Schneider Electric's New Dubai Building Achieves Carbon Neutrality, Proving a Sustainable Future is Possible Today

Schneider Electric, a global leader in the digital transformation of energy management and automation, has achieved carbon neutrality for its new Dubai office, ‘The NEST’ only three months after opening. This milestone underscores the company’s unwavering dedication to monitoring, disclosing, and offsetting carbon emissions within its newly inaugurated building. Designed to prioritize resource efficiency, collaboration, and employee wellbeing, the company’s cutting-edge hardware and software are embedded throughout the building to ensure adaptability to future needs and resilience in a rapidly changing world.

The inauguration of Schneider Electric’s new Dubai office earlier in May marked the launch of the company’s new Impact Buildings Program, which aims to drive sustainability through its own global commercial real estate using its EcoStruxure™ solutions suite. These technologies include Building Operation, Power Monitoring Expert, Building Data Platform, and Planon where visitors can experience its smart building technology at work.

“By embedding our own technologies, we have cut energy consumption by 37% this year, while aiming to achieve emissions reduction of +700 tCO2e/year by 2026, proving that a net-zero future is a tangible reality. We are proud to have created a vibrant workspace that directly aligns with the UAE Net Zero by 2050 strategic initiative and serves as a blueprint for a more sustainable future,” said Amel Chadli, President, Gulf Cluster, at Schneider Electric.

Chadli added: “The NEST is more than just a new building; it's a testament to the power of partnership. Our own employees named this building, giving it a true sense of ownership from day one. In collaboration with local partners like Dubai Silicon Oasis (DSO) and the Dubai Integrated Economic Zones Authority (DIEZ), we've brought this vision to life.”

It is worth mentioning that the NEST is designed on four main pillars. It is Sustainable (achieving emissions reduction of +700 tCO2e/year, roughly equivalent to the annual energy use of 82 homes in the UAE; and targets 47% onsite renewable sourcing, towards achieving LEED Platinum certification). It is People-centric (a Healthy building with indoor air quality and daylight harvesting, and a Next-Gen Innovation Hub offering Smart meeting room, visitor management, wayfinding, and ticketing experiences, and targeting WELL Equity Rating). It is Resilient (powering resilience with a micro grid, digital twin for simulation and operational efficiency, as well as a cybersecure edge data center, ensuring predictive maintenance and digital asset management). And it is Efficient (an adaptive workplace with space occupancy analytics that leverages AI for HVAC, maintenance, and operational optimization, all while targeting +50% energy and water saving, and automated workflows for facility management).

With buildings responsible for as much as 37% of global carbon emissions, The NEST has been specifically engineered to showcase how the application of technology can significantly enhance sustainability in the built environment.

Schneider Electric is integrating digital monitoring and automation into building infrastructure to optimize electricity and water efficiency. This initiative exemplifies its ‘Electricity 4.0’ vision, where electrification and digitalization converge to create next-generation buildings that are smart, adaptive and, future-proof.

Located within the heart of Dubai Silicon Oasis’s Technology Hub, Schneider Electric’s 10,000 sqm premises accommodates more than 1,000 employees. The NEST recently received the Platinum SmartScore certification from WiredScore, the global certification body for digital connectivity and smart technology, reaffirming its sustainability credentials while aligning with the UAE Net Zero Strategy 2050 and the Dubai Economic Agenda D33.

The NEST achieved perfect scores across all assessed categories: User Functionality, Technological Foundation, and Innovation, and is under assessment to receive the WELL and LEED ID+C Platinum certifications.

Walid Sheta, Zone President, Middle East and Africa, at Schneider Electric, said: “With The NEST, we are showcasing how digitalization and electrification can significantly enhance sustainability within the built environment. This hub is a living example of how Schneider Electric is supporting our partners and customers across the Middle East and Africa to lead the way in energy efficiency, operational excellence, and climate action”.

“This building reflects our belief that people are at the heart of sustainability. Together with the Innovation Hub and Training Center, it empowers the energy aspirations of the Middle East and Africa. It’s where we’re shaping the future of smart infrastructure, empowering local talent, and driving the digital transformation of energy systems”, Sheta added.

The Dubai Innovation Hub is the first of its kind in the Gulf region, joining a network of over 100 similar hubs across Schneider Electric globally. The experiential hub offers a preview of cutting-edge solutions, including digital twin technology, smart building systems, and AI-ready prefabricated data centers. Visitors can explore the AVEVA Unified Operations Center, where real-time data integration empowers energy and industrial companies to respond swiftly and operate with greater flexibility.

The NEST is a hub for innovation and talent development, that includes a dedicated Training Center to equip local professionals and youth with next-generation skills. The building design boosts collaboration and productivity, and features 360 workstations, 90 meeting rooms, as well as a state-of-the-art, modular amphitheater. The technology within the building monitors key metrics such as occupancy, temperature, and air quality to automatically deliver a comfortable working environment while minimizing electricity and water usage.

With over a 35-year track record in the UAE, Schneider Electric is an Impact company with a global ecosystem of 150,000 employees with more than 1200 employees across the Gulf region The company is rapidly accelerating decarbonization across its supply chains, with 33% of its strategic suppliers already transitioning to cleaner energy.