CCME - June 2021

INTERVIEW: MASAAKI MIYATAKE, CHAIRMAN AND PRESIDENT, DAIKIN MEA

June 2021

10 Years of

In-person cold chain food safety conference spotlights digitalisation of refrigeration assets

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Mo v e m e n t b y Pe r f e c t i o n

VOL. 16 NO. 06  JUNE 2021

‘Pandemic has ushered in new customer needs’

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Back to in-person events… at last!

INTERVIEWS

ON THE COVER...

Masaaki Miyatake, Daikin MEA, speaks of how the company is rapidly leveraging its solutions to continuously evolve with market requirements

Food industry stakeholders come in droves, discuss digitalisation of cold chain assets

Staggering amounts of raw data

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Peter Thomsen, Armstrong Fluid Technology, speaks on digitalisation as a way to build digital twin for optimisation and condition-based maintenance

Blurring of lines

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page

HVAC contractors and rental suppliers used to be clear-cut domains, but not anymore, says Brian Marshall, Byrne Equipment Rental

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Digital HVACR stores

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The rate of attrition and change in people’s buying trends has accelerated in a way that most of us would not have imagined, says Steve Day, Goveco

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REPORT

Fifty million more people face heat-related risks LICENCE TO CHILL

Oh no, not my chillers!

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It is imperative that the chiller’s evaporator and condenser tube surfaces have the lowest resistance to heat transfer possible, says Dan Mizesko, US Chiller Services

REGULARS 04 eDItor'S note The sheer joy of ‘brick & mortar’ events

Hollywood stars and climate change Mitigation

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36 Regional News 46 Global News

www.climatecontrolme.com

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EDITOR’S NOTE

The sheer joy of ‘brick & mortar’ events

W Surendar Balakrishnan Editor @BSurendar_HVACR

Get the next issue of Climate Control Middle East early!

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

hilst webinars served as an indispensable bridge to discussions at the onset of the pandemic, there was no denying the feeling of inadequacy in communication. There was no issue with the quorum on most occasions, but the sheer inability to spontaneously communicate, to make eye-contact, to view a gesture of the hand – which often profoundly conveys a message – severely impacted the cognitive experience, more than what we can possibly imagine or estimate.

In that context, it was thrilling to be able to meet in person once again – to connect and experience the nuanced expressions that somehow get flattened out in virtual events. I am referring to the 10th edition of the Food Chain conference, which CPI Industry had the pleasure of hosting on May 31 at the Metropolitan Hotel, off Sheikh Zayed Road, in Dubai. We had a full house, and lively discussions and networking sessions filled with energy, banter and laughter. It was great to engage with the audience, as opposed to seeing them as mere numbers on the screen; and whilst chat-boxes on virtual fora had been a handy feature for posting and viewing comments, there was nothing like hearing them articulated in the meeting hall – the reverb a pleasing reminder of a golden time not too long ago, when we, unfettered and inapprehensive, moved about our businesses and our lives.

And yet, in the case of Food Chain, we did not completely dissociate ourselves from the virtual world. In perhaps a sign of the times, we opted for a hybrid event, which allowed us to harness the global reach and global participation features of a digital platform. In a nod to 2020 – when CPI Industry webinars, almost without exception, featured speakers from The Americas, Europe and other parts of Asia – we opened up participation at a global level, enriching the in-person format like never before.

In many ways, the 10th edition served as a metaphor for resilience and willingness to adapt. It served as a reminder of the courage of the industry to come forward with the objective of sharing and gaining insights – in this case, on cold chain and food safety. And for that we are much grateful to each and every person that graciously accepted our invitation to attend.

An editorial write-up gushing about in-person events might sound banal, but it’s been a protracted struggle to reclaim our freedom. And hence we must celebrate each and every small move towards restoring normalcy, towards being able to build a better tomorrow.

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

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

In Asia (except India), contact: Judy Wang, Our representative in Asia T: 00852-30780826 E: judywang2000@vip.126.com

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June 2021

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PICTURE OF THE MONTH

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POST-EVENT REPORT:

FOOD CHAIN

Hooray!

Back to in-person events!

What could be better than to celebrate the 10th edition of Food Chain by conducting it as an in-person event! n a remarkable turn of events, thanks to the UAE government’s well-managed COVIDmitigation programme, CPI Industry, publishers of Climate Control Middle East, was able to host and conduct the 10th edition of Food Chain – the Middle East Cold Chain Food Safety Conference – as an in-person event, on May 31, in Dubai.

The conference, the first in-person event since the 9th edition of the Climate Control Awards, in November 2019, saw food industry stakeholders come in droves to discuss ‘digitialisation of cold chain assets’ – the common thread of the talks and presentations.

Endorsed by Dubai Municipality and with key participation from the UAE Ministry of Climate Change & Environment, Ajman Municipality and other bodies, the conference was a day-long spread of topics that covered transport refrigeration, food production and processing and food retail.

The private sector put up a strong representation. Participants included Arabian Farms, Geant, Lulu Hypermarkets and Ramla Group, amongst others. Technology solutions providers – including Daikin, Schmitz Cargobull, Phileo PM (representing SECCO Europe), TROX, Facilio, ADSO and Al-Safa Transport – added muscle to the discussions.

A detailed report of the conference will appear in the July 2021 issue of Climate Control Middle East. For now, we present the event, as it unfolded, in pictures…

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June 2021

10 Years of Food Chain

www.climatecontrolme.com

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POST-EVENT REPORT:

FOOD CHAIN

10 Years of Food Chain

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June 2021

www.climatecontrolme.com

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POST-EVENT REPORT:

FOOD CHAIN

10 Years of Food Chain

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June 2021

www.climatecontrolme.com

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Q&A

‘PANDEMIC HAS USHERED IN NEW CUSTOMER NEEDS’ Masaaki Miyatake, Chairman and President, Daikin MEA, in an exclusive interview he gave to Surendar Balakrishnan of Climate Control Middle East, speaks of how the company is rapidly leveraging its solutions to continuously evolve with market requirements. Excerpts from the interview…

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June 2021

At a corporate level, what changes has the pandemic forced upon Daikin in the way you manufacture and install HVAC equipment? As a corporate, has your thinking veered towards giving even more importance to indoor air quality?

The pandemic has ushered in new customer needs, prompting us to leverage and innovate our solutions rapidly to meet and continuously evolve with their requirements. We have made the necessary adjustments in our processes and procedures to comply with the needs of the times without losing sight of the goals enshrined in our Environmental Vision 2050. Putting even greater emphasis on indoor air quality and energy efficiency are part and parcel of the changes we have deployed since the pandemic began, seeing that the trend is accelerating towards this path, as people spend more time inside their homes.

As the situation is still changing, Daikin will adapt accordingly to the changes. However, we remain keen on promoting energy-efficient air conditioners and refrigerants. This remains consistent and highlights our commitment to helping reduce carbon emissions that cause global warming.

It also complements our balanced approach to increasing business growth while contributing to the global environmental efforts, especially those addressing climate change.

Given that some nations have submitted a new set of Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs), in line with the Paris Agreement, what does the move mean to equipment manufacturers like Daikin?

The NDCs inspire us at Daikin to further ramp up our initiatives to help mitigate the effects of climate change through significant carbon emission reduction.

Our approach to the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions is evident in our entire product lifecycle, including production, and in our use of energy management solutions to carry out efficient building operations.

Across our industry, the carbon emission reduction targets of the Paris Agreement, followed by the Kigali

Amendment, have set the cooling sector development pathway towards higher energy efficiency systems and lower global warming potential refrigerants. Daikin has integrated this pathway into its long-term business strategy to provide society with safe and healthy air environments with the lowest impact on the environment.

How is Daikin supporting the GCC region countries, in particular, in lowering direct and indirect emissions?

Daikin’s vision and actions are aligned with the GCC region’s national targets.

They support the national policies via collaboration with market stakeholders.

Several field test projects were conducted in collaboration with the regulation authorities and academia in the GCC region to measure the impact of high energy efficiency cooling systems on the consumer energy cost, the power sector demand, and the warming reduction potential on the environment.

We believe that such collaborative projects support the formulation of effective energy efficiency policies to reduce the energy consumption of air conditioners in buildings.

It is often said that chiller manufacturers ignore refrigerating efficiency. What is the case with Daikin?

Chillers consumes over 65% energy in a building’s air conditioning system, and a responsible chiller manufacturer should not be ignoring the efficiency/COP of a chiller.

At the same time, focus should not only be on full-load COPs, as chillers operate 99% of the time at off-design/part-load conditions. To help the end users realise maximum energy savings, Daikin has always been at the forefront of improving chiller COPs with emphasis not only on full-load but also on part-load and offdesign conditions. This is done by taking a holistic view of the design and selection of each component of the chiller, as well as incorporating innovative technologies, such as refrigerant-cooled inverter and the new compressor geometry. In addition, we need to maintain the highest level of reliability along with premium efficiency by ensuring local peculiarities, such as high ambient temperatures and corrosive environment.

And another is the region’s first water-cooled VRV hotel application (G+44 floors) in Qatar, which is already commissioned What progress are you able to share with readers of Climate Control Middle East on VRF-related innovations? Have you been able to make them appealing even for high-rises, thus increasing the scope of their deployment?

VRV/VRF systems are now established as a solution category on their own, similar to DX systems, chilled water systems or district cooling systems.

It has taken a decade for the efforts to boost the popularity of VRV/VRF systems. Led by Daikin, these efforts have created change in the market. VRV/ VRF systems are now considered the first choice amongst all HVAC solutions for residential applications, where energy efficiency, higher indoor air quality and low noise, along with smart home automation, have become the minimum requirements. Daikin has carried out multiple developments for large number of projects, including those involving more than 1,000 villas.

For buildings, we are seeing a great acceptability of VRV/VRF systems, where earlier DX or chilled water systems were only accepted. The change is due to multiple buildings that are already in operation, saving the end-user 30-40% in energy bills and lowering the capital costs for developers. We are glad to share some of the key landmarks that we have been involved in. One is a 50-storey tower in Sharjah, which is in the last phase of completion with Daikin air-cooled VRV systems, and another is the region’s first water-cooled VRV hotel application (G+44 floors) in Qatar, which is already commissioned. The UAE leads the change, and now the industry

is growing from strength to strength in wider GCC region areas of Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Oman and Kuwait, where we are seeing a lot of tall building designs using VRV/VRF as the technology of choice for the residential apartments.

The pandemic has forced the world to revisit the minimum number of fresh air changes, amongst other measures to reduce the micro-flora count in the built environment.

How can we increase this without increasing energy consumption?

Have you made any headway into solving this conundrum?

For existing buildings, where the fresh air flow is fixed, the best solution is to add an in-room air filtration device, with multiple filtration stages, to provide equivalent outdoor air change per hour (ACH). To address this, Daikin has introduced two air purifiers. The first one is with Electrostatic HEPA filter and Streamer Technology. The second is an in-room compact air filtration device manufactured in our UAE factory with three stages of filtration, including a lowpressure-drop HEPA filter, incorporating high-efficiency EC fan to keep the power consumption lower.

For new multi-storey buildings with central ventilation devices and to increase the fresh air changes without major increase in power consumption, we can combine low-pressure-drop filters with heat-recovery devices while using highefficiency EC fans. Flexibility on sizing the ventilation device is also important to achieve lower internal pressure drop.

Sizing the ventilation device with height/ width increments of 5cm is also a standard feature of Daikin selection tool.

To address the fresh air concerns in light-commercial applications, we also launched the range, ‘Modular L – Compact Horizontal Heat Recovery Unit for decentralised ventilation’.

The unit is suitable for indoor ceiling installation, featuring counterflow plate heat exchange with low pressure drop, multiple stage filtration and highly efficient EC fans.

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

www.climatecontrolme.com

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Q&A

STAGGERING AMOUNTS OF RAW DATA

Peter Thomsen, Director, Building Systems Solutions Group, Armstrong Fluid Technology, in this interview he gave to Ranjana Maria Konatt of Climate Control Middle East, talks about the arrival of digitalization as a way to build digital twin for both optimization and condition-based maintenance. Excerpts…

What are the trends in the hot water circulatory pump market?

Could you talk us through the stressors influencing the pumps sub-industry?

There is a great deal of innovation in the market with respect to fluid flow applications in the built community, and that can be seen in both new and existing building stock. What’s really interesting is the arrival of digitalization as a way to build digital twins for both optimization and condition-based maintenance. An incredible amount of technology can be integrated into fluid flow devices, even the smaller circulators. This means all types and sizes of these devices can have IP addresses and can support wi-fi communications, along with the traditional control and communications connections. This shift to digitalize and connect all aspects of a system has changed and will continue to change industry thinking. The performance and efficiency challenge for building operators is no longer about how to make any one mechanical piece of equipment marginally more efficient from a mechanical approach. Now, it’s about making the entire system and surrounding networks perform better.

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In both comfort systems and process systems, information technology takes us light years ahead of traditional setpoint control.

With respect to the challenges that every business is facing from the global COVID-19 experience, building operators are opting for more remote management capabilities and intelligent systems.

That’s leading to demand in a different but related area. Intelligent, connected systems with data-tracking functions can quickly accumulate staggering amounts of raw data. With all of the new information sources in a building, problems around data overload become apparent very quickly. So, what we’re seeing recently is a marked increase in the number of building operators who are asking for informative insights that will help them with decision-making. You asked specifically about pumps. A good example of data versus insights would be the vibration data that can be obtained from a pump. The operator really doesn’t know what good or bad vibration data looks like. However, advanced systems with diagnostic capabilities can analyze mountains of vibration data and detect a trend more easily. The system can alert an operator if the vibration data is indicating

a degradation of the motor bearings, a blocked strainer or pump cavitation.

The more sophisticated systems can even indicate the degree of urgency, to tell an operator whether an issue needs attention today, or inspection within a month. During COVID-19, resources have had restricted access to facilities, and reductions in the resources available to go to sites. The ability to know in advance if there is a health issue with a piece of equipment, before the process performance is at risk, makes managing larger portfolios of buildings by a small group of service staff a genuine possibility. And it’s all made possible with digitalization and smart diagnostics.

From a company perspective, what R&D-related updates would you like to share with readers of Climate Control Middle East?

Something that we have just completed is the development of a new machine learning technology. Specifically for buildings, this will be available for HVAC systems. The idealist view is that with machine learning, data models will inform operators on how to manage the process setpoints and the controllable process inputs to optimize water consumption,

or energy consumption, or create the most stable environmental condition. In a static world, processing to determine optimization strategies is easy. However, buildings and the environments in which they operate are anything but static, so the inputs into an optimization decision are very dynamic. Of course, with changes in weather, the operating environment changes. And with variations in building occupancy and tenant make up, the internally generated inputs and internal HVAC requirements change. But it’s worth noting that the state of equipment repair and efficiency can also vary dramatically during every part of the day, but the state of equipment repair and servicing can also vary dramatically over time.

The learning process becomes even more challenging as system characteristics change. For example, if a cooling tower has a blocked air inlet, this needs to be differentiated from a chronic change in equipment condition caused by the contamination of a condenser coil in a refrigerant circuit. There are very different types of changes that we know of. If the accumulation of valuable data and insights

is left to a natural learning process, it will take years for a grass roots mathematical model to understand and learn to adapt.

The machine learning system that we have developed accelerates the learning process, and that fundamentally changes the decision-making process to the point that instead of relying on the data points available in the moment as the basis of a decision, operators come to trust the machine learning process of testing, modeling and predicting for decisions on operating settings.

As we connect facilities to our cloud diagnostics server, the large population learnings allow us to predict events and suggest the maintenance calls.

Machine learning capabilities gives our new solution a new degree of persistence in performance management without adding heavy layers of routine maintenance and recommissioning. It’s economically practical and the potential for savings is really exciting.

What is your perspective on regulation? How can the government make the private

sector in the Middle East more mindful of energy conservation?

While there is a stick approach, what can the government do to introduce incentives? Could we apply triedand-tested models in the United States here in the region?

Early in my career, while working for a large electrical power utility in Canada, I had the opportunity to develop what was referred to as Demand Side Management initiatives,

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Q&A with the intent of retaining transient commercial and industrial customer segments on our grid. These initiatives were given high priority in response to environmental concerns. At the time, we saw three separate levers for managing behaviours around the energy conservation or ‘green’ agenda. Those three levers were rate structures and efficiency standards (the stick), incentives (the carrot), and information and knowledge programs (the mental and emotional motivations).

My observations from that time are that people take actions for emotional reasons and justify those decisions later by using technical and financial facts.

The financial incentives were our flag to catch the market’s attention. Those incentives for energy improvements to their facilities quickly caught the attention of rate payers. Some saw the initiative as positive, and others saw it as a negative.

Many early adapters invested in new technology, and saw payback periods of less than one year. The majority of people took their time and studied the information on the technology options to improve efficiency and learn what the economics looked like. A key step in the change is new rate structures that offers lower rates based on the electrical efficiency of a building’s footprint. It doesn’t take long for owners to understand that if they are paying the higher rates, they are funding the efficiency upgrades of neighbouring buildings, perhaps even competitors. This is a big motivational element that can prompt owners to take action.

But the building operators and owners can’t bring about change on their own.

There must be a supporting delivery channel that is motivated towards driving the discussions one-on-one with the larger users. This includes manufacturers, contractors, service companies and others. These are the organizations that take energy upgrades as a serious part of their new business model, and financial organizations that provide funding to make these projects cash flow positive from day one.

It is very difficult to suggest what might work in other markets. Regulation on its own is often a long process that requires a lot of breathing room for businesses to survive during a transition. It also requires audits, red tape and heavy administration costs. Ideally, those resources can be turned towards creating a desire for

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change and nurturing a marketplace infrastructure to cater to that change.

Real change can take root when the environmental factors are aligned to create a win-win-win scenario for building owners, channel participants and power providers.

Are we pursuing the exotic at the cost of ignoring the simple to realise 30% savings, say, in building energy consumption?

Fundamentally, the days of making changes on a one-by-one basis for 30% efficiency gains are gone. Today, in almost all spaces of a building, the key to increased efficiency is in the interactions within and between systems. With new intelligent technology we are seeing more than the 20-30% savings of higher equipment efficiency, and often seeing 50% or more. A great example is an intelligent pump upgrade on a constant flow cooling tower application. It’s easy to see that as an upgrade project that might sound like an exotic solution for a mundane application.

The intelligent self-regulating variable speed pump can be set to constant flow mode, and as blockages occur in the strainer it speeds up to maintain flow. The non-intelligent solution operates at an energy savings fixed speed with a drive

These impacts are hard to quantify, but are a reality that we see regularly with connected intelligent devices. I am providing pumping as an example, as I am very close to it, but the same idea applies elsewhere, when intelligence is added to what was traditionally just a controlled device. There are new understandings and opportunities that arise from the experience.

Where are we headed in terms of cloud-based analytics and digital controls for HVACR systems? In what way does Armstrong Fluid Technology contribute to creating efficient technology?

Most operators, at first, are fearful of the term, ‘cloud’, as it feels like something that is in their hands today is being moved to a supercomputer at an unknown location.

There is apprehension about confidentiality of information and a perceived loss of control.

Interestingly, what we have seen is that human error is the biggest threat to systems maintaining their efficiency overtime. Through the observed experiences of large populations of building systems, these threats to building efficiency are already being identified and appropriate notifications and quantifications being sent to customers.

In contrast, an intelligent condenser pump will sense the change over time and might even sense the onset of cavitation on the wall. Because the non-intelligent solution operates at a fixed speed, the flow to the chiller’s condenser would drop when there is strainer blockage. The efficiency of the chiller drops, leading to big increase in energy consumption. And that situation can remain in place, unnoticed, until there is a maintenance call to inspect the strainer. In contrast, an intelligent condenser pump will sense the change over time and might even sense the onset of cavitation. It will alert the operator that there is up-stream blockage that requires service. The performance of the chiller is maintained for a small increase of pumping energy, and the service person can attend to the issue before there is a performance complication.

What we are doing at Armstrong is attempting to change the perceptions of owners and operators towards energy savings initiatives. Rather than seeing energy savings as a one-time upgrade ‘event’, we want to people to see the reality that energy savings is a continuous activity after a capital investment is made.

Without this behaviour, the potential for success that led to the capital outlay will be quickly put at risk. The power of cloud services to sift through data can give building operators the daily insights they need to protect their investments and bring persistence to their energy performance. This is what we are doing to help customers with their on-going energy performance.

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P.O Box 17985, Dubai, U.A.E Tel:+971 8007262 customercare@ae.panasonic.com | www.panasonic.com

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Q&A

BLURRING OF LINES HVAC contractors and rental suppliers used to be clear-cut domains, but not anymore, says Brian Marshall, Business Manager Climate Control, Byrne Equipment Rental, adding that the new situation has reduced the number of entities involved in the supply chain of temporary equipment. Excerpts from the interview he gave to Surendar Balakrishnan of Climate Control Middle East…

WHAT IS THE SCOPE OF BYRNE RENTAL’S WORK IN THE NEW NORMAL?

The latest trend in the HVAC rental market is that customers are expecting more from their rental service provider.

Over a decade ago, the rental service provider would receive a call from a contractor, such as the MEP contractor or facilities manager, and request a readymade HVAC solution. In recent times, the customer expects the rental

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service provider to visit their site and design a bespoke solution based on the conditions, temperature requirements and heat-loads. Customers want the best solution with the lowest cost in terms of rental rate and energy consumption.

If generators are required, diesel consumption becomes a major factor in the design of the HVAC solution.

At Byrne, we have listened to our customers and added specialised

business verticals, such as HVAC, to our core fleet solutions to ensure that we can provide the full solution to meet their needs. This has blurred the lines between a typical HVAC contractor and rental supplier and has reduced the number of people and companies involved in the supply chain for temporary equipment.

ARE CAPITAL-COST-AVERSE DEVELOPERS AND OWNERS REACHING OUT TO YOU MORE THAN EVER FOR THEIR BUILDINGS, AS AN ALTERNATIVE TO BUYING NEW EQUIPMENT?

In the past few years, we have seen a substantial increase in the demand for rental, as opposed to the purchase of assets. Rented equipment enables businesses to see if different machines deliver the expected payoffs; and if they do, representatives can make decisions later about whether to purchase them or not. In addition, used equipment is often made available with the latest software updates and kept in good condition, making the not-quite-new options appealing to firms that want to stay competitive while saving money.

HVAC rental industry can be seasonal and, therefore, rental can be the best option. Events and O&G shutdown occur during the cooler months, while worker welfare, logistics and internal fit-outs are required in summer. There is a strong business case to rent equipment when the requirement is seasonal, such as seen in the HVAC industry.

HAVE THERE BEEN ANY HEALTHCARESPECIFIC EXISTING PROJECTS YOU HAVE RENTED EQUIPMENT TO?

Our HVAC solutions can be provided in many aspects across the medical field, inclusive of: • Reefer containers: Climate-controlled containers to ensure medical products are kept at any temperature ranging from -25 degree Celsius to +25 degree Celsius • Freestanding split air conditioning units, package air conditioning units, chillers and air-handlers: These can be used to provide cooling to existing clinics, medical storage warehouses and vaccination centres as comfort cooling • Modular buildings: These can be designed as temporary hospitals

Brian Marshall

rooms, quarantine facilities and medical offices • Negative pressure isolation rooms: Containers that are retrofitted with ventilation and extraction equipment for COVID-19 patients.

• Desiccant dryers: These are for areas that require dehumidification

WHAT ARE YOU DOING AS A RENTAL COMPANY TO SUPPORT THE CAUSE OF ENERGY EFFICIENCY? WITH THE UAE RELEASING A NEW SET OF NATIONALLY DETERMINED CONTRIBUTIONS, IN LINE WITH THE PARIS AGREEMENT, TO LOWER EMISSIONS, WHAT IS BYRNE DOING TO HELP THE COUNTRY ACHIEVE ITS TARGETS?

All our HVAC product offerings are supported with ablution and sanitation facilities as well as power products and fuel, if required.

Byrne has a long history in the power industry in the GCC, and we have inhouse application specialists and electrical engineers that are always looking at solutions to reducing energy consumption.

On the HVAC side, Byrne started looking at “smart systems” in 2020 and ran a prototype in our yard in Dubai. This included having sensors connected to the controllers of cooling equipment, which could monitor the supply and return temperatures along with the ambient temperature. We are able to monitor all equipment dispatched to project sites.

This information can help us monitor the performance of the equipment, review and capture customer loads profile as well as identify system issues and take corrective action, such as insulating the ducting system and adding more return ducts. This can help to reduce the number of trips that our service teams are required to make to project sites, working towards reducing the carbon footprint and vehicle emissions.

This project offering is being finetuned for all applications, and we are always looking for ways to offer solutions that help reduce energy consumption and provide a greener solution while also reducing energy costs.

OVERALL, HOW IS THE OUTLOOK OF THE CLIMATE CONTROL RENTAL MARKET FOR THE GCC REGION?

On the sector side of the market, the event sector has remained quiet this year with lockdown and social distancing regulations, but we are seeing a positive recovery in Q3/Q4 of this year, particularly in UAE and Saudi Arabia markets. The O&G sector has seen increased activity, as the planned maintenance projects commence and the backlog of delayed scheduled shutdowns must be executed and cleared.

On the equipment side, we are providing more hybrid solutions that include all project lines, to ensure the most cost-effective solution is provided that meets the required parameters.

Split air conditioning units might be used for smaller areas and office spaces versus chillers and air-handlers for larger spaces, such as warehouses.

Site conditions are also an important factor when deciding on a centralised or decentralised approach to cooling systems. Due to these initiatives, the CO2 reductions are significant and a much valued consideration by our clients when assessing our suitability for tendered works.

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

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21

PERSPECTIVE

COVID-19 AND IAQ

COVID-19, IAQ AND THE QUESTION, “WHAT NOW?” Perhaps the world is able to learn from our current experiences and shift its attention away from cost-cutting, argues Markus Lattner

ore than a year into a global pandemic, the problem of airborne transmission of COVID-19 is amply documented and verified. It bears the question, “Why did it take so long for institutions like the World Health Organization to acknowledge this transmission route and issue appropriate guidance?”

Professional associations, like Eurovent Middle East, ASHRAE and REHVA, had published recommendations as early as in March 2020, which focused heavily on the risk of airborne transmission, indoors.

The slow acceptance of this fact and lack of appropriate reaction perhaps roots in a feeling of helplessness, as it is a rather complex matter to tackle airborne transmission in our built-environment. There are no fast and simple solutions, even if recommendations like venting rooms by opening windows and increased ventilation rates may suggest otherwise.

They are, in fact, good pieces of advice but do not solve the problem or situation – that most of our life happens in closed spaces, that we are entirely dependent – economically and socially

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June 2021

– on the safe use of our buildings. It is a great neglect of the past decades, when warnings of a global pandemic had been frequently raised, that not much thought was given to the preparedness of our existing built stock to such a scenario.

While the manufacturing side has solutions ready, they are not finding their way into common use.

Higher investments in ventilation and air filtration, if not mandated, are understandably dreaded by investors and developers, with the push for energy efficiency in the last decade giving even an excellent excuse. After all, no air filtration necessarily consumes less energy. And who cares about occupants, who are dependent on affordable housing and office spaces, and who would not have a clue about the ventilation system in place. Air contamination is invisible and illnesses hard to blame on a building.

That leaves the general population helpless and without much chance to influence their own well-being. People have to live somewhere, and they have to go to work. They cannot choose on an issue like Indoor Air Quality (IAQ), even less so as it is an entirely invisible

Markus Lattner is Managing Director, Eurovent Middle East. He may be reached at markus.lattner@eurovent.me.

one. Neither the ventilation system nor the air quality itself is visible to most of us. As long as we don’t make it visible and influenceable, IAQ is the full responsibility of building owners, operators and business owners.

Perhaps the world is able to learn from our current experiences and shift its attention away from cost-cutting – value engineering, as it is called, though I don’t know why – to a more

sustainable form of engineering. There is no alternative to fresh air intake in buildings. There is no alternative to efficient air filtration, and there is no alternative to investing in well-designed ventilation systems. With the world set to see an increase in viral threats in the coming years, thanks to global warming and the loss of habitats for wild animals, the options are: a) Facing enormous economic and social damage, and b) A gradual investment in improvements of our buildings.

Ventilation standards need to be reviewed under these aspects, and adjusted, where needed. The European Union is set to change its EPBD (Energy Performance of Buildings Directive) to accommodate the aspect of Health. But standardisation is a lengthy process and will take years to find its way into the built-environment. It would already be a good start if buildings are assessed for their adherence to current standards, improved where necessary and to ensure that ventilation rates and filtration

performances meet current guidelines.

If IAQ would become visible, we could put a price tag on it and classify buildings with a low IAQ as ‘junk’. That appears to be the best motivation for investors to care about higher standards and ensure that ventilation and air filtration systems are maintained and operated correctly. This is where the

HVACR industry, along with health experts and science, needs to come up with solutions, be it through IAQ certificates or air-monitoring technologies.

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

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23

PERSPECTIVE

WHY THE Hx SHOULD WE GO WITH COPPER? Frank Gao and Kerry Song of International Copper Association, Yoram Shabtay of Heat Transfer Technologies and Harry Schmitz of The Kellen Company explain the role copper heat exchangers could play in safeguarding the atmosphere

here is a growing realisation that something can be done about greenhouse gases (GHGs).

As climate legislation gains popular support, governments, corporations and philanthropists are rallying around bold new targets to substantially reduce GHG pollution by 2030.

The European Union already has developed a “European Green Deal” [1], and in the United States, a full two-thirds of the population “thinks government should do more on climate” [2]. Globally, the Paris Agreement, within the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), established a framework for addressing GHG emissions mitigation, adaptation and finance [3]; and the Kigali Amendment to the Montreal Protocol seeks to reduce the consumption and production of hydrofluorocarbons. [4] Although carbon dioxide emissions pose the gravest threat to the atmosphere, carbon dioxide (CO2) is not the only molecule that behaves as a GHG, when released into the atmosphere.

The global warming potential (GWP) of hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs or ‘F-Gases’) is typically hundreds or thousands of times greater than the GWP of CO2.

Synthetically produced HFCs are still widely used as refrigerants in air conditioners as well as in refrigeration equipment.

The appliance design community can make significant contributions towards reducing GHG emissions. The use of ecofriendly heating and cooling appliances can aid the planet-wide transition to net-zero GHG emissions. Eco-friendly design of heating and cooling appliances supports decarbonisation, F-gas reduction and energy efficiency.

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June 2021

ELECTRIFICATION LEADS TO DECARBONISATION

Net-zero GHG emissions cannot be achieved solely through the electrification of vehicles and heating and cooling appliances. Nonetheless, electrification is essential to decarbonisation. The use of heat pumps and electric vehicles allows for coal, natural gas and petroleum to be phased down and replaced by renewable energy sources, such as solar, wind and hydroelectric.

A heat pump is a cooling cycle in reverse. Heat-depleted refrigerant at high pressure is passed through an expansion valve and the cold lowpressure refrigerant flows into the evaporator, where it absorbs energy from the environment. The warmed refrigerant then enters the compressor, which performs work on the refrigerant, further increasing its temperature and also its pressure; the hot refrigerant is “pumped” or transported to the condenser, where it is used to heat spaces or water. In this manner, as the cycle repeats, the heatenergy gained by the refrigerant at the evaporator and the work energy gained by the refrigerant at the compressor are released for heating.

A well-designed heat pump can operate with a coefficient of performance (COP) greater than one.

It typically can produce three times or more heat energy output than the electrical energy drawn by the compressor. In contrast, burning fossil fuels in a furnace or boiler is extremely inefficient: High-grade, high-temperature energy resources are used to produce low-grade, low-temperature heat energy, with a COP of less than one. This is wasteful of our energy resources!

Frank Gao

Kerry Song

Yoram Shabtay

Harry Schmitz

DRIVING DOWN F-GAS USAGE

The development of heat pumps is promising from an environmental perspective, but most heat pump appliances in the market today still use high-GWP hydrofluorocarbons. Most F-gases are non-flammable (A1). R32 is a mildly flammable F-Gas that has a GWP of “only” 675 (compared to 2,088 for R410A).

Certain mildly flammable HFOs have very low GWPs and, therefore, R32-HFO blends can be developed with GWPs less than 675. Many OEMs now use R32 or R32-HFO blends as a means of meeting F-Gas regulations in the near term.

R32, HFOs and HFO-R32 blends all belong to the A2L flammability subclass.

They are considered flammable, hence the A2 designation, but their “burn rate” is slower than typical A2 refrigerants, according to certain standard tests. The A2L “mildly flammable” designation sits between the A1 and A2 designation and allows for less stringent use conditions compared to A2 (flammable) or A3 (highly flammable) refrigerants. The differences between A1, A2L, A2 and A3 safety classes are summarised in a “Factsheet” jointly published by the United Nations Environment Programme and ASHRAE [5].

For commercial refrigeration, the transition to hydrocarbon (HC) refrigerants is already underway. HCs, such as propane (R290) are natural, non-toxic refrigerants with no ozone-depleting properties and very low GWP. They are among the most climate-friendly and cost-effective refrigerants available.

The adoption of R290 in lightcommercial refrigeration equipment is a remarkable success story for the reduction of refrigerant charge using MicroGroove technology. Smaller-diameter copper tubes allow for a given cooling capacity using less refrigerant.

Although R290 is an A3 (highly flammable) refrigerant, it was approved for use many years ago, subject to a charge limit of 150 grams (5.29 ounces).

Manufacturers of light-commercial refrigeration equipment have been quick to transition to R290. This charge limit was enough to spur the design and development of a wide array of commercial refrigeration equipment, including cold display cases.

MicroGroove technology developed in parallel with the transition to low-charge R290 refrigeration equipment and is an enabling technology for many R290 refrigeration applications.

More recently, the International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC) voted to increase the charge limit for A3 refrigerants (for example, propane) from 150 to 500 grams in self-contained commercial refrigeration equipment.

IEC standard 60335-2-89 is the basis for all other standards for commercial refrigeration equipment. This higher charge limit presents many opportunities for new commercial refrigeration technologies, as countries around the world develop their own guidelines based on the IEC standard in the years ahead.

The wide variety of designs of heat exchangers for refrigeration equipment makes the HXSim heat exchanger simulation software program from the International Copper Association (ICA) a valuable tool for appliance designers.

Using HXSim, one can vary the tube size, pitch, fin type and density, and block dimensions of condensers and evaporators to match the heat exchanger performance precisely to the application. ICA offers this software free of charge to appliance designers, globally.

Figure 1 gives an example of a heat exchanger design for a refrigeration application using 500 grams of propane.

THE IMPORTANCE OF ENERGY EFFICIENCY

Air conditioners require larger refrigerant charges than light-commercial refrigeration systems. Consequently, most OEMs have

resisted highly flammable refrigerants, such as propane, and opted instead for R32 or R32-HFO blends. Nonetheless, especially in Asia, including China and India, air conditioners using propane as a refrigerant are being manufactured in volume.

As noted in the article, “MicroGroove Coils Span the Globe: Smaller Diameter Copper Tubes Thrive In India”, when the Bureau of Energy Efficiency revised its Star Labeling to encourage higher efficiency air conditioners in India, AC manufacturers began to specify condensers and evaporators that transfer heat efficiently [6]. Laboratory experiments showed that heat transfer coefficients (HTCs) are highest for small-diameter inner-grooved copper tubes compared to larger diameter tubes and smooth tubes.

Higher HTCs result in more efficient AC systems that also use less material and less refrigerant.

MicroGroove coils – made from smaller diameter, inner-grooved copper tubes – deliver an unprecedented combination of compactness and energy efficiency. They are more affordable than traditional designs, because they use less material. Typical MicroGroove copper tube outer diameters are 7 mm, 6.35 mm (0.25 inch) and 5 mm.

MicroGroove copper tubes are the preferred tubes for India, owing to their corrosion resistance. A decade ago, larger-diameter copper tubes began to lose market share to aluminum, and a low point was reached in 2014. But the corrosion resistance of copper prevailed, and copper heat exchangers recaptured market share. The trend back towards copper has been dramatic, as end users of aluminum microchannel experienced many cases of failure and leakage.

The industry is rapidly switching to MicroGroove as a practical, economical, eco-friendly alternative to microchannel.

Although India is both a large consumer and large producer of air conditioners, the global outlook for sustainable cooling strongly depends on the actions of China and the United States. Two crucial IEA reports on the “Future of Cooling” are noteworthy for appliance designers [7] [8].

According to these detailed reports, all countries should focus on labeling programmes and Minimum Energy Performance Standards (MEPS) to raise

energy efficiency of air conditioners and other cooling equipment. Countries need to quickly tap into the energy efficiency potential already possible using air conditioning technology available in markets today. Governments should complement these with measures that “accelerate the transformation of the air conditioning market towards high-efficiency products, including targeted programmes and research, development, demonstration and deployment”.

The takeaway for OEMs and HVAC&R appliance designers is that more efficient air conditioning designs are needed. The effects of increasing the efficiency of appliances are significant when multiplied over tens of millions of units.

One means for increasing the efficiency of appliances is using smaller diameter copper tubes. HXSim software (https://microgroove.net/hxsim) from ICA can be used to compare the efficiencies of various heat exchanger designs.

References 1. European Commission, “A European Green Deal.” https://ec.europa.eu/info/strategy/ priorities-2019-2024/european-green-deal_en.

2. Pew Research Center, June 2020. “TwoThirds of Americans Think Government Should Do More on Climate,” 39 pages. https://www.pewresearch.org/ science/2020/06/23/two-thirds-ofamericans-think-government-shoulddomore-on-climate/ 3. UNFCCC, “The Paris Agreement” https:// unfccc.int/process-and-meetings/the-parisagreement/the-paris-agreement.

4. The Kigali Amendment. https://ozone.unep. org/treaties/montreal-protocol.

5. “Update on New Refrigerants Designations and Safety Classifications.” https://www.ashrae.org/file%20library/ technical%20resources/refrigeration/ factsheet_ashrae_english_202 00424.pdf 6. “MicroGroove Coils Span the Globe: SmallerDiameter Copper Tubes Thrive in India,” MicroGroove Update, Volume 9, Issue 2. https://microgroove.net/microgroove-updatenewsletter.

7. IEA, “The Future of Cooling in China: Delivering on action plans for sustainable air conditioning,” Technical Report (2019). https:// www.iea.org/reports/the-future-of-cooling-inchina.

8. IEA, “The Future of Cooling: Opportunities for energy efficient air conditioning.” https://www. iea.org/reports/the-future-of-cooling.

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25

INTERVIEW

‘PURCHASING ONLINE IS ALMOST A DAILY ACTION’ The rate of attrition and change in people’s buying trends has accelerated in a way that most of us would not have imagined, says Steve Day, Sales Manager Middle East, Goveco, which reportedly has over 240,000 product lines, including AHUs and diffusers. Excerpts from the interview he gave to Surendar Balakrishnan of Climate Control Middle East…

Talk to us about the emerging trend of businesses moving to an online platform to sell their products?

As individuals, we have all become very aware of online purchasing. Following the pandemic, it is almost a daily action for most of us. Now that we have come to accept this natural shift, we are exploring business-to-business channels and finding that the more user-friendly the platform is, the better it is embraced.

How much inventory do you hold at any one point in time? Have you felt compelled to increase the inventory since making a foray into digital?

All our inventories are held in Europe, and we have access to over 240,000 product lines. With our manufacturing partners, we have committed manufacturing, and when we are engaged at the early stages of projects, all materials are made available to program. Needless to say, if they are not available, due to our commitments with the manufacturers, they will be a priority.

What is the range and depth of HVACR equipment you are offering to customers coming through your digital platform?

From air-handling units to diffusers, all

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our products listed on our website are now available through the webstore. We are adding daily as our portfolio increases due to innovation and an organic growth with our customers.

Would you say you are able to give a seamless digital experience that is convenient, mobile-friendly and, broadly speaking, is comparable to the reported service offered by e-commerce giants?

If anything, we would like to think we surpass the e-commerce giants, as we offer a personal service alongside our seamless bespoke system. As a customer, you will be introduced to the teams, and they will report each stage of the process to deliver customer satisfaction. For larger deliveries, we even offer live tracking that the customer has access to, so he knows where his order is, anywhere in the world.

What are the implications for contractors, consultants, clients and FM companies? Is digital ensuring the same aftermarket services some of the top legacy distributors have been giving?

These implications could be a deterrent or make the market nervous, as with retail sales you do not always get what you

order. Goveco’s approach is unique in the fact that the online presence allows you to interact personally. If you are not sure about the technical performance of the product that you are looking to purchase, you can connect with an expert to provide you with the reassurance or impartial advice to ensure satisfaction. Our customers are our priority, not the sale, and to the clients you mentioned this is invaluable. It builds a level of integrity to deliver best practice, and clients trust in the brand.

How are you supporting digital customers during the design, construction, application and maintenance of their project?

All of the design detail and application detail are available online at all stages of enquiry, purchase and post-purchase. In most instances, there are installation guides and warranty statements with sufficient information for submissions, whilst clients and consultants can review themselves the specifications and compliance. As mentioned earlier, there is always a supporting team member at all the stages of the process with our customers, should they need more clarity.

Do buyers have access to multiple payment gateways?

Currently, we have a payment gateway that

can facilitate the most common payment types. However, we are always investing in and reviewing our IT and e-commerce policies to stay ahead of the curve.

Are buyers able to request for drop shipment from manufacturers?

Yes, it is possible; however, as we offer a variety of products that combine as a solution, we generally consolidate those products to ship as a solution. Most customers see the value once they have explored this option and continue to add more and more products to their orders as we grow our relationships.

There is a trend blowing through the marketplace that given the current tight financial situation, many building owners are looking to retrofit existing equipment and that a greater number are looking to repair existing equipment, so that they can save on even expenses related to retrofitting.

In view of this, are you offering components and spare parts through your digital platform for customers to carry out repairs to existing capital equipment?

Yes, in some cases we have spare parts listed, and we also have retrofit products already listed on our online store.

Wherever the detail is not immediately available, our online chat allows us to assist our customers in finding the right solution.

A key concern among buyers is the genuineness of equipment, components and spare parts, given the fact that there are still some who manage to bring in and sell counterfeit equipment. How would you guarantee genuineness of your products? What checks and balances do you have in place?

Goveco is a brand of integrity; under no circumstances would we work with manufacturers that are not invested in our model. Most of the manufacturers we work with are stakeholders in Goveco or vice versa, and as such we ensure all certifications are in place and checked regularly. Audits are conducted on a regular basis, and updates on all standards are present on the website or

upon request. Our sustainability record is recognized in Europe, again further supporting our demonstration of best practice within our DNA.

Other manufacturers that we represent have fully robotized manufacturing and warehouse control, ensuring quality with product availability at a fraction of traditional manufacturing costs

What cost advantage are you able to give to buyers when compared to your brick-and- mortar entity?

Could you quantify that in percentage terms?

Assisting in designing, consolidating and delivering solutions and delivering ‘Just In Time’ with full tracking facilities gives buyers confidence that they are dealing with the right online store. A product delivery from Europe to the UAE would include an average of 12% value in freight, depending on its volume. If these products are purchased from various manufacturers, this value compounds, along with the possibility of delays, which as we all know, the Main Contractor penalties can make a difference of profit or loss on the package awarded.

How are you able to give the cost advantage? Is it owing to low overheads?

Our unit prices in some areas may not be the cheapest, especially against local manufacturing, but our model is built on a European Low Cost Country

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27

INTERVIEW procurement program that is proven.

Other manufacturers that we represent have fully robotized manufacturing and warehouse control, ensuring quality with product availability at a fraction of traditional manufacturing costs, whilst maintaining a very-low – almost zero – carbon footprint.

Forgive me for suggesting that “old school” cherry picking procurement is not the best way to meet compliance and budget. If best practice is adopted in the earlier stages of a project, where clients’ wants are easier to meet due to the engagement of consultants, manufacturing partners and main contractors, the supply chain supports the clients’ vision and, ultimately, the budget. Some large main contractors have seen the value and have entered into framework agreements.

We live in an age where cybersecurity is a massive concern?

How are you ensuring that you are protected as a supplier and that so are your buyers?

Goveco invests substantially in its systems, and the use of the marketleading gateways gives our buyers confidence. As mentioned previously, our manufacturers are invested in the Goveco model, and that gets passed on to our customers – it is one of our USPs. Once customers understand the evolution of the supply chain and experience the Goveco Family, they feel confident to work with us more and more.

Do you believe that digital online stores are the future, or would brick-and-mortar stores still fulfil a specific, indispensable function?

That is almost a debate. Who would have thought that online purchasing would be as big as it is today, 10 years ago? The rate of attrition and change in people’s buying trends has accelerated in a way that most of us would not have imagined.

There are still people who prefer to touch and feel what they buy. However, when confidence grows with reputable online stores the trends change. We hope to be at the forefront of consolidating air-handling and ventilation online procurement. This will happen as rapidly again in the next few years as people embrace the change.

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June 2021

There are gamechangers and traditionalists in all markets, not just the construction world. When prefabricated, fire-rated ducting was introduced to replace galvanized ducting, they said it would never work Some say that digital is over-rated and that it cannot provide MEP consultants and MEP contractors the experience or tactile feel of a product in operation, as is possible in brick-and-mortar showrooms, where dedicated demo-rooms simulate real-time operation. How would you respond to this?

That mindset is always going to be around. There are gamechangers and traditionalists in all markets, not just the construction world. When prefabricated, fire-rated ducting was introduced to replace galvanized ducting, they said it would never work. The UAE is a visionary country and pioneers change, with other GCC region countries taking the opportunity to create their own visions.

It creates opportunity for innovative thinkers supporting a robust supply chain.

Given the possible price advantage, would you be targeting the small contractors, who till now had found

it difficult, if not impossible, to approach capital equipment of a certain calibre?

Every customer is important. Whilst we must maintain our existing customers in the way they have become accustomed we still treat all customers the same. To give a better idea on the spectrum, we have supplied a retail customer in a local community, requesting to replace the usually found AC controllers with two units from Sentera units, for whom we are globally exclusive, through to assisting a design-and-build, world-prestigious project.

Engagement with a robust supply chain helps give security to the smaller contractors with lower overheads and, therefore, protects and nourishes those involved. That’s one of the reasons we signed with Besix globally.

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

LICENCE TO CHILL would be the approach temperature.) LTD is the difference in temperature between the saturated refrigerant temperature and the leaving water temperature. The temperature difference between the refrigerant and the fluid is the driving force to overcome heat transfer resistance.

Resistance to heat transfer consists of four components related to the overall heat transfer coefficient (U): 1) Refrigerant film resistance 2) Tube wall metal resistance 3) Fouling deposits resistance 4) Fluid film resistance at 10FPS velocity As this article is related to chillers operating in the field, the O&M and the Chiller Specialist Field Engineer influence three of the four components related to the overall heat transfer coefficient, and keeping it within design. These are: Fouling deposits resistance, refrigerant film resistance and fluid film resistance.

Dan Mizesko is Managing Partner/ President, U.S. Chiller Services International. He may be contacted at dmizesko@uscsny.com

Part 2 of ‘Oh no, not my chillers!’

ON THE SURFACE OF IT It is imperative that the chiller’s evaporator and condenser tube surfaces have the lowest resistance to heat transfer possible to prevent the scenario of chillers operating above their design efficiency ast month (May 2021 issue of Climate Control Middle East), I explained why the vast majority of chillers are operating above their design efficiency. I highlighted that the lack of rigorous start-up and commissioning was one of the causes. This month, I would like to look at another cause, the chiller heat transfer surfaces, and how they

significantly influence a chiller’s efficiency.

A chiller’s efficiency is affected most by its resistance to heat transfer – the Leaving Temperature Difference (LTD) of its heat exchanger tube surfaces more than anything else. So, it is imperative that the chiller’s evaporator and condenser tube surfaces have the lowest resistance to heat transfer possible. (Another term

Fouling deposits resistance – tube fouling Waterside tube fouling can be classified into the following categories: 1) Particulate 2) Precipitation 3) Corrosion 4) Biofouling 5) Chemical-induced corrosion CONDENSER TUBE FOULING

In HVAC applications, fouling of the chiller condenser tubes substantially impacts the power consumption of the centrifugal compressor. This is why the focal point of any water treatment programme should be the prevention of deposition.

A layer of scale that is 1/64 of an inch in thickness on the condenser tubes can increase electrical usage in a centrifugal chiller by as much as 33%. Biofilms can decrease condenser heat exchange efficiency to an even greater degree.

Thus, it is of paramount importance to ensure that chiller heat exchange surfaces are maintained in a clean, deposit-free condition.

Fouling occurs because cooling water contains minerals such as Calcium and Magnesium that precipitate to form deposits on heat transfer surfaces.

Cooling water systems are also commonly plagued by biological growth that forms

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LICENCE TO CHILL

EVAPORATOR TUBE FOULING

Evaporators are designed to foul at a much lower rate than condensers, as they are located in the closed chilled water loop, which is generally clean and tight.

However, I have come across many chiller evaporators that have been the victim of severe fouling – and in some cases, they are as bad as the condensers. Why is this?

Sodium Nitrite, mixed with Sodium Borate, is a standard offering among chemical sales companies in the GCC region. However, Nitrate treatment is a poor choice for closed systems for several reasons. Firstly, Nitrate is an environmental toxin. Secondly, it is aggressive to copper and brass. Thirdly, at levels above target concentrations, it hardens rubber gaskets and forms abrasive crystals at evaporation sites, wearing off seals and valves. At levels below target concentrations, it accelerates corrosion rates, making it worse than having no treatment at all. Fourthly, Nitrate is a ready source of food for the microbes that cause fouling. In addition, many chilled water loops are not flushed and treated to proper protection levels.

In the United States, I have seen Glycol added to stagnant loops for freeze protection in northern cold climates. When the cooling season was approaching, the loops were not properly drained, and the Glycol caused evaporator fouling issues. Additionally, many water treatment programmes on the condenser and chilled water side often do not consider the operational aspects of the treatment programme and the programme’s mechanical elements, leading to tube fouling. Evaporator tube fouling requires the chiller to consume excessive energy, just as condenser tube fouling does.

REFRIGERANT FILM FOULING – REFRIGERANT SIDE FOULING

Oil in the refrigerant causes evaporator

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June 2021

tube resistance to heat transfer. Failure to control excessive oil buildup in a chiller’s refrigerant can badly impact capacity and efficiency. Oil has an excellent affinity for refrigerants, especially when the refrigerant is cold. Oil enters the chiller’s refrigerant charge, at the time of its circulation through the chiller’s compressor. The oil is used as a lubricant for the bearings, oil-pump, labyrinth seals, shaft seals, etc., and it eventually seeps through the compressor seals and becomes entrained in the refrigerant charge. On getting into the evaporator, the oil mixes with the refrigerant and degrades system efficiency and capacity.

This occurs when the evaporator tubes become coated with oil, creating a thermal barrier. The heat transfer efficiency is retarded and drastically reduces the cooling effect.

Although it is common knowledge that oil buildup occurs, the impact on the system’s capacity and energy costs are not fully understood. I have highlighted a few studies on the importance of this, so that chiller owners and service contractors can recognise and address the problem.

ASHRAE conducted a study, titled ‘Effects of Oil on Boiling of Replacement Refrigerants Flowing Normal to a Tube Bundle, Part I: R-123 and Part II: R-134a’.

The study concluded: “Flow boiling results have been obtained for the low-pressure refrigerant, enhanced boiling tube in the presence of R-123. This enhanced tube shows a marked decrease in heat transfer with the addition of even a small amount of oil throughout various heat loadings.

Even at 1% to 2 % oil, the heat transfer coefficient is reduced by one-third from its no-oil baseline. At substantial oil content (5% to 15 %), a 40% to 50% reduction (in heat transfer) is noted.”

Part 2 of the ASHRAE study arrived at a similar conclusion: “Flow boiling results have been obtained for a newer enhanced boiling tube with R-134a. This enhanced tube shows a decrease in heat transfer with the addition of even a small amount of oil throughout various heat loadings.

Even at 1 percent (by weight) oil, the heat transfer coefficient is reduced by 25 percent from its no-oil baseline. At higher oil content, a 30 percent reduction has been typically measured.”

A major OEM has also studied the effects of oil on chiller efficiency.

Effects of oil in refrigerant efficiency loss

LOSS OF EFFICIENCY

slime (biofilm) or algae on heat transfer areas. Additional foulants include mud, silt, sand, corrosion products and petroleum products, which are ingested into the cooling tower.

A 1,000-ton cooling tower will ingest over 3,000 pounds of solids in one year. Some of these solids will inevitably make their way to the condenser tubes. All of the foulants, mentioned above, will reduce the heat transfer efficiency of even the best-designed heat exchangers.

EFFECTS OF OIL REFRIGERANT 100 95 90 85 80 75 70 65 60 55 50 45 40 Typical 35 30 25 20 15 10 5 5 10 15 20 25 30 35 40 50 % OIL BY WEIGHT

Use this chart to estimate the amount of excess oil in the Chiller’s Refrigerant Charge. According to ASHRAE study 601-TRP, the Average Chiller has 12% oil by weight in its Refrigerant Charge.

A 500 lb. Refrigerant Charge at 12% by weight contains 60 lbs., or 8.5 gallons of oil CHILLER REFRIGERANT CHARGE BY WEIGHT IN lbs.

100 % OIL

1% 2% 3% 4% 5% 6% 7% 8% 9% 10% 11% 12% 13% 14% 15% 16% 17% 18% 19% 20% 21% 22% 23% 24% 25%

200 300 400 500

600

700 800 900 1000 1100 1200

lbs. of Oil in Refrigerant Charge based on % by weight 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 2 4 6 8 10 12 14 16 18 20 22 3 6 9 12 15 18 21 24 27 30 33 4 8 12 16 20 24 28 32 36 40 44 5 10 15 20 25 30 35 40 45 50 55 6 12 18 24 30 36 42 48 54 60 66 7 14 21 28 35 42 49 56 63 70 77 8 16 24 32 40 48 56 64 72 80 88 9 18 27 36 45 54 63 72 81 90 99 10 20 30 40 50 60 70 80 90 100 110 11 22 33 44 55 66 77 88 99 110 121 12 24 36 48 60 72 84 96 108 120 132 13 26 39 52 65 78 91 104 117 130 143 14 28 42 56 70 84 98 112 126 140 152 15 30 45 60 75 90 105 120 135 150 165 16 32 48 64 80 96 112 128 144 160 176 17 34 51 68 85 102 119 136 153 170 187 18 36 54 72 90 108 126 144 162 180 198 19 38 57 76 95 114 133 152 171 190 209 20 40 60 80 100 120 140 160 180 200 220 21 42 63 84 105 126 147 168 189 210 231 22 44 66 88 110 132 154 176 198 220 242 23 46 69 92 115 138 161 184 207 230 253 24 48 72 96 120 144 168 192 216 240 264 25 50 75 100 125 150 175 200 225 250 275 OIL WEIGHS APPROXIMATELY 7 Lbs. PER GALLON 60 Lbs = approximately 8.5 Gallons

12 24 36 48 60 72 84 96 108 120 132 144 156 168 180 192 204 216 228 240 252 264 276 288 300

According to the manufacturer, the oil necessary to lubricate a chiller has the potential to contaminate the refrigerant, degrading energy efficiency. CFC chiller designs typically allow 3-7% oil absorption, increasing operating costs by up to 15 per cent. Oil, as a contaminant, significantly impacts chiller efficiency. The more oil contaminates the refrigerant, the more is the efficiency that is lost and, consequently, more is the money that is spent on energy.

If the refrigerant charge in a chiller contains even 3.5 per cent oil, it could mean up to an eight per cent loss in efficiency, which will impact operating costs.

ASHRAE conducted a study, titled ‘ASHRAE Research Project 601-TRP’.

In the study, refrigerant samples were taken from 10 operating chillers and analysed for oil content. All contained excess oil in varying amounts, from three per cent (enough to degrade performance) to 23%. This condition increases energy consumption drastically, thus increasing a chiller owner’s electric bill. Also, the system loses a significant amount of capacity, and a harder working system increases its potential for breakdown.

FLUID FILM RESISTANCE: WATER FLOW’S EFFECT ON TUBE’S RESISTANCE TO HEAT TRANSFER

Fluid flowing through a tube forms a static film or boundary layer, which has a zero velocity at the tube wall. This film acts as an insulator and hinders heat transfer. The lower the velocity, the thicker the boundary layer becomes, which increases the resistance to heat transfer.

Fluid tube velocities should be kept between 3 FPS and 12 FPS. Velocities less than 3 FPS result in laminar flow

with thick boundary layers, dramatically increasing the fluid film resistance. Fluid tube velocities in excess of 12 FPS increase tube erosion and should be avoided. For erosion to occur, an agent must penetrate the fluid layer. These agents may be chemical, mechanical or a combination of both. Chemical agents attack the tube, and mechanical agents cause damage by impingement of entrained gas bubbles or suspended materials.

Condenser tube and sheet fouled with biofilm, scale, corrosion, mud and sand

OTHER PROBLEMS THAT CAN CAUSE HEAT TRANSFER ISSUES

AIR AND NON-CONDENSABLES IN THE CHILLER

Low refrigerant charge When the chiller’s charge is low due to improper commissioning procedures, improper service procedures, refrigerant leaks or excessive purge operation, the refrigerant level will drop, uncovering evaporator tubes. When the tubes are not covered in the refrigerant, they lose the refrigerant’s heat-absorbing effect and do not transfer the evaporator water BTUs to the refrigerant. This will cause the evaporator LTD to increase and the chiller to lose efficiency.

Air and non-condensables can enter the system with improper service procedures, including improper evacuation and dehydration, as well as a low side leak on a low-pressure chiller. The air and non-condensables can blanket the tubes, insulating and eliminating them from performing any heat transfer work. Air and non-condensables lower the efficiency of the chiller by as much as 8-14%.

Next month, I will cover other factors that reduce chiller efficiency.

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31

PERSPECTIVE

ESCOs

TOWARDS CARBON-NEGATIVE Moheet Vishwas presents a case for renewed belief in ESCOs as a vehicle for achieving progressive climate-change objectives and transforming countries into green economies

he global recession in the wake of COVID-19 has continued to rage on. At the onset, various governments and authorities, worldwide, have tried to cushion its foreboding impact by announcing fiscal stimulus packages. However, these packages are falling short of financial relief owing to the prevailing sentiment – that it is premature and unrealistic to think that the pandemic will be over anytime soon.

As businesses struggle to gain some semblance of a “new normal,” many organisations have moved to cut back on non-essential expenditures. They have re-evaluated staffing levels, and new investments have all but ceased.

The pandemic’s broad implications have resulted in cash flow issues, scarce liquidity and a weak outlook on earnings.

Climate change is the other pressing issue of our time, and its challenges are now intertwined with the pandemic’s outcome. This realisation has caused further stress to scientific communities and corporates, worldwide. It has put

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June 2021

their ambitious pledges to improve sustainability credentials to the task, and the previous piecemeal approach is no longer going to cut it.

The prevailing situation is perhaps most conducive for ESCOs (energy service companies), though, to play a remedial role in the infrastructure-related verticals. ESCOs have the potential to spur economic activities and deliver on the aforementioned sustainability pledges. By realising this potential, ESCOs can also serve progressive climate-change objectives and transform countries into green economies.

An ESCO, by its very nature, provides a broad range of energy solutions, from decarbonised power generation to retro-commissioning. ESCOs commit to the success of environment-friendly projects by demonstrating environmental benefits and commercial gains. The environmental benefit is a reduction of the building’s carbon footprint by lowering its energy consumption. The commercial gain is an attractive and guaranteed

return on investment (ROI) over a fixed period. During this payback period, if the ESCO falls short on its ROI commitment to the investor, the ESCO then covers the monetary difference via a payment.

ESCOs can also address an owner’s lack of capital by self-funding and recover the project costs from a shared savings model.

The intent here is to foster a low-risk environment to encourage owners to start green projects.

Innovative ideas, like green bonds and crowdsourcing, can also raise funds for green projects. Green bonds, also known as climate bonds, encourage sustainable development in markets by raising money for environmentally friendly projects. They return a fixed income to the investors and provide tax exemptions.

The tax relief drives a monetary incentive to tackle climate change and supports the movement for renewables. The other idea – crowdsourcing – is very much in vogue and is perhaps more interesting. It allows the general population a chance to invest in such projects. Authorities can further

Moheet Vishwas is Sales Manager, Energy and Performance Services, Siemens. He may be contacted at Moheet.vishwas@siemens.com

explore this approach by enabling tenants to contribute collectively to reduce their carbon footprint. The landlords or owners could, in return, offer multi-year rental agreements with rebates via the promised energy savings. Involving society to contribute will raise a moral awareness about the importance of climate change issues.

Crowdsourcing for such projects is an exciting concept, and local authorities perhaps can provide the impetus by removing barriers and developing the rules around it. As we advance, significant private- and public-sector partnerships are needed to drive tangible greenhouse gas reductions.

The key is to incentivise all stakeholders and contribute a practical social value to society through education and facilitation.

Investing in environmentally friendly projects has an undeniable potential to address the impact of climate change. The right amount of stimulus can encourage sustainable growth in

Microsoft’s bold-bet to become carbonnegative from 2030 onwards means the company would have removed all the carbon they emitted from the environment by 2050 markets, spark businesses to flourish and lower carbon emissions. Green investments would eventually lead us to become carbon-neutral. To get there, we have to be brave enough to embrace innovative policies and new technologies. But our mission doesn’t end there, and the next step would be to become carbon-negative.

Major corporates have already taken

responsibility for their carbon footprint.

Microsoft’s bold-bet to become carbonnegative from 2030 onwards means the company would have removed all the carbon they emitted from the environment by 2050. To amplify the seriousness of climate change, Elon Musk of Tesla had recently advocated a carbon tax idea.

A suggestion both economists and environmentalists have overwhelmingly supported in their bid to drive aggressive policies for reducing greenhouse gas emissions.

Post-pandemic, when a new-normal eventually settles, experts will evaluate the health crisis’ socio-economic impact on climate change. A positive financial impact through green investments in ESCOs and environmentally friendly projects will go a long way in safeguarding our assets and, in return, leave a sustainable world for posterity.

Hopefully, in the future, we will look back at this turbulent time, like a time capsule buried in sand, and appreciate the world’s collective onus to fulfill pledges for a sustainable tomorrow.

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

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33

REPORT

FIFTY MILLION MORE PEOPLE FACE HEATRELATED RISKS Situation attributed to COVID-19, which has increased global cooling access challenges for the first time

n a warming world, access to sustainable cooling is not a luxury. It is essential for productivity, a healthy diet and the delivery of COVID-19 vaccines.

Today 1.09 billion vulnerable people are at high risk, because they face a range of cooling access challenges. COVID-19 has intensified the situation with those forced into poverty due to the pandemic contributing to the 50 million additional urban and rural poor at high risk in 2021.

Meanwhile, another 2.3 billion from the lower-middle income group face a different risk – inefficient cooling and refrigeration options that increase harmful GHG levels. Across 54 high-impact countries, 3.4 billion people face cooling access risks in 2021.

The Chilling Prospects 2021 report released today by Sustainable Energy for All (SEforALL) analyses the four populations of urban and rural poor, lower-middle income and middle income in 54 high-impact countries, and reveals that global cooling access risks are on the rise. This is due, in part, to the first global poverty increase seen in 20 years, impacting mostly South Asia and SubSaharan Africa. At the same time, 2020 was one of the hottest years on record, with numerous heatwaves recorded causing wildfires that emitted record amounts of carbon dioxide (CO₂).

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June 2021

“Last year was, without a doubt, a challenging one for all of us, and as the pandemic continues, it is essential more than ever to focus our efforts on increasing energy access,” said Francesco Starace, Chair, SEforALL Administration Board; Chief Executive Officer and General Manager, Enel. “Coupled with the effects of climate change, our agendas should prioritise an inclusive energy transition and deliver access to sustainable cooling to support health, economic, and social recovery, especially in areas at high risk.

Together, we must tackle the complexity of today’s challenges and commit to achieving with great speed and scale access to clean, sustainable, and affordable energy for everyone throughout the world.”

Challenges, impacts on vulnerable populations Lack of access to adequate cold chains for life-saving COVID-19 vaccines is one of the most immediate concerns facing developing countries and, indeed, the world. The Economist Intelligence Unit forecasts that 85 poor countries will not have widespread access to COVID-19 vaccines before 2023, including all African economies, except Gabon, Egypt, Ethiopia, Kenya, Morocco and South Africa.

“The race to achieve herd immunity

against COVID-19 is revealing historical imbalances, as developing countries without access to adequate coldchains risk being left behind,” said Damilola Ogunbiyi, CEO and Special Representative of the UN SecretaryGeneral for Sustainable Energy for All and Co-Chair of UN-Energy. “This challenge will ultimately impact the social and economic recovery, if left unresolved. We must collectively work to increase access to energy efficient and sustainable cooling solutions to protect against a prolonged pandemic and to support efforts to Recover Better.”

Global tracking of access to cooling gaps Chilling Prospects 2021 identifies four groups of populations at risk in the 54 high-impact countries based on a spectrum of cooling needs: human comfort and safety; agriculture, food and nutrition security; and health services and medicine.

• In 2021, the rural poor increased by 31 million to 355 million people, due to the poverty impact of the COVID-19 pandemic placing financial burdens on households and spending constraints on governments. Bangladesh, India and Nigeria had the highest number of rural poor at risk.

• The urban poor is among the fastest growing population up 19 million to 732 million people, who may have sporadic access to intermittent electricity supply that can lead to food spoilage, poor nutrition and food poisoning. In 2021, this population increased by 19 million with the greatest numbers in Algeria, China, India and the Republic of Congo.

• The lower-middle income population significantly increased by about 164 million people, reversing a trend that had seen the number of at-risk people in this category continually decrease since 2012. The countries most impacted include China, Guinea, Mauritania, Mozambique, Namibia, Senegal, Somalia, South Sudan and Sri Lanka.

• The middle-income population saw a decrease of 140 million in their numbers due to the economic impact of COVID-19. This decrease negatively impacts the environment, as this group is the most likely to afford efficient and greener cooling solutions. While China and India saw the greatest volume of decrease, 20 countries in Sub-Saharan Africa saw more than 10% decreases.

Leaving no one behind: Solutions and innovations Chilling Prospects 2021 uses geo-spatial data and tools to identify specific pockets, such as towns or districts, which are home to populations that could be at risk.

The objective is to inform and encourage policy makers to address access to cooling for populations at the highest risks.

To address this complex challenge of sustainable access to cooling, the United Nations Secretary General issued a call in 2019 for countries to develop National Cooling Action Plans (NCAPs) that “deliver efficient and sustainable cooling and bring essential life-preserving services like vaccines and safe food to all people”.

More countries are recognising the risks caused by a lack of cooling, and currently, over 20 countries are developing NCAPs. As sustainable cooling solutions are piloted and demonstrated across the developing world, understanding these impacts is critical for governments, cities and development institutions to design

policies and implement new initiatives dedicated to increasing access to sustainable cooling. Solutions piloted in different regions are yielding encouraging results.

Indonesia: The Million Cool Roofs Challenge The Universitas Pendidikan Indonesia is applying cool roofs to homes, religious institutions, schools and factories, and is producing important impacts for these communities of cool roofs. These sustainable passive cooling solutions are reducing indoor temperatures between 2 degrees C and 3 degrees C in Jakarta’s low-cost housing. In an industrial building, a cool roof reduced the indoor temperature by 10 degrees C, providing 500 workers with a more comfortable, productive workplace.

Cameroon: Youth-led solutions to vaccine and agricultural cold chain challenges Bisolar-Tech was able to set up a high-impact refrigeration project that supports 8 of 17 Sustainable Development Goals. The solar power refrigerator uses non-toxic refrigerants, achieves 45% efficiency, provides reliable cooling for vaccines and goods in offgrid settings and, at scale, could store over 360,000 vaccine doses to rural areas.

This solution can also be applied to food systems and reduce energy needs for food

storage, while using excess energy to power lighting and charging phones.

“By harnessing the power of these types of innovations, we can provide cooling that enhances people’s lives without contributing further to run-away climate change,” said Brian Dean, Head of Energy Efficiency and Cooling at Sustainable Energy for All. “As the world tries to Recover Better from COVID-19, we have seen the critical need for cooling solutions that keep vaccines safe, support the health and wellbeing of the most vulnerable, and promote prosperity.”

Chilling Prospects is produced under SEforALL’s Cooling for All initiative that is supported by the Kigali Cooling Efficiency Program, the Children’s Investment Fund Foundation and the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation. The report also received contributions from the Global Panel on Access to Cooling in support of the Cooling for All Secretariat.

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35

REGIONAL

NEWS NEWS FROM AROUND THE REGION

FOR MORE NEWS STORIES, VISIT WWW.CLIMATECONTROLME.COM FOLLOW US ON LINKEDIN FOR BREAKING NEWS: CLIMATE CONTROL MIDDLE EAST FOLLOW US ON YOU TUBE FOR VIDEOS: CLIMATECONTROLME

District cooling provider, Tabreed announces Khalid Al Marzouqi as its new CEO Company says new appointee has over 25 years of experience in the energy industry

By CCME Content Team abreed (The National Central Cooling Company PJSC) said its Board of Directors has appointed Khalid Al Marzouqi as the company’s new Chief Executive Officer.

Khaled Al Qubaisi, Chairman of Tabreed, said of the appointment: “Khalid Al Marzouqi joins Tabreed at the beginning of an exciting new chapter for the company and brings with him a wealth of experience in the energy sector, where he has worked at the most senior levels. With the recent launch of Tabreed’s all-new corporate identity still fresh in our minds, the scene is set for this remarkable and progressive business to deliver on its ambitious plans, and I know Khalid’s considerable expertise will help drive us towards achieving ever more impressive results.”

Tabreed said Al Marzouqi prior held the post of Chief Operating Officer – Downstream at Dolphin Energy Limited.

While there, it said, he was responsible for overseeing the entire Operations Downstream Division in the UAE. Prior to the role, he was Senior Vice President of Dolphin’s Technical Services Division.

Al Marzouqi, Tabreed said, has occupied senior roles at the Abu Dhabi Department of Transport, Abu Dhabi Water and Electricity Authority (ADWEA) and ADCO. It added that he has more than 25 years of experience in the energy industry and holds two majors in Chemical Engineering and Petroleum Engineering.

Speaking of the outgoing CEO, Khaled Al Qubaisi said: “The Board sincerely thanks Bader Al Lamki for his steadfast belief in this company. And his unwavering commitment meant that his time here was impactful for all the right reasons. Tabreed is bigger and more profitable than ever, delivering a 24% increase in consolidated connected capacity, ensuring a 20% increase in revenues and playing a pivotal role in the acquisition of the Downtown District Cooling concession from Emaar;

Khalid Al Marzouqi

it being the largest DC M&A transaction in history. He also launched initiatives under his direction to overturn the status quo with regards to workplace diversity and corporate social responsibility. We are now a more modern, more dynamic and more inclusive organisation and, on behalf of the Board and personally, I thank him for his innumerable contributions and wish him well for the future.”

STAY UPDATED ON THE LATEST HVACR NEWS AND VIEWS AT

www.hvacafrica.com

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June 2021

// REGIONAL NEWS

Tabreed reports net profit of AED 85.5 million in Q1 2021 Portfolio’s connected capacity now exceeds 1.4 million refrigeration tons, district cooling company says

By CCME Content Team abreed (The National Central Cooling Company) released its consolidated financial results for the first three months of 2021, reporting a net profit of AED 85.5 million. Making the announcement through a Press release, the district cooling company added that the reported figure represents an increase of four per cent, compared to its Q1 2020 performance.

Despite ongoing, significant market challenges, both regionally and internationally, as a result of the global pandemic, Tabreed’s revenue has continued to grow, along with its portfolio of district cooling networks, the company said. Recent acquisitions include the Downtown Dubai district cooling scheme in a long-term partnership with Emaar, as well as Saadiyat Island’s plants, from its long-term partner, Aldar – a deal financially closed in April 2021, it added.

Tabreed reported the following financial highlights in the three months ended March 31, 2021: • Group revenue increased by 21% to AED 357.6 million (Q1 2020: AED 294.4 million) • Core chilled water revenue increased by 22% to AED 339.1 million (Q1 2020: AED 277.2 million) • EBITDA increased by 28% to AED 226.8 million (Q1 2020: AED 177.6 million) • Profit from Operation increased by 28% to AED 134.6 million (Q1 2020: AED 104.8 million) • Net profit attributable to the parent increased by four per cent to AED 85.5 million (Q1 2020: AED 82.2 million) • Share of results of associates and joint ventures decreased by one per cent to AED 19.4 million (Q1 2020: AED 19.6 million) (including income from discontinued operations) Tabreed reported the following operational highlights in the three months ended March 31, 2021:

• Total connected capacity reached 1,404,611 Refrigeration Tons (RT), with 492 RT being added in the UAE and 300 RT in Oman • Tabreed achieved a record 13,266,194 hours worked without a single lost time incident (LTI), the most recent occurring in July 2015

new CEO, Khalid Al Marzouqi), said: “The first quarter results of 2021 have shown that ours is a business that continues to make strides, and the recent unveiling of Tabreed’s new corporate brand could not have been better timed. As our branding proudly states, we are ‘Essential for Progress’ – we facilitate change and enable our customers to prosper and grow, too. But progress is about more than revenue; it’s also about how we take care of our own and, in this, Tabreed is setting new standards, energetically embracing diversity in our human capital with initiatives such as Tabreed Cares and Women in Tabreed.

“We also continue to see positive results from our extensive involvement in the UAE’s push for sustainability.

Our plants are modern, clean, efficient, reliable and instrumental in reducing environmental impact. That’s, undoubtedly, good for business, and we’re at the very heart of this progressive country’s green agenda.”

Khaled Abdulla Al Qubaisi, Chairman, Tabreed, said: “Nobody would dispute that markets remain disrupted all around the world because of the impacts of COVID-19, but Tabreed has never been a company that stands still. These Q1 results are evidence that our unwavering, laser-like focus on customer satisfaction and quality of service, corporate excellence and operational efficiency work together to mean RECUPERATOR, one of the major we consistently manufacturer of plate and rotary heat outperform the exchangers, announce that is now targets we’ve set ourselves.

Couple this with our continuous seizing of growth opportunities, and it’s obvious Americas, Middle East, Asia, Africa, to all that Tabreed Oceania open your borders to the news of is a true industry our products. leader, rooted in the pursuit of meaningful progress.”

Bader Al Lamki, Tabreed’s Chief Executive Officer at the For more info contact Carel ME: time of the +971 4 8879359 release of the info.me@carel.com www.recuperator.eu financial results (Editor’s Note: Tabreed has a

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// REGIONAL NEWS

Sharjah Sustainable City aims to save 50% on electricity for residents Variable Refrigerant Flow systems, rooftop solar PV systems and smart home automation to deliver on energy-reduction objectives, developer says

By CCME Content Team harjah Sustainable City said it plans to save at least 50% on electricity for residents, including on cooling costs, compared to conventional housing.

Speaking to Climate Control Middle East, Yousif Ahmed Al-Mutawa, CEO, Sharjah Sustainable City, said: “We have implemented the latest in smart home technology and sustainability innovations across the project, and a key component of this is having the right HVAC systems in place.”

The villas, Al-Mutawa added, are equipped with a rooftop solar PV system, and include thermally insulated construction materials and windows, smart home automation, water-saving appliances and energy-saving electrical devices. He pointed out that the air conditioning for villas will be equipped with variable refrigerant flow systems, which he said, unlike conventional chiller-based systems, maximise energy efficiencies and vary the degree of cooling in certain areas.

He added that presence-sensors can control air conditioning through the villa’s home automation system.

Sharjah Sustainable City, Al-Mutawa said, is intended to uphold and to create a working model for future cities, one that can be replicated all over the world. “The city of the future is not the one that has the most technological innovations, highest

connectivity or smartest appliances,” he said. “It is the one that is able to combine the right mix of innovations and apply them intelligently, while also humanising the city.”

Cities like Sharjah Sustainable City, he said, can showcase the high standard of living that sustainable communities can achieve. Such a development project, he said, are a source of encouragement for other developers to follow suit and ensure the future health of our planet and its ecosys-tems.

Al-Mutawa added that air quality is a big component in the equation. Vital factors, like health, wellbeing and the indoor environmental quality (IEQ) are incorporated in the villas in the project, he said. The villas have natural ventilation, whereas the apartments and commercial units are equipped with fresh-air-handling units (FAHUs) and CO2 sensors.

Commenting on heat-reduction measures in place, Al-Mutawa said that the orientation of the villa’s is such that they avoid the direct glare of the sun.

This effect, is complemented through maximising shading. So, all south-facing facades are closed, in order to reduce heat gain, he said.

Al-Mutawa added that the villas also have highly insulated, UV-reflective walls, while the roofs and windows reduce air

Yousif Ahmed Al-Mutawa

conditioning loads, electricity power consumption, and operational carbon.

For the outdoors, pavers with high Solar Reflective Index (SRI) are used to reduce heat gain and thermal discomfort, he said.

To provide context, he said, current Green Building regulations and specifications in Dubai require an insulation value (U) of 0.30 for roofs, 0.57 for walls and 2.10 for glazing, whereas Sharjah Sus-tainable City can achieve insulation values of 0.18 for roofs, 0.26 for walls and 1.20 for glazing.

LOOKING FOR REFRIGERATION PRODUCTS?

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June 2021

// REGIONAL NEWS

Kibsons expands its refrigerated home delivery fleet Brings 80 new Thermo King V-300 Series units into service

By CCME Content Team

MARKETPLACE

Dunli launches X-Pro axial fans The fans are designed to feature the latest rear guide vane and threedimensional impeller, company says

By CCME Content Team

AE-based retailer, Kibsons International LLC has expanded its grocery home delivery fleet with 80 new refrigerated vans, refrigerated with V-300 units from Thermo King, the company said through a Press release.

The new refrigerated vehicles will operate across Kibsons’ multiple sales points, cold store facilities and meat-processing plant, expanding its reach of home delivery operations across the entire country, it added.

According to Kibsons, the V-Series refrigeration units feature tight temperature control even with multiple delivery drops, easy-to-use driver interfaces, and lownoise and low-emission operation, as demanded in urban operations. The units are powered by a road compressor and an electric power supply, offering high performance, and efficient and reliable operations to protect the perishable goods during transport, Kibsons said through the release.

“Our ambition at Kibsons is to be the leader in the rapidly growing grocery home delivery sector in the UAE,” said Husainy Sharbat, Finance and Operations

Manager, Kibsons. “By expanding our fleet, we can now quickly reach our customers anywhere in the country. We partnered with ‘Refrigerated Transport System’, an authorized dealer of Thermo King in the UAE, to fit our vehicles with the best refrigeration technology and ensure that our products reach the customers in the best possible condition.

Fleet utilization is also crucial for our business, and Thermo King and its dealer network provide us with service and support whenever and wherever we need, ensuring the highest uptime.”

Added Walid Sellami, Area Manager, Thermo King UAE: “The accelerated growth of the online grocery shopping increased the demand for last-mile delivery fleets, specified to transport the widening range of fresh and frozen products. Frequent stops and door openings are an integral part of home delivery operations, putting more pressure and demanding more capacity from the refrigeration units. We are proud of working closely with Kibsons and providing them with our technology and expertise to keep their business running.”

Dunli has launched the X-Pro series of axial fans, which the company described in a Press release as designed to feature the latest rear guide vane and three-dimensional flow impeller.

The range covers a variety of impeller diameters, including 500mm, 630mm, 710mm, 800mm and 900mm, Dunli said. The maximum static pressure efficiency is up to 56%, and the air volume is as high as 35,000m3/h, the company claimed.

The noise and range – throw distance – are able to perform significantly better than the equivalent fans from the motor fan industry all over the world, the company further claimed.

According to Dunli, the X-Pro fans can be used on a variety of HVAC equipment, such as air coolers, aircooled heat exchange modules, heat pumps and cooling towers. This X-Pro series, Dunli said, is reliable, lends itself to easy installation and maintenance and is convenient to control.

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// REGIONAL NEWS

COMINGS & GOINGS

Tecon appoints Kasprowicz as CEO Engineering firm says his expertise in building technologies will be crucial for the improvement of current, and the development of new opportunities

By CCME Content Team AE-based engineering firm, Tecon SES, a part of Albatha Engineering Group, has appointed Matthias Kasprowicz as its CEO. Speaking on the appointment, Jan Felton, Group Managing Director, Albatha Holding, said: “To find a transformational leader with a deep understanding of the local and regional markets is not easy.

With Matthias, we are confident we have achieved exactly that. His expertise in building technologies and service will be crucial for the improvement of current, and the development of new opportunities for Tecon.”

According to Tecon, Kasprowicz has over 17 years of experience through working with multinational engineering companies in Germany, the GCC region and eastern Africa, including Mercedes

Benz and Siemens. Before joining Tecon, Kasprowicz was Managing Director, TROX Middle East & East Africa for more than seven years. During his time at TROX, the company won many major projects in the region and received awards as best manufacturer and service provider in the Middle East, Tecon said.

“We are excited to support Matthias, as he and his team transform Tecon into the valued and reliable partner customers and principals in this region require and deserve,” Felton said.

Kasprowicz holds an MSc degree in General Computer Science from Furwangen University, in Germany, and a postgraduate degree in Global Business from the University of Oxford.

He is member of the Advisory Board of the Mechanical and Nuclear Engineering Department at University of Sharjah.

Kasprowicz said: “Albatha is one of

Matthias Kasprowicz

the most reputable and traditional groups in the region, with enormous strength and potential, while Tecon has always been a pillar in the Middle East’s engineering landscape. And as we glance ahead, I look forward to taking on my new responsibility within Tecon and working with our partners on strategic opportunities.

“We see enormous growth opportunities with Tecon, and it is an exciting time to be associated with this group, given the company’s potential. I am extremely excited to be part of Tecon’s management team and look forward to continuing to pursue Albatha’s long-term growth plans.”

TROX Middle East gets new Managing Director TROX Group announces Saad Ali, formerly of Ruskin Titus, for the role

By CCME Content Team ROX Group, manufacturer of airside products, has announced the appointment of Saad Ali as Managing Director of the TROX Middle East region.

Making the announcement through a Press release, the Group said that prior to his current role, Saad served as a VP for Ruskin Titus Middle East, where he was responsible for growth initiatives across the Ruskin’s Group entire portfolio.

Speaking on the occasion, Ali said, “The TROX GROUP has been the leaders of their respective

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markets, and I look forward to taking on my new responsibilities and working with our new and existing partners throughout the Middle East and Africa.”

Karl Palmstorfer, Head of International Business (EMEA), TROX, said: “He brings deep expertise in HVAC of particular relevance to our expansion agenda, together with broad experience in manufacturing and operations. With Saad Ali, we found the right leader with the same values we stand for. Together, we will create the best indoor air quality in projects for many generations.”

Saad Ali

// REGIONAL NEWS

MARKETPLACE

Armstrong unveils new line of outdoor pumps Systems come with permanent magnet motors up to 10hp, company says

By CCME Content Team rmstrong Fluid Technology has unveiled a new line of Design Envelope pumps with permanent magnet, NEMA 4X/IP66-rated motors, for outdoor installation.

Making the announcement through a Press release, Armstrong said the new pumps feature advanced performancemapping technology and load-limiting logic, which reduce energy consumption by as much as 30% compared to pumps supplied with a loose variable-speed drive.

Together with new more efficient pump hydraulics, the new 1 to 10hp pumps can save an additional 20% compared

to competing integrated products with induction motors, the company added.

According to Armstrong, other features of the new pumps include: • Cover to protect touchscreen user interface from dirt and sunlight • Overhead weather shield, which protects motor fan from ice seizures • Factory-tested, NEMA 4X-rated controls, which are TL-approved • Available parallel sensorless control, which provides additional energy savings through best-efficiency staging • Available Pump Manager service, which provides pump performance

MITA appoints Handasiyah for sales and marketing roles UAE and Saudi Arabia are the countries of focus, the latter says

By CCME Content Team ITA Cooling Technologies, in April, appointed Handasiyah as exclusive sales and marketing representative of MITA products in the UAE and Saudi Arabia, respectively.

Tommaso Fontana, Sales Manager of Italy-headquartered MITA, and Mahmoud Widyan, General Manager of UAE-based Handasiyah, signed the agreement, which in terms of scope of work, includes targeting HVAC and industrial projects in the two countries and simultaneously focusing on market expansion across the GCC region.

Widyan said the two companies signed the agreement on the basis of synergy in engineering and business.

“MITA has developed high-performing and innovative designs for open- and closed-circuit cooling towers, evaporative condensers and adiabatic coolers,” he

said. “Handasiyah has the expertise and the local resources to provide engineering, supply, building, testing and commissioning and aftermarket support for evaporative cooling products.

Moreover, Handasiyah is a major player in the cooling towers business and has a successful track record for completing multiple cooling towers projects in the region.”

As part of the agreement, Handasiyah will also be involved in building awareness on the technologies available. Widyan said Handasiyah will be introducing MITA’s technologies to designers, real estate developers, district cooling companies, utility companies and industrial plants with a view to providing products and solutions for new and existing cooling plants with the aim of reducing energy and water consumption.

Commenting on the performance of MITA’s products, Widyan said the

tracking along with alerts, alarms and data storage “The conventional approach to rooftop and outdoor pumps is to install VFDs in a central, outdoorrated control panel, separate from the pumps,” said Zeljko Terzic, Global Offering Manager, Pumps. “This adds unnecessary costs and requires a larger footprint. Our new Design Envelope pumps feature integrated controls for a reduced footprint and substantially reduced installation costs.”

adiabatic coolers and condensers help in lowering energy consumption and optimising water use, Mahmoud Widyan besides minimising the risk of legionellosis and other diseases that spread through aerosols, when compared to traditional evaporative cooling systems.

The technologies, he said, can be applied to small- and large-sized industrial and HVAC plants. The modular design of MITA’s cooling towers, he said, provide great benefits to contractors and end users in terms of installation time, quality, reliability and maintainability, compared to field-erected units.

The counterflow cooling towers, he elaborated, are pre-assembled and incorporate a stainless steel structure with 22mm-thick FRP sandwich panels casing. The side walls, he said, are totally removable in order to facilitate and simplify routine maintenance and to provide more accessibility to the tower internals.

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BACnet International welcomes Netix Global as newest member Building automation systems provider says it is focusing on remote connectivity, seamless integration and future-ready technology

By CCME Content Team ACnet International said Netix Global has become the latest company to join the BACnet community as a Gold member.

Headquartered in Hoofdorp, in the Netherlands, Netix is a IoT- and AI-based advanced building automation systems provider, whose products and solutions include BAS/BMS, metering and energy savings, enterprise security and smart city integration.

“Netix is a fast-growing company that would continue to be associated with bespoke and globally accepted testing

bodies like BACnet International,” said Sanjeevv Bhatia, CEO, Netix. “It gives customers and stakeholders the necessary confidence for ready acceptance, especially in newer markets.”

Netix said it joins more than 150 leading building automation suppliers as BACnet International members, supporting the promotion of BACnet as a global communications protocol.

Andy McMillan, President and Managing Director, BACnet International, said: “Netix is a

Sanjeevv Bhatia

wonderful fit for the BACnet International community. They are taking advantage of new technologies to further enhance building automation capabilities in data analytics and energy management, which are critical to effectively and efficiently managing facilities in smart city solutions.”

Rubber World reports willingness to invest in greener HVAC solutions Says its rubber insulation line improves energy efficiency, reduces emissions

By CCME Content Team ubber World Industry, manufacturer of HVAC products in the UAE, specified the importance of a Go Green strategy on World Environment Day, observed on June 5.

Environmental awareness is becoming an essential part in this age, and it is continuously getting proved that sustainability will be a big question without a Go Green strategy, Rubber World Industry said through a Press release. Like all other industries, the HVAC industry is also in need of ecofriendlier solutions and services, the company said, adding that it is keen on emphasising the greater willingness and desire to invest in greener and more sustainable HVAC solutions.

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Rubber World Industry said that along with its sister company, United Air Conditioning Industry, it manufactures health- and environment-related rubber products, such as its rubber insulation line, which it added has become essential in the current environment. The line helps in reducing emissions, improves energy efficiency and has a positive impact on climate change, the company said. In addition, it said it serves a range of eco-friendlier products, like cooler tubes and sheets, which are CFC-free.

Rizwan Shaikhani, Chairman, Rubber World Industry, said: “The current pandemic situation demands the need for greater safety precautions.

We are giving all importance to preserve the environment by providing eco-

Rizwan Shaikhani

friendlier HVAC products, especially CFC-free products, and aiming more and more to sustain the Go Green strategy.”

// REGIONAL NEWS

MARKETPLACE

Blueair launches air purifier HealthProtect is effective at removing SARS-CoV-2, company claims

By CCME Content Team

weden-headquartered Blueair has launched HealthProtect, which the company described in a Press release as its most advanced air purifier ever.

Combining three new revolutionary technologies, the HealthProtect air purifier provides protection against viruses and bacteria, even when it is on standby, the

company claimed. Blueair further claimed that the HealthProtect has been proven through independent third-party laboratory tests to remove 99.99% of live airborne SARS-CoV-2 virus, making it the first product from a major air purifier brand to demonstrate the results.

Jonas Holst, Chief Product Officer,

Honeywell launches new IAQ products for commercial buildings Electronic air cleaners with UV systems provide filtration without a significant pressure drop, company says

By CCME Content Team oneywell announced it has expanded its holistic Healthy Buildings Air Quality offering to help improve and measure commercial building indoor air quality with the introduction of Honeywell electronic air cleaners (EACs) with UV systems and a new line of indoor air quality (IAQ) sensors. Honeywell EACs with UV help remove impurities from the air as well as provide filtration and disinfection, without significantly impeding air flow, the

company claimed. The new IAQ sensors include Honeywell’s Particulate Matter Sensor PM2.5, Total Volatile Organic Compound (TVOC) Sensor and All-in-One IAQ Sensor, the company said.

“More people are paying attention to air quality and the importance of creating healthier environments in the spaces we use for work, school, entertainment and travel,” said Corentin Soistier, General Manager, Honeywell Building Management Systems, Middle

Blueair, said: “HealthProtect is the result of several years of R&D and consumer insights, as we see that across the globe, even before the current pandemic, viruses and bacteria are one of the main concerns for people. So with HealthProtect we wanted to create a germ-fighting machine, an air purifier that would reassure you even when in standby mode. This is what makes HealthProtect unique, and of course the fact that every component has been carefully designed in Sweden to provide the highest performance and energy efficiency.”

According to Blueair, HealthProtect uses HEPASilent Ultra, the company’s most advanced filtration technology to date. This technology combines electrostatic and mechanical filtration to remove up to 99.97% of airborne pollutants, such as dust, pollen, dander and mould, the company said. The technology also removes VOCs – including formaldehyde – odours and nanoparticles down to 0.03 micron and up to 99.99% of viruses and bacteria the company said. Compared to traditional “true HEPA” filtration used in most air purifiers, the company claimed, HEPASilent Ultra silently delivers 50% more clean air and uses 55% less energy and 10% less noise than traditional standard HEPA filtration.

East, Turkey and Africa. “Building owners in the region are actively looking for ways to create safer, cleaner air to instill occupant confidence as well as attract future commercial tenants, Sensing technology is an important tool to identify opportunities for adjustments – only when you can measure particles can you properly control them. Adding a system like Honeywell’s can improve a building’s air quality by filtering particulates and reducing contaminants.”

Honeywell said its EACs use an electric charge to help remove solid and liquid impurities from the air without impeding air flow. The UV-C disinfection technology emits ultraviolet light to damage the DNA structure of certain microbes at the cellular level and inactivate various viral, bacterial and fungal organisms – thus providing filtration and disinfection in one system.

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Systemair announces supplying smart, sustainable HVAC solutions for Expo 2020 As an official sponsor of the Swedish Pavilion, Systemair reveals its intention of showcasing products that ensure visitors can enjoy healthy indoor air quality in an energy-efficient manner

By CCME Content Team he Systemair Group, as official sponsor of the Swedish Pavilion at Expo 2020, from October 1 to March 31 in Dubai, will showcase modern climate solutions from Systemair and Frico that, it said, will ensure visitors to the Pavilion are able to breathe clean air and enjoy the cool climate in a smart and sustainable manner. Announcing this through a Press release, Systemair Group added that Systemair and Frico will also be organising several exciting events aimed at educating stakeholders on the importance of achieving optimum indoor air quality without compromising on energy efficiency.

Morten Schmelzer, Technical Marketing Director, Systemair Group, said: “As proud sponsors of the Swedish

Pavilion, we want to ensure visitors can benefit from healthy and comfortable indoor climate. Keeping this in mind, we have carefully selected the products that will ensure fresh air supply, which is especially crucial in view of COVID-19.

Our solution also offers a minimum of 50% lower electrical power consumption and sustainable cooling recovery as high as 65%, which is unique for the Middle East.

Lastly, the products are in line with the latest high European and ISO standards, which enable the best possible IAQ with minimum energy utilisation.”

Systemair Group said it supplied 10 of its high-end Geniox AHUs with state-of-the-art control systems to meet requirements of the local ambient conditions, as well as the spatial challenges posed by the unique design of the structure. It said it also supplied a

Morten Schmelzer, Technical Marketing Director, Systemair Group, showcasing the Geniox AHU, located at the roof of the Swedish Pavilion

sorption cooling recovery system with special material on the heat-recovery wheel, along with fan-coil units, a Sysaqua 170 chiller and a roof fan – the DVG EC560. The pavilion features two of the latest-generation air curtains from Frico, installed in the shop and the cafeteria, it added.

Khalaf Al Habtoor remains positive on UAE outlook Points out to the strong start to the year

By CCME Content Team halaf Ahmad Al Habtoor, Founding Chairman, Al Habtoor Group, said his earlier predictions for the UAE’s economic growth in 2021 have “exceeded expectations”, as per recent data published by the International Monetary Fund (IMF), STR, and the Central Bank of the UAE (UAECB).

Al Habtoor said, “The UAE has once again shown its resilience. My country’s ability to navigate the challenges around COVID-19 is highly commendable.

Global economic growth was already on the decline in all regions of the world in 2019, and COVID added significant pressure. However, the economic recovery in the UAE has been on the upward trajectory since Q3 last year.

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We continue to see pockets of positive growth, and as a result, real GDP is forecast to hit, or exceed, three per cent this year.” Al Habtoor pointed out that the IMF has forecast in its World Economic Outlook that the UAE economy will grow 3.1 per cent in 2021, observing that the global growth outlook “hinges on how effectively economic policies deployed under high uncertainty can limit lasting damage from the crisis”. The UAECB is forecasting further growth next year with the UAE’s economy seen climbing to 3.5 per cent in 2022, he said.

Speaking about the diverse industries that the Al Habtoor Group operates in, Al Habtoor said, “The first quarter of 2021 has seen extensive growth in the real estate division of the Group, achieving a

significant surge in the volume of sales compared to the same time before COVID.” Al Habtoor noted that according to the Real Estate Bulletin, issued by the Dubai Land Department (DLD), Dubai real estate transactions soared 27% and 47% in Q1 2021, compared to Q1 2020 and Q1 2019, respectively, surpassing preCOVID transactions and suggesting that confidence has been restored.

On the hospitality sector, Al Habtoor said: “All our hotels in the UAE are performing extremely well. We have witnessed a very healthy first quarter and are expecting a great second half of the year. Our base business for the remainder of 2021 is very solid, with high occupancy rates already achieved.”

11th ANNUAL CLIMATE CONTROL

AWARDS 2021 14 September 2021 | Dubai, UAE

www.climatecontrolawards.com

31 AWARD CATEGORIES: 1. MANUFACTURER/SUPPLIER OF THE YEAR (AIR TREATMENT)

16. PROJECT OF THE YEAR (OUTDOOR AIR CONDITIONING SYSTEMS)

2. MANUFACTURER/SUPPLIER OF THE YEAR (AIR MOVEMENT, VENTILATION)

17. PROJECT OF THE YEAR, NEW CONSTRUCTION – IEQ (HEALTHCARE, ACADEMIC, HOSPITALITY, COMMERCIAL, RESIDENTIAL)

3. MANUFACTURER/SUPPLIER OF THE YEAR (FIRE SAFETY) 4. BUILDING ENVELOP OF THE YEAR (CONTRIBUTING MANUFACTURER/SUPPLIER) 5. BUILDING PERFORMANCE SERVICES (TESTING AND CERTIFICATION) 6. DISTRICT COOLING COMPANY OF THE YEAR 7. O&M COMPANY OF THE YEAR (CHILLED WATER PLANT) 8. DISTRICT COOLING UTILITY PROVIDER OF THE YEAR 9. INNOVATIVE MANUFACTURER/SUPPLIER OF THE YEAR (CHILLERS) 10. MANUFACTURER/SUPPLIER OF THE YEAR (CHILLED WATER SYSTEM EQUIPMENT AND COMPONENTS, LESS CHILLERS) 11. MANUFACTURER/SUPPLIER OF THE YEAR (STANDALONE DX)

18. HVAC CONSULTANT OF THE YEAR 19. HVAC CONTRACTOR OF THE YEAR 20. BUILDING EFFICIENCY PROJECT OF THE YEAR 21. IAQ HEALTHCARE RETROFIT PROJECT OF THE YEAR 22. COMMISSIONING/RE-COMMISSIONING COMPANY OF THE YEAR 23. FM COMPANY OF THE YEAR (ENERGY MANAGEMENT, IEQ) 24. IoT INTEGRATION INITIATIVE OF THE YEAR 25. DIGITAL HVACR STORE OF THE YEAR 26. HVACR ENGINEER OF THE YEAR 27. YOUNG HVACR ENGINEER OF THE YEAR

12. MANUFACTURER/SUPPLIER OF THE YEAR (VRF SYSTEMS)

28. MANUFACTURER OF THE YEAR (VEHICLE ENVELOP & CONDENSING UNITS)

13. GCC REGION MANUFACTURER OF THE YEAR

29. COLD STORE OF THE YEAR

14 .MANUFACTURER/SUPPLIER OF THE YEAR (WATER HEATERS)

30. DOMINIC DE SOUSA AWARD FOR INNOVATION

15. HVACR ACCESSORIES MANUFACTURER/SUPPLIER OF THE YEAR

31. EDITOR’S CHOICE AWARD

IMPORTANT DATES THE DEADLINE FOR SUBMISSION OF ENTRIES IS

PRESENTATION TO THE JUDGES:

6PM (GULF STANDARD TIME, GMT+4) ON WEDNESDAY, 9 AUGUST 2021

AUGUST 23 & 24, 2021

(ENTRIES SUBMITTED AFTER THE DEADLINE WILL NOT BE CONSIDERED FOR EVALUATION)

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

GLOBAL

NEWS HAPPENINGS FROM AROUND THE WORLD

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ASHE reports success at International Code Council hearings The Committee on Health Care saw 10 of its proposals – all aimed at helping to unify varying codes and standards – approved by ICC at recent hearings

By CCME Content Team he Committee on Health Care (CHC), a partnership between the American Society of Health Care Engineering (ASHE) and the International Code Council (ICC), in April and May, took part in virtual testimonies before several ICC Committees at the Code Action Committee hearings in regard to the latest round of code proposals submitted by the CHC and others, ASHE said. The CHC was successful in getting approval for 10 of its 15 proposals and testified in opposition to 18 other health care facility proposals, of which 17 were disapproved, it added.

The biggest “win” was the approval of CHC proposal FS49, which provides an exception in the International Building Code (IBC) that will allow Group I-2 facilities to use a lay-in ceiling system with ceiling tiles that

weigh a minimum of one pound per square foot, combined with a fully ducted HVAC system, to serve as part of the system to limit the transfer of smoke, ASHE reported. This exception aligns the IBC with the current requirements within the National Fire Protection Association Life Safety Code, allowing hospitals to avoid the conflict between the IBC and Life Safety Code, ASHE said. The five CHC proposals that were disapproved will be modified to address the committee’s concerns and resubmitted as part of the public comment hearings that will take place in September, ASHE said.

By way of giving a context to its reporting, ASHE said that most health care facility professionals understand the challenges posed by conflicts in building codes. Unnecessary and conflicting codes and regulations, it said, can be costly and that the

AHRI Board approves decarbonisation general position statement Establishes industry as a resource

By CCME Content Team he Air-Conditioning, Heating, and Refrigeration Institute (AHRI) on May 14 released a General Position Statement on Decarbonization, advancing the association as a resource for states and localities grappling with how to successfully, sustainably and affordably reduce emissions related to the builtenvironment.

AHRI revealed the paper as noting, “The air conditioning, heating, ventilation, refrigeration, and water heating industry has a long history of providing innovative, high-quality, energy-saving, affordable

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products that enhance the comfort, safety, health, and productivity of businesses and people around the world.” It expresses AHRI’s support for “the ongoing, sciencebased transition to a lower carbon society, in which consumer choices for heating, cooling, water heating, and commercial refrigeration are the most energy efficient, environmentally beneficial available anywhere in the world, while maintaining appropriate and adequate levels of safety, health, comfort, and affordability”.

Stephen Yurek, President & CEO, AHRI, said: “Our member companies

resources spent to comply with contradicting requirements could be put to better use in addressing other issues.

ASHE said one of its goals is to establish a system of unified codes, which it added, is imperative to improve quality and increase access to health care services by upgrading or replacing aged health care facilities and infrastructure using cost savings resulting from the elimination of conflicting codes and regulations.

Since 2011, ASHE said, the CHC has brought together health care facilities managers, designers, industry professionals and building officials to create a better understanding of how health care codes function and are applied. Through this understanding, the CHC has developed hundreds of proposals to help align the ICC codes with other health care codes and standards.

– which have more than 100 years of experience and expertise in product solutions, technology, and innovation – can serve as a valuable resource in helping the nation achieve a lower carbon society.”

The statement, AHRI said, comes on the heels of the success of the American Innovation and Manufacturing (AIM) Act, passed by Congress in 2020, which provides authority to the Environmental Protection Agency to regulate the production of high-global warming potential hydrofluorocarbons and establishes a national phase down structure for the refrigerants that are widely used in air conditioning and refrigeration equipment.

That effort, AHRI said, more than 10 years in the making for the industry, is forecast to ultimately result in a 0.5 degree reduction in global temperatures over the next 30 years, even as it creates jobs and helps the industry’s global trade posture.

// GLOBAL NEWS

ASHRAE, IUVA sign MoU Purpose of MoU is collaboration on ultraviolet technology and indoor environmental quality source publications, Society says

By CCME Content Team SHRAE and the International Ultraviolet Association(IUVA) have signed a new Memorandum of Understanding (MoU), formalising the relationship between the two organisations, ASHRAE said through a Press release.

Charles E Gulledge III, 2020-21 ASHRAE President, and Ron Hofmann, President, IUVA, signed the MoU in April to further specify the path forward, ASHRAE said. The agreement defines parameters by which ASHRAE and IUVA will work cooperatively to promote the advancement of emerging research and technologies to support a more sustainable built-environment, ASHRAE further said.

“Establishing and maintaining improved indoor environmental quality is the bedrock of ASHRAE’s sustainability mission, and the use of ultraviolet technology is a critical component towards addressing the challenges of minimizing the spread of infectious diseases,” Gulledge said. “We are pleased to partner with IUVA, as we collectively support research and new innovations to further our vision on a sustainable built environment for all.”

Hofmann added: “With a focus on the science and engineering of UV technology, IUVA members are pleased to have the opportunity to partner with ASHRAE to enhance the knowledge base and application of UV in the built environment. While the technology is already well established, the urgency of addressing the global pandemic has raised the profile of UV, and our partnership with ASHRAE promises to help develop the necessary data, protocols, guidelines, and standards to ensure its continued effective, safe use.”

According to ASHRAE, the MoU includes, but is not limited to, the following initiatives related to

development of ANSI certifiable standards and related source documents: • Test and measurements on specific pathogens across a specified light spectrum (e.g., antimicrobial UV-C: 200nm 280nm) and in specified mediums (e.g., aerosols, large droplets, surface – dry & wet, in aqueous solution, pristine & soiled) • Test and measurements on efficacy outcomes for antimicrobial UV-C devices and systems in specified, well defined testing environments (e.g., simulated hospital rooms, equipped and arranged in a standardised configuration, with predetermined numbers and locations of sampling points) • Test and measurements on efficacy outcomes for antimicrobial UV-C devices and systems installed in ‘upper room’ HVAC applications • Standards and guidelines that establish the minimum requirements for commissioning permanently installed UV antimicrobial systems in existing and newly constructed facilities • Standard and guidelines for the application of UV disinfection of water used in cooling towers to control spread of bacteria, such as Legionella, algae and fungi into the building HVAC system ASHRAE said that in addition to these research and publication development initiatives, ASHRAE’s and IUVA’s other areas of potential collaboration include general advocacy, joint conferences and meetings, consistent leadership communication, education and professional development, technical activities coordination and research.

APUEA to host District Energy awards Seventh edition to take place in Bangkok

By CCME Content Team

he organisers of the 7th Global District Energy Climate Awards have invited submission of entries. Making the announcement through a Press release, they added that the deadline for receiving entries is June 30.

The Awards ceremony, to be hosted by the Asia Pacific Urban Energy Association, will take place on November 11 and 12 in Bangkok.

The Awards has six categories to choose from, including New Scheme, Modernisation, Expansion, Emerging Market, District Energy in Developing Countries and Out-of-the-Box. According to the organisers, the entries will be judged by a panel of highly respected professionals.

Dr Robin Wiltshire, Chairman of the Evaluation Panel, said: “We believe that recognising excellence is vital to raising standards, aiding progression in industries and increasing awareness. Just as importantly, it boosts both morale and innovation. This is the spirit behind our upcoming Global District Energy Climate Awards. The awards are a no-fee initiative designed for the sole purpose of recognising the very best of District Energy projects, schemes and initiatives.”

www.climatecontrolme.com

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MARKETPLACE

Camfil launches CamCarb VG engineered molecular filtration solution Says the technology can efficiently remove corrosive, harmful and odorous contaminants from air

By CCME Content Team amfil launched the CamCarb VG engineered molecular filtration solution, which the company described as a robust solution suited for make-up air and recirculation air systems.

The primary use of the technology, Camfil said, is the control of acidic gases that are responsible for the corrosion of electronics and electrical equipment in heavy process industries, such as pulp and paper mills; petrochemical refineries; mining and metal refining operations; and wastewater treatment plants. They are also suitable for lighter applications, such as the removal of noxious and odorous fumes generated outside airports, hospital helipads, cultural heritage buildings, and commercial offices

located in city centres, Camfil added.

The modules can be filled with different types of Camfil molecular filtration media to suit the specific customer application, the company said. There are two standard configurations of CamCarb VG: VG300 and VG440, it said, adding that the VG300 format is best suited for moderate duty (normally make-up air) applications, and the VG440 is best suited for light-duty (recirculation air) applications.

According to Camfil, CamCarb VG filters can be installed in specially designed housings, with options for front-loading, side-loading, or positiveseal side access (PSSA). They can also be used as replacements in housings and track systems produced by other manufacturers, the company said.

The modules are fully welded and constructed without adhesive to eliminate the possibility of off-gassing, Camfil said. They include a unique moulded mesh to allow the use of a full range of loose-fill media without shedding, it said.

Many applications will require multiple molecular media to address a range of contaminants. The different media should be deployed in a series of layered modules. This layered approach will provide the highest removal efficiency, the longest life, and the lowest total cost of ownership (TCO), as each media can be changed when it reaches the end of its useful life, it said, adding that a blendedmedia, on the other hand, requires all the media to be replaced when just a single component has failed.

Recuperator receives AHRI certification for its plate and rotary heat exchangers Italian company says the commitment to obtain the certification will allow it to expand its overseas market business

By CCME Content Team ecuperator S.p.A., a member of Carel Group, announced receiving AHRI certification for its plate and rotary heat exchangers, following what it described as a rigorous review process.

Making the announcement through a Press release, Recuperator said the certification is the result of its dedication to continuous improvement, including innovation in R&D. The whole range of plate and rotary heat exchanger products is now listed in the AHRI directory of certified products, it said. The AHRI certification, it further said, is added to all the certifications

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The Recuperator production plant, in Rescaldina, Milan

it has already obtained during its long and profitable activity. “The commitment to obtain this recognition will allow Recuperator to expand its overseas market horizons and to increase the service to its customers in the Middle East,” said Stefano Baldo, Sales & Marketing Director,

Recuperator. “The experiences we will gather in new markets will be a stimulus to continue innovating our products and services. Furthermore, the high quality standard required by AHRI helps to raise the quality level of the entire Recuperator production.”

// GLOBAL NEWS

JCI named to FT European Climate Leaders list Company says its OpenBlue digital platform has a crucial role in decarbonising Europe’s building stock

By CCME Content Team ohnson Controls (JCI) said it has been named to the inaugural FT Climate Leaders in Europe list.

Europe’s Climate Leaders 2021 is a list of companies across Europe that have shown the highest reduction of their emission intensity – that is, core greenhouse gas emissions in relation to revenues, between 2014 and 2019.

Johnson Controls reported that it was one of only 300 companies selected from 4,000 across Europe.

“We are extremely proud to be recognized by the Financial Times as a European climate leader,” said George Oliver, chairman and CEO, Johnson Controls. “Sustainability has long been at the heart of everything we do, and it is an honor to be included on this prestigious list. With COP26 approaching at this critical moment in the battle against climate change, it is important that companies continue to play their part in cutting emissions and delivering clean, sustainable solutions across the entire value chain.”

According to JCI, companies on the list – compiled by research firm, Statista – were invited to submit emissions reported following the emission categories of the greenhouse gas protocol (scope 1, 2 and 3). In addition, Statista scrutinised publicly

available data, mainly from financial and non-financial reports as well as from CDP (formerly the “Carbon Disclosure Project”).

Although JCI reports all three emissions scopes, the ranking only considers scope 1 and scope 2 emissions, since not all companies publish their scope 3 emissions, it said. Since 2002, JCI said, it has reduced its emissions intensity by more than 70% – equivalent to the carbon sequestered by 17,000 acres of forest.

The company said it has also helped its customers save more than 30.6 million tonnes of CO2 globally and $6.6 million through guaranteed operational savings.

At the European level, JCI said, it has been effectively supporting the EU’s ambition to become carbon neutral by 2050. The European Commission recently committed to at least 55% cuts in greenhouse gas emissions (from 1990 levels) by 2030 under the European Green Deal. Decarbonising Europe’s building stock through the European Commission’s Energy Performance of Buildings Directive has a crucial role to play in this effort – 40% of greenhouse gases come from buildings, the company said.

According to JCI, digitalisation has been recognised as a key enabler for the building renovation wave in Europe and the rest of the world. Already, JCI said, it has been deploying its

OpenBlue digital platform for optimising buildings sustainability across its entire value chain – drastically improving the company’s own environmental impact and helping customers consume less energy, conserve resources and identify pathways to achieving healthy, net zero carbon communities.

Katie McGinty, Vice President & Chief Sustainability, Government and Regulatory Affairs Officers, JCI, said: “We are making positive change within our own corporation and believe we are uniquely positioned to help customers and suppliers achieve their sustainability goals. By driving global change, we are ultimately creating an environment for healthy people, healthy places and a healthy planet.”

JCI said it is also helping meet the growing demand for energy-efficient technologies. It said it has provided heat pump solutions for customers at more than a dozen district heating and cooling applications in Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Italy and Norway.

Heat pumps, it said, have an important role to play in decarbonizing buildings and industry. They have long been in the DNA of industrial refrigeration – utilised in food and beverage, dairy and other process industries for reclaiming low-temperature waste heat and turning it into low-cost, high-temperature heat.

MARKETPLACE

E+E Elektronik

EE212 humidity and temperature sensor

By CCME Content Team E+E Elektronik has launched the EE212 humidity and temperature sensor, which it described as being suitable for challenging measurement tasks in

climate technology, agriculture and the pharmaceuticals industries.

A modular probe design makes it easy to replace the sensing module directly on site, if needed, E+E Elektronik said, adding that the E+E sensor coating, the wide

choice of filter caps, and the robust IP65 / NEMA 4 enclosure ensure accurate and reliable measurements even under challenging working conditions.

www.climatecontrolme.com

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Carel signs agreement to acquire 51% of CFM Soğutma Company says the transaction is aligned with two of its key strategic directions: geographical expansion outside western Europe and the development of the services business – on-field and digital

By CCME Content Team arel Industries, on May 5, signed a binding agreement for the acquisition of 51% of CFM Soğutma ve Otomasyon A.Ş., a longstanding distributor and partner in Turkey as well as a provider of digital and onfield services and solutions dedicated to OEMs, contractors and end users in the Turkish HVACR market.

CFM’s workforce, based in its 6,500-square-metre Izmir facility, in Turkey, numbers 34, half of whom are part of the technical and engineering team, Carel said.

With major expertise in thermodynamics, mechanics, control and connectivity, CFM offers complete solutions, starting from system design and technical support, during the start-up phase of the plants, up to the remote monitoring and supervision service, Carel said. The offer, which is based on the proposal of the best brands and includes software development and customisation, customer training in its Academy as well as energy management services, allows CFM to stand out significantly, Carel said.

According to Carel, CFM has created a unique business model, demonstrated by its high rate of customer loyalty, its long-standing relationships with the country’s main retail chains and its

particularly high profitability.

A peculiar feature of CFM is also that it invoices almost all its sales in euros, thereby protecting itself from fluctuations in the local currency, Carel pointed out.

In 2020, CFM reported revenues of 14.5 million euros and EBITDA of five million euros, it said. It is expected that at the time of the closing of the operation the net financial position will be slightly positive, it pointed out.

Carel said the transaction is aligned with two of its key strategic directions: geographical expansion outside western Europe and the development of the services business – on-field and digital.

The acquisition, the company said, will allow it to not only establish a direct presence in the important Turkish market and to have a solid platform for the development of its Middle East market but also to adopt a distinctive business model, characterised by a wide range of complementary services. The transaction will also allow it to further develop its potential in synergy with its hardware, IoT and thermodynamic competence, it said. After having established its success in the refrigeration sector, CFM, in fact, has extensive growth potential in air conditioning and humidification, it added.

The closing of the part-acquisition is expected by the end of July 2021 and

DriSteem releases Buyer’s Guide Book is for the benefit of laboratories focusing on humidification issues and solutions, company says

By CCME Content Team Dri-Steem, manufacturer of humidification, evaporative cooling and water treatment products, released a buyer’s guide that focuses on humidification for laboratories, the company said through a Press release.

“This new buyer’s guide is written

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specifically for laboratory facilities personnel,” said Jennifer Montville, Director of Marketing, DriSteem. “Careful control of relative humidity levels in labs generates more accurate test results, prevents contamination, and promotes a healthier work environment. DriSteem has been designing and building world-class humidification equipment for more than

L-R: Murat Cem Özdemir, General Manager, CFM and Luigi Rossi Luciani, President.

CAREL Industries

is subject to obtaining the approval for the transaction from the local antitrust authorities, and meeting other conditions precedent that are characteristic of this type of agreement, Carel said. With this transaction, Carel said, it will take control of the Turkish company through the acquisition of 51% of the share capital of CFM, with an enterprise value of 23.1 million euros for the stake. The acquisition of the remaining 49% of CFM, the valuation of which is tied to the Turkish company’s future results, is governed by a cross-option mechanism between the parties, exercisable between 2024 and 2027, Carel said. This structure in which the current management is heavily involved in the company in the medium term, it added, ensures a complete alignment of interests during the integration period of CFM into CAREL.

50 years and is committed to helping facilities use those products to optimize their businesses.”

According to the company, its humidification systems are made to fit each unique application, whether it is ensuring the success of critical research, preserving fragile and valuable materials and instrumentation, or protecting the health and wellbeing of building occupants. DriSteem said its mission is to support healthy environments – studies show that ideal room relative humidity (RH) is 40-60%.

// GLOBAL NEWS

VC funds, Hollywood stars invest heavily in climate change innovation Saving the planet from climate change devastation can benefit investors as well as our future, according to a new Venture Capital (VC) trend

By CCME Content Team he year 2021 has already seen multiple climate-focused fund launches. London-based One Planet Capital launched a fund for green tech, fintech and sustainability-based B2C businesses, while Hollywood ‘Iron Man’ actor, Robert Downey Jr has founded FootPrint Coalition Ventures to invest in high-growth, sustainability-focused companies.

The financial world used to think environmental issues couldn’t generate viable rewards, but another climatefocused fund, Congruent Ventures, believes a tipping point has been passed.

Congruent raises investment specifically for Climate Change solution start-ups and, with USD 300 million under management after closing its second fund at USD 175 million, Managing Partner and Co-Founder, Abe Yokell, said: “If you brought up the word ‘cleantech’ to any institutional investor allocating to venture 10 years ago, they would do their best to avoid the meeting, but now, there’s a fundamental belief there will be significant financial returns investing broadly in climate tech over time.”

Congruent’s portfolio includes electric vehicle-charging provider, Amply, which raised USD 13.2 million last year from investors, including Soros Fund Management and Siemens. Digitally controllable electrical panel company, Span raised USD 20 million in January through Congruent, with investors including Munich Re Ventures’ HSB Fund and Amazon’s Alexa Fund.

And Congruent itself is well-founded, with investors including UC Investments, the Microsoft Climate Innovation Fund, Three Cairns Group, Jeremy and Hannelore Grantham Environmental Trust and Surdna Foundation, among other institutions, foundations and family offices.

Regulation A+ crowdfunding

companies are also seeing investment, such as digital twins company, Cityzenith, who recently launched their international ‘Clean Cities, Clean Future’ campaign as part of the Race to Zero movement.

Cities worldwide generate 70% of the world’s carbon emissions, but Cityzenith’s AI Digital Twin platform technology can help property asset management groups, city planners and developers reduce emissions and move to carbon neutrality in the next 10 years.

Michael Jansen, CEO, Cityzenith, said at the launch of the ‘Clean Cities – Clean Future’ initiative: “We have to help the most polluted urban centers become carbon neutral, and we plan to do this by donating the company’s Digital Twin platform, SmartWorldOS to key cities, one at a time, after every USD 1 million we raise. We’re able to do this because of the recent surge of investment we’ve had as part of our USD 15m raise.”

Cityzenith is already benefiting from the funding shift, reportedly attracting USD 2.5 million in investment since late 2020 through Regulation A+ crowdfunding and a surge in shares from USD 0.575 to USD 1.50 in just five months.

The US company has raised USD 10 million to date.

Jansen said: “In the past decade, investors struggled

Robert Downey Jr

to justify backing Climate Change solutions, but global demand for net-zero carbon by 2050 and a sustainable future means a tipping point has been passed.”

www.climatecontrolme.com

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Carrier launches Abound Company describes it as a digital platform to create smarter, more resilient spaces that improve occupant health

By CCME Content Team arrier Global Corporation on April 26 launched Abound, which it described in a Press release as a new cloud-native platform, as part of its growing investment in digital solutions designed to give people confidence in the health and safety of their indoor environments. Abound is an opentechnology platform that aggregates data from different systems and sensors and provides building owners, operators and occupants transparency into relevant and contextual insights about air quality, thermal comfort and other performance data, the company said.

“Abound will transform a building owner’s ability to optimize the indoor environment, boosting the confidence of each visitor and occupant,” said Dave Gitlin, Chairman & CEO, Carrier. “The access to real-time actionable data for indoor air quality and other building systems and sensors embodies the future of building health and performance for customers around the globe. With this launch, we are moving closer to establishing industry standards that will provide owners, operators and occupants greater confidence in their indoor spaces.”

According to Carrier, Abound is a cloud-native offering that uses advanced technology to make building environments more intelligent, efficient and responsive.

It connects directly to existing building systems and sensors with no need for upgrades, retrofitting or replacements.

And, unlike other building management platforms, Abound is designed to easily work with all systems regardless of manufacturer, to unlock and unite siloed data to provide more powerful, actionable insights, Carrier claimed. The platform can be rapidly installed and scaled and showcases data on a single pane of glass and via remote readings, the company added.

According to Carrier, a hallmark

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feature of the platform is the ability for building operators to benchmark building performance related to air quality, ventilation and humidity against the thresholds identified by certain air features within the WELL Building Standard (WELL) from the International WELL Building Institute, which works for achieving healthy buildings. Building owners will have the ability to display realtime information and messaging about a building’s health through the Abound application programming interface (API), which can be used to create digital wallboards and support mobile experiences, Carrier said.

“We’re proud that the thresholds in the Abound platform are based on the WELL Building Standard’s air quality features, helping Carrier to make something as invisible as air quality more visible and actionable,” said Rachel Hodgdon, IWBI’s President and CEO. “This platform will help streamline pathways for customers to measure, communicate and report their progress toward WELL Certification, advancing IWBI’s overall mission to advance people first places around the world.”

According to Carrier, Abound is currently being piloted across the United States, with customers in the commercial building, K-12 education and sports and entertainment industries, including Trust Park, home to the Major League Baseball team, Atlanta Braves. It is also operating at Carrier’s world headquarters and building technology showcase, the Center for Intelligent Buildings in Palm Beach Gardens, Florida.

“We are thrilled to participate in the pilot of the Abound platform to give fans a safer and more informed spectator experience,” said Jim Allen, Senior Vice President of Corporate and Premium Partnerships for the Atlanta Braves.

“The visual displays strategically placed

Trust Park

throughout the stadium will provide our guests a real-time look at how our systems are working together to improve air quality. Sports bring people together, and the game just isn’t the same without our incredible fans here at the ballpark and we’re excited to welcome them back.”

While a tool for building owners, Abound was designed with building occupants and the general public in mind, Carrier said. It will make the invisible – air quality – visible through a smart, simple interface, and using its API and responsive display generators, building owners can communicate building health strategies, health performance metrics or the live indoor air quality summary through in-building digital displays, mobile applications or existing digital experiences.

“The launch of Abound underscores Carrier’s leadership in digital innovation and ability to move quickly to exceed our customers’ needs,” said Bobby George, Senior Vice President & Chief Digital Officer, Carrier. “The platform came together in a fraction of a year, and I couldn’t be prouder of the team. Abound’s platform architecture was designed around open standards and modern cloud native technologies and can quickly adapt to a wide range of integration and connectivity and scaling needs.

The platform is comprehensive and delivers value to our customers through the complete integration of software, hardware and digital analytics.”

// GLOBAL NEWS

Systemair to make new Eurovent ‘summer label’ available for all certified AHUs Eurovent’s new Energy Efficiency Classes for Summer Application (EECS) label for air-handling units will accommodate warm weather conditions and acknowledge humidity recovery, Systemair says

By CCME Content Team urovent Certification is set to launch the Energy Efficiency Classes for Summer Application (EECS) label for air-handling units (AHUs), which includes cooling and accommodates warmer weather conditions, Systemair said through a Press release. The label will be made mandatory from September 2021, the company said, adding that it is fully prepared to provide the summer label for its entire range of Eurovent-certified AHUs. Customers will be given the option to print the extra label through the online selection tools by June, it added.

Jörn Doerk, Technical Product Manager, AHU Design and Certification, Menerga, Systemair Group, by way of providing a background on the development of the summer label, said: “Over the years, the Eurovent Certification energy label for AHUs has become a trusted reference point for the market through its easy rating scheme.

This has helped customers effortlessly compare various brands in the market and ensure simple conditions can be set for the selection of an AHU. However, it is important to build awareness on the importance of looking at the performance of units in warm climates, as currently all labels are working according to winter conditions. This is because many initiatives were largely driven by colder countries in northern Europe, which were the first ones to highlight the need to look at opportunities for energy savings. It was dismissive of the situation in areas with warmer climates, and that is what we want to change and correct with the introduction of the summer label.”

Weighing in, Andy Bijmans, Manager Development, Systemair, The Netherlands, said: “The Eurovent summer label wants to strengthen the idea of energy saving in the context of hot weather situations.

As such, it has the added benefit of acknowledging humidity recovery, in view of its important contribution to

overall energy efficiency performance, which makes the label more advanced than the calculations for the winter label. The new label gives a realistic representation of the usefulness and necessity of a certain heat-recovery efficiency in summer conditions, with the air resistance that this may cost at a certain fan efficiency.

Meeting the summer label Jörn Doerk, Technical Product Andy Bijmans, Manager Manager, AHU Design and Development, Systemair, The requirements also showcases Certification, Menerga, Netherlands the superior performance Systemair Group of Systemair AHUs, as our various ranges can address calculations have considered the the demands of customers in all regions temperature and humidity at the highest and reflects our move to push energy level, in view of its impact on the cooling efficiency.” rate, the company added.

The Eurovent Certification summer Systemair said it has played an active label, Systemair said, utilises ASHRAE climate database to obtain realistic climate role in initiating discussions surrounding the summer label through representatives conditions. This ensures customers can in the Eurovent Association board, and get the most accurate energy calculation that this milestone reflects its position as and assessment. Customers can select a global supplier committed to ensuring their location or the closest fixed city all markets can choose the most energy available to get the suitable options in efficient solutions according to the the AHU configurators of Systemair appropriate technical requirements. and Menerga, the company said. The

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ASHRAE publishes updated health care facility ventilation standard Standard 170-2021 offers guidance, regulation and mandates to designers of health care facilities, Society says

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By CCME Content Team SHRAE has released an updated edition of ANSI/ ASHRAE/ASHE Standard 170, Ventilation of Health Care Facilities.

Making the announcement through a Press release, ASHRAE said the standard offers guidance, regulation and mandates to designers of health care facilities.

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The 2021 edition, ASHRAE said, delivers critical guidance for designers and operators of these front-line facilities and incorporates 17 addenda to the 2017 edition of the standard.

According to ASHRAE, changes include: • Expanded requirements to allow airborne infectious isolation

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room exhaust discharge to general exhaust under certain conditions Revised scope, with improved guidance on thermal comfort conditions Extensive modifications to address the Outpatient and Residential sections Extensive revisions to air filtration requirements Addition of new columns in the ventilation tables to prescribe filtration requirement and designate unoccupied turndown Expanded guidance on separation distance requirements for varied intake and exhaust arrangements, coordinating with related ASHRAE Standard 62.1 data Improved guidance related to behavioural and mental health

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