CCME Dec. 2019

REPORT: GREEN BUILDING, RETROFIT AND DISTRICT COOLING SEMINAR 4.0

December 2019

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December 2019

UNDER THE PATRONAGE OF RAS AL KHAIMAH MUNICIPALITY

24 February 2020

PRODUCED BY

OFFICIAL PUBLICATION

Ras Al Khaimah, UAE

OVERVIEW

M

odern-day building asset management is reportedly about IoT- and AI-based solutions. We are firmly in an age of predictive, intuitive and speedy solutions, where real-time operational insights are becoming the norm, where issues relating to HVAC equipment can be predicted much before they occur. Apparently, commercial property owners, facility managers and operational teams have never had it this good. Thanks to the availability of data, they have greater transparency into the working of their buildings. They have an intimate knowledge of the condition of the assets, and can locally or remotely capture inefficiencies much before they happen and be prepared with the tools, including automation, to tackle them.

SPEAKERS (SO FAR)

H.E. Munther Mohammed bin Shekar Director General, Ras Al Khaimah Municipality

Andrea Di Gregorio Director, Energy Efficiency and Renewables Administration, Ras Al Khaimah Municipality

Henrique Pereira Senior Manager – Energy Services, Energy Efficiency and Renewables Administration, Ras Al Khaimah Municipality

Charles Blaschke Managing Director, taka solutions

3 FOR SPONSORSHIP OPPORTUNITIES, CONTACT: advertising@cpi-industry.com December 2019

Control Awards

Memorable snapshots from the 9th edition of the Climate Control Awards

POST-EVENT REPORT

AWARDS 2019 Green Building, Retrofit and District Cooling Seminar 4.0

58

In a collaborative spirit, Denmark draws diverse gathering of building industry stakeholders in the UAE for the sharing of strategies and solutions relating to District Cooling, building retrofits and Green Buildings

06 eDItor'S note

December 2019

Goodbye, Mr Baritone!

08

Andrea Di Gregorio, Director, Reem, Ras Al Khaimah Municipality, speaks on the progress the government body has made over the year with regard to its energy efficiency and renewable energy programmes

‘Smart, expectedly, gets ample attention’

denmark dialogue

REGULARS

‘A year on’

HVAC R Expo (The Big 5)

POST-EVENT REPORTS

12

9th ANNUAL CLIMATE CONTROL

4

INTERVIEW

9th edition of the Climate

page

ON THE COVER:

VOL. 14 NO. 12  DECEMBER 2019

54

Andrea Di Gregorio, Director, Reem, Ras Al Khaimah Municipality, speaks on the progress the Municipality has made over the year with regard to its energy efficiency and renewable energy programmes

The 3rd edition of The Client, Consultant, Contractor Conference

‘Piercing through contractual ambiguities’

62

Legal representatives provide recommendations on how to avoid negative cash flow and costly legal disputes.

ISK-Sodex

On the grounds at ISK-Sodex A cross-section of manufacturers at ISKSODEX 2019 discuss their latest product innovations, digital initiatives and global business strategies.

74 Regional News 86 Global News

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December 2019

5

EDITOR’S NOTE

Goodbye, Mr Baritone!

B

eloved radio personality, Malcolm Taylor passed away on December 4, leaving his legion of listeners in shock. A mainstay of the Business Breakfast show on Dubai Eye 103.8 since 2005, the baritone was a voice of reason, restraint and relevance in a world nauseated by suffocating hyperbole.

Malcolm was the Master of Ceremonies of the inaugural edition of the Climate Control Awards. His participation in the event was poignantly memorable – just

Surendar Balakrishnan Editor @BSurendar_HVACR

hours before curtains up, he learnt of the passing away of his mother. To everyone’s surprise, he said he would honour his commitment, and despite reassurances that it was understandable if he chose to leave, he stayed back.

He helmed the show with unwavering grace and dignity and contributed

REPORT: GREEN BUILDING, RETROFIT AND DISTRICT COOLING SEMINAR 4.0

immensely to ensuring a good first impression. And from there, the Awards

December 2019

ceremony has gone from strength to strength.

Last month, just days before his death, we successfully conducted the 9th

Get the next issue of Climate Control Middle East early!

edition of the Awards. It was an evening to remember, marked by earnestness and sincerity. It was true to the grand purpose of the Awards, which has been to persuade the HVACR industry to always be mindful of the bigger picture – of the

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need to serve society through looking beyond the balance sheet.

Visit our website: climatecontrolme.com/digital Also available at

The Awards is built on the principle that while commercial interests are vital for business continuity, the maturity of an industry and, by extension, of a region, is gauged by the nature of commitment shown towards people and planet. It recognises, among other targets, the need for clean air, safe food and an assurance that the HVACR industry is doing its utmost towards the all-encompassing twin goals of socio-economic and sustainable development.

This issue is largely dedicated to the Awards ceremony. It presents the many moments of triumph and satisfaction of a job well done. What it does not present is the disappointment of those that did not make the cut. To them, we say, “Please don’t be disheartened… do try again. We salute you for your earnestness and for the obvious pride you take in your work. We appreciate you for your belief that the Awards serves as a barometer of your year-long exertions in making the world a better place.”

See you in the New Year! And the very best of wishes for a successful 2020!

Co-Founder & Commercial Director Frédéric Paillé | fred@cpi-industry.com

Editor Surendar Balakrishnan surendar@cpi-industry.com Assistant Editor Hannah Jo Uy hannah@cpi-industry.com Advertising Enquiries Frédéric Paillé +971 50 7147204 fred@cpi-industry.com

Manzoor Usman +971 58 121 8393 Business Development Manager manzoor@cpi-industry.com

Co-Founder & Editorial Director Surendar Balakrishnan| surendar@cpi-industry.com

USA and Canada Kanika Saxena, Director (North America) 25 Kingsbridge Garden Cir Suite 919 Mississauga, ON, Canada L5R 4B1 kanika@cpi-industry.com Tel/fax: +1 905 890 5031

Design Manuelito Quisay maq@cpi-industry.com

In Asia (except India), contact: Judy Wang, Our representative in Asia T: 00852-30780826 E: judy@cpi-industry.com

Administrator Muzzammil Hameed muzzammil@cpi-industry.com

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Webmaster Chris Lopez chris@cpi-industry.com Database/Subscriptions Manager Purwanti Srirejeki purwanti@cpi-industry.com

Founder, CPI Media Group Dominic De Sousa (1959-2015)

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December 2019

Published by

Head Office Unit 1504, HDS Tower, Cluster F, Jumeirah Lakes Towers, Dubai, UAE, PO Box 13700 Tel: +971 4 375 68 30 / Fax: +971 4 43 419 06 Web: www.cpi-industry.com Printed by: Al Ghurair Printing and Publishing LLC © Copyright 2019 CPI. All rights reserved.

While the publishers have made every effort to ensure the accuracy of all information in this magazine, they will not be held responsible for any errors therein.

December 2019

7

Andrea Di Gregorio, Ras Al Khaimah Municipality

A YEAR ON‌

Andrea Di Gregorio, Director, Reem, Ras Al Khaimah Municipality, speaks to Hannah Jo Uy of Climate Control Middle East on the progress the government body has made over the year with regard to its energy efficiency and renewable energy programmes, ongoing collaborations with multiple stakeholders and upcoming initiatives to support the targets set by the Energy Efficiency and Renewables (EE&R) Strategy 2040. Excerpts from the interview on the sidelines of Water, Energy, Technology, and Environment Exhibition (WETEX), from October 21 to 23 at the Dubai International Convention and Exhibition Centre‌

ould you provide us with an update on the Municipality’s progress over the past year with regard to meeting the targets of the Energy Efficiency and Renewables (EE&R) Strategy 2040?

C

We have recently completed our first year of reporting on the progress of the Strategy, and we revealed our annual report at WETEX. We are pleased to see a lot of momentum in the implementation of our programmes and to see something concretely in place. We have an institutional set-up that is complete, where Reem, the energy efficiency and renewable energy administration within Ras Al Khaimah Municipality, is established and is now in practice a full-fledged energy efficiency agency with capabilities in terms of strategy, programme management,

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December 2019

awareness and capacity building, energy services, retrofits, energy management, solar energy and special projects. An energy efficiency and renewables committee was established, comprising top management from key government stakeholders for the execution of the Strategy, so the institutional set-up is complete.

We have a regulatory framework that is being developed, which is already quite comprehensive, including Barjeel, the Green Building Regulations of Ras Al Khaimah, issued in January of this year. There are supporting regulations for the Building Retrofits programme, comprising an accreditation scheme for energy service companies, which has received quite a good response from ESCOs, incentives for ESCOs who establish themselves in Ras Al Khaimah, and standard contracts, so companies from the government and private sectors

and any organisations, who are engaged in retrofit projects, can benefit from a standard way of contracting.

We have directives supporting the Energy Management programme, issued by the Ruler of Ras Al Khaimah, requiring government entities to participate in energy efficiency projects to save at least 20% of the energy consumption by 2022. We have an Efficient Appliances programme served and supported by regulation issued by ESMA. We have ongoing development from the Public Services Department for the development of regulation in the field of public landscaping and irrigation. The Efficient Vehicles programme is also supported by regulatory schemes, providing incentives for those that buy and use efficient electric vehicles. There is also a resolution from the Ruler of Ras Al Khaimah to support and promote the adoption of efficient vehicles in the government fleet.

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9

Andrea Di Gregorio, Ras Al Khaimah Municipality

Andrea Di Gregorio

Many projects are either in the execution phase or in the tendering phase. I can mention a few. 2019 is a pilot year for Barjeel, when adoption of the regulations is voluntary, and there are already 36 buildings that have been permitted according to Barjeel standards, spanning across a range of building types. There are private villas, warehouses, hotels, office buildings and schools that decided on their own, on a voluntary basis, to participate in the Barjeel standards, which will become mandatory by the end of January 2020.

There are 15 buildings that have been contracted for retrofits under the Buildings Retrofit programme at this stage. There are four municipality buildings, nine buildings from the free zone, including a District Cooling plant, and two buildings of RAK Hospital.

There is also a project for outdoor street lighting contracted by RAKEZ for the retrofit of 1,500 street lights in the free zone area. In the Energy Management programme, quick wins are being implemented within the government, and a project is almost completed in the Municipality for the development of capabilities for ISO 50001.

There are incentives activated last year for energy service companies and auditors, and we are happy to see different companies opening an office in Ras Al Khaimah and benefiting from a market that is relatively new and with still limited competition

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December 2019

We already have a portfolio of projects in renewables, including two distributed solar PV projects that have already been contracted. One at the Municipality, for 250 kilowatts, and the other in Mina Al Arab by RAK Properties, for 1 megawatt expandable.

Even in the absence of supporting regulations, these projects show the willingness of the local market to participate in solar developments.

RAK collaborated with partners from both the public and the private sectors through the signing of various MoUs over the year. How much have the collaborations helped? And does the Municipality see further collaborations with organisations and industry stakeholders as it ramps up its efforts to meet the targets set by the Strategy?

We find in these collaborations a lot of value as a multiplier of our efforts.

One entity like ours, Reem, cannot manage directly all the projects that happen in broad fields such as energy efficiency and renewable energy. We can stimulate the market, we can showcase some pilot projects, we can define regulatory elements and support the development of regulation, but we cannot definitely run every single project. We need to rely on our government stakeholders and partner entities to drive specific initiatives, and on the private sector to step in and develop the market.

With RAKEZ and the Department of Economic Development in Ras Al Khaimah, we established a strategy to

attract the most innovative companies in the field. There is an incentive system in place, which is offering one-to-one benefits and also some in the form of incentives for the set-up of new offices in Ras Al Khaimah, specifically for our Strategy. There are incentives activated last year for energy service companies and auditors, and we are happy to see different companies opening an office in Ras Al Khaimah and benefiting from a market that is relatively new and with still limited competition.

There are many advantages for those companies that start early on.

Examples of other important collaborations include those with the Dubai Supreme Council of Energy, MASDAR and the Emirates Green Building Council, to name a few, which are helping us in the capability and knowledge side. We are also strengthening relationships with private

institutions. One announced recently is with Grundfos for the execution of an audit programme of pumps. In addition, we look for synergies with trade associations and trade councils to promote intervention from the private sector. For example, we have recently conducted awareness and capacity building activities with the Danish Embassy and Consulate. We look for those collaborations, because we want to develop a network and an ecosystem of companies that can bring products and services related to energy efficiency and renewables to the Emirate.

Does this ecosystem of companies help in addressing technical knowledge transfer in relation to particular products, such as HVAC components, in a bid to optimise design, installation, operation and maintenance?

There are some pieces of knowledge, which are very specialised, addressing equipment with high potential for energy saving, such as pumps, electric motors, compressors and HVAC systems. These technologies are everywhere, and we will definitely benefit from companies that specialise in these components, by bringing them in and addressing these topics in a horizontal way across sectors, including industrial, commercial and government buildings.

From what we understand, the Municipality is also conducting online training sessions on Barjeel. Could you elaborate on this initiative?

How is the Municipality leveraging digital platforms to help engage with stakeholders, including consumers across Ras Al Khaimah?

Training and capacity building, in general, are among the fundamental enablers of the Strategy. We have started working on those from the early stages. We have established initial training programmes for stakeholders and for the private sector, specifically for the consultants. Barjeel is one of them, and a training programme has been activated in the form of physical training and in the form of online training.

The online training for Barjeel turned out to be quite successful. I was surprised to see it was also an innovative idea, as I realised the Municipality is one of few organisations in the region providing training on Green Building standards through online platforms.

The Barjeel training platform comprises training on requirements of Barjeel, and an online test; and it is connected to certification.

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Glitzy, The 9th edition of the Climate Control Awards ceremony, on November 26 in Dubai, lived up to its top billing. Prior, an unprecedented 80 entries from organisations and individuals from around the world set the tone for the Awards exercise. What followed was an intense scrutiny of the submitted documents, complemented by presentations and face-to-face interviews with the applicants. With the data in hand, the distinguished members of the jury arrived at the list of winners, leading to the glitzy, starry awards ceremony, which among other participants and attendees, included a wealth of representatives from ministries and other government departments in the UAE. Here, we present the evening that was, in pictures‌

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starry!

9th ANNUAL CLIMATE CONTROL

AWARDS 2019

December 2019

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Snapshots...

9th ANNUAL CLIMATE CONTROL

AWARDS 2019

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December 2019

December 2019

15

Snapshots...

9th ANNUAL CLIMATE CONTROL

AWARDS 2019

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December 2019

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The producers

Frédéric Paillé, Co-Founder and Commercial Director, CPI Industry

Surendar Balakrishnan, Co-Founder and Editorial Director, CPI Industry

The CPI Industry Team

Alakananda Ghose

Strategic Public Affairs Liaison & Events Manager

Muzzammil Hameed Administrator

Chris Lopez Webmaster

Master of Ceremonies

Hisham Wyne, Content Writer & MC

Jan Tiana

Office Manager

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December 2019

Doveine Panii

Delegate Acquisition Manager

Manzoor Usman

Business Development Manager

Manuelito Quisay Design

Hannah Jo Uy Assistant Editor

Kanika Saxena

Director (North America)

Judy Wang

Representative (Asia)

December 2019

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Members of the Jury

L-R: Surendar Balakrishnan, Co-Founder and Editorial Director, CPI Industry; Hassan Younes, Director & Partner, Griffin Consultants and President, ASHRAE Falcon Chapter; Raffy Vartanian, Managing Director, G Vartanian Architect & Engineering; Rehan Shahid, Director, P&T Dubai; Mohan Kumar Dayanandan, Regional Business Head, Facilio; Sougata Nandi, Founder & CEO, 3e Advisory & 3e Apps; Robert Davies, Head of Specialist Services, WSP Middle East; Kandasamy Anbalagan, Managing Partner, Proleed Engineering Consultants; Nimal Amukotuwa, Independent Consultant; Majd Fayyad, Technical Manager, Emirates Green Building Council; Amal Hamadeh, Project ManagerDemand Side Management, Ministry of Energy & Industry, UAE; Mansour Kharoub, Associate Principal, Khatib & Alami; Amruta Kshemkalyani, Founder & Sustainability Advisor, Sustainability Tribe and Krishnan Unni Madathil, Chartered Accountant, Audit Partner, Bin Khadim, Radha & Company Hanan Ahmed, Head of Engineering & Maintenance Services, Al Baraha Hospital; Sarfraz Dairkee, Secretary to the Board, Emirates Green Building Council; Bjorn Ostbye, Project Development Manager, Lulu Group International; Sathisha Shetty, Independent Consultant and Mark C. Wilson, Practice Director, Design and Engineering (Middle East and Africa), WS Atkins & Partners Overseas could not attend the ceremony due to pressing commitments.

Mr. Kandasamy Anbalagan, Chairperson of the Jury, addresses the audience

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December 2019

Third-party moderator:

Krishnan Unni Madathil, Chartered Accountant, Audit Partner, Bin Khadim, Radha & Company

9th ANNUAL CLIMATE CONTROL

AWARDS 2019

Special Award Recognition

AWARDS 2019

Country of Honour: Denmark For exemplary leadership in pursuing a carbon-free economy

Franz-Michael Skjold Mellbin, the Ambassador of Denmark to the UAE, receiving a special award.

December 2019

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9th ANNUAL CLIMATE CONTROL

AWARDS 2019

GCC Region Manufacturer of the Year Award SHORT-LISTED COMPANIES:

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•

Kingspan Insulation

•

S.K.M Air Conditioning

December 2019

WINNER:

S.K.M Air Conditioning

9th ANNUAL CLIMATE CONTROL

AWARDS 2019

Dominic de Sousa Award for Innovation SHORT-LISTED COMPANIES: •

Rheem Manufacturing

•

Testo

•

Ziehl-Abegg

WINNER:

Testo

December 2019

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9th ANNUAL CLIMATE CONTROL

AWARDS 2019

Manufacturer or Supplier of the Year (standalone DX) WINNER:

Rheem Manufacturing

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December 2019

9th ANNUAL CLIMATE CONTROL

AWARDS 2019

Manufacturer or Supplier of the Year (VRF systems) SHORT-LISTED COMPANIES: •

Carrier Middle East

•

Rheem Manufacturing

WINNER:

Carrier Middle East

December 2019

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9th ANNUAL CLIMATE CONTROL

AWARDS 2019

District Cooling Company of the Year WINNER:

Emaar District Cooling

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December 2019

9th ANNUAL CLIMATE CONTROL

AWARDS 2019

HVAC Contractor of the Year Award SHORT-LISTED COMPANIES: •

Al Fayhaa Construction and Contracting Company

•

Voltas Limited

WINNER:

Voltas Limited

December 2019

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9th ANNUAL CLIMATE CONTROL

AWARDS 2019

Commissioning/Re-commissioning Company of the Year Award WINNER:

AESG

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December 2019

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AWARDS 2019

IoT Integration Initiative of the Year SHORT-LISTED COMPANIES: •

Carrier Middle East

•

Emaar Facilities Management

•

Smart Automation Energy

WINNER:

Emaar Facilities Management

December 2019

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9th ANNUAL CLIMATE CONTROL

AWARDS 2019

Editor’s Choice Award WINNER:

Air Movement and Control Association (AMCA) International (joint winner)

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December 2019

9th ANNUAL CLIMATE CONTROL

AWARDS 2019

Editor’s Choice Award WINNER:

UAE enforcement authorities (Ajman Department of Economic Development; Dubai Department of Economic Development; Dubai Police and Sharjah Police) (joint winner) December 2019

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9th ANNUAL CLIMATE CONTROL

AWARDS 2019

District Cooling Utility Provider of the Year WINNER:

Emaar District Cooling (EDC) L.L.C

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December 2019

9th ANNUAL CLIMATE CONTROL

AWARDS 2019

O&M Company of the Year (chilled water plant) WINNER:

Emaar District Cooling (EDC) L.L.C

December 2019

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9th ANNUAL CLIMATE CONTROL

AWARDS 2019

Innovative Manufacturer or Supplier of the Year (chillers) SHORT-LISTED COMPANIES:

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•

Carrier Middle East

•

Johnson Controls Air Conditioning & Refrigeration

December 2019

WINNER:

Carrier Middle East

9th ANNUAL CLIMATE CONTROL

AWARDS 2019

Innovative Manufacturer or Supplier of the Year (chillers) HONOURABLE MENTION:

Johnson Controls Air Conditioning & Refrigeration Inc.

December 2019

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9th ANNUAL CLIMATE CONTROL

AWARDS 2019

Manufacturer or Supplier of the Year (chilled water system equipment & components, less chillers)

SHORT-LISTED COMPANIES:

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•

Daikin Middle East

•

Herz Middle East FZE

•

MSA Middle East

December 2019

WINNER:

MSA Middle East

9th ANNUAL CLIMATE CONTROL

AWARDS 2019

Manufacturer or Supplier of the Year (chilled water system equipment & components, less chillers)

HONOURABLE MENTION:

Daikin Middle East

December 2019

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9th ANNUAL CLIMATE CONTROL

AWARDS 2019

Building Performance Services (testing and certification) WINNER:

Dubai Municipality - Products Conformity Assessment Section (joint winner) 38

December 2019

9th ANNUAL CLIMATE CONTROL

AWARDS 2019

Building Performance Services (testing and certification) WINNER:

S.K.M Air Conditioning LLC (joint winner)

December 2019

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AWARDS 2019

Manufacturer or Supplier of the Year (air treatment) SHORT-LISTED COMPANIES:

40

•

Camfil Middle East

•

Carrier Middle East Limited

December 2019

WINNER:

Carrier Middle East Limited

9th ANNUAL CLIMATE CONTROL

AWARDS 2019

Manufacturer or Supplier of the Year (air movement, ventilation) WINNER:

Kingspan Insulation

December 2019

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AWARDS 2019

HVACR Engineer of the Year SHORT-LISTED COMPANIES:

42

•

Stephen Page, Atkins Global

•

Martin Williamson, AESG

December 2019

WINNER:

Stephen Page, Atkins Global

9th ANNUAL CLIMATE CONTROL

AWARDS 2019

Young HVACR Engineer of the Year SHORT-LISTED COMPANIES: •

Mohammed Atyab, Atkins Global

•

Abin Augustine, Beacon Electrical Equipment Trading

•

Ibrahim Hassanien, Allied Consultants

WINNER:

Abin Augustine, Beacon Electrical Equipment Trading (joint winner) December 2019

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AWARDS 2019

Young HVACR Engineer of the Year SHORT-LISTED COMPANIES:

44

•

Mohammed Atyab, Atkins Global

•

Abin Augustine, Beacon Electrical Equipment Trading

•

Ibrahim Hassanien, Allied Consultants

December 2019

WINNER:

Mohammed Atyab, Atkins Global (joint winner)

9th ANNUAL CLIMATE CONTROL

AWARDS 2019

FM Company of the Year (Energy Management and IEQ) WINNER:

Emaar Facilities Management (joint winner)

December 2019

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AWARDS 2019

FM Company of the Year (Energy Management and IEQ) WINNER:

Voltas Limited (joint winner)

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December 2019

9th ANNUAL CLIMATE CONTROL

AWARDS 2019

Building Efficiency Retrofit Project of the Year SHORT-LISTED COMPANIES: •

Beacon Electrical Equipment Trading

•

Quantum ESCO

•

RAK Municipality

•

Smart Automation Energy

WINNER:

RAK Municipality on behalf of RAK Hospital

December 2019

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9th ANNUAL CLIMATE CONTROL

AWARDS 2019

Building Efficiency Retrofit Project of the Year HONOURABLE MENTION:

Beacon Electrical Equipment Trading (joint honourable mention)

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December 2019

9th ANNUAL CLIMATE CONTROL

AWARDS 2019

Building Efficiency Retrofit Project of the Year HONOURABLE MENTION:

Smart Automation Energy (joint honourable mention)

December 2019

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AWARDS 2019

HVACR Accessories Manufacturer or Supplier of the Year WINNER:

Kinetics Middle East (joint winner)

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December 2019

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AWARDS 2019

HVACR Accessories Manufacturer or Supplier of the Year WINNER:

Leminar Air Conditioning (joint winner)

December 2019

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AWARDS 2019

Thank you!

Under The Patronage Of

Country of Honour

Gold Sponsor

Monitored by

Silver Sponsor

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December 2019

9th ANNUAL CLIMATE CONTROL

AWARDS 2019 Bronze Sponsors

Category Sponsor

Associate Sponsors

OVER

Official Audio Visual Partner

Raffle Sponsor

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Strategic HVACR Recruitment Partner

December 2019

53

HVAC R Pioneers’ Summit (co-located with The Big 5 Dubai)

, ‘SMART’ EXPECTEDLY, GETS AMPLE ATTENTION

The second edition of the HVAC R Expo, held from November 25 to 28 and co-located with The Big 5 Dubai, drew manufacturers to showcase their latest technologies to visitors. The Expo also served as a platform for the launch of the HVAC R Pioneers’ Summit, which featured panel discussions and presentations, providing attendees with an overview of trends impacting the global and regional market, including the industry’s role in the smart buildings of the future. Hannah Jo Uy of Climate Control Middle East presents key takeaways from the Summit…

“I

f the climate is in chaos, there is no business to be done – that is the bottom line,” said Saziye Dickson, Global Research Manager, Middle East and Africa, Building Services Research & Information Association (BSRIA), to underscore the important role the HVACR sector plays in overarching climate change mitigation efforts, while emphasising the socio-economic impact of global warming on the industry.

Presenting a comprehensive overview of global trends to participants in the HVAC R Pioneers’ Summit, she said that the HVACR market has been growing for the past five

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December 2019

years, in line with rising temperatures owing to global warming, and that there is huge interest in HVAC from investors that are from other business verticals, with many companies acquiring and forming partnerships with air conditioning companies specialising in equipment or components.

In 2019, growth has been apparent across all areas in the HVAC sector, Dickson said, pointing out that there has been healthy growth in chillers, with newer and lower-GWP refrigerants, as well as in modular/oil-free centrifugal chillers. She highlighted that residential and lightcommercial projects are currently favouring multi-splits and variable refrigerant flow (VRF) systems and that there is significant growth in mini-VRFs, worldwide.

A GLOBAL SNAPSHOT Further elaborating on trends across each region, Dickson said the Asia Pacific has recorded a healthy growth of three per cent in 2019. Japan is leading the way with new technology, she said, adding that growing demand for air conditioning is driven by government-funded infrastructure projects related to schools as well as to major sporting events. The move towards refrigerants with lower GWP, such as R-32, has also prompted the government in Japan to revise its fire safety and building regulations, to be able to use the mildly flammable refrigerants in buildings, she added. As for China, Dickson said, the trade war has taken its toll on the market, leading to a slowdown in the economy and the real estate sector, compared to previous years, though the market in China still reported a six per cent growth. She added that China’s new energy efficiency document is due to be published by the end of 2019.

Overall, for the Asia Pacific region, she said, mini-VRF and oil-free centrifugal chillers have a large portion of the market share.

Dickson said that in Europe, energy efficiency is at the forefront of design and specification, pointing out that the region has seen significant growth in the past year, even exceeding that of Asia Pacific, as the ErP directive and F-gas regulations are helping drive market demand for more efficient solutions. There is also rapid increase in heat pump sales, and a move towards hybrid technologies as well as growing rental, service and maintenance and retrofit business segments, she said, as economic conditions have pushed manufacturers to look at alternative markets. “Europe is a mature market, and there are no new buildings coming up every day, like in Middle East, Africa and Asia,” she said, adding that there has been growth in retrofitting with inverters to bring installed systems up to standard across Europe. Dickson also pointed out that limitations in the allowance of refrigerants in buildings have also started to benefit scroll chillers in the market, especially in France.

The Americas, Dickson said, presents a mixed picture. Overall, the United States is outperforming other countries, though, she said. In the United States, she said, the market is shifting away from traditional systems to single, ductless splits and VRFs. Energy-efficiency initiatives, she added, is driven by each state, with California leading the way. Dickson also said that while VRF is garnering more attention, “specifiers need to be retrained, so it can be in tender documents”.

Coming to the Middle East, India and Africa market, Dickson reported strong growth in commercial AC systems, which is projected to be USD 5,000 million by 2023.

In the Middle East, in particular, Dickson said, air conditioning is not a luxury product – it is a necessity. This is also the case, she said, in Africa, citing a United Nations report saying that 1.1 billion people are in need of cooling “This is not just comfort cooling, it is also cooling of vaccinations and food,” she said.

“These are necessary, imminent and urgent.”

A growing population and rapid urbansiation are driving demand, she said, with forecasted growth exceeding that of the global average.

While District Cooling and mega projects have steadily favoured centrifugal chillers, Dickson said that in the Middle East, splits and rooftops are being replaced by ducted splits and mini-VRFs.

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THE UAE SCENARIO As for the UAE market, Dickson said that in 2019, 679,000 units were sold and that the market was valued at USD 733 million.

Current market demand from residential construction is also favouring mini-VRFs, she said, adding that the splits market has continued to decline. Dickson said that the market also face challenges following the introduction of VAT, and related to oversupply of office spaces. Other issues that impact the market, she said, are geopolitical in nature, which affect trade with neighbouring Arab countries.

Dickson said that while energy efficiency is a concern among stakeholders, the most significant growth can be seen in the automation and controls area, pointing out that Smart HVAC systems account for six per

cent growth in the smart HVAC market. She added that the smart building movement is vital – as per UN reports, in the next 13 years, 64% of the population in developing countries will live in cities, while in developed countries 84% will be living in cities. “Cities have to be built, and they have to be built in a sustainable and smart way,” she said.

DEFINING ‘SMART BUILDINGS’ The steady uptake of solutions related to ‘smart buildings’ comes as no surprise to Azmi S Aboul-Hoda, Managing Director, EMergy Consultancy, and Chairman of the Summit, who said that while the event was organised under the theme ‘Powering the future of change’, ‘smart buildings’ became

the underlying aspect that ran through the comprehensive agenda, including presentations and panel discussions on a variety of specialised topics within the industry. “HVAC plays a vital role in smart buildings,” he said. “A building cannot be smart, if the HVAC is not.”

Aboul-Hoda said that although ‘smart buildings’ are rapidly progressing, the movement is still in its early stages, and there is still much effort required from the industry, in the region and globally, to really move towards developing a smarter building stock.

Aboul-Hoda said that the challenge of rolling out smart buildings is especially daunting when it comes to the retrofit market, which is an equally important segment, owing to difficulties that comes with converting existing buildings to smart buildings.

Before moving forward, Aboul-Hoda stressed that it is important for stakeholders to assess what a smart building truly entails.

“The definition of ‘smart buildings’, if we can agree on it, is that it should take care of each and every person,” he said. “From an HVAC perspective, we need to see the buildings as part of us, and we should be part of it.” Such buildings, he said, should be intuitive and operate according to the needs of the occupants, helping them achieve comfort and productivity as well as offer energy optimisation. “The idea is to make the infrastructure, be it in terms of HVAC or lighting, in a way that is personalised,” he said. “Essentially, a smart building is supposed to make people happy. It is a big task that requires collective effort. But, if we define it properly, and if we know what we want, then at least we can start getting closer.”

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HVAC R Pioneers’ Summit (co-located with The Big 5 Dubai)

‘NO SUCH THING AS BALANCE’ In view of this definition, Aboul-Hoda said that there must also be a paradigm shift in how indoor air quality (IAQ) is taken into consideration. Pointing out that the topic has been discussed extensively over the past few years, Aboul-Hoda said, “I object to the terminology ‘energy saving’; and also, there is no such thing as having to strike a ‘balance’ between IAQ and energy.

Indoor air quality is a must and should be achieved regardless of how much energy is consumed. If the goal is to save energy, we can switch off the system, but no, the issue is for energy optimisation – using it efficiently but doing whatever it takes to achieve indoor air quality. Energy saving is not our goal in isolation, it is energy efficiency.” AboulHoda said that a panel discussion on the significance of IAQ was of vital importance, as it allowed stakeholders to assess factors that contribute to improving IAQ, look into people responsible for achieving it and develop pathways towards implementing better IAQ practices in the building stock.

This, he added, showcased how there is stronger appreciation in the market toward IAQ. Undoubtedly, there has been greater appreciation in the market on the impact of IAQ on the wellbeing of building inhabitants, Aboul-Hoda said; however, he emphasised, to continue the positive momentum, there are a number of challenges that the industry must overcome.

The issue Aboul-Hoda considers to be the most pressing is related to regulations. “The government’s move towards sustainability, indoor air quality and environmental health is truly remarkable, and the regulations that are implemented are pioneering in the region. However, we need lessons learnt to be reflected in the movement,” he said. “Some of these regulations were done in the period starting from 2007 to 2010, and we are now in 2019, but there have been no updates.

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Azmi S

Hoda

Aboul-

There should be a committee or public review gathering information, comments and lessons learnt to improve and update these regulations, because by now there are new technologies, solutions and ideas.”

Dickson said that the biggest challenge BSRIA has seen so far is the number of untrained installers on the ground. “There are not enough people to operate these smart HVAC systems, and even when buildings are equipped with smart systems, building owners don’t operate them and systems are being ripped off,” she said. “As BSRIA, we see smart chillers coming into the market.

How many are being connected and being used?” Dickson said the need for training is further underscored by the move toward lowGWP refrigerants that are considered mildly flammable, such as R-32.

Another issue that came up during the summit, said Aboul-Hoda, is the need for the industry to invest in local research initiatives to further increase the adoption

of more sophisticated solutions. “Research conducted in the region is more general and not very technical,” he said, emphasising that local research has not been as progressive compared to research done on the HVAC market in other parts of the world. Because of this, Aboul-Hoda said, many technologies or design solutions available in other markets are not implemented owing to lack of understanding on the feasibility of its local application.

Providing an example, Aboul-Hoda said there is scope for looking into personalised ventilation and also displacement ventilation, which he said, is especially promising for the UAE market. “Research related to these technologies, taking into consideration local weather and the high cooling load, might help in encouraging the industry to adopt these technologies, because a building owner or a designer will find it difficult to integrate something new unless it has been tried.

There is a learning curve, and we can shorten the learning curve, if we have local research by the universities.”

Aboul-Hoda said there is also a shortage of educational resources for stakeholders looking for reliable specialised HVACR-related information. “Part of the issue is also because of the language,” he said. “Many people are more comfortable reading about the technology in their own language, in Arabic, and some of them don’t know English. It would be a good idea to deliver educational resources that would help this segment.”

Aboul-Hoda said there should also be a move from the industry to organise free courses and workshops on different and relevant topics, be it on new technologies, or better practices on essential activities such as conducting energy audits and writing energy reports. “These education and awareness campaigns can be done by local government or even by manufacturers,” he said. “Many of the international manufacturers are conducting courses globally. Why not also conduct these free courses locally? That’s

one way of transferring technology know-how to the market.”

POTENTIAL PATHWAYS To overcome these challenges, Aboul-Hoda said that a holistic approach is needed, adding that this was underscored throughout the Summit during the panel on Sustainable HVAC Strategies and Design, as discussions reverted to the importance of moving away from the current practice of working in silos.

“Ideally, the client, architect, consultant, contractor and operator are discussing the project at the early stages,” he pointed out. “It should not be only the architect and owner making decisions on behalf of everyone else, expecting that any issues will get solved later on.”

However, Aboul-Hoda added that the responsibility is not solely on the consultant or contractor. “There are many technologies being invented in other parts of the world, and we are importing these technologies, but are we importing the know-how?” he

asked. “How are manufacturers delivering the knowledge and expertise on operation and maintenance, along with delivering the equipment?” Aboul-Hoda pointed out that a number of local representatives lack awareness on how to optimise these technologies and there is greater need for proper transfer of information to help reduce knowledge gap when it comes to installation.

“In many cases, local manufacturers refer to people outside the region,” he said. “But, we need people that know the environment, the culture and weather conditions, because these are factors that help in the optimum execution and adoption of these systems.”

Weighing in, Dickson said: “Globally, new products are being launched with new refrigerants with lower GWP. However, there is a bit of a disconnect between manufacturers producing these equipment, and the installers, contractors and designers, specifying these products. There is a bit of a gap.” Aboul-Hoda said the contribution of people in the value chain is invaluable,

as evidenced by technical presentations conducted in the Summit on pumps, preinsulated ducting, and green and efficient chiller technologies.

As such, Aboul-Hoda said, platforms, such as the Summit, play a vital role in gathering people in a bid to enhance building practices.

He commended the organisers, dmg events, for their efforts in this regard. However, Aboul-Hoda said the industry must continue to strengthen its communication channels.

“Every case is different, and each project is unique,” he said, “We cannot have one proposed system for everything, but these discussions can be taken and implemented and discussed widely. Hopefully, in the next edition of the Summit, we can try to learn from what took place, based on the topics that emerged.”

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

Write to editor@cpi-industry.com

December 2019

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Denma Green Building, Retrofit and District Cooling Seminar 4.0

In a collaborative spirit, Denmark draws diverse gathering of building industry stakeholders in the UAE for the sharing of strategies and solutions relating to District Cooling, building retrofits and Green Buildings

By Surendar Balakrishnan | Editor

he Trade Council of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Denmark conducted ‘Green Building, Retrofit and District Cooling Seminar 4.0’ on November 11 and 12 in Dubai.

Sponsored by DBDH and the Danish Embassy in the UAE, the seminar was an opportunity for the Nordic country to as much share its HVAC-related expertise with a diverse gathering of building industry stakeholders as to listen to thought leaders in the UAE, notably representatives from the UAE Ministry of Energy and Industry and the Abu Dhabi Department of Energy.

Speaking on the occasion, H.E. FranzMichael Skjold Mellbin, Ambassador of

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Denmark to the UAE, said, “We have brought together a number of speakers interested in the 4th Industrial Revolution for Green Buildings, retrofits and District Cooling and Heating solutions. We will be discussing District Energy strategies and solutions that hopefully will give improvements to building users and also provide great societal benefits.”

H.E. Mellbin spoke of how Denmark has worked on these projects for many years and has allowed public-private partnerships (PPPs) to develop to bring lasting benefits.

He said that any talk on energy efficiency and climate change solutions in the country is in the context of the interests of the user.

“When we provide efficiency or do retrofits, we bring direct benefits for the end-user,”

he said. “The benefits are lower costs, better indoor climate and increase in livability.

H.E. Mellbin said that Denmark is home to a number of companies, such as ABK, Danfoss, Desmi, Frese and Kamstrup who have developed expertise in the areas of District Cooling. Likewise, he spoke of companies like Combimix, Danfoss, the Danish Technological Institute, Energy Arabia (local representative of Novenco), KE Fibertec, North Q, Rambøll, Rockwool, Smart Ceiling & JS Koncept and VELUX, who have expertise in retrofit and green building projects.Acknowledging that the UAE has set itself high ambitions, he said that bringing Denmark and the UAE together is a way to how we can improve energy efficiency in this part of the world. “Building efficiency is

rk about integrating a systems approach to apply in large building stocks, as we see here,” he said. “We do hope Denmark and the UAE together will create joint solutions, and we believe there is a lot to talk about.”

Speaking after him, H.E. Eng. Fatima Al Foora Al Shamsi, Assistant Undersecretary for Electricity, Water and Future Energy Affairs, Ministry of Energy & Industry, UAE, said that annual growth of demand for energy stands at six per cent in the UAE. The clearest route to manage demand is to focus on energy efficiency, she said. “Energy efficiency is the most sustainable and affordable energyreduction strategy,” she said.

Air conditioning, she pointed out, is still dominating energy use. It represents more than 70% of energy demand in the country, she said.

Efficient cooling through innovation from technology providers would lower energy consumption even further, she added.

DIALOGUE Broadly speaking, H.E. Al Shamsi said the that is clear with its targets: 22% reduction in consumption of electricity and 32% reduction country is developing its national energy in consumption of water by 2030. He said programme, in collaboration with many the Abu Dhabi Executive Council has also entities in the UAE. “We hope we achieve introduced the first-of-its-kind District Cooling our target, especially the cost of energy,” regulations. He added that the Emirate has she said. “We have started the process of revising our strategy and are looking at PPP. initiated the registration and accreditation of ESCOs, M&V guidelines and energy services Development of technology is essential.” contracting guidelines Ramiz Hamdan to spur building from the Abu Dhabi retrofit projects in Department of Abu Dhabi.

Energy said that Speaking after the Emirate has Hamdan, Soren Berg ambitious targets Lorenzen, Head of in the field of Planning for Energy at energy. “We are in Frederiksberg Utility, the middle of an in the collaborative energy transition, and knowledgeand it is based sharing spirit of the on collaboration, Seminar, elaborated cooperation and on how Denmark coordination,” he said. approaches District Hamdan spoke of the Cooling system design Emirate’s Demand in an integrated Side Management manner, with a keen & Energy eye on the future.

Rationalization Frederiksberg, in the Strategy 2030. He middle of the capital elaborated on how of Denmark, is one the Department is of the most densely developing strategic populated areas in initiatives that Europe, Lorenzen diversify and secure said. He went on to energy sources say that the utility for economic, established its District environmental and Cooling operations social responsibility.

H.E. Franz-Michael only in 2012, but it is Among them are very drawing from its “116 ambitious grid-scale PV Skjold Mellbin years of experience in projects and nuclear District Heating”. energy, he highlighted.

Lorenzen spoke of how Denmark is home He echoed H.E. Al Shamsi when he said, to 400 District Heating companies and has the Department is striving to “maximise 30,000 kilometres of District Heating piping value through the very first fuel – energy network. efficiency”.

Elaborating on the demand-side profile Hamdan said the Department has in the context of District Cooling, he developed an energy efficiency strategy

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Green Building, Retrofit and District Cooling Seminar 4.0

touched on two aspects, in particular that require attention – energy transfer stations (ETSes) and the accurate estimation of cooling load.

In the case of ETSes, Lorenzen said, the issue is relating to who owns them. “We would like to own the ETSes in the buildings,” he said. “Some of the inefficiencies in building are from ETSes, so having control over them would be good.”

With regard to the estimate of the cooling needed, he said, it is one of the primary issues in Denmark. “It seems very difficult for engineers to predict,” he said.

“They tend to overestimate the cooling need.”

In terms of production units, Lorenzen said, Denmark uses many different technologies and approaches for District Energy, such as absorption heat pumps; electrical compression chillers; free cooling via sea, lake and air during winter; and integration with District Heating via heat pumps. And in terms of thermal energy storage, he said, while steel tanks are common in District Heating, aquifer thermal energy storage (ATES) is growing in popularity. “We drink our groundwater in Denmark, so we have to make sure we don’t thermally pollute the water, though,” he said.

Lorenzen said District Heating and District Cooling regimens in Denmark are underpinned by a strong government framework. At the Municipality level, he said, this includes urban planning and strategic energy planning. At a federal level, the government intervention, he said, is in the forms of laws, regulations, and national targets and plans. “In Denmark,” he said, “we have a law that can force people to connect to District Heating.” Speaking in relation to the utility he represents, he said only 44 buildings in the whole network are not connected to District Heating. “It is hasslefree to be part of the scheme,” he said.

Giving a UAE perspective on District Cooling utilities, Muna Al Nahdi, Manager – Energy Management, South Energy, said District Cooling is a key driver for sustainable development. Quoting a UN report, she said the world’s population stood at 4.2 billion people in 2018, with a strong urban leaning, which she said was responsible for 70% of carbon emissions. Sustainable development, she said, cannot be achieved without a significant transformation in the way we build and manage our cities.

Speaking specifically on the Dubai South development, of which South Energy is a part, Al Nahdi pointed out

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that the development spans an area of 145 square kilometres. Dubai South’s energy strategy, she said, comprises six programmes managed by South Energy. Among them are District Cooling, clean energy and renewables, Building energy efficiency retrofits, efficient infrastructure and a centralised domestic gas network.

Speaking specifically on District Cooling, she said, it improves system reliability and provides better cooling quality. Dubai South, she said, has a potential demand of 1.2 million tonnes of refrigeration (TR).

As of today, she said, South Energy has a connected load profile of 25,000 TR and hopes to achieve 36,500 TR by 2020.

With a view to creating an appealing model for building owners, Al Nahdi said, the South Energy approach to District Cooling includes engaging the customers and understanding their needs, as opposed to making assumptions made by planners. “We set targets and draw a roadmap, because whatever decisions are made at this time are critical, because they will determine the performance over the next 20 years,” she said.

Al Nahdi said it is important to be a partner of customers and to work as a team. We have noticed that HVAC systems typically are overdesigned by 30-40% capacity. So, our approach involves issuing a set of guidelines to design the HVAC system, reviewing the final load calculations of the secondary-side system, and agreeing on correct assumptions and peak loads.

Broadly speaking, she said, South Energy’s approach hinges on better planning, which includes adopting smaller-sized, more dynamic integrated plants, which are scalable. “Not only that, we utilise lands of low commercial value, reduce pumping equipment and target a cost-effective system,” she said. “We also aim for reduced O&M costs. We have learnt our lesson and do not do large-sized plants. Our philosophy is not to oversize the plants. We review the customer’s design and determine actual

demand, because large-capacity plants face partial-load issues, are difficult to control or optimise, have low Delta T problems and increase O&M costs.”

Al Nahdi said, South Energy follows an approach of exploring new technologies and applying advanced design principles. The scope includes selecting the best thermal energy systems and high-quality equipment with better efficiency. The utility is also considering other innovative technologies, such as trigeneration, and a control and command centre.

George Berbari, CEO of consulting firm, DC PRO Engineering, said South Energy is a utility that is most receptive to new ideas, which he added, is refreshing.

Speaking, then, on the need for carbonneutral cities, Berbari said District Cooling has a distinct and decisive role to play in achieving neutrality. He called for a new approach to plant design, new utility and District Cooling rates, and an integrated chilled water network in the Middle East region. “At the moment, many District Cooling companies are fighting each other and are not allowing passage through energy corridors,” he said.

Berbari bemoaned the lack of trust among District Cooling companies in the region.

“We need a neutral body to step in,” he said.

“The municipalities could own 40-50% of the plants, so that we get a neutral voice.

Given the situation, here is an opportunity for Denmark to export its knowledge. It’s a very rare model you have in Denmark, and you can seriously help us here in the Middle East, with your soft diplomacy approach.”

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

Write to editor@cpi-industry.com

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December 2019

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The 3rd edition of The Client, Consultant, Contractor Conference

PIERCING THROUGH CONTRACTUAL AMBIGUITIES Most of the clients, consultants, contractors, manufacturers and suppliers that participated in the third edition of The Client, Consultant, Contractor Conference, organised

by CPI Industry on September 30, in Dubai, agree that common cashflow constraints plaguing the MEP sector can be attributed to complexities surrounding contractual ambiguities, aggravated by market conditions. In this, the second part of the post-event report, legal representatives provide recommendations on how to avoid negative cash flow and costly legal disputes.

Story by Hannah Jo Uy | Assistant Editor Daniel Xu

ashflow is the lifeblood of the industry, said Daniel Xu, Partner, King & Wood Mallesons MENA, while participating in the third edition of The Client, Consultant, Contractor Conference, organised

by CPI Industry on September 30, in Dubai. Those consultants, contractors, manufacturers and suppliers that participated in the event agreed and added that the lifeline has long suffered under unmet payment terms leading to project delays, capital losses and very tight margins.

Although payment terms have been an age-old problem, Rachel Ewin, Director,

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Contract Services, Turner & Townsend International Ltd, said that over the past 10-15 years, a number of initiatives have been rolled out in the United Kingdom and in the GCC region to help rectify the situation.

Providing an example, she points to a 30-day payment process that has been implemented in Abu Dhabi. “We are moving forward,” she said. However, Ewin pointed out that there are a number of steps that stakeholders can take in order to protect themselves from common challenges related to payment terms and avoid costly legal disputes down the line.

TAKING A CLOSER LOOK Ewin said that an important first step is for stakeholders to have a thorough

understanding of the contract by looking at the terms and conditions, including the level of accountability among parties, the timing and amount of the payment as well as the protocols in place, in the event there is a disputed amount. “We have seen payment terms of up to 120 days, which is unsustainable in this industry,” she said. “It doesn’t help anybody's cashflow incentives.

This is affecting productivity, as well, and encouraging people to potentially swap out products. It becomes more about the price rather than suitability or value for money, and that is reducing the quality of the products used in the industry.”

Peter Anagnostou

Rachel Ewin

DRAFTING IDEAL CONTRACTS

Euan Lloyd Peter Anagnostou, Senior Associate, DLA Piper, said that while admittedly it takes time, effort and resources to analyse a contract, it is an absolute must. “The thing to remember is there is no construction law or act in the region,” he said. “The contract is the legal mechanism that governs the relationship between both parties, so it’s a very important document that should be taken seriously by both parties before they sign and also during the course of the project.” In agreement was Euan Lloyd, Senior Counsel, Al Tamimi & Company, who emphasised that ‘the devil is in the details’. “Once a contract has been signed, it’s a binding constitution between the parties,” he said. “You are held accountable based on the contract, even if you aren’t aware of the pressure points. It is worth to invest time and money to make sure there is clarity in this regard.”

Anagnostou also emphasised that the contract goes beyond the terms and conditions and includes the scope of work and specifications. “What we see in relation to design is that the specification will have a section that says, ‘The contractor is responsible for designing the following’.

But it’s broad, very general and not clear,” he said. “It’s difficult to really identify where the scope of design begins and ends. You need to ensure that you carefully look at the specification before you agree to them and that there are no ambiguous descriptions in the contract when it comes to design responsibility. Once you clarify that, it should be pretty easy for the contractor to say ‘This is not my responsibility’.” Lloyd added that another issue to take into consideration is the incorporation of contractual terms by reference. “A contract may include entire clauses and may incorporate various other contracts,” he said. “Unless you review these additional revisions, which are incorporated by references, you could be signing up to various unknown risks.”

Anagnostou said that in many instances, parties expect that the contract will be similar to those in previous projects.

“However, in an evolving market, such as the Middle East, contracts are becoming much more sophisticated,” he said.

“Each time, various changes may get more complex and more one-sided. You need to be aware of that before you go on working on a project, because a slight change to one clause can make a huge difference in your ability to claim or your liability. You need to be careful that you don’t take it for granted that the contract will remain the same every time and you take the time to look at it carefully and make sure you understand how it works for each particular project.”

Anagnostou said that stakeholders ought to take a more proactive role from the onset during the drafting of the contract to ensure all parties’ concerns are taken into consideration. “Historically, a lot of clients we see in the region have always just accepted the terms of the contract,” he said. “I know sometimes it’s not an option if you really want to work on a project, but there are ways to negotiate changes without losing that work. You have a position, you can negotiate particular terms, such as payment provisions or some kind of suspension clause that gives you the right to suspend if you don't get paid certified sums within a reasonable time. These are some of the things to really consider before we sign a contract.” Ewin added: “Before you put pen to paper, you have the tender clarification period [there was a pre-defined period within the contract of the person asking the question] to make sure you have all the elements negotiated written down for clarification. We tend to see too many grey areas, making the contract quite broad.

Specifications drawn up are done that way as a catch-all. We would suggest that within the tender clarification schedule of the contract you make sure that those inclusions are ratified and put down.”

The drafting period of the contract also allows the parties to prepare and protect their interests from variations. Ewin

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The 3rd edition of The Client, Consultant, Contractor Conference

said that with a number of stakeholders contributing to the design of construction projects, it is inevitable that each party has a different want, need and requirement.

The challenge is incorporating all of these into the contract, she said, otherwise the consequences are costly. “I had one instance where it took two years to get the full design of a project, including how and where we position the site,” she said. “The contract was signed and the value was up in the billions.

One person, who was influential but not part of the project, decided they didn't want that project on their doorstep, so the first variation is to move it six kilometres down the road, which had a massive impact on time and budget.” It is these things that the team and supporting legal counsel must look into before entering projects, she said. “One of the things we do is stakeholder mapping,” she said. “We figure out everyone involved, including how and what their level of influence would be. We analyse the different criteria and what the critical parts are for that project to work around the devised

strategy to effectively be able to move forward.”

In some companies, Ewin said, there are regular meetings to solve the disputes that emerge in the course of the project.

“What we have started doing when we are drafting or assisting in drafting the contract is to get the client and contractor in the same room and play a contract game playing out different scenarios,” she said. “‘For example: If we follow this clause to the letter, and you do not do what it stipulates, what will happen? Is it good or bad? What do we do to rectify it or to put something in place, so it doesn’t happen?’

When that happens, people understand what the contract says and how it can help and hinder you.”

Anagnostou added that it is also important to note that there are different types of variations within the contract.

“You need to really understand the payment mechanism in your contract, whether you need payment upfront before you undertake the variation or whether you are expected to carry out the variation without payment and then receive some kind of valuation down the track,” he said.

“You need to understand exactly what your exposure risk is, so you are not exposed to large variations, which you are liable for and which you might have to pay for in the future.”

“More and more trained mediators are entering the market.

They are actually qualified to mediate disputes here in the region, which makes a big difference.”

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Xu added that internal communication also plays a key role throughout the process.

“What usually happens when the contract is being pushed through is that you have the site team not talking to your commercial or contracts team and going ahead, because they don’t want to cause delay,” he said. “Then, you have the contracts team finding out later there is a substantial change. It is important to maintain regular communication between commercial and contracts and the team on-site.”

WORST-CASE SCENARIO However, despite the best efforts of all the parties, there are unavoidable instances where disagreements escalate. Lloyd said that one of the major problems in the perception among stakeholders is that if there is a dispute that can’t get resolved, they need to go to court or arbitration.

“Both methods are fairly expensive and fairly time-consuming,” he said, adding that disputes often come down to opposing personalities. “Views between both sides become fairly entrenched,” he said. “I think sometimes it does help to have active involvement in the project.”

Weighing in, Anagnostou said that in a lot of instances the contract states that if there is a dispute, parties may refer to arbitration, but, he emphasised, it doesn’t mean it’s the only option available to the parties. “The parties, at any time, can agree between themselves in writing to adopt a different mechanism that will suit them at the time,” he said. One way, Anagnostou pointed out, is through mediation. “While not as developed in the region, it is definitely becoming more popular,” he said. “More and more trained mediators are entering the market. They are actually qualified to mediate disputes here in the region, which makes a big difference.”

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The 3rd edition of The Client, Consultant, Contractor Conference

‘CREATIVE THINKING’

Anagnostou said that another benefit of mediation is that it provides both parties with a decision to take to their respective managements, which will ultimately make the final call. “It saves both parties a lot of time and money from actually going through arbitration or the court process,” he said. However, Anagnostou admitted that there are instances where arbitration is unavoidable. “If it’s a large and complex dispute, it needs to have that level of expertise and time offered by arbitration to analyse the evidence and review the complexities,” he said, “but if you’re looking for a short and quick solution for a very small dispute, then mediation is an option.”

Anagnostou also noted that, “Just because there is notice of arbitration it doesn’t mean that the parties are required to proceed all the way to arbitration,” he said. “You can stop at any time. We find that sometimes all it takes is for that notice to be filed and arbitration to be commenced to encourage parties to come to the table and negotiate sensibly some kind of settlement.”

Xu agreed, adding, “It is about the message behind it.” Lloyd added that he believes there could be an opportunity for regulatory bodies in the Middle East to introduce a fast-track dispute mechanism, such as adjudication, which has worked so well in many jurisdictions around the world.

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Anagnostou said that the most important thing from a legal perspective is to ensure claims are properly drafted, in accordance with the contract, and issued to the actual employer on time, and in the manner that it’s supposed to be issued. “I know sometimes contractors and suppliers are wary that if they issue claims it might cause problems, and cause aggression and antagonism between clients and parties,” he said. “But it’s really important to put your position down in writing at every stage of the project to protect yourself in the future.” He also emphasised that in the construction industry, having claims is not new or unusual. “You shouldn't be scared to submit claims in accordance with the contract, to ensure you have protected yourself from variations and any kind of change during the course of the project,” he said.

Lloyd added that many stakeholders find it difficult to demand changes, owing to current market conditions and increased competition, in turn owing to the presence of a large number of players in the market.

However, he emphasised that there is scope for negotiations, as long as the party can justify why they want these changes.

“Sometimes, you don’t get completely what you want, but rather a compromise and get at least halfway there,” he said.

“An example would be the ‘pay when paid’ [clause], which is a preference in this region and it can be a real killer to cash flow. There are certain ways to mitigate the harshness of the ‘pay when paid’ clause, like a transparency regime, whereby you get clarification or notification as to when payment has been made by the employer, which can then be flowed down to you. You just have to work out what’s important to you. Pick and choose your market. If you have the product at best price and that satisfies the consultant, you should be in a fairly decent position.”

Anagnostou added he has seen clients achieve positive results by negotiating amendments and not simply rushing to sign the contract. “You need to understand your commercial position,” he said, also emphasising that it is possible to present legal arguments on why certain provisions should be changed. “Sometimes, you can’t convince the other side to change clauses, because they don’t understand why,” he said. “All it takes is a simple letter from a lawyer, one page, saying ‘We have looked at this clause and the impact of this clause on the project would be as follows, therefore we suggest it gets changed to this’. If you can produce such a letter to the other side, saying, ‘My lawyers say the clause should be changed, because it could harm me down the line, it’s not my opinion, it’s their opinion’, that might be an added piece of leverage. Then, the other side can say to its management, ‘They can do the work but only if we change this clause, based on their lawyer’s advice’.

Sometimes it takes some creative thinking to find a solution to the problem without an argument.”

Adding to this, Xu said that he has also seen subcontractors that are known for having a stomach for the fight when not paid. “In that sense, they have cultivated that market reputation that they don’t get pushed around and that they get their money back,” he said. “That’s one angle, if you are not that high up the value chain. You need to have a market reputation that you don’t get pushed around and that you will collect when you’re supposed to be paid.”

As such, Anagnostou encouraged stakeholders: “Sit down, think about the contract and ensure it works for all parties before you execute it. Hopefully, it will work throughout the project, as it should to ensure there is cashflow between parties.”

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The 14th edition of ISK-Sodex

ON THE GROUNDS AT ISK-SODEX

A cross-section of manufacturers at ISK-SODEX 2019 discuss their latest product innovations, digital initiatives and global business strategies. Hannah Jo Uy has the story…

SK-SODEX 2019 gave visitors and exhibitors a more distinct and powerful experience with its enriched product range, said Alexander Kühnel, General Manager, Hannover Messe Sodeks Fuarcılık, adding that the exhibition hosted 1,000 participating brands from 35 countries, primarily from Germany, China, France, Greece, India, Iran, Italy, Japan, Lebanon, Pakistan, Russia, Spain, South Korea, Taiwan, Thailand, the United Arab Emirates and the United States, in addition to those from Turkey. “We realized new achievements with our participating companies and industry stakeholders, who attended from a variety of industries, including heating, refrigeration, air conditioning, ventilation, insulation, pumps, valves, installation, water treatment, and fire and solar energy systems,” he said.

“Visitors from various professional fields, such as mechanical engineers, managers, maintenance workers, planners and technicians, all came together.”

Kühnel also highlighted the organising company’s partnership with associations and institutions, including ISKAV, DOSİDER, İSKİD, İZODER, TTMD, POMSAD, SOSİAD, ESSİAD, MTMD and KBSB. In partnership with these entities, he said, ISK Sodex aimed to be a platform for discussion on critical subjects

Ozan Atasoy

I

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Matthias Layher

Alexander Kühnel shaping the industry and to help exhibitors and visitors establish new partnerships and strengthen existing ones.

“The air conditioning industry is a growing one, with an annual global trade volume of approximately USD 1.5 trillion, and the Turkish air conditioning industry is rapidly developing with strong brands and ever-increasing production efficiency,” Kühnel said. “The Turkish air conditioning industry is a driving force in national exports and aims to achieve USD 5 billion in exports by the end of 2019. These advantages and Turkey’s geopolitical location make ISKSODEX the most significant and leading international air conditioning systems exhibition in the Eurasia region.”

Toros Arslanyan

HERE ARE PROFILES OF SOME OF THE PARTICIPATING EXHIBITORS…

AIOLOS “Our philosophy is to supply fresh air with environmentally friendly technologies for humans, while providing the same level of comfort,” said Ozan Atasoy, Managing Partner, Aiolos Advanced Air Technologies, as he discussed the company’s product, HybriCool, prominently featured in the company’s stand. Manufactured in Turkey, the HybriCool, Atasoy explained, by cooling fresh air with cooled return air, makes for an efficient system, with the icing on the cake being that it reduces energy required to cool the fresh air by doing so naturally. He said that the product is ideal for commercial projects, such as shopping malls, offices, universities and conferences areas, considering its volume, which starts from 2,500 cubic metres up to 22,000 cubic metres. He added that the product is designed to meet stringent hygienic standards, using UV water treatment for adiabatic cooling and UV filter to keep the legionella at bay.

Atasoy said that a unique feature of the unit is the integration of the control system, which is powered by Belimo. The unit, he said, can be controlled using a cloud-based application, accessible through mobile

phones. “We can change any parameter inside, adjust the volume, whatever is needed,” he said, adding that the product is designed to be easily controlled even by those that have little technical knowledge. Using digitalisation to improve ease of use is important in addressing a pressing challenge for such units, Atasoy said, which is installation and maintenance.

“When you buy a commercial unit, usually you ask for periodic service agreements, where three or four times a year, service and maintenance people will come and check if everything is okay,” he said. “We do not offer periodic service agreement, we offer preventive maintenance and service agreement. In preventive service agreement, we can monitor everything 365 days a year in our office and record data, and whenever we see something is going wrong, even if the customer is not aware of it, we tell them. This is the most important part of the service agreement. Our HVAC industry is changing, so we are already ready with this kind of integration.”

BITZER Bitzer exhibited its range of air conditioning products, in a bid to highlight its OEM business during its participation in ISK-Sodex, said Matthias Layher, Director, Sales AC, Marine and Process, who elaborated on the CSH screw compressor being showcased at the stand. “This, in particular, is a high-efficiency product over standard products,” he said “We achieved that higher efficiency by limiting and adapting compressors to the actual running conditions. In general, that is a trend.

The more we adapt and tailor a product, compressor or application to specific conditions, the more we can make it efficient.” Such an approach, he said, is especially vital when it comes to addressing the

need of markets such as the Middle East. Layher added that the company has seen strong acceptance among local manufacturers in the GCC region for its products. “We already have existing customers, like Petra, Zamil and SKM,” he said.

“Local chiller manufacturers are using these products, and some are testing right now our CSH 6 [compressors]. They also use our variable-speed screw compressor, which is also very efficient, especially when you look at IPLV. This is something we offer to the market, and we have also done some reference projects in the Middle East.”

CENK Toros Arslanyan, Mechanical Engineer, Closed Circuit Cooling Systems Manager, Cenk, highlighted the Turkish manufacturer’s new range of crossflow cooling towers during its participation in ISK-Sodex.

Elaborating on the specifications of the new range of towers, Arslanyan said the product features aluminum fan materials, fill materials made of high-quality PVC sheets and a water basin, which features 600-squaremeter, zinc-coated galvanised steel material. Arslanyan added that the products are already CTI- and Eurovent-certified. He also discussed the company’s two models of close-circuit cooling towers, a regular model that has a heat exchanger coil material with galvanised steel coils and another model with added fill. “The new series with added fill will help lower electricity consumption,” he said, pointing out that the company aims to support clients in protecting long-term investments by educating them on the importance of integrating chemical dosing and the water filtration system to mitigate any potential risk of legionella and to increase the life of the cooling tower.

He also highlighted the company’s ammonium condenser for cold room applications, adding that such products will gain steady adoption in view of the global move towards environmentally friendly solutions

and in view of the fact that ammonia has a comparatively lower price than other natural refrigerants. “Air-cooled condensers don’t condense the ammonium at summer peak temperatures because of low condensation temperatures, but evaporative condenser is the best choice of use with ammonium, because they use wet bulb temperature instead of dry bulb temperature,” he said.

Arslanyan added that in terms of materials, the company’s evaporative condenser exhibits the same high-quality materials as the open and closed cooling towers, pointing out that the coils, which are composed of 26.9 mm diameter and 2 mm thickness hot dipped galvanised steel, make the condensers the best choices for cold room operators. He said that while CENK’s range of products, which includes field-erected cooling towers, open and closed-circuit packaged-type cooling towers, hybrid cooling towers, dry and adiabatic coolers and evaporative condensers, are applicable for all global markets, the evaporative condensers are especially ideal in the Middle East market, which has exhibited a growing requirement for cold room solutions.

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The 14th edition of ISK-Sodex

MAKRO TEKNIK

FRITERM The software development division is currently the most important pillar within Friterm’s R&D process, said Dr Hüseyin Onbaşioğlu, R&D Manager, Mechanical Engineer, who added that the company is developing its own proprietary software to develop and further enhance efficiency and the quality of its own products. “The calculation tools and methodology are developed by us on site,” he said.

“We have the flexibility and ability to implement any methodology and any calculation to our software even for very special requirements.”

Although digital integration is increasingly becoming common among manufacturers, Dr Onbaşioğlu said, few have the ability to develop their own software, with Friterm possibly the only one in Turkey to do so. He added that this helps improve quality of the equipment the company is manufacturing. “For example, if you are intending to use any new inner grooves tube in an evaporator,” he said, “you need to implement parameters of that tube in your software to be able to calculate the efficiency, performance and other parameters of the system and equipment, which is our competitive advantage.”

Dr Hüseyin Onbaşioğlu

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Sevan İnyapan and Serli Sinanoğlu Tümer

In addition to exhibiting its standard range of HVACR components, Makro teknik highlighted its new smart profiles during its participation in ISKSodex, said Onur Kuduoğlu, Assistant General Manager, Export. The smart profile, he said, is modular and flexible according to client requirements and can help reduce the time required for installation process, owing to ease of use. The product, he added, is mainly designed for export, and will especially benefit markets in Europe, where stakeholders are incentivised to integrate systems that are reliable and easy to use, because of the high cost of labour. As Europe is a key market for the company, Kuduoğlu said, Makro teknik is aligning itself with the needs and requirements of customers in the region.

KARYER Flexibility is one of Karyer’s strong points, said Serli Sinanoğlu Tümer, Marketing Executive, Karyer Group, emphasising that the manufacturing company is now exporting to 75 countries across six continents directly from its 38,000-square-metre factory in Turkey. “Working with 75 countries means we have a product range applicable for each region, and we also make custom-tailored production,” she said. “It is a big part of our business, because we think if we can play to the customer’s needs, according to usage, habits and convenience, the product can be demanded in a faster way.”

Sevan İnyapan, Sales Manager, Karyer Group, said the company takes into great consideration the environmental impact of its products, which is why there is a steady move to invest in heat-recovery coils, plate-type heat exchangers and rotary wheel type, which is gaining popularity all over the world in view of greater stakeholder interest in energy savings. “We also started to make CO2 products,” he said, adding that standard coils have CO2 versions, as the company aims to align itself with the global shift towards more environmentally friendly refrigerants, which will drive demand for such products.

Onur Kuduoğlu

REFKAR

Herman Haçaduryan

Refkar showcased a new range of heat exchangers at its stand during its participation in ISK-Sodex. Elaborating on the company’s most recent product innovations, Herman Haçaduryan, Deputy General Manager, Sales and Marketing, Executive Board Member, Refkar, added that while the company attracted new visitors from countries as far as Australia, the footfall from foreign participants could be attributed to the work and investment of local organisations. “We have a new heat exchanger for steam, titanium heat exchangers, stainless steel heat exchangers, titanium heat exchangers with plastic body and heat exchangers with boilers, and we are working on other types of heat exchangers that are still under progress,” he said. “I believe within a couple of months, we are able to finalise the testing and everything, and then we will see whether we will be able to put them on display and serve new markets or not.”

Haçaduryan said that the 11-year-old-company is on a steady growth trajectory and currently is exporting to 40 countries, directly and indirectly. “We have a new distributor in Russia, and they have 34 sales points in the country, and we have a new distributor in India, as well,” he said, adding that the company is working with countries in South America, Europe and Africa to increase its distribution network “Since last year,” he said, “we have managed to find some reliable partners in foreign markets, and our aim is to increase our export to 50-55 countries.”

SEMPA

Ayk Serdar Didonyan

SARBUZ Sarbuz highlighted its agricultural evaporator during its participation in ISK Sodex, with Ayk Serdar Didonyan, Vice Chairman, Mechanical Engineer, Sarbuz, elaborating on how the product is especially designed to address the needs of the sector. “We are focusing and advising our customers, especially contractors, about the unit, because for agricultural products, they need high humidity,” he said. “The product is especially designed for high humidity and small delta T difference, and they can earn more money by spending very little, initially.”

Didonyan said that while he believes the product will especially gain acceptance in countries with strong agricultural sectors, it is available for all markets. There are strong prospects in Russian-speaking countries and in Eastern Europe, he said. In addition to this product, Didonyan said, the company is dedicated to manufacturing copper tube and aluminum fin-type heat exchangers and is active in commercial and industrial refrigeration.

“We have 50% turnover from our catalogue products, which are air-cooled condensers, dry coolers, evaporators and unit coolers,” he said. “The other 50% turnover is coming from our OEM coils that we manufacture according to customer needs and technical specifications.” He added that the company is currently exporting to more than 30 countries, including a strong presence in northern Africa and the Middle East.

Sempa Pumps introduced its newest vertical turbine pump to visitors of ISK Sodex, with Muzaffer Ferahkaya, Asia Pacific Countries Export Specialist, saying that it is the first time the product made an appearance in the exhibition. The vertical turbine pumps can reach 4,000 cubic metres per hour and 100 metres at 60 hertz, Ferahkaya said. He added that although the vertical turbine pumps constitute a key focus for Sempa of late, the Turkish manufacturing company continues to reinforce its position in the market through the development of centrifugal pumps. He said that the company has a number of notable projects, globally, and is exporting to 70 countries.

Muzaffer Ferahkaya

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The 14th edition of ISK-Sodex

SIEMENS Siemens highlighted its range of frequency converters during the exhibition, with Mehmet Yılmaz, Product Marketing Group Manager, discussing, in particular, the SINAMICS G120X drive, for pump, fan and compressor applications in the water and wastewater, HVAC, irrigation and agriculture as well as in the industrial chiller and refrigeration segments. The solution, he said, is ideal for industrial applications, where there is a need for a high degree of protection from the corrosive atmosphere.

Yılmaz also put the spotlight on the company’s integrated digital features, specifically its smart access module.

“Digitalisation is a main topic for the industry, in terms of building and domestic applications,” he said. “The smart access module is our answer and highlights the digitalisation of our drive series.” As the drives support Wi-Fi connection, Yılmaz said that through the smart access module, technicians can connect their mobile phone directly to the drive for remote commissioning, which he said is the main highlight of the drives. In addition to streamlining the commissioning and installation process, he said, the drives go to higher frame sizes, such as 560 kilowatt motors.

Mehmet Yılmaz

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SYSTEMAIR

S Srinivasan

SPIROTECH (PART OF THE LU-VE GROUP) Spirotech Heat Exchangers showcased its range of coils and components during its participation in ISK Sodex. S Srinivasan, Managing Director, discussed how Spirotech’s manufacturing capability has grown substantially over the years, emphasising that the India-based company now has a production capacity of close to four million coils per annum and is manufacturing approximately 2.7 million coils, annually. Sharing company milestones, Srinivasan said the company was the first to introduce hydrophilic anti-corrosion fin material and 7mm heat exchangers to the India market in 1996. In 2012, he said, the company started making heat exchangers using tube aluminum fins and, soon after, microgroove heat exchangers. He said the company is planning to expand its current facility, which hosts 12 production lines, to increase production capacity. “Ninety per cent of our product revenue come from exports,” he said, adding that the company has presence and partners in Europe, North America, Middle East and China and that the participation in the exhibition is indicative of the strong interest from the Turkish market. Acquired by the Lu-Ve group in 2016, Srinivasan said, the company continues to help advance its presence in other global markets.

“At Systemair, we aim to integrate digital solutions, where they make sense for our clients,” said Morten Schmelzer, Technical Marketing Director. He discussed the company’s strategy to leverage technology to streamline design, installation, commissioning and maintenance of its solutions. Schmelzer also discussed what he called “the core of the unit”, which is the controller. “It is important to be able to communicate with various types of protocols,” he said.

“You have machine interfaces, and the way two machines talk is important.

For example, an air-handling unit communicating with the building management system might follow a third-party protocol. An integrated AHU controller coming from the manufacturer is essential, so that your unit can run as efficiently as possible.”

Schmelzer emphasised that having a dynamically controlled ventilation that adapts to the requirements of the building in real time is at the heart of what makes units efficient.

“It senses the conditions, allowing the unit to regulate itself, which then saves energy, recovers heating and cooling and provides a better indoor air,” he said. “It’s about controlling the solution, not just one product. We have the air distribution, the air-handling units, chillers and the like talking to one another, and that, at the end, makes a big difference in terms of energy efficiency.”

Morten Schmelzer and Gerald Engström, Founder and Chairman of the Board, Systemair

TYCO (JOHNSON CONTROLS)

Faik Tellioğlu

Faik Tellioğlu, General Manager, Fire Suppression Products, Tyco (a Johnson Controls company), said that the company highlighted its most recent innovation, a robotic sprinkler ideal for high-rise buildings. “For many high-rises, it may be difficult for the fire department to suppress fires, because they cannot reach them,” he said, pointing out that the robotic sprinkler is connected to the BMS system and finds the coordinates within the building, where there is an incident of fire, and suppresses it. “There is a control panel, and the system has UV detectors,” he said. “When they see the fire, they are commanding the sprinkler to go to the right place and the right direction.” Tellioğlu said that the product is ideal for cities such as Dubai, with many iconic high-rises, and that currently, the company is proactive in explaining the product’s benefits to end-users and highlighting the importance of investing in such equipment to protect building asserts. He added that stakeholders should not have to wait for ‘bad examples’ to invest in high-quality fire- and life-safety products.

■ Photographs : Hannah Jo Uy

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December 2019

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REGIONAL NEWS

HVACR industry reports strong economy heading into 2020 AHR Expo The 2020 Economic Survey and Trend Report details business projections, opportunities and important issues among all sectors

M

By CCME Content Team

embers of the HVACR community reported a continued positive business outlook heading into 2020, in the latest AHR Expo and ASHRAE Journal Annual Economic Outlook Survey. The survey was distributed to past and prospective attendees, as well as industry manufacturers, to gauge the market leading into the new year, the organisers of AHR Expo said through a Press release. Additionally, for the first time, the 2020 report includes input on trends, issues and opportunities, as outlined by representatives from industry associations regarding their respective areas of expertise, the release said.

The full report can be downloaded on the AHR Expo website.

According to the report, 79% of respondents indicated good or excellent predicted sales prospects as we cross into 2020, the release said. While there continues to be shifts in the market, overall, the industry remains in a positive economic position, the release said. For example, heading in to 2019, the ‘retrofit and renovation’ segment was ranked as having the highest business growth potential, the release quoted the report findings, adding that this year, it fell to second place, falling behind maintenance and replacement jobs.

“Manufacturers and our attendee shareholders alike are reporting a strong economy,” said Mark Stevens, Manager, AHR Expo. “Our recent report reveals that

members of the HVACR community expect the successes of 2019 to hold in the new year. This will be evident on the Show floor, as our exhibitors continue to introduce new and innovative products that meet the rising demand for smarter and more efficient solutions.”

Each year, the AHR Expo kicks off business Q1 with the industry’s first chance to see what’s new in HVACR, the release quoted AHR Expo as saying. Exhibitors use the opportunity to launch products at the Show and discuss new opportunities ahead, the release said. As a precursor to the Show, the survey, conducted at the end of Q4, provides the opportunity to gauge what’s expected in the year ahead, the release added.

“The HVACR industry remains in a season of change, with innovation and advancement happening in all sectors,” Stevens said. “Considerations, such as the global market, changing customer demands and new innovation demands, are shaping product designs and the way we approach the built-environment. Across the board, whether entirely new concepts or improvements upon existing product lines, our exhibitors are thinking smarter and delivering impressive solutions.”

When asked about 2019 sales, 34% of respondents reported an increase of 10% or more, and 70% indicated sales growth of at least 10%, the release said. Additionally, respondents reported expected growth in

nearly all areas of the industry, with lightcommercial, health and residential markets identified as having the highest potential in 2020 at 72%, 67% and 64%, respectively, the release added.

As in previous years, reliability holds steady as the most important consideration factor for consumers when making purchasing decisions, the release said. Both exhibitors and attendees alike ranked it as the most important, coming in at 81% for exhibitors and slightly more than 98% for attendees, the release said. For the second year in a row, both energy efficiency and indoor air quality secured a top spot in relation to consumer importance among exhibitors, at 67% and 64%, respectively, the release revealed. Attendees, however, placed initial costs second at right under 98%, and comfort considerations third at 96%, the release said.

According to the release, areas of concern include rising tariffs and the need to recruit and retain a strong skilled workforce. Additionally, changing DOE regulations and R-22 refrigerant phase-out remain high on respondent radars, the release said. Areas of opportunity include automation and self-diagnostic controls and continued growth in the IoT/IIoT space, the release said, adding that on the horizon for potential impacts to the industry include the forthcoming 2020 Presidential election, growth of big-box retailers and the viability of new technologies in the market.

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REGIONAL NEWS

ASHRAE Falcon Chapter hosts Presidential dinner

2019-20 ASHRAE President Darryl K Boyce discusses importance of operational excellence and its contribution to advancing the wellbeing of building inhabitants

By Hannah Jo Uy | Assistant Editor

Darryl K Boyce

Hassan Younes

Dr Ahmed Ala’a Eldin Mohamed

Ahmad bin Shafar

Farooq Mehboob

Tim Wentz

“W

e are a grassroots organisation, so our members that are in the front lines are very important to us,” said 2019-20 ASHRAE President Darryl K Boyce, during a members-only chapter meeting in Dubai, on November 7. Inaugurating the dinner was Hassan Younes, ASHRAE Falcon Chapter President, who welcomed the ASHRAE president to the stage to elaborate on the theme for the year, which is performance, and provide an update on recent initiatives.

During his keynote address, Boyce said, “We own the buildings we design, build, commission or operate – it’s part of each of us.” He said that caring about operational performance aligns with the ASHRAE mission of advancing human wellbeing. “I bet most of you think that the “HR” in ASHRAE stands for Heating and Refrigeration,” he said. “It really stands for people, the human resources – the “HR” is at the center of ASHRAE.” Boyce said that building operators require support from stakeholders and that enhancing operational performance can help the planet by reducing the environmental impact of building operations. He also

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encouraged ASHRAE members to learn, get engaged and act differently, as he discussed opportunities for further collaboration.

Boyce said that in the past year, ASHRAE formed a Multidisciplinary Task Group on Effective Building Operations, which will coordinate the activities of technical committees, task groups, technical resource groups and various other stakeholders in the area of training and tools to support the operation of buildings to enhance the indoor environment and use energy effectively.

“Responsibility will include suggestions for research as well as the development of technical programs and special publications on effective building operation to achieve quality Indoor Air Quality while not wasting energy,” he said. “It has also been my pleasure to serve on the Building Ad Hoc Committee for the last 18 months. We plan to learn from the renovation and upgrades of a real-world building owner dealing with the balance between energy use and indoor environment.”

Dr Ahmed Ala’a Eldin Mohamed, Director and Regional Chair, Region At Large, ASHRAE, earlier welcomed the ASHRAE President along with members and distinguished guests, including Ahmad bin Shafar, CEO, Empower.

Speaking later, Bin Shafar discussed the strong collaboration between the company and ASHRAE in developing the initial and updated design guidelines for District Cooling. The guidelines, he said, are especially important when it comes to promoting best practices, as District Cooling continues to grow and expand in the UAE and across the region. “We are looking to take the guideline to be a standard for District Cooling with ASHRAE,” he said.

Responding to Bin Shafar’s words, Farooq Mehboob, Vice President, ASHRAE, said, “We really, as ASHRAE, value our relationship and cooperation with you [Empower], and we look forward to many more initiatives that will provide opportunities for our members, both in the UAE and internationally.”

Dr Mohamed, as Director, also highlighted the expansion of ASHRAE Region At Large, which includes Africa, Middle East, South Asia and Turkey, and is now at 28 chapters and fast approaching 30, making it the largest to date. “We are improving, enhancing and growing,” he said. Mehboob added: “ASHRAE is on a tremendous upward trajectory. We are coming up with lots of new things. The world which we are living in is changing, and we are going to be faced with challenges, but ours is not a Society that is afraid of challenges. We turn challenges into opportunities.”

Boyce also highlighted the importance of these meetings in addressing needs of the built-environment. He said, “Our chapter meetings are where we really get out on the sort of the grassroots level, connect with the users of the technology that we work on and also actually get to know our members who are really the people that contribute so greatly to our society in creating the technical documents, the standards, the guidelines and educational materials, and then actually getting them into the industry at the local level.”

Also in attendance was 2016-2017 ASHRAE President Tim Wentz, who said the importance of the contribution of engineers not only in the Society but to the world, as a whole, has never been greater. “It is estimated by the year 2050, we will have over 10 billion people on this planet,” Wentz said. “Because of that population growth, they estimated we need to design and build 3,600 buildings a day to accommodate that population.” With buildings the primary driver of climate change and global warming, and responsible for emitting approximately 33% of carbon in the atmosphere, Wentz said the role of engineers to protect the environment for the benefit of future generations cannot be over-emphasised.

Araner introduces TES app in Dubai seminar Company’s commercial director discusses the need for addressing gap in technical knowledge to promote widespread adoption of thermal energy storage in District Cooling projects in the region

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By Hannah Jo Uy | Assistant Editor

RANER organised an international seminar on cooling energy storage on November 5 in Dubai. The seminar explored the effective implementation of thermal energy storage (TES) systems in District Cooling and turbine inlet air cooling (TIAC) applications. Guillermo Martinez, Commercial Director, Araner, said the seminar touched on the benefits of thermal energy storage and the basics of its operation. It also discussed the implications of a more detailed design. Further, the seminar included an in-depth discussion of ASHRAE standards and guidelines and the presentation of case studies to promote best practices, followed by the launch and demonstration of the company’s thermal energy storage app. “We hope the app can help end users, such as owners and consultants, to decide on the optimum thermal energy storage size and if it is feasible for them to install thermal energy storage or not, by looking at parameters like budget and cost,” he said.

The Araner TES App, Martinez explained, is a tool that allows stakeholders to design their own stratified TES tanks by giving users the opportunity to size and select the type of TES tank, keep a detailed record of TES projects, stay up-to-date on the latest news related to the TES market, learn about the main features of stratified TES tanks and be Guillermo Martinez in touch with the company’s international team of experts. Martinez said that currently, there is a gap in the market for a software or app that offers specific calculation for TES and that the app will save users a lot of time by facilitating civil and mechanical component calculations for TES and applying all guidelines and restrictions through the formula, which is otherwise a time-demanding process when considering different options. “With this app, someone with basic- or mediumlevel knowledge about TES can make some calculations and compare different options to see if it is feasible and, for example, see the advantage of doing TES above ground than doing it under ground,” he said. The app, he said, is free of charge and available on all app stores for Android and Apple products.

Martinez said the development of the app and the organisation of the seminar is part of the company’s mission to promote best practices in the integration of TES in District Cooling by leveraging its experience from projects across Middle East, Asia and South America. “Typically, plants many years back didn’t have thermal energy storage,” he said. “For the last year, thermal energy storage is implemented and is one of the basic components in plants. But still, the knowledge on its working parameters is not as good as in other components that are more typical, like chillers and pumps.”

Martinez said the event attracted attendees from Dubai Municipality, representatives from key District Cooling players in the UAE, as well as decision-makers from the oil & gas sector, among

many other stakeholders, which showcased the local market’s growing interest in TES systems. “There were very interesting questions that led to open discussion and brainstorming about different topics, like Low Delta T syndrome,” he said.

Martinez highlighted how promoting adoption of TES is especially important in view of growing energy demand, globally.

Integration of TES, he said, can reduce the electrical peak demand of any District Cooling plant by 20-30%, depending on the project. This, he said, is especially beneficial for energy and utility companies, such as DEWA, as reducing peak consumption of the highest energy consumer in the region, which is cooling, would help optimise power supply and demand. He said, “For the users and the owners, it also helps them reduce the peak consumption, and they can reduce electrical feeding from the plant, reduce connection charges and achieve savings on capital cost.” These benefits he said, have pushed authorities in the GCC region countries towards TES, with Kuwait making TES mandatory for plants above 500 tonnes of refrigeration and the municipalities in Dubai and Abu Dhabi also recommending and promoting TES through their regulations.

However, Martinez said there is still a need to promote technical knowledge on design and working parameters to remove any apprehensions in the market and to promote its adoption. “The technology,” he said, “is being implemented more and more, and almost everyone in the sector agrees it’s good, but still technical details are not well known for everyone to really optimise it.”

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REGIONAL NEWS

Brazil highlights the use of biofuel

Country’s diverse energy mix opens opportunities for collaboration with Middle East

By Hannah Jo Uy | Assistant Editor

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razil’s diverse energy mix Brazil, said the government opens up possibilities of has been investing heavily a collaboration between in alternative energy and the country and the that the country has taken Middle East region, said Rafael a leadership role in the Solimeo, Head of International use of renewable fuel from Office (Middle East and North sugarcane. “Brazil has one Rafael Solimeo Africa), Arab Brazilian Chamber of the most efficient and of Commerce (ABCC). He added cleanest energy matrixes that as Brazil and Middle East have in the world, as our regular similarities, when it comes to a energy comes mostly from reliance on temperature-controlled hydroelectric power,” he systems, all of which create a said. Solar energy and wind burden on the energy grid, both farms are also gaining regions can learn a lot from each strong positive momentum Andre Pitaguari other. He said Brazil is focusing on in Brazil, further diversifying Germanos bringing the country’s renewable the country’s clean energy energy and sustainable solutions to the contribution, in line with the country’s Middle East market. commitment under the Paris Accord, Brazil has made significant strides in the Germanos said. field of biofuels. Andre Pitaguari Germanos, Julia Tauszig, Institutional Relation National Secretary of Ecotourism, Ministry Coordinator, UNICA, Sugarcane of the Environment, Federative Republic of Industry Association, said sugarcane is

RAKEZ builds first Barjeelcompliant industrial facility and labour accommodation Strong collaboration between public and private entities in RAK drives emirate’s progress towards sustainability targets, says Group Director of Engineering, RAKEZ

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By Hannah Jo Uy | Assistant Editor

as Al Khaimah Municipality has made great progress in meeting its overarching energy efficiency and sustainability targets, said Eyad Ismail, Group Director of Engineering, Ras Al Khaimah Economic Zone (RAKEZ), who discussed the Municipality’s proactive efforts to foster collaboration among public and private entities in its move to meet the objectives of the Ras Al Khaimah Energy Efficiency and Renewables Strategy 2040. In support of this initiative, Ismail said, RAKEZ is currently overseeing the construction of the first industrial facility and labour accommodation within the emirate that comply with Barjeel, RAK’s Green Building Regulations. “Both of these projects are the first of the type that are Barjeel-compliant,” he said, adding

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poised to play a big role in the future energy mix and in the future of mobility. “In Brazil, we have a high blend of ethanol in petrol,” she said. “Any place you go to fuel your car, the petrol has 27% of ethanol.

This is mandatory. There are also flex fuel vehicles, where you can use either ethanol or petrol at any percentage.” Ethanol, she said, has the potential of 90% emission reduction, adding that as the biggest cities in the world are facing this challenge, ethanol offers a good opportunity to meet emission-reduction goals, in addition to increasing air quality and overall health of the population. Tauszig said that oil-rich nations in the

Middle East should especially look at this to realise the dream of “green petrol”, which would help nations move away from reliance on oil and petrochemicals in a less harsh and abrupt manner. She said Julia Tauszig that looking at opportunities offered by ethanol is vital, as even the introduction of electric cars represents a burden on the energy grid, not to mention the required investment to create the infrastructure to charge the cars, in addition to sustainable disposal of batteries. More than 60 countries today have a mandate or authorisation for blending, she said.

While the sugarcane industry has made great strides in impacting the

that the industrial facility is already under construction, while the labour accommodation is still undergoing the tendering process.

Ismail said that RAKEZ invested in the projects despite the fact that Barjeel is still currently in the Eyad Ismail voluntary phase. The economic zone did so to showcase its support towards the environmental objectives of RAK Municipality. “We have an energy efficiency, renewable energy and sustainability commitment towards the future generation, as well as the local community and as part of the UAE vision,” Ismail said. “We are part of the energy efficiency committee and effectively are participating and implementing the strategy and vision of the RAK government.”

Ismail also highlighted other projects in RAKEZ, including retrofitting projects that were recently undertaken, which have led to 38.5% energy savings in the buildings, making them one of the highest-performing projects in the region. Ismail said the move towards Barjeel-compliant projects is a natural step to develop a more sustainable and energy-efficient building stock that will ideally integrate renewables and minimise reliance on fossil fuels and other traditional energy sources.

Ismail added that the active collaboration between RAKEZ and RAK Municipality also showcases how there is an economic case for environmental initiatives directed towards the building stock, especially if the objectives towards sustainability are clarified from the onset – during the design stages of the project. “The cost implication for Barjeel adoption was minimal,” he said. “We are talking about five per cent of construction only or

petroleum sector, Tauszig said, there are applications in the built-environment.

She added that the sugarcane industry is taking a leadership role in promoting circular economy, as in addition to ethanol, residual matter from sugarcane is used to create biogas, which can be used to make bio-electricity. “Most of the sugarcane industry – the largest establishments – are in Sao Paolo,” she said. “They produce for themselves, and the surplus they sell to the local grid.”

She added that a strong regulatory framework offering funds has helped investment in this direction, with the National Biofuel Policy recognising the positive externalities of ethanol and biofuel production. In Brazil’s energy matrix, she said, 45% is from renewables, and of that 70% of the renewable energy source is from the sugarcane industry, either through ethanol or biomass.

less, because our requirements and the Barjeel requirements go together.” These requirements, Ismail said, include provision of photovoltaics, tight building envelops and high-quality products.

Ismail commended the support offered by RAK Municipality’s technical team in the venture. “If we needed any clarifications, they were supportive, and this is where we are leading at RAK,” he said.

“All the authorities – we all cooperate.” This cohesive approach, Ismail said, contributes to the strong progress made within RAK, as entities do not operate in silos. “Our leadership is on the ground and finding and giving us all the support, and this is essential,” he said.

Ismail also said that the culture of collaboration in RAK also includes looking at and learning from best practices abroad, highlighting RAKEZ and RAK Municipality’s recent participation in an exclusive seminar for Green Buildings/Retrofit/District Cooling, organised by The Trade Council of Denmark in MENA. During the keynote presentations, Ismail said RAKEZ and RAK presented achievements in the Green Building Regulations and Building Retrofits programmes under the Ras Al Khaimah Energy Efficiency and Renewables Strategy. Such collaborations, he said, are essential for both entities to share experiences, thoughts and ideas to move the dial in climate change-mitigation efforts.

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GLOBAL NEWS

Honeywell discusses future energy systems and smart cities Company’s General Manager, Smart Energy EMEA, unravels the true value of data in the future energy mix

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By Hannah Jo Uy | Assistant Editor

tracking peaks and declines in consumption. mart meters are the foundation “The data can be shown through apps for of connected utilities, said Edwin the user, so the user is not hit with a surprise Meijer, General Manager, Smart when they get the bill.” For Meijer, realEnergy EMEA, Honeywell, as he time data can also help drive a change in discussed the growing importance of data, behaviour by showcasing consequences of and its proper management, in the future high-energy consuming systems, such as air energy mix. “If you don’t measure, you conditioning, to move users towards better cannot analyse,” Meijer said. “You need to energy utilisation practices. connect smart meters, and the Meijer added that connected more you have, the more data you utilities and the use of smart can connect.” Once smart meters meters will go a long way in are installed, the connection, or managing the energy grid, which the network layer, Meijer said, is continuously under pressure is the middle layer and is the from the requirements of a next important element in the growing number of consumers move towards connected utilities, Edwin Meijer and the diversification of the with stakeholders increasingly energy mix, following the looking for flexibility and with introduction of solar and wind energy. “If telecom operators gaining strength in this you have more production or consumers, arena. “The top layer is to store the data,” your grid is overcharged, which is not he said. “The data lake is where you have good,” he said. “Then, what are you going all these applications that will translate raw to be doing with that energy? If you have data into information that will help users to more consumption, it is also not good. For optimise operations, reduce cost and increase example, a hospital should never run out of reliability. If the utility or the customer is not energy, so you need to set priorities. That aware of what his problems are, we can help whole grid management is becoming more them. Because of our installed base we know and more important, that’s what we see.” what is working and is not working, and we This management, Meijer said, does not can analyse the situation.” only take into account measurement from Such data, he added, is especially useful the meters but also external factors, such for utility companies when it comes to

as ambient conditions and the general weather forecast. “There is a direct relation between the weather and air conditioning consumption,” he said. “You have that huge pool of data. By analysing the past, you can better forecast the trend. You know it will happen, before it happens.” These, he said, are merely some of the examples of the benefits of smart data in connected utilities.

Meijer also highlighted the flexibility and scalability of the applications, which can be used by one big utility producer with many consumers or multiple utility suppliers with multiple consumers. “Maybe, in a few years, you have a solar panel in your roof and, in principle, you are a utility,” he said.

“That is the potential you can supply to the grid. With that, the whole equation becomes very complex. It was already complex with all the consumers. Tomorrow, we could have unlimited utilities and, on top of that, exceptional growth of consumers, which means you need to manage that grid, that demand.” The data applications, he added, could also go a long way, especially in managing energy consumption of commercial and industrial facilities. “We can talk about how households can save in energy,” he said, “but that’s a fraction of what a plant or shop or mall can save.”

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December 2019

81

REGIONAL NEWS

Facilio recognised for “modern intuitiveness of its product”

Company speaks of how it has earned recognition as an innovation-driven challenger in the 2019 IoT for Smart Buildings and IWMS categories by independent analyst firms

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By CCME Content Team

acilio Inc., the New York-based datadriven enterprise platform for facilities operation and maintenance, has been lauded by two of the most esteemed industry analysts in their recently published reports, the company said through a Press release. The ‘Verdantix Green Quadrant IoT Platforms For Smart Buildings 2019’ and ‘Integrated Workplace Management System Market – Global Forecast To 2024’ by Markets and Markets, are highly regarded evaluations of industry trends and players, and their assessment of Facilio’s vision and execution has been very positive, the company said.

According to the release, both reports have identified Facilio as a fast-maturing start-up, redefining the value addition that the FM function delivers, and effectively challenging the industry status quo and incumbents due to the innovation and modern intuitiveness of its product. The only independent benchmarking of software vendors with IoT-based products in this space, the ‘Verdantix Green Quadrant IoT Platforms For Smart Buildings 2019’ report was created on the basis of live product demonstrations and a comprehensive 108point questionnaire, which surveyed 304 real estate customers, the company said through the release. Facilio’s addition to the quadrant as a Challenger is particularly noteworthy, as it’s the youngest company, positioned against long established industry leaders, like JCI, UTC, GE and

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Prabhu Ramachandran Siemens, the company said.

“Facilio is not encumbered by legacy approaches and has built its solution with IoT in mind from the outset,” said Dennis Callaghan, Principal Analyst, Verdantix. “Facilio’s centralized IoT platform unifies disparate data, from multivendor automation systems and equipment, across a portfolio of buildings, and delivers a suite of cloud-based solutions for operations and maintenance.

Being able to deliver machine learning-based predictive and real-time optimization of assets makes a compelling case for a relatively recent entrant to be identified as a clear challenger to the status quo. We found their interface intuitive and simple, with highly customizable dashboards. Customers shouldn’t have much of a learning curve. Facilio was built for the modern IoT-enabled world.”

According to the release, a similar outcome was expressed in the ‘Integrated Workplace Management System Market – Global Forecast to 2024’ report by Markets and Markets.

Aimed at estimating the size of the IWMS market and its future growth potential across segments, the exhaustive report that analysed the North America, Europe, APAC, MEA

December 2019

and Latin America regions, acknowledges Facilio as a strong challenger, globally – a young company with a clear vision and established financial strategy, and well positioned to disrupt the industry by providing a unified O&M solution and end-user-oriented platform.

“By giving commercial real estate businesses a means to unify asset performances across their entire portfolio and in real-time, Facilio creates the possibility of predictive control and agile operations,” Mayank Bhushan, Lead Analyst (ICT), Markets and Markets, said. “The advantages aren’t limited to reducing operating costs but rather to be able to turn data into insights that can be visualized in different ways, and used to optimize efficiency and sustainability with a single platform.”

Facilio has welcomed this recognition by reputed thirdparty research firms as an encouraging validation of its solution and approach. Said Prabhu Ramachandran, CEO and Founder, Facilio: “Since our inception, Facilio has been driven by the desire to deliver decisive advantages for all stakeholders in the real estate industry. Our solution helps buildings and workplaces leverage data from existing automation to deliver superior tenant experiences and unprecedented sustainability outcomes. We directed the venture capital we attracted into bolstering the pace of our innovation and expanding product capabilities rapidly, and this is what has led to us

being recognized by leading industry analysts operating in two different segments. Datadriven continuous efficiency and unified operations is an emerging need in the industry, and Facilio is at the forefront of helping customers usher in this evolution.”

With some of the most respected voices in the industry acknowledging the transformative influence it brings to the table, Facilio said it is emerging as a strong contender to incumbents. In particular, the reports recognise the predictive diagnostics, ease of implementation, ability to integrate with multi-vendor systems and centralised automation control offered by the Facilio software platform.

“Emerging global trends in real estate operation and maintenance necessitate the kind of technologydriven solution offered by Facilio,” Ramachandran said.

“As the industry seeks to reconcile enhanced customer expectations, demanding sustainability targets and competitive performance requirements, Facilio offers a solution that resonates with these market needs.”

Carrier highlights growth factors driving KSA market Company official highlights its new product offerings

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By Hannah Jo Uy | Assistant Editor

audi Arabia’s climate, in addition to Kashyap said that the retrofit sector is also demographic and economic factors, poised for growth, as the formation of Saudi will continue to drive growth in the Arabia’s Super ESCO to fund and manage HVACR sector, making the country the Kingdom’s retrofit projects will result one of the most exciting places for the sector, in improving energy efficiency and savings said Vineet Kashyap, Managing Director, across the existing buildings.

Carrier Middle East. “On one side, initiatives In view of the growing demand in Saudi under the Vision 2030 will fuel a demand for Arabia, Kashyap said, Carrier is introducing new-build projects,” he said. “On the other product innovations. “The current focus is hand, the government’s efforts to innovate products that on standardisation and energy stretch the limits on efficient efficiency will imply a move operation at high-ambient towards higher quality and temperatures, such as those more efficient products, with experienced during summers opportunities in retrofit of old in Saudi Arabia and to blend equipment in favour of more connected solutions and efficient ones.”

IoT for better performance Kashyap added that there and maintenance,” he said. are many areas of opportunity Kashyap said one of the main Vineet Kashyap for new-build projects. “The products being introduced to focus on tourism in the country, the Saudi market is the Carrier for example, and the implementation of the AquaEdge 19DV centrifugal chiller, which open tourist visa and increasing investment he said, offers water-cooled, oil-free chiller in entertainment infrastructure have boosted technology with an EquiDrive compressor, wider business opportunities for the sector,” ceramic bearings, PUREtec refrigerant he said. Kashyap said that an increasing R-1233zd(E), falling film evaporator and number of ambitious projects, such as NEOM, SmartView control.

Qiddiyah, the Red Sea Project and Amaala, Another product recently launched, will also drive demand for competitive Kashyap said, is the AquaForce 30XV airHVACR solutions. “In line with the Kingdom’s cooled variable speed screw chiller, which, strategic sustainability goal of achieving he said, uses an environmentally balanced significant energy savings, the regulatory refrigerant, Puron, which does not emit bodies, SASO and GSO are active participants any ozone-depleting chemicals and is nonand supporters of the standardisation of the flammable and non-corrosive. “To ensure HVACR sector, raising the quality of products performance and efficiency, the AquaForce on the market and, in turn, promoting 30XV has variable frequency drives that competitive innovation in the field,” he said. are IP55-rated and fully air-cooled by

ambient air,” he said. “It also utilises a next-generation rotary screw compressor, which is designed and optimised specifically for variable frequency drive operation.”

Additionally, he said, the product has a significantly smaller footprint, on average, compared to conventional designs, achieving IPLVs above 21 and fully meeting ASHRAE 90.1-2016 requirements. Kashyap said Carrier has also introduced the AiroVision 39HQM air-handling unit, which comes with a factory-installed starter panel and offers best-in-class casing strength, modular size configuration options, high corrosion resistance and indoor air quality. “The AiroVision 39HQM comes with user-friendly selection software and is easy to maintain,” he said.

Kashyap also discussed the company’s move to optimise Big Data and AI to improve operations. “EcoEnergy Insights, which is also a part of Carrier, offers CORTIXTM, an AI-powered platform, which uses building, site and equipment data to deliver exponentially improved building comfort with enhanced energy efficiency and reduced operating costs,” he said. “While connecting HVAC equipment like a chiller has been possible for many years now, the question has been, how do companies use the huge amount of data generated to effectively deliver value to customers in terms of higher uptime and continuous monitoring?” Kashyap said the CORTIXTM platform does this through the use of advanced AI and machine learning algorithms, which lead to higher thermal comfort while improving on energy efficiency and associated operational costs – goals that have traditionally been at contradiction for building owners and operators.

■ Note: The interview was made possible courtesy of dmg events, in line with HVAC R Expo Saudi. Climate Control Middle East would like to thank the organisers

December 2019

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REGIONAL NEWS

DC growth spurs TSE investment in the UAE Metito highlights the value in harnessing TSE and the importance of engineering excellence to optimise efficiency

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By Hannah Jo Uy | Assistant Editor

he growing adoption of District Cooling in the UAE market has paved the way for greater appreciation of, and investment in, treated sewage effluent (TSE) projects and the implementation of other sustainable water treatment operations, said Fady Juez, Fady Juez Managing Director, Metito. “The government and the people are more environmentally aware, and more District Cooling plants are recycling and using their blowdown water,” he said. “Also, cooling towers are increasingly using TSE, and we are seeing more and more business along these lines.”

Providing an example of best practice in this field, Juez said that Emaar has recently won an award for its initiative to reuse TSE to supply makeup water to four District Cooling plants in Downtown Dubai, including the Dubai Mall fountain. Juez said the operation is particularly impressive, when taking into account the fact that Metito had to work on existing plants. “We brought our engineers into the plant, and we created a design that enables us to put this recycling unit inside different places to make it work,” Juez said, adding that integrating engineering excellence is vital to ensure District Cooling

can be rolled out in a way that also ensures water sustainability. “We try to bring the cost down, we try to increase efficiency, and we try to reduce the footprint,” he said. “We do this by being close to the client and by engineering the product [that can be integrated] with existing [components]. Working with existing projects is very difficult – you need to have it built, and you need to get engineers to design properly.”

Discussing other projects in the UAE, Juez said that Metito has signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the Ras Al Khaimah Municipality to upgrade its sewage treatment plant and that the company will be responsible for treating and recycling 40,000 cubic metres per day. “Ras Al Khaimah is growing in tourism, growing in industries, and the population is increasing,” he said, commending the Municipality’s initiative to increase its focus on water and energy efficiency and highlighting’ Metito’s commitment to contribute to the Municipality’s overarching sustainability goals.

Outside the UAE, Juez said Metito is currently focusing on emerging markets, such as India, Indonesia, Laos, Thailand and Vietnam in Asia, as well as on north and sub-Saharan Africa, where the company has a wide range of products. He added that Metito recently acquired a company in Turkey, in line with efforts to expand its chemical industry business.

Wilo Middle East introduces new pump solutions Company official discusses integration of intelligent features and the importance of investing in after-sales services to strengthen relations with customers

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By Hannah Jo Uy | Assistant Editor

Ahmed also stressed that the ilo Middle East company has a range of pumps is introducing for sewage treatment facilities new solutions integrated with intelligent applicable for features, allowing users to small villas and big projects, control the sewage pump said Fouad Ahmed, Regional through the BMS and analyse Marketing Manager, Middle Fouad Ahmed the data through a platform, East and North Africa. He allowing users to access all added that the new range of relevant information to the sewage plant solutions aims to address the GCC region without having to go to the facility. countries’ increasingly proactive move Ahmed said that the German company to save electricity and water. “We have is committed to sharing its 147-year-old an XL pump booster system, which can history in pumps to existing and new pump water to higher floors by supplying customers by introducing its new products water in a consistent pressure and, at the from the Dortmund headquarters and, same time, reducing cost of electricity more importantly, providing the necessary and water, so it’s a cost-efficient pump,” support to the local market. “Normally, he said.

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what I see is that end users trust a lot in the the complete cycle,” he said, adding that providing after-sales, from spare parts to servicing, helps in strengthening partnerships with local partners, consultants, contractors and government authorities.

Ahmed emphasised that being able to rely on and be confident in working with a single supplier through the project is a driving force for a number of customers.

“This is really beneficial for the customer, because many of the end users try to avoid the hassle of trying new companies,” he said.

“If a manufacturer is reliable, they will ask, ‘Why not connect to that manufacturer, if he can fulfill all my requirements?’” As an example, Ahmed said the company was awarded the Dubai Metro project in 2009, and was again awarded the contract for its extension for Expo 2020, owing to the reliability the company has offered over the years, by addressing unique requirements of the project, such as servicing only between 12am and 6am. “You cannot service the Metro until it stops which is at 12am,” he said. “So, your service has to be done from 12am to 6am. If you cannot do that service, then the Metro will stop and it’s a big problem, so it’s also connected. Pre-sales and after-sales are very important.”

December 2019

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GLOBAL NEWS

AHRI announces new officers Presents awards at its inaugural Leadership Forum

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By CCME Content Team

he Air-Conditioning, Heating, and Refrigeration Institute (AHRI) held its inaugural Leadership Forum from November 10 to 12 in Puerto Rico, during which it elected its new officers and presented awards to industry leaders, the body announced through a Press release.

“The dedication of these industry leaders makes it possible for AHRI to continue to be the recognised voice of the industry and a reliable source for information," said AHRI President and CEO, Stephen Yurek. "We are very grateful for their service to AHRI and the HVACR and water heating industry."

According to the release, AHRI's new Chairman is John Galyen, President (North America), Danfoss.

The officers and Executive Committee are…

• Vice Chairman: Mike Schwartz, CEO, Daikin Applied • Vice Chairman: Ron Duncan, President, Magic Aire

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December 2019

• Treasurer: Megan Fellinger, President & CEO, Morrison Products • Past Chairman: Bill Steel, President & CEO, Bard Manufacturing The Board of Directors are…

• Kevin Beckett, President, R W Beckett • Gary Bedard, EVP, President and COO Worldwide Refrigeration, Lennox • Mike Branson, President, Rheem Manufacturing Co. • Bruce Carnevale, President and CEO, Bradford White Corp.

• Elizabeth Haggerty, VP and GM Global Ducted Systems, Johnson Controls • Chris Nelson, President, Carrier Residential and Commercial Systems • Brent Schroeder, President Air Conditioning Business, Emerson • Donny Simmons, President, Commercial HVACR, Ingersoll Rand • John Swann, President, Weil-McLain • Kevin Wheeler, President (NA, Europe and India), A.O. Smith

The event was an occasion for recognising notable work towards the cause of the industry. AHRI gave away the Richard C. Schulze Award for distinguished service and commitment to AHRI and the industry's goals and objectives. According to the release, the winners of the Award were…

• Henry "Skip" Ernst, Daikin Applied • Joe Sanchez, Bitzer US • Rusty Tharp, Goodman Manufacturing • Robert Whitwell, Carrier • AHRI presented the Public Service Award to Byron Horak of Intertek.

According to the release, the Distinguished Service Award is AHRI's highest honor; it recognises industry leaders who have made significant contributions throughout their careers. AHRI honoured Mike Woodford, retiring this year from AHRI after 42 years of service.

‘European evap cooling industry ready to face challenges of 2030’ Eurovent publishes results of two-year project dedicated to evaporative cooling technologies

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By CCME Content Team

he European evaporative cooling industry is ready to face the challenges of 2030, Eurovent said through a Press release. The statement came on the back of results of a two-year special project, titled ‘Evaporative Cooling 2030’.

According to the release, the Eurovent Association published a set of documents, including a new Eurovent Recommendation and a dedicated flyer, providing a clear overview of what the evaporative cooling industry saves in terms of CO2 emissions today and what it can save tomorrow. The documents are complemented by the first-ever European evaporative cooling industry monograph, providing a clear indication on its size and scope, the release said.

The monograph is the outcome of a close cooperation between Eurovent and Europe’s leading evaporative cooling equipment manufacturers, the release said, adding that the initiative involved an extensive study for a variety of load profiles, climatic conditions and control strategies. One year of operation was simulated for each system; the same yearly load profile and weather conditions were used in all simulations. The results of this study show that the refrigeration system using wet cooling towers has the lowest year-round CO2 footprint, the release said.

Gerab calls for greater adoption of efficient HVACR systems

Company official highlights untapped energy-saving potential of MEP equipment and need for a holistic approach

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By Hannah Jo Uy | Assistant Editor

here is massive energy-saving potential that can be achieved from integrating quality HVAC and lighting equipment across the built-environment, said Ram Kodali, Business Development Manager, Gerab Energy Systems, who highlighted the need for greater adoption of such solutions. He said that with these systems placing the highest burden on the GCC region’s energy grid, a more proactive and holistic move towards demand-side management is vital, with many countries, such as the UAE, moving towards a diverse renewable energy mix and with solar poised to be the future. “I see good opportunity to improvise and

Rob Vandenboer, Chairman of the Eurovent Special Project, ‘Evaporative Cooling 2030’ (SP-CT2), said: “When comparing a highly efficient evaporative cooling system with an alternative dry cooling solution, the CO2-saving potential of the evaporative cooling for the entire system is clearly proven by this robust simulation. This project eliminates the challenge that every end-user, designer and legislator faces when they want to truly understand the CO2 emission reduction potential of evaporative cooling.

“The European evaporative cooling industry, very well assessed in the Eurovent Industry Monograph 9/1, is working very hard towards long-term sustainable solutions, which will represent an important contribution towards achieving the EU climate targets.”

Alessandro Fontana, Vice-Chairman of the Special Project, said: “The Eurovent Recommendation 9/13 is a foundation for everyone dealing with evaporative cooling equipment. It eliminates all the false myths of a wrong water consumption calculation.”

According to the release, the Recommendation (REC 9/13), Industry Monograph (MON 9/1) and the related flyer, ‘Think Today, Save Tomorrow’ can be downloaded free of charge in the Eurovent Document Web Shop at www.eurovent.eu.

do more innovative solutions in the future for both new and retrofit projects,” he said.

Kodali emphasised that stakeholders must not forget that air conditioning and lighting accounts for 60-65% of the energy consumption of a typical 20- or 30-floor commercial or residential project, with Ram Kodali other components coming from motors and lifts having only minimal impact. “If in a given project, we are able to reduce 65% to 30%, that’s a huge contribution,” he said. Kodali added that it is important to look at a building holistically and not only stop at addressing one aspect. “These lights, when you consume them, also radiate a certain amount of heat into the air,” he said, adding that inefficient lighting can also lead to greater requirement for cooling. As such, he said, Gerab recommends for building owners to switch to LED, which offers the same output at 120 watts compared to the 250watt consumption of traditional systems. Kodali also emphasised sustainability should be at the forefront of every company philosophy. He said, “We are selling a technology, but we also have to keep in mind the importance of contributing to reduce the carbon footprint to enable us to reduce global warming, enable us to survive and keep the planet safe.”

December 2019

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GLOBAL NEWS

ENGIE redesigns its PENSUM AIR series Air-cooled system will offer facility operators advantages in the 50-400kW range

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By CCME Content Team

uick on the heels of redesigning its QUANTUM Air series in June 2019, ENGIE Refrigeration has redesigned its air-cooled PENSUM AIR, the company said through a Press release. The revised models will be available from January 20, 2020, offering facility operators numerous advantages in the medium power ranges of 50-400 kilowatts, the company said. The new PENSUM AIR, for example, stands out with its exceptional high efficiency under partial loads, the company said. The chiller is designed for use in mid-sized office buildings and public buildings, the company added.

According to the release, the air-cooled chiller has been part of the ENGIE Refrigeration portfolio since 2013. Among other features, the new PENSUM AIR uses the future-proof refrigerant, R-454B, which has good thermodynamic properties and a low-GWP value of 466, the company said. That means it falls below the average GWP of <500, the value that the F-gas Regulation stipulates from 2030, the company said. Compared to the previous refrigerant, R-410A, R-454B can lower CO2 emissions by 78%without affecting refrigeration capacity, the company said. In addition, the PENSUM AIR already meets the requirements of the Ecodesign Directive for Tier 2, which will come into force on January 1 2021, the company said.

“ENGIE Refrigeration aims to offer futureproof refrigeration solutions,” said Jochen Hornung, CEO, ENGIE Refrigeration. “The new PENSUM AIR is an exemplary way to fulfil this aim, as it already meets the future requirements of the F-gas Regulation and the Ecodesign Directive. We are, thus, offering our customers a future-proof investment that is unique in this market segment.”

According to the release, the PENSUM AIR scores with more than just the eco-friendly refrigerant, R-454B. The company said through the release that it has also refined the design and the configuration of the chiller. One of the most important benefits is the new compressor in the PENSUM AIR, which makes the chiller even more efficient to run than its predecessor model, the company said. The PENSUM AIR is also available in four different lines – Basic Cool, Free Cool, Super Silent and Reversible Heat – with a refrigeration performance between 50 and 400 kilowatts, the company said, adding that this is how it ensures that each chiller includes the most important options as standard and is, therefore, ready for the customer to use upon delivery.

In addition, the company said, all PENSUM AIR chillers feature designs and measures for machine safety in combination with slightly flammable class A2L refrigerants. They also have optimised measuring, control and regulation technology – for example, in terms of master-slave operation and smart grid capability – and improved housing, which includes a protective grille in front of the fin-type heat exchanger to protect against mechanical effects, the company said. This, the company added, makes the PENSUM AIR ideal not just for use in industry but also in office buildings and public buildings such as universities and technical colleges.

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December 2019

BAC introduces Vertex Evaporative Condenser Company characterises the launch as “peak reliability meets easy maintenance”

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By CCME Content Team

altimore Aircoil Company (BAC) has introduced the Vertex Evaporative Condenser, which the company described as “peak reliability meets easy maintenance”. The condenser offers maximum uptime with easy and safe accessibility, the company said through a Press release. It also has the lowest total cost of ownership with the lowest installation, maintenance, and operating costs, the company said.

“At BAC, we begin our innovation process by seeking to understand what our customers really need and want from us,” said Dave Klee, BAC Director of Sales and Marketing for North America. “In the case of the Vertex Evaporative Condenser, it was clear that there were many things they liked about our existing VCA product, but that there were opportunities to make it even better. So, the Vertex Condenser combines what customers like most about the VCA with compelling new innovations for the future. And of course, the Vertex Condenser uses evaporative cooling, so it’s an inherently sustainable solution for industrial refrigeration and other industrial process applications.”

Added Phil Hollander, Business Manager of Refrigeration for North America: “Our customers asked for easy maintenance and access, and the Vertex Condenser delivers. It has the largest access door, which easily accommodates a 6.5-foot-tall person with a sturdy step and safety handle. Technicians’ feet also stay dry while safely-inspecting the low-volume basin from the internal walkway. Inspection of all nozzles is also fast and easy with the optional preassembled platforms at an ergonomic working height. The Vertex Condenser alleviates confined space limitations, and customers have already reacted very positively to the overall design.”

According to the release, the Vertex Evaporative Condenser reduces

installation costs by 30%, in part by aligning the upper section to the lower section in less than 15 minutes per cell, due to the industrial-grade rigidity of the unit. Water volume is reduced by up to 30%, saving on water and chemical costs, the company said through the release. This helps reduce the operating weight by an average of 16%, the company added. The Vertex Condenser, the company further added, uses a direct-drive EC Fan System, which maximises reliability and uptime, and reduces operating costs, while requiring no regular maintenance.

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December 2019

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GLOBAL NEWS

Condair expands dehumidifier range

Move has allowed the company to extend its range to include more desiccant models, plus units that control temperature and humidity

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By CCME Content Team

umidity control manufacturer, Condair, has extended its dehumidifier range to include more desiccant models, walland ceiling-mounted systems, units that control temperature as well as humidity, and swimming pool units, the company said through a Press release.

Urs Hefti, Head, Condair Global Sales, said: “Having successfully launched Condair dehumidifiers to the Middle East market, just a few years ago, it is very exciting to be able to further strengthen our portfolio of dehumidification systems. Condair now boasts one of the most extensive ranges of dehumidifiers available from a single supplier, as well as offering fully customised solutions for unusual projects or extreme control.

Whatever application, capacity or humidity level is needed, Condair has the dehumidifier to perfectly meet the requirement.”

According to the release, the new Condair DA desiccant dehumidifier range now includes capacities from 0.6 to 182 litres per hour (@20°C/60% RH) from its standard models, with customised units being able to meet any larger drying requirement. Features include the ability to operate down to -30°C and consistently maintain an air humidity as low 1% RH, the company said through the release. Units can incorporate on-board touch screen controllers and BMS connectivity, with Modbus as standard, the company said. AC or EC fans are available and are positioned in a push configuration prior to the desiccant rotor on the regeneration airflow, the company added. This avoids contact between

the fan and the hot humid exhaust air, prolonging the life of the fan, the company further added.

According to the release, Condair’s new wall-mounted condensing dehumidifier range offers attractive in-room units with a sleek, minimalistic design. Alternatively, wall-mounted systems can be remotely located in a room adjacent to the area being dehumidified, the company said.

Humid air is circulated to the dehumidifier and dry air fed back to the room via ducting through the wall, the company said. New ceiling-mounted models enable installers to either integrate the unit in a suspended ceiling system or simply fix it overhead to avoid taking up floor space, the company added. All of these new fixed condensing systems are available in standard capacities from 49 to 190 L/D (@30°C/80%RH), the company further added.

According to the release, for applications that need very tight control over temperature as well as humidity, the Condair DC-N dehumidifier will deliver dry process air as well as cooling to an area or duct. It incorporates a remotely located compressor unit to dissipate heat generated during the dehumidification process, similar to a split air conditioning system, the company said.

Dehumidifying capacities range from 263 to 940 L/D (@30°C/80%RH) and cooling outputs from 13 to 43kW, the company added.

To complete Condair’s range of dehumidifiers, the company said, swimming pool models are now available that incorporate a range of features specifically for pool areas. Heat exchangers recover thermal energy from the supply air and the dehumidification process, which can either be introduced to the dry air being returned to the pool area or used to heat the pool water, the company said. Condair’s swimming pool dehumidification systems can also introduce outside fresh air to help improve the internal atmosphere, the company added. Units are offered in free-standing, wall-mounted, ceiling mounted, in-room or in-duct and in capacities up to 940L/D (@30°C/80% RH), the company added.

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December 2019

Miquido calls for care in selecting digital partners Software solutions provider, Miquido discusses red flags and key questions clients must ask potential partners when looking to digitalise operations and business models

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By Hannah Jo Uy | Assistant Editor

here are no silver bullets in software development, and no single solution that works everywhere, said Jerzy Biernacki, Head of Research and Development, Miquido, while discussing what end users, including building owners, utilities and operators, should take into consideration when looking for a solution provider that will help in digitalising business processes and models to enhance efficiencies.

“Something that worked in one case might be overkill in another, or it might not work at all,” he said. “The key is to really understand the customer’s business goals and choose the most appropriate solutions to meet them.”

Above everything else, all clients across the value chain need to seek reliable partners, he added.

Biernacki emphasised that clients should look for an open-minded team that tries to understand their needs and enhance the project with their expertise at all stages from conceptualisation, through business workshops, prototyping and design sprints, to design, development and all the way up to the release. “They do not stop there,” he said. “The team should also help to iterate on your product and make it even better with each update. Therefore, clients should ask about the company's approach to software development and to the offered services to verify whether the company can deliver a full package.”

Biernacki said that even the biggest projects need to be broken down into manageable phases. “Even when a client has a plan in

Jerzy Biernacki

Jarosław Bodnar

mind, it is very important to establish and take into account all technical dependencies, and the software provider’s support in this aspect is crucial,” he said, adding that given the scope, the company should be able to help clients break down the project, taking into account the issues of scalability and expandability, all of which should be taken into consideration when choosing a provider. “It is also worth asking about the company’s development process to verify if the team is really agile,” he said. “Clients can do this by providing some hypothetical situations regarding changes in the requirements and asking what the impact on the project would be – both cost- and time-wise.” Last but not the least, Biernacki said, clients can recognise the best partners by their proactiveness. “They show it right from the start, asking the right questions on the first contact and exploring possible solutions right from the first call or meeting,” he said.

Weighing in, Jarosław Bodnar, Head of Operations, Miquido, pointed out that the experience of having big brands in the portfolio is not a guarantee of good quality. “If the company hasn’t focused on the introduction on projects instead of on brands, that’s the first red light,” he said. “The second is when the portfolio presented at the first meeting doesn't correspond to the client's domain. It means someone didn't even do their homework. So, how can they provide the solution you need and be a reliable partner?” Bodnar said that when assessing a solution provider, clients should ask the following: ‘Have you done similar projects before?’ and ‘Could you tell us about the risks?’ “Hopefully, the company will name all the risks you had in mind,” he said, “plus a couple you didn't think about but make perfect sense for you.”

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December 2019

91

GLOBAL NEWS

Belimo designs new ‘smart zone valve’ The device comes with enhanced MP-Bus communication, company says

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By CCME Content Team

elimo Americas has designed a new smart zone valve in partnership with Automated Logic Corporation (ALC), the company said through a Press release. The intelligent valve, OptiPoint, is a customised Belimo ZoneTight valve with enhanced MP-Bus communication, the company said. Automated Logic required their next-generation Bus-connected valve assemblies provide superior performance with little effort to commission and operate in the field. Belimo said it was chosen for its commitment and dedication to innovate. The new smart valve offers seamless connectivity, reliability and communication to Automated Logic WebCTRL building automation system, providing operators with access to valve performance data from anywhere at any time, the company said. The field-adjustable flow capacity setting helps technicians ensure the design requirements are met, the company added.

“Our entire range of solutions are constantly evolving and becoming smarter and more data rich,” said Daniel Caldwell, Belimo Key Account Manager. “Communicating and presenting these valuable digital assets is in high demand. By partnering with ALC, we worked together to create a technological bridge to their WebCTRL building automation system.”

According to the release, the OptiPoint valves – Belimo customised ZoneTight valves are available for both pressure-dependent and pressure-

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December 2019

independent applications featuring a compact design for easy installation in tight spaces. The valve actuator provides fail open, fail close or fail in position to meet design requirements, the company said. Up to two valves can be connected, minimising wiring and eliminating the need to use the controller’s physical I/O to manage the valve, the company said, adding that the actuators snap directly to the valve body allowing quick installation without the use of tools further reducing labour costs.

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