IWFM UAE Region urges organisational change and sectoral action post-COP28 

News

Recently, the IWFM UAE Region brought together workplace and facilities management (WFM) leaders to discuss COP28’s impact.  

Fahad Mohamed, Director of Operations at Adeeb Group, moderated a panel debate focused on decoding COP28’s outcomes and their impact on the built environment, centring on sustainability. This included the challenges of instituting sustainability, driving progress through technology and innovation and how sustainable practices can optimise energy and water usage, contributing to wider sustainability goals. 

Yasin Kasirga, Decarbonization Leader at GE Vernova, reflected on COP28 as one of the event’s advisers. Kasirga emphasised COP28’s critical importance and highlighted the landmark decision to transition from fossil fuels, the establishment of a loss and damage fund and global finance’s support for renewable energy initiatives. 

Kasirga called for concerted global efforts to combat climate change. He underscored that technology and innovation is pivotal in driving decarbonisation and shaping a greener, more sustainable future. Kasirga noted that WFM companies can extract valuable lessons from these global initiatives by adopting advanced technologies and sustainable practices. Resultingly, WFM companies can slash their carbon footprint, optimise resource use and contribute to the global fight against climate change. 

Kulvinder Singh, Director of Facilities/Asset Management at New York University Abu Dhabi, highlighted that the built environment contributes to nearly 40% of global greenhouse gas emissions, and is projected to continue. Singh reflected on Facility Managers (FMs) and Asset Managers (AMs) as custodians of the built environment. Strategically, FMs and AMs engage with senior leadership and develop Net Zero roadmaps, Climate Action Plan frameworks, shape the vision and mission, strategies and policies to integrate ESG as part of the governance to maintain an optimal balance of Triple Bottom Line (TBL) of People, Planet and Profit to decarbonise and improve the environmental performance.  

In tactics and operations, FMs and AMs translate the vision and mission, strategies and policies into comprehensive sustainability plans targeting energy, water and waste and other parts of the business. Kulvinder recommended a shift from short-term WFM contracts to longer term contracts to encourage environmental efficiency investment.  

Samantha Pallippadan, Manager of Operations and Energy Manager at EFS Facilities Services, detailed the typical challenges in implementing sustainable practices. She pinpointed common hurdles such as the high initial costs, resistance to change from stakeholders and the technical complexities of integrating sustainable solutions into existing infrastructures. Pallippadan proposed a range of countermeasures.  

She emphasised the importance of securing strong stakeholder buy-in through comprehensive education and engagement initiatives and the adoption of cutting-edge technologies to facilitate a smoother transition to sustainable practices. Pallippadan stressed the necessity of a multifaceted approach to overcoming the barriers to sustainability in the built environment. 

Discover more about IWFM’s work in sustainability, including our courses, net zero toolkit, Energy Management GPG and sustainability report.