Page 41 - Implementing ITU-T International Standards to Shape Smart Sustainable Cities: The Case of Dubai

Implementing ITU-T International Standards to Shape Smart Sustainable Cities – The Case of Dubai

These entities work with Smart Dubai to assess the impact of ICTs on the City`s sustainability
and smartness. They provide information and data required to build KPIs, reflecting the
effectiveness of the policies and programs that are transforming service infrastructure into
smart-services delivery. For example, DEWA relies heavily on ICTs to improve service provision
and engage citizens towards saving energy and water. Dubai Municipality has initiated several
ICT projects to manage and control part of its municipal services such as waste, food safety
control, testing of products, environmental management, etc.
Dubai works with the Supreme Council of Energy (DSCE) to define policies and measurement
frameworks for energy, GHG emissions, and climate change targets in the Emirate. Dubai’s
energy integration and carbon emissions reduction policies are designed to drive energy
efficiency of the transportation, building, energy, and water sectors.

Water management infrastructure in Dubai is very challenging for sustainability goals because
most of Dubai’s water is sourced from the sea, and water desalination and treatment are very
complex. DEWA has integrated ICTs in the water provision service infrastructure, generating
important efficiencies in the service delivery. Based on this experience, Dubai Municipality can
make use of new opportunities that are emerging to expand the use of ICTs for wastewater and
drainage management of the city.
Dubai’s infrastructure supplies energy to buildings, households, industries and the service
sector. The Dubai Carbon Abatement Strategy 2021 has specific greenhouse gas reduction
targets for each sub-sector. For example, power and water savings in the built environment
contribute to the overall carbon emission targets for the overall energy and water sector
through Demand Side Management programmes. These targets then contribute to Dubai’s
yearly city targets. Another example is the reductions realised through operational efficiency
programmes in power and other plants. Many of these improvements are the result of
enhancing controls and deploying smarter and more efficient infrastructure within these plants.
Since 2014, Dubai has been rolling out smart meters for energy and water customers for the
whole emirate. Dubai residents can also generate their own electricity using solar panels that
feed extra energy to Dubai’s power grid. This step will gradually transform the consumers to
active prosumers: a term used to describe consumers that generate part of their own energy
consumption, in the context of Dubai`s smart grid initiatives.

The Roads and Transport Authority (RTA) manages transportation and mobility infrastructure in
Dubai and has been introducing ICTs to improve efficiency and sustainability of the
transportation sector. RTA has an effective measurement framework to assess the efficiency of
Dubai’s integrated transportation and mobility infrastructure. Dubai has reported on most of
ITU’s transportation key performance indicators, suggesting a strong integration of ICT’s in
Dubai’s transportation sector.

Box 10 illustrates how ICTs are integrated across Dubai’s transportation and mobility value
chain.

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