CCME August 2015

Why Rheem?

American Brand and Quality Over 30 years presence in the Middle East Over one million TON capacity Rheem Air Conditioners operating across the region Well established service network Full range of water heating products including: - Electric tank heaters - Electric Tank less heaters - Gas water heaters - Boilers - Heat Pump water heaters - Solar Powered water heaters Advanced integrated AC and water heating energy saving systems

Visit www.rheem-mea.com to ďŹ nd your local distributor.

Air Conditioning & Water Heating

Reliable Systems that are also easy to install.

Highly Energy EfďŹ cient Systems that exceeds regulations.

Visit www.rheem-mea.com to ďŹ nd your local distributor.

COP21: Countdown to Paris

UAE is the perfect location for transformational HVAC leadership

AUGUST 2015

EDITORIAL CAMPAIGN:

feature

IEQ in Healthcare

The chilling case of counterfeits

Mohammed R Alyemeni, formerly of the Ministry of Health in Saudi Arabia, on the projects the Ministry has lined up for the next few years

Is the HVACR sector losing its battle against counterfeit trade?

Industry experts weigh in on the topic of condensate as a viable answer to the region's need for alternative water sources

HEADLINES

Saeed Al Abbar appointed to WorldGBC board

The Big 5 Kuwait to leverage construction market momentum

Empower chosen partner of UNEP’s ‘District Energy in Cities’ initiative

POST-EVENT REPORT

Agenda 82: Deconstructing the disconnect Highlights of Day 1 of the 8th edition of The Climate Control Conference

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WORLD

IEQ FORUM

The World IEQ Forum is an earnest attempt at fostering discussions on the critical questions in front of planners and policy-makers in the region. The Forum is an extension of the continual and robust editorial coverage on IEQ-related issues in Climate Control Middle East magazine, published by CPI Industry. Though the coverage has addressed the various issues through an HVAC prism, the Forum is broadbased and all-inclusive, keeping in mind the broader issues of good health, well-being, productivity and happiness.

KEY TOPICS

SECTOR FOCUS

 Implementation strategies based on vision documents towards health and well-being in the GCC region and global policies  UAE’s National Strategy and Action Plan for Environmental Health  Qatar National Vision 2030  Dubai Plan 2021  World Health Organisation

 Towards Dubai EXPO 2020 and the 2022 FIFA World Cup… the role of IEQ in enhancing the visitor experience

 Balancing IEQ and energy efficiency needs in the region: Policy, regulatory and enforcement perspectives

 The critical importance of commissioning and retrocommissioning for good IEQ

 The public sector’s leadership role in driving IEQ change in the region, with a balanced approach towards energy efficiency

 Economics and finance: Bursting the myth that good IEQ is a costly proposition

 IEQ in schools: Multiple parameters impacting health, academic performance and overall growth and development of the student community in the region… culmination of an editorial campaign

 Guest experience and health: IEQ in the hospitality industry

 Balancing economic growth with IEQ aspirations towards better health and well-being  Combating outdoor pollution

 Healthcare innovations in design, construction, installation, commissioning, operation and maintenance

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contents vol. 10 no. 8  AUGUST 2015

page

10

COVER STORY

Compensate with condensate Reusing condensate can lead to considerable savings in energy and water, as well as reduce a building’s carbon footprint.

Industry experts offer their views on recovering and reusing air conditioning condensate water. By Rajiv Pillai | Features Writer

Q&A

IEQ IN

SCHOOLS page

22 page

16

SUSTAINABILITY ‘We are not dreamers, and we are not selling dreams’

Faris Saeed

Eng Abdulla Al Muaini, Executive Director of the Abu Dhabi Quality Conformity Council, shares information about the regulations and strategies the agency has initiated to improve Indoor Air Quality in occupied spaces, including schools

HEALTHCARE page

26

‘Ventilation and HVAC, especially, are significant considerations’

Mohammed R Alyemeni, former Deputy Minister of Health in Saudi Arabia for Planning & Health Economics, speaks about the projects the Ministry of Health in the Kingdom has lined up for the next few years and the challenges involved

Emil Samarah

Faris Saeed and Emil Samarah of Diamond Developers discuss the development process behind The Sustainable City, in Dubai, and the measures, both planned and in place, to make sure it stays true to its name

We did not invent any new technology. Everything already exists. Solar is everywhere, as are LED lights, green appliances and efficient air conditioning

4

‘Benefits of improved IAQ extend beyond a reduction of respiratory illness’

IEQ IN

August 2015

page

46

‘Industry conversations are calling for government intervention on shorter time-lines’ In part I of this series, Christopher LaBorde reviewed how the global HVAC industry was poised for real change. In part II, he addresses reasons why the UAE is the perfect location for transformational HVAC leadership.

page

48 TESting times Saying that Thermal Energy Storage is not economically feasible in the GCC region until we have utility demand charges, rate shifts and incentives, Dan Mizesko explains the fine print

REGULARS

Ed's note 06 A need to buck the midnoughties mindset

NEWS

51 Regional 56 Marketplace

POST-EVENT REPORT

30 page

Agenda 82: Deconstructing the disconnect Day 1 of the 8th edition of The Climate Control Conference saw government representatives as well as stakeholders from the construction and HVAC industries participate in the first seven of the 14 sessions – further broken down into a record 82 topics – that made up the agenda of the two-day event. We bring you the highlights...

PERSPECTIVE page

38

What ails our industry In his continued endeavour to seek answers to what ails the HVAC industry, George Berbari, in the fifth of a six-part series, takes a closer look at fresh air AHUs with total heat recovery wheels

FEATURE

42

page

The chilling case of counterfeits

Turning a thermostat down by 1 degree could save £85 to £90 every year – as much as 10% off the avg bill #energy

Despite stringent action taken against various rogue dealers in the form of raids and hefty fines, the battle against counterfeit trade is far from won. Industry insiders shed light on the thriving menace

Energy Saving Trust @EnergySvgTrust

August 2015

5

A need to buck the mid-noughties mindset

W

B Surendar Editor @BSurendar_HVACR

COP21: Countdown to Paris

UAE is the perfect location for transformational HVAC leadership

AUGUST 2015

EDITORIAL CAMPAIGN:

fEATuRE

IEQ In HEaltHcarE

tHE cHIllIng casE of countErfEIts

Mohammed R Alyemeni, formerly of the Ministry of Health in Saudi Arabia, on the projects the Ministry has lined up for the next few years

Is the HVACR sector losing its battle against counterfeit trade?

Get the next issue of Climate Control Middle East early!

Industry experts weigh in on the topic of condensate as a viable answer to the region's need for alternative water sources

HEADLINES

Saeed Al Abbar appointed to WorldGBC board

The Big 5 Kuwait to leverage construction market momentum

Empower chosen partner of UNEP’s ‘District Energy in Cities’ initiative

POST-EVENT REPORT

agEnda 82: dEconstructIng tHE dIsconnEct Highlights of Day 1 of the 8th edition of The Climate Control Conference

ith reference to the GCC region, one of the legacies of the construction boom of the mid-noughties of this century was the strengthening of a culture of reduced timelines. Without meaning to generalise, it must be pointed out that corners were cut in design and contracting works, and buildings went up in a hurry, often on a cookie-cutter template. The result was clusters of inefficiency and poor indoor environmental quality.

Many consultants, who operated in that “exciting” period of the last decade, speak with candidness, admitting to inadvertent mistakes, spurred as they were by pushy developers and their unreasonable deadlines. Many of the consultants Climate Control Middle East interviewed, revealed how they later came to realise their follies and how they emerged enlightened from the experience, and with systems and processes in place to avoid similar circumstances.

While dangers posed by those unwilling to change remain, the more worrying trend is an influx of a new set of consultants, who apparently are willing to execute assignments at even one-third the benchmarked price. Some may choose to call aspects of the trend as market forces at work, but it is beyond doubt that it takes a certain amount of investment to deliver quality.

While it is true that the regulatory and enforcement framework is more well-defined – and the review of building permit submissions are more thorough now – there is no denying the fact that unscrupulous consultants will always attempt to seek loopholes out.

Government bodies in the region have traditionally exercised restraint and have been mindful of the need for balancing environment-related exigencies with economic growth.

Consultants – or for that matter, developers – however, ought not to take advantage of the benevolent approach of government agencies. In the interests of the region, the construction and HVAC industries need discerning and responsible developers, as opposed to those willing to take the risk of assigning projects to those that are ever ready to lower their prices and, with that, have no qualms about reducing the quality. The latter case could mean a repeat of the mid-noughties and a new set of buildings with unacceptable – or at best, barely passable – standards. The region deserves better. And in the context of the initiative of the Government of Dubai, say, to reduce power consumption by 30% by 2030, the need for excellence is imperative.

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August 2015

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August 2015

7

The

BIG PICTURE

8

August 2015

a silent threat

August 2015

9

COVER STORY

Compensate with

conden Reusing condensate can lead to considerable savings in energy and water, as well as reducing a building’s carbon footprint. Industry experts offer their views on recovering and reusing air conditioning condensate water.

By Rajiv Pillai | Features Writer

O

n March 22, World Water Day, the United Nations SecretaryGeneral Ban Ki-moon urged the international community to be cognisant of the numerous water-related challenges the world faces. The state of the world’s water supply was underlined in the UN’s 2015 World Water Development Report that forecasts a 40% shortfall in water supply. As one of the most arid countries in the world, water security is a strategic imperative for the UAE. This is why Dubai, through its Dubai Integrated Energy Strategy (DIES) 2030 plan, has set the ambitious target of reducing water demand in Dubai by 40% by 2030. With a mix of conservation practices, innovative technological solutions and interactions with the global community, Dubai appears to be determined to tackle the water crisis.

Desalination is the most important source of the UAE’s water supply. Virtually all of the country’s drinking water is sourced through desalination. But the process is energy-intensive and dependent on the availability of precious energy resources. In response, Abu Dhabi launched the Masdar Renewable

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August 2015

DM Green Building Regulation now makes it mandatory to use condensate recovery systems for all new buildings with over 350 kW cooling load

Desalination Pilot programme, which is a visionary approach to addressing the waterenergy crisis through a more sustainable power and water relationship. The country is also researching into technologies that address groundwater shortfalls through the establishment of the UAE Programme for Rain Enhancement Science, which was launched in January during the Abu Dhabi Sustainability Week. The programme, an initiative managed by the National Centre for Meteorology and Seismology, provides grants of up to USD five million to encourage institutions, researchers and scientists to investigate new means of increasing rainfall, not only in the UAE, but also in arid and semi-arid areas all over the world.

Then there is the technology involving air conditioning condensate water recovery.

During building cooling, air passes through the chilled cooling coils in the Air Handling Units (AHUs) prior to entering the facilities.

In summer, the weather being generally hot and humid, as air passes over the cooled coils, condensate forms rapidly, dropping moisture from the air on to the cooled coils.

“Condensate water is an untapped source of water,” says A Bhaskaran, Manager

sate

Case study 1: Sheikh Zayed University, Al-ruwayyah, Dubai

T

Sheikh Zayed University; image courtesy: Masood Raza

he HVAC system at the university comprises water-cooled chillers and primary and secondary chilled-water distribution systems.

The secondary distribution system is complete with Variable Frequency Drives (VFDs) and two portmodulating valves. The air distribution system is based on the concept of Variable Air Volume boxes with VFD-type AHUs. Outdoor air is supplied from the central fresh AHUs. The condensate drain from different AHUs are collected for reuse as cooling tower makeup water. (Information source: Masood Raza) Here’s what Masood Raza has to say about the project: “In Sheikh Zayed University for Girls project (2004-2006), under the patronage of Dubai Municipality Project team, I was involved in the design of one of the first condensate recovery systems for use as cooling tower makeup. The system had two underground collection chambers.

The condensate was collected from the air conditioning units through an independent system of gravity drains. It was pumped to the makeup water tanks from these collection chambers. The system is fully functional and is in use for cooling tower makeup and irrigation, alternately.”

August 2015

11

COVER STORY

(Water Treatment Division) at Abu Dhabi-based Water Bird.

“During summertime, there is too much of collection of water.

And most of the time it just flows into the drain. Nobody is collecting this because majority of the building has no system to collect all the water and send it to a particular area.”

Masood Raza, General Manager at Jumbo Engineering, who is a veteran when it comes to condensate recovery projects, says: “The potential of condensate drain reuse was realised in the region in the 1990s of the last century.

I was involved in design of standalone collection systems for air handling room condensate drains for some clients like Etisalat. But, the elaborate design for its reuse was not considered at that time.”

With the increasing awareness of energy and environment issues, condensate recovery became a priority in the UAE, he observes, and acknowledges. “DM Green Building Regulation now makes it mandatory to use condensate recovery systems for all new buildings with over 350 kW cooling load.”

How much of water are we talking about?

All this talk about recovery would make one wonder about the volume of water collected as a result of condensation. “A

A Bhaskaran

Vikash Sekhani

Masood Raza

Zafar Muhammad

A standard air conditioning unit will produce on average 5,475 gallons of grey water a year, meaning that an average tower block of 150 flats could recycle up to 22,500 gallons of water per month

Paving the way...

...to a more sustainable future 12

August 2015

standard air conditioning unit will produce on average 5,475 gallons of grey water a year, meaning that an average tower block of 150 flats could recycle up to 22,500 gallons of water per month.” This statement

by Serge Becker, Sales and Marketing Director at Aspen Pumps, appears in a letter sent to architects in India, on the importance of condensate water recovery. Vikash Sekhani, Director of Sales and Marketing at SAFE A&T Technology, India, who also provides marketing services

to Aspen Pumps, shared this information with Climate Control Middle East, to give readers an idea of the volumes of water involved.

Talking in terms of percentages, Zafar Muhammad, Head of District Cooling at PAL Technology Services, says: “We have done a design study, basically, and our theoretical calculation says that there is eight to 10% water from condensate, which can be a part of our water usage.” Raza, too, agrees with this figure, which is as per theoretical calculations limited to Dubai peak conditions. However, he believes that much more can be recovered, and that it depends on outdoor conditions and outdoor air required for the project. “We have proven case studies from hot and humid areas in the United States of very successful condensate water tapping from Air Handling Units, especially in occupancies where outdoor air requirement is high, amounting to 16% of makeup water demand for cooling towers,” Raza claims. He adds that it can go even higher, “For high outdoor air use, it has been proved in some studies in the United States that 10% to 40% of cooling tower makeup can be tapped from the condensate recovery.”

Applications

The best possible use of condensate water, Raza says, is for cooling towers. “The water quality is suitable, and due to lack of minerals, it can greatly improve the cycles of concentration, and thus bleed can be reduced,” he claims, and elaborates that huge District Cooling plants that are being designed and constructed in the region have the greatest potential for collecting and reusing the condensate for cooling tower makeup. Other than this, Raza believes, it can also be used for irrigation,

The World’ s Largest District Cooling Provider EMPOWER, Emirates Central Cooling Systems Corporation, is created with the objective of providing world class District Cooling Services to Dubai and the region.

Empower is determined to satisfy the critical needs of its customers and in the process develop its own distinctive competencies.

billing@empower.ae I Tel: +971 4 375 5300 I www.empower.ae August 2015

13

COVER STORY

Case study 2: US Environmental Protection Agency’s Science and Ecosystem Support Division

A

fter severe droughts in the south-eastern United States, the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) decided to address the need for water conservation and develop a water management plan for their Science and Ecosystem Support Division (SESD). The water management plan aimed to reduce SESD’s potable water usage (more than 2.4 million gallons in fiscal year 2008) through an air handler condensate recovery project.

The EPA SESD spreads across 12 acres in Athens, Georgia. A single laboratory building was constructed in 1996 consisting of 66,200 square feet configured for a mix use of laboratory and office activities. In May 2008, SESD completed an air handler condensate recovery system. The system routes condensate from rooftop air handler units to the facility’s cooling tower, reducing potable water usage and improving cooling tower water chemistry.

EPA claims to have spent USD 24,500 on the air handler condensate recovery project. The cost included installation of a flow meter to measure total gallons recovered and directed to the cooling tower. EPA informed that from May through December 2008, the project saved it more than 540,000 gallons of water, resulting in a 16% total reduction in SESD’s overall water use.

The water savings is valued at USD 3,500 at a rate of USD 6.52 per thousand gallons of water. The system also improved cooling tower water chemistry, and is expected to reduce overall chemical treatment costs due to the nearly-pure recovered water. EPA estimates a simple payback of less than six years based on savings

The collection system costs are very limited to a separate condensate riser domestic purposes and swimming pools.

Muhammad, another veteran in the field, says: “I see a solid ground that all District Cooling providers should look into this [condensate]. It will basically help them to recover and manage their costs. It helps nature and reduces the carbon footprint. We being a DC provider are doing this in all our current and future projects.”

Return on investment Despite the array of benefits, the question remains whether or not investment costs justify

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August 2015

such ventures. Almost all HVAC players unanimously agree that the initial investment costs are negligible. Raza explains: “The collection system costs are very limited to a separate condensate riser. The only additional cost inside the building is a plastic riser and a collection tank. The rest of the requirements within the building are in any case needed, even if we do not connect the condensate to the building drain system.” He also points out that with the increasing cost of potable and TSE water, it makes better business sense to have

EPA intends to implement the project at all facilities that fall under the same climatic conditions recorded in the first year of operation. Additionally, EPA claims that SESD significantly reduced water consumption from fiscal years 2007 to 2008. In 2007, the water consumption baseline reportedly measured 3.4 million gallons, whereas, in 2008, that number measured 2.4 million gallons, marking a 25% reduction in water consumption. Due to the success of the air handler condensate recovery project, EPA intends to implement the project at all facilities that fall under the same climatic conditions.

(Information source: http://energy.gov/sites/prod/files/2013/10/f3/ epa-scesd_watercs.pdf)

a recovery system in place.

“Actually, it is a low-hanging fruit which just needs to be plucked,” he says.

Sharing information about the recovery system at the District Cooling plant on Reem Island, Abu Dhabi, which serves its residential and commercial occupants, Raza says: “The plant has a final capacity of 90,000 TR. During the design of piping network, one additional condensate collection pressure pipe was laid with negligible cost. All building owners were asked to collect the AC drain through a separate riser and bring it to an enclosed water tank in the ETS room. A pump station was installed next to the water tank that pumped water to the pressure pipe laid along the external chilled water pipe network back to the plant. A separate water tank was planned for this collection

to monitor the quality of the condensate water.” Regarding the ROI, Raza says, “In the Reem Island plant, the cost was very limited and the payback time for the operator was no more than a couple of years.”

Sekhani, on his part, believes that as long as installation of a proper collection system is done when the building is being built or refurbished, the costs could be minimal. “Saving money and conservation,” he says, “go hand-in-hand.”

HAVE YOUR SAY! We welcome your views on the article. Write to editor@cpi-industry.com

August 2015

15

Q&A

SUSTAINABILITY

‘We are not dreamers,

and we are not selling dreams’

On what parameters is The Sustainable City based, designed and conceptualised?

SAEED: We approached the project with the three pillars [people, planet and profits] of sustainability in mind. With that approach, we found that when the environmental aspects are done right, they will result in very good savings, thus taking care of the commercial aspect. It’s the perfect combination. And when your project works both environmentally and commercially, the social element follows because people will be happy, relaxed and satisfied.

Just to give you an idea, we approached the environmental aspect from a commercial point of view. With utility bills increasing, we thought, ‘Why not build an energy-efficient city, so we can save on utility bills?’ Starting from an energy perspective, we worked on a design that will let us save 50%. Then we came up with another idea: Why don’t we also provide renewable energy to cover part of what we are consuming? We ended up with almost 75%, and even 100% in some cases, energy savings. That satisfies environmental concerns, while at the same time fulfilling the commercial needs of investors.

Faris Saeed

How will you ensure that the city will remain sustainable even after handover to the end-users?

SAEED: We are establishing a facility management company, and we have a smart system, a smart control room, where we will keep monitoring all the activities in the city, from energy consumption and energy savings to water usage and air quality. All the Emil Samarah aspects of the environment will be monitored.

Our city is not just sustainable; it is smart, as well.

We also saw to it that the passive design of the units — which are L-shaped with northfacing windows to minimise solar heat gains — can contribute to energy conservation efforts.

We are able to save perhaps 25% of energy costs just by doing that. Add to that wellinsulated walls, reflective paint, LED lights and green appliances, and we arrive at the

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August 2015

August 2015

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Q&A

SUSTAINABILITY

50% savings I mentioned earlier. We also provide proper air conditioning in the form of VRF systems. They’re more expensive than DX systems, but their running costs are lower.

SAMARAH: In addition, we built a business model with a revenue-share concept for the homeowners. As long as they own the house, residents will enjoy some kind of revenue, which they can use to cover all kinds of maintenance required for the house, including maintenance of the solar rooftop systems. We believe that this is a great model. We will use various means and tools to not only monitor the city but also enhance the lifestyle of its residents, as well as learn for future projects. This project is going to become some sort of outdoor lab for future projects.

When we ran the models for both VRF and watercooled, we found that we will need a lot of water if we went with water-cooled

SAEED: About the revenue-share scheme, people often complain about service and maintenance fees, so we found a way. We came up with the solution of making the fees free by giving buyers a share of the revenue of the community mall rentals. We want people to develop some kind of loyalty to their own community.

We are securing five years net-zero maintenance, service and community fees for everyone.

After three years, we can decide what kind of percentage should be given. To start with, it’s 40% of the total revenue. The 40% makes the whole share. It covers their fees; it can even cover a sinking fund and any future emergency maintenance issues. In five years, things will be clear, then this share will be given formally to them, but we are securing the first five years, regardless of what is the income.

Why did you choose VRF systems? Why not water-cooled systems?

SAEED: As I said, the operational efficiency of VRF systems is high. Also, when we ran the models for both VRF and water-cooled, we found that we will need a lot of water if we went with water-cooled. That is a big issue, because we are talking about sustainability and when you calculate the amount of energy needed to produce the required water, the entire system stops being sustainable.

We actually did this “homework” for one full year. We did due diligence. We had meetings with manufacturers of VRF, water-cooled, air-cooled and DX systems, among others. It took us six months to decide on VRF and another six months to decide on which VRF system.

What kind of response or feedback have you received from buyers?

SAEED: We have different buyer categories. We have those who are only interested in commercial aspects. Their main interest lies in the idea of zero cost, of not paying service and maintenance fees. Some don’t even know how the scheme works. All they know is that it’s guaranteed, and they’re happy with that.

Majority of our other buyers, however, are interested in being homeowners. They are welleducated. They ask a lot of questions before concluding that The Sustainable City has what they want – from not only an environmental point of view, but also a lifestyle perspective, because we don’t compromise the lifestyle. We have an equestrian centre, cycling and horse tracks, outdoor sports stations, greenhouses – everything you could think of, we have it in the city. We have farms, and by next year, as part of Phase 2, we will have a green school, a community club and an innovation and creativity centre, which will serve as our signature. It will be used to convey or spread the word about sustainability.

Those people who ask questions, they want to live – and have their children live – in this kind of environment. It is what drives buyers.

Lack of cooperation among stakeholders is acknowledged as a persistent industry issue.

How did you get buy-in from consultants and contractors?

SAEED: Luckily, we have everything in-house. That is what made us flexible and what made it easy for us. The contracting team, being a sister company, was attending the design meetings. From the first day, the minute we started creating the master plan, the whole team was there. Everyone – MEP, civil engineers, architects, interiors, construction managers and consultants.

FM will also be in-house, because we don’t want to hire just any company. Our facility management team will be totally different; we will have a solar team.

Have you built in the flexibility to retrofit or adopt new technologies?

SAEED: When we started this, we did a proper SWOT analysis. We also did another study, wherein we defined many items we believe will see a breakthrough in five or 10 years.

Two of those items are solar and energy storage. We are prepared to be off-grid in

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August 2015

HIRING NOW! TECHNICAL SALESMAN Our client, an energy-saving products company (adiabatic pre-cooling panels) is hiring a Technical Salesman with experience in the air-conditioning market in the Middle East.

Qualifications:  Preferably worked for a chiller maintenance, and/or chiller manufacturing company  Must possess existing customer portfolio Successful applicants will receive an attractive salary package

For more details, e-mail alissa@careersbay.com or contact +971 50 3580708 August 2015 www.careersbay.com • Your HVACR recruitment partner

19

Q&A

SUSTAINABILITY

case there is a breakthrough in solar. Immediately, we can go off-grid. As for storage systems, we think that in five years, they will be much cheaper than they are now. We focused mainly on energy, because that’s where innovation is likely to occur.

We are also very realistic, for we have contracting experience. We are not dreamers, and we are not selling dreams. Everything we do and offer, we base on realistic needs. Just to illustrate: even with smart systems, we were advised to make the units smart in all aspects.

We analysed everything. We asked: Why do I need to start my washing machine while I’m on my way home from the office? It’s impractical from a commercial point of view. The only thing I need to control when I’m outside is the AC. Half an hour before I reach home, I want to be able to start my AC. I don’t need anything else. However, whatever one person won’t need, maybe someone else will. So, we’ll give buyers the option and provision to make everything automated, if that’s what they want, but we’ll only start them with the air conditioner.

The city, in numbers Project details of The Sustainable City (Phase 1 of which is expected to be complete in Q3 of this year), as outlined

by Diamond Developers: • 10 MWp (megawatt peak) solar production • 100% recycling of waste and water • 500 villas • 5,000,000 sq ft (46 hectares) total area

Do you have plans of developing more sustainable cities? Are you considering replicating the city in other parts of the region?

SAEED: We are open to bringing the idea to other countries, and we’ve had enquiries. Many are interested in duplicating the city, but for most people, to see is to believe. They want to see it operational, which we understand, because we are ahead of everyone by two or three years.

SAMARAH: We are ahead. In fact, the jewel of the crown will be the Centre of Excellence, which will be part of Phase 2. It will be a lifetime positive-energy building.

SAEED: The building will have a net-zero lifecycle. It’s a new concept that people are still exploring, but we are doing it. For its entire lifecycle, which is around 50 years, the building will produce a surplus of energy – enough to cover even the energy it will consume during construction as well as the energy that will be used to manufacture the building materials. In short, the building will produce energy to cover all the energy that will be consumed during the building of the building itself.

Is there a precedence to that type of building?

SAEED: Actually, I read about the concept in a magazine while I was in Japan for a visit.

It was a small article. The Japanese are thinking of creating a building like that, but it’s just an idea for them. I took it from there and applied it to our building, and it works. I’m not sure if The following are reportedly free for buyers: someone has already built the kind • Solar rooftop system of building we have in mind, but • Electric buggie others have obviously thought • Landscaped garden about it, because I got the idea • Green home appliances from someone else. It’s the same with the city – everybody has been talking about this type of city for years.

In fact, we met one researcher from Australia. He’s the environmental director of a famous university there. He came to our office and spent three hours challenging us, but he found that we have answers for everything. He said, ‘I started planning something like this 20 years ago, to create the kind of integrated community that you have done.’

People are thinking, planning and talking, but nobody is doing. We are not reinventing the wheel. We did not invent any new technology. Everything already exists. Solar is everywhere, as are LED lights, green appliances and efficient air conditioning. We are just using the best technologies, applying them in a proper way and bringing them all under one umbrella – that’s it.

Perks of sustainability

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IEQ IN

SCHOOLS A Climate Control Middle East editorial campaign

ENDORSED BY

HEALTH MINISTERS’ COUNCIL FOR THE COOPERATION COUNCIL STATES

August 2015

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‘Benefits of improved IAQ extend beyond a reduction of respiratory illness’ Eng Abdulla Al Muaini, Executive Director of the Abu Dhabi Quality Conformity Council, shares information with B Surendar about the regulations and strategies the agency has initiated to improve Indoor Air Quality in occupied spaces, including schools.

I

n view of the vision of the leadership of the country, what measures has the Abu Dhabi Quality Conformity Council (QCC) taken to ensure that HVAC equipment available in the marketplace support the cause of better Indoor Environmental Quality (IEQ) towards reducing the incidences of respiratory disorders in children?

Raising the quality of goods and services traded in, and exports from the Emirate of Abu Dhabi is one of the underlying principles of the Abu Dhabi Quality and Conformity Council’s strategic vision.

HVAC equipment and the installation, commissioning and ongoing maintenance of HVAC equipment, therefore, falls under the QCC’s responsibility to ensure quality goods and services enable Abu Dhabi to meet international best practice in IEQ of all building types. This is especially true for government-owned buildings, such as municipal offices, healthcare facilities and schools. There are a number of building codes and regulations operating in the Emirate, which we can use as guidance to ensure the IEQ of classrooms does not promote the incidence of respiratory disorders in both children and the teaching staff. These include the Estidama Design and Construction Building Rating system1, the Abu Dhabi International Building Codes and the Abu Dhabi Education Council Design Manual for minimum requirements for Private School Facilities3.

The QCC is involved in convening a number of built-environment and construction technical committees, comprising government regulators, industry representatives and testing/

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certification bodies, whose role is to ensure the compatibility of the existing building codes and development of strategies to assure successful code implementation. Commonly, these strategies will often involve the development, launch and issuance of Product or Personnel Certification Schemes in which the HVAC equipment or HVAC technicians will receive the Abu Dhabi Trustmark. The Trustmark is a sign of approval by the Abu Dhabi government that the product/technician in question meets the quality, safety and performance criteria agreed upon by regulators and industry. Currently the QCC operates a certification scheme for air- and water-cooled chillers, which defines the performance and quality criteria for these air conditioning systems, specifically in terms of the energy efficiency requirements of Estidama and the Abu Dhabi Energy

Almost 80 individual paints from 13 different manufacturers were tested for lead, mercury, chromium, cadmium, arsenic and antimony content, and unfortunately, in a handful of locally manufactured products high levels of lead, up to 100,000 ppm, were discovered

Conservation Code. We are aiming to extend the scope of air conditioning certification to smaller units (split, ducted and non-ducted air conditioners) within the first quarter of 2015. We have also begun the certification of entry-level HVAC technicians to assure their competence in electrical safety and basic HVAC installation and maintenance skills. As air conditioning equipment is as good as the quality of the personnel who install/maintain it, we see it as vital that both certification activities go hand in hand. We are also working closely with our regulatory partners in the Heath Authority Abu Dhabi (HAAD) and the Environment Agency Abu Dhabi (EAD) to define the strategic targets for Indoor Air Quality (IAQ) in the Emirate over the next five years. This involves a significant amount of research into the current IAQ situation, including schools, methods for ongoing monitoring of the situation and initiatives, which can be enacted to reduce indoor pollutants and improve the overall health of the population.

Principal amongst these initiatives in the certification by QCC of the entire building system (including ongoing maintenance procedures). Numerous studies have also demonstrated that improvements in a school’s IAQ have a positive impact on student test scores.

So the benefits of improved IAQ extend beyond a reduction of respiratory illness.

and testing of these products, the QCC certification schemes provide confidence to Estidama building contractors that they are choosing products that will reduce the overall chemical contamination of indoor spaces once the building is complete. With the continued desire to reduce the energy usage of buildings further through the tightening of the building envelope, ensuring that the products used within the construction do not release harmful emissions becomes more and more important.

Further, QCC certification schemes in this vein, due for launch in 2015, include certification of low VOC furniture and certification of thermal reflective exterior paints, use of which will result in reduction of the indoor air temperatures and subsequent improvements in building energy efficiency.

Microbial contamination and mould growth are also addressed by the current paint certification scheme. For paint

Does AD QCC have a specific quality verification and certification programme of equipment towards better IEQ in schools, so as to prevent the following? a. Microbial contamination b. Chemical contamination c. Moisture and mould d. Low-frequency noise e. Vibration The QCC is currently operating a number of product certification schemes aimed at improving the environmental performance of building products, which eventually have a follow-on impact on Indoor Environment Quality.

Chief among these schemes are the certification of low-VOC paints, adhesives, sealants, carpets and hard flooring. Following the guidelines set out by Esidama for the specifications

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products that make claims of mould/fungal resistance, there is a requirement to support these claims with conclusive test evidence.

QCC is working closely with a number of local testing facilities to provide rigorous and impartial testing of paint antifungal capabilities to the local paint manufacturing industry. Finally, with the expansion of QCC certification services into more products involving the building structure and façade, for example, gypsum/cement wall boards, insulation and glazing, there is the possibility that noise reduction criteria are included.

Microbial contamination in classrooms can be contained through more fresh air changes, for instance, to dilute the presence of micro-flora. However, this also means the consumption of energy.

What is AD QCC’s approach to balancing IEQ and energy-efficiency concerns?

Guidance regarding balancing fresh air changes and Energy usage, given in the Abu Dhabi international building codes, such as the Energy Conservation Code, follows international best practice for ensuring both sides of the equation are addressed. However, we must continue to take into account the differences in the functionality of these codes when considering the unique environmental conditions of Abu Dhabi. What may be appropriate for air change frequency in situations where natural ventilation is also widely possible throughout the year, may not be appropriate in Abu Dhabi, where school buildings need to generally be more tightly enclosed from the outside temperature, humidity and airborne particle conditions. The solution will require a considerable amount of research into both the development of Emirate-appropriate standards and building/HVAC equipment design. Current collaborations between the QCC and Air Conditioning standards representatives, such as ASHRAE and AHRI aim to further adapt these standards to local conditions, while our interactions with the local HVAC product industry representatives aim to promote the rapid adoption of new technology, especially highly energy-efficient HVAC systems, such VRF through incentivising the purchase and installation of QCC-certified HVAC products.

Childhood lead poisoning (bloodlead levels) is a cause for concern in

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the GCC region. Broadly speaking, what is AD QCC doing to address the presence of heavy metals, with the quality of paints and coatings in the market coming under the scanner?

As an integral component to the development and definition of the specifications for the QCC certification scheme for paints, extensive research into the quality and safety of paint products currently on the market was performed. Almost 80 individual paints from 13 different manufacturers were tested for lead, mercury, chromium, cadmium, arsenic and antimony content, and unfortunately, in a handful of locally manufactured products high levels of lead, up to 100,000 ppm, were discovered.

This information has subsequently been passed onto our Abu Dhabi regulatory partners at HAAD, EAD, the Department of Municipal Affairs and the Emirates Authority for Standardisation and Metrology (ESMA). QCC now has a database of over 75 paint products, which have conclusively proven the absence of the above six heavy metals, including lead, both through manufacturersubmitted test reports and follow-up market surveillance by QCC which can be viewed at: https://mannea.qcc.abudhabi. ae/PSS/Search/OnlineCertSearch_ En.aspx?adv=false.

Looking to the future, as the QCC message of quality and safety in products, such as paints, is further embraced by the local manufacturing industry and consumers alike, QCC will look to address new issues in paint safety, including the use of ethoxylates, harmful biocides and improvements in paint VOC standards through setting paint VOC emission limits, as opposed to the currently specified VOC content limits, which can be less indicative of the in-use effect of paint odour in IEQ.

References: 1 http://estidama.upc.gov.ae/pearl-ratingsystem-v10/pearl-building-rating-system. aspx 2 http://dma.abudhabi.ae/en/content/ buildingcode.aspx 3 http://www.qcc.abudhabi.ae/ English/Activities/Standards/ GUIDE%20TO%20ABU%20DHABI%20 INFRASTRUCTURE%20STANDARDS/ Documents/ADEC/Minimum%20 Requirements%20for%20Private%20 School%20Facilities.pdf

IEQ IN HEALTHCARE A Climate Control Middle East editorial campaign

August 2015

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IEQ in

HEALTHCARE INTERVIEW

‘Ventilation and HVAC, especially, are significant considerations’

What is the update on Saudi Arabia’s Ministry of Health? I understand that it has undergone several leadership changes in the past few months.

We’ve had six ministers in 13 months. Of course, the changes in leadership have resulted in some delays, because when you have a new guy stepping in, everything has to be suspended to allow him to understand and assess the situation. But, then, things resume and now, we’re hoping that there will be stability. Everything should take off quickly once we have that.

What people need to understand is that these are huge projects. We’re not moving a whale here, but a tankful of whales I have heard that the changes have resulted in projects, like medical cities, being shelved. Could you confirm if this is true?

I doubt if those reports are true, certainly not about medical cities. They’re more likely just delayed, because the master plans are already there. As long as the current Minister doesn’t do major changes and adopts the plans as they are now, projects should take off in a couple of months.

What people need to understand is that these are huge projects. We’re not moving a whale here, but a tankful of whales. Allocating the land for one medical city, for instance, is a big challenge because it will need to be a huge piece of land. Selecting the right organisation to build the project is also not going to be easy, because only a few companies in the world can take on the job and do it right. There are other challenges, such as appointing medical staff, but they are not impossible to overcome or address.

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In light of what is happening, how would you describe the state of the country’s healthcare sector?

A bit of background: For 20 years, we didn’t have many healthcare services, in terms of building and allocation, because of the oil glut or because oil prices were down. That’s why, we had trouble meeting the benchmark identified by the United Nations, which is 3.5 beds per 1,000 capita. That’s the low average, but Saudi’s was at 1.8. However, oil prices started going up, and money was available, so the government began investing in the healthcare sector. Only, the healthcare sector is not easy to develop, because hospitals are not administrative buildings. As per international standards, it takes between five and seven years, on average, from the time you break the ground to the time the first patient walks into the hospital.

Now, we stand at about 2.1 beds per 1,000 capita. The good news is the Ministry of Health is building 150

And I’m not talking about small babies. I mean very expensive ventilators and chillers that meet standards for not only operational capability but also healthcare suitability hospitals over the next few years, and the private sector is adding around a hundred.

Other government services are also said to be planning around 50 more. If all those plans push through, by 2020, we should

end with the targeted 3.5 beds per 1,000 capita. In terms of spending, this means that we are more than doubling the capacity.

I was in France for a meeting with the Saudi-French Business Council, and I had people there asking me about healthcare business opportunities in Saudi. And I said that there are so many, we might as well establish another Ministry of Health.

But I warned them that it’s not easy to do business in Saudi Arabia, because when it comes to critical services like healthcare, the country is very serious, particularly in terms of licensure and approving interested participants. The Ministry and the government, in general, want to see to it that everything is done the smart way and that return on investment is ensured.

On the topic of investment, some people from the HVAC industry claim that, in some cases, no matter how advanced a hospital is, there are deficiencies that

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IEQ in

HEALTHCARE INTERVIEW

can compromise the quality of care given to patients. Are HVAC solutions among those the Ministry looks into when deciding on investment matters?

Yes, definitely. For a long time, we didn’t have outbreaks of diseases. But then, about six years ago, we had an outbreak of H1N1, and though we were able to contain it, we were concerned it would develop into a pandemic. We had not been building hospitals in preparation of such cases. Our hospitals were not equipped; we didn’t have the required double isolation rooms, for example. So we had to fly in expensive equipment to set them up – a serious investment made by the Ministry.

That was a lesson learnt. Now, the healthcare sector, in general, is treated as a serious investment by the Ministry of Health. It looks at major hospitals to make sure that they have the equipment and the systems necessary to receive patients with infectious diseases, that special isolation rooms are airtight and won’t allow the spread of airborne viruses. Ventilation and HVAC, especially, are significant considerations. And I’m not talking about small babies. I mean very expensive ventilators and chillers that meet standards for not only operational capability but also healthcare suitability.

Sustainability has been a buzzword in the Gulf region in the last few years. Sustainability measures like going green. How

can they be applied to the healthcare industry?

When it comes to sustainability in the healthcare industry, the most important part is the ability to continue to pay.

The healthcare tag keeps going up, and it’s breaking the back of every country in the world. Sustainability should come from diversifying the economy, by changing one’s healthcare organisation from being totally cost-centred to being partially profit-centred, as a way of achieving some return on investments.

In terms of being green, it’s very difficult – difficult, not impossible – to adopt that in the healthcare industry, because the services will be affected. Just to give you an example, today, hospitals use disposables to minimise the risk of spreading infections. That is not a green practice, but it is necessary, for now. I don’t know if one day we’re going to go back to how it was before the time of disposables. But healthcare is certainly never going to be a sector that will become economically easy to manage.

One should remember, however that the strain imposed by costs and the need to control expenses will always push people to find ways and innovate.

That can be both a good and a bad thing because one of the biggest influences of healthcare costs and healthcare quality is new technology.

Like I said, it can be a bad thing, a good thing or both; it depends on how one looks at it.

QUOTEWORTHY

A great person attracts great people and knows how to hold them together.

- Johann Wolfgang Von Goethe

My model for business is The Beatles.

They were four guys who kept each other’s kind of negative tendencies in check. They balanced each other and the total was greater than the sum of the parts.

That’s how I see business: great things in business are never done by one person, they’re done by a team of people.

- Steve Jobs

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Leadership is not about titles, positions, or flow charts. It is about one life influencing another.

- John Maxwell

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15 - 16 June 2015 The Meydan Hotel, Dubai, UAE

POST-EVENT REPORT: PART 1

: 2 8 a d g n n e i Ag struct n o t c c e e D n n o c s i d e th nt rnme ustries e v o g d 2 saw AC in ord 8 rence n and HV nto a rec ts of e f n ni l Co cerp ctio ontro constru oken dow ng are ex C e t r i e a b h Clim ther om t follow f The olders fr ons – fur ent. The o n i h v editio stake e 14 sess o-day e h e 8th s well as w t t h f t e o f n a f th 1o Day entatives first seve genda o ne 15... a e s u h e e J repr pate in t de up th lace on i a p c i t at m at took par or th s – th t Edit topic cussions n a t s i is | Ass the d rna e C a l a de atim F y b rt Repo

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ector l Dir a i f the r o oal o Edit -g , d r n a e nd the Sure lt out tor, B , spe y a r r bout t e s d mo ing a ndu s g I a n I i r s P b k at mar of the of C aimed d decade ing re ublisher n e e c p n o P on erie n his e, e sec ciate e exp orativ t of th Asso uniqu n i d a o n . r ollab -p e c o a d f n i , astal o e e : m o r l v e rea t the d he llecti tire c renc a e a n e o r f c e s e e n i r o a g th a e c a ction. ng ctin ing We are g of prote destru te cha ut embrac tion. a to a m “We m o m tives d r li r f abo nity senta rom c ng an ansfo , a e i f r tr g s t i m turers p t n r i a u c e e e h r As nufa from tire h mark earc e thr a n s t. ls th le m n e u e , v d e o s ents , th ser a le ironm out s r y, an statem fort end-u roadly ing se lt-env is ab , n i b p centu s o u r e e i , t s c b e e s d s n k p i 1 n 2 re m the to elo ve ef nt a confe pany r dev roach nce in ollecti ceme m te p c e o s i la p c r a d p “This of a e l s n m i a d s, exp ted dua reas inking g firm d to indivi assive onnec ind a rtable n th f m -c o ti r f e c to m v te m a ti o n i co ec ere s.” ontr gne s fr red h is coll ting a ms, c ective unitie dy ali for king gathe ng fir t crea d obj alrea c i comm u n lt e la o isor ly a v u s b b v a n s n a a h n d te o b f o e o c A e o o ti r f ls l w s hy on th re p at i nd o pecta nica It is a at’s w ound ut wh you a r’s ex Tech r ent, a b th , e g m s , d k r th d n c ls e n r o n A id h ba ra goa gove -prov brief unity. d eac rato ental u er vice comm erstan co-mode ave a ronm i d r g v n e , n u ng yo y ld and s e r r out da: ette ust keho questi nt’s n b ll d e ta e e e r n s g v . p I to e s a o e e I i r d e e ar CP ot b that ty an e enti on th t at l scen di, th will n onali by th It’s topics men Nan “We typica p e . a e o comm f us. n t th l o th a a e s ell a Dev g all ch is e beg i Soug n w i h h e ’. l s lv ” n w , b a o o at int, inv sati ence aina onfer e form werPo nversation onfer c Sust u o ‘ c q P i r a n n t la i u su co so a reg alling g 14 ve a event’ tation ics to ha rted c is not resen overin s ta c p i s s e e c e e top k c i “This v a we’ feren ing th 2 top , n nd m s 8 e o a epth o c t c o n -d e a h s m to in w th n; he nd c d thi n i o o i n to co h n i ti k e o h a I b s e g o n, on rily nver ea b ts wh chose otivati cessa um-co The id exper have ot ne e nce-c The m n e e th r t. ll w i e t f lo m a ew fro tha a con g. W seem oints topics key p nythin days, r the a n o o f s o s i s tw s u A tm cross to foc do no ns, a y like t we ll a a sessio e th r ’d ure ut we ake s pic, b is to m to h c ea sis of analy ” here. thered a g e hav

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15 - 16 June 2015 The Meydan Hotel, Dubai, UAE

POST-EVENT REPORT: PART 1

SESSION 1: Government aspirations, programmes and initiatives Highlights Surendar: “We wish to start from where we feel is a logical point and that is to understand the stimulatory stance taken by the regional governments. They have been very proactive in taking certain measures to stimulate the economy. Dubai Expo 2020 is a wonderful example of a very robust effort at stimulating the economy, and all of us have been privy to vision statements coming from the region, such as the Dubai Integrated Energy Strategy, the Abu Dhabi Sustainability 2030 and the Qatar National Vision 2030. Also, in 2010, the UAE released a very interesting document that focused on environment health: the UAE National Strategy and Action Plan for Environmental Health. For us, it is about collecting all these vision statements, all these stimulatory measures and throwing open the discussions.”

Nandi: “What progress has the Dubai Supreme Council of Energy made, in terms of its overall targets?”

Faisal Ali Rashid, Director for Demand Side Management, Dubai Supreme Council of Energy: “We have programmes on street lighting, treated water and District Cooling, and they have been or are being activated. In terms of energy savings, we’re trying to achieve around 19 kWh by 2030 – which is not an aggregate – and 47 billion imperial gallon of water. For many regulations, like the building codes,

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we started with public buildings in 2010, and when buildings are commissioned, we compare them to a building with a similar footprint before the building codes, so we can assess and push for the target of 30% reduction of power consumption. Since 2013, we have applied the building codes to all the communities in Dubai. In terms of permit, more than 30 million square feet are in compliance with the building codes.

“We also have a retrofitting programme, with a target of 30,000 buildings by 2030, and a demand-response plan, which requires metering and smart grid. In terms of numbers and KPIs, out of the identified goal of 30% consumption reduction, the target for the 2010-2015 period was four per cent, but we are ahead of schedule because we have achieved five per cent savings.”

Nandi: “What has ESMA achieved when it comes to the implementation of guidelines or equipment standards? Also, when identifying specifications for equipment, what process does ESMA go through?”

Jasim Mohammad Sulaiman Al Ali, Head of Section for the Electrical and Mechanical team in the Conformity Affairs Department, Emirates Authority for Standardization and Metrology: “In 2012, we implemented the first stage of the HVAC [efficiencyrating scheme], for window and split-unit air conditioners, and we’re now working on the second stage, which expands the scope to cover non-ducted and package ACs, including chillers, heat

Perhaps, one of the fundamental causes of energy inefficiency and poor IEQ in many buildings in the region is an inability or unwillingness, or both, on the part of the construction and HVAC industries to translate the building owner’s intent into reality

exchangers and air circulators. Our targets, as a government body, are to achieve a spinning reserve in energy, reduce carbon dioxide and reduce the load on the network.

“About the process, first of all, we create a draft and then circulate it to the government and the private sector, so everyone has a contribution in the regulation. Everyone in the government and in the industry is aware of the direction ESMA is heading for and what new regulations are coming into the market. This awareness will help smoothen the implementation of the regulation and level the playing field, in terms of entering the UAE market.”

Nandi: “What is the definition of affordable housing, and how does one deliver affordable housing?”

Nesar Reza Khan, Head, Investment Agency, GGICO Properties: “These master-plan developments are not necessarily skyscrapers; they’re G+4, G+6 or G+8.

Typically, we concentrate on studios and onebeds, going up to 2-beds, maximum. These projects are for the mid-segment, with a household disposable income of between AED 9,000 and 15,000, and if the developers could afford in-house financing, where 30% of the construction cost is allocated during the construction process and the balance of the 70%, if we could get that from the investors or the end-users post-completion, that would make it more affordable for the mid-segment to come in and own property in Dubai, instead of living in another emirate.”

SESSION 2: Mega events, master-planning and master developments Highlights Surendar: “The Government’s efforts at stimulating the economy have historically included mega projects and mega events.

Projects, such as the Dubai Shopping Festival (DSF), starting in 1995, were part of the initial foray to carve out a tourismbased economy.”

Nandi: “No one was asking or forcing you to do a project like The Sustainable City, so why did you choose to develop it?”

Faris Saeed, CEO, Diamond Developers: “I would say it was a mix of guilt for past developments and increasing utility bills. We also saw that in Dubai, not many developers were paying attention to the environment and to power and water consumption. Feeling the need, we started to think seriously about developing a sustainable city. Can we build a project that addresses all sustainability aspects without extra costs? This was the main challenge for us. We started to do the studies. We ended up with the conclusion that you can cover all aspects of the environment without compromising on quality and without spending extra. As developers and contractors, we don’t see the costs of a project from just one angle.

We see it in a holistic way, where all the savings that should be implemented are calculated for. So, that was the first question, and after it was answered, everything else was easy for us.”

Nandi: “Is there a way to reduce the construction costs of affordable housing?”

Khan: “In a typical project where the developer is also in charge of the infrastructure, it would come to at least AED 50 to 100 per square feet for infrastructure cost. On top of that, we’re looking at AED 100 per square feet for professional cost and project lifecycle management cost, and any kind of quality development will cost you AED 300 per square feet. That’s already AED 500 per square feet, and it’s still without the cost of land. For a private developer, it is very difficult to embark on a project, wherein you want to pass an endproduct to an end-user at AED 500 to 600 per square feet. We almost have to reach a limit of AED 800 – minimum – so that we can ensure profit for private developers.

My advice to parties who are involved here today, both from the government side and the private sectors, is to develop a public-private-partnership model that would make affordable housing economically sustainable.”

SESSION 3: What the owner wants, how to get everyone to read from the same page as a foundation to realising key aspirations and objectives Highlights Surendar: “Perhaps one of the fundamental causes of energy inefficiency and poor Indoor Environmental Quality (IEQ) in many buildings in the region is an inability or unwillingness, or both, on the part of the construction and HVAC industries to translate the building owner’s intent into reality. This is, of course, assuming that the owner has the right ideals in mind.”

Nandi: “How did you convince management to take a sustainable approach? And do you believe that owners, in general, truly want to be sustainable?”

Bharat Asarpota, Maintenance Engineer, Emarat: “Management was not, and are still not, convinced.

The only thing that convinces them is when you actually bring the cost down; when you say, ‘Listen I’m going to do this project, and I will bring your energy bills [down] by 30 to 40%.’ That excites them. At the top level, I don’t think there was a commitment to look at the environment in a positive way, unless it was a side effect. If bringing down the energy bills helps the environment, then good.

Environment CSR is a very fashionable statement, but management is only looking to bring the costs down.”

George Kenich, SEMCO, Guest Lecturer at Harvard University: “The owner needs to understand the lifecycle of the project and the equipment he is planning to implement.

Education for

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15 - 16 June 2015 The Meydan Hotel, Dubai, UAE

POST-EVENT REPORT: PART 1

would have the architect, the structural engineer, the green consultant and the MEP engineer, for the role of each team member affects the MEP design and the MEP equipment selection.” owners is minimal or non-existent. The owners don’t have any idea what they’re trying to build. Their only concern is getting back their money in six or eight or 10 years. It’s a disaster, because nobody knows what building lifecycle and main development lifecycle mean. Nobody is making an effort to resolve this by educating the owners and telling them how to get savings.”

Nandi: “A classic challenge in the construction industry is when an architect has designed a building, then MEP functions come in and they have a huge gap. This used to be the case many years back. Is the concept changing? Are MEP skills sets coming in or getting integrated at the architectural design phase?”

Nabil Shafa Amry, Manager, MEP, La Casa Architects and Engineering Consultants: “In the last two or three years, when starting a project, we’ve been considering sustainability and green building requirements. We begin by building a strong team of people who have a common understanding of sustainability requirements. This team

Jagath Gunawardena, Manager, Projects and Building Development, Dubai Chamber of Commerce and Industry: “In February 1995, we moved into the Dubai Chamber of Commerce building, which was actually built by a Japanese consultant. The facade and the roof were fantastic. The internal insulation was excellent, but MEP was 300 times oversized. It was a trend then, and the MEP side was not designed by the Japanese. It was given to a local MEP [company] to design, and, as expected, the result was unbelievably oversized. I had eight chillers, and we never had the occasion to run more than three until 2010, when we replaced those chillers.”

SESSION 4: Getting into the design of things Highlights Surendar: “The construction frenzy of the mid-noughties engendered a culture of unreasonable project delivery deadlines.

Faced with the situation, HVAC design best practices were compromised and corners cut. Buildings went up on a cookie-cutter template, unmindful of such issues as orientation, the result being widespread energy inefficiencies and IEQ nightmare scenarios.”

Nandi: “Is there a danger that we are going through the same thing again because of Expo 2020 and all the projects that have been announced?”

George Berbari, CEO, DC Pro Engineering: “The pace of real estate sales today is slower, thus allowing developers to spend a little bit more time on organisation... and they have time to do value engineering and optimisation, which were never there in 2007. Back then, people wanted to build and deliver as fast as they could.”

Charles Blaschke, General Manager, taka solutions: “As an ESCO, we come from a unique standpoint where we are the consultant and, because we are responsible for the performance of the project, the owner. Design is very important for us, for when we retrofit a building, it’s all performance-based. If we don’t operate from design, orientation and performance standpoints, there’s no way we

For now, most of the owners do not understand energy modelling and its benefits; and also, there are bad energy modellers out there

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can achieve energy savings. We like to use technology, and I feel that where we are today, this market is very different from 2007, 2008. There are a lot of tools available that can make designs better. You can show an owner, either through BIM or an energy model, the impact your design can have on energy efficiency.”

Hassan Younes, Technical Director, Griffin Consultants: “For now, most of the owners do not understand energy modelling and its benefits; and also, there are bad energy modellers out there.... At this point, we are using more energy modelling for existing buildings, especially for ESCOs, who want to guarantee their savings. It can become quite tricky. You have the bills, and you have to calibrate the model, and that’s where you need expertise in modelling a building as well as its controls and efficiencies.”

be so? Have complacent building owners slackened efforts, defeating the very purpose of the exercise?”

Nandi: “In the context of the UAE being the smartest country in the world, how is the government really defining a smart building?”

SESSION 5: Different shades of green Highlights

Salim Mohammad Zid, Senior Civil Engineer, Dubai Municipality: “It is the vision of the government for Dubai to be ranked among the smartest cities in the world by 2017, and to become a smart city, we must make smart buildings. To do that, we must not only check energy performance or water and electricity consumption, we must go deeper and check on the occupants themselves – check their performance and productivity, their safety and security. Our focus now is to start with the building and to integrate the city’s infrastructure with its buildings. Building management systems are available, and our infrastructure in Dubai is modern, so the transition to smart buildings should not be difficult.”

Surendar: “The task of enhancing energy efficiency is an ongoing exercise. How many of the buildings that have earned the instantly recognisable LEED green plaque – be it platinum, gold or silver – continue to

Nandi: “Has EGBC conducted any evaluation of how green LEED-certified buildings really are a few years down the line of operation? If no, do you have plans to do that?”

Sarfraz Dairkee, Secretary to the Board, Emirates Green Building Council: “We are trying to develop the mechanism to collect the data and disseminate that information.

Our first target buildings are those in the hospitality industry. We will collect and collate data based on a scheme like Energy Star.”

SESSION 6: The contracting phase Highlights Nandi: “So, we have a sustainably designed building, and the papers have been approved by authorities. Now comes on board the contractor, who has been selected not because he has sustainability credentials, but because the procurement process gives weight to different criteria and this particular contractor got the highest score for being the cheapest. Is this still happening? Are tenders, by and large, awarded to the cheapest contractor?”

Samir Thabet, Sustainability Coordination Manager, Consolidated Contractors Company: “I can’t say that I agree with that, because we’ve been working on bigger scale projects recently.

In fact, we just did one big project in Saudi Arabia, and the sustainability weight in the tender evaluation was five per cent – the same percentage given to quality and safety. That was important to us, because we are concerned about sustainability, and in cases where that’s used to evaluate us, sustainability is also what clients are paying for.”

August 2015

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15 - 16 June 2015 The Meydan Hotel, Dubai, UAE

POST-EVENT REPORT: PART 1

Nandi: “Are contractors getting more support and better understanding from the developers?”

Kenich: “Not from all the developers, because the main driving force for most developments here is profit. Although, there are some who understand what lifecycle means and what it means to market a Green Building and what better returns they might have for the Green Building. The government now has initiative and that extends to government developers. They have systems developed just to be in line with Green requirements; but the reality is, more developers still believe that a Green Building is much, much more expensive. And this is true if you only look at the initial cost of the building, but not if you also consider the lifecycle cost.”

Nandi: “As someone who specialises in District Cooling systems, what challenges are you seeing today, and are those challenges shifting?”

Khalil Issa, Managing Director, ADC Energy Systems: “Our clients include the likes of Tabreed, Emicool and Empower. But we also have master developers, who build and operate their own plants. The essential KPI for all of them is efficiency, meaning lifecycle analysis, and how much it’s going to cost them to cool and to provide that utility to their end-users. And of course, from that perspective, they have to bank on two things: capital cost/first cost and operating cost, and that’s where the kilowatt per tonne becomes so critical. Has this

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To become a smart city, we must make smart buildings. To do that, we must not only check energy performance or water and electricity consumption, we must go deeper and check on the occupants themselves changed in the last 10 years? No, it’s still largely measured by what is the overall kilowatt per tonne, but what has changed is the actual value of what is a kilowatt per tonne today compared to 10 years ago.”

SESSION 7: Manufacturing and supply Highlights

either programme will it be allowed to enter the market.”

Nandi: “With the transition towards greener and more sustainable projects, have you had to discontinue specific products because they are no longer relevant?”

Surendar: “In nearly 10 years of editing Climate Control Middle East, I have had the privilege of interacting with a wide cross-section of manufacturers. They have individually presented their solutions for better energy efficiency, reliability and IEQ. At the same time, they have expressed their frustration over issues like counterfeiting, misrepresentation of certifications, monopolistic practices and under-invoicing.

In short, the demand is for a level playing field.”

Saad Ali, General Manager, Ruskin Titus: “We advise consultants and contractors on products that are no longer usable and energy efficient. Some of them insist on it, again because of the so-called ‘value engineering’. I don’t agree with it. There’s no value engineering in making a building cheaper and making a profit in the next two years rather than looking at the long term.”

Nandi: “What mechanisms have been deployed or adopted to protect consumers from the ill effects of products currently available in the UAE market?”

Nandi: “Local manufacturers face huge competition from multinational companies, with their more established and betterrecognised brand names.”

Al Ali: “To bring the focus on HVAC – manufacturers need to prove that their products comply with UAE standards by submitting test results from an accredited laboratory. The test results, which should supply information on safety and performance, will be the basis for certification. At ESMA, we have two certification programmes: the ECAS (Emirates Conformity Assessment Scheme) and the EQM (Emirates Quality Mark). Only when a product has been certified under

Asim Hashmi, Sales Director, Applied, SKM Air Conditioning: “Local manufacturers are a boon to the country, because they promote selfdependence. That is very important in case of an embargo on AC equipment. Can you imagine that happening and we were

reliant on international manufacturers? We would not survive.

“Unfortunately, international players are given more preference than local manufactures, because somehow, there’s a perception that local manufacturers produce low quality – and that is despite us meeting quality standards, performing performance testing and receiving certification from organisations like Eurovent and AHRI. People should give local manufacturers encouragement and a fair chance to compete.”

Sanjiv Sachdeva, Managing Director, GESS: “Another perception that is in the market even today is that anything from the West is more technologically advanced and more expensive; anything coming from Far East or developing countries, including locally manufactured products, is obsolete and low cost. We market a lot of products from India, and they have patented equipment not manufactured anywhere else, including all developed countries. The point is this: the product has to be suitable and should be designed with our climate in mind, and some of the local products are far better in that respect.”

Nandi: “As a global player, you must be coming up against competition, not only from other multinational companies, but also local outfits who know the local market much better. When it comes to the GCC region, is there a specific major challenge that you are facing today?”

Dermott Crombie, Vice President for Strategic Initiatives, Ingersoll Rand: “We don’t see a problem in that respect. The playing field is as it is, and we provide products globally. The timing when a product might get rolled out will be different. We will probably have the advantage of greater R&D in various parts of the world. We have R&D in the US, in India and in China, and all play together to give us a product that we can then roll out to different parts of the

world. So, there are pluses and minuses, but I think the playing field is fairly balanced.”

Hans Reinders, CEO, Oxycom: “We have been looking at the market here for the last two years.

And in the past three or four months, we have basically decided which way we are going to go.

There’s tremendous opportunity for us here. But to tap into that, we believe that you really have to dive into the pond and work with the people and learn together.”

Nandi: “Are you facing any operational challenges as a result of being here?”

Reinders: “We are. But when you’re in the pond, you’ve got to swim. There is a lot of knowledge here that can help us, and the people I’ve met are interesting and knowledgeable.”

Nandi: “When it comes to fire and safety products, quality standards as well as installation protocols are not as negotiable as with regular AC products. What has been your observation of the industry per se?”

Karim Badruddin, General Manager, Central Ventilation Systems: “For fire and safety products, civil defence is solely responsible for giving the approval needed so they can be sold. As for product quality, it is, of course, the responsibility of the manufacturers. What I’ve seen around here is that there are manufacturers who go against what their products are tested for by changing components to make them cheaper....

“I want to emphasise the issue of installation of fire-related products, irrespective of what product it is. Any fire product is successfully tested only on a certain installation method, which is described in their documentation. Now when the product is being purchased by

an MEP contractor or a civil contractor, are these products installed in the same manner it was installed during the test? That is a big question.”

Vivek Thombre, Regional Manager, ME, Desiccant Rotors International: “Being a components manufacturer, one way around the installation issue is to carry out the installation in one’s own factory.

As has been pointed out, it can be difficult to verify if a product’s performance is a result of how it was installed.”

Conclusion of Day 1

Day 1 of C3 concluded with Surendar thanking the delegates and promising an exciting array of sessions on Day 2 on regulation, and more importantly, selfregulation, among other topics. Leaving everyone something to mull over, he said: “It’s the responsibility of every individual and of every stakeholder, in this multiplestakeholder community, to regulate themselves. This is not just about ESMA coming after you, but what we do as individuals towards energy efficiency and better IEQ.”

In September, we will be sharing with you the highlights on what transpired on Day 2.

Fighting #climatechange is critical to protecting our environment, powering our economy & safeguarding our country.

Hillary Clinton @HillaryClinton

August 2015

37

PERSPECTIVE George Berbari is the CEO of DC PRO Engineering.

He can be contacted at gberbari@ dcproeng.com

Air Handling Units PART 5

What ails our industry In his continued endeavour to seek answers to what ails our industry, George Berbari in Part five of the series takes a closer look at fresh air AHUs with total heat recovery wheels‌

I

have played a major role in two ASHRAE publications and the introduction of run-around coil in 1993 and double heat recovery AHU in 1999, and set the trend in the Middle East’s fresh air treatment. To my great disappointment, I have found that serious cross-contamination and total wheel quality issues have begun to emerge from several installations in the UAE without eliciting any serious response from the industry. I have also discovered that none of the major manufacturers are

Diagram 1

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August 2015

Due to crosscontamination concerns, many hospitals avoid using wheels, and many more clients are extremely concerned about the wheel use, and request guarantees from suppliers that there will be no odour carry over

purchasing the wheels based on either the credentials of the suppliers or subjecting the products to rigorous performance test.

Another problem is that both AHRI and Eurovent focus on thermal performance and not on cross-contamination, and their entire third-party tests covering cross-contamination are based mainly on SF6 tracer gas that neither represent odours of fried onion from the kitchen nor those emanating from the toilet, which are made up of complex and diversified chemicals.

I have started to see designs that are put on the kitchen exhaust electrostatic and carbon filter prior to entering the wheel. This not only consumes more fan power but also necessitates carbon filter replacement every three to six months, depleting a big portion of the savings achieved by the heat recovery wheel. A proper method of cooling and ventilating a kitchen would be to install an independent FCU to cool the kitchen, and to have the exhaust air taken from the kitchen’s false ceiling, while the residential kitchen hood is left to recirculate the air at the time of cooking, in order to capture grease and reduce

the smell of cooking.

Additional design mistakes include excessive exhaust air – double of what ASHRAE 62.1 requires – for toilets 25 CFM (12 L/s) and for the kitchen 50 CFM (24 L/s) on continuous duty. Residential buildings are exhaust-air dominant. For example, when we select exhaust air at minimum value for a one-bedroom apartment of 750-square-foot (ft2) builtup area, with one and a half toilet and one kitchen, it would require 2x25+ 1x50 = 100 CFM of exhaust, and fresh air is selected at 10% higher to maintain positive pressure, which would be 110 CFM of fresh air, while the Fresh air requirement, as per ASHRAE 62.1, is 750 ft2 x 0.06 CFM / ft2 + two person/ apartment x 5 CFM/person = 55 CFM. Hence the selected fresh air of 110 CFM based on exhaust translates to double the fresh air requirement. A question arises here as to why we still see exhaust air specified at 30 to 50 CFM/toilet and 60 to 100 CFM/kitchen. And why are we seeing exhaust air quantity of less than 90%, and sometimes as low as 50% of fresh air in residential buildings?

Another common mistake is, when the manufacturer selects the cooling coil of fresh air AHU based on 500 FPM (2.5 m/ sec) face velocity, for example, a 10,000 CFM AHU would require a 20 ft2 (1.86 m2) coil face area, and typically they would go for a 2 x 1 m section for fresh air and a 2 x 1 m section for exhaust to allow for the coil + headers to fit. This will allow a wheel rectangular section of maximum 1.92 x 1.92 m, and the wheel diameter that typically is selected would be 1.8 m with face velocity exceeding 800 FPM (4.0 m/sec), resulting in effectiveness as low as 65% in lieu of the 80% that is desired. Another factor that lowers the wheel effectiveness is 200 mm deep wheel media compared to 270 mm. The low wheel effectiveness would increase the cooling coil from a desired 35 BTU/CFM to as high as 65 BTU/cfm, increasing the total building cooling energy by as much as 10 to 15%!

Due to cross-contamination concerns, many hospitals avoid using wheels, and many more clients are extremely concerned about the wheel use, and request guarantees from suppliers that there will be no odour carry over. Very few suppliers or manufacturers are willing to offer such guarantees. This has led many designers and contractors to wrongly offer sensible recovery for the most humid city on Earth, where during night or off-

peak milder, but more humid hours, the sensible recovery will diminish to zero.

In this context, many are asking if there are any other alternatives to thermal. Why do I feel responsible and a bit guilty that I have introduced the double heat wheel concept to the Middle East? Is it I who needs to find an alternative, or is there someone else who should do that?

I have been introduced to liquid desiccant dehumidification by the Masdar

Team, and I have been requested to analyse the concept. I have done so, and have later assisted my university, the American University of Beirut (AUB), to have one unit on which they have conducted a few studies. I have also designed a city-wide liquid desiccant centralised system with geothermal last stage heat used for regeneration for the entire Masdar City. But as with all new ideas, they require maturity, and need to

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August 2015

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PERSPECTIVE

Air Handling Units PART 5

What ails our industry

Diagram 2

start small and develop proven track records prior to getting into massive adaptation.

Let me now explain what liquid desiccant is, and if we can start introducing the technology on a small scale.

Liquid desiccant is basically a salt Lithium Chloride solution that has 40% concentration and has affinity to water moisture. As the humid fresh air passes over plates with flowing desiccant, the desiccant absorbs humidity from the air, and the air stream is dryer and hotter as it passes through. As the desiccant absorbs humidity, it dilutes to 32% concentration, and requires either a regenerating hot air or the heat exchange with the exhaust air stream to regenerate it back to 40% concentration, so that the cycle can repeat itself.

The main advantage of the liquid desiccant is that it not only has zero cross-contamination, but also the liquid desiccant itself has microbiological decontamination

concept and allow for wider implementations in the GCC region. Does that mean we need to discount the thermal recovery wheel? Of course not. But we need to filter those with extremely low cross-contaminations through new testing methods and more vigorous third-party testing, as well as manufacturer guarantees for extremely low crosscontaminations that avoid bringing back kitchen cooking odours into residential buildings.ď ś

Does that mean we need to discount the thermal recovery wheel?

Of course not. But we need to filter those with extremely low crosscontaminations through new testing methods and more vigorous third-party testing

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August 2015

effect. Also, it is not sensitive to the static pressure that can impact the wheel, and is available for large air flow up to 80,000 CFM (38,000 L/s) in a single unit.

A small demonstration unit of 1,000 CFM capacity has been ordered, and will be installed in the UAE at a demonstration centre with 24/7 monitoring. The second step then would be to start real-life applications that will prove the

CPI Industry accepts no liability for the views or opinions expressed in this column, or for the consequences of any actions taken on the basis of the information provided here.

HAVE YOUR SAY! We welcome your views on the article.

Write to editor@cpi-industry.com

JAN 25-27

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C O-S P O N S O R S

THE WORLD’S L ARGEST HVACR MARKETPL ACE | AHREXPO.COM

August 2015

41

FEATURE counterfeiting

The chilling

case of counterfeits The piracy industry is booming, with the HVACR sector incurring losses worth billions of dollars. Despite stringent action taken against various rogue dealers in the form of raids and hefty fines, the battle against counterfeit trade is far from won.

Industry insiders shed light on the thriving menace.

Rajiv Pillai reports.

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August 2015

A

ccording to estimates

by FBI, Interpol, World Customs Organization and the International Chamber of Commerce, roughly seven to eight per cent of international trade every year is in counterfeit goods. In 2013, the US Department of Homeland Security seized counterfeit goods valued at over USD 1.7 billion at US borders. The International AntiCounterfeiting Coalition (IACC) estimates that the counterfeiting of well-known brands costs industries USD 600 billion each year worldwide. It is known that globally, the trafficking of counterfeit goods is much bigger.

The problem is even more rampant in the HVACR sector.

Big companies like Danfoss, Honeywell, Emerson and DuPont have borne the brunt of product piracy in the past. AED four to five million is the amount of sales Danfoss estimates it lost between the end of 2014 and early 2015 due to counterfeiting, reveals Santhosh Kumar, Danfoss Regional Sales Manager for Wholesalers.

Adds Naveen Sivakumar, “Beginning in 2009, we’ve noticed that the problem [with counterfeits] has been escalating.” Sivakumar is the Regional Marketing Manager (Middle East and Africa) at Danfoss. He elucidates, “At first, the fakes were limited to simple products, like filter driers, but in the past few years, we’ve been seeing imitations of compressors and other technologies, some of which are patented.”

Santhosh Kumar

Naveen Sivakumar

Filters are like insurance on your car.

You can run your car without insurance. The problem really occurs when you meet with an accident to the overall HVACR system.

“Counterfeit HVACR products can affect the operation of HVACR systems in terms of reduced performance efficiency, increased power consumption, higher noise levels and overall reduction in the life expectancy of the system,” warns Kurien.

Vikash Sekhani, Director of Sales and Marketing at SAFE

A&T Technology, Private Limited, India, referring to filter driers, contends that they should not be considered a small and simple product.

He speaks from experience, as his company primarily exports filter driers and other accessories to the Middle East. He believes that a poor

Dermott Crombie

Vikash Sekhani

The real damage

Besides the financial damages incurred, says Abin P Kurien, Sales Manager at the Refrigeration and Air Conditioning Division at Naser Al Sayer & Company (NASCO), counterfeit products can harm the brand value and reputation of the OEM; this is for cases when customers fail to identify the difference between genuine and counterfeit products. This, he says, will “negatively impact their [the manufacturers’] turnover and profits”. Furthermore, one must not ignore the damage caused

Abin P Kurien

August 2015

43

FEATURE counterfeiting

quality filter will result in the presence of moisture and solid contaminants in the system, which will eventually lead to blocking the expansion valve, causing damage to the brazed assembly and, ultimately, the failure of the compressor.

“Where filter driers are concerned, I would say, if you plan on using counterfeit [filter driers], it’s better you don’t use anything at all,” he advises.

“Filters are like insurance on your car. You can run your car without insurance. The problem really occurs when you meet with an accident.”

Rajendra Kumar Verma, the Divisional Manager at Technical and Trading LLC, asserts that the issue related to counterfeits is quite serious. He explains: “You will find lot of refrigeration controls that are fake, and they have been sold by various dealer channels in the market.

There is very minimal difference between real and counterfeit [controls].”

Pirated products are not restricted to controls, filter driers and compressors alone, but extends to refrigerants, which is an all-new dangerous ball game. At the recent Climate Control Conference (C3) that took place on June 15 and 16, in Dubai, Dermott Crombie, Vice President of Strategic Initiatives at Ingersoll Rand, warned about the availability of fake refrigerants in the market. “If you take something as generic as 134A, it comes in a light blue bottle,” he says.

“It has got 134A written on the outside of the bottle, and you assume that inside, it’s 134A, and that it meets the AHRI specifications and is 99.5% pure. What we have found, over the last several years is that it may not necessarily be true.

“The simplest test to apply is that if somebody offers you a refrigerant that looks too good to be true in terms of price or delivery, then it’s probably

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August 2015

A “renewed” problem

F

or the HVACR sector, apart from dealing with product piracy, there is a new, or rather, a renewed problem. Rajendra Kumar Verma, Divisional Manager at Technical and Trading LLC, says that old products such as compressors are refurbished and sold as new. Here’s what he says on the subject: “Re-new is something that normally happens in China. What they do is they refurbish used compressors and make them look like new. And they will sell them at a (re) new or a bit cheaper price.

Rajendra Kumar Verma So, the customer is not aware of what it is, but he is getting them at a much cheaper price. For example, if I’m selling my SECOP compressors for AED 300, other traders would offer those at say, AED 275 or 270, which I can’t match, because I’m not even buying at the price because my margin is not that high. I’m buying from Danfoss, and I really can’t think of selling at that price.

So, basically, they are making very high margins on refurbished products. That’s another area of concern for us.”

Speak up!

“As a manufacturer of highly engineered and quality-assurance-tested components, it is our duty to tackle counterfeit goods. With the support of Dubai’s economic authorities, we have conducted raids on local establishments, but often the major distributor is left unaffected. We also educate the market with genuine parts campaigns. Since counterfeiters have become very good at fooling people, the best way to guarantee you are buying genuine products is to only trust our network of authorised distributors. Counterfeiters cost the market tens of millions of dollars each year, but they will not flourish if we all refuse to stay silent.”

– Tom Parrish, Vice President of Sales and Marketing, Emerson Climate Technologies, Middle East and Africa

too good to be true. The most worrying one is a product called R-40; I don’t know if people are familiar [with it], but R-40 reacts violently with aluminium, and then you get into big problems.”

In 2012, DuPont initiated an investigation into T.A. Fresco, a company in the Philippines, which was supplying refrigerants to a service provider in the shipping industry. DuPont conducted an undercover purchase, which revealed that T.A. Fresco was selling R-134A refrigerant cylinders with incorrect spelling and markings, which indicated that the product was counterfeit.

Upon further testing the contents

of the cylinders, the product was determined to be made up of more than 90% R-12 refrigerant. With the assistance of US Homeland Security officials, the local police raided the T.A. Fresco warehouse and seized 511 counterfeit cylinders.

Those who fuel the fake market

It is evident that the entire issue of product piracy would not exist without a demand for fake goods. Low cost is the primary driving factor behind this damaging demand. Mathai Chacko, General Manager at Cool Air, says: “We have seen

a lot of fakes [being sold], because there’s a lot of price difference. Many customers for monetary benefit are going to every store checking for duplicates [to buy]. The price difference between a fake and an original maybe 50%.”

The culprits fuelling this demand are small-time traders and businessmen, who, for short-term monetary benefits, indulge in such malpractices, Sekhani observes. He adds that at times, the official dealer is also to blame. When Sekhani once reportedly confronted a dealer about this, the blatant reply he got from him was,

“The guy who sells duplicates gives me more business.”

Verma claims that his company is constantly trying to educate and warn wholesalers and customers that not all traders carry genuine products.

Countering counterfeits – an ongoing battle

When awareness campaigns and warnings go unheeded, almost all big companies attempt to curb piracy through raids and by levying huge fines. “We also go legal at times,” says Sivakumar.

“When we identify that someone is selling fakes, we take legal action against them

by taking them to the court. In Egypt, for example, we won a case and the trader was sent to jail for six months.”

However, the majority of the HVACR players feel that such punishments are not stringent enough, and that they do not solve the problem. “Let us be realistic, we cannot stop this,” admits Sivakumar. “We can only make these people’s lives difficult. That’s all we can do.”

Manufacturers like Bitzer, Danfoss and DuPont, says Kurien, adopt modern technologies like QR codes, holograms and special design markings on their products in order to easily identify

genuine products. Sekhani earlier believed that holograms were one of the best ways to stop counterfeit products. He has, however, observed that counterfeiters have found a way to copy them, too.

In addition, most HVACR players point their fingers towards China, claiming it to be the hub of counterfeit factories.

Sekhani states that 99% of counterfeit products come from the Far East countries like China. “We close one factory in China, another one will open,” Sivakumar reveals. “They’re like mushrooms – they sprout up here and there.”

Verma says that the only thing you can do is to continue with raids in China and find out

where they are manufacturing fake products. “It’s an ongoing process,” he says. “It’s not going to end so easily. The only step that we should take is create awareness in the marketplace to buy genuine products, and not counterfeits.”

HAVE YOUR SAY! We welcome your views on the article. Write to editor@cpi-industry.com

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August 2015

45

PERSPECTIVE The writer is the Business Development Manager for the MENA Region at TrakRef. He can be contacted at: claborde@ trakref.com

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part ii

‘Industry conversations are calling for government intervention on shorter time-lines’ In part I of this series, Christopher LaBorde reviewed how the global HVAC industry was poised for real change. In part II, he addresses reasons why the UAE is the perfect location for transformational HVAC leadership.

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he UAE faces many of the same HVAC challenges as do other parts of the world. In fact, at the 8th edition of The Climate Control Conference, held from June 15 to 16 in Dubai, moderators posed this question to the room at the end of the conference: “What would it take to create real market transformation?”

Many of the top minds in the field of HVAC in the Middle East were in the room. Some of the answers to this question included the following: • “The system owners need to be informed.”

• “The tech solutions must be designed by the people that work on the systems.”

• “Better education on maintenance-related best practices is necessary.”

• “An elegant way to prove that maintenance work is needed.”

• “The industry must move away from paper-based invoicing and record keeping.”

• “Each stakeholder needs tailored solutions to communicate with other stakeholders.”

• “We need proven registration and certification for each HVAC service technicians.”

People in the room had more

August 2015

answers, but these were the topics of focus. These answers also struck me as particularly significant, because they were some of the exact same criteria that industry professionals had determined necessary for market transformation in the United States.

What also struck me as interesting was that in one of the most highcost industries in the world, five of these answers involved improving basic communication. Despite these similarities in answers between the two countries for HVAC solutions, it’s worth noting that some of the UAE versus US problems are different.

One contrast in particular is a differing approach to time-lines.

The UAE cities have experienced explosive building growth. And in the rest of the world, this kind of growth has taken twice to four

times the number of years to achieve in even the fastest growing cities. This shorter time-line for growth in the UAE, however, has also permeated the FM industry that maintains these buildings.

Many of the building maintenance agreements are dictated by outside market forces to be one-to threeyear contracts versus the UK and US FM agreements that are threeto eight-year contracts. This makes things difficult for the buildings, because long-term value can’t be put on a short-term time-line, and there are significant challenges that occur because of this. As a result of the powerful market forces that drive these shorter time-lines, industry conversations are calling for government intervention.

The UAE has the distinct advantage over places like the United States when it comes to their ability to aggressively tackle these kind of large problems with action. Both Dubai and Abu Dhabi have progressive histories of quickly learning from the mistakes of other cities, adapting according to relevant lessons and articulating their own distinct paths forward.

For better or worse, the United States and the UK are slow-moving and controlled by multiple layers of decision-makers, who are often frozen in disagreement. Since the UAE government is nimble and has shown that they can tackle significant problems, they are in a great position to take on the challenge of changing the current and very costly HVAC issues.

Over the last 15 months of meeting with industry experts, I have tried to define what costs are associated with the HVAC

There’s a very large carbon footprint from leaky HVAC systems, possibly four times the carbon footprint of cars on the road

sector in the UAE. So far I have learnt that up to 70% of the power produced for the UAE goes to the HVAC sector. Well over a billion dollars in HVAC assets are replaced annually in the UAE, and – just like in the United States – there is a very large carbon footprint from leaky HVAC systems, possibly four times the carbon footprint of cars on the road.

Once these costs were in focus as the primary drivers of the cost of keeping things cool in the UAE (and in the rest of the Gulf), my next question was “Does the UAE have an appetite for solving this problem and creating positive change?” The

answer has been a resounding and powerful “Yes!” A quick google search using combinations of the following words: UAE, Abu Dhabi, Dubai, Plan, Vision, Sustainability, Efficiency, Demand Side Power and Air Quality produces hundreds of results that show the UAE’s commitment to changing the current status quo of HVAC. On top of that, Dubai’s 2020 World Expo theme, “Connecting Minds, Creating the Future” and their recent pledge to become the hub for the international green industry also demonstrates the UAE’s commitment to reshaping the efficiency as well as the

environmental side of the HVAC landscape. The UAE appears to be ready for change, and it is also ready to show the world how to change.

In the short term, these changes will be showcased when the UAE hosts 30,000 to 40,000 delegates, dignitaries, and industry specialists in Dubai for the Montreal Protocol Summit meeting in late October and early November. This will be an extremely important meeting, as it is the preliminary meeting for the COP 21 Climate Conference in Paris – the single most important UNEP meeting in the organisation’s history – with goals of shaping environmental

standards for the next 20 years.

In the long term, Dubai will be hosting an estimated over 25 million visitors in the days leading up to and during World Expo 2020. In both cases, the world’s eyes will be on the UAE, while looking over the city of Dubai.

To be continued…

CPI Industry accepts no liability for the views or opinions expressed in this column, or for the consequences of any actions taken on the basis of the information provided here.

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August 2015

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Dan Mizesko is the Managing Partner of Al Shirawi US Chiller Services. He can be contacted at dan@uschillerservices.com

TESting times

Saying that Thermal Energy Storage is not economically feasible in the GCC region until we have utility demand charges, rate shifts and incentives, Dan Mizesko explains the fine print.

I

would like to start off by acknowledging that Thermal Energy Storage (TES) is a technology that can save a tremendous amount of money, but not energy, for almost any chilled water facility that incorporates the technology. That said, certain criteria must be met before TES is incorporated, and the number one criterion is utility demand charges and off-peak rate reductions.

Without this, TES just does not make economic sense. In this context, the question asked on the website of a prominent TES manufacturer is instructive: “What type of electric rates are needed to justify energy storage systems?” The first sentence of the answer says it all: “Demand charges still provide the incentive for most of our installations.”

About the technology TES is not a new concept.

In fact, its first use came in the 1940s, shortly after the development of vapour compression cooling systems.

Early usage was focused on

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August 2015

applications with exceptionally high ratios of peak-to-average cooling demand, such as in theatres, churches, arenas and dairies. Ice-on-coil storage systems were often used with the principal motivation being to reduce the size of the chiller.

As cooling systems spread to other building space, cooling applications in the 1960s and 1970s, TES was not often used, resulting in significant electric load growth concentrated during summer daytime hours.

The subsequent low utilisation of power generating and delivery assets caused utilities to offer various incentives, promoting TES as well as other demand management technologies.

The result was a second wave of TES development and use.

The development of effective water stratification technologies made chilled water storage more popular. Ice-on-coil technology improved through the development of non-metal coils and “packaged” systems.

Eutectic salt and encapsulated ice storage systems were developed to provide latent heat storage alternatives to

ice-on-coil and ice-harvesting technologies. More recent developments include ice slurry generators and chilled water systems employing additives to decrease the minimum storage temperature in chilled water storage systems. TES technology can be used to significantly reduce energy costs by allowing energy-intensive, electrically driven cooling equipment to be predominantly operated during off-peak hours, when electricity rates are lower. (Currently, this is not the case in Qatar.)

TES comes in many different forms, each with its pros and cons. The storage media is most commonly water, with “cold” stored in the form of ice, chilled water, or an ice/ water slurry. But other media, most notably eutectic salts, have also been used. Storage media can be cooled (charged) by evaporating refrigerant or a secondary coolant (typically a water/glycol mixture).

Discharge is usually accomplished directly via

circulating water or indirectly via secondary coolant. So, to emphasise, TES technology was developed for integration with chilled water cooling systems that typically serve larger buildings.

Although originally developed to shift electrical demand to off-peak periods (from an electric utility’s perspective), and to take advantage of low-cost offpeak electric rates (from an end-user’s Perspective), some applications can also result in lower first costs and/ or higher system efficiency, depending on chiller selections, compared to nonstorage systems. However again, a large differential between on-peak and offpeak kWh charges or a high-demand charge definitely are the main drivers that should be considered when contemplating TES.

Energy-saving mechanism

TES systems are not commonly thought of as energy-saving technologies. No matter how well-insulated the thermal storage systems, they inevitably suffer some losses, as energy flows from warmer bodies to cooler bodies. In addition, both cool and warm water is commonly stored in the same storage tank in chilled water systems to save on tank costs. Mixing is minimised by injecting and removing water from different halves of the tank via specially designed piping, in order to take advantage

Chiller efficiency can also be improved with storage by allowing more continuous operation at outputs closer to full capacity, thus minimising part-load losses

of natural differences in water density and buoyancy at different temperatures. However, some mixing and loss of cooling capabilities are inevitable.

Historically, the driving force for developing TES has been reduction of on-peak electric demand and the corresponding reduction of electricity costs.

While this is still important, and may be the most significant factor affecting application, cost-effectiveness and energy savings are possible, and can be a significant benefit when the entire cooling system, and not just the storage media and vessel are considered.

Besides heat gain by the storage media, chillers in TES systems operate at lower evaporator temperatures, which

increase energy consumption if other conditions remain the same. This is particularly true for ice storage systems, which require the lowest evaporator temperatures. The impact of lower evaporator temperatures is partially or totally offset, however, by the lower condensing temperatures generally experienced when operating a chiller at night, rather than during the day. In most parts of the region, drybulb temperatures are about 20 degrees F lower and wet-bulb temperatures are five degrees F lower at night than during the day. Thus, night time operation improves the efficiency of all chillers, but especially improves the efficiency of air-cooled chillers, where the condensing

temperature is controlled by ambient dry-bulb temperature.

Chiller efficiency can also be improved with storage by allowing more continuous operation at outputs closer to full capacity, thus minimising part-load losses. However, with VFD chillers that operate more efficiently at part-loads, this benefit will not be realised with TES. TES systems, with separate charge and discharge cycles, will generally require more pumping. This potential disadvantage can, however, be minimised, by increasing the difference between water supply and return temperature by a few degrees, thus reducing the volume of water that must be circulated. It needs to be

noted that district cooling plants typically suffer from low delta-T syndrome, rendering this as another negative consequence of TES. The energy savings possible with TES will vary significantly from site to site, depending on the load profile and the specific cooling system equipment employed. With electricdriven centrifugals with VFD technology, the benefits of TES are minimised, as again, VFD chillers operate very efficiently at part-load conditions.

Other benefits of TES In addition to reducing the average cost of electricity consumed, and possibly reducing energy consumption – these two major

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August 2015

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advantages of TES will not be realised at this time in the GCC region – TES can reduce overall cooling system capital costs. For new construction, partial storage designs (where the chiller and storage combine to meet peak cooling loads) reduce chiller (and cooling tower and cooling water piping for water-cooled chillers) capacity and cost.

Savings in chiller and related costs are often greater than the costs of the partial storage unit. Similarly, adding storage is a way to increase a cooling system’s peak capacity without adding new chillers in situations where cooling load is growing.

However, without the benefit of off-peak electrical rates, I do not feel the cost analysis will show any tangible savings for chilled water plants in the GCC region.

Chilled water storage systems rely solely on the sensible (that is, no phase change or latent energy) heat capacity of water and the temperature difference between supply and return water streams going to and from the cooling load. As a result, the storage volume required is greater than for any of the ice or eutectic salt options.

However, using water eliminates the need for secondary coolants and heat exchangers, and standard water chillers can be used without significantly degraded performance or capacity.

Water is typically cooled to between 39 and 44 degrees F, or slightly lower than for a standard chilled water system without storage. The return water temperature may be increased slightly as well, but must remain low enough to ensure adequate indoor humidity control. Maximising the difference between cooling water supply and return temperatures maximises the sensible energy storage capacity per unit of water, and minimises the size of the storage tank. A

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A large differential between on-peak and off-peak kWh charges or a high-demand charge definitely are the main drivers that should be considered when contemplating TES single tank is usually used to store both the chilled water and the warm water returning from the cooling load. Separation of the two entities is maximised by placing the cooler, denser water at the bottom of the tank and the warmer water at the top of the tank. Specially designed piping networks, called diffusers, allow water to enter and leave the tank without causing significant mixing. The result is a layer of cold water separated from a layer of warm water by a thermocline. Chilled water systems tend to work best in retrofit situations without any chiller modifications required, and/or higher capacity systems, where size and economies of scale lower the unit cost of the tank. In a typical chilled water storage system, chilled water storage tanks may also be used as a reservoir for fire-protection water, reducing the total facility costs and/or fire insurance premiums.

A study performed in the United States by Sohn and Cler focused on the potential savings in electricity demand and energy charges from shifting chiller use to off-peak hours. The overall efficiency of the cooling system was presumed to be unaffected by the TES; that is, there was no net increase or decrease in energy consumption, which in fact, is almost always the case.

Incremental capital costs were estimated for new construction.

Simple rules of thumb were used to establish the size of the TES system required

to reduce peak electricity demand by either five per cent or 10%. Incremental system costs were assumed to be $80/tonne-hour for the new construction scenario. Thus, the only site-specific inputs to the estimate were the electric rates. The results of the study indicated that cost-effective application (payback period of 10 years for investment) of TSE designed to reduce peak electrical demand by 10%.

As the GCC region currently has no rate shift, there would be no realised payback by implementing TES.

TES applications for optimum results

TES will reduce the average cost of energy consumed, and may potentially reduce the energy consumption and initial capital cost of a cooling system compared to a conventional cooling system without TES. While most buildings’ space cooling applications are potentially attractive candidates, the prospects will be especially attractive if three or more of the following conditions exist: • Electricity energy charges vary significantly during the course of a day.

• Electricity demand charges are high or ratcheted.

• The average cooling load is significantly less than the peak cooling load.

• The electric utility offers other incentives (besides the rate structure) for installing TES. • An existing cooling system is

expanded.

• There is new construction.

• Older cooling equipment needs replacing.

In general, applications lacking the conditions identified above should be avoided. In addition, it should be avoided at sites where the space available for TSE is limited or has other, more valuable uses.

In closing, I realise that electricity rates are greatly subsidised in the GCC region.

However, if demand charges, night time off-peak rate reductions and utility incentives were put in place, this could be a major driving force in TES being implemented by almost every end-user with a chilled water system. This would benefit both the utility companies which produce power, and the end-users, by reducing their high-peak electric rates – a win-win situation for the power companies and the end-users alike.

To reiterate the point, TES is a great technology with many benefits. However, taking all the criteria into consideration, and especially having no electrical rate structure that provides incentives for making chilled water at off-peak times, in my opinion, prospective chilled water plant owners considering TES will receive minimal benefit from utilising TES, until rate structures are put in place in the GCC region and utility incentives are provided. Without these being implemented, I would recommend that TES not be considered from the end-user’s perspective. The payback is just not going to be realised under the current rate structures. CPI Industry accepts no liability for the views or opinions expressed in this column, or for the consequences of any actions taken on the basis of the information provided here.

REGIONAL

Swimming with Dolphins Sukumar Perumal, Senior Sales Manager of UAE-based Dolphin Radiators & Cooling Systems, a company that claims to be pioneers in heat exchangers, says the company continues to take on new projects all around the Middle East, in the context of heat exchangers.

Rajiv Pillai | Features Writer

“P

ost the announcement of Dubai hosting EXPO 2020, the market for heat exchangers has just started to increase,” says Sukumar Perumal, the Senior Sales Manager at Dolphin Radiators & Cooling Systems.

“Although the market has not picked up full-fledged, I presume things Sukumar Perumal should improve significantly by 2016.

But, overall, the market is doing okay.

And we are on the right track.”

When asked about the current

projects at Dolphin, Perumal proudly reveals: “We are involved in all makes of heat exchangers. We have signed a contract with an Italian company to give them complete heat exchangers solution. We are also into DNV certification for marine applications, which is a latest development.” Dolphin has also made inroads into Kuwait, one of the projects being with Kuwait Oil Company (KOC). “These are big heat exchangers for oil and gas applications,” Perumal says.

Talking about future projects, he says, Empower has planned a big project for District Cooling and Dolphin has submitted a tender for this. “If this project comes through, I think it’s going to be a very big project.”

Summing up on the different sectors that Dolphin caters to, Perumal says: “We are involved in almost all sectors, from refineries to pharmaceutical industries, and from marine industries to HVAC jobs for hotel industries. We are spread all over.” He states that, for Dolphin, 80% of heat exchanger applications are for various industrial sectors, with HVAC taking the remaining 20% share.

Besides heat exchanger projects, Dolphin has recently branched out into cooling tower operations. “We have recently done a job for Emirates Steel," he says. "It was a big job for cooling towers. This was a new venture. And they [Emirates Steel] are very happy with the performance.”

The Big 5 Kuwait to leverage construction market momentum USD 188 billion worth of construction projects currently underway

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he third edition of The Big 5 Kuwait will be held from 14 to 16 September at the Kuwait International Fair, dmg events Middle East and Asia, the organiser has announced. Successful features that are returning, said dmg events, include the now extended Plant Machinery and Vehicle outdoor area and the How to trade in Kuwait seminar.

Free to attend CPD-certified workshops, online networking tool and Building Interiors hall are new features, with building Interiors products reportedly being in high demand in Kuwait with the combined value of retail, interior and fit-out market standing at USD 31 million.

According to dmg events, with USD 188 billion worth

of projects currently under various stages of planning and construction, Kuwait’s construction sector is poised for significant growth, with the chief projects being the Kuwait Metro

project; Kuwait International Airport; Subiya Causeway; Al Zour New Refinery Project; and motorway construction, in addition to upscale residential and commercial properties.

Saying that the event will highlight solutions and products for the construction sector to leverage the fresh momentum experienced by the Kuwait, Ashley Roberts, Event Director of The Big 5 Kuwait, revealed that the country had earmarked USD 7.2 billion from its annual budget for 2015-2016 for the construction sector and accelerated the sector’s growth.

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REGIONAL

MICCO to invest in Khalifa Port’s industrial zone Will establish logistics business centre catering to temperaturecontrolled storage facilities and distribution services

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bu Dhabi Ports, operator and manager of ports and industrial zones in the emirate of Abu Dhabi, has announced signing a standard Musataha agreement (SMA) with Al Mazroui International Cargo Company (MICCO) to establish a new logistics business centre at Khalifa Industrial Zone Abu Dhabi (Kizad).

The facility, said the announcement, will cater to MICCO’s temperature-controlled storage facilities, bulk storage through open yards, distribution services, and a service centre for their trucking fleet.

The centre, which will be built in three phases, will see MICCO invest an initial AED 35 million for the first phase, with further investments anticipated based on

Ministry of Environment and Water participates in No More Food to Waste conference

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the future developments of phase two and three. According to Abu Dhabi Ports, the facility will be fully operational by January 2017.

The SMA reportedly builds on an existing relationship between Abu Dhabi Ports and MICCO, as in April 2014, the companies signed an MoU that guaranteed stability in the rate structure, through which MICCO provided road freight services for container cargo pick-up and delivery to Khalifa Port to and from any location in the city of Abu Dhabi, including Musaffah.

Endorsing this, Captain Mohamed Juma Al Shamisi, CEO of Abu Dhabi Ports, said, “Abu Dhabi Ports has enjoyed a longstanding business partnership with MICCO – going back to the start of operations at Zayed Port.”

Captain Simreen, Managing Director at MICCO, predicts that through the SMA, MICCO will be able to further contribute to strengthening Abu Dhabi’s export potential and in establishing even stronger logistics provisions to the GCC market.

August 2015

.E. Dr Rashid Ahmed Bin Fahad, UAE Minister of Environment and Water, participated in a conference, titled ‘No More Food to Waste: Global Action to Stop Food Losses and Food Waste’, held from June 16 to 19 at The Hague in Netherlands, an official communique informed.

The meeting was reportedly attended by Ministers representing Environment, Labour, Economy and Industry Ministries; heads of a number of international organisations; and international personalities. The UAE participation, said the communique, complements its commitment to achieve the goals of sustainable development in various sectors, including contributions towards the strengthening of food security at the local and international levels.

H.E. Dr Bin Fahad said that according to the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), about one-third of global food production is lost or wasted annually, hence the urgent need to support international efforts to reduce global food loss. He highlighted the fact that food waste and loss is considered a major waste of resources, including water, land, energy, labour and capital, and the resultant gases released contribute to global warming, causing a rise in temperatures and climate change. He pointed out that the UAE operates within its national strategy to ensure the sustainable development of its environment and infrastructure.

Saeed Al Abbar appointed to WorldGBC board Will promote sustainable buildings in the UAE and MENA region

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aeed Al Abbar, Chairman of Emirates Green Building Council (EmiratesGBC), has been appointed to the Board of World Green Building Council (WorldGBC). Announcing this through an official communique, EmiratesGBC added that Al Abbar follows in the footsteps of Adnan Sharafi, who held the post for the past two years as the first Emirati to serve on the Board.

In his new capacity, Al Abbar will reportedly work in promoting the advancement of sustainable buildings in the UAE and MENA region across a global platform.

The appointment, said EmiratesGBC, underlined the success of the organisation in promoting sustainable built environments in the UAE and the wider Middle East region.

In this context, Al Abbar said: “It is with great respect that I take on this new role, and I thank the WorldGBC for this recognition. I am particularly thankful to His Highness Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, UAE Vice President and Prime Minister and Ruler of Dubai, whose ‘green vision for sustainable development’ has been a constant source of inspiration and guidance

for our ongoing strategy and activities. It is a true honour for EmiratesGBC and me personally, to be able to continue with our task of representing the UAE in the global green agenda.”

Terri Wills, WorldGBC CEO, added: “Green Building Councils in the Middle East and North Africa region are instrumental in transforming the marketplace towards green building, in turn addressing unique environmental challenges faced in the area. Saeed Al Abbar's appointment to the board of the World Green Building Council is a reflection of the importance of the region.

I know that Saeed’s role with the WorldGBC will enable Green Building Councils the world over to learn from this key region.”

Saeed Al Abbar

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REGIONAL

Empower chosen partner of UNEP’s ‘District Energy in Cities’ initiative Dubai selected as “Business Model of District Cooling to Developing Cities”

CHRVI ME 2015 attracts international brands Industry professionals hold discussions on latest innovations

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he Qatar International Exhibition for Cooling, Heating, Refrigeration, Ventilation and Insulation Systems, (CHRVI ME 2015) inaugurated by His Excellency Sheikh Ahmed bin Jassim bin Mohammed Al Thani, Minister of Economy and Trade, Qatar, was held from June 1 to 3 at the Qatar National Convention Center.

Announcing this, event organiser, Heights Exhibitions and Conferences, elaborated that the expo attracted not only local stakeholders but also companies representing international HVACR brands, industry professionals and suppliers.

A two-day technical seminar with a panel discussion on the industry’s recent technologies, with participation from university professors, researchers and major companies was also reportedly part of the expo.

Claiming that the volume of participation for the event was significant, Waleed Wahba, CEO, Heights Exhibitions and Conferences, attributed this to large infrastructure projects being announced by the State of Qatar. He shared the information that according to studies, the market for HVACR products will reach approximately USD 40 billion in the next eight years.

Mohamed Al Metwali, Sales Manager of Al Thadod Group, “Gree” the main sponsor of CHRVI ME 2015, highlighted that the event had managed to rope in specialists in the HVAC field from all the Arab countries to discuss the latest innovations, including in energy saving.

Heights Exhibitions and Conferences revealed that CHRVI 2016 will be held from April 13 to 16, 2016.

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mpower has announced that it has been chosen by the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) as a partner of its “District Energy in Cities” initiative, based on a case study presented by the company in this field, at the International District Energy Association (IDEA) Annual Conference and Trade Show in Boston.

The announcement reportedly came amidst Empower’s active participation in the event, led by Ahmad Bin Shafar, CEO of Empower.

During the event, said Empower, UNEP presented the ‘District Energy in Cities’ book, in which it selected Dubai as a “Business Model of District Cooling to Developing Cities”.

According to Empower, the initiative comes at a time when estimates show that District Cooling could effectively serve 30% of the region’s cooling requirements by 2030, if implemented under the right conditions, and could also lead to a reduction in the GCC’s power plant fuel consumption equivalent to 200,000 barrels of oil per day.

In this context Bin Shafar said: “It is a matter of great pride to be chosen a partner by UNEP. This is a reflection of the strong international confidence that Empower has gained in record time. Moreover, the inclusion of Empower in the ‘District Energy in Cities’ book as one of the world’s best models in the District Cooling industry will enable other cities to benefit from our experience.”

COMINGS & GOINGS

Emerson Climate Technologies appoints new President Hakan Erdamar will preside over Asia, Middle East and Africa operations

E

merson Climate Technologies, a business of Emerson, has announced the appointment of Hakan Erdamar as the President of Asia and Middle East region. In his new post, Erdamar will supervise all operational affairs for Emerson Climate Technologies

Hakan Erdamar

including sales, marketing, engineering R&D, production, quality management and financial operations for Asia, Middle East and Africa.

Erdamar joined Emerson in 1989 as a project engineer for Power & Water Solutions in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, in the

Rheem appoints Santosh Devassy as Technical Marketing Director

Viessmann strengthens sales team Appoints two new sales managers

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represents a significant portion of Emerson’s business in this region, as well. The company has a comprehensive strategy for the market, which I believe, can be a strong foundation for sustained growth in the region.

My first priority is to enhance communications with our Asian and Middle East region’s customers, as well as with our employees, to explore how we can further promote technology innovation and improve service levels to gain a higher level of growth.”

Erdamar holds both bachelor’s and master’s degrees in Computer and Control Engineering from Istanbul Technical University.

United States, and held a series of positions within Emerson Process Management in Asia, Europe and the United States.

A 15-year veteran of the Asia market, Erdamar has gained deep insights into the region’s business and will continue to drive growth opportunities and operational excellence for Emerson Climate Technologies, the company said.

“I’m honoured to be appointed president of Emerson Climate Technologies, Asia and Middle East” said Erdamar.

“Emerson Climate Technologies maintains a leadership position in the heating, ventilation, air conditioning and refrigeration (HVACR) industry and

Iain Black

iessmann Refrigeration Systems has announced two new appointments: Iain Black has stepped into the newly created post of UK and Ireland Sales Manager (Cabinets), focusing on business development for plug-in and remote cabinets, and Leon Wilczynski has become Sales Manager for the north of the UK. Black, said Viessmann, was most recently Tesco Group Buying Manager responsible for the procurement of all refrigerated equipment and Leon Wilczynski installation.

Wilczynski reportedly joins Veissmann after eight years as Northern Regional Business Unit Manager for Foster Refrigeration, and has more than 20 years’ experience in the commercial catering equipment industry.

Viessmann informed that operating out of its Telford headquarters, Black and Wilczynski report to sales and Marketing Director Steve Steadman.

Will be responsible for marketing and supporting Rheem products

S

antosh Devassy has joined Rheem Manufacturing Company as the Technical Marketing Director for the Middle East and Africa region. He will be based in the UAE, from where he will be responsible for marketing and Santosh Devassy supporting the existing and new range of products at Rheem.

Devassy’s previous assignment was with Daikin McQuay, where he held responsibilities in sales and marketing for the past 11 years. At Daikin, he handled DX, chilled water and VRF products.

Devassy has a bachelor’s degree in Engineering, and an MBA from Mumbai University.

looking for REFRIGERAtion products?

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August 2015

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MARKETPLACE

Daikin VRV IV

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aikin Middle East & Africa has announced launching its 4th Generation of VRV IV for high-ambient markets.

The manufacturer lists the following product features and advantages: • VRV IV offers three innovations: variable refrigerant temperature (VRT), Refrigerantcooled PCB, and the VRV configurator for simplified commissioning.

• The VRT technology allows the heat pumps to respond to cooling requirements by continually monitoring the required capacity and weather • In automatic mode, the system is configured for high efficiency levels throughout the year, while allowing rapid response on the hottest days, ensuring comfort at all times.

• The Refrigerant-Cooled PCB adds reliability at high-ambient temperatures.

• The new VRV configurator offers

LG Electronics S306EC/S366EC Titan Deluxe Big Split Air Conditioner

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G Electronics (LG) has launched the Titan Deluxe Big split Air Conditioner, S306EC/S366EC, which according to the company, is a new tool that can combat the extreme temperatures and humidity in the region.

The manufacturer lists the following product features and benefits: • The S306EC/S366EC comes with a newly designed Tropical Compressor which offers high reliability even at extremely high temperatures.

• It is TUV Rheinland-certified.

• It can generate blasts of cool wind that can be felt as far as 20 metres away from the cooling unit, thanks to an improved fluid dynamic framework design.

an advanced software solution, which simplifies commissioning and customisation, reducing the time required on the roof configuring the outdoor unit.

• The configurator also allows multiple systems within multiple sites to be managed in exactly the same way, thus offering simplified commissioning and easy maintenance.

• To complement the VRV IV system, Daikin’s new intelligent touch manager offers an intuitive user interface with a visible floor plan and provides energy management tools to maximise efficiency.

• The system has an option to integrate through “I-Net”, a predictive and preventive maintenance application.

• The VRV IV system can be used together with a wide range of decorative and concealed indoor units.

• With its Optimised Airflow system, the unit offers four-way swing, a six- step vertical vane and a five-step horizontal vane.

• With JET COOL technology, it is optimised to disperse air evenly at high speed, which allows the air conditioner to reduce temperatures by 5 degrees C within three minutes – 20% quicker than comparable split air conditioners.

• The exterior unit of the air conditioner is corrosion resistant and comes with advanced air purification technologies.

• The Titan Deluxe Big is available exclusively in the UAE, Qatar, Bahrain, Kuwait and Oman markets.

looking for HVACR products?

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August 2015

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