Doha Festival City, Qatar’s one and only international mall of choice for shopping, dining, and entertainment, announced the completion of the first phase of its Electric Vehicle (EV) charging stations in partnership with Qatar General Electricity and Water Corporation (KAHRAMAA), represented in the National Program for Conservation and Energy Efficiency “Tarsheed”. The initiative, undertaken under the mall’s sustainability efforts and Tarsheed’s guidance and regulations, has seen the completion of 23 stations, which are now all operational.
As part of its commitment to promoting the use of clean energy and reduce the carbon footprint from visitor’s vehicles, and in partnership with Tarsheed, Doha Festival City increased the number of its EV charging stations from 6 in September 2022 to 23 by the end of November this year. The Mall has further plans to install more charging stations in two phases in the coming 2 years to further promote energy efficiency.
The EV charging stations are now available for public use and can be found in 46 locations across the mall in the Lower Ground Floor, near Monoprix and Sacoor Brothers and on the first floor near the VIP valet area, Harvey Nichols, and VOX.
The introduction of EV charging stations brings many initiatives to Qatar and working with KAHRAMAA represented in Tarsheed to establish and expand the electric charging network for cars, in response to the strategy adopted by the Ministry of Transport in this regard.
On his Part, Eng. Rashid AL-Rahimi, Conservation and Energy Efficiency Department Manager in KAHRAMAA said “ The goal of these Electric Charging stations is to encourage people to use electric cars, which will reduce carbon emissions, as the means of transportation in the world in general represent a large proportion of carbon emissions and in line with the Qatar National Vision 2030 and its commitment to preserving the environment in the State of Qatar and switching to sustainable transport. Tarsheed has completed over 100 fast electric charging stations all over the State of Qatar till end of 2022. Expansion of the network is expected to reach 250 EV charging stations by end of 2023.”
Robert Hall, Doha Festival City’s General Manager, said: “As a sustainable Mall, Doha Festival City continues improving its operations by following the latest international sustainability best practices and standards. We have a firm commitment towards the environment, and we consider the completion of projects that contribute toward reducing our environmental impact at the top of our priorities. The completion of this first phase of the EV charging stations constitutes the first step on our journey toward providing the infrastructure that promotes the use of these vehicles, contributing to the reduction of the carbon footprint in Qatar and toward cleaner air for all the people in this country.”
“We greatly appreciate the partnership we have with KAHRAMAA and Tarsheed and we look forward to collaborating on more initiatives promoting safe and sustainable energy practices,” Robert concluded.
The Unity50 charging stations can charge electric vehicles with a power output of up to 50 kW and reduce charging times to less than 30 minutes. The stations are managed by the efficient “ChargeSphere – powered by Kostad” web-based control and management system to ensure cross connectivity and visibility. All stations will be monitored by Tarsheed Platform that connects all EV charging stations in the state of Qatar for a better user experience in 2023.
Doha Festival City is also at the forefront to install state-of-the-art systems and equipment that contribute to reducing its carbon footprint, including irrigation systems that use a timer to control water consumption and smart electric systems and solar panels to reduce its electricity usage.
As part of its #FestivalCares culture, Doha Festival City has a firm commitment toward sustainability and promoting environmental responsibility. Through its active network of local partners such as Tarsheed, the Mall supports environmental awareness programmes and initiatives on a variety of topics such as recycling, sustainability, and waste reduction. Moreover, the Mall celebrates international occasions that capitalize on environmental awareness, including World Water Day and Earth Hours.
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Walaa El Kadi, PR Manager, Qanect: walaa.elkadi@qanect.com
Doha Festival City is Qatar’s one and only choice for fashion, dining, and entertainment. Bringing several firsts to Doha, this incomparable mall – is one of the largest such developments in the Middle East, offering almost a quarter of a million sqm of leasable space, providing something for everyone, and creating exceptional and memorable experiences with every visit.
Doha Festival City is home to famous brand names in retail, many of which have made their Qatar debut, including Harvey Nichols, Charlotte Tilbury, Kiehl’s, Dior Beauty Boutique, and ACE. It also houses the country’s only IKEA, which has been open since 2013. There are over 100 places to dine and relax including restaurants, cafés, and casual dining outlets, from brands that are unique to Qatar including Jamie’s Italian, and Aimee’s Cafe.
Doha Festival City is also home to the Edge Fitness, a state-of-the-art fitness center, boasting a large area of training space with the latest top of the line equipment from Technogym, separate male, and female parts, as well as circuit training areas.
Doha Festival City has the country’s biggest world-class entertainment offering including a unique mix of indoor and outdoor attractions–from Qatar’s first VOX 4D cinema complex with 18 digital screens Theatre by Rhodes, to green spaces for outdoor exercise and Outdoor Leisure Trail cycling and three unique entertainment parks, including Angry Birds World, Snow Dunes and Virtuocity.
The world’s first Angry Birds WorldTM, introduced and developed by the leading location-based entertainment company Trimoo in partnership with Rovio Entertainment, opened in Doha Festival City in May 2018. The Park is an unparalleled family entertainment destination, inspired by the global gaming sensation and the blockbuster movie.
VIRTUOCiTY™ is the region’s first dedicated gaming hub that merges the virtual world with the real world. Opened in December 2018, this entertainment park is equipped with full motion racing simulators, escape rooms and an astonishing multipurpose eSports arena. The venue offers an immersive digital experience for teens and adults.
Snow Dunes ™ is the first indoor snow park in Qatar, featuring a castle inspired by authentic Qatari architecture. It is based on an old folk tale about a wave of cold coming in the spring and covering the ground with a white mantle. The Park uses state-of-the-art technology to produce snow-white ice at temperatures of -4 degrees Celsius.
As a ‘Smart Mall’, Doha Festival City offers innovative digital options including free Wi-Fi and digital wayfinding to enhance consumer experience, and is easily accessible, offering 8,000 smart parking spaces and VIP valet services.
Doha Festival City’s new parking can accommodate additional 165 cars, providing easy access to the Luxury Area and the Edge Fitness, and a direct exit to Al Shamal Road, helping to avoid congestion during peak hours.
Doha Festival City’s exclusive Fashion TV ‘FFTV', broadcasted on the mall’s website and YouTube channel, brings Doha’s fashion personalities to showcase the mall’s host of retailers and unique fashion offering.
Festival Magazine, the Mall’s very own online lifestyle magazine, brings the readers to the front row of the mall’s latest happenings, uncovering the last fashion trends and offering previews of collections and exclusive offers available at the mall.
Doha Festival City applies stringent safety measures throughout the mall for its staff and visitors. This includes a thorough mall disinfection treatment on a weekly basis, robust cleaning and sanitization operations during mall’s trading hours, 127 hand sanitizing stations installed at all commonly touched areas.
Doha Festival City won the 2020 Travelers’ Choice Award by Tripadvisor, based on a full year of Tripadvisor reviews, placing the Mall in the top 10% of the hospitality sector in the world.
For more information visit http://www.dohafestivalcity.com