Schneider Electric’s New Dubai Building Achieves Carbon Neutrality

CONSTRUCTION NEWS
Schneider Electric, a preeminent figure in the digital transformation of energy management and automation, has marked a significant achievement with the inauguration of its new Dubai office, dubbed ‘The NEST.’ Remarkably, just three months after opening its doors, the building has attained carbon neutrality. This accomplishment stands as a testament to Schneider Electric’s commitment to tracking, disclosing, and offsetting carbon emissions within its state-of-the-art infrastructure.
The design of The NEST emphasizes resource efficiency, enhanced collaboration, and the well-being of its workforce. To achieve these goals, innovative hardware and software solutions have been intricately embedded throughout the facility, ensuring adaptability to ever-evolving needs and robustness in a fast-changing global landscape.
Positioned as a hub for innovation and talent development, The NEST features a dedicated training center aimed at equipping local professionals and youth with essential next-generation skills. The interior design promotes collaboration and productivity with its extensive facilities, which include 360 workstations, 90 meeting rooms, and a cutting-edge modular amphitheater.
The opening earlier this year also marked the rollout of Schneider Electric’s Impact Buildings Program. This initiative aims to drive sustainability within the company’s global commercial real estate portfolio through the deployment of its EcoStruxure solutions suite. This advanced technology range includes Building Operation, Power Monitoring Expert, Building Data Platform, and Planon, providing visitors with a firsthand glimpse of intelligent building technology in operation.
“By integrating our own technologies, we have successfully reduced energy consumption by 37% this year and are on track to achieve an emissions reduction of over 700 tons of CO2 equivalent annually by 2026. This illustrates that a net-zero future is not only possible but achievable,” stated Amel Chadli, President of Schneider Electric’s Gulf Cluster. “We take pride in having created a dynamic workspace that directly contributes to the UAE’s Net Zero by 2050 strategic initiative and serves as a model for a more sustainable future.”
Chadli further emphasized the collaborative spirit involved in the project: “The NEST represents more than just a new facility; it symbolizes the power of partnership. Our employees played a significant role in naming this building, fostering a strong sense of ownership from the outset. Through collaboration with local partners like Dubai Silicon Oasis (DSO) and Dubai Integrated Economic Zones Authority (DIEZ), we have brought this vision to fruition.”
The architecture of The NEST is underpinned by four principal pillars, emphasizing sustainability, people-centric design, resilience, and efficiency:
- Sustainable: The building is expected to achieve an annual emissions reduction of over 700 tons of CO2 equivalent, which is roughly equal to the annual energy consumption of 82 homes in the UAE. It also aims for 47% onsite renewable energy sourcing, all in pursuit of LEED Platinum certification.
- People-centric: The NEST boasts features focused on health and wellbeing, including excellent indoor air quality, daylight harvesting capabilities, and an innovative hub equipped with advanced meeting room technology and visitor management solutions.
- Resilient: The facility is designed with a microgrid and digital twin capabilities to enhance operational efficiency and ensure predictive maintenance across its resources.
- Efficient: The adaptive workspaces leverage artificial intelligence for space occupancy analytics and operational optimization, targeting over 50% savings in energy and water use.
Recognizing that buildings account for approximately 37% of global carbon emissions, The NEST serves as a model for integrating technology to enhance sustainability within the built environment. Schneider Electric is actively incorporating digital monitoring and automation into its building infrastructure to optimize electricity and water use. Through this initiative, the company aims to embody its concept of ‘Electricity 4.0,’ where electrification and digitalization harmoniously converge, creating smart and adaptive edifices equipped for the future.
Located in the bustling Dubai Silicon Oasis Technology Hub, Schneider Electric’s 10,000 square meter facility accommodates over 1,000 employees. Just recently, The NEST achieved Platinum SmartScore certification from WiredScore, underscoring its commitment to digital connectivity and smart technology. This certification aligns seamlessly with the UAE’s Net Zero Strategy for 2050 and the Dubai Economic Agenda D33.
The NEST excelled across all assessed categories—User Functionality, Technological Foundation, and Innovation—demonstrating its commitment to an intelligent, sustainable building ethos. It is currently undergoing assessment for WELL and LEED ID+C Platinum certifications.
Walid Sheta, Zone President for the Middle East and Africa at Schneider Electric, remarked, “With The NEST, we present a tangible example of how digitalization and electrification can enhance sustainability within the built environment. This hub serves as a living illustration of our commitment to support our partners and customers throughout the Middle East and Africa, leading the charge in energy efficiency and climate action.”
“This building epitomizes our belief that people are central to sustainability. Together with the Innovation Hub and Training Center, it empowers the energy aspirations of the Middle East and Africa, shaping the future of smart infrastructure while fostering local talent and facilitating the digital transformation of energy systems,” Sheta added.
-TradeArabia News Service
#BusinessNews #EconomyNews #UAE