient in their energy and water use.

• Install timed water taps to reduce water usage, and stop taps being left on accidentally. The constant rising of water costs makes this small implementation very worthwhile for the businesses.

In lieu of the Green and Sustainability Initiatives being currently implemented in the region, Platinum Sustainable Development International, have developed various Energy management measures that would help you gain a competitive edge and save money over the long term.

The United Arab Emirates is now in the path of ensuring a future that will most definitely be Green.

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Created on Apr 25th 2018 05:20. Viewed 524 times.

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