In just the first ten months after being awarded the first retrofit contract in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia by Tarshid, the Middle East’s leading Energy and Facilities Management specialist Enova has successfully completed the implementation of an innovative range of Energy Conservation Measures (ECMs) to cut and guarantee the energy use reduction of SASO’s (Saudi Standards, Quality and Metrology Organization) government facility by over 30 percent.

After being awarded the contract by Tarshid, Enova leveraged its expertise gained from years of experience working on energy retrofitting projects across the region, to boost energy efficiency and reduce the facility’s electricity consumption by more than 6 GWh per year.

The amount of greenhouse gas emissions reduced by Enova’s efforts equated to the CO₂ emissions produced by nearly 1000 passenger vehicles driven for a year.

The substantial savings at the SASO’s facility in Riyadh are achieved through a mix of ECMs, which began with the installation of a Building & Chiller Management System that helped optimize the pumping system of the entire complex.

The project also called for the replacement of circa 14,500 conventional lightbulbs with LED lighting, as well as structural building optimizations, such as the installation of air curtains and chilled water line insulation to reduce cooling losses.

Comprised of 11 buildings, which house several offices and laboratories, SASO’s complex in Riyadh covers a total floor area of 193,000 sqm.

“We are proud to have partnered with SASO in achieving its sustainability targets by cutting electricity consumption by over 30 percent, while at the same time, introducing cutting-edge IoT technologies to maximize occupant comfort,” said Enova’s Chief Executive Officer, Renaud Capris. “We look forward to continuing our work in Saudi Arabia and supporting the country’s efforts toward sustainability.”

As part of its commitment to ensuring the well-being of end-users, Enova focused its efforts on increasing the Indoor Environmental Quality (IEQ) by improving both the air quality and the thermal comfort of occupants. This was achieved through the deployment of specialized IoT technologies and smart solutions, marking the first instance that such an application has been seen within an Energy Performance Contract in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.

Enova’s award-winning Hubgrade platform was also a crucial component in the success of the project. The smart monitoring and reporting center helped to identify saving opportunities, all the way from the audit stage, up to the measurement and verification process after implementation. Dashboards for both the client and end-users were provided, enabling transparency and raising awareness over the course of the project.