The Gulf region was thinking about cooling long before the first electrical air-conditioning units came on to the market in the middle of the 20th century. Its people had come up with ingenious, centuries-old solutions. Architecturally distinct windcatchers, for example, are a reminder of how people cooled themselves for so long. Still, the chance to reliably lower the heat at home using electricity proved immensely popular.
Now, the UAE is turning from consumer of air-conditioning units to producer, after Strata, Mubadala Investment Company’s aerospace unit, announced a partnership agreement that will make the country a key player in the cooling sector. Alongside two German companies, AI-based engineering platform Hyperganic and industrial 3D printing company EOS, Strata will develop the world's most energy-efficient residential air-conditioning system in the Emirates.
It is a testament to the UAE's remarkable industrial growth, and one example among many cutting-edge fields that the country is developing at home. Speaking at the signing ceremony, Dr Sultan Al Jaber, Minister of Industry and Advanced Technology, described the new technology as "an ideal example of innovation driving sustainable development and creating a positive economic impact".
The move will boost the country's industrial base, a strategic priority set by the government under the banner initiative "Operation 300bn", unveiled last year to increase sustainable development and make the UAE a global industrial centre by 2031. Air conditioning is part of this drive. Worldwide, demand for it is going to significantly increase in the decades ahead. The global stock of air conditioners in buildings is expected to grow to 5.6 billion by 2050, an increase of 4 billion on 2018 levels.
Sustainability is another key priority for the country. Air conditioning might have transformed the region, but use on such a scale is hugely energy intensive. As much as 70 per cent of electricity in the Gulf is used to power air conditioning. Strata's model is set to be an impressive 10 times more efficient than current standard models. That could significantly reduce the strain on global electricity grids. In the Middle East, where rocketing temperatures are meeting faulty power supplies in many of its most fragile countries, such efficiency could save lives.
It makes sense then that this new partnership plans to showcase project updates at Cop28, which will be hosted by the UAE in 2023. It will deserve a place. Global climate goals are ambitious, and rightly so. To meet them, the world will need to make drastic, epoch-defining transitions in many areas, be it moving from non-renewable to renewable energy, or cutting the global consumption of meat, even developing artificial forms of it. But rescuing the planet must also happen on a realistic scale, by gradually adjusting the technologies that the world cannot do without. More efficiency in air conditioning is a perfect example, made possible by the Emirates' burgeoning industrial sector.
The UAE has been thinking about cooling for centuries. Now, it is developing the latest wave of technology in this crucial field, to serve domestic needs, widen the country's industrial base, export to booming foreign markets, and, perhaps most importantly of all, help the planet.
SPECS
Engine: Two-litre four-cylinder turbo
Power: 235hp
Torque: 350Nm
Transmission: Nine-speed automatic
Price: From Dh167,500 ($45,000)
On sale: Now
Bharatanatyam
A ancient classical dance from the southern Indian state of Tamil Nadu. Intricate footwork and expressions are used to denote spiritual stories and ideas.
How to apply for a drone permit
- Individuals must register on UAE Drone app or website using their UAE Pass
- Add all their personal details, including name, nationality, passport number, Emiratis ID, email and phone number
- Upload the training certificate from a centre accredited by the GCAA
- Submit their request
What are the regulations?
- Fly it within visual line of sight
- Never over populated areas
- Ensure maximum flying height of 400 feet (122 metres) above ground level is not crossed
- Users must avoid flying over restricted areas listed on the UAE Drone app
- Only fly the drone during the day, and never at night
- Should have a live feed of the drone flight
- Drones must weigh 5 kg or less
India Test squad
Virat Kohli (c), Mayank Agarwal, Rohit Sharma, Cheteshwar Pujara, Ajinkya Rahane, Hanuma Vihari, Rishabh Pant (wk), Wriddhiman Saha (wk), Ravichandran Ashwin, Ravindra Jadeja, Kuldeep Yadav, Mohammed Shami, Umesh Yadav, Ishant Sharma, Shubman Gill
Our legal columnist
Name: Yousef Al Bahar
Advocate at Al Bahar & Associate Advocates and Legal Consultants, established in 1994
Education: Mr Al Bahar was born in 1979 and graduated in 2008 from the Judicial Institute. He took after his father, who was one of the first Emirati lawyers
More from Neighbourhood Watch:
THE BIO
Ms Al Ameri likes the variety of her job, and the daily environmental challenges she is presented with.
Regular contact with wildlife is the most appealing part of her role at the Environment Agency Abu Dhabi.
She loves to explore new destinations and lives by her motto of being a voice in the world, and not an echo.
She is the youngest of three children, and has a brother and sister.
Her favourite book, Moby Dick by Herman Melville helped inspire her towards a career exploring the natural world.
Company profile
Date started: Founded in May 2017 and operational since April 2018
Founders: co-founder and chief executive, Doaa Aref; Dr Rasha Rady, co-founder and chief operating officer.
Based: Cairo, Egypt
Sector: Health-tech
Size: 22 employees
Funding: Seed funding
Investors: Flat6labs, 500 Falcons, three angel investors
The biog
Name: Abeer Al Bah
Born: 1972
Husband: Emirati lawyer Salem Bin Sahoo, since 1992
Children: Soud, born 1993, lawyer; Obaid, born 1994, deceased; four other boys and one girl, three months old
Education: BA in Elementary Education, worked for five years in a Dubai school
ICC Women's T20 World Cup Asia Qualifier 2025, Thailand
UAE fixtures
May 9, v Malaysia
May 10, v Qatar
May 13, v Malaysia
May 15, v Qatar
May 18 and 19, semi-finals
May 20, final
The Specs:
The Specs:
Engine: 2.9-litre, V6 twin-turbo
Transmission: 8-speed automatic
Power: 444bhp
Torque: 600Nm
Price: AED 356,580 incl VAT
On sale: now.
LEAGUE CUP QUARTER-FINAL DRAW
Stoke City v Tottenham
Brentford v Newcastle United
Arsenal v Manchester City
Everton v Manchester United
All ties are to be played the week commencing December 21.
MATCH INFO
Mainz 0
RB Leipzig 5 (Werner 11', 48', 75', Poulsen 23', Sabitzer 36')
Man of the Match: Timo Werner (RB Leipzig)
MATCH INFO
Watford 2 (Sarr 50', Deeney 54' pen)
Manchester United 0
Labour dispute
The insured employee may still file an ILOE claim even if a labour dispute is ongoing post termination, but the insurer may suspend or reject payment, until the courts resolve the dispute, especially if the reason for termination is contested. The outcome of the labour court proceedings can directly affect eligibility.
- Abdullah Ishnaneh, Partner, BSA Law
Asia Cup 2018 Qualifier
Sunday's results:
- UAE beat Malaysia by eight wickets
- Nepal beat Singapore by four wickets
- Oman v Hong Kong, no result
Tuesday fixtures:
- Malaysia v Singapore
- UAE v Oman
- Nepal v Hong Kong
What can you do?
Document everything immediately; including dates, times, locations and witnesses
Seek professional advice from a legal expert
You can report an incident to HR or an immediate supervisor
You can use the Ministry of Human Resources and Emiratisation’s dedicated hotline
In criminal cases, you can contact the police for additional support
COMPANY%20PROFILE
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EDate%20started%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%202020%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EFounders%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Khaldoon%20Bushnaq%20and%20Tariq%20Seksek%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EBased%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Abu%20Dhabi%20Global%20Market%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ESector%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20HealthTech%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ENumber%20of%20staff%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20100%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EFunding%20to%20date%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20%2415%20million%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
The Uefa Awards winners
Uefa Men's Player of the Year: Virgil van Dijk (Liverpool)
Uefa Women's Player of the Year: Lucy Bronze (Lyon)
Best players of the 2018/19 Uefa Champions League
Goalkeeper: Alisson (Liverpool)
Defender: Virgil van Dijk (Liverpool)
Midfielder: Frenkie de Jong (Ajax)
Forward: Lionel Messi (Barcelona)
Uefa President's Award: Eric Cantona