MAJID Al Futtaim Properties has said the CO2 footprint across its mall portfolio dropped 7 per cent in 2011 against the previous year while its energy reduction efforts resulted in a 9 per cent usage decrease and Dh24.55 million ($6.6 million) in savings for the company.

It said water consumption was reduced by 6 per cent, which resulted in an additional Dh2.17 million of savings for the company.

The company is targeting a 15 per cent reduction in both energy and water consumption for 2013 based on information from energy audits conducted by Energy Management Services (EMS) on 18 Majid Al Futtaim Properties projects, including 10 malls, six hotels and two office towers.

Majid Al Futtaim Properties’ hotel portfolio demonstrated accumulated savings of 15 per cent in energy consumption and an 18 per cent reduction in water consumption from 2010 to Q3 2012, which equates to savings of around Dh3.5 million. The company’s CSR investment across its hotel portfolio jumped from Dh2.7 million in 2011 to Dh11.8 million in 2012, with an investment rate of return reaching 53 per cent.  

In another initiative to demonstrate its sector leadership, Majid Al Futtaim Properties introduced the ‘Tenants CSR Award’. The award entails setting industry standards for both Majid Al Futtaim Properties and its tenants to reduce the environmental footprint.

Majid Al Futtaim Properties is a prominent player in the ownership, development and management of shopping malls together with hotels and ‎communities in the Middle East and North Africa (Mena). It successfully completed its second annual energy conference, which was held for its employees, sister companies and suppliers, at the Pullman Hotel.

Peter Walichnowski, chief executive officer, Majid Al Futtaim Properties, commented: “As the sole member of the GRESB in the Middle East, Majid Al Futtaim Properties is the first in the UAE to disclose its energy consumption and efficiency investments.”

Majid Al Futtaim Properties’ shopping malls have been designed to Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (Leed) standards, with Mirdif City Centre achieving the Leed Gold standards and Fujairah City Centre certified as Leed Silver. 

Its hotel portfolio has been recognised with a variety of green accreditations. The ‘Earth Check Silver’ certificate was extended to Novotel and Ibis hotels at Deira City Centre; Novotel and Ibis Hotels at Mall of the Emirates; and the Pullman Hotel at Mall of the Emirates. Additionally, the Pullman Deira City Centre Hotel received the ‘Earth Check Bronze’.

Further accolades include the 2011 Dubai Green Tourism Award, which was granted to Novotel and Ibis hotels at Deira City Centre for the 4-star hotel category and to Ibis Al Rigga, which was ranked third for the 2-star hotel category. In 2011, the ‘Green Hotelier of the Year’ was awarded to Kempinski Mall of the Emirates’ director of engineering.