Intern saves FM company over AED 250,000 with biofuel project

Dubai-based Transguard Group honours staff member for saving money and reducing company’s carbon footprint

Dubai-headquartered Transguard Group, recently honoured one of its employees for initiating a biofuel project for the company’s fleet of 150 diesel buses, which will save the FM company over AED 250,000 in its first year alone. 

Management intern Rebecca Perkins, from Transguard’s Property and Logistics team, proposed that if Transguard switched its 150 strong fleet of diesel-fuelled buses to biodiesel – a fuel generated from vegetable oil – it could make significant financial and environmental savings.

“Three months after the first fleet of buses had made the switch, the initiative had already become a resounding success. By using biodiesel provided by Neutral Fuels and Lootah Biofuels, we estimate that Rebecca’s initiative will have saved us over AED 250,000 within 12 months of its inception and reduced our carbon emissions by 1,000 tonnes,” said Mark Povey Communications Director at Transguard Group.

Biodiesel is a type of biofuel derived from organic or living matter, such as plants.  It is renewable, sustainable, non-toxic and fully biodegradable. The emissions from biodiesel are virtually carbon dioxide free and the fuel generates more kilometres per litre than diesel. Used cooking oil is the primary source for biodiesel production with much of the supply coming from international fast food chains.

“No vehicle modifications were needed and no engine damage will occur to run the fuel, so all fuel savings go straight to the bottom line,” added Povey.
Under Transguard’s Business Improvement Awards initiative, which aims to encourage employees at all levels to submit ideas on how to optimise business performance, Perkins was presented with a cheque for the maximum award of AED 25,000 by the company’s Managing Director John Nolan and Alastair Johnstone, its Director of Business Improvement.

Perkins has been working with Transguard for nine months during her gap year between finishing her Bachelor’s degree in Sustainable Development and starting her Masters in Landscape Ecology.

“During her time with us she has not only developed the biofuel initiative but also introduced gardens at our accommodation facilities that are irrigated by ‘grey water’ and organised a community tree planting day called “Give a Ghaf” which saw 20 Transguard staff members planting 100 trees as part of a wider ‘Goumbook’ initiative,” added Povey.