Media ININ Economy We Trust
Media IN ABU DHABI, 4th July 2019 (WAM)
Masdar and First Abu Dhabi Bank (FAB) are celebrating the Year of Tolerance in the UAE by helping an Abu Dhabi-based school for people of determination to drastically reduce its electricity and water bills.
Funds raised from a special co-branded, biodegradable credit card, launched at Abu Dhabi Sustainability Week 2013, are now being used to finance a series of energy- and water-saving measures at the Future Rehabilitation Centre in Mohammed Bin Zayed City, which on completion will reduce the school’s annual utility expenses by around a third.
A percentage of the spending on the joint credit card goes towards a dedicated Green Fund for environmental projects selected by FAB. Following an extensive audit of the Future Rehabilitation Centre by Masdar’s Energy Services team during the Year of Giving in 2017, a portion of this money will now be invested to cover the cost of eight water- and energy-saving technologies at the special needs school.
The Energy Conservation Project launched today will take four months to complete and include solar panels, an advanced ventilation and air-conditioning control system, various water-saving devices, a swimming pool heat pump, LED lights, special soil additives, and the application of solar films on windows and thermal coatings on the school’s roof to reduce heat gain.
A monitoring system will also be installed to verify the achieved energy savings. Opened in 2000 under the patronage of its Honorary President His Excellency Sheikh Nahayan Mabarak Al Nahayan, UAE Cabinet Member and Minister of Tolerance and Future, the Future Rehabilitation Centre is dedicated to the empowerment of special needs children through therapy and teaching which specifically addresses their individual needs in line with UAE and international best practice.
The launch of Energy Conservation Project coincides with the 20th anniversary of the school, which also announced today that it is introducing a school-wide energy conservation programme. Since its foundation, the school’s programmes have enabled the integration of 117 students into regular schools and also helped 18 young adults to find meaningful employment in the government and private sector.
The centre has also supported the holistic development of around 1,400 individuals with various conditions such as autism spectrum disorder, intellectual disabilities and those with multiple disabilities.
