Youssef Alaaldeen, UAE energy manager at Engie Solutions/Image: Supplied
Engie Solutions is playing a pivotal role in advancing energy efficiency and carbon reduction across the Middle East’s built environment. Through its Integrated Facilities Management (IFM) division, the company is helping organisations optimise energy use while supporting national sustainability strategies such as the UAE Energy Strategy 2050. In 2024 alone, Engie’s IFM operations helped avoid more than 10,500 tonnes of CO₂ emissions in the UAE, and the company is on track to achieve 15,000 tons in 2025.
At the heart of this strategy is Engie’s Smart O&M platform, a data-driven solution that uses AI, IoT, and predictive analytics to transform facility management from reactive to proactive. From optimising HVAC systems, which account for up to 70 per cent of a building’s energy consumption, to deploying hybrid solar-diesel power plants and Energy-as-a-Service (EaaS) models, the company is embedding decarbonisation into day-to-day operations.
In an interview with Gulf Business, Youssef Alaaldeen, UAE energy manager at Engie Solutions, discusses how the company is helping clients reduce costs, cut emissions, and move closer to net zero.
What is ENGIE’s core mission for energy management in the Middle East?
ENGIE’s Integrated Facilities Management (IFM) entity that operates in the GCC under the brand ENGIE Solutions, drives energy efficiency and decarbonisation across the region’s built environment.. We focus on transforming how buildings are managed and operated, making them smarter and more efficient while aligning with national sustainability goals.
We adapt global expertise to the region’s specific conditions, from the harsh climate to regulatory requirements and client needs. The approach centers on helping clients reduce utility costs through energy-efficient retrofits, comprehensive audits, and the Smart O&M platform, which integrates facility management operations with live energy dashboards and carbon tracking.
In 2024, the IFM division achieved over 10,520 tonnes of CO₂ emission avoidance for UAE clients, surpassing annual targets by 5 per cent. ENGIE’s IFM operations are on track to reach 15,000 tonnes of avoided emissions in 2025 – a 42 per cent increase in energy savings potential.
How is ENGIE working toward “Net Zero Carbon by 2045”?
ENGIE’s IFM division in the GCC executes a phased, data-driven strategy that reduces emissions while enhancing operational efficiency. This process begins with comprehensive annual energy audits conducted per ASHRAE standards, which evaluate existing systems and identify Energy Conservation Measures through lifecycle costing and carbon impact assessments.
Based on audit findings, we then implement targeted retrofits to optimise HVAC, lighting, and control systems. The Smart O&M platform integrates real-time data from connected assets to enable predictive maintenance, fault detection, and energy monitoring. Advanced tools like C3ntinel help establish energy baselines and verify performance.
Meanwhile, our energy team conducts detailed GHG audits using internationally recognised methodologies. These initiatives are backed by ISO 50001 and BEMAS certifications. ENGIE Solutions aligns targets with our clients’ ambitions, often helping them exceed the UAE’s national net-zero target for 2050.
What energy savings can clients achieve through HVAC retrofits?
HVAC systems account for 60-70 per cent of a building’s energy consumption in the UAE, making them a priority for retrofitting. The process begins with ASHRAE Level 1, 2, and 3 audits to identify Energy Conservation Measures and assess their feasibility across various facilities, including commercial, residential, recreational, and industrial settings.
HVAC retrofits typically involve upgrading chillers, pumps, and ventilation systems with high-efficiency alternatives, implementing control strategies, and optimising operational setpoints. Clients regularly achieve energy savings of 20-40 per cent, depending on baseline performance.
At a leading public hospital in Sharjah, ENGIE’s IFM division successfully replaced 10 legacy chillers with high-efficiency models integrated through Smart Operations & Maintenance (SOM) via our SmartBox platform, creating a comprehensive IoT ecosystem that captures real-time operational data. While the hardware upgrade delivered immediate energy and reliability improvements, the real innovation lies in deploying machine learning models through Databricks that analyze circuit temperatures, compression ratios, and environmental factors to generate predictive Asset Health Scores and maintenance recommendations.
How does the Smart O&M platform use AI and data to optimise energy use and maintenance?
Smart O&M is a cloud-based solution that transforms traditional facilities management into proactive, intelligent operation. It leverages data from connected building systems and IoT-enabled assets to optimise both energy consumption and maintenance activities in real time.
The platform integrates AI, advanced analytics, and machine learning to monitor performance trends, detect anomalies, and trigger predictive maintenance before issues become failures. This minimises downtime and reactive maintenance costs while ensuring equipment operates at peak efficiency.
It also provides comprehensive energy dashboards that allow clients to track consumption patterns, carbon emissions, and efficiency metrics. These insights enable informed decisions about HVAC setpoints, operational schedules, and underperforming assets. Smart O&M also enhances service management through automated reporting, work order tracking, and real-time alerts.
Could you highlight your strategy for one of your energy solutions and its regional impact?
ENGIE’s IFM operations deliver energy savings at scale. Our integrated models, including Energy-as-a-Service (EaaS), play a critical role in helping the region achieve carbon reduction targets. EaaS enables clients to integrate solar PV and other renewable technologies without incurring upfront costs or technical risks. ENGIE designs, finances, installs, and operates these systems while clients benefit from clean energy and measurable carbon savings.
A prime example is our partnership with Nissan Middle East, where we signed a Memorandum of Understanding to install a new solar energy system at their regional headquarters in Jebel Ali, Dubai. The solar photovoltaic (PV) system is designed to supply clean energy that will account for approximately 30 percent of the company’s power requirements for its Jebel Ali operations. With installation spanning a total area of 3,000 square meters, the solar PV system is expected to bring over 700,000 KWh of clean energy annually, equivalent to offsetting 333 tonnes of CO₂ emissions.
Under our Power Purchase Agreement (PPA) framework, ENGIE manages the design, construction, financing, operation and maintenance of the solar energy system during the 15-year duration. Following the completion of the contract term, ownership and maintenance of the system will transfer to Nissan Middle East. This project exemplifies how our EaaS model eliminates technical and financial barriers, allowing organisations to pursue energy decarbonisation projects effectively.
For green data centers, the team recently conducted a detailed ASHRAE Level 2 audit at a major regional facility, identifying energy-saving opportunities and implementing solutions under a performance-based ESCO model. By addressing cooling, IT load management, and energy distribution, the project helped achieve high efficiency while maintaining operational excellence.
How do ENGIE’s projects align with national energy strategies like Saudi Vision 2030 or the UAE Energy Strategy 2050?
ENGIE’s operations are strategically aligned with the region’s sustainability agendas, notably the UAE Energy Strategy 2050 and Saudi Vision 2030. These frameworks call for cleaner energy, greater efficiency, and reduced carbon intensity, all areas in which the company has expertise.
The UAE Energy Strategy 2050 aims to increase clean energy to 44 per cent of the energy mix and improve energy efficiency by 40 per cent by 2050. ENGIE contributes through building retrofits, solar PV deployment, integrated facility management, Smart O&M platforms, and Energy-as-a-Service models across government, commercial, and industrial sectors.
Performance-based ESCO contracts ensure measurable reductions in electricity and water use. The division works closely with regulators and local authorities to ensure that services meet evolving policy standards. ISO 50001 and BEMAS certifications reinforce compliance and credibility in delivering results aligned with national priorities.
Can you share a success story that exemplifies ENGIE’s value in energy management?
ENGIE’s IFM division’s partnership with Al Zeina illustrates our innovative approach to energy management. This mixed-use development in Abu Dhabi, comprising residential, retail, and extensive parking areas, faced annual energy bills exceeding AED 2 million from its gas-powered hot water system. In line with Abu Dhabi’s sustainability goals, we partnered with Al Zeina to replace this system with energy-efficient heat pumps. The project’s unique challenge involved installing 18 heat pumps, each weighing 1.3 tonnes, on rooftops without disrupting the community’s hot water supply or using traditional mobile cranes.
To overcome this logistical hurdle, we employed an innovative solution: airlifting the heat pumps by helicopter. This operation was completed in just 12 hours, successfully installing all units without any community interference. The new heat pumps were seamlessly integrated into the existing water system, leading to significant results: a 73 per cent reduction in energy consumption, equivalent to 3.4 GWh annually, and the elimination of 100 tonnes of CO₂ emissions. This project highlights ENGIE’s capacity for technical innovation and creative execution, delivering substantial environmental and financial benefits while ensuring operational continuity.
Beyond Al Zeina, ENGIE demonstrates its value across a diverse UAE portfolio, including data centers, hospitals, and residential communities. Through our IFM operations, ENGIE avoided over 10,520 tonnes of CO₂ emissions in 2024, exceeding its annual target by 5 per cent through initiatives like building retrofits and HVAC optimisation. The division is on track to surpass 15,000 tonnes of avoided emissions by the end of 2025, reflecting its commitment to combining technical expertise, operational excellence, and digital innovation to deliver energy savings, support client sustainability goals, and enhance long-term operational efficiency.
What are the main challenges to implementing energy efficiency projects in the Middle East, and how is ENGIE’s IFM division overcoming them?
Key challenges include harsh climatic conditions, high cooling demands, budget constraints, technical inertia in older buildings, and a lack of awareness about the long-term energy performance benefits. The most persistent challenge, however, is aligning stakeholders on the value of energy upgrades when upfront costs or operational disruptions are seen as barriers.
We address these challenges through flexible business models that de-risk projects, including Energy-as-a-Service and performance-based ESCO contracts, where clients only pay based on verified savings. These models eliminate upfront investment and shift technical and financial risk to us.
Another challenge is the availability of data in older or fragmented systems. Our Smart O&M platform centralises data collection, enables predictive analytics, and drives real-time optimisation, turning traditional facilities into smart environments without full system overhauls.
We actively collaborate with local authorities to ensure compliance with regional standards, such as Dubai’s BEMAS certification and ISO 50001, helping clients meet and exceed regulatory expectations.
What emerging energy trend do you see as most impactful for the Middle East?
The convergence of digitalisation and decentralised clean energy systems is most impactful. AI-powered building analytics, real-time energy management platforms, and predictive maintenance systems are reshaping how energy is consumed and optimised, particularly in the built environment where the greatest savings potential lies.
Simultaneously, decentralised energy generation – encompassing on-site solar PV, battery storage, and hybrid systems – enables buildings to transition from passive consumers to active, efficient producers. This is particularly critical in the UAE and GCC, where grid demand is high and cooling loads account for a significant portion of consumption.
Meanwhile, “As-a-service” models, such as Energy-as-a-Service, are gaining traction, unlocking energy efficiency for clients who previously lacked capital or technical expertise. These models accelerate the adoption of sustainability by removing financial and operational barriers.
The intersection of smart technologies, clean distributed energy, and performance-based business models represents the future of regional energy management – tools ENGIE is already deploying to help clients move toward net-zero cost-effectively and at scale.
What are ENGIE’s IFM division’s top priorities as the region accelerates its energy transition?
ENGIE’s facility management priorities are to scale decarbonisation, drive digital transformation, and integrate these strategies into long-term facility management contracts, ensuring stability, scalability, and accountability.
We are expanding performance-based energy models – ESCO contracts and Energy-as-a-Service – which eliminate upfront capital while delivering guaranteed savings. By embedding these within IFM contracts, energy performance is continuously monitored and optimised throughout the asset lifecycle.
ENGIE is also accelerating the deployment of the Smart O&M platform, leveraging real-time data, AI, and predictive analytics to enhance efficiency, reduce downtime, and identify new energy-saving opportunities. Digitalisation is now a prerequisite for scalable and sustainable operations.
Another focus is sectoral expansion, applying expertise across data centers, healthcare, education, residential communities, industrial zones, and public infrastructure. The goal is to transform buildings into intelligent, efficient, and low-carbon assets within a framework that guarantees long-term delivery and measurable outcomes.
Crucially, ENGIE is working to normalise energy management as an indispensable service, on par with traditional facility management. Just as facility management is essential for smooth building operations, energy management must become a standard element in building operations and asset management.
What’s the key message about ENGIE’s commitment to the Middle East’s sustainable energy future?
ENGIE is committed to accelerating the Middle East’s energy transition by delivering a balanced mix of renewable energy, low-carbon thermal generation, storage, and innovative solutions such as green hydrogen and sustainable desalination. In our Facilities Management division, we focus on accelerating the Middle East’s energy transition by making sustainable energy management an integral part of how buildings and facilities are operated.
The company combines digital tools, innovative performance-based business models, and local expertise to deliver guaranteed energy savings, reduce carbon emissions, and ensure long-term operational resilience. The vision is to integrate energy management seamlessly into facility management contracts, making sustainability routine, measurable, and scalable across all sectors.
This approach supports national net-zero ambitions while transforming buildings into intelligent, efficient, low-carbon assets, driving a reliable and sustainable future for the region.
