Empower joins forces with ASHRAE to develop global standard for district cooling

Emirates Central Refrigeration Systems Corporation PJSC (Empower), the world’s largest district cooling service provider, signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the American Society of Heating, Refrigerating and Air Conditioning Engineers (ASHRAE) for the development of a unified and globally approved district cooling standard, which will be adopted by several countries with emerging district cooling infrastructure by 2025.

The MoU was signed by His Excellency Ahmad bin Shafar, CEO of Empowerand Ginger Scoggins, president of ASHRAEduring Empower’s participation at the ASHRAE 2024 Conference, which runs through January 24 in Chicago, USA.

Ahmad Bin Shafar, CEO of Empower, saying:

“Recognizing the immense potential of urban cooling for environmental, economic and social improvement, the industry must collaborate to drive its adoption. Expanding its reach will make these benefits tangible for diverse urban environments and communities around the world. A crucial step forward is the strategic partnership between ASHRAE and Empower, driven by a shared humanitarian vision. By establishing adaptable professional standards, they equip stakeholders in different countries to implement district cooling systems optimized for their specific climates, environments and contexts.”

Bin Shafar highlighted that Empower operates in line with the vision and directives of His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE, Ruler of Dubai, transform Dubai into the smartest and happiest city in the world.

“Driven by an innovation-led approach, our strategic partnerships with international stakeholders seek to develop practical and advanced solutions to improve energy efficiency, improve indoor cooling services and support sustainability efforts. Ultimately, this will contribute to growth sustainable economic, preserving the environment and reducing carbon emissions through the implementation of the Demand Side Management Strategy, a key initiative focused on reducing energy and water consumption by 30% by 2030”,

he added.

For its part, Ginger Scoggins, ASHRAE President 2023-24, saying,

“ASHRAE is pleased to collaborate with Empower in developing this standard and shares a commitment to advancing sustainability through district cooling on a global scale.

The District Cooling Standard will serve as a global reference for design professionals, including specialists, utility engineers and system designers. It will provide detailed guidance on the design, operation and maintenance of district cooling systems along with strategies for system improvement and thermal storage integration.

News source: Dubai Press Office