Organizations are spending large amounts of money on their energy consumption. The scarcity of energy resources, along with their price volatility, has become a major concern for all industries. Consequently, the need for managing and conserving energy has recently gained larger attention. A good management always pursues savings opportunities with minimum investments; hence, establishing an energy management system can provide the right approach to detect opportunities and sustain improvements. This article proposes the Lean Six Sigma energy management model (LSS_EnMS) based on the framework of International Organization for Standardization (ISO) 50001 for energy management, supported by the LSS approach define, measure, analyse, improve and control (DMAIC). The LSS_EnMS model applies the DMAIC approach to the energy management process in companies and incorporates the needed tools to define system requirements, analyse energy data, establish a systematic approach to identify energy opportunities and finally to guarantee sustainable system improvements. The model has shown the compatibility of Six Sigma approach with the ISO 50001 framework and has provided guidelines for effective system implementation. A prominent pharmaceutical company in Jordan was taken as a case study to show the significance of this model, and how this approach can lead to valuable and advantageous results in terms of real case application.
The sustainable building approach in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) has encountered impediments, as it is a new practice for society in UAE. Here, traditional construction methods are still adopted without considering environmental issues and growing concern over climate change. To overcome these problems, the Ras Al Khaimah Municipality launched new green building regulations called Barjeel in 2018. It is set to reduce 30% of energy and water consumption for new buildings. Based on the survey and interview results from 38 residents, consultants, and contractors, this study aims to identify the adaptability of Barjeel and the reasons behind the denunciation of these new regulations, and ultimately proposing some solutions to overcome the barriers. The findings from this study reveal that the surveyed population is aware of the concepts of green building practice but are also cognizant of the constraints that prevent its application such as high costs, availability of green and sustainable materials as well as expert personnel and skilled labour. Additionally, there are valid technical constraints and supply chain issues that should be addressed so that the basic infrastructure required to establish green building practices and help them flourish is in place and can be used for widespread green and sustainable building in the UAE
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