Majid Al Futtaim has announced that it will work with Enova to outfit four of its shopping malls with solar panels by next year. The firm says the move will produce savings of approximately $22m, and reduce carbon dioxide emissions by 3,200 tons per year. The deal was signed on World Environment Day, and is Majid Al Futtaim’s first solar power deal with Enova. Enova is an integrated energy and multi-technical services firm, and will see solar panels installed at Dubai’s Mall of the Emirates, City Centre Deira, City Centre Mirdif, and City Centre Fujairah. Last year, Majid Al Futtaim outfitted City Centre Me’aisem and My City Centre Al Barsha with solar panels, and says the new agreement with Enova strengthens its pioneering role in the region. Fuad Mansoor Sharaf, managing director (UAE, Bahrain & Oman) – Property Management, Shopping Malls for Majid Al Futtaim said, “Investing in renewables aligns with Majid Al Futtaim’s commitment to become a regional leader in environmental stewardship, set out in its ambitious Net Positive strategy and Renewable Energy white paper. We want to lead by example by applying international best practices across our portfolio, and have a positive impact on the communities we serve.” Solar panels contain photovoltaic cells, which absorb energy from the sun and convert it into electricity. The power generated is then fed directly into the malls’ electrical network. Under this deal, about 12,500 panels will be installed across the buildings, covering an area of 25,000sqm, including 1,020 car ports. Feasibility studies are underway with a view to rolling the project out across other assets. Ibrahim Al-Zu’bi, head of Sustainability at Majid Al Futtaim Holding added, “At Majid Al Futtaim our sustainability mission is to enhance people’s lives through sustainable real estate. We aim to slash water and energy consumption, creating more of these resources than we consume by 2040, and at least 5% of energy used will come from renewable sources by 2018.” Once the installation of the solar panels has been completed, Majid Al Futtaim Properties will be able to generate 6,000MWh of electrical energy annually. This will help it earn points with the LEED certification system (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design), the globally recognised green building benchmark. Enova’s CEO, Anne Le Guennec said: “Every day throughout the Middle East, Enova helps firms achieve their best performance and environmental targets, freeing them to concentrate on their core business activities. Our energy management solutions are based on a comprehensive package of services, including design, commissioning, strategy and long-term maintenance – and when parts eventually expire we’ll take them away for recycling.”