Conservation starts now

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John Griffiths of Schneider Electric Gulf.

John Griffiths, managing director of Schneider Electric Gulf, says energy efficiency in the Middle East is not only about saving electricity, but also using it in a better way.

Isn't Dubai and energy efficiency a contradiction in terms?

Dubai seems to be working hard to change that image. There is a lot of green building activity going on that will take conservation to the next level. Dubai and Abu Dhabi are making an effort to give back. So I notice a trend there. Masdar in Abu Dhabi, a zero carbon community, is a good example.

What are the challenges in the Middle East market?

The major difference here is in the pace of business and size of projects. The speed is faster here, so we need to respond accordingly. Customers are more demanding, simply because each one of our competitors is here, so if we don't perform we will be pushed to one side very quickly. The loyalty factor is not very strong here.

We need to make decisions fast and respond to the needs of the customer as their demands and expectations are high. High quality buildings are being made here and good quality infrastructure is going into these buildings, so these require high quality solutions as well. Basically, the market asks for solutions that can be delivered on time at a reasonable price level.

There is also lack of good resources in Gulf countries and the spiraling living cost puts pressure on people. New people coming in are being offered extremely high salaries, so staff retention is also a problem. As 60% of our team comes from India, the development of the country has made it difficult for us to hire people from there.

Do you expect a slowdown in the market?

I think it would be very naïve not to expect one. In terms of our industry, we currently see no signs, as there are a number of new projects under development and design, and there is still a lot of new construction going on. So as of today, we see little or no impact. My fear is that as we keep talking about it, it will become a self-fulfilling prophecy.

One issue is the oil price, which is starting to come down, so that could be something to watch out for. Nonetheless, there is still enough activity to keep everyone busy. Even if there is a slowdown in construction, there is still a lot of service and infrastructure activity that has to take place.

What trends do you see in the region?

Energy efficiency and emphasis on energy conservation has grown as have green solutions. Energy efficiency is becoming a concern for developers and planners, particulary in Dubai, and they are looking for solutions to reduce energy consumption.

I was in Kuwait recently and I met with the under-secretary of the Ministry of Electricity and Water. I saw a real concern for the waste they are generating as they don't monitor their power consumption.

There is an issue in terms of wasting energy and they want to understand the ways they can improve. Kuwait has a dramatic problem with installed capacity for power generation, so they need to use energy and the systems they have already, more efficiently.

Buildings are standing empty in the UAE as there is no power. How can we discuss energy efficiency when there is an acute power shortage?

There is a lack of planning. Power generation is not a glamourous industry, so it doesn't get the visibility in terms of planning.

A move towards energy conservation can help, as it is just not about installing more capacities, but it is about using what we have more efficiently. So if we have a strong push by the authorities to conserve, to do more with less, there will be some excess capacity that can be used to hook up some of these newer buildings.

We do tend to waste a lot in this region. We can trim back on a few things. For example, lights need not shine on all buildings, all night in Dubai, or the lights across some major highways can be dimmed slightly.

There are ways energy can be conserved which will have an impact. It is not just about saving electricity, as costs here are quite low, it is more about using what we have in a better way.

Education is also the key. We have to educate people through schools and technical universities, so that people can understand how their actions can have an impact on the future.

The government is listening, and they are starting to show some signs of agreeing that conservation is the only way forward.

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