April 2018 Renewable Green Leaders Issue 012

RENEWABLE GREEN LEADERS

Bio | Geothermal | Hydro | Finance | Green Buildings | Legal | Recycle | Solar | Sustainability | Upcycle | Storage | Tidal | Waste | Wind

Amrita Ramona Shabla Co-Founder

Sustainable Environmental Technologies (SET) Turn Food Waste To Resource

The Latest Updates Why a PhD in Engineering Systems Management Should Be on Your Radar Engineering Researchers from UAE Trailblazing in Cancer Treatments, Energy Harvesting and Robotics Newly-Improved Process Turns Industrial Wastes into Synthetic Gas

An Engineer’s Problems at Work Is Your Engineering Job Making You Sick?

What To Do With Your Rivalry With Another Engineer at Work An Engineer’s Guide on How to Make Difficult Decisions

Turning Urine into Biogas is Possible Now

5 Ways to Inspire Engineers Using Criticism

Netherlands Plans to Build a Massive Solar Power Farm at Sea

4 Steps on How Engineers Can Deal With Mental Health Problems at Work

APRIL 2018 ISSUE NO. 012

GINEERSNOW TEAM Ems Bagatsing

Sales & Marketing Director Ems@LincolnMartin.com

Robert Bagatsing

Editor-In-Chief editor@GineersNow.com

Engr. Alice Hernandez Senior Editor-At-Large

John Vauden

Charity Bagatsing

Raymond Gerard del Valle

Hina Sapra

Engr. Dion Greg Reyes

Marketing and IT Manager

Senior Editor Asia-Paci ic Senior Editor South Asia

Therese Matheren Senior Editor North America

Engr. Randy Williams Guest Editor North America

Amanda Pelletier Guest Editor North America

Senior Editor North America Junior Editor

Junior Editor

Goran Ćulibrk

Engr. Cielo Panda

Anthony Lucero

Engr. Aaron Kesel

Engr. Emmanuel Stalling

Junior Editor

Guest Editor North America

Margaret Banford Guest Editor United Kingdom

Afsana Alam

Video Editor Creative & Layout Guest Editor North America

Patricia Eldridge Guest Editor United Kingdom

Guest Editor United Arab Emirates

Publisher GineersNow Inc.

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COLLEGE OF ENGINEERING

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If you are an engineer looking to realize your ambition in industry or academia, American University of Sharjah offers world-class graduate programs at the master’s and PhD level.

Our fully accredited and internationally recognized graduate programs include: • • • • • • • • •

Master of Science in Biomedical Engineering Master of Science in Chemical Engineering Master of Science in Civil Engineering Master of Science in Computer Engineering Master of Science in Electrical Engineering Master of Science in Engineering Systems Management Master of Science in Mechanical Engineering Master of Science in Mechatronics Engineering PhD in Engineering Systems Management

To find out more, or to book an appointment to discuss your future, visit www.aus.edu/cen.

For this month’s Renewable Green Leaders, we are featuring Sustainable Environmental Technologies (SET). In this exclusive interview with Amrita Ramona Shabla, the Co-Founder and COO of Sustainable Environmental Technologies (SET), learn how SET became the leader in creative technology and how they focus on organic waste reduction at source.

Read about the company’s past achievements, recent breakthroughs and their future plans for expansion. Find out the environmental and social impacts of their products and their top accomplishments so far. Get the chance to know more about Amrita, her leadership style and her opinion on female leadership in the business.

EDITOR’S NOTE

We have also included several special features on the magazine such as the following: •

•

•

• •

Why a PhD in Engineering Systems Management Should Be on Your Radar Engineering Researchers from UAE Trailblazing in Cancer Treatments, Energy Harvesting and Robotics Newly-Improved Process Turns Industrial Wastes into Synthetic Gas Turning Urine into Biogas is Possible Now Netherlands Plans to Build a Massive Solar Power Farm at Sea

Lastly, we have prepared helpful articles to help you deal with different kinds of problems at work. Find out what to do when your engineering job is making you sick and what to do when you have a rivalry with another engineer at work. Read our guide on making difficult decisions at work and ways to inspire your colleagues using criticism. Lastly, read our easy guide on dealing with mental health problems at work.

So go ahead, scroll through our pages and read the latest stories that put the spotlight on the power and water industries. Get updated with the news and be informed with our inspiring stories that are slowly changing the way we live today. Enjoy this month’s GineersNow: Renewable Green Leaders.

Engr. Alice Hernandez Senior Editor-at-Large

LEADING GLOBAL ELECTRICAL EQUIPMENT AND INTEGRATED SUPPLIER CHINT is committed to providing the world with safe, reliable and stable electrical equipment and clean energy solutions.

After more than 30 years of growth,CHINT has developed from Asia’s largest LV apparatus supplier to leading global electrical equipment and integrated supplier,with strength transformation,distribution to terminal consumpion.

To date,with the annual sales revenue exceeding more than 6.7 billion euros and over 30,000 employees around the world,CHINT has provided reliable electrical equipment and solutions for more than 130 countries and regions worldwide as an active player of electric power construction in the global market.

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Contents This Process Turns Industrial Wastes into Synthetic Gas

10

4 Steps on How Engineers Can Deal With Mental Health Problems at Work

27

It is Now Possible to Turn Urine into Biogas

12

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Is Your Engineering Job Making You Sick?

Here’s What You Should Do

14

Ignacio Galán Opens ‘Iberdrola Innovation Middle East’, A Technology Hub in Qatar

31

Netherlands Plans to Build a Massive Solar Power Farm at Sea

15

Have Rivalry With Another Engineer at Work?

Here’s What To Do About It

Engineering researchers from UAE trailblazing 16 in cancer treatments, energy harvesting and robotics An Engineer’s Guide on How to Make Difficult Decisions

19

Expo 2020 Dubai Places Spotlight on Innovation To Drive Positive Global Change Even Before Its Doors Open

20

5 Ways to Inspire Engineers Using Criticism

25

DSI Subsidiary Passavant Energy & Environment 26 Secures AED 110 Million Wastewater Project

Ready to take the next step in your engineering career? Why a PhD in Engineering Systems Management should be on your radar.

The Future is Bright for Middle East & North Africa Solar Initiatives

36

The Social and Environmental Impacts of SET

38

Future Cities Show Aims at Urban Innovation As Key Opportunity for GCC

50

DEWA and University of Cambridge Institute for Sustainabilty Leadership Organise 2nd Sustainability Leadership Conference

This Process Turns Industrial Wastes into Synthetic Gas It originates in the 19th century but recently, it was improved.

The process of gasification dates back in the 19th century for the purpose of turning coal into coal gas as a source of power. It involves a set of chemical reactions that uses limited oxygen and heats carbon-based materials to a high temperature. This sounds like combustion, but it is actually not.

While the technology is genius at the time, it became less popular over the years especially after the discovery of natural gas reserves early in the last century. But gasification plants made a comeback in the past 20 years, using only waste wood as raw material.

Now, researchers are building on the basics of gasification and advancing the technology. They say that the process can now turn a huge portion of landfill material into clean gas.

Jean-Eric Petit from Bordeaux-based French company CHO Power, said, “Gasification is clearly gaining a lot of traction, but we’ve taken it 10

Renewable Green Leaders • April 2018

further.” He and his team allowed a broader range of materials – like plastic, biomass, and textiles except metal and rubble – to be processed other than wood, as well as producing synthetic gas that is much cleaner.

Normally, gasification makes use of temperature greater than 700°C to heat, without combusting, hydrocarbon-based materials into a gas of carbon monoxide and hydrogen which can be used as a fuel. Wood is easily heated in this process, but with hydrocarbon materials like industrial wastes that are difficult to recycle, the reaction has the tendency to produce pollutants such as tar.

Now the researchers have overcome this limitation by increasing the temperature of the gasification process to about 1200°C. In this case tar, a hydrocarbon, is already broken down and included in the production of synthetic gas.

Petit says that the byproduct of this advanced gasification is syngas which does not create

dangerous pollutants. Furthermore, it is highquality enough to be fed directly into highefficiency gas engines, generating electricity with twice the efficiency of the steam turbines used with conventional gasification.

To demonstrate that the process indeed works, CHO Power has built its own advanced gasification plant in Morcenx, France. Annually, it converts 55,000 tonnes of wood, biomass, and industrial waste producing 11 megawatts.

Petit believes that they may not be the first company to attempt to offer advanced gasification on a commercial scale. But he said, “We think we’re the first to crack it.”

Having realized the potential of this process, the European Investment Bank had given a €30 million loan for the construction of another plant in the Thouarsais area in France.

The posing problem about this advanced gasification is the steady supply of waste to be heated and turned into syngas.

Torino-based company Hysytech plants to solve this by building small gasification plants next to a industrial plants to eliminate the emissions associated with transporting the wastes.

Moreover, because it is the first company to venture on commercializing advanced gasification, Hysytech is challenged to be the first to succeed in this level. In the history of gasification, companies are not willing to try this scale because of the cost.

But Hysytech has claimed to have solved this problem by developing a novel reactor known as fluidized bed. “Our system is designed and built to operate year-round with a good efficiency, easy operation and little maintenance,” said Andrés Saldivia, Hysytech’s head of business development.

Will gasification plants be more common in the future? Yes, but only when scale and cost limitations are conquered. This way we will be able to hit two birds in one stone: produce cleaner energy and eliminate industrial wastes that plague the environment.

Renewable Green Leaders • April 2018

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It is Now Possible to Turn Urine into Biogas A Mexican engineer developed a technology transforming urine into a source of energy.

The day has come that urine is not merely a waste, but actually a source of energy. An engineer from Mexico has discovered that the yellow liquid has a huge potential in supplying the world’s needs when it comes to gas through the machine that he developed.

By using his knowledge in engineering, nine years later, he invented a machine.

The mechanical engineer said that the machine can transform urine into a biogas which could serve as a household heater to take hot showers or cook. At least for now.

In 2007, Gabriel Luna-Sandoval was just peeing when an idea hit him: could his urine be useful elsewhere? To reinforce this idea, he thought of his friends who were doing urine therapy, or the practice of drinking one’s own urine in the belief that it can cure ailments.

A researcher from the University of Sonora State in Northern Mexico, Luna-Sandoval was able to extract oxygen and hydrogen from urine in his special acrylic container which looks like a square vase. It is a 20-square centimeter container holding stainless steel electrodes to send electricity into it for the separation of oxygen and hydrogen.

“Between jokes, they told me that it’s salty,” he said. And that is where he realized that urine was an electrolyte.

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Renewable Green Leaders • April 2018

The 42-year-old engineer’s design involves a connection to the house’s pipes through which

the biogas, the byproduct of the process, would travel to heat the water in the kitchen and bathrooms.

There is no need to worry about the smell of biogas as it has been eliminated along the process: the container has a tight seal so the smell do not escape, but to clean it is a different story.

To supply the urine, a man could fill the container using a special urinal with a tube linked to the machine. For a woman it is much challenging as she has to urinate into a container and then the pour the content into the cube.

According to Luna-Sandoval, his invention only requires 13 to 21 milliliters of urine for biogas to run a 15-minute hot shower, while cooking beans for one hour only needs 70 to 130 milliliters of the same liquid.

Further applications include using the extracted oxygen from urine in space operations. The Mexican Space Agency has entertained the idea, saying that it is a “great innovation” with “high viability to be considered in space technology and for space walks.”

The National Science and Technology Council has also recognized Luna-Sandoval’s work by publishing an article.

Meanwhile, Ulises Cano, an electrochemistry expert of the National Researchers System of Mexico, said that the invention “is not absurd” and in fact “technically viable.” Later he said that the economic viability of LunaSandoval’s technology has to be looked at.

Renewable Green Leaders • April 2018

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Is Your Engineering Job Making You Sick? Here’s What You Should Do There’s something you can do about your work-related stress.

When you are an engineer with a very demanding job, you are most likely to experience stress all the time. And it is a bad thing because it is proven in research studies that the human brain and body have trouble distinguishing between the kind of stress caused by real danger, like a house being on fire, and perceived danger, like a boss with lots of demands.

But no matter, stress has a negative effect on your body especially if you are an engineer. There are so many sources of stress in engineering like the work environment and the demands of the job, which could release hormones and chemicals to speed up your heart rate, increase blood pressure, and stimulate your muscles.

Under such circumstances your bodies become more alert and responsive, which is rather normal. But if it becomes a regular thing, it isn’t healthy anymore – the body cannot sustain that level of readiness for long periods of time and is susceptible to breaking down. That could manifest in many ways like chronic headaches, nausea, insomnia, even heart attacks, hypertension, and stroke.

It is now obvious that the direct link of the work stress to your body is scary. So what can engineers do about this? Just two things: 14

Renewable Green Leaders • April 2018

Identify the sources of stress The key to solving this problem is to monitor your activities and check which ones are making you stressed. List down all your daily activities and identify where you having difficulty dealing things with.

It takes about a week for you to be able to identify your biggest sources of stress. Look for patterns.

Remember that it can be the job itself, that you are not fit for that kind of engineering job.

Make the adjustments Once you have pointed out which things are making you stressed at work, make the necessary adjustments. You can change the way you work your body and mind, set boundaries that serve you, and give voice to your thoughts.

Manage what needs to be managed.

If everything seems to be out of place, it is a career mismatch. It’s best to leave that job. You can also take this route if you feel like there’s nothing you can do about the sources of your stress anymore.

Netherlands Plans to Build a Massive Solar Power Farm at Sea The government of the Netherlands plans to develop one of the world’s largest floating solar energy farm.

The government of the Netherlands plans to turn an offshore seaweed farm in the North Sea into a huge solar power farm that aims to supply energy to the dutch mainland. They plan to finish the project in a span of three years.

This project is just right on time for the Netherlands, which is currently struggling to curb the use of fossil fuels and meet their greenhouse gas emission targets after years of underinvesting in renewable energy sources.

According to Allard van Hoeken, the founder of Oceans of Energy, which devised the project, next year, after an initial pilot, a group of energy producers, scientists and researchers pan to operate 2,500 square meters of floating solar panels by the year 2021.

The government of Netherlands will be funding 1.2 million euros or $2.48 million for the pilot. The pilot will be operating 30 square meters of panels from this summer. It will be testing the equipment, weather conditions, environmental impact as well as energy output.

Urecht University will be examining energy production at the offshore prototype which is found

around 15 kilometers (nine miles) off the coast of Dutch city of The Hague at a testing zone, North Sea Farm.

“In addition to removing the problem of a land shortage, there are several other benefits to building at sea, similar to those in wind energy,” solar energy expert Wilfried van Sark at Utrecht University, who is involved in the project said.

“There is more sun at sea and there is the added benefit of a cooling system for the panels, which boosts output by up to 15 percent,” he said.

Once this project is successful, there will be a lot of space to expand the farm, unlike on the Dutch mainland which is overcrowded and there has been public opposition to wind turbines.

According to Van Sark, the panels will look more rugged than ordinary onshore models to account for harsh weather conditions and tidal shifts at sea. The panels will be fastened between existing wind turbines and connected to the same cables, transporting energy efficiently to the users.

Van Hoeken said that he expects offshore solar energy to be eventually cheaper than mainland power sources.

Engineering researchers from UAE trailblazing in cancer treatments, energy harvesting and robotics Researchers from American University of Sharjah’s (AUS) College of Engineering are benefitting from the university’s new research agenda, with students and faculty working on research projects likely to have a global impact.

The patron of the university, His Highness Sheikh Dr. Sultan bin Muhammad Al Qasimi, Supreme Council Member, Ruler of Sharjah and President of AUS, has publicly committed to supporting research initiatives at the university by opening up additional areas of graduate study and creating a world-class research 16

Renewable Green Leaders • April 2018

environment. He said at a university event held for AUS alumni in January: “Our focus will be on interdisciplinary programs such as biomedical technology, smart cities, material science, environment and artificial intelligence. This also means creating an attractive research environment that helps AUS attract distinguished faculty and students.”

For Dr. Ghaleb Husseini, Associate Dean for Graduate Affairs and Research in the College of Engineering, this commitment to research has

comes to cancer research, the best results are generated when working across different disciplines in this way. We are fortunate that at American University of Sharjah we have this level of diversity in talent, as well as laboratory equipment that is truly world-class.”

allowed him to pursue a project that will positively influence the way in which many cancers are treated. Dr. Husseini is leading a research initiative at AUS where chemotherapy treatment is applied directly to the site of a cancer. The groundbreaking treatment sees only the site of the cancer itself impacted by the drug, thereby reducing many of the adverse side effects traditionally associated with chemo, such as hair loss, immune system compromises and nausea.

The breakthrough has been facilitated by the resources available at the university, including a Drug Delivery Laboratory, just one of the

49 engineering laboratories located at the university. Dr. Husseini says of his work at AUS: “The size and resources of the university’s engineering college allows us to engage in interdisciplinary research projects, drawing on the expertise of faculty across many fields of engineering, including chemical, electrical, mechanical, biomedical, computing and others.

For complex problems, it is essential to have this spectrum of knowledge and understanding, bringing it all together to tackle problems that just a generation ago seemed intractable. When it

The College of Engineering is also home to one of the world’s most efficient energy harvesting chips, which gathers energy from the air and converts it into easily accessible battery power. The device works by harnessing electromagnetic radiation from different sources and then reusing it to energize low-power circuits.

The chip is reported to be one of the best when it comes to efficiency, and is one of the smallest of its kind to date.

The project was led by Dr. Lutfi Albasha, Associate Professor of Electrical Engineering, with several graduate and undergraduate engineering students supporting him on the project. Like Dr. Husseini’s chemotherapy research, this project is set to have real benefit on large parts of the population, with potential uses of the chip including being placed in medical chips that monitor blood sugar levels in people with diabetes; powering wireless sensors on bridges, roads and buildings to monitor structural safety; and improving the battery life of mobile phones.

In the field of robotics, a team of researchers from the College of Engineering has been successful in creating a robot that can detect pipeline leaks.

Using an algorithm Renewable Green Leaders • April 2018

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that enables high accuracy localization, the robot overcomes navigation problems often associated with in-pipe inspection robots.

Wireless communications have also been added to the robot, allowing an operator to use the device remotely and receive real-time data, making it easier to find and repair leaks. The project received AED 1 million last year, when it won the UAE AI and Robotics for Good, National Category.

The commercialization of projects like this are likely to receive a boost when the Sharjah Research, Technology and Innovation Park, being built adjacent to the AUS campus, opens. The park will be home to a number of knowledge-intensive businesses, leveraging the intellectual and academic capabilities of the university. The park is seeking to attract businesses operating in fields of importance to the UAE economy, including water technology, renewable energy, transportation and logistics, production, design and architecture, environmental technology and digitization.

Through the park, research projects at AUS will be given increased opportunities for investment and development, making

the benefits of AUS felt more widely in the community.

AUS Chancellor Dr. Björn Kjerfve says of the university’s research direction: “Now is an exciting time to engage in research at AUS. Our university is home to some of the region’s best research facilities, allowing our talented faculty and their students the opportunity to embark on ambitious research projects that have a tangible impact on the way we all live our lives. With the support of His Highness Sheikh Dr. Sultan bin Muhammad Al Qasimi, the university’s research agenda will continue to grow, as will the impact of this research. I look forward to seeing many of the research projects we currently have underway at the university come to fruition, and to launching new research initiatives that will help to make the UAE known globally for its research capacity and capability.”

For more information about the AUS College of Engineering, including the research projects it is currently pursuing, visit www.aus.edu/cen.

An Engineer’s Guide on How to Make Difficult Decisions Engineers make difficult decisions everyday. Here’s how to handle that.

There will come a time in an engineer’s career that he or she will be bombarded by challenges that require difficult decisions. It could be matters on management or application of engineering principles that will make the engineer think twice about which path to take.

You are bound to reach that stage whether you like or not, especially when you are holding a management position. And for you to prepare yourself for that, you have to be reminded that your decision should dwell upon the idea that you have to make things better than when you have found them.

It’s also worth noting that your task is to conquer that challenge by at least deciding – having no decision at all is a lot more risky than letting the problem solve itself.

Conventional knowledge tells us that if one is a leader, he or she must be responsible for all the decisions that he or she makes. This is how engineers should think.

Taking responsibility for decisions – no matter how difficult they are – is first step for engineers in making difficult decisions, especially that the work involves a lot of risks in many aspects.

If you are not willing to accept the feedback, results, or consequences of that decision, you will have a hard time confronting other challenges to come.

But how should engineers really make difficult decisions? What principles should you follow?

Listed below are four which are anchored in leadership: Create a stable and safe environment Before the difficult decision is made, you have to make sure that everyone who will be affected by that decision has an assurance that they will not be accountable of the outcome. And that you are the person in front to take care of how the decision ends.

People always come first When you embrace a people-first culture in your decision, moreover in your company if you are an engineering manager, such will yield better results than prioritizing something else.

Stay grounded Do not let ego get in the way. If somebody suggests something that might help the situation more than you can, accept it and take responsibility for it. Making a difficult decision is already a task in itself; doing it with arrogance doesn’t help.

Be transparent and honest It has to be made. You should tell the truth even when it’s not convenient, because the lies will never make the process of deciding easier – maybe it will but only for a short time and could have huge costs.

Renewable Green Leaders • April 2018

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Expo 2020 Dubai Places Spotlight on Innovation To Drive Positive Global Change Even Before Its Doors Open

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Expo 2020 Dubai has reaffirmed its commitment to inspiring collaboration and driving innovation globally through a series of initiatives and events held during the first ever UAE Innovation Month.

enthusiastic participation in UAE Innovation Month, an initiative launched by the UAE Government to help create and celebrate a widespread culture of innovation in the UAE.

Throughout February, Expo 2020 organised and participated in more than 20 events in collaboration with Premier Partners and other entities across the United Arab Emirates, engaging key stakeholders from government, business, academia and the general public. The activities demonstrated Expo 2020’s

Najeeb Mohammed Al-Ali, Executive Director, Dubai Expo 2020 Bureau, said: “As one of the largest global programmes to focus on creativity and human ingenuity, UAE Innovation Month significantly contributes to strengthening the country’s position as a global innovation hub.

Renewable Green Leaders • April 2018

“As the upcoming World Expo, Expo 2020 Dubai is proud to support the initiative and the UAE’s wider innovation strategy, which aims to inspire and support innovation to create a lasting impact on society.”

Innovation is at the heart of Expo 2020, as the underlying element of its main theme, ‘Connecting Minds, Creating the Future’, and its three subthemes: Opportunity, Mobility and Sustainability.

World Expos have historically been a platform for innovation, with a number of significant inventions revealed, including the fax machine at the Great Exhibition in London in 1851, the telephone in Philadelphia in 1876, the Eiffel Tower in Paris in 1889 and commercial broadcast television in New York in 1939.

True to the nature of World Expos, Expo 2020 aims to inspire nations, businesses, entrepreneurs and youth to find creative solutions to global challenges, proving that innovations can come from anyone, anywhere.

Najeeb Mohammed Al-Ali said: “World Expos have always been about showcasing innovation on the global stage and Expo 2020 Dubai is no exception.

Innovation is in our DNA. Not only will we provide a platform for participants and partners to showcase and demonstrate innovative content but innovation will be embedded in our site and throughout our operations to

ensure an exceptional visitor experience.

“Equally important for us is to ensure we create a meaningful and sustainable legacy for future generations to use the smart infrastructure that will be built for Expo 2020.”

A review of Expo’s key activities during Innovation Month:

Connecting minds, creating a greener future February included the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between Expo 2020, Expo Official Premier Partner for Intelligent Infrastructure and Operations, Siemens, and Official Sustainable Energy Partner, Dubai Electricity and Water Authority (DEWA), to launch the region’s first solar-driven hydrogen electrolysis facility. This initiative is expected to accelerate the integration of renewable energy into the power supply and pave the way for the transition to a sustainable and green economy in the UAE.

Collaborative thought leadership Expo 2020 had a significant presence at the World Government Summit (WGS). Her Excellency Reem Al Hashimy, UAE Minister of State for International Renewable Green Leaders • April 2018

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Cooperation and Director General, Dubai Expo 2020 Bureau, shared her views on World Expos as a platform for collaboration in a panel titled ‘World Expos: Global partnerships inspiring government and transforming people’. Also on the panel were Joe Kaeser, Chief Executive Officer of Siemens, and Wang Jinzhen, organiser of the Shanghai Expo in 2010 and chief representative of the China Pavilion at the 2015 Milan World Expo.

Empowering creative youth Under Expo Live, Expo 2020’s social innovation and partnership programme, the University Innovation Programme encourages university students to work together to creatively solve problems that impact society.

In its first cycle, the University Innovation Programme selected 19 winning projects from 280 applications from 1,000 students in 40 universities around the UAE. During February, Expo Live travelled along the UAE Innovation Month Route to present awards to winning teams.

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Renewable Green Leaders • April 2018

Expo 2020’s Youth Connect team also developed an Expo Innovation Cube that invites educators and students to explore the story of innovation and encourages students to think creatively about inventions, inspiring them to become the next generation of innovators.

Engaging the business community Expo 2020 hosted a Meet the Buyer session for entrepreneurs and small- and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in the security sector as part of its commitment to encouraging innovation within the business community. The event presented an opportunity for businesses to pitch their security technologies and innovations directly to the Expo team, and contribute to the delivery of a safe and secure event.

An expanded list of Expo 2020’s activities during UAE Innovation Month: - Expo 2020’s Youth Connect team paired up with Dubai Institute of Design and Innovation (DIDI) to inspire youth to find creative solutions to a significant

challenge for Expo 2020: queueing. The ‘Expo 2020 queueing as a social challenge’ competition, held as part of DIDI’s Project Design Space, challenged students to design an experience, product or service that creates cross-cultural connections between people waiting in queues.

- The Youth Connect team also visited schools across the UAE to engage with students and encourage youth to think about the relevance of innovation in their daily lives and the impact that past Expo innovations have had on the world - Expo 2020 believes in leading by example and organised a number of workshops, in collaboration with its partners, to empower Expo employees to work innovatively and implement creative solutions that would positively impact their working environment and Expo 2020.

- Expo 2020 Premier Partner SAP facilitated in-depth ‘design thinking’ workshops that focussed on generating practical and innovative ideas for implementation based on departmental needs such as security, visitor experience and sustainability.

- Premier Digital Services Partners Accenture and Etisalat Digital jointly presented the latest trends on ‘The Future of Business, Technology and Design’ to Expo employees.

- Expo 2020 was represented on the judging panels of an innovation competition hosted by Expo 2020 Premier Onsite Banking Partner, Emirates NBD, and a Design Thinking Workshop led by Expo 2020 Premier Innovative Enterprise Software Partner, SAP. The SAP initiative challenged 20 students from American University of Sharjah (AUS) to generate ideas on how Expo 2020 could be the most sustainable World Expo ever.

- Expo 2020 participated in a number of initiatives led by other entities, including the official closing ceremony of UAE Innovation Month, and an Innovation Majlis organised by the Emirates Nuclear Energy Corporation (ENEC) to discuss best practices, challenges and the future of innovation in the UAE government sector.

- Expo 2020 volunteers were present at key UAE Innovation Month events organised by Expo 2020 and various government entities across the country to show support and commitment to this important national initiative. Through the Innovation Month Container that travelled along the Innovation Month Route throughout February, Expo 2020 opened up volunteers registrations, offering individuals an opportunity to be part of an important milestone in the UAE’s history

Renewable Green Leaders • April 2018

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About Expo 2020 Expo 2020 Dubai is guided by the belief that innovation and progress are the result of people and ideas combining in new ways.

For six months from 20 October, 2020, Expo aims to bring together 180 countries and millions of people to celebrate human ingenuity: ‘Connecting Minds, Creating the Future’.

- During the six months from 20 October, 2020 to 10 April, 2021, we expect millions of people to visit Expo - About 70 per cent of all visitors are anticipated to come from outside the UAE – the largest proportion of international visitors in Expo history We aim to create and deliver an inclusive and global Expo with more than 200 participants, including nations, multilateral organisations, businesses and educational institutions - Expo 2020 also has an ambitious volunteer programme, which aims to include more than 30,000 volunteers from a wide range of ages, nationalities, cultures and backgrounds - The Expo site covers a total of 4.38 sqkm, including a 2 sqkm gated area. It is located adjacent to Al Maktoum International Airport in Dubai South Expo 2020 Dubai is the first World Expo to take place in the MEASA (Middle East, Africa and South Asia) region

5 Ways to Inspire Engineers Using Criticism Find ways to up your inspire your employees who don’t respond to other means. provided. Find it a priority to always thank them for their contributions and praise them for what they have delivered.

Always let them know that you value them before you point out any mistakes. Nobody likes a conversation that starts negatively.

Get to the point

Criticism is not always such a negative thing. There are ways where you can guide your employees by using an honest, direct, yet respectful approach.

With the right process and usage, criticism can be an effective tool to inspire your employees.

Supervisory roles require constant feedback, and there are some times where you just can’t get the message through. There are people who need to be critiqued in order to tackle and overcome areas of improvement. Here are some ways you can guide these type of workers into being more efficient in improving themselves.

Listening is important While pointing out mistakes is effective in telling your employees what to work on, listening is just as important.

Often times, employees are affected by multiple stimuli

which causes them to not be at their best. Talking to them and hearing them out can help you understand what causes these things and allows you to create an environment for them to grow.

Don’t point fingers Let’s be honest, there are times where you think it might be better to just put the blame on someone. But that’ll just get you nowhere, and it might strike a big blow to your team’s morale. Instead of saying “You always don’t submit your reports on time,” you can say “Your reports need to be turned in in X days, otherwise we won’t be able to move forward.” This removes any negative criticism while still getting the message delivered.

Always add positive reinforcement It’s not nice to hear criticism right away when feedback is

Criticism is about being as direct as possible. You won’t get anywhere by flowering up your words and by beating around the bush. Instead of saying “this needs work,” tell them which part needs what. As an example, “your presentation needs a little work” might translate better as “your presentation needs facts presented in a way that’s easier to understand.” This removes the “guessing game” factor from their improvement and sets them to a more forward course.

Always schedule a follow-up Feedback is not over on the first conversation. You’ll always have to give your employee time to work on their improvement. If you notice a positive change in their actions and results, be sure to give them a pat on the back or a simple “Good work!” If they don’t show any change, then you’ll know that it’s time to take the next step or to look at other ways to handle it.

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DSI Subsidiary Passavant Energy & Environment Secures AED 110 Million Wastewater Project Drake & Scull International PJSC (“DSI” or the “Company”), a regional leader in engineering and construction services, announces that its German subsidiary, Passavant Energy & Environment (PE&E), has secured a AED 110 Million contract to undertake the rehabilitation works for a wastewater treatment plant (WWTP) and new sludge treatment facilities in Moldova’s capital city Chisinau.

PE&E has entered into a consortium relationship with Ludwig Pfeiffer GmbH & co KG, an esteemed and privately-owned construction contractor in Europe, to deliver PE&E’s patented innovations and technologies to address the challenges posed by the complex rehabilitation works. Passavant’s share of the project amounts to 50% of the total project contract value.

Fares Khatib, Chief Executive Officer for Passavant, stated: “We are delighted to start 2018 on a positive note, with the AED 110 Million contract award for the Chișinău Wastewater Treatment plant.

Our acclaimed wastewater and sludge treatment technologies have improved the quality of core infrastructure in several cities, through the various WWTP installations we have successfully delivered globally. Our in-depth array of German EPC turnkey solutions spans the complete lifecycle of Water & Waste treatment projects, from holistic design and build, to post operations and maintenance.

Our versatile engineering scales and adapts to Municipal, Industrial and Surface Water treatment plants, Sea Water RO, Sludge Digestion, Solid Waste treatment plants, custom made Water treatment Packages, and Waste to Energy projects.

We are pleased to have Ludwig Pfeiffer GmbH & co KG as our civil partners in this endeavor and are confident that the WWTP will be a befitting showcase of our combined experience, expertise, and project management.”

The Chisinau (Moldova) project win marks DSI’s second contract award in 2018, marking an upswing in DSI’s operational recovery. Backed by DSI management’s support and global footprint, PE&E is well positioned to utilize the growth opportunities

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for its Water and Wastewater treatment solutions, across its key markets in 2018.

Established in 1842 in Germany, Passavant Energy & Environment has spearheaded several groundbreaking technologies and processes in municipal wastewater, sludge, water and industrial wastewater treatment, including the company’s inhouse world-renowned sludge digestion technology.

Based in Frankfurt, PE&E’s steady global expansion today gives it unmatched coverage and strategic presence in key markets across Europe, MENA and Asia, including North Africa, UAE, Saudi Arabia, Iraq, Lebanon, Turkey, China, India and Vietnam.

4 Steps on How Engineers Can Deal With Mental Health Problems at Work Do something about it before it gets worse.

Not much attention is given to mental health as compared to physical health in the workplace.

When you’re depressed, stressed, or overly fatigued, you are most likely just to shrug it off rather than talk to your boss or human resource manager about it, because the odds are that you cannot catch a break anyway due to company policies. For engineers, this can be really damaging

Check if the workplace is mental-health friendly

Even as students, engineers already experience different kinds of mental health problems. With the overwhelming academic requirements, this is a common phenomenon. It becomes a more pressing problem when it carries over to work. The job of an engineer is still so mentally draining, and some could not handle it.

Take time away from work

So what should you do? Here are four steps:

Find a therapist Or perhaps a friend or a counselor that could help you go through the process of releasing that tensions. Because the workplace of engineers might not be the best place to seek for this kind of assistance, go find a therapist or a mental health professional outside of work. Someone that could suggest you what’s the best thing for you to do.

One can only assume that engineering workplaces aren’t mental-health friendly. But what if yours is? Ask around and do your homework of finding out if your colleagues and boss are willing to discuss mental health. This is still taboo for many, but at least try.

You have vacation leaves at work, use that to take a break and get an escape from work.

Perhaps what keeps you in that mental health state for a long time is that you have been feeling burdened due to the workload, and you have been thinking about them a lot. So it’s a good suggestion to take time away from work – this is something that your therapist would say.

Find another job if necessary Upon coming back from that break and that didn’t work, perhaps it’s not you – it’s the engineering job itself or it’s your boss. This is a big step to take but you also have to take care of your mental health in the long run. Make the change.

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Ignacio Galán Opens ‘Iberdrola Innovation Middle East’, A Technology Hub in Qatar

The Chairman of Iberdrola, Ignacio Galán, and the CEO of Qatar Investment Authority, H.E. Sheikh Abdulla bin Mohammed bin Saud Al-Thani, today opened the ‘Iberdrola Innovation Middle East Center’, the new R&D&I hub developed by Iberdrola in Doha (Qatar).

Dr. Hamad Al-Ibrahim, Executive VP of Qatar Foundation R&D, delivered the opening address on behalf of Qatar Foundation stating that: “We look forward to seeing great things emerge from this Center, and we hope that it will be a catalyst

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for more technology companies to join us in accelerating the development of their products, and in helping to make Qatar a global hub of research, development, and tech innovation” During his speech, Ignacio Galán said: “As part of Iberdrola’s commitment with Qatar, I’m pleased to inaugurate today the ‘Iberdrola Innovation Center Middle East’ which, in line with Qatar National Vision 2030 objectives, is meant to become a technology benchmark for the energy industry

QIA being a major shareholder at Iberdrola we would like to welcome their Innovation Middle East- new technology hub here at Qatar and within Qatar science & Technology park premises and we are looking forward to more partnerships through the different companies that we are major investors in.”

Speaking from the Russian Federation pavilion, Valentina Kuznetsova, Export Development Manager, SKB EP LLC, Russia said: “We were selected by the Government of Russia to represent our product range of testing equipment for high voltage circuit breakers and transformers at Middle East Electricity as part of our plans to enter this market.

“As a comprehensive meeting place of potential customers and partners, the show gave us the best opportunity to position our brand as we look for new partners to represent our products in the Middle East and internationally.

We have some very promising negotiations in progress.”

The newly introduced Energy Storage and Management sector joined the existing show verticals of Distribution and Transmission, Lighting, Power Generation, and Solar.

through an open innovation program in partnership with our associates and universities. It will offer energy services to improve productivity and the efficiency of customers and consumers, and will offer technical training focused on smart grids.”

H.E. Sheikh Abdulla highlighted during his speech that “We value our partnership with Iberdrola; being ranked as number 1 in Europe and 5th Worldwide. With

Energy Storage and Management gave companies a tailored platform to demonstrate how they have the tools to address the pressing issue of how to store and manage energy more efficiently in the future, particularly as the region drives forward with the transition to renewable energy.

Among those exhibiting in the sector’s debut were USheadquartered firm MK Battery Energy Storage Group, making its fourth appearance at MEE.

Electricity gives us the most optimum platform to launch new products and gain new customers.

This year, we’re exhibiting our new UltraFlex battery – the lithium competitive product solution – which has garnered a great response, not only from our Middle East audience but particularly among our customers across the African market,” said Bruce Habeck, Global Director, Renewable Energy Business, MK Batter Energy Storage Group.

The appearance of newcomers at the show and the addition of the Energy Storage and Management sector, emphasises the show’s reputation as a must-attend event for anyone connected with the power industry and a trendsetter for the region, said show organisers.

“The power industry is evolving regionally and globally and this is creating wide-ranging opportunities for innovators, pioneers, start-ups and established companies. Middle East Electricity has once again demonstrated why it is the place to be for anyone seeking to capitalise on the growing demand for power,” said Anita Mathews, Group Director-industrial portfolio, at Informa Exhibitions.

“We have had extremely encouraging feedback from the first-time participants, and visitors to the Energy Storage and Management sector, which further enhances the appeal of the show, not only regionally but around the world.”

Middle East Electricity was held under the patronage of HH Sheikh Maktoum Bin Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Dubai Deputy Ruler, from 6-8 March 2018 and is hosted by the UAE Ministry of Energy.

“As a global show, Middle East Renewable Green Leaders • April 2018

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Have Rivalry With Another Engineer at Work? Here’s What To Do About It Don’t let it become toxic!

Competition is present in everyday life. Like people trying to get that best seat in the bus or inside the classroom, guests checking in hotels with the best views, or even men aiming for the love of a woman. There are countless ways that competition manifests in our world – according to social scientists, it is one of the most basic functions of nature and a biological trait that coevolved with the basic need for human survival.

The engineering workplace has its fair share of competition not only as an organization but among the engineers within the company. More often than not, the rivalry comes from the desire to be promoted first faster than everyone else, which is not at all a bad thing.

Research suggests that competition increases the levels of chemicals like testosterone in the body, preparing the body and mind and pushing the employees to go the extra mile and achieve results. This is the healthy kind of competition, but there is also the toxic one – a rivalry which could result to unethical decisions and ways as well as create conflict.

If you are one of those engineers who feel that there is some kind of competition going on, the first thing to do is to make sure that it all ends well for the people involved. It doesn’t have to reach a point wherein it becomes toxic.

Here are other tips:

Don’t get distracted and stay confident There is no reason to fret. As already established, competition is part of everyday life which also happens in the workplace. Accept the reality of it. But as a response, you still have to stay focused in your job as an engineer.

Find allies Once the competition becomes a big issue where you work, it’s better to find those who are in the same side as you. This should grow your reputation and cultivate strong relationships with other coworkers.

Step back It is necessary that engineers who are competitive in nature also have to stop for a moment. Do this to realize if all of what’s happening amid the competition is heading towards your career goals.

Don’t take things personally What happens in the workplace, stays in the workplace. Think of that as much as possible and keep a genuine relationship with your rivals.

It is possible to be friends with your enemies.

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Ready to take the next step in your engineering career? Why a PhD in Engineering Systems Management should be on your radar.

To be a great engineer, there is obviously a whole range of technical skills and competencies you must possess, depending on your area of specialization. However, as engineers climb the corporate ladder, the emphasis on technical skills starts to taper off, replaced by an increased demand for managerial and financial skills – the type of skills you need to lead people, oversee complex projects, and keep budgets on track.

Nowhere is this more important for engineers than in the GCC, where government and private investments into infrastructure and other largescale projects are seeing an increased demand 32

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for engineers who not only possess technical expertise, but who also know how to lead and manage.

This demand has seen the College of Engineering at American University of Sharjah (AUS) launch a new PhD program in Engineering Systems Management. The program has been specifically designed for engineers who are ambitious to expand their technical role into a management position, or open up new career paths in other engineering fields.

However, the new PhD is not just for those engineers looking to progress in the corporate world. With international recognition and accreditation , the program is also ideal for those looking to further their academic careers in engineering. With world-class research facilities on offer (including 49 engineering laboratories), AUS is seen as a regional leader in scientific and engineering research, making it a popular destination for graduate study.

American University of Sharjah currently offers seven undergraduate engineering degrees, and eight engineering master’s programs, with the PhD in Engineering–Engineering Systems Management (PhD ESM), the first PhD to be offered by the university. This particular field was selected by the university as its first doctoral program largely because of the need in the UAE, and neighboring countries, for the knowledge and skill-set afforded by the program. As governments invest in creating knowledge-based economies driven by innovation, this program will help to address

research, knowledge and skills gaps, and generate a cohort that can lead scientific and engineering advancements in the region.

Key components of the program have therefore been mapped to areas where there is the greatest regional demand for expertise, including supply chain management, sustainable construction, project management, smart cities management and engineering management. Emphasis is placed on delivering students with broad competencies that can be applied across a multitude of jobs and that will be increasingly relevant as the world of work changes. Such skills include financial knowhow, leadership and networking.

Dr. Richard Schoephoerster, Dean of the College of Engineering at AUS, is confident of the role the PhD will play in the region’s continued economic development. He says: “Governments across the GCC are committed to a large number of nation-building projects, Renewable Green Leaders • April 2018

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from vast infrastructure developments, to national health care initiatives. All these projects need engineers, across all engineering specialties. What these projects also need, however, are engineers with the leadership expertise to deliver these projects. The PhD in Engineering–Engineering Systems Management can specifically address this need.

“Having world-class engineering programs available at this level will also help to foster a culture of scientific endeavor. It is important that people looking to pursue programs at this level are given the opportunity to do so here in the Middle East, and not have to travel abroad to Europe or America. Making this program available in the UAE, and having it informed by regional experience and understanding, is essential to ensuring participants of the program are being given the expertise needed to make a positive impact in the region and meet the specific environmental and economic challenges that we are faced with in the Middle East.”

The PhD consists of core courses, including methodological courses related to aspects of theoretical and applied research. In addition, students are required to undertake six elective courses, which are selected according to

student interests. Students are also obliged to complete a doctoral dissertation, allowing them to pursue cutting-edge research and generate original scientific work that can be published in academic journals. Faculty from the College of Engineering will work side-by-side with PhD students, acting as mentors as students navigate the program.

Dean Schoephoerster says that the university is now accepting applications for the PhD, and that anyone with a strong academic background in any engineering field should think about applying: “AUS prides itself on diversity, and we are looking for candidates for the PhD program from a wide range of engineering programs and careers, from the Middle East, and further afield. We also hope to see a large number of female engineers apply for the program. Nearly 39 percent of the students in our master’s degree programs in the College of Engineering are women, and we would like to see similar figures reflected at the doctoral level.”

To find out more about the PhD in ESM, including admission requirements and course structure, please visit our website: www.aus. edu/cen/phdesm.

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The Future is Bright for Middle East & North Africa Solar Initiatives The abundance of mega solar energy projects being planned or delivered across the Middle East and North Africa is having a positive impact in reducing the cost of solar power development across the globe.

According to Dr. Martin Keller, the Director of the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL), the USA’s only federal laboratory dedicated to research, development, commercialisation and deployment of renewable energy and energy efficiency technologies, the “cost-efficient” progress being made across mega regional solar energy projects is driving down investment costs in other markets.

“What is happening across the MENA region is fantastic in terms of the planning of big infrastructure energy systems. Solar is a great opportunity for this region and the global industry because these mega projects keep breaking the cost record every time they complete,” said Dr. Keller, who was speaking at this week’s inaugural Global Smart Energy Summit, which is taking place alongside Middle East Electricity (MEE) 2018 at Dubai World Trade Centre.

“What is happening in the MENA region is great for the whole renewable energy industry.”

“Transitioning to renewables is a process and we’re seeing it all over the region – it’s a very smart move. If you produce a lot of natural gas or oil, it’s better to export it and make more money than burning it in your own state. Regional states are investing in renewables and still exporting their natural gas and oil, so solar and other renewables are a great opportunity.”

With the UAE driving its solar objectives via multi-billion dirham projects such as Mohammad Bin Rashid Al Maktoum Solar Park in Dubai and the Sweihan Solar Photovoltaic Plant in Abu Dhabi, Keller cautioned against investing solely in single, mega grids.

“Energy generation is shifting from very large facilities producing GigaWatts to smaller facilities producing hundreds of MegaWatts because they give extra resilience and security,” said Keller.

“Breaking these larger facilities into smaller plants that can feed specific towns also allows you to connect all the micro and medium-sized grids together at a later date – it’s a different architecture in grid design but it’s definitely a trend I think we will see more of in this region.”

Keller’s positive views on the region’s solar potential were echoed in the Solar Outlook Report 2018 released by the Middle East Solar Industry Association (MESIA) on the opening day of the 43rd edition of MEE. In addition to highlighting the vast swathe of solar mega projects being developed across North Africa, from Morocco to Egypt, and from Oman to Kuwait in the GCC, the report expects the rooftop market in the UAE alone to top 60−70 MW in 2018 - triple-digit annual growth on the 20 MW connected rooftop market in December 2017.

A host of exhibitors at MEE are targeting expansion across the UAE and Middle East via the region’s leading trade event for the power industry.

“I don’t think one per cent of the UAE’s rooftop solar market has been tapped,” said Alok Srivastava, General Manager of Project Development, Utico, the UAE’s largest private utility provider. To encourage more rooftop

solar uptake, Utico has launched Solar Free – a rooftop solar scheme for private homeowners.

“Solar Free is our initiative to support the Shams Dubai scheme of net metering. We conduct technical surveys on homeowners’ properties to evaluate electricity usage, bills and understand consumption. Based on that we do a sizing exercise of the required home solar plant. If the homeowner gives us their roof for 20 years, we set up the plant and offer free maintenance and lifetime warranty.”

In praising the UAE government’s solar initiatives, Srivastava maintained the final choice rests with the end customer: “If a 10KW solar unit is going to cost USD20,000, consumers might opt for a second car, new furniture, or a mega TV. The government and providers can only do so much. Homeowners must decide they want to contribute to creating a better environment. I believe it is changing though; students at primary school are being taught about sustainability – the rooftop solar transition is bound to come.”

Meanwhile, China’s Sol-Bright, a global leader in integrated solutions of intelligent operation systems in the photovoltaic industry, is focusing on driving regional sales of its patented module cleaning robots to public and private sector customers at MEE. “We currently produce 20,000 made-to-order module cleaning robots per year and our goal is for 20% of our sales to come from Middle East customers in 2019,” said Vincent Liu, Overseas Sales Director, Sol-Bright.

With a sales network covering five continents, Liu revealed the Middle East is Sol-Bright’s next major growth market: “We already have operational units in Dubai and Abu Dhabi but we are tendering for mega projects in Saudi Arabia and Egypt. There is huge potential for sales to both government entities and engineering project contractors.”

Middle East Electricity 2018 is held under the patronage of HH Sheikh Maktoum Bin Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Dubai Deputy Ruler, and is hosted by the UAE Ministry of Energy.

The Social and Environmental Impacts of

The UAE is facing a major crisis in waste as the population is expected to increase rapidly over the next few years where over 26,000 hectares of landfill (In Abu Dhabi alone) are overflown to this date. In specific, food waste is directly sent to the landfill and dumped with no measures put in place. The process of landfilling food waste emits methane gas which is 25x more harmful than CO2 emissions.

In this exclusive interview with Amrita Ramona Shabla, the COO of Sustainable Environmental 38

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Technologies (SET), learn how SET became the leader in creative technology and how they focus on organic waste reduction at source.

Read about the company’s past achievements, recent breakthroughs and their future plans for expansion. Find out the environmental and social impacts of their products and their top accomplishments so far. Get the chance to know more about Amrita, her leadership style and her opinion on female leadership in the business.

THE COMPANY Describe the company’s past achievements.

SET is based in Masdar City, Abu Dhabi and incorporation with Her Highness Sheikha Alyazia Bint Sultan Bin Khalifa Al Nahyan. SET has managed to bring in the latest technologies into the Middle East. The UAE is facing a major crisis in waste as the population is expected to increase rapidly over the next few years where over 26,000 hectares of landfill (In Abu Dhabi alone) are overflown to this date. In specific, food waste is directly sent to the landfill and dumped with no measures put in place. The process of landfilling food waste emits methane gas which is 25x more harmful than CO2 emissions. We must make a change.

Sustainable Environmental Technologies is the leading company for creative technology, focused on organic waste reduction at source. SET is proud to introduce ‘SET’s Food

Waste Solutions’ SmartCARA and r-Nature: a revolutionary product that will majorly contribute to the United Arab Emirates and the countries long-term vision. As the world moves into a more environmentally conscious era, household food waste (HFW) received considerable attention within the region, due to the environmental, economic and social impact it generates.

HFW comprises of the largest single waste fraction generated by households (up to 61%). Following ten years of research and development, SET has created the perfect solution to an ongoing problem worldwide, a food waste composting technology that is efficient, compact, easy to operate and size sufficient. ‘SET’s Food Waste Solution’ will make the world a healthier and a more sustainable place to live in for the current and future generation by converting ‘Food Waste into Resource.’

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Describe the company’s recent achievements, breakthroughs or successful projects.

The Waste Management of Abu Dhabi, TADWEER and SET just launched a collaborative awareness partnership to ‘Turn Food Waste into Food Resources’.

Our aim is to educate all UAE individuals, so we can save our environment and future growth within this one planet we live in.

Sustainable Environmental Technologies is shaping the generation and future generations of the United Arab Emirates. SET works with many different organizations and projects, such as the likes of Municipalities/ landfill projects, ADNOC, Al Bateen Palace in Abu Dhabi of ‘Sheikh Sultan Bin Khalifa Al Nahyan’, Abu Dhabi Airport (Terminal Project), DWTC, Reem Weekend, Community projects, Masdar City, Barakat (Fruits & Vegetable Drinks), Dulsco and many more joining our ‘Zero Waste Movement’. We are proud to say that the latest project we have won is the world’s largest arena, ‘Dubai Arena Project’.

Moreover, SET works with many schools throughout the Emirates who now participate with the UAE Green to Resource Movement by SET, such as the likes of Cranleigh International School, Al Arab School, Bright Riders School, INSEAD School of Business, Dubai Gem Private School, Zayed University and the list goes on. Furthermore, SET works with many exhibitions and events across the UAE to spread the knowledge, education and awareness of segregation at source and reducing waste with new evolving technology such as the ones produced here at SET. Where is the company headed? What are the future expansion plans and goals?

SET is originated at Masdar City, Abu Dhabi. SET’s vision is to ensure “The 40

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Product” becomes available to every household throughout the Middle East.

The purpose of SET Limited is the following: -To deliver industry and capability products allowing a pathway of lifetime technological solutions, in support of stakeholders and the National Environmental Framework.

- To provide an Environmental Solution to end consumers from all levels of the community/ industry/ government/ sites.

- To provide quality cost effective products which shall encourage and challenge end users to achieve environmental standards of excellence, in supportive communities where there is respect for the individual and cultural differences of all clients and staff. SET strictly abides by the UAE rules and regulations at all time.

- SET has a second branch in Abu Dhabi City, Al Reem Island, Addax Tower and has recently expanded operations across the 7 emirates and neighboring countries with full technicians and consultants able to cater for all demand and enquiries.

- Expansion plans have already involved across GCC, even Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Oman and many other neighbors. SET has appointed distributors across Russia, Europe and other explosive countries on the hunt towards a healthier and growing future and we here SET are here to make sure we can cater for you all.

- SET will be eliminating ‘Plastic Bags’ and ‘Plastic Use’ in the Middle east, the most innovating product has been created, which will be seen in the market soon.

- SET’s goal is to become the ‘One Stop Store’ for ‘Waste Solutions’, currently we have opened SET Labs,

Top 5 Accomplishments of SET • SET joining hands and incorporating with Her Highness Sheikha Alyazia Bint Sultan Bin Khalifa Al Nahyan •

SET teaching Schools/Universities and Children with Disability about how younger generation can make a change today for a great future

• SET Winning the #1 Largest Arena Project ‘Dubai Arena’.

• SET collaborating with government entities such as: ‘The Center of Waste Management’, TADWEER. •

SET opening their own SET LAB’s in Abu Dhabi to develop further research and innovating products that will change the way we live.

were we invest a large amount on ‘Research and Development’, the reason for this is make sure SET is always 10 steps ahead of the game and innovation.

We know one thing, to be the most successful organization within the waste industry, you must be the most knowledgeable, the biggest student, excellent listener and fail over and over again to achieve greatness and that is what we have imbedded into our teams at SET and our researches and developers. At the end of the day you must innovate further into research to develop the optimum solution not just for the people but for the country. So yes, SET is about vision, goal, persistency and time, at the end of the day, one thing you can never get back is time, hence we are already working on two more prototypes which will eliminate animal bedding and general waste, so keep an eye out for Sustainable Environmental Technologies.

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THE PRODUCT Discuss your products and innovations.

SmartCara and Reddonatura will make the world a healthier and a more sustainable place to live in. SET has created the perfect solution to an ongoing problem worldwide, a food waste composting technology that is efficient, compact, easy to operate, size/ electric sufficient and overall a delight to use and have within your home or company. SET’s solutions help you manage your waste in an efficient, economical manner.

The aim is to reduce food waste at source by up to 97%. You can place all types of ‘Organic Matter’ into the solution from: Chicken Bones, Egg Shells, Ingredients, Vegetables, fruits, Garden Waste, Sludge/ Animal Waste/Ingredients/ Raw & Out-dated waste- the list goes on.

Within ‘ONLY’ 3- 4 hours you receive a 97% reduction within volume and the residue (3% left) may be used as a highly nutrient organic fertilizer or soil enhancer. The product varies in size suiting households, commercials and industries depending on the amount of waste produced (Capacities: 2kg, 10kg, 20kg, 25kg, 75kg, 125kg, 500kg, 1000kg, 1250kg and up to 15 Tons). For the larger units, a bespoke made (customized) unit is manufactured as per the client’s requirement.

The next set of ‘Product Solutions’ will cover many sectors of waste, within animal bedding, general waste, which includes plastic and glass.

We will also be looking to turn the by-product into a resource that can help us build more glamour’s buildings, create new roads and homes but in a more sustainable manner for the generation today.

Who created the product and how did it come to life?

The innovation behind all the solutions came from various individuals who came together to make and create something that is needed within this planet and generation. One of the key individuals of research, build and development in the coming products is Mr Assaad Maalouf, who is a true mirror of creativity, innovation and design. How can I say this? He is the ‘Lab Genius’ of this generation and is evolving solutions as days, weeks and months go by. He is a real talent and individual to have within our organization here in SET and also my partner in establishing ‘Sustainable Environmental Technologies’.

What are the environmental and social impacts of your products?

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Renewable Green Leaders • April 2018

SET is aiming for zero landfills by 2030.

Now we don’t want this only for UAE/GCC but also for all neighboring countries, so we can shape more minds and set them towards SET’s ‘Go Green Waste to Resource Movement.’ We can be part of the solution or if you want to call it the revolution, or we can sit back and let the planet do the calling? The choice is yours and only yours!

The only things we need are commitment and participation from everyone and anyone across the globe who believes in a better, brighter change towards this planet and the passion to create something different, so we can achieve positive change together. Many areas like ‘Saadiyat Island Communities’, JBR Residence, Dubai Gardening Groups and Al Reem Communities have really understood the social responsibilities behind SET’s movement. We all have to make an impact, right? So what kind of impact do you want to make in your life?

We all are brought into this planet to do something great, right? So why not do something great towards humankind, environment and our natural habitats. The call is yours.

Over flowing of landfills is one of the major problems of the earth. It releases Methane Gases that can be very harmful for us humans and the natural habitats around us. We want to educate not only young minds but also generations throughout the hierarchy. SET can achieve UAE’s aim towards 75% landfill diversion by 2021, only if, everyone can support this movement and take on the challenge to reduce waste at source.

SET’s household solutions are as simple as switching on the coffee machine. What are you waiting for?

Let’s work together and create a global change as ‘ONE TEAM’.

About Amrita: Amrita Ramona Shabla is a visionary entrepreneur with more than 14 years experience in business. She is the epitome of the positive, optimistic and energetic leader within any type of organization especially in Sustainable Environmental Technologies, which she herself found with her partner in Masdar City and is now running her own empire business for 3 years. Amrita is complimented for her highly skilled communication, motivation and energy that is shaping the current people of UAE by her educating individuals (B2C,B2B,B2G) of what segregation, recycling, reducing and reusing can do for any country.

In parallel, she is the organizer who combines her talent for management by fully driving SET to becoming the #1 Waste Solution Company in the United Arab Emirates. She trains and develops her team towards vision, growth, motivation, persistency and fun, assuring the companies values are the ‘Customers’. Amrita cares about her clients and partners, whom she views as the key to growth and development to success. Overall, she is a woman who was made to make a difference in our world today!

TRIVIA Can you give us a trivia about your company or services that no one knows about?

A trivia about SET that no one knows, well, I will say this, SET will become a family-run business soon, meaning, wedding bells will be in one of the chapters of our story.

“Be the reason for people to unlock their potential, everyone is born to make a difference and it is not ‘IF’ but ‘WHEN’ you decide to take that step when success starts to follow.”

Amrita Ramona Shabla COO SET

THE PERSON Introduce yourself.

My name is Amrita Ramona Shabla, 29 years old and originally born and raised in Munich, West Germany. I am one of the founders of Sustainable Environmental Technologies and have previous 12 years experience in business. Furthermore, I have completed my full educational cycle in London, which developed me as a person by working with different people from various of cultures and backgrounds. I have a great mother, sister and brother, who have been my inspiration behind staying positive, optimistic, persistent and working towards a great future for them. You could say they are the reason ‘WHY’ I do what I do, and I fear no type of failure but only see it as a step towards success and establishment. My passion and 10 years of experience in acting, dance and performance has developed my characteristics and performance skills within the sales sector and communication towards my current customers and potential. Relationship building is the key to unlock your full potential and also reminds you to stay a student to keep learning and developing.

Define your leadership style.

While there are people who seem to be naturally endowed with more leadership abilities than others, people can learn to become leaders by improving particular skills. Leadership is a winning combination of personal traits and the ability to think and act as a leader, to be a person who directs the activities of others for the good of all. My belief is simple, I have to support, grow and teach others around me to become better than me, so they can be the success of the business and themselves. Most organizations do not follow this, hence most directors, managers and staff members never end up using maximum capacity of their abilities and remain working within a clockwise routine and end up taking their dreams, aspirations and ideas to their deathbeds. It is a brutal thought, but it is the truth and one thing I have learned from other practitioners, honesty and transparency is the key to change.

“Anyone can be a leader...” History is full of people who, while having no previous leadership experience, have stepped to the fore in crisis situations and persuaded others to follow their suggested course of action. I am going to give you an example of someone who I look up to and who has really made an impact within telecommunication and technology: Mr Steve Jobs.

Steve Jobs is a classic example of someone who was

probably not born to be a leader. After starting Apple Computer from his garage in 1976 he was fired by the board of directors in 1985 when the company was under intense competition and he disagreed with the CEO on of the future direction of the business. After founding Pixar Animation Studios and NeXT Computer, he was eventually rehired by Apple in 1997 as CEO and went on to develop the revolutionary iPod, iPhone, and many other products. Now what does that show you?

Keep moving towards your dreams and make them come alive, no matter who stops you, says no, doesn’t believe or shuts the door. I stand here in Sustainable Environmental Technologies and work exactly the same way, we do not stop with a ‘NO’, we do not push talent away, we do not close of ideas and suggestions from team members, as we know and believe each member is equal to the owners and each individual has something to give towards the growth of SET, that is what true leadership is about.

“Being the richest man in the cemetery doesn’t matter to me. Going to bed at night saying we’ve done something wonderful, that’s what matters to me.” Steve Jobs Women in Leadership: What are the challenges of being a female leader?

Let’s be honest here. A lot of people always talk about the position women have within society - to reproduce, to take care of the household and to teach their children from right to wrong.

I mean, yes, all of these factors are important but not just for women but for men too, right? The 50-50 rule should be applied not just within the household but also within the work space. We need to move with time and the changes women have made within time is incredible (globally).

Not just do we work within the household, teach our children but we work as equal or if I may say, even harder within the work place to represent strength, leadership and a status within a business hierarchy.

I do believe in certain countries women are not empowered in the sense they choose not to do much, they are comfortable and have no reason to work as the men do it all for them. I completely

disagree with this mindset and I see it too many times here in the United Arab Emirates and we need to put a stop to it. It is disappointing to see that most women in this country do not see the benefits given to them purely out of stats and then do nothing with it. Instead, these females sit on their phones during work hours, chit-chat with colleagues and most end up work hours from 8.30am-2.00pm (Half a day). This in my eyes is unacceptable and puts a flip on why it is challenging for a female leader in this country to be taken seriously.

I have sat with some of the most entitled organizations with men as their leaders and the conversation leads in the same direction, to zero result, why? I tell you why, because of their perception and understanding of what females can do, should do and shouldn’t do, this comes from the natural course of their women at home, so why would they take someone like me seriously in business if what I was made for is once again reproduce, take care of the household and teach the children from right and wrong.

The challenge is not being a female leader, the challenge is the mindset of females within this country that I find difficult to digest. So if you are reading this, I call out to you and ask you to make a change today. I ask you to stand up and let your voice be heard no matter what your status or position may be. Change can only be made if you start to make a change, difference can only be seen once a difference in ethics is presented, female leadership will only be taken seriously if you start taking yourself seriously and shape the future of our younger female leaders.

Time can never be reversed, so why would you want to always be at the back of the train? Start leading and directing it. If you ask me, I do not find it challenging to be a female leader, no objection or rejection will stop my drive and motivation to keep moving forward, so if you are out there and are a female reading this, join the movement, jump on this train and direct it with all the other female leaders globally. I say to you all, become the optimum ‘Female Leader’ within your region or country today, don’t let anyone tell you any different, leave a mark behind in the world that will one day guide another ‘Female Leader’ to success.

Future Cities Show Aims at Urban Innovation As Key Opportunity for GCC Osman Sultan: “Telecommunications is the smart city’s corner stone” Dubai city not only as a milieu but also as a principal example of the specific challenges that cities around the world are facing. Future Cities Show will have Sustainability, Innovation and Happiness as its main core hence focusing on several transformational concepts as catalysts for smart urban development.

Future Cities Show conference and exhibition is held at the Dubai World Trade Centre.

Osman Sultan, Chief Executive Officer, Emirates Integrated Telecommunication Company du, commented “As we continue to experience rapid change across our global communities through digital disruption, it is our role as an ICT leader to leverage and harness this great opportunity for progress.

This tsunami of data can be shaped by our trusted expertise so we can learn and grow together. Our flourishing partnership with Smart Dubai is producing data-driven insights that are reducing complexity throughout our great city, one of the elements driving towards the 10X Dubai initiative. Here at EITC we focus on getting the balance right between the technology and the human, social, ethical and 50

Renewable Green Leaders • April 2018

economic variables too, nowhere is this seen more clearly than in our Smart City deployment here in Dubai.”

Future Cities Show is comprised of an exhibition, where companies and institutions will reveal their projects, technologies and urban solutions to visitors and experts alike, as well as a smart city conference focusing on the aspects to develop modern urban environments that adapts to the citizens.

The show emphases on three key themes – Environmental, Economic and Social matters – and features over (50) highly specialized speakers in IoT & big data, Blockchain technology, carbon capturing, green tech, smart technology and futuristic mobility and safety solutions, as well as smart building development and happy societies. The presentation area agenda hosts (25) different city presentations, workshops & session. The (12) keynotes given by global smart city decision makers and thought leaders in sustainability, innovation and happiness evangelists.

The CEO of du elaborated on this saying “the convergence of life, mobility, economy, governance, environment and the smart city of tomorrow is

only possible through a visionary approach towards technology providing seamless connectivity is the first step to ensure the rabbit rapid realization of the Dubai Smart vision.�

Cities of the future on display Imagine the future of transportation, and re-imagine everything you know about data analysis, energy and waste management. Future Cities Show brings together international frontrunners in all sectors of smart cities, to present, showcase and discuss what the future will look and feel like. And how the cities we have today have to adapt on all levels to take the increase in inhabitants.

Mobility in compact cities Future Cities Show has a special focus on mobility, which is maybe the single most discussed issue around the world in urban planning and city management. The Middle East and Asia are good examples of fast scaling metropolitan populations that needs special attention to the mobility issue to move around the inhabitants every day.

Another main focus of decision makers around the world is the need for greener and renewable energy solutions, to protect the planet from the increased energy usage from carbon producing methods.

Displayed at Future Cities Show will be waste-toenergy solutions, self-sustainable smart devices, solar, wind and water power solutions, energy efficient construction materials and monitoring systems that lower energy usage.

Digital transformation and communication The future of tomorrow is digital, and rests highly on technology providing new ways to interact, connect and communicate across all platforms.

Blockchain technology will increase the level of security in digital transactions and as such more sensitive transactions can be handled digitally.

The Future Cities Show exhibition features over 60 international companies and institutions from China, Hong Kong, Saudi Arabia, USA, Canada, United Kingdom, Germany, Belarus, Denmark, Sweden, Holland, UAE each bringing their highly specialized solutions and services that tackle today’s need for Sustainability, Innovation and Happiness.

Energy solutions to power the green revolution

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DEWA and University of Cambridge Institute for Sustainabilty Leadership Organise 2nd Sustainability Leadership Conference

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Dubai Electricity and Water Authority (DEWA) and the University of Cambridge Institute for Sustainabilty Leadership (CISL) are organising the 2nd Sustainability Leadership Conference over two days. The first day includes the Leadership Summit, and the second includes the Sustainable Development Goals Workshop. This is part of DEWA’s efforts to consolidate Dubai’s positon as a leading hub for sustainability and green economy. The conference is attended by a number of officials from the public and private sectors from around the world.

Speakers at the Sustainability Leadership Conference included Aris Vrettos, Director of Open Programmes and International Markets for CISL; Terry A’Hearn, Chief Executive Officer of the Scottish Environment Protection Agency (SEPA); Rear Admiral Neil Morisetti, CB, Former Commander of UK Maritime Forces and Interim UK Foreign Secretary’s Special Representative for Climate Change; Tom Burke, Chairman E3G and former Special Adviser to UK Secretaries of State for Environment; and other international sustainability experts.

The first day of the conference was inaugurated by HE Saeed Mohammed Al Tayer, MD & CEO of DEWA. It was attended HE Ahmed Buti Al Muhairbi, Secretary General of the Supreme Council of Energy; HE Saif Humaid Al Falasi, CEO of Emirates National Oil Company (ENOC); Mohammed Abunayyan, Chairman of ACWA Power; DEWA’s Executive Vice Presidents and Vice Presidents, and a number of officials from Dubai Government agencies.

In his keynote speech, Al Tayer commended the efforts of the University of Cambridge Institute for Sustainability Leadership for its continuous and fruitful cooperation with DEWA on sustainability.

Renewable Green Leaders • April 2018

“At DEWA, sustainability is one of top of our priorities. This year, we are organising the first DEWA Sustainability Week during the Year of Zayed, which

marks 100 years since the birth of the late Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan, may his soul rest in peace, the leader of sustainability in the UAE. Our wise leadership follows the same path of sustainability to achieve a balance between development and the environment. We are guided by this vision to launch pioneering initiatives to consolidate the economic, social and environmental aspects of sustainability within an institutional framework and an integrated system to ensure sustainable results,” said Al Tayer.

“In Dubai, we have a comprehensive vision for sustainability, which is the basis for the transition towards a green economy. The Dubai Clean Energy Strategy 2050 aims to provide 75% of the Emirate’s total power output from clean energy by 2050, to establish a sustainable energy model that supports economic growth, without damaging the environment and its resources. DEWA supports this direction by developing leading clean and renewable energy projects, including the Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum Solar Park, which is the largest single-site solar park in the world. It will produce 5,000MW by 2030, at a total investment of AED 50 billion. When completed, it will reduce over 6.5 million tonnes of carbon emissions a year. As part of the third pillar of the clean energy strategy, we launched the AED100 billion Dubai Green Fund to provide innovative financing solutions for green projects. As part of our efforts to diversify energy sources, we are building a 250MW pumped-storage hydroelectric power station in Hatta. It is the first of its kind in the GCC. We are also studying plans to build a 400MW pumped hydro storage power island in the Arabian Gulf, with a storage capacity of approximately 2,500MWh. We are also building DEWA’s new headquarters, named Al-Shera’a, which is Arabic for ‘sail.’ The new building will be the tallest, largest, and smartest Zero Energy Building in the world. It will be a sustainability landmark, not just in Dubai or the UAE, but around the world. Under the Shams Dubai initiative, which encourages building owners to install photovoltaic solar systems to generate their electricity, to date, we have connected 805 buildings to DEWA’s grid with a capacity of 31MW. We have other requests with a capacity of 242MW.” Al Tayer noted that DEWA has joined the United Nations Global Compact (UNGC), the world’s greatest corporate sustainability initiative. DEWA will highlight its efforts to implement and adopt the ten principles of the UNGC, and the progress of support for the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals 2030, in its next annual Sustainability Report. DEWA has established its leading position in the preparation of global reports. It was the first utility in the Middle East and North Africa to use GRI to develop sustainability

reports. DEWA achieved a world-class result in the Sustainability Culture Indicator of 88.8% in 2017. This exceeded the global average of 62% achieved by international participating organisations in the same year. The SCI is based on the principles of achieving sustainability, strategic commitment, innovation in sustainability, training, and raising awareness about sustainability.

“We realise that young people will play a key role in driving global sustainability, which is why we are hosting two consecutive competitions of the Solar Decathlon Middle East. This was created through an agreement with the United States Department of Energy. The first will be held this year and the second in 2020, to coincide with Expo 2020 Dubai. University teams will compete to design, build, and operate sustainable models of solar-powered houses that are both cost-effective and energy-efficient. I take this opportunity to invite you to visit the location of the competition at the Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum Solar Park in November. 21 teams from 36 universities in 15 countries are taking part in the competition and will receive prizes totalling AED 10 million. On Tuesday, as part of the DEWA Sustainability Week, we are organising the ‘Youth Sustainability Forum’ at Etihad Museum in Dubai. It will include discussions and brainstorming sessions with a large number of young people,” added Al Tayer.

“At DEWA, we are also creating a new digital future for Dubai through Digital DEWA. This is DEWA’s digital arm that will enable us to disrupt the operational model of utilities and become the world’s first digital utility, using autonomous systems for renewableenergy and its storage, while expanding the use of artificial intelligence, and digital services. Our initiatives and joint projects with the private sector, including this conference, promote the sustainable development of the UAE, and aim for sustainability to be a lifestyle, to ensure a brighter and more sustainable future for generations to come,” concluded Al Tayer.

“Our collaboration with DEWA is based on a common desire to develop the solutions and leadership needed for a better and more sustainable world. We are delighted to bring together leaders at this conference to address global challenges and opportunities.

Leaders participating today recognise the need to work together – to lead this change and not just adapt to it,” said Dame Polly Courtice, Director of Cambridge Institute for Sustainability Leadership in a video message at the conference.

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