The company which helped Ski Dubai keep its power consumption at just eight per cent of the total used by Mall of the Emirates is to reveal the secrets of its success.
MAF Dalkia Middle East worked with the design and operations team behind Ski Dubai, the popular indoor ski resort based at the new Dubai shopping mall, to achieve high levels of energy efficiency.
Now the company is to unveil a case study at a new trade show, FM EXPO, showing how it drastically reduced the maintenance costs of a five-star hotel in Dubai since taking over its maintenance and energy management three years ago.
FM EXPO, organised by Streamline Marketing Group and dmg world media, takes place at Dubai World Trade Centre from June 4 – 6. It is the first exhibition of its kind in the region and will highlight the Middle East’s position as the world’s fastest growing facilities management market. Facilities management is the integrated management and maintenance of all types of built environments from commercial towers to oil refineries and hospitals.
Christophe Ploux, MAF Dalkia Middle East’s Chief Executive Officer, said: “Facilities management is still a relatively new concept here in the UAE. Currently only a few projects in Dubai outsource the FM functions to external companies, far less than in Europe. Here project developers and owners are still trying to carry out this work themselves.
“Our presentation at FM EXPO will provide a concrete example of the benefits of outsourcing and a proven three-year track record, showing visitors that it does work. The main benefit for customers is that we save them time, effort, money and resources and provide a reliable and flexible service.”
MAF Dalkia 2
MAF Dalkia Middle East was set up in 2002 as a joint venture between the Majid Al Futtaim group (MAF), owners of the City Centre chain of shopping malls and Dubai’s Mall of the Emirates, and Dalkia, one of the world’s leading energy and facilities management companies with more than 48,000 employees in 40 countries.
MAF Dalkia Middle East has 200 employees in Dubai and carries out energy and facilities management for the MAF group of shopping malls across the UAE as well as for other commercial buildings, hotels and government properties.
Within two years of taking over energy management and maintenance at Deira City Centre mall, MAF Dalkia had cut energy consumption by 20 per cent. It acted as a consultant during the planning of Mall of the Emirates making sure that future operations and energy costs were minimised. It now manages the mall’s air-conditioning, electrical systems, lifts, building maintenance and lighting.
Ski Dubai, the indoor ski resort at the mall, posed particular challenges as few people in the region had experience of working in minus temperatures so MAF Dalkia recruited specialist members of the operations team from ski resorts in the French Alps. Ski Dubai achieves such a high level of energy efficiency that it uses just 4 megawatts of the 52 MW consumed by the whole complex.
MAF Dalkia Middle East’s presentation at FM-EXPO will be just one of a whole programme of seminars at the event given by facilities management experts.
Nick Webb, director of organisers Streamline Marketing Group, said: “This important new trade show will draw on regional and worldwide expertise to give visitors an insight into the different aspects of facilities management. Construction spend in the region is currently estimated to be in excess of US$900 billion and FM will play a major role in the maintenance of these buildings.”
FM EXPO will run alongside the Office Exhibition, Hotel Show and the InRetail exhibition, and is sponsored by Johnston Lighting (platinum sponsor) and FM providers AMC and MAB Property Service & Development (support sponsors).
