The Industrial Development Bureau (IDB) of the Abu Dhabi Department of Economic Development has launched the ‘Industrial Sector Sustainability’ project, an initiative aimed at adopting a sustainable approach to all manufacturing operations of industrial facilities in Abu Dhabi.

The project will also help improve the efficiency of industrial products, in line with the Abu Dhabi Government’s sustainable development plan and its efforts to protect the environment as part of the emirate’s bid to become globally competitive and a leading model for regional and international sustainability-based industries.

The Industrial Sector Sustainability project is said to issue an instructional guide on industrial sustainability to owners and managers of buildings, industrial warehouses and manufacturing firms, storage areas, administrative buildings and offices with an area of less than 2,000 sq m. The first phase will see the application of the standards included in the instructional guide, and it will cover 21 industrial facilities operating across seven different manufacturing segments in Abu Dhabi.

Furthermore, the new project is set to assess the current sustainability practices in Abu Dhabi’s industrial sector. The process involves collecting and evaluating data; conducting normative studies; identifying objectives and opportunities; developing sustainability guidelines specific for the sector; and spreading awareness on the required sustainability measures across the industry.

Mohammed Ali Al Shorafa, Chairman of ADDED, affirmed that the Abu Dhabi Government will continue to respond to the directives of the wise leadership to enhance the industrial sector based on the latest global sustainability trends and provide innovative solutions to help instil sustainability in all sectors. The directives are mainly intended to transform Abu Dhabi into a global hub for sustainability.

Al Shorafa said, “The industrial sector plays a vital role in the local non-oil economy. We work closely with our partners to increase the sector’s contribution to Abu Dhabi’s gross domestic product (GDP) by implementing projects, initiatives and development programs that support and attract investments to this strategic sector”.