DEWA signs MoU with Dubai Women Establishment to establish Al Saada, the region’s first innovative sustainable smart sports park

Dubai - MENA Herald: Dubai Electricity and Water Authority (DEWA) has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Dubai Women Establishment (DWE) to build Al Saada (Arabic for ‘happiness’) park at Dubai Ladies Club. Al Saada is a scale model of a smart sustainable activity park that uses sports to promote sustainability. Sustainability is one of the key pillars of a smart city and sport is important for people’s happiness as it enhances harmony and human bonding in society. This initiative combines both the sustainability and happiness of society.
Al Saada promotes sustainability by using innovative sports equipment that transforms kinetic energy into electricity. The generated power is used for different purposes. This contributes to providing a healthy environment for society, making them fitter and happier by introducing sports in their daily agenda. This in turn, promotes a culture of exercise and raises environmental awareness.
The move also underlines the corporate social responsibility (CSR) of both DEWA and DWE, who support the social development of the Emirate and contribute to the Dubai Plan 2021 to create a society in which people share a set of core civic values, and where families live happily. Al Saada is a world-class activity park that demonstrates Dubai as it is becoming a sustainable hub that adopts best international practices in energy usage, efficiency and the sensible management of natural resources. It also supports Dubai’s objectives to fight obesity and provide a healthy environment for all.
The MoU was signed by HE Saeed Mohammed Al Tayer, MD and CEO of DEWA, and HE Mona Al Marri, Chairperson of the Board at DWE and Managing Director. Shamsa Saleh, CEO of Dubai Women Establishment, Khawla Al Mehairi, Vice President of Marketing and Corporate Communications at DEWA, and Lamia Khan Director of Dubai Ladies Club was also present.
“DEWA is committed to establishing the concepts of environmental awareness and sustainability in smart innovative ways. This supports the Dubai Plan 2021 to create a positive and happy environment for all society. We are pleased to work with Dubai Women Establishment in this key project, which is the first of its kind in the region. It is the first of a number of innovative smart platforms that turn people’s kinetic energy into electricity in an innovative way to promote exercise, energy conservation, and sustainability. This supports Dubai’s objective to be a smart and sustainable city that is home for happy, creative, and empowered people. As HH Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, once observed, “Sport should be the everyday culture of every member of society and the lifestyle we live and practise daily, because it refines a person’s soul, body and behaviour,”” said Al Tayer.
“DEWA’s CSR initiatives have always been an integral part of its strategy to serve the public good. DEWA is not only involved in the provision of energy services and water, but also makes every effort, through community initiatives and programmes designed to make society happier and promote the growth and prosperity of Dubai and the UAE. DEWA has established a corporate identity that has taken it into a wider space where it touches the lives of every member in society and contributes to improving the quality of life in the Emirate. DEWA has exceeded its sustainability targets through innovative initiatives and leading projects that make citizens and residents happier. The MoU with DWE supports DEWA’s strategy to be part of people’s lives in society,” added Al Tayer.
“The signing of this MoU between Dubai Women Establishment and DEWA is a key outcome of Global Women’s Forum Dubai, which we co-hosted in Dubai last month. It reflects our ongoing efforts to promote collaboration with various parties, government agencies and private institutions in order to support women’s empowerment initiatives and develop an environment that fosters innovation. The MoU outlines our commitment to supporting the pioneering approach of our wise leadership to strengthen innovation and creativity in the UAE, as a foundation for developing new opportunities in the future,” said Al Marri.
“Al Saada is a first-of-its-kind for the MENA region, unique in its ability to transform kinetic energy - generated by exercise - into electricity, using innovative devices. This is the principal driver behind further innovative initiatives with greater geographic scope and activities,” she added.
DEWA is working with DWE to build the first Al Saada platform at Dubai Ladies Club. The recreational innovative equipment transforms kinetic energy into electricity and stores it in special units. Stored energy can be used in special units for charging phones and smart devices, lighting, cooling water, or other personal devices. The platform will also have games for children that run on the energy produced by people using the recreational equipment. The platform comprises three sections: Energy production and storage, energy usage, and an awareness section that uses smart educational ways to spread environmental awareness in interactive and entertaining ways for all, particularly young children who will visit the platform with their mothers.
The platform of the park aims to promote the concept of renewable energy and its daily uses in simple, smart, and innovative ways. The platform and the specially-designed equipment are suitable for the needs of all society, including children and people with special needs using sustainable material and safe rubber flooring.
DEWA signed an MoU with Gebal Group, the exclusive representative of the UK-based The Great Outdoor Gym Company, in the Middle East. The British company won an innovation award for sports equipment that contribute to sustainable energy from ENGIE, at Innovation Week in the UK.