CCME May 2016

country report: TURKEY

The nation’s HVACR industry perseveres despite geopolitical turmoil in the region

May 2016 supplement

RETROFIT NEWS and CHRONICLE Stakeholders talk financing, ESCOs, government programmes and innovative cooling technologies

interview

Timothy Wentz, President-Elect, ASHRAE ‘We’re on the cusp of a golden age – a new renaissance’

Defining affordability - an exercise in semantics?

Industry experts shed some light on the conundrum of what exactly makes a cooling system affordable

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ASHRAE publishes 2016 residential IAQ standard

EmiratesGBC chairman calls for greater push towards Net-Zero Energy Buildings

Daikin receives QCC certification for R-32 inverter split AC PUBLICATION LICENSED BY IMPZ

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contents vol. 11 no. 5  MAY 2016

page

10 COVER STORY

Redefining affordability With market interest in affordable housing on the rise, there’s anticipation that demand for affordable cooling solutions will increase, as well.

But what makes a system affordable?

Experts say: look beyond CAPEX.

‘My executive committee will be 40% from outside North America’ ASHRAE President-Elect, Timothy Wentz, talks about his plans for the Society and shares his thoughts on a variety of topics, including the Internet of Things and the future of refrigerants.

page

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page

52

perspective

‘The scalability of BMS installations to deliver full-fledged IoT functionality is within reach’ Looking at IoT through the automation and controls lens, Vijay Kumar of Cylon makes a compelling case for adopting it in the MEP industry.

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May 2016

WHY IS GREEN SO COOL?

CH I LLVENTA October 11–13, 2016 Hall 7, Booth 330

Because GREEN is BITZER! Your innovative partner for high efficiency and intelligent cooling solutions. We are at your side, all over the world, always. You can count on us and our products! Visit us at CHILLVENTA and learn more about BITZER at www.bitzer.de May 2016

5

contents vol. 11 no. 5  MAY 2016

page

32

POST-EVENT REPORT

all about

page

20

VRFs

perspective Rejuvenating building exhaust air

Growth opportunities for VRF technology in the GCC region took centre stage at the 4th Annual Middle East VRF Conference.

Saying that throwing away conditioned air is not costeffective, Prasad Natraj of AAF International advocates the use of an air cleaning technology to recycle exhaust air.

page

38

market feature Compressors keep afloat

‘A number of local banks, like ADIB, instead of investing into other markets, are looking into their own country’s development’ PaGE 44

page

41

Industry players forecast continued growth for the compressors sector despite signs pointing to a slowdown in the market.

interviews

SUPPLEMENT

standards and regulations

Retrofit News and Chronicle may 2016

www.cpi-industry.com

‘Owners and OperatOrs tOO Often delay cOnsulting sustainability Or energy specialists’ Sandrine Le Biavant, Director of Consultancy at Farnek

How To GeT THe DoTTeD LIne SIGneD

PaGE 45

To get retrofit projects green-lighted, the pitch must highlight benefits for business over the need to save energy, says Sam Gouda of Creara International

Financing options

page

Market trends and challenges

‘as fOr banks, i believe they dO nOt understand what is energy efficiency, what is an escO’

56

licenCe to chill

Hassan Younes, Technical Director and Partner at Griffin Consultants

Sam Gouda

PaGE 47

tech talK adiabatic cOOling PaGE 48

bipOlar iOnisatiOn PaGE 49

indirect evapOrative cOOling PaGE 50 PaGE 42

retrofit news and chronicle

cOndenser cOntrOl PaGE 51

May 2016

41

page

62

country report

TURKEY stirred but not shaken

Though the country has been affected by geopolitical turmoil in the region, experts are optimistic that its HVACR industry will continue to perform well.

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May 2016

Seeing red!

Continuing with the theme of Non-Destructive Testing (NDT) for the HVAC sector, Dan Mizesko discusses infrared thermography in the third part of his series on the subject.

REGULARS

Ed's note 08 Six years on...

NEWS 67 72 74 76 78 80

Regional Global Associations & Societies Comings & Goings Marketplace History

May 2016

7

Six years on...

C

B Surendar Editor @BSurendar_HVACR

country report: turKey

The nation’s HVACR industry perseveres despite geopolitical turmoil in the region

May 2016 SuppLEmENt

RETROFIT NEWS and CHRONICLE Stakeholders talk financing, ESCOs, government programmes and innovative cooling technologies

INtErvIEw

Timothy Wentz, President-Elect, aSHRaE ‘We’re on the cusp of a golden age – a new renaissance’

Get the next issue DEFININg aFFORDabILITy - an exercise in semantics?

of Climate Control Middle East early!

Industry experts shed some light on the conundrum of what exactly makes a cooling system affordable

HEADLINES

ASHRAE publishes 2016 residential IAQ standard

EmiratesGBC chairman calls for greater push towards Net-Zero Energy Buildings

Daikin receives QCC certification for R-32 inverter split AC

PUBLICATION LICENSED BY IMPZ

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Visit our website: www.cpi-industry.com/digital Also available at

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May 2016

all it perhaps a case of thinking ahead of the times, but in Q2 2010, we had launched a magazine supplement, called Retrofit News and Chronicle, which sought to highlight building-retrofit initiatives in the GCC region.

Amongst the first few projects we focused on were the Hyatt Regency project, in Dubai’s historical Shindagha area, and arguably the region’s first mall, Al Ghurair City, also in Dubai.

The projects were largely chiller-replacement jobs, which the engineering directors associated with them proudly declared as quite path-breaking for the energy efficiencies they yielded. Retrofitting, then, was a quirk… an oddity, even; today, it is in the mainstream and garnering much interest, thanks largely to policy-makers institutionalising the initiatives. The Government of Dubai, for instance, is firmly backing building retrofit projects through a long-term sustainable development framework.

The robust support from the powers that be is reason enough for us to revive the supplement, which this time around, we hope will see a longer run. As a starting point after a gap of nearly six years, we have focused on addressing the building blocks that will ensure the success of retrofit projects. Amongst them is the issue of financing the projects, with banks and other financial institutions imposing stringent conditions for loosening their purse strings. There is hope, however, with publicsector projects getting favourable attention. It is a fond hope that private-sector projects are also able to cross the bridge.

Equally pressing is the issue of payback period. Building owners have typically sought a quick return on their investment – a demand, which in some instances, has been beyond the capability of the technological solutions available in the market.

While technologies have evolved, and are able to shorten the payback period of projects, there is a need for owners to be reasonable in their demands.

In the view of some stakeholders, the macro-issue, though, is the faith that owners need to show in retrofit initiatives. There are inherent benefits in installing VFDs and building automation systems, to cite two instances – provided, of course, if they are properly implemented and managed. The benefits, they say, will become even more obvious in the coming years, as the region’s governments seek to tighten subsidies on power tariffs. A building owner, they add, confronted with a 50% increase in utility-related expenses, for instance, will clearly see the wisdom of a retrofit exercise.

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Defining affordability – an exercise in semantics?

With market demand for affordable housing projects reportedly on the rise, there is a perceived need for reasonably priced cooling solutions. But what exactly makes an HVAC system affordable? Is equipment selection a simple matter of looking at the initial cost, or should other considerations, like OPEX and energy efficiency be factored in?

By Fatima de la Cerna | Assistant Editor

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Putting things in context

S

audi Arabia’s Deputy Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman made headlines across the globe when he unveiled, on April 25, details of the Kingdom’s Vision 2030, which identifies economic reforms aimed at reducing dependence on oil, diversifying economic revenues and cutting energy subsidies.

Described as an “ambitious but achievable blueprint” for the future, the vision – it must be noted – also highlights the Kingdom’s plan to attend to its growing housing market and increase the number of Saudi homeowners, by “introducing a number of laws and regulations; encouraging the private sector to build houses; and providing funding, mortgage solutions and ownership schemes” that will meet the needs of its citizens.1 Saudi Arabia is not the only country in the GCC region that is taking a closer look at its housing segment. In the first quarter of this year, different media outlets in the UAE reported that in response to growing market demand, industry interest in affordable housing is increasing. The National, for instance, in a February report quoted Land Sterling’s Abdul Basset Betraoui, who made the observation that affordable housing has “kicked off” in the past year and a half.2

Sharing Betraoui’s observation, Kartik Raval, Territory Manager for Air Conditioning Equipment at Leminar Air Conditioning, says that the affordable housing sector is “definitely on the up” and, as proof, points to the various housing initiatives that have been – and are being – launched under the Sheikh Zayed Housing Programme and the Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid Housing Establishment umbrellas. He is quick to note, however, that the term “affordable” has to be viewed in a regional context.

“When we talk of affordable,” he says, “it should always be in regional terms, because some countries’ concept of affordable might be other countries’ idea of luxury.”

His statement echoes the sentiment expressed by Anwaar Al Shimmari, Director of Design at the UAE Ministry of Infrastructure Development and Board Member of the Sheikh Zayed Housing Programme, during the 4th Annual Middle East VRF Conference held in March, organised by CPI Industry. While speaking at the event, Al Shimmari stressed that “affordable” not be used to describe the country’s housing projects, explaining that if people were to look at, for example, the programmes of UN-Habitat, they would realise that what the UAE provides is luxury and not affordability.

Much ado about a word It is not only when used in relation to housing projects that the modifier elicits a cautious response. HVAC industry stakeholders are of the view that the word needs to be clarified when used to refer to cooling solutions, even if the discussion is on how the industry can meet the cooling requirements of the affordable housing segment.

“Affordable is a very general term,” says Azmi Aboul-Hoda, Managing

We need to redefine ‘affordable’ to mean ‘optimised’ cooling solution Director of EMergy. “Many factors should be taken into consideration. Are we talking about affordable in terms of space? How about in terms of initial cost, running cost, maintenance and application?”

He adds that even if a piece of equipment is sold at a cheap price, it is not necessarily affordable, for it could prove expensive down the line, when maintenance and operating costs are calculated. It is for this reason, he reveals, that when clients opt for cooling systems with the lowest initial cost – often split units – his first response is always to try and persuade them to choose better quality products.

Offering a slightly different take on the matter, Scott Coombes, Director of AESG, is of the opinion that the meaning of affordability changes as the focus shifts from one party to another. “It really depends on

May 2016

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Kartik Raval

Azmi Aboul-Hoda

Scott Coombes

who you’re focusing,” he says. “Affordable for a developer is very different from affordable for a tenant. For a developer, an affordable cooling system is one that has low CAPEX, but what’s cheap to a tenant is a system with low utility and running costs, or low utility OPEX. What’s going to be cheap to an owner or an operator is a system that has low maintenance cost, especially if he has tenants for a residential building. Tenants will shoulder the utility cost but not the maintenance cost. So an operator is going to be looking at low maintenance OPEX.” Coombes points out that the situation is not always that simple, as other elements could come into play. “For example, while a developer may look for low CAPEX, he may also know that his property will have better resale value if it has a more efficient cooling system.”

Redefining affordability To help settle the conundrum of what makes a solution affordable, Moutaz Abdalla proposes redefining the word altogether. “We need to redefine ‘affordable’ to mean ‘optimised’ cooling solution,” he says. “I don’t think ‘affordable’ as most people understand it would represent the best word when it comes to cooling solutions.”

Abdalla, who is the Division Manager for Energy Efficiency at AESG, illustrates his comment by drawing a comparison between variable speed chillers and constant speed chillers. “A variable speed chiller is more expensive in terms of initial cost, but its running cost is way less. And that initial cost can be recovered over time – on average of three years, maximum four years, and we’re talking about a full system that will last for 15 to 20 years.”

Naming VRF technology as another

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Moutaz Abdalla

example, he continues, “I’m sure you’ve heard of The Sustainable City. All their villas have VRF systems, which are slightly more expensive than the traditional split unit systems in terms of initial cost, but they are more efficient, and that makes a huge difference.”

To support his statement, he references a study commissioned by RSB Dubai on the market share and efficiency of different cooling solutions, which his company and other consultancy firms worked on. According to the results of the study, VRF technology appears to offer “significantly better efficiency than ducted, split or window AC”.3 Emphasising the need for a change in mindset, Abdalla recommends that people refrain from focusing on what’s cheap and, instead, look at energy efficiency and the longterm costs involved. “If we’re going to assess affordability, then it must be linked to ROI, reliability, ease of installation and maintenance and environmental impact. We should not dwell on the affordability of a cooling system now but on the affordability of that system’s lifecycle cost,” he says.

Getting a different perspective Raval, too, believes that a change in people’s thinking is required, after having noticed that system-selection decisions tend to be dictated by the developer’s or property owner’s plans for the building. He shares his view that clients who will be involved in the operation of the property, typically show more interest in the lifecycle cost of a system, adding, “But if the building is going to be sold off, clients rarely consider other factors outside of CAPEX.” He also agrees that discussions on affordable cooling solutions should take into account all costs involved. He, however, thinks products that

The architect outdid himself

So did the HVAC designer.

EmersonClimateMEA.com/VariableSpeed The Emerson logo is a trademark and a service mark of Emerson Electric Co. Š 2016 Emerson Electric Co.

May 2016

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There are highly efficient one-to-one systems available... If you compared the efficiency of those systems with that of VRF, you’ll see that there’s barely any difference in performance

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have low initial cost should not be automatically dismissed as being inefficient or of having inferior quality. “There are a lot of systems available in the market for housing projects,” he says. “Some of them are high-end and high-spec, but there are products that are economically priced, and yet still offer value for money. One-to-one systems, for example, while relatively cheap, are not only easy to install and commission but also simple to operate and maintain.”

The same cannot be said for VRF systems, he points out. “First of all, price is an issue, because VRF is more expensive. Second, compared to existing one-to-one solutions, which have been used over decades in this country, VRF is quite new. Its maintenance is costlier. Talking about installation, not every contractor working today is geared up to do a VRF installation. And the commissioning of VRF systems require laptops and certain software, which is not the case for one-to-one. Any technician in town can install a one-to-one split unit, and they don’t need software or a laptop to do commissioning.”

With regard to energy efficiency, he claims that comparisons between VRFs and one-to-one systems are not always done in a fair manner. He elaborates: “When people do a comparison, they normally compare the least efficient one-to-one system in the market with a VRF [system]. Why is that when there are highly efficient one-to-one systems available? If you compared the efficiency of those systems with that of VRF, you’ll see that there’s barely any difference in performance.”

Comparison errors Industry players making flawed comparisons, Aboul-Hoda reveals, is among the biggest challenges in the HVAC sector, and one that has resulted in erroneous purchase decisions.

“In chilled water systems, for instance, the choice of control valves significantly affects the performance of the equipment,” he says. “They work within a certain range of pressure, and when the pressure goes beyond that range, the valves become ineffective. This can be avoided through the use of either Pressure Independent Control Valves (PICVs) or differential pressure controllers.”

The problem, he declares, is that many designers continue to design systems with 2-way and 3-way valves, technologies that are at least 30 and 40 years old, respectively. “PICVs and differential pressure controllers, on the other hand, are around 10-15 years old, but designers seldom use them,” he observes, saying that the reason often given is the price difference – an argument that he thinks is invalid.

“There’s no big difference when it comes to costs,” he says. “Sure, a PICV is more expensive than a 2-way [valve]. But when you install a 2-way valve, you also need a Double Regulating Valve (DRV), something that you don’t need with a PICV. So you are actually getting the more efficient PICV for the price of a 2-way [valve] and a DRV. And yet, there are engineers who tell their clients that PICVs are more expensive, without thinking about the added cost of the DRV.” Citing comparisons between the initial cost of VRF systems and that of chilled-water systems or packaged units as another case in point, Aboul-Hoda notes that CAPEX discussions tend to not include the costs of component parts or accessories. “VRF is on the expensive side, that’s true; but a VRF system comes with several components from the first shot,” he says.

“Suppliers will give you a quotation for the whole system, including the components. With the others, you get a separate quotation for the equipment itself and another for – in the case of chilled water – the pumps and valves.”

Despite making that observation, AboulHoda stresses that he is not prescribing VRF systems as the sole answer to the cooling needs of the affordable housing segment, since cooling requirements vary from one project to another.

“For huge villa projects that have, for instance, a 5,000-square-metre built-up area, I would personally go for chilled water, as it offers better control and better indoor air comfort,” he says.

“But if we’re talking about a 400-square-metre villa, justifying the choice of chilled water over VRF will be difficult.”

An oversized problem Another example of a costly miscalculation that industry players make is oversizing, says AboulHoda, who claims that it’s a problem he has discovered while conducting energy audits. “All of the buildings I’ve audited suffer from oversizing,” he says. “One residential building here in Dubai, for instance, had four chillers, even though it only required one, or two at most, with one as standby.

We know this, because when we checked the operating hours of the chillers, one was operated around 8,700 hours per year, while the other three each clocked in only 15 hours per year.”

Attributing the problem to the practice of “rounding up”, he explains: “Engineers in the design chain tend to ‘round up’ measurements.

For example, while designing the cooling load of a building, one person measures the envelope by measuring the wall, and it is 1.2 metres, but he rounds it up to 1.5 metres. Then you have another

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Expert-speak

Prashanth BS, General Manager of the Air Conditioning Business Group at Eros Group, identifies different measures that he says can be implemented easily during the design and construction stages of buildings.

The following measures, he claims, can help cut cooling-related costs...

Insulating surfaces To keep heat from entering the home, use thermal insulation with superior K value, thermal conductivity, water vapour permeance and permeability for hot surfaces, like walls, roofs and attic floors; and cold surfaces, like ducts and pipes. Fire and smoke ratings of the material selected should meet or exceed local fire and safety codes and properties.

Physically cross-linked foam insulation materials like polyolefin-based insulation, with at least 0.032 W/mk thermal conductivity, are easy and quick to install. The cost can be recouped quickly in the form of low energy bills throughou the year.

Double glazing glass windows with lower U-value (thermal transmittance) Windows that are constructed with an air gap between two glass panes, with a reflective outside glass equipped with high U-value, will help not only by blocking the heat but also by reflecting it, thereby allowing only sufficient light inside to keep the spaces lit. By selecting and installing double glazing instead of single glazing, the amount of energy lost can be reduced by up to 75%, and cooling bills lowered by up to 20% each year.

Heat loss is normally measured by the thermal transmittance or U-value, usually expressed in W/m2K. In its most basic terms, the lower the

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U-value, the greater the thermal insulation; however, the amount of solar gains or g-value can also have a big impact.

Window Energy Ratings or WERs, which take account of solar gains, provide good indicators of how energy-efficient windows for homes can be. The Window Energy Ratings Scheme is based on a scale of A+ to G, with A+ rated windows being the most energyefficient.

Applying reflective barriers Dark-coloured home exteriors absorb 70% to 90% of the radiant energy from the sun that strikes the home’s surfaces.

Some of this absorbed energy is transferred inside by way of conduction, resulting in heat gain. In contrast, light-coloured surfaces effectively reflect most of the heat away from your home. Another way to reflect incoming heat is to install radiant barriers on surfaces.

Utilising shading This is the simplest, most effective way to cool spaces and reduce energy consumption. Up to 40% of the costs of cooling can be saved by utilising shading techniques, such as overhangs,

landscaping and working the drapes and blinds. Drapes and curtains made of light-coloured fabrics reflect much of the sun’s rays and help reduce heat gain.

The tighter the curtain is to the wall, the better it will reduce heat gain. Two-layered drapes are most effective for summer cooling. Blinds, although not as effective as drapes, can be adjusted to let in some light, while reflecting the bulk of the sun’s heat. The more reflective side of the blinds should face outward.

Reducing heat sources Heat generated within the house can contribute significantly to the costs of cooling. Switch to energy-efficient LED bulbs, because only five per cent of the energy that goes into a typical incandescent bulb comes out as light. The remaining 95% comes out as heat. Though they are initially more expensive, they are actually more affordable than incandescent bulbs in the long run, because they use less energy and last much longer.

Fresh-air cooling contributes the highest to the cooling load.

Therefore, reducing the amount of fresh air to be cooled, coupled with the use of ventilation recovery systems and demand ventilation, will help.

Sealing and insulating ducts and pipes Many spaces with central cooling have ducts that run through the attic and plenum space. If the seams in these ducts are leaky, especially in the attic or plenum, they lose cooled air into the house, creating additional load for the system.

Ducts and pipes that have very cold surfaces in unconditioned spaces should be sealed and insulated by qualified professionals using appropriate sealing materials. Don’t place thermostats in areas directly hit by sunlight.

Select high-efficiency cooling solutions Technologies like inverter compressors, variable speed pump systems, programmable thermostats, demand ventilation and energy recovery systems can all add up to bring in highefficiency cooling solutions.

Though they are initially more expensive, they are actually less costly in the longer run, because they use less energy and last much longer. Investment costs will be recouped quickly, since you’ll be paying lower energy bills throughout the year.

Smart solutions for small homes or apartments can add value, while controlling and monitoring energy bills being paid to run cooling systems. For larger buildings, minimum-level BMS is a must to control and monitor the system, in addition to raising alarms and fault handling.

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There are engineers who tell their clients that PICVs are more expensive, without thinking about the added cost of the DRV guy in the chain measuring the area and height of the external walls, and he rounds up both figures.

Those additions build-up, and then at the end of the day, standards tell us that we are allowed to keep 10 to 15% safety factor.”

The safety factor, he adds, is something that many designers take advantage of, because they think that oversized is better than undersized.

“So they add the safety factor, and they come up with a figure like 2.3 TR. They take that figure to a manufacturer, who tells them that the first unit above 2.3 is 2.5. Again we are adding 10-15%.

All that rounding up is why oversizing is such a big problem not only in the UAE and the Middle East but also in other parts of the world. And needless to say, oversized systems are not exactly affordable.”

Rating building performance To address the problem of oversizing, AboulHoda believes that authorities ought to look at introducing an assessment scheme for the overall energy performance of buildings.

It’s an idea that Coombes also brings up, saying: “It’s an important step that the government needs to make towards certifying existing or new buildings in terms of their energy efficiency. If you have some sort of energy performance certificate for a new build or a building to go on lease, the actual performance of the cooling system becomes very important.

Developers, then, would start taking OPEX into consideration, instead of driving directly towards the cheapest CAPEX.” Expressing optimism that the market will respond well to an energy performance certificate for a building or residential unit, Coombes adds: “I think that’s something that will definitely, in the future, affect developers who, being very costconscious, have used low-quality systems, because it will show in their energy performance. And as soon as tenants start to gain more information on how buildings actually perform, developers and operators and property owners will start to make

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more sensible decisions.”

Design matters While he believes that it is imperative that clients be encouraged, through standards and regulations, to make informed choices when it comes to what qualifies as an “affordable” cooling solution, Coombes states that consultants and other industry players should also do their part to help clients maximise their investment.

“We specialise in introducing ecological footprint in the built environment,” says Coombes, “Hence, from our point of view, it is paramount to introduce energy-efficient products very early in the design stage. In our experience, whenever we are able to introduce them early enough, we do find that clients are able to cut costs in other elements of the building, like envelope or glazing or even mechanical equipment.”

Adding to Coombes’ statement, Abdalla applies his preference for the term “optimised” to building design, saying: “If there’s one area that we’ve been able to help a lot of clients with, it is in reducing the size of the cooling system required by optimising the architectural design of the building.

And we do this by using passive cooling techniques that help reduce the cooling load, which, in turn, reduce the cost for the client.”

References:

1. http://saudigazette.com.sa/saudi-arabia/full-text-saudiarabias-vision-2030/

2. http://www.thenational.ae/business/property/affordable-dubaihomes-will-keep-residents-in-uae-for-longer-says-expert 3. http://www.rsbdubai.gov.ae/dubai-cooling-study/

HAVE YOUR SAY!

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

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Prasad Natraj is General Manager, AAF International Air Filtration Systems. He can be contacted at Pnatraj@aaf-ae.com

ERSPECTIVE

REJUVENATING BUILDING EXHAUST AIR Building exhaust air from commercial buildings has typically been thermally conditioned.

Building exhaust air is typically dispensed to the outdoor air, requiring energy to condition replacement outdoor ventilation air. The general assumption is that building exhaust air is “contaminated”, says Prasad Natraj.

D

istinguishing the true Green strategies from the “green washing” that currently exists in the Green Building industry can be challenging. However, sometimes, a concept comes along that intuitively makes sense. This is the case with Building Exhaust Air Recycling Strategy (hereafter called the recycle strategy). This principle involves the recycling of building exhaust air by providing proven air cleaning technology for the removal of particulates and gaseous contaminants.

Throwing away valuable conditioned air is not “Green” or cost effective when it can be filtered and reused.

The strategy has been implemented in several building types, including hotels, theatres, arenas and office buildings. Buildings that require exhaust air due to odour issues, including

The recycle strategy involves installing particulate and gasphase filtration to clean the air for the reclassification of Class 2 air to Class 1 air. A good filtration system removes particulate and gaseous contaminants, including airborne chemicals that may be an irritant or have offensive odours. Figures 2 and 4 show how using the recycle strategy can reduce the outdoor air ventilation required for the guest room.

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May 2016

100% Outdoor Air Serving Corridor

restrooms and locker rooms, are good candidate buildings for this solution.

Hotel buildings Hotels are unique buildings with a rest room in each guest room and a high density of people within the building. This uniqueness results in significant quantities of outdoor ventilation air and exhaust air requirements. Providing outdoor ventilation air to the guest rooms can be a challenge in order to ensure the required air distribution in the room is achieved.

Figures 1 and 3 illustrate two different ventilation configurations for a typical hotel guest room, which require different outdoor ventilation rates according to widely accepted ventilation standards. Both of these configurations can benefit from the recycle strategy by reducing the outdoor air ventilation rate to the guest rooms by recycling the exhaust air from

Air Toilet

Air Toilet

Corridor Makeup Ventilation Air

Reduced Outdoor Air Ventilation

Corridor Makeup Ventilation Air

Figure 3: Outdoor air ventilation provided by direct ducted distribution – better air distribution effectiveness lower ventilation rate required.

Figure 1: 100% outdoor air serving the corridor and drawn into the guest room by the continuous toilet exhaust –poor air distribution effectiveness, higher ventilation rate required.

Cleaned Air (Class 1 Air)

Cleaned Air (Class 1 Air) Toilet Exhaust (Class2 Air)

Toilet Exhaust (Class2 Air)

Figure 2: Air filtration system provides control of chemicals and particulates for the recycling of toilet exhaust air back into the building for a corridor make-up air configuration.

Direct Ducted Outdoor Ventilation Air

Reduced Outdoor Air Ventilation Rate Direct Ducted Ventilation Air

Figure 4: Air filtration system provides control of chemicals and particulates for the recycling of toilet exhaust air back into the building for a direct ducted ventilation configuration.

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ERSPECTIVE

the guest room toilet exhaust system.

How can exhaust air be recycled?

ASHRAE standard 62.1*, which has widely been accepted as code, classifies toilet exhaust air as Class 2 air, which is defined as “Air with moderate contaminant concentration, mild sensoryirritation intensity, or moderately offensive odours”. The standard has a provision, which allows for the reclassification of Class 2 air to Class 1 air, when air cleaning is provided. Class 1 air is defined as “Air with low contaminant concentration, low sensory-irritation intensity, and inoffensive odour”. Therefore, exhaust air from guest room toilets can be recycled, provided the appropriate air cleaning filtration system is installed to control particulate and gaseous contaminants.

Reduce carbon footprint To illustrate the success of the recycle strategy in a hotel application, gas-phase and particulate filtration products were installed and an extensive environmental characterisation was performed for a large hotel. The hotel has been recycling approximately 80,000 cubic feet per minute (cfm) of guest room toilet exhaust for many years, which would otherwise have been conditioned for temperature and moisture removal.

The energy cost savings associated with the recycle strategy has been estimated to be USD 121,000 annually1. This equates to an annual energy savings of approximately 1.3 million kWh annually2. In addition, there was a corresponding carbon footprint reduction of approximately 934 metric tons of CO2.

The Green Recycle solution Figure 5 shows the configuration of the recycle strategy at this hotel, where guest room toilet exhaust air is being recycled back into the building where ventilation is provided Reduced via an atrium makeoutdoor air up air configuration (similar to Figure 3). ventilation

Class 2 Air

Gas-phase filtration reduces chemical concentrations by 40%

Figure 5: Recycle strategy at work saving energy at a hotel in the southeast United States

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May 2016

The team performed an environmental characterisation involving monitoring and sampling for indoor air contaminants within the exhaust air from the guest

room bathrooms (before filtration), in the air being recycled back into the hotel building (after filtration), and in the outdoor air. The environmental parameters measured included the following: • Airborne Chemicals - VOCs (EPA method TO-15) - Aldehydes (EPA method TO-11A) - Ammonia and Hydrogen Sulphide • Bioaerosols - Fungi (non-viable and viable) - Bacteria (Coliforms with isolation of E.coli sp.)

Results of the sampling and monitoring were compared to industry guidelines, including ASHRAE Standard 62.1-2010 (Table B-3 “Concentrations of Interest for Selected Volatile Organic Compounds”), and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA's) Building Assessment and Survey Evaluation (BASE) study. Chemical and biological findings were generally found to be less than the levels recommended by cognizant authorities, including EPA, California Office of Environmental Health Hazard Assessment (OEHHA), and Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry (ATSDR) and/or lower than what has been found in non-problem office buildings (using findings from BASE).

The gas-phase filtration system reduced the chemical concentrations by approximately 40%, ensuring a safe and odour-free reintroduction of exhaust air back into the hotel building as Class 1 air.

Conclusion Recycling building exhaust air for energy savings and reduced greenhouse gases with the recycle strategy would be a good idea for a more sustainable growth.

Due to the prevalent weather conditions in Middle East, most of the occupied space is conditioned. It is, therefore, advisable to utilise this Green initiative to not only reduce outside air, the carbon footprint and equipment costs but also effectively bring down size to suit building requirements, from a design standpoint.

References:

1. Estimate presented at ASHARE Winter Conference 2009, Seminar 58 (Intermediate). Achieving Sustainability and Energy Reduction through the IAQ Procedure: Case Studies of Success; H.E. Barney Burroughs “Attaining Sustainability Using IAQP: Documentation of Successful Building Performance in 15 IAQP Sites in Atlanta”.

2. Based on electricity rate of $0.08/kWh. 3. Bryan Ligman, CIEC, Technical Market Manager, Gas-Phase Filtration. Brad Stanley, LEED AP, Global Technical Support Leader, Gas-Phase Filtration.

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.

May 2016

23

INTERVIEW

‘I think we’re on the cusp of a golden age – a new renaissance’

ASHRAE President-Elect, Timothy Wentz, in conversation with Fatima de la Cerna of Climate Control Middle East, reveals his plans for the Society, and shares his thoughts on a wide range of topics, including the Internet of Things, the Paris Agreement, the future of refrigerants and Al Gore’s An Inconvenient Truth, which is celebrating the 10th anniversary of its release.

W

hat can we expect from ASHRAE under your guidance?

There are three broad directives* that I’d like to see ASHRAE employ to take us to the next level. One’s on technology, which is changing rapidly, and I see the fabric of our industry changing with it. ASHRAE needs to be at the cutting edge of this transformation, empowering its members to adapt.

The second broad directive is on education. I think there’s a thirst worldwide for application-based education, and that’s one of ASHRAE’s strengths, because we have around 55,000 practising professionals – men and women around the world who know what works, how it works and why it works – and we’re going to empower them to deliver that knowledge.

And, in connection to that, the third directive is empowering chapters, like the Falcon Chapter. The Falcon Chapter is a great chapter, but we’re going to talk about what we can do to make it even better and how we can take its energy and knowledge and apply it to Dubai and Abu Dhabi and to the community, so the community can see what ASHRAE can do.

Considering that not all countries have access to the latest innovations in technology, how big a role does – and will – technology play in the global drive to achieve sustainable development?

I think technology is going to proliferate and the world will

24

May 2016

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INTERVIEW

be able to benefit from it. I don’t think it’ll make any difference if you’re in Lincoln, Nebraska – where I’m from – or Dubai, UAE. Technology is going to be available to you, and it’s going to change the way you design and construct buildings. And it’s going to change how you operate and maintain buildings. So I think that the difference people see between developed and developing countries is going to go away, and we’re all going to have a single platform of technology, from which we’ll operate.

The past couple of years have seen IoT become a buzzword in the industry. Do you see it growing bigger?

Maybe the answer is to get rid of the vapour compression cycle and go for a completely different way of creating chilled water and eliminate the refrigerant altogether 26

May 2016

Yes, absolutely. The Internet of Things is one of those emerging trends that are going to change our buildings for the better. With IoT, everything will be able communicate with everything else, allowing us to optimise building performance, which is something we haven’t been able to do to this point. Our designs and construction methods, to a large extent, have been prescriptive instead of performance-based, and IoT is going to allow us to design and construct, based on how we want the building to perform – and that’ll be the new world.

There is, however, a downside to it. As IoT expands and more systems talk to each other, cyber security will become a major issue. That’ something we’re going to spend a lot of time on, trying to ensure that smart buildings, smart grids and IoT don’t create security problems for our clients and members.

But really, I think we’re on the cusp of a golden age – a new renaissance. This technology is going to drive us towards a more integrated design, and once we get into a more integrated design, we’ll be able to design around performance rather than going by the traditional prescriptive fashion.

How about Indoor Environmental Quality (IEQ)? Where is ASHRAE currently on IEQ, and where is it going?

ASHRAE is deeply involved in three main areas: energy efficiency in buildings, Indoor Air Quality (IAQ) and human comfort. All three are related.

Here in Dubai, in the peak of summer, a building will use 70% of its energy for air conditioning – and that’s a huge number. What happens is, when energy consumption is so high, IAQ tends to be forgotten or is regarded as less important, which it isn’t. We think that through IoT, big data and other technological advances, we will be able to optimise energy consumption, IAQ and human comfort, all at the same time.

That’s going to take a level of sophistication we haven’t had yet, and quite frankly, it’s going to take hardware and software we haven’t

had yet. But we’re right on the cusp of it. And so we’re going to be able to address some of those issues that we struggle with, not just in Dubai but worldwide.

With new technologies in the market, standards have also become more stringent, and are expected to grow even more rigorous as a result of COP 21 or the Paris Agreement. How do you see the agreement affecting the industry? What long-term effect will it have?

COP 21 is going to change the way we approach standards, something that you can already observe in ASHRAE. We are putting in compliance paths for performance-based design, and what you’ll see is us moving towards more performancebased application and less reliance on prescriptive methods. As far as I’m concerned, that’s the only way that we, as a world community, are going to be able to comply with the COP 21 requirements, which are absolutely necessary.

You know, they say that buildings are the lowhanging fruit when it comes to saving energy and reducing emissions. If that is indeed the case, then that will be our position; and if that position is true, the question then becomes: What do you do with a planet’s worth of buildings, from many different cultures and built with different construction methods and materials? How do you get everybody to, first of all, buy in and be on the same path that will create the kind of carbon and energy savings necessary to reach that aggressive goal of below two degrees C? That’s not going to be easy. You take the culture here in Dubai, for example, and compare it to the culture in Nebraska, where we use a lot of wood in construction. There’s not much wood here and we have different climates, and so our buildings don’t behave the same way. So it seems to me that we have to come together on a global initiative like COP 21, but we have to understand that the answer is going to be local. We have to look into local solutions that have the same purpose and the same overall goal.

The INDCs (Intended Nationally Determined Contributions) are supposed to serve that purpose, right?

They’re meant to provide guidance by setting targets. Implementationwise, though, how can those targets be achieved? And are they even feasible?

In that aspect again, technology will be one of the drivers. Right now, you and I are sitting here, thinking that okay, we know what kind of refrigerants exist today. We know that we have to go for zero-ODP and low-GWP refrigerants, but that’s assuming a vapour compression cycle.

Maybe the answer is to get rid of the vapour compression cycle and

May 2016

27

INTERVIEW

go for a completely different way of creating chilled water and eliminate the refrigerant altogether. I mean, we need to look at this through new eyes; but the goal is clear. We have to have that kind of aggressive goal, or there won’t be anything pushing us to create new refrigerants or get rid of refrigerants, whatever the answer’s going to be.

What’s your take on natural refrigerants?

I think natural refrigerants will have a role, at least in the near future. The problem with natural refrigerants is that some are flammable and some are toxic. ASHRAE is working hard on our two main refrigerant standards – Standards 15 and 34. ASHRAE is in the process of revising both to look at and incorporate what we call the 2L refrigerants, which are flammable. They are excellent refrigerants with great potential, except that they are mildly flammable. We want to be able to use those refrigerants, but we want to make sure that they are used properly and don’t endanger the health and safety of building occupants and of the maintenance staff.

What do you think is keeping the industry from reaching a consensus on refrigerants?

The problem isn’t just a lack of consensus. There’s also the question of availability. What refrigerants are available in the local area? It’s also an efficiency issue. Some are more efficient than others. On this, we get back to the topic of culture and what I’ve observed in the Middle East. Many Middle Eastern countries heavily subsidise energy cost, which disincentivises people from saving energy. Not only that, if you do a lifecycle cost analysis on a 2L refrigerant in an area where energy costs are highly subsidised, you’re unlikely to get the answer you should be getting.

The UAE has actually started introducing subsidy reforms.

Yes, I understand that Dubai and Abu Dhabi are working towards resolving those high subsidies. But, you know, all countries use subsidies to some extent. The United States, which prides itself on being a marketdriven society, actually subsidises energy considerably, in different ways. I’m talking about natural gas, gasoline and electricity; and it has the same impact on the United States as it does on the UAE. It disincentivises people from making the decisions they should be making. The IMF, in fact, has called for an end to energy subsidies worldwide, having

28

May 2016

We are making a conscious effort to ensure that there is representation from outside North America in our standards, standing and grassroots committees estimated incentives to be about USD 1.9 trillion. That’s a lot.

Another thing we keep hearing about is carbon taxes. Talking about the United States, for the first time in my memory I heard a Republican candidate and a Democratic candidate for president, both recommend a carbon tax. Extrapolating that one point, I think the United States is starting to seriously look at carbon tax as one method of putting the incentives in the right place. So we’ll see what the future holds for that.

Speaking of politicians and the environment, it’s been 10 years since Al Gore released the documentary An Inconvenient Truth. Could you comment on the relevance of his message to present times?

I think Al Gore’s message that our climate is changing is correct. I don’t think there’s much scientific evidence against that.

But I think that a lot of what he said was discounted owing to him being a politician and not a scientist.

My own position on it is that it’s clear that the climate is changing. That is why COP 21 is so important. Now, the debate as to why it’s changing – to me, it’s not a debate at all. The question should be: Do we have a moral duty to be a good steward to our planet? If the answer is yes, then we should be doing things to protect the

May 2016

29

INTERVIEW

The IMF has called for an end to energy subsidies worldwide, having estimated incentives to be about USD 1.9 trillion environment, regardless if the climate is changing because of human action or because of something else. There are those that claim that it’s not human action; that it’s just a normal cycle. But that doesn’t make a difference. That’s the wrong question. The right question is, like I said, do we have a moral duty to be good stewards? For me, the answer is yes. And because the answer is yes, then we need to do whatever is necessary to make things like COP 21 real. COP 21 is challenging, and there’s some scientific difference of opinion on how we can achieve a limit of two degrees C in temperature increase. It is a complex issue. It’s not going to be easy work, but it’s important work, and one that we need to start right away.

Going back to ASHRAE, I’m sure you’re aware that it has its share of critics who believe that its standards are not suited to the conditions of the Gulf.

Yes, I’ve heard that criticism before.

ASHRAE is trying to become more global and, just to give you an example, ASHRAE only has four vice presidents for the whole planet, and one of them lives in Kuwait. Moreover, my executive committee will be 40% from outside North America. That’s a fairly significant movement.

We are also making a conscious effort to ensure that there is representation from outside North America in our standards, standing and grassroots committees. In fact,

I recently announced that the first Board of Directors meeting outside of North America will be held this fall in Bangkok, Thailand. The entire Board will be going, and it will be done in conjunction with the Region-atLarge Chapter regional conference. I think there’s very clear evidence that ASHRAE is committed to becoming more global and making our product more global.

Anything else we could look forward to from the Society?

We’re just having a banner year; we really are. Our research promotion campaign hit an all-time high last year, and we will be committing close to USD 5 million in new research money this year for our members to research exactly the issues that you’ve mentioned.

Our show – our expo – has been setting records, and we don’t want to take that for granted. We’ll be in Las Vegas next winter, and that show has already broken the record we just broke last year. And when you look at the vendors and equipment suppliers, we have a higher percentage coming from outside North America.

In fact, the fastest growing portion of ASHRAE’s membership is outside North America. Over 20% of our members are now from outside the region. It’s an exciting momentum for the Society.

As I mentioned earlier, we’re experiencing a kind of renaissance in our industry.

*See related story at http://climatecontrolme.com/2016/03/ashrae-president-elect-reveals-threedirectives-for-upcoming-term/

HAVE YOUR SAY!

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

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May 2016

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POST-EVENT REPORT

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rence e f n o C w lo F t frigeran e R le b a i had r t a a V h t t s y a E r t s le u d d d i n RF i al M The 4th Annu rom issues plaguing the V nd cast a forwarda f moved away last edition of the event, and how the technology e h dominated th t opportunities for growt ental goals. We bring you a looking gaze egion achieve its environm r can help the report. t the post-even res Writer

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he 4th Annual Middle East Variable Refrigerant Flow Conference, produced by CPI Industry, publishers of Climate Control Middle East magazine, held on March 21 and 22 at Al Murooj Rotana, Dubai, opened to a packed audience comprising end-users, consultants and manufacturers. The high point of the conference was the unprecedented support and endorsement from a number of government and quasigovernment bodies, such as the UAE Ministry of Climate Change & Environment, the UAE Ministry of Infrastructure Development, GCC Standardization Organization (GSO) and Gulf Organisation for Research & Development (GORD).

B Surendar, Editorial Director and Associate Publisher at CPI Industry, set the direction and tone of the conference in his introductory speech, when he said: “Even till the previous edition of this conference, the

Jasim Mohamed Al Ali

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May 2016

THE 4TH ANNUAL MIDDLE EAST

VARIABLE REFRIGERANT FLOW CONFERENCE 21-22 MARCH 2016 • AL YASAT BALLROOM AL MUROOJ ROTANA, DUBAI, UAE

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discussions on VRF systems were laced with cynicism and doubt. Since then, the industry has gone from strength to strength, and today, the general view is that VRF systems have reached quite a pinnacle in terms of development.”

He promised that the conference would be a departure from earlier editions, because the programme agenda had been designed to reflect the recent developments. “We are gathered here to discuss the opportunities for growth, and at how VRF systems can help the region achieve its environmental goals,” he said.

Surendar’s speech was followed by a keynote address by Essa Al Hashmi, Undersecretary Assistant of Environmental Affairs, UAE Ministry of Climate Change & Environment, who revealed the Dubai Pathway on HFCs. He reminded the audience that the global warming potential of HFCs was 15,000 times greater than that of CO2, and that emissions of HFCs have been increasing seven per cent per year. To counter this, he said, 197 parties had agreed at the COP 21 meeting to control the use of HFCs by working together to an HFC amendment this year. Applauding the VRF industry, he said: “The contribution of your industry is highly significant to realise the goals of the Paris Agreement and the Montreal Protocol.

We look forward to working together for the best solution for a sustainable city.”

In the plenary address which followed, Anwaar Al Shimmari, Director of Design, UAE Ministry of Infrastructure Development; and Board Member, Sheikh Zayed Housing Programme, covering a wide arc, spoke about the rationale behind the UAE Ministry of Infrastructure Development, which focused on happiness, innovation, the UAE National Agenda (UAE Vision 2021), R&D, HVAC/ ASHRAE policies and guidelines and social media and awareness, among other topics. “We cannot just assume that District Cooling or VRF is the optimum solution, unless we forget about the sight of financial impact as of ROI,” she said. She added, “Awareness is very important.”

The panel discussion that ensued was moderated by Jasim Mohamed Al Ali, Manager - Major Projects, Infrastructure Power & Water

L-R: Holley Ch

ant, Imad Shab ita

May 2016

33

POST-EVENT REPORT

THE 4TH ANNUAL MIDDLE EAST

VARIABLE REFRIGERANT FLOW CONFERENCE 21-22 MARCH 2016 • AL YASAT BALLROOM AL MUROOJ ROTANA, DUBAI, UAE

SO, dwelt searcher, G e R s rd lans. a d itt, Stan d future p rek M Al-S t status an Ta n e y rr b i cu d ss u – re dd r VRF d by Sa A special a ulations fo as submitte apacity chnical reg t a draft w ) for high-c a O th S A id (S sa on Gulf te n e o h ti a s, y iz n rg n o e a ti gula imum En ality Org On VRF re gy and Qu es the Min capacity fi lo e ci o rg e tr e la sp r M h fo Standards, rs, the scope of whic sting requirements i d u a ne d te ss in S air conditio tandard (MEPS) an under proce rticipate n o ti la S u g a ce p ft re Performan re is a dra facturers to al ners. “The VRF manu the Technic ard’s in te a air conditio t said. He invited all ip ic rt nd a a p st n ft it ca S lthe dra it. “You Arabia,” A lvement in ject drafts. Your compiling f vo o in ss ct e ce ir ro d to pro in the p and have arly access dard.” e meeting u will get e every stan o f Committe “Y o . t n id e sa m e p h lo ” t, ve n e e d m y develop me in earl on is welco participati

Planning - Distribution Planning, at the Dubai Electricity and Water Authority (DEWA). The topic under discussion was positioning megaevents, such as Dubai EXPO 2020 and FIFA World Cup 2022, in the context of building sustainable cities in the GCC region.

The participants, Al Shimmari, PR Jagannathan, Manager - Sustainability at TRAKHEES, and Dr Esam Elsarrag, Director of Research and Development, GORD, discussed the two events as milestones within the framework of long-term sustainable development vision and the roadmap of the region. They also exchanged their views on how to avoid possible pitfalls arising out of challenging delivery schedules that can compromise energy efficiency and broad resource conservation goals, along with the road ahead for VRFs and the opportunity the two events presented.

Al Shimmari spoke of how factors, such as cost of technology and proximity to maintenance services were deciding factors while choosing any HVAC technology. “People do not pay taxes, so there is no ROI for the government by providing expensive systems,” she said. When it comes to maintenance, the Ministry is looking for the right suppliers in the right location, she said. “We cannot get maintenance engineers from Dubai to Fujairah each time there is a problem,” she pointed out, and added that VRF manufacturers would need to establish a maintenance infrastructure for the system to find acceptance in places other Anwaar Al Shimmari than Dubai and Abu Dhabi.

When the discussion veered towards stadiums to be used for the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar, Dr Elsarrag said that while the stadiums being developed will rely on chilledwater systems to provide

34

May 2016

s…

proces e h t f o t r a p Be a

There are no opportunities for VRF systems in any of the World Cup stadiums in Qatar, but there are going to be 60 training pitches across the country cooling, there are several other projects where they probably cannot be an option, because to date, the reticulation networks do not exist.

“There are no opportunities for VRF systems in any of the World Cup stadiums in Qatar, but there are going to be 60 training pitches across the country,” Dr Elsarrag said. “They are spread out and, hence, cannot be connected to a District Cooling network.” The training pitches will have allied building facilities, which will need air conditioning, and that is where there is an opportunity for cooling approaches other than

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District Cooling. Those projects will have to rely on standalone systems, including, possibly, VRF systems, he added.

Dr Elsarrag also made a presentation, which threw light on Global Sustainability Assessment System (GSAS) Energy and HVAC systems-compliance for the FIFA World Cup 2022 air conditioned stadiums.

He stressed that HVAC simulation was key to modelling the plant operation of the stadiums. “HVAC system simulation controls the volume of airflow supplied to each conditioned zone, the supply temperature, as well as the condition of the entering air,” he said.

Roxy Binno, Expert of Planning & Urban Design - Planning Research Section, at Dubai Municipality, gave a presentation on Dubai Municipality’s USD 9.5 billion Desert Rose Smart Sustainable City project. He revealed that the city is expected to house 160,000 inhabitants and will cover 4,000 hectares of land. In order to achieve larger renewable coverage, the application of District Cooling system for the city centre and the neighbourhoods was needed, he said. The total electricity demand for cooling may be reduced by 50% by using District Cooling instead of VRF equipment for neighbourhoods, he explained, which he said, would not go down well with the VRF manufacturers present in the audience.

A timely panel debate comprising Al Shimmari, Binno, Nawal Al Hanaei, Director of Engineering & Land Department & Head of Building Section at Fujairah Municipality, and Nesar Reza Khan, Head - Sales & Investments at GGICO Properties, focused on whether affordable housing projects for the GCC region’s citizens represent a strong lifeline to sustain the VRF momentum. In this context, Al Shimmari said: “Affordability is

ete, Fa t, Sachin Neh rmesh Sawan

not the right word when we are talking about housing in Dubai. Housing is about being sustainable. This is one of the things we are targeting.”

When it came to VRFs, Khan said, “There is definitely a lot of room for growth for VRFs. VRF has been traditionally known for horizontal developments. In terms of investments it’s definitely very cost effective.” He then asked, “But is it a matter of educating all the stakeholders in the industry?” His unequivocal answer was, “Definitely.”

The panel discussion on retrofitting and VRFs looked at market opportunities retrofit programmes offered vis-a-vis the VRF industry. What emerged were ways that manufacturers can showcase the advantages of using VRF systems, including the relative simplicity of the wiring work and – given the fact that the number of outdoor units in a typical project are reduced by a third – the speedy execution of a retrofit activity. Al Shimmari; Majd Fayyad, Technical Officer at Emirates Green Building Council and Jayachandran S, Project Manager at Energy Management Services, participated in the discussion. “VRFs are lightweight, modular, they can fit into elevators and they don’t need cranes for installation, which makes them attractive, especially when we are considering retrofitting,” said Fayyad. “This makes them much easier for retrofitting.”

Jayachandran agreed, and added that VRF systems were gaining traction.

What followed was the industry leadership address by Tugrul Kumal, Regional Director, B2B Sales & Product Marketing - Air conditioners, at Hisense Middle East, who spoke on whether R-32 could be a successor to R-410A in VRF technology. He highlighted that R-32 has a significant cost advantage compared to R-410A; however, safety was still an issue, he warned.

VRFs can fit into elevators and don’t need cranes for installation, which makes them attractive, especially when we are considering retrofitting Dharmesh Sawant, Senior Manager HVAC Engineering at 1 Team LG Electronics Gulf (Middle East & Africa), in his technical presentation, drew attention to the feasibility of VRF systems in low- and-highrise buildings, while Hans Reinders, CEO, Oxycom, took the audience through the subject – Future Technology Trends in Energy Efficient Cooling and Ventilation. Reinders said: “Air conditioning and ventilation with much less energy and cost, and hardly any CO2 emissions, is possible. Technological innovation is the way forward to reach sustainability goals.”

Net-zero-energy revolution was the focus of the next panel discussion, with Imad Shabita, MEP Division Director at Diamond Developers, and Holley Chant, Executive Director, Corporate Sustainability at KEO,

May 2016

35

THE 4TH ANNUAL MIDDLE EAST

VARIABLE REFRIGERANT FLOW CONFERENCE 21-22 MARCH 2016 • AL YASAT BALLROOM AL MUROOJ ROTANA, DUBAI, UAE

Essa Al Hashmi

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POST-EVENT REPORT

International Consultants participating.

Chant’s contention was that there was a need to agree on the definition of zero energy, because there weren’t specific KPIs, as in LEED, GSAS or Estidama, yet. “There are four different ways you can define zero energy,” she pointed out. “It is actually much simpler than that. It’s how much you use and how much you offset.”

Day 1 ended with a panel discussion on VRFs from the developers’ perspective – their experiences with and expectations from the systems. The participants were Nesar Reza Khan, Head - Sales & Investments at GGICO Properties, Fawaz Al Taher, Senior MEP Engineer at Diamond Developers; Emad Mukhalalaty, Managing Director of Altaaqa Alternative Solutions (Zahid Group) and Sathisha Shetty, Project Engineer MEP, Engineering & Project, Management Department, at Emirates National Oil Company Limited (ENOC). Mukhalalaty, expressing his view point, said: “The decision for going for VRFs or any system is the initial capital investment and the lifecycle cost. The lifecycle cost will prove in time. That is the key element.” Shetty, on the other hand, believed that it was the total cost of ownership. “It is adding the ecological economics and the social cost,” he said.

Day 2 began with a panel discussion comprising consultants and the contractor fraternity in the GCC region. The moderator for the second day was Hassan Younes, Technical Director & Partner at Griffin Consultants, who also participated in the discussion as a consultant. The other participants were Nabil Shafa Amry, Manager MEP at LACASA Architects & Engineering Consultants; Scott Coombes, Director of AESG; Sagar Kulkarni, Managing Director at Consistent Consultants and Khaled Sakka, Mechanical Engineer at Jeet Building Contracting.

Occupants of a building with VRF systems cannot enjoy their full benefits if the building has a poor maintenance structure, said Younes.

Amry, on his part, believed that maintenance of VRF systems should be carried out only by trained people. “It is a normal system, but its controls and protocol are different, and so people must be trained,” he said. “If any

building has good FM, it is good marketing for the building. So that’s why training of technicians is very important.” He reiterated that it was important for the FM structure to have a good team trained for VRF systems. “FM teams should be certified by manufacturers of VRF systems, who are authorised to give after-sales service,” was his contention.

In Coombes’ opinion, FM was a crucial function in a building, because in Dubai, for instance, systems are overdesigned to capacity, and are, therefore, poorly run, in terms of efficiency. He elaborated that systems are overdesigned to cope with that one day in summer when the temperature is 50 degrees C, and with full occupancy. So they can cool but are not efficient, was the point he drove home.

Fady Nassar, Director of Unitary Business, S.K.M Air Conditioning, in his technical presentation spoke of the challenges of VRF system in commercial buildings. Two salient points he made were: VRFs can adapt to meet various applications in buildings and power consumption can be reduced by 30%.

JM Bhambure, Executive Vice President of Blue Star Limited (India), in his presentation gave insights into aligning VRFs to smart cities, building Internet of Things (BIoT) and broad e-initiatives sweeping through the region.

The conference concluded with closeddoor sessions held between government bodies and VRF manufacturers. Al-Sitt met with VRF manufacturers to provide details on regulation, and on how manufacturers could get early access to the document.

On similar lines, the main objective of Dr Elsarrag’s meeting with manufacturers was to explore avenues for mutual technological cooperation and engagement.

What pervaded through the 4th Annual Middle East Variable Refrigerant Flow Conference was a conducive environment for healthy discussion, during which, participants got an opportunity to exchange ideas, insights and perspectives about various key issues concerning the VRF industry, with many points to ponder and actions to be executed emerging.

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Compressors

Compressors keep afloat

There appears to be no ebb in demand for compressors in the Middle East, despite the current market scenario. Industry experts explain why.

By Rajiv Pillai | Features Writer

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s per Frost & Sullivan estimates, 2013 revenue for the compressors market in the MENA region was more than USD 1.7 billion, and this has grown at a healthy rate of more than seven per cent. The market for centrifugal compressors during this period was estimated at more than USD 1.1 billion, while that of positive displacement (PD) compressors was in excess of USD 527 million. Overall, the MENA market for compressors is forecast to exceed USD 2.1 billion by 2016.

Ashok Joshi, Vice President - Sales at Emerson Climate Technologies, MENA, says that the year ahead appears to pose both challenges and opportunities. He elaborates: “From a challenge perspective, the markets look to be softening, as the extended period of low commodity pricing puts downward pressure on government and corporate budgets and spending. A considerable amount of business is tied to large projects and capital spending, in both refrigeration and commercial air conditioning, which seem to be increasingly delayed or postponed. “From an opportunity standpoint, the evolving regulatory landscape and the expected refrigerant transitions present the possibility for Emerson Climate

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May 2016

light of the new standards being launched in the region, we expect the market demand to increase for new models to satisfy new requirements.” He adds that while the market prices are going down, consumers look at the option of getting air conditioning systems repaired, rather than buying a new one. “This” says Jabbar, “will lead to a relative increase in the compressor industry.”

Technologies to not only serve our customers’ future design needs but also to introduce new technologies and integrated solutions to the marketplace that deliver greater levels of energy efficiency.”

Joshi summing up the situation, believes that with continued challenges the industry faces in terms of skill levels of technicians and the ability to attract talent, coupled with the slowdown in capital spending, there are new opportunities for those who can demonstrate better lifecycle costs Mustafah Abdul Jabbar, Mechanical Engineer at Royal Cool, giving another reason for the growing demand in compressors, says, “In the

Ashok Joshi

Market movers According to Transparency Market Research’s new report of 2015, the air compressor market is growing at 5.8% CAGR due to the increasing oil and gas production activities in the Middle East and Africa. This view is shared by Virein Kumar Yadlapalli, Program Manager, Industrial Automation & Process Control Practice, MENA, at Frost & Sullivan. In a 2014 article that appeared in Climate Control Middle East, Yadlapalli said that the demand for compressors was dominated by the oil and gas industry in the MENA region.

“Given the sophisticated nature of the industry’s requirement, most of the globally renowned compressor manufacturers are present in the

Mustafah Abdul Jabbar

Thinking in Orange

May 2016

39

Compressors

The industry is moving towards part-load efficiency regulations, which are driving the introduction of capacity modulation technologies

region,” he said. “Major manufacturers specialising in customised solutions cater to most of the high-value projects, especially oil and gas, and those involving compressors for critical process requirements.”

He added that major multinational corporations like General Electric (GE), Siemens, Atlas Copco, Elliott Group and Dresser-Rand dominate the MENA market. These companies have engineered portfolios (product/solution) suited to the local requirements, and their presence in the MENA region spans across pre-sales and sales support, marketing and comprehensive after-sales support. Also, in more recent times, the otherwise dominant American and European vendors have witnessed high competition from Asian vendors. This trend, said Yadlapalli, could be attributed to increasing penetration of Asian (mainly Korean) engineering, procurement and construction (EPC) contractors facilitating greater acceptance of compressors from their respective countries.

The other drivers, says Joshi, are upcoming mega events like EXPO 2020 and 2022 FIFA World Cup. He thinks that the vast majority of projects in the region, be it a hotel, restaurant, apartment complex or stadium, will require some kind of air conditioning or refrigeration solution. This will logically lead to the compressors market remaining buoyant.

Need for innovation Joshi says that such ongoing buzz is bound to inspire the compressors market to innovate. “The high-level ‘mega-trends’ that continue to influence innovation in our industry include topics like energy efficiency, environmental stewardship and connectivity,” he says.

“In order to align to these trends, the industry is moving towards part-load efficiency regulations, which are driving the introduction of capacity modulation technologies. We see modulation technologies, be it the two- step or digital or variable speed compressors and drives, as innovations that are enabling our OEM customers to meet the new industry standards and a growing end-user demand.”

In Jabbar’s view, the region is adopting new standards for reliability and efficiency, thus prompting the compressor manufacturers to produce a new series of compressors to meet the standards. “We see for refrigeration compressors in particular, new compressors are being developed with new refrigerant R-404a instead of R-134a, as well as for air conditioning compressors, which is now available in two new refrigerants – R-407c and R-410a,” he says. “We see a lot of innovation in the DC inverter compressors for their high efficiency and wide electrical range of operation. This new technology is being developed with new capacities and with new refrigerants.”

The positive inference one can draw from the signals emerging is that the compressors market is growing at a steady pace, with innovation in tow.

HAVE YOUR SAY!

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

40

May 2016

‘A number of local banks, like ADIB, instead of investing into other markets, are looking into their own country’s development’ PAGE 44

Interviews

Retrofit News and Chronicle may 2016

www.cpi-industry.com

‘Owners and operators too often delay consulting sustainability or energy specialists’ Sandrine Le Biavant, Director of Consultancy at Farnek

How to get the dotted line signed

PAGE 45

To get retrofit projects green-lighted, the pitch must highlight benefits for business over the need to save energy, says Sam Gouda of Creara International

‘As for banks, I believe they do not understand what is energy efficiency, what is an ESCO’ Hassan Younes, Technical Director and Partner at Griffin Consultants

Sam Gouda

PAGE 47

TECH TALK Adiabatic cooling PAGE 48

Bipolar ionisation PAGE 49

Indirect evaporative cooling PAGE 50 PAGE 42

retrofit news and chronicle

Condenser control PAGE 51

May 2016

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Retrofit News and Chronicle

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Banking on retrofitting

To encourage investments in retrofit projects, ESCOs must highlight the business angle of energy efficiency, and not get bogged down by technicalities of energy saving, says expert.

By Fatima de la Cerna | Assistant Editor

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aying claim to over two decades of international experience in the field of sustainable energy, including consultancy work with banks, Sam Gouda is avowedly an expert on energy efficiency. But his expertise, he clarified, goes beyond the typical technical know-how most engineers have – an edge that he thinks more people in the industry should cultivate, and one that could help push the ESCO agenda in the Gulf region.

“The problem with the ESCO sector is that it’s mostly made up of technical people,” Gouda, the President and Lead Expert of United States-headquartered Creara International, told Climate Control Middle East, on the sidelines of the RetrofitTech conference held in March, in Dubai, UAE. “A lot of ESCO work is about technical opportunities that engineers have identified as projects they want to take on,” he said. “While that is important, the people who actually sign on the dotted line for those projects are not engineers. The technical level of organisations

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usually doesn’t have the authority to implement or to sign on commitments worth, for example, USD 1 million.”

Getting the right pitch Pointing out that the people who do have the authority are the organisation’s C-level, Gouda added: “The challenge is to sell the ESCO offering to the C-level buyers of an organisation, but those in the C-level do not know or even care much about energy.

What they usually look at are the ancillaries of energy.”

To elaborate on his statement, Gouda cited school superintendents as an example, saying that their priorities often lie outside of cutting costs.

“Approaching a superintendent and telling him you’ll help him save money won’t be enough,” he said. “His priorities are the school environment and test scores. If he were to save money and it resulted in students’ scores going down, he’d be fired.

But if, as an ESCO, you are able to draw the connection between saving energy through – for example – better lighting and enhancing student performance by improving the learning environment, then he’ll be sold on the idea. So you need to be able to understand the ins and outs of the business you’re approaching.”

Gouda, naming the healthcare sector as another example, remarked that hospitals “live and die by their infection rate”.

Elaborating, he said: “Based on my experience, the concern of hospital management is being able to control the infection rate, while saving energy. If you can prove to them that your ESCO

project will, in addition to not costing them because they’ll earn back their investment in savings, reduce the infection rate at their hospitals, you’ll be able to get your audience. But if all you can talk about is kilowatt hours, then be resigned to not getting anything signed.”

A question of bankability In a way, the same is true with banks, Gouda remarked, when asked if banks have overcome their reluctance to finance retrofit projects. “To get a clear picture of the financing scenario, let’s look at renewable energy,” he said. “Take a mini-hydro project in Africa, which could cost around USD 5 million. Banks would be willing to finance that.

In fact, banks have adapted very well to renewable energy.”

Banks are enthusiastic about renewable energy projects, because they tend to be big and have revenue streams, he explained, before pointing out that the main problem banks have with energy-efficiency projects – more than the lack of

collaterals, as past reports have indicated – is the transaction cost.

“These projects are usually small in size, but the bank will still have to perform the same amount of due diligence.” He continued, “That’s one problem. Another problem is that banks don’t have a clear comprehension of energy efficiency. Many don’t know how to properly perform due diligence for an energy-efficiency project.”

Talking about his experience working with banks, Gouda shared that he helped them get a better grasp of the situation by training them on how to read energy audits and understand the risks involved. And, to encourage them to fund projects, he also reportedly helped them to look at their portfolio of customers, so they could target companies that were already with them.

Helping banks to help “I think for us to effectively address the issue on financing, instead of blaming banks – which we all love to do – we should look at how we can help the banking sector get more

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Retrofit News and Chronicle

If banks were to create new Green loan products, they’d be able to focus on creditworthy companies, rather than coming up with a Green line and not knowing what to do with it

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business,” he said. “I’ve worked with banks as a consultant by analysing their portfolio, weeding out those customers who have credit problems, and grading the remaining in terms of their potential for energy savings. That way, if banks were to create new Green loan products, they’d be able to focus on credit-worthy companies, rather than coming up with a Green line and not knowing what to do with it.”

Gouda further shared his experience that by employing software analysis, he and his team were able to put bank customers in a database, which they then assessed. “Do you think engineers usually come up with that kind

of solution?” He asked. “That’s why we need change. We start as engineers, and then go into the business aspect of energy efficiency, of retrofitting. We may have to begin at the technical level, but we need to be able to move up to the financial and executive levels. Once we are able to do that, we’ll be equipped to manage the ESCO environment in all aspects and bring it from point A to point Z.” Banks will definitely participate more and more in the retrofit movement, Gouda forecasted, but he stressed that for them to get there, they need to be supported by programmes and must be shown where to go and what to do.

Plenty of scope for UAE-based banks to support building retrofit efforts Private-sector banks can help meet expenses of HVAC-related retrofit projects in GCC countries.

By B Surendar | Editor

B

uilding owners should explore project finance options with UAE-based banks, if multinational banks are not willing to lend funds for HVACrelated building retrofit projects, said Girish Reddy, Manager (Service & Parts) at Daikin Air Conditioning. Already, National Bonds is coming forward to lend finance to public-sector projects in the UAE. While sourcing funds remains a challenge for privatesector building owners, their best hope would be national banks, Reddy said. “A number of local banks, like ADIB, instead of investing into other markets, are looking into their own country’s development,” he said.

Reddy also pointed out to the fact that many national banks were also property owners, which he said, could mean an easing of procedures for lending funds. He highlighted the case of Abu Dhabi Commercial Bank (ADCB), which was the owner

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of properties in the form of ADCP. “So if they work for their own properties, that is the first market target [for building retrofit projects],” Reddy said.

Reddy said that manufacturers of HVAC products were willing to support building retrofit initiatives, such as the one launched by the Government of Dubai. He spoke of how Daikin had come forward to provide technological solutions to an accommodation project, which came under the jurisdiction of the Jebel Ali Free Zone Authority (JAFZA). “The project has our

new R32 refrigerant-driven inverter compressor, which is 40% more energy efficient than the conventional system,” he said. “We have got the order there. Apart from that, we are supplying magnetic chillers to the DEWA (Dubai Electricity & Water Authority) head office project.”

The DEWA project involves changing from an air-cooled system to a water-cooled system. “The investment is more, Reddy said, “but they will be getting premium efficiencies from the magnetic chillers, with

a payback of 6-7 years.”

Reddy admitted that a longer payback period posed a challenge to building owners, but felt that they ought to think of the potential for savings on power consumption, which would positively reflect on their bottom line. “I agree that market conditions are a challenge and that there are those that are saying that their turnover is less, so their spending should be less,” he said. “They could, however, plan to execute retrofit projects in a phased manner, which would mean a shorter payback period.”

Interview ‘The chunk of retrofit savings will come from medium- to high-cost investments in HVAC’ Sandrine Le Biavant, Director of Consultancy at Farnek, speaks with Fatima de la Cerna of Climate Control Middle East about the retrofit sector in Dubai and shares her observations on market trends and challenges.

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ow would you describe the present retrofit scenario in the UAE? Has retrofitting gained momentum over the years?

Recently, we’ve started getting a lot of requests to carry out energy audits, mainly because of DIES 2030 (Dubai Integrated Energy Strategy 2030), which is a great platform for the market to understand the importance and feasibility of retrofitting. I am impressed by the spread of the campaign. It started with

Many hotel chains appear to have taken significant steps into retrofitting, and are seeing the benefits of their investments

communication about the plan to reduce energy consumption by retrofitting 30,000 buildings by 2030. Since then, numerous workshops have been conducted.

So yes, it has gained a lot of momentum. Companies are asking questions and looking for solutions. And from what we at Farnek have seen, many hotel chains appear to have taken significant steps into retrofitting, and are seeing the benefits of their investments. Low-hanging fruits with fast payback, like LED lights and parking sensors, have been tackled or are about to be tackled.

However, we’re also seeing internal audits being done but not in a comprehensive manner, and usually based on suppliers’ claims. And though the sector is growing, we have yet to see more energy management mentioned in company plans.

There are also clients who don’t see retrofitting as being different from maintenance. Maintenance can bring good savings, but real savings can be had from retrofitting.

The chunk of the savings will come from medium- to high-cost investments in HVAC. For companies looking for fast returns, this can be considered not attractive; but for companies with a long-term vision for their profit margins, they’ll truly see the benefits of investing today.

What is the prevailing attitude among building owners towards the idea of retrofitting? What do you think are the factors behind

their interest or lack of it?

Between 2008 and 2011, the unit rates of electricity and water went up by 120% and 40%, respectively. The increase weighed heavily on profit margins, resulting in many companies starting to look into reducing their utility costs. And over the years, the government has increased its drive towards a Green Economy, generating interest and showing that sustainability leads to an image of leadership and innovation.

Savings is definitely a key motivation. But social responsibility is also a factor, as will be COP 21, seeing as it’s a great step against climate change.

What are the challenges in getting people to retrofit?

They may not see that there are easy wins and assess it as a complicated exercise. There is also the fear of compromising the comfort level of occupants or reducing the indoor air quality (IAQ). Challenges can come in the form of hesitation to make a “radical” change or take an investment risk.

The market doesn’t fully understand what needs to be

done. First, you must have data, and then you have to request an energy audit. Only then can you come up with plans for the next five to 10 years. A lot of property owners lack knowledge of what’s feasible for their properties.

To make the right decision, you need to have the right decision instruments. Owners and operators too often delay consulting sustainability or energy specialists to get an overview of their potential savings, earnings and returns. Based on our experience, we have seen that immediately after an energy audit, clients plan for POMEC (Property Operation Maintenance and Energy Costs) and CAPEX investments for the following five years, and savings are quickly generated. Also, we have observed that guest comfort is never compromised; on the contrary, it is usually enhanced.

In your opinion, what is required to heighten the awareness of, and interest in the need to retrofit?

Licence renewals can be an incentive, as can the integration of a building labelling system into value evaluation. Energy performance isn’t typically included in the valuation of buildings for sale. But if it is, a property owner who wants to make more money off the sale of his property will be encouraged to invest in retrofits.

Moreover, while there are many platforms and events available for people to understand what solutions can be implemented, the question ‘How does this work for

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Retrofit News and Chronicle my building, and how do I start?’ is usually missing.

I also think that we need more case studies of successful retrofit projects and products to be featured in the media.

Regulations should be more stringent so that retrofitting is not an option but an obligation.

What are the common challenges you encounter when carrying out retrofit projects?

First is data collection. If we take on a building that we don’t manage or maintain, we might only have a year’s worth of data. And even when the data is available, other problems can come up, with quality being one of them. The data might not be accurate, or it might have been incorrectly read or interpreted.

Another is the use of wrong metering systems. Considering all the parameters that need to be monitored, using metering systems that are not appropriate for the

building will yield incomplete information. For example, some buildings have areas that are rented out to shops, and those shops – which are notorious over-consumers of energy – have no meters. They pay a fixed rate, so we can’t accurately assess how much energy they’re consuming.

Do retrofit projects offer a lifeline to the HVAC industry in these times, when there is talk of an oil-price-related slowdown?

It could, because most companies are looking at reducing costs and looking to optimise operations and equipment. I think people are realising that the time is right.

What are the current trends in the retrofit market in terms of HVAC solutions? What systems are in demand?

Variable speed drives for chillers, pumps and fans are big at the moment. And we’re noticing VRF systems being incorporated in major building retrofits. There’s demand for improved controls algorithm; more efficient

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chillers with high COP values; energy recovery wheels; pressure-independent control valves for chilled water balancing; chiller plant management systems; and BMS or remote monitoring systems (RMS) for upgrades. At Farnek, we believe in RMS, as they truly complement FM work. Sometimes, equipment is located in an area that is difficult to access, but RMS eases the process of identifying existing issues, increases the lifespan of the equipment and saves energy.

Trends also point towards improved operability between different components of HVAC systems.

Could you share details about new retrofit projects you’re working on?

We installed vibration sensors for pumps in an office tower. Only a few days after installation, we received an alarm that enabled us to prevent pump failure, which could have cost our client several thousand dirhams, not to mention led to considerable loss of energy.

ESCO accreditation an ‘undiscovered opportunity’ for companies More participation from the private sector can help the UAE reach its energy-reduction targets, says sustainability expert.

By Fatima de la Cerna | Assistant Editor

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ike a “web of initiatives coming from different angles to bring in efficiencies”, the different demand reduction programmes under the Dubai Supreme Council of Energy’s (DSCE’s) Demand Side Management Strategy are helping stimulate the market and create growth in the retrofit sector. Sharing this observation with Climate Control Middle East, Holley Chant, Executive Director for Corporate Sustainability at KEO International Consultants, noted that 2015 saw enormous improvement in the UAE’s energyconservation efforts. She stressed, however, that there is still a lot that remains to be achieved.

Did she, perhaps, mean that the country still has roadblocks to overcome? “I’d rather call it an undiscovered opportunity than a roadblock,” Chant said in response. “There’s a huge opportunity in the energy-reduction programme on retrofits for the private sector – for companies to become accredited ESCOs, because the government really needs more organisations to get into the venture,” she pointed out.

While acknowledging that ESCO accreditation is not the easiest of certifications to earn, she described the process as a matter of capacity-building – one necessary for the UAE to reach the goals it has set for itself. “Companies have to be willing to invest in skills development for employees, and maybe even look into partnering with other organisations to become accredited,” said Chant. “As I said, it’s an undiscovered opportunity,” she reiterated, and warned, “But if it remains just that, it could easily turn into a roadblock.”

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Interview ‘The building retrofit market in the UAE is being driven by the government’ The government’s backing is persuading everyone to follow the movement, says Hassan Younes of UAE-based MEP firm, Griffin Consultants, in this conversation with B Surendar of Climate Control Middle East…

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year ago, there was inertia in terms of banks showing a reluctance to finance building retrofit projects in the country in the absence of conventional collaterals, among other issues. Do you see a shift in momentum?

The market is being driven by the government, which is a good thing.

When we have the government behind it, everybody has to either follow this year or maybe the next year. As for banks, I believe they do not understand what is energy efficiency, what is an ESCO, how they can guarantee the money they lend is going to come back to them. In the last two years, there were a few hiccups, but now I see more and more banks are willing to make the investment.

There are other areas of concern, though. I am referring to areas that have remained untouched, such as the actual retrofit-related complications and energy audit-related complications.

Okay, let’s assume that now, we have the buy-in from the client, and everybody is happy that we have got the investment.

The questions remain, though: ‘How do we execute the project on site?’ and ‘What are the obstacles being found during an energy audit?’ Sometimes, you have an energy auditor, who is not very experienced. Which means, he will miss some opportunities on site; so instead

of ending up with 50% savings, you might end up with 15% savings. These are the obstacles I see from a technical point of view.

Provided banking- and technical-related obstacles are addressed, do you see the retrofit momentum as a substantial market opportunity for the HVAC industry till a wave of New Construction projects materialise in the region, especially on the back of EXPO 2020- and FIFA World Cup 2022-related developments?

The retrofit market is there, but at this point in time, it cannot support everyone.

It still is a small portion, in the sense that I don’t think contractors can live on executing retrofitting projects alone. More or less, a number of clients and potential clients are still studying the options. They are asking, ‘What do I do with the money? Do I invest in the utility bill, or should I open a new restaurant?’ The retrofitting market is still not very mature, I’d say, but certainly it has the potential to be in the coming years.

I mean, prices are not dropping for the utilities, they are increasing. So once you know if you are paying AED 10 million a year, and the next year you are paying AED 20 million a year, you start thinking about it, and say to yourself, ‘Okay, maybe it’s time to look at the utilities, instead of opening a new restaurant.’ Once the tariff gets higher, the next day, people will start thinking more and more about retrofits.

Quotable efficiency

The first edition of ENOC's energy and efficiency report, released in 2015, talks about, among other things, the savings the company earned after introducing energyefficient solutions in its buildings. We bring you excerpts from the report...

Petri Pentti, Chief Financial Officer, ENOC: “The financial impact of our quick-win efforts has been quite encouraging. A meagre investment of AED 600,000 has yielded savings of almost three times that amount.

In terms of business plans, the expected annual savings is USD 9.6 million, with a payback period of two short years.

“The E&RM strategy emphasises ENOC’s vision to be a leading, highly profitable and socially responsible integrated oil and gas group. We recognise that strategically it is not possible to achieve our goal without unwavering commitment to energy efficiency and sustainability that will also excite our core resource – our employees – while addressing the expectations of our other stakeholders.”1

Khalifa Al Qaizi, Senior Manager for Admin Services & Facilities Management, ENOC: “The accomplishments of ENOC’s determination are truly exhibited in the forecasted savings. During the procurement of the sustainable equipment, the suppliers estimated that the organisation would be able to save about six per cent of energy; however, the organisation defied this projection and managed to attain savings of 11%, which is almost double the initial estimate. Overall, the annual savings attained were AED 381,134 for the year 2014. In light of this success, AS&FM (Admin Services & Facilities Management) aims for savings of about AED 377,000 (10%) for the year 2015.”2

References: (1) Pentti, Petri. “Efficiency in the Book.”

ENOC Energy & Efficiency: The Story so Far First Edition (2015): 26-28.

(2) Al Qaizi, Khalifa. “The Building Blocks of Efficient Buildings.” ENOC Energy & Efficiency: The Story so Far First Edition (2015): 33-34

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Retrofit News and Chronicle

ESCO-related laws will strengthen retrofit culture in GCC region

Proper guidelines on ESCOs will help attract private-sector property owners to undertake HVAC-related building retrofit projects, says industry insider.

By B Surendar | Editor

P

roper guidelines on ESCOs, like those available in the Euro Zone and the United States, would go a long way in strengthening the building retrofit momentum in the GCC region, said Roosewalt Pereira, Business Development Manager at Gerab Energy Systems, which offers condenser control and cloud-based energy monitoring products.

Pointing to what he called an increase in retrofit projects, compared to a year ago, Pereira said that his company has done good business. For greater growth, however, it was important that private-sector property owners became more active. That could happen, he added, if ESCO-related laws were drilled into place. “Once those are set up, all private parties will come on

board,” he said.

The laws, he said, were needed to safeguard the interests of investors. He added that there was no shortage of people with funds to invest in retrofit projects, but that they were sceptical about how to manage the whole thing. In his opinion, they were worried of the possibility that at the end of the day, the client might not pay, because he does not see any savings. That scenario might arise, because savings are something that can fluctuate, he added. “There is no fixed percentage or fixed consumption,” he said. “In that case, the laws should support and give proper guidelines.”

Overall, Pereira expressed optimism over the retrofit movement gathering steam. “There are products, and there is a need,” he said.

“Awareness is also there now.”

SNIPPET

Why not emission norms for aircraft?

A

ccording to an AP news report, a UN panel has proposed greenhouse gas emissions standards for airliners and cargo planes – a long-sought move. The International Civil Aviation Organisation reportedly said that the agreement reached by the agency’s environmental panel requires new aircraft designs to meet the standards beginning in 2020, and added that designs already in production need to comply by 2023, with 2028 being the cutoff date for the manufacture of planes that don’t comply with the standards.

If the standard is made mandatory, they would be the first ever to impose binding energy-efficiency and CO2-reduction targets for the aviation sector.

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www.cpi-industry.com

Adiabatic cooling – an ideal ally for retrofit projects in GCC region Technology allows for better operational efficiency of aircooled chillers and ensures longevity of compressors.

By B Surendar | Editor

A

diabatic cooling systems are tailormade for building retrofit projects involving HVAC systems, said Gerard Boyle, Director at UAEbased Greentech Systems. The retrofitting of the systems is simple enough, he said, and they provide a cooling ambient of anywhere between 10 and 15 degrees C Delta T. The reduction in temperature, he added, enables better operational efficiency for the air-cooled chiller, with savings in the order of 20%.

In addition, the systems aid in the longevity of the air-cooled system itself, Boyle said, because the compressor is not operating at high pressure any more. “So the net reality is that yes, we are doing it for the energy savings, but the notso-quantifiable aspect will be the longevity of the machine, because now, the compressors are not operating in high pressure anymore, because they are not seeing the high pressures, which are associated with high temperatures,” he said.

“So your compressor, which is an important part of your chiller, is lasting a lot longer, as well.”

Bipolar ionisation for better IAQ in region Technology, which mimics nature, is best solution for good IAQ, says manufacturer.

By B Surendar | Editor

B

ipolar ionisation is the right approach for ensuring good indoor air quality (IAQ), said Mehmood Abdul Rehman, Managing Partner of UAE-based Greenfield Trading. Saying that the technology produced positive and negative ions, just like in a thunderstorm, he added that it mimicked nature. The ions, he said, removed impurities in the air, including volatile organic compounds (VOCs), CO2, methane, ethylene, perfumes and odour.

By virtue of being an ion-based technology, Rehman said, the system could be used in the presence of humans, as opposed to ozone generators. Saying that ozone was harmful for humans, he added that he was concerned about the high volumes of the gas in the built-environment.

“Electronic equipment produces a lot of ozone,” Rehman said. “It is simply because any switch mode power supply (SMPS) is emitting ozone.”

A controls-based bipolar ionisation system, he said, could control the total IAQ by sensing the quality of the air to detect VOCs, CO2 and odour. The system, he added, introduced ions in the space and killed micro-organisms right at the place of origin.

The technology, Rehman said, helped balance IAQ and energy efficiency needs.

“With the system in place, you don’t have to supply extra pressure in the room,” he said.

“Naturally, when you flush out, a lot of air conditioned air is going out. You are using

a lot of energy. This system takes care of bad odour, impurities and suspended particles. It takes care of most of the IAQ-related problems, so you have a balance. You have better air

quality with lower energy consumption.”

The technology, Rehman said, was ideal for retrofit jobs, adding that it came in portable and duct-mounted models.

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Retrofit News and Chronicle

www.cpi-industry.com

Interview ‘It’s about splitting the sensible heat and the latent heat completely differently’ Canada-headquartered TORO WATT has a vast range of air conditioning products that, it says, would appeal to the building retrofit market in the GCC region. Tiger Aster, the company’s CEO and Masood Raza, General Manager of Jumbo Engineering, which is distributing TORO WATT products in the GCC region, in conversation with Climate Control Middle East…

A

n often-quoted challenge is the need for balancing good indoor environmental quality (IEQ) with energy efficiency.

You say that your products are ideal for building retrofit projects. Have you been able to deliver a sweet spot of good IEQ and energy efficiency?

Tiger Aster: What we do is to split the sensible heat and the latent heat completely differently, and we manage them by independent processes. We use the air heat exchanger, which is a wet plate-type of heat exchanger in a vertical plane. Evaporation takes place, as the air passes over the plate.

On the other side, on the horizontal plane, we have the supply air coming in from the outside, passing through the heat exchanger before coming out. We have a change in temperature, which is a temperature drop. But there is no change in the absolute humidity at all. These heat exchangers we typically use two in tandem, getting an efficiency of 85%. And for the remaining 15% of sensible heat and moisture removal, we use a chilled water system or a DX system to cater to the latent load. What in turn happens is that for a 50 TR system, we are able to cut down the compressor usage to about 22-25 TR. That way, we are saving nearly 50% or more of energy.

Are these numbers that you quote based on actual installation or lab trials?

Tiger Aster: They are based on an installation we are currently doing in Dubai. These systems are based on Dubai conditions. The technology we are working on is over 30 years. We are the pioneers of this technology – indirect evaporative cooling. We started with basic units, and then have moved up to a dual-pass technology, which is what I am

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talking about, where we split the heat and the humidity.

Masood Raza: The main feature of this technology is that it addresses the Low Delta T Syndrome and also aids in the condensate recovery process. The condensate recovery process mostly happens from FAHUs, but you have to pipe it back to some other place. The TORRO FAHUs, on the other hand, have a self-contained condensate recovery system, which means you don’t have to pipe the water to another point.

Everything comes there, and the same model is used for indirect evaporative cooling. Secondly, on the coil, we use the chilled water return to cool and dehumidify.

That way, we are able to increase the delta T. So you are actually increasing the chiller efficiency. That portion of the savings, we are not even discussing with clients. That is something like an afterthought, like free goodies!

How do the products fit into a retrofit environment? How do you make yourself appealing to the retrofit market in the GCC region?

Masood Raza: We replace the existing AHU in the building with our system. Most of the residential buildings here stop the fresh air supply during summer, because either the chillers don’t function or there is a huge energy bill. If you put this system, you get the benefit of fresh air with very low energy bill, which means nobody will avoid running the system.

And what is the cost involved?

Masood Raza: The recovery period is two years. Within two years, whatever investment you make you get it back in energy savings.

Masood Raza

Tiger Aster

Retrofitting large chillers for better efficiency Roosewalt Pereira, Business Development Manager at Gerab Energy Systems, in conversation with Climate Control Middle East… the head pressure of the compressor reduces, whereby you get a better efficiency. We have recorded about 20% increase in energy efficiency.

We also have a product for split systems and RACs. The product records the saturation point of the evaporator and shuts off the compressor. In a normal air conditioner, the compressor shuts off when the temperature of the room is reached. But the evaporator would have reached a particular temperature, where the heat transfer would be saturated. All the while, the compressor is still running, because it is checking the room temperature. So here we check the evaporator temperature, and as the evaporation process reaches the saturation point, we cut off the compressor but with the fan still operating. This way, the room tends to go cooler. And when the evaporator has lost its heat again, the compressor is switched on. So the run time of the compressor is reduced, and that way you save energy.

W

hat is Gerab looking to offer the market in terms of retrofitting?

We have a condenser control system, which is a patented product. We have used the technology in a number of projects in the UAE, including a retrofit project for the Dubai Electricity & Water Authority (DEWA).

The condenser control system is totally a retrofit product, and is for large chillers. What it does is that it increases the condensing area. It has got a vortex, and the cooler refrigerant is close to it, whereas, the hotter gas will be near the periphery. As a result,

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Government support a shot in the arm for HVAC retrofit projects in UAE The backing of bodies like DEWA and DSCE bodes well for building retrofit initiatives, says industry insider.

Greater IRR an ally for building retrofit initiatives in GCC region An IRR of 35% a great incentive for building owners, says industry insider

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Visit www.climatecontrolme.com to read the stories

(Some of the articles in this supplement are based on interviews conducted during Retrofit Tech UAE, held in March 2016 in Dubai.

Climate Control Middle East appreciates the opportunity the organisers of the event provided to the magazine.)

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Vijay Kumar is President for International Business at Cylon Controls. He can be contacted at Vijay.Kumar@cylon.com

ERSPECTIVE

is already knocking on our industry doors Looking at IOT through the automation and controls lens, Vijay Kumar makes a compelling case for adopting it in the MEP industry. He believes that we’ll miss the bus if we’re not quick to appreciate the power of IoT in the way the industry is poised to evolve.

I

nternet of Things (IoT) – one wonders if the term has become more ubiquitous than the technology it represents. In the context of the MEP industry, IoT penetration has remained a pipe dream. So is this limitation attributable to technology, or due to inconsistent user expectations or on account of industry’s resistance to change?

This article examines these issues from an automation and controls perspective. When

collectively addressed, the true benefits of IoT will be experienced by every stakeholder in the MEP industry.

So let us start by recognising the basic components of IoT – an array of digital microprocessors and sensors embedded into everyday objects. Then there is the aspect of connecting these objects into a network, typically using a wired or wireless media. Finally, you have an application platform that analyses the data from these objects and converts that

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May 2016

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SNIPPET into usable information, which is relayed back to the users of those objects via smart devices. All this should sound familiar to people who have used automation and controls systems, the difference being that IoT scales this up to the nth degree to every walk of life, thanks to rapid growth of Information and Communications technology Since several decades, major progress has been made in the field of automation and controls, notably Building Management Systems (BMS), resulting in sensors and digital controllers connected to every conceivable electromechanical equipment.

Interconnectivity using different types of physical or wireless networks backed by an industry-recognised open communication protocol (the ISO standard BACnet) has made it easier to push and pull data across disparate systems. Software applications are available across a variety of platforms, usually in the form of locally installed BMS software, complemented with cloud-based energy and facility management applications. Eventually, the relevant information is pushed back in real-time to the user over smart phones and tablets.

Thus, the basic components of IoT already exist in our industry, which eliminates limitation of technology as a factor for the lack of penetration.

The scalability of BMS installations to deliver full-fledged IoT functionality is within reach; however, this has been

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ccording to a study published in the journal Royal Society Open Science, Scientists have created ‘cyberforests’ – a computer simulation that grows 3-D forests – to determine how drought, wildfires and other climaterelated changes can affect real forests. The model, called LES, the study said, uses computing power to grow drought- and shade-tolerant trees that can then be scaled up to actual forest size. The new tool could also help forest managers glean information on the species of trees and other ecological factors that can rejuvenate dying forests.

The scalability of BMS installations to deliver fullfledged IoT functionality is within reach May 2016

53

ERSPECTIVE

MEP Equipment Leasing

User Behavior & Expectation

Services Outsourcing

IoT penetration thru BMS, Automation & Controls

Cloud Computing and SaaS technology

Business Enterprise

inadvertently overlooked by our industry.

It does make a compelling argument that not enough awareness has been created to associate IoT with automation and controls in the MEP industry.

How about user expectations and the resistance to change? Could these factors have been more significant than acknowledged before?

Think about how many of us perform a google search before visiting our doctor for an ailment. We actually think we know what the problem is and we just want validation from our doctor! We live in an information world, where it’s easy to form wrong expectations by misinterpreting data. That is really the crux of the problem – not fully appreciating the power of IoT in the context of the future of our industry and how it’s poised to evolve. So let’s take a peek into the future: Research shows that four factors will combine to dramatically change the dynamics, economics and competitive landscape of MEP industry over the next decade (source: Harbor Research) 1. The restructuring of the global economy 2. Innovative changes to business enterprise 3. The redefining of governance dynamics of customers 4. “As-a-service” becoming the norm The restructuring of the global economy is an ongoing process driven by the worst economic downturn in 70 years, coupled with the technology changes of cloud computing and software-as-a-service (SaaS), which is bound to undermine the validity of traditional MEP business models. Consequently, our

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industry is poised to adopt leasing (equivalent of outsourcing in the IT industry) as the preferred option over today’s capital-intensive practices. Ever imagined the leasing of chillers, AHUs or lighting equipment?

In the near future, innovative changes to business enterprise will be much more severe and disruptive than we’ve seen over the past 15 years in terms of service lines offered, buying habits, key stakeholders, pricing and delivery models.

Research shows that technology services will be recast as follows, driven by the pace of technology evolution (source: Harbor Research): • More money and budget will go to services • The operating model will shift from fixed (capex) to circulating (opex) capital • The commoditisation of traditional services will accelerate • Demand and growth will shift to new services with higher margins • Money from product purchases will convert to services spending – traditional spending on the likes of MEP equipment purchase, installation and commissioning, will be used to fund ongoing services in those areas • New and more sophisticated SLAs (service-level agreements) and approaches for managing suppliers will arise with a focus on improved delivery that more accurately reflects the needed business outcome • Clients will apply a per-use pricing model to traditional services and actively re-think how they price their projects All this would then be a perfect opportunity for an open “state-based” platform(s) that

Why are cloud-based solutions, costing a fraction of localised solutions, still shunned by our industry?

allows equipment usage and performance to be monitored and controlled in real-time, and then be charged to customers on payper-use basis. Of course, we already know that these are the core functionalities of automation and controls systems. Thus, one can see how a scaled-up version of today’s BMS technology, by leveraging the gains of Information and Communications technology, deliver the full potential of IoT for the MEP industry from a near-term standpoint.

To adopt this visualisation, what is required is a true shift in thinking about how people, physical systems and smart devices can be integrated in the MEP world.

Resistance to change comes in various forms, encompassing economics and technology.

Why else are cloud-based solutions, costing a fraction of localised solutions, still shunned by our industry? Just as the future augers pay-per-use equipment model, it also augers software-as-a-service and platform-as-aservice to maximise capital savings for users.

A functionality of IoT that is often overlooked is its potential contribution to

smart buildings and smart cities, whose stated objective is to maximise the happiness of its occupants and citizens. Imagine the happiness of parents when their wards perform better at school, thanks to IoT working silently away in the background correlating class performance, attendance and indoor air quality data to identify and then eliminate electromechanical problems in classrooms that’ve fallen behind the school average! Just another example how IoT, automation and controls come together to deliver huge benefits to the common man.

In conclusion, IoT is already at our doorstep and knocking on our industry doors. Automation and controls, in the form of open protocol BMS and cloud-based solutions, have accelerated this arrival. We, the industry stakeholders, only need to open the door.

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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May 2016

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Seeing red!

Continuing with the theme of Non-Destructive Testing (NDT) for proper maintenance of chillers and chilled water plants’ ancillary equipment for the HVAC sector, vis-à-vis predictive maintenance technology, Dan Mizesko discusses infrared thermography in the third part of the series.

I

n Part I of this column, my focus was on oil analysis via Non-Destructive Testing (NDT) for the HVAC sector. Part II, covered vibration analysis. This time, let’s look at infrared thermography (IR).

What is IR? IR can be defined as the process of generating visual images that represent variations in IR radiance of surfaces of objects. Similar to the way objects of different materials and colours absorb and reflect electromagnetic radiation in the visible light spectrum (0.4 to 0.7 microns), any object at temperatures greater than absolute zero emits IR energy (radiation) proportional to its existing temperature. The IR radiation spectrum is generally agreed to exist between 2.0 and 15 microns. By using an instrument that contains detectors sensitive to IR electromagnetic radiation, a two-dimensional visual image reflective of the IR radiance from the surface of an object can be generated. Even though the detectors and electronics are different, the process itself is similar to the one a video camera uses to detect a scene reflecting electromagnetic energy in the visible light spectrum, interpreting the information and displaying what it detects on a liquid crystal

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display (LCD) screen that can then be viewed by the device operator.

Because IR radiation falls outside the realm of visible light (the radiation spectrum to which our eyes are sensitive), it is invisible to the naked eye. An IR camera or similar device allows us to escape the visible light spectrum and view an object based on its temperature and its proportional emittance of IR radiation.

Role of IR in predictive maintenance How and why is this ability to detect and visualise an object’s temperature profile important in maintaining systems or components? Like all predictive maintenance technologies, IR tries to detect the presence of conditions or stressors that act to decrease a component’s useful or design life. Many of these conditions result in changes to a component’s temperature. For example, a loose or corroded electrical connection results in abnormally elevated connection temperatures due to increased electrical resistance. Before the connection is hot enough to result in equipment failure or possible fire, the patterns are easily seen through an IR imaging camera, the condition identified and corrected.

TES tanks, chilled water piping and chiller

AHU & FCU

evaporator insulation are other areas where IR thermography has proven very useful. I cannot tell you how many times on a District Cooling plant hand-over inspection we have found substandard TES tank insulation/poor chilled-water pipe insulation and evaporators, which had insulation that was damaged and failing. All of these would not have been identified without an IR technology profile. Rotating equipment problems will normally result in some form of frictional change, which will be seen as an increase in the component’s temperature. Loss of a roof’s membrane integrity will result in moisture that can be readily detected as differences in the roof thermal profile. These are just a few general examples of the many possible applications of this technology, and how it might be used to detect problems that would otherwise go unnoticed, until a component fails and results in excessive repair or downtime cost, as well as massive energy loss.

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Types of IR detection devices Many types of IR detection devices exist, varying in capability, design and cost. In addition, simple temperature measurement devices that detect IR emissions but do not produce a visual image or IR profile are also manufactured.

If an image indicates a difference between a pulley belt temperature and an ambient temperature, the belt may have worn, be of the wrong size, or it could indicate a misalignment condition

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Spot Radiometer (Infrared Thermometer): Although not generally thought of in the world of thermography, IR thermometers use the same basic principles as higher-end equipment to define an object’s temperature based on IR emissions. These devices do not provide any image. Typical IR spot thermometers are not representative of an object’s thermal profile but rather a value representative of the temperature of the object or area of interest.

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Infrared Imager: As indicated earlier, equipment capabilities, design, cost and functionality vary greatly. Differences exist in IR detector material, operation and design. At the fundamental level, IR detection devices can be broken down into two main groups – imagers and cameras with radiometric capability. A simple IR imager has the ability to detect an object’s IR emissions and translate this information into a visual image. It does not have the capability to analyse and quantify specific temperature values. This type of IR detection device can be of use when temperature values are unimportant, and the object’s temperature profile (represented by the image) is all that is needed to define a problem. An example of such an application would be in detecting missing or inadequate insulation in a structure’s envelope. Such an application merely requires an image representative of the differences in the thermal profile due to absence of adequate insulation. It needs to be noted that exact temperature values are unimportant.

IR cameras with full radiometric capability detect the IR emissions from an object and translate the information into a visible format, as in the case of an imager. In addition, these devices have the capability to analyse the image and provide a temperature value corresponding to the area of interest.

This capability is useful in applications where a temperature value is important in defining a problem or condition. For example, if an image indicates a difference between a pulley belt temperature and an ambient temperature, the belt may have worn, be of the wrong size, or it could indicate a misalignment condition. Knowing the approximate temperature differences would be important in determining if a problem exists.

The primary value of thermographic inspections of electrical systems is locating problems so that they can be diagnosed and repaired. “How hot is it?” is usually of far less importance. Once the problem is located, thermography and other test methods, as well as experience and common sense, are used to diagnose the nature of the problem.

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May 2016

The following list contains just a few of the possible electrical system-related survey applications: • Transmission lines – splices • Inductive heating problems – insulators • Cracked or damaged/tracking • Distribution lines/systems – splices, line clamps, disconnects, oil switches/breakers, capacitors, polemounted transformers, lightning arrestors and imbalances • Substations – disconnects, cutouts, air switches, oilfilled switches/breakers (external and internal faults), capacitors and transformers

May 2016

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We generally forget about the roof until it leaks on our computers, switchgear, MS/CMS or chiller control panels

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• Internal problems • Bushings • Oil levels • Cooling tubes • Lightning arrestors – bus connections • Generator facilities – generator • Bearings • Brushes • Windings • Coolant/oil lines: blockage and motors • Connections • Bearings • Winding/cooling patterns • Motor control centre • Imbalances • In-plant electrical systems – Switchgear, motor control centre, bus, cable, trays, batteries and charging circuits and power/ lighting distribution panels Rotating equipment applications are only a small subset of the possible areas where thermography can be used in a mechanical predictive maintenance programme. In addition to the ability to detect problems associated with bearing failure, alignment, balance and looseness, thermography can be used to define many temperature profiles indicative of equipment operational faults or failure.

The old adage, out of sight, out of mind, is particularly true when it applies to flatroof maintenance. Flat roof profiles are very common in this region. We generally forget about the roof until it leaks on our computers, switchgear, MS/CMS or chiller control panels. Roof replacement can be very expensive, and at a standard industrial District Cooling complex, easily run into hundreds of thousands of dollars. Depending on construction and length of time the roof has leaked and other related factors, actual building structural components can be damaged from leakage and years of neglect, which drive up repair cost further. Utilisation of thermography to detect loss of a flat roof’s membrane integrity is an application that can provide substantial return by minimising the area of repair/replacement.

Roof reconditioning cost can be expected to run less than half of new roof cost per square foot. Add to this the savings to be gained from reconditioning a small percentage of the total roof surface, instead of replacement of the total roof, and the savings can easily pay for roof surveys and occasional repair for the life of the building, with some change left over.

Costs and recommendations As indicated earlier, the cost of thermography equipment varies widely, depending on the capabilities of the equipment. A simple spot radiometer can cost from USD 500 to USD 2,500. An IR imager without radiometric capability can range from USD 7,000 to USD 20,000. A camera with full functionality can cost from USD 18,000 to USD 65,000. Besides the camera hardware, other programme costs are involved. Below is a listing of equipment and programmes recommended; • Level I thermographic training • Level II thermographic training • Ongoing professional development • IR camera and accessories • Report software • Laptop computer • Colour printer • Digital visual camera • Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) for arc flash protection.

Payback can vary widely, depending on the type of facility and use of the equipment.

A production facility, whose downtime equates to several thousands of dollars per hour can realise savings much faster than a small facility. On an average, a large facility can expect a payback in 12 months or less.

A small facility may consider using the services of an IR survey contractor. Again, my recommendation is to outsource all the NDT services to trained and certified professionals.

Contracted outsourced services are always the most cost-effective approach for most facilities, large or small.

Training for infrared thermography is available through a variety of system manufacturers and vendors. In addition, the American Society of Non-destructive Testing (ASNT) has established guidelines for NDT (Level I, II and III) certification (NASA 2000).

These three levels are designed to take the student from Level I, where the student is competent with equipment function and use, to Level II, where the student is fully capable and experienced and can complete diagnostics and recommendations, to Level III, where the student is fully experienced to supervise and teach Level I and II students.

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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country report

Turkey

– stirred but not shaken Turkey has recently been the epicentre of world news due to tectonic shifts in the region. This has in some ways impacted, yet strengthened the HVAC industry in the country for the coming years, say experts.

By Rajiv Pillai | Features Writer

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Some global players are buying Turkish companies in order to produce in Turkey, sell in Turkey and export from Turkey

A

yça Eroğlu, Managing Director at Systemair HSK Turkey, says that the year 2015 was not a satisfactory one for Turkey, as a result of the two elections during the same year and geopolitical turmoil the region has witnessed, that have affected the country. This included the political conundrum with Russia, which affected a trade volume of USD 30 billion between the two countries.

Turkey’s aim was to increase this amount to USD 100 billion by 2020.

Tracing their relevance to the HVAC industry, Eroğlu says, “This problem will affect tourism mainly, which will have a direct negative impact on the HVAC industry.” Eroğlu believes that it will also have a bearing on big contracts that major contractors have bagged. Also, changes taking place in the MENA region, in general, she thinks, will prompt them to look elsewhere for opportunities.

However, it is not entirely a downward spiral, hints Eroğlu, and enumerates examples: “We have aimed an annual growth rate of six per cent. There are city hospital projects, a third airport project and a third bridge project that will boost the HVAC market. The year 2016 will be tougher than 2015 in terms of export markets, but better than 2015 in the local market because of such projects.” She reveals that Systemair HSK has won the biggest city hospital project in Bilkent Hospital, Ankara, with a total of 558 air-handling units (AHUs). She adds that 255 of the hygienic AHUs will be used in the ventilation of the Bilkent Integrated Healthcare Campus, with capacities ranging between 700 m³/h and 44,000 m³/h. The delivery, which started in April, will go on till September, she says, and adds, “This is the largest healthcare campus in the world.”

The Air Conditioning Council of The Union of Chambers and Commodity Exchanges of Turkey (TOBB) has prepared a report for the sector to reach its 2023 goals. According to the report, it is estimated that exports of the Turkish air conditioning sector will increase to USD 25 billion, and that the internal market size will reach USD 35 billion in 2023. Reportedly, 60% of this is predicted to be met through products and services produced in Turkey.

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country report

They may build an airport in the Middle East or refrigeration plant in Pakistan or a high-rise building in Moscow, but the HVAC products go from Turkey Demand drivers With such positive figures, the immediate question that comes to mind is what are the key HVACR market drivers? Hüseyin Yüksel, Director at ISKID (Air conditioning & Refrigeration Manufacturers Association), giving a market-wide analysis of air conditioning systems for the last few years in the region, says that split air conditioners for homes and small offices had made big sales for years; however, in the last two years, their sales have dropped “due to climate change and the economic situation”. In the meantime, he informs, the demand for

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May 2016

VRF systems have grown. “Chillers, AHUs, fan coils – these are continuing to grow, but VRF has taken some portion of the market from these products,” he says. “For AHUs, Turkey is actually a competitive market because of the high quality; there are many companies that are producing high-quality AHUs. Also, some global players are buying Turkish companies in order to produce in Turkey, sell in Turkey and export from Turkey.”

Eroğlu says that most of the global HVAC brands have a presence in Turkey; however, many of them are trading companies. The country saw a huge surge in foreign direct investment flow from the year 2000, which ushered in a new era for the Turkish HVAC market, Eroğlu says.

“In the past, local and family businesses were dominant, but currently, the situation has slightly changed,” she elaborates. “In business units, AHU manufacturers are increasing. Also, some AHU companies have started to manufacture FCUs (fan coil units), screw chillers, water source heat pumps and rooftop units. Their intention is to complete the package as one-stop shopping concept.”

She stresses that the major contractors in Turkey do play an important role in the sector for both the export and local markets. “They have very big investments in the neighbouring countries, including Commonwealth of Independent States, Middle East and Africa,” she says, and underlines, “They also mainly supply the HVAC equipment to Turkey, and that’s a very big strong point for Turkish manufacturers.”

Now trending – 4.0 Yüksel says that one of the strategies for the HVAC industry to stay afloat in the coming years is through R&D. He adds that it has been, in fact, a priority for the industry, and for the government, so much so that almost 10 years ago, ISKID decided to recommend that its manufacturer-members reserve 2.5% of their

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country report Despite clipped wings, Turkey poised to fly

turnover for R&D. “Many companies did it,” he says, and stresses that in the ethos of fierce global competition, “one has to be innovative, fast and creative”.

Yüksel points out that mirroring the global trend, the construction industry in Turkey is, indeed, highly competitive. “Turkey is the second after China [in the construction industry],” he highlights. “This is also a very good advantage for our HVAC industry, because their parts are assembled in Turkey. So they may build an airport in the Middle East or refrigeration plant in Pakistan or a high-rise building in Moscow, but the HVAC products go from Turkey.”

Looking at the future, Eroğlu believes that the major driving factor that will influence the sector is going to be Industry 4.0 – the fourth industrial revolution, which includes the ongoing and expected major upheavals in modern manufacturing – and the Internet of Things (IoT). These, she predicts will bring about a huge conceptual transformation that will change customer habits and the mechanical side of the sector. She elaborates: “The BMS solutions will also change the nature of the products. AHUs with plug-and-play features will help customers eventually.

We see a global trend, where there is a consolidation of electrical and mechanical services, when it comes to MEPs.” This, Eroğlu thinks, will also lead all HVAC equipment manufacturers to pay attention, and combine the two fields. “In the next 20 years, we will see differentiation in manufacturers in this respect, and this will be the most challenging part for all the players in the HVAC [industry].” Eroğlu also envisages that ERP regulations and eco-design solutions will eventually spur the Turkish HVAC sector, with an attendant increase in energy-efficient solutions.

The anticipated revolution driven by Industry 4.0 and IoT, could hold the blueprint for the HVACR sector in Turkey in the coming years, as indeed, for the industry itself, globally.

No question elections have consequences.

But investment, int’l momentum & public support for #cleanenergy are strong

References for the side-bar, titled 'Despite clipped wings, Turkey poised to fly': 1. Reuters (US) website: http://www.reuters.com/article/2013/03/28/ us-column-deaenlle-timps-idUSBRE92R0IF20130328) 2. “Turkey emerges as true Iraq war victor”: Financial Times, Middle East and North Africa, March 12, 2013

HAVE YOUR SAY!

Fred Krup @FredKrupp

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May 2016

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

Strategically located at the cusp of East and West, Turkey has always been a witness to history. Just when it was re-asserting itself as an emerging market for a wide array of products and services, and as a global gateway and a rising economic powerhouse, the country has yet again been caught in the crossfires of history.

The gaze once reserved for BRIC countries had turned to TIMP1 – Turkey, Indonesia, Mexico and the Philippines. Bob Turner, Chief Investment Officer of US-based Turner Investment Partners, who coined the acronym, had predicted a new economic world order built on shifting fault lines.

Turkey, in particular, had been a beneficiary of the post-Gulf War peace dividend. As a report in the Financial Times had then succinctly summed up, “The Americans won the war, the Iranians won the peace and the Turks won the contracts.”2 Piggybacking on this, even as countries around the world were trying to recover from the recent financial battering, Turkey had quietly registered a steady growth.

Despite the recent regional setbacks, Turkey and, in turn, the HVACR sector, are expected to rise, propelled on the one hand by the country’s strong middleclass population, which aspires for a better lifestyle via electronics and luxury goods like air conditioners and coolers, and on the other, as an export hub. Added to this, the need for buildings has increased in Turkey, with increasing population, urbanisation and industrialisation.

With a combination of several factors at play – both encouraging and debilitating – Turkey, which was poised to soar high a few years ago, is still determined to fly, but seems to have charted a less ambitious flight path for now.

–Pratibha Umashankar

NEWS REGIONAL

DEWA gearing up for World Expo 2020 with expansion projects Al Tayer visits projects supporting the event.

D

ubai Electricity and Water Authority (DEWA) has announced that it is building three 132/11 kV substations with 45 kilometres of high-voltage (132 kV) cables, at a total cost of AED 420 million, as also water transmission networks, pumping stations and distribution stations, with a planned budget of AED 515 million.

H.E. Saeed Mohammed Al Tayer, MD & CEO of DEWA, visited the projects being readied for the World Expo 2020, supporting the vision of H.H. Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, the announcement added.

Al Tayer, said DEWA, was accompanied

by Hussain Lootah, Executive Vice President of Transmission Power at DEWA; Khalifa

Al Mehairi, Vice President of Distribution Maintenance at DEWA and Saeed Al Jallaf, Vice President of Transmission Projects and Permits.

Al Tayer also visited the World Expo 2020 headquarters to discuss the progress made in the construction of the exhibition site, DEWA said, and added that he was welcomed by Najeeb Mohammed Al Ali, Senior Vice President of the Unified Project Management Office - Expo 2020, and Ahmed Al Khatib, Senior Vice President of Real Estate Development at Dubai World Trade Centre.

Al Tayer reportedly inspected the construction progress of the 132/11 kV substations. This supports Dubai Expo’s theme of Connecting Minds, Creating

the Future, and its three sub-themes of sustainability, mobility and opportunity, said DEWA. “To emphasise its commitment to sustainability, which is one of the main pillars of World Expo 2020 in Dubai, DEWA has also assigned a large part of the budget to clean energy-related projects in support of the Dubai Clean Energy Strategy 2050, launched by His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, to provide 75% of Dubai’s total power output from clean energy by 2050,” said Al Tayer. “This will make Dubai’s carbon footprint the lowest in the world.”

DEWA is also contributing to the development of all Expo 2020 facilities and services through its smart initiatives, DEWA informed, and highlighted that the Expo will have three different types of electric vehicle-charging stations from the Green Charger initiative. In tandem, it plans to install one million smart meters by 2020 across Dubai, and replace all mechanical and electromechanical meters.

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May 2016

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NEWS REGIONAL

Daikin receives QCC certification for inverter split AC with R-32 Suitable for high-ambient conditions, says manufacturer.

D

aikin has announced that it has received the Abu Dhabi Trustmark for Environmental Performance certification for the first highambient split air conditioner with inverter technology using R-32, at a ceremony at the Abu Dhabi Quality Conformity Council (QCC).

The units, built in Daikin Thailand factories, can achieve high Energy Efficiency Ratio (EER) (Btu/kWh) in cooling up to 13.3 at T1 conditions (35 degrees C) and up to 8.6 at T3 conditions (46 degrees C), exceeding the most stringent regulations of the region, Daikin claimed. Additionally, said Daikin, its compressor is capable of operating fully in extreme weather

conditions of at least 52 degrees C, and is up to 1.5 times faster than traditional systems.

Regarding R-32, a chlorine-free, singlecomponent refrigerant used in the air conditioner, Daikin said that it has GWP of about one-third, compared to the more commonly used refrigerant, R-410A. “We express our gratitude to QCC and support their leadership in prequalifying highefficiency systems for Abu Dhabi’s villas and buildings,” said Ryoji Sano, President of Daikin Middle East and Africa.

Sana Hamdani, Product Marketing Manager of Daikin Middle East & Africa, added, “The unique combination of R-32 and inverter technology in the new Daikin air conditioner range offers end-users the

opportunity to benefit from class-leading energy efficiencies that can provide up to 40% power savings, versus conventional non-inverter systems, with excellent cooling capacity and high indoor climate comfort, while lowering the environmental impact.”

Congratulating Daikin on receiving the certification, Mohammed Helal Al Balooshi, Director of Marketing & Communications at Abu Dhabi QCC, said, “QCC is delighted to collaborate with manufacturers, suppliers and distributors of unitary air conditioners to obtain voluntary certification of products that meet our quality, safety and performance specifications.”

Leminar Kuwait signs distribution agreement with Georg Fischer Whether you are an engineering firm, contractor, supplier, manufacturer, consumer, service provider, private or public sector...

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May 2016

Swiss company will supply full range of piping systems in Kuwait

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eminar Air Conditioning Company, Kuwait, has announced signing a distribution agreement with Georg Fischer Piping Systems, Switzerland, for the supply of their full range of piping systems in Kuwait, with an aim to widen its existing portfolio of international brands.

Present at the agreement signing, said Leminar, was Sven Erlandsen, Regional Manager Middle East, of Georg Fischer; Navin Valrani, CEO of Leminar Air Conditioning Company and Pramodh Idicheria, General Manager of Leminar Air Conditioning Company.

On the occasion, Idicheria said, “Leminar’s comprehensive distribution network in Kuwait, our operational capabilities and prompt delivery will help to increase the market share of GF Piping Systems in Kuwait market.”

Valrani, added: “Leminar is committed to delivering quality products to our growing customer base in Kuwait.

The new distribution agreement will meet the needs of commercial and industrial customers looking for Georg Fischer Piping Systems. We expect this agreement to accelerate growth of our market share in Kuwait.”

EmiratesGBC Chairman calls for greater push towards Net-Zero Energy Buildings in the UAE Saeed Al Abbar says that buildings can strive to achieve a power consumption profile of between 40 and 60 kWh/m2/year, but highlights the importance of balancing expectations with other factors of equal national importance.

S

aying that a typical existing building in the UAE consumes between an estimated 220 and 360 kWh/m2/year of power, Saeed Al Abbar, the Chairman of the Emirates Green Building Council (EmiratesGBC), added that a possible target for a Net-Zero Energy Building (nZEB) in the UAE would be between 40 and 60 kWh/m2/year. Al Abbar was speaking at the EmiratesGBC’s Focus Day, held on April 25 at the Dubai Chamber of Commerce & Industry building, in Dubai. The event, titled, ‘Zero Energy Buildings: Definitions and Innovations’, also featured a presentation by Graeme Sims, Executive Director of Dubai Regulation & Supervisory Bureau (RSB) and an address by Essa Alzaabi, Senior VP of Support

Services, Dubai Chamber of Commerce & Industry.

Referring to his estimate of the power consumption of an nZEB, Al Abbar stressed the need for caution when it came to raising expectations. “Further studies need to be carried out to see feasibility, so maybe it will be 40, 60 or 100 kWh/m2/year,” he said. “The definition of an nZEB must be flexible towards system boundaries. It is not a case of setting a number and leaving it. There is a need to balance it with other factors, such as economic growth. The overall mission is to decarbonise, and there is a global impetus to mitigate climate emission, which the UAE has signed up for. We are blessed the leadership in the country is pushing for the UAE to be a global leader in sustainable buildings.”

Empower awards contract to boost production capacity in Jumeirah project Will add to company’s production by 30,000 TR

E

mpower has announced awarding a contract that will add up to the company’s production by 30,000 TR, as part of its endeavour to extend its District Cooling network in Dubai's Jumeirah

area.

The contract, said the announcement, entails providing professional consultancy services for the full design, engineering, contract administration, construction supervision and project management of the company’s District Cooling plant located in the Jumeirah project area.

The contract has helped connect Jumeriah Al Naseem Hotel via a semi-permanent plantroom, which will later be converted to a permanent plant, Empower revealed, and added that it covers its projects for Burj Al Arab, Jumeirah Beach Residence, Al Qasr Palace, Jumeriah Al Naseem hotel, Mina A'Salam hotel, Dar Al Masyaf Hotel, Souq Madinat Jumeirah, Wild Wadi and The Emirates Academy of Hospitality Management.

“The contract awarded is part of significant expansion of the company’s operations, which currently commands a share of more than 70% of the District Cooling market in Dubai,” said H.E. Ahmad Bin Shafar, CEO of Empower. “This contract is part of our strategy to further build our capacities and expand our footprint in Dubai.”

May 2016

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NEWS REGIONAL

Abu Dhabi to host inaugural edition of Climate Abu Dhabi in October Indoor climate and cold chain technologies exhibition to showcase innovations in energy-efficient solutions.

T

he first edition of Climate Abu Dhabi, an exhibition dedicated to the HVACR industry, will take place from October 3 to 5, 2016, at the Abu Dhabi National Exhibition Centre (ADNEC), the event organisers, Dome Exhibitions and Euroexpo, have announced.

Being organised with the support of ADNEC, Abu Dhabi Chamber of Commerce and Industry and AbuDhabiEvents.ae as key partners, the event will showcase innovative energy-efficient building cooling technology and a new range of eco-friendly products and solutions available within the climate and cold chain sectors, the announcement added.

Climate Abu Dhabi is an offshoot of the annual specialised exhibition Climate World that takes place in Moscow every year.

The latest addition to the Abu Dhabi’s event calendar, Climate Abu Dhabi, said

the organisers, hopes to attract more than 5,000 visitors from the MENA and South Asia regions. The event, the organisers added, will be held at a time energy saving, air quality and building lifecycle costs are being given high priority in the UAE, in line with the nation’s environmental efficiency and sustainability plans for 2030.

In this context, Markus Lattner, International Project Director, EUROEXPOVienna, said: “With USD 180 billion worth of projects under construction in the UAE, we are bound to see an increasing demand for HVACR products and services. Factors, such as rising population will increase the number of households and boost urbanisation, which supported by technological developments and changes in government policies, will further drive the UAE HVACR market forward. Amidst such projections, we are excited to bring such a specialised event to the region, attracting

representatives of oil and gas companies, industrial manufacturers, engineering and construction companies, and many other sectors.”

Antoine Georges, Managing Director, DOME Exhibitions, Abu Dhabi, added: “The exhibition will offer visitors and manufacturers unprecedented insight into the HVACR market, and open a myriad of opportunities for mutual collaboration.

The event will also draw high-level participation of key decision-makers and experts from leading industry association, including Air Conditioning and Refrigeration Manufacturer’s Association (ISKID) in Turkey and Eurovent.”

Huseyin Yuksec, Director, ISKID, informed that the organisation was participating in the event as part of its increased focus on technological innovations and advancements in the HVACR industry.

Building owners in GCC region aren’t reaping full potential of BMS Eighty per cent of the systems are operating on manual mode, says MEP expert, while also bemoaning the lack of an inter-connected approach to designing, constructing and operating buildings.

A

t a time when there is much talk about how HVAC systems can be integrated with sophisticated connectivity regimes, including the Internet of Things (IoT), Satish Adurkar, CEO for UAE Operations at Energy Automation, is not entirely convinced that building owners in the GCC region are showing signs of embracing the technologies available to their fullest extent.

“There used to be a time when it was a challenge to get people to accept the need for BMS,” Adurkar said. “Today, a lot of BMS have been installed. So yes, we have more BMS, but 80% are operating in manual mode.” He attributed the situation to a general lack of maintenance contracts or to people responsible for maintaining buildings not having adequate human resources.

Also, companies, he said, are keen on selling hardware, but it is equally important to pay attention to the software. Broadly speaking, he said, fundamental engineering is being ignored; and the situation is aggravated by lack of

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adequate knowledge among owners’ associations of such aspects as condensation, Delta T or hydraulics.

While it is the role of FM companies to fill the knowledge gap by handling these aspects, most of them, Adurkar said, need to have more insights into the technical side of things, as opposed to only being focused on cleaning- and security-related functions. Equally, there is a need for consultants and contractors to monitor the performance of the buildings they have worked on, Adurkar said, adding that it currently is not the case.

In such a scenario, the IoT can play an important role, Adurkar said. “It allows for collecting and analysing data,” he said. “It also allows for having a limited number of highly trained and proficient technical staff monitor more buildings.” Marrying HVAC systems with IoT is not without challenges, though, he said. “Most people are reluctant to share data, fearing security issues or loss of ownership of the data,” Adurkar said. “Be it pumps, chillers or compressors, IoT can play a big role in improving HVAC performance.”

More News Stories Leminar, S&P and ASHRAE Qatar Oryx Chapter hold seminar

Al-Futtaim Engineering provides specialised Krantz air outlets for Louvre Abu Dhabi

Event focused on designing car parking ventilation systems using jet fans to comply with Qatar Civil Defense regulations

Company exclusive distributors for the air outlets in Middle East

L

Empower achieves high scores in customer satisfaction

eminar Air Conditioning Company has announced holding a seminar on car park ventilation, in collaboration with Soler & Palau (S&P), manufacturer of ventilation products in Europe, at the Intercontinental City Hotel in Doha.

The seminar, organised by the ASHRAE Qatar Oryx Chapter, titled: “Introduction to design of enclosed car park ventilation system using jet fans and Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) analysis, as per Qatar Civil Defense Department (QCDD) regulations�, attracted MEP consultants, clients and contractors from the region, the announcement said.

Paul Mason, Business Development Manager for S&P in Spain, and Amer Fauri, Business Development Manager for S&P in the UAE, apart from shedding light on the subject of the day, shared their expertise in the ventilation industry with participants, said Leminar.

The speakers also reportedly elaborated on the difference between smoke clearance system and a smoke control system, and the method of calculating smoke exhaust and fresh air volume for smoke control system, in compliance with QCDD acceptance criteria.

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NEWS GLOBAL

Halm unveils new series of pumps at Mostra Convegno Expocomfort HEP Optimo L+ series can reduce power consumption by 40%, company claims

H

alm, dealing in drive and pump technology, has announced unveiling at the recently held Mostra Convegno Expocomfort (MCE), its first range of large, screw-connected and flange pumps, specially designed for the trade and replacement pump market.

Giving details, the announcement said that the HEP Optimo L+ series, which was launched at MCE, comes in 20 different models, and features an Eco mode that the company claimed, can reduce power consumption by 40%, compared to the proportional pressure control previously used as the most economical solution.

It added that the product includes an analogue 0-10 V connection

World’s biggest floating solar farm gets ready outside London Will provide electricity and clean drinking water to homes

A

ccording a news report in theguardian (www. theguardian.com/) dated February 29, on a vast manmade lake on the outskirts of London, work is nearing completion on what is touted to be Europe’s largest floating solar power farm, and the world’s biggest for the next couple of years.

Five years in the making, the GBP 6 million project, said the news report, will generate enough electricity to power the utility’s local water treatment plants for decades, as also 1,800 homes every year, and will help provide clean drinking water to nearly 10 million people in greater London and the south-east of England.

A set of 23,000 floating solar panels have been laid on the water at the Queen Elizabeth II reservoir at Walton-on-Thames, by developer Lightsource Renewable Energy, said the report, and added that the panels are not visible, except to Heathrow

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passengers and a few flats in neighbouring estates.

About the rationale behind placing solar panels on water, Angus Berry, Energy Manager for Thames Water, which owns the site, has reportedly said that floating panels, covering only about six per cent of the reservoir, will have no impact on the ecosystem, and though water birds live on the margins, the reservoir is not intended as a home to wildlife and fish.

Putting solar panels on the water, for what is known as the QEII scheme, said the report, has not required planning permission, though, on land, it would require official sanction, which appears to be an added advantage.

According to the news report, an even bigger farm – at 13.7 MW, more than twice the QEII farm – is being built on a reservoir in Japan, due for completion in 2018. Until then, QEII farm will reportedly be the biggest of its kind in the world.

for selective power adjustment, which can also be operated with a start/stop signal.

Also on show for the first time, said Halm, was a range of condensate pumps for the growing market of gas and oil-fired condensing devices, along with small circulation pumps for heating, drinking water, solar and geothermal energy.

“Price and technology need to be extremely persuasive for wholesale and the trade,” said Felix Kröll, Managing Director of Halm, at the launch of the HEP Optimo L+ series. “With a clearly structured range, the wholesale business can ideally serve the replacement pump market without excess inventories but rather, products that pay off.”

Thermaflex awarded Cradle to Cradle Certified Bronze for ThermaSmart PRO

Company claims it’s a global first for technical insulation

T

hermaflex, a solution provider for thermal energy systems, has announced receiving the Cradle to Cradle Certified Bronze for its ThermaSmart PRO technical tube and sheet insulation for existing installations, which the company claims is the world’s only one of its kind. The announcement further claims that the product is the only technical insulation solution to receive such a certification.

Explaining the certification process, Thermaflex said that through the Cradle to Cradle Certified commitment, manufacturers continuously strive to eliminate the concept of waste, stimulate the use of renewable energy and make a positive impact on employees and local communities. The assessment, said Thermaflex, is carried out through five Cradle to Cradle Certified categories of ecological and social efficiency, and their subsequent effectiveness on health, society and environment.

Its commitment to healthy environments and making scarce resources meet future demands has led it to achieve a 90% Cradle to Cradle Certified recognition, the company said, and added that it has also earlier received certification for Flexan 600, flexible, pre-insulated pipes for thermal energy transport, which was upgraded from Cradle to Cradle Certified Basic to Silver, followed now by Bronze for ThermaSmart PRO. No product has reportedly made it to the Platinum level, yet.

“We value the Cradle to Cradle framework, which provides both guidance and focus in our dream of a sustainable future for generations to come,” said Ties van Beurden of Quality Assurance at Thermaflex.

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May 2016

73

ASSOCIATIONS & SOCIETIES

ASHRAE publishes 2016 residential IAQ standard

Covers multi-family units in all types of buildings

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SHRAE has announced publishing ANSI/ASHRAE Standard 62.22016, Ventilation and Acceptable Indoor Air Quality in Residential Buildings, which it says defines the roles of and minimum requirements for mechanical and natural ventilation systems and the building envelope intended to provide acceptable Indoor Air Quality in residential buildings.

The standard covers multi-family units in all types of buildings, and brings them under the scope of ASHRAE’s residential IAQ standard, marking one of the biggest changes to the recently published 2016 version, the announcement highlighted.

Prior to this edition, ASHRAE elaborated, multi-family residential buildings, four storeys or above, fell under the scope of ANSI/ASHRAE Standard 62.1, Ventilation for Acceptable Indoor Air Quality. But now, said Paul Francisco, Chair of the Standard 62.2 committee, the dwelling units themselves are covered by 62.2, regardless of building height, providing consistency of ventilation requirements, while common areas of those buildings remain within the scope of 62.1.

According to ASHRAE, for new construction, this will result in a change of requirements for dwelling units in four storey and above buildings, while for the retrofit market, the change will result in coverage by ASHRAE ventilation standards for the first time in residential dwellings in four storey and above buildings. The 2016 standard also reportedly includes a method of claiming an infiltration credit for horizontally attached units.

Another major change in the standard, ASHRAE underlined, provides a means of determining equivalency for a variety of ventilation scheduling strategies, and added that this change also includes a maximum shortterm exposure, to make sure that meeting annual equivalence does not unduly compromise short-term IAQ. ASHRAE informed that the cost of Standard 62.2-2016, Ventilation and Acceptable Indoor Air Quality in Residential Buildings, is USD 54 for ASHRAE members and USD 64, non-members, and can be ordered at: www.ashrae.org/bookstore.

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ASHRAE and AIA sign MoU Will work together in areas like built-environment publications, education, technical activities and research

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SHRAE and the American Institute of Architects (AIA) have signed a Memorandum of Understanding, committing them to working together in a variety of built-environment areas. Announcing this, ASHRAE, revealed that the MoU was signed recently by ASHRAE President David Underwood and AIA President Russ Davidson.

As per the agreement, said ASHRAE, the two organisations will work jointly in areas related to development of young professionals, advocacy and public outreach, publications, education, technical activities and research.

According to ASHRAE, the two entities are already part of a group that is developing a new version of the International Green Construction Code (IgCC) sponsored by the International Code Council (ICC), the Illuminating Engineering Society (IES) and the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC). ASHRAE and AIA have also reportedly joined together with IES, USGBC and the Department of Energy (DOE) in developing the Advanced Energy Design Guide series.

“ASHRAE and AIA share many common technical interests, including health and safety, energy efficiency and resilience,” Underwood said. “This agreement formalises our plans to foster technical cooperation in these areas, providing needed guidance to the industry.”

Davidson added: “We are at a pivotal juncture as an industry, to address the growing number of design challenges. The extension of this agreement is important for our organisations to continue to work together to further sustainable design strategies, to be active on building codesrelated issues, as well as for providing tangible resources that are useful for our respective members in their daily practice.”

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COMINGS & GOINGS

Rockwell Automation announces leadership changes Blake Moret named CEO; Keith Nosbusch to remain Chairman

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ockwell Automation, has announced that its Board of Directors has elected Blake D Moret, a 30-year veteran of the company, as President and CEO effective July 1. At the time, the announcement said, Keith D Nosbusch, 65, who has been President and CEO since 2004, will transition from those roles, while continuing as Chairman of the Board.

Moret, who is currently Senior Vice President of the Company’s Control Products & Solutions segment, is a graduate of Georgia Institute of Technology, where he earned a Bachelor’s Degree in Mechanical Engineering, the announcement said, and added that he has served as Chair of the Board of the Manufacturing Institute of the National Association of Manufacturers, and is a member of the Board of Directors for the Milwaukee-based Urban Ecology Center.

“Blake has proven himself to be an exceptional leader, with demonstrated readiness to lead the company,” said Donald R Parfet, Lead Director.

Nosbusch added: “We thank Keith for his outstanding leadership during this period, including his work as a vocal champion of smart, productive, and secure manufacturing. We are pleased that he has

L-R: Blake Moret and Keith Nosbusch (Photo courtesy: Business

Wire)

agreed to stay on as Chairman, so that the company can continue to benefit from his experience and support Blake’s transition to CEO.” Moret, on his part, said: “I am honoured to have the opportunity to lead Rockwell Automation and its talented employees into an exciting future.”

Kelvion appoints Robert Wassmer new CEO Will also assume position as MD of Kelvion Holding

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elvion’s shareholder committee has announced that Robert Wassmer will be joining the organisation as CEO and Managing Director of Kelvion Holding, effective from July 1.

Wassmer, said Kelvion, has a PhD Degree in Engineering from the University Karlsruhe (TH), and brings with him extensive national and international experience, and has held executive management positions throughout his career.

Kelvion added that Klaus-Peter Glöckner joined the Kelvion Management Board as new Chief Sales Officer (CSO) in January, and as Managing Director of Kelvion Holding in April.

Glöckner, who holds three university degrees, has successfully formed and developed the plate heat exchanger business within Kelvion over the last 12 years, the company informed.

Prior to that, he reportedly held various sales and general management positions at Ingersoll-Rand and Jagenberg in the United States, UK and France.

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May 2016

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May 2016

77

MARKETPLACE

Thermo King

E+E Elektronik

ThermoLite Solar Panels

EEH110 and EEH210 digital humidity sensors

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laiming that they offer continuous charging, thus extending refrigeration units’ battery life, Thermo King, manufacturer of transport temperature control solutions for mobile applications, and a brand of Ingersoll Rand, has announced introducing ThermoLite solar panels.

The manufacturer lists the following product features and benefits: • The new solar panel charging system helps prevent battery deterioration caused by natural or deep discharge through auxiliary loads like telematics systems or other devices like lights and sensors.

• The solar panels minimise battery failures, which can equate to the cost of a solar installation, thus preventing costly road calls for flat batteries.

• They enable TracKing and other telematics systems to monitor assets over long periods of time, even when the transport refrigeration unit is off.

• They offer regular charging even in low light and winter conditions and increase fuel savings.

• The only automotive-rated charge controller on the market, ThermoLite’s patent-pending charge controller eliminates concerns regarding electrical power surges, reverse polarity that creates a potential shock hazard, overcharging and high-voltage jump-starting.

• Designed to fit directly to the insulated bodies’ rooftops, the solar panels have undergone extensive tests and validations, including resistance to vibrations, pressure washing and exposure to high- and low-ambient environments, to ensure the robustness and reliability needed for transport applications.

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+E Elektronik has announced that it will be introducing its new digital humidity and temperature sensors, EEH110 and EEH210, at SENSOR+TEST 2016, to be held in Nuremberg, Germany, on 10-12 May. The manufacturer lists the following product details and benefits: • The integrated E+E proprietary coating developed for harsh industrial environment protects the sensors from pollution, leading to long-term stability, even under harsh conditions.

• Several interfaces and supply voltages (3 V or 5 V) allow for easy integration of the accurate RH/T sensors in a wide range of applications.

• A special hygroscopic layer protects the active sensor surface from contamination and corrosion.

• Additional components, such as filter caps, are not required, which simplifies the design-in of the sensors, reduces space requirements and helps reduce costs.

• Precise humidity and temperature factory adjustment ensures a high accuracy of ±2% RH and ±0.3 degrees C (±0.5 degrees F).

The measured values are available on I²C, PWM and PDM digital interfaces.

• Additionally, EEH210 features a SPI interface, while EEH110 offers an analogue output for relative humidity.

• With very small dimensions of only 3.6 x 2.8 x 0.75 mm (0.14 x 0.11 x 0.03 inch), the sensors can also be used in applications with space restrictions.

• The digital RH/T sensors are ideal for use in air conditioning.

Kelvion

SNIPPET

Cu-Al air coolers

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aying that they come with copper-aluminum heat exchangers, to include an LX version for operation with CO2 as refrigerant, Kelvion has announced introducing Cu-Al air coolers, as part of is Goedhart range.

The manufacturer lists the following product features and benefits: • The new LX versions have been designed for a range of cooling and freezing applications at operating pressures up to 60 bar.

• The LX versions are available for the following ranges: VCI (ceiling-mounted air coolers with single discharge), VCe (air coolers with large and especially energy-efficient fans), DVS (dual discharge), VNS (with extra-low air velocities for sensitive goods, such as vegetables and fruit) and BC50/BC50XF (for blast-freezing).

• With this portfolio, air coolers designed for CO2 applications are now available for all key areas of food and beverage logistics.

• Goedhart range of air coolers can also be designed for operational pressures greater than 60 bar, and are manufactured as special versions with stainless steel heat exchanger tubes.

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Individual cooling gear for firefighters?

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ccording to findings published in the journal Advanced Materials, and reported by PTI, firefighters entering burning buildings, athletes competing in high-ambient conditions and workers in foundries may soon be able to carry their own lightweight cooling units with them, thanks to a nanowire material that cools, say researchers. The research team has created a material that is flexible, easily manufactured and environmentally friendly and could cool with an electric field safe for human use. A 500-gramme battery pack, about the size of an iPad, could power the material for about two hours. Such a material might one day be incorporated into firefighting and sports gear or other wearables, researchers said.

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Last time round, we went skating from snowclad mountaintops to soda pop carts at street corners, tracing the journey ice cream had traversed over the centuries. This time round, let’s slurp on some ice cream lore.

By Pratibha Umashankar | Associate Editor

Ice cream soda, cherry on the top, Tell me the name of the ice cream shop….

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t’s an old jump rope rhyme. So when did ice cream make the leap from a spoken word to cold print?

It first made its appearance in print as iced cream in 1688, and became ice cream in 1744, says the Oxford English Dictionary, which is around the time when ice cream was first manufactured using modern technology. However, the first recorded English use of the term, ice cream was around 1671-72, as part of the menu at the Feast of St George at Windsor – featured as ‘One Plate of Ice Cream’.

Coincidentally, the first dollop of ice cream (read recorded dollop of ice cream) to have been served in America was in 1744, by Barbara Blandon, the wife of Governor Blandon of Maryland.

It was so special, that a guest at the dinner wrote, “We had dessert no less Curious; among the Rarities of which it was Comnpos’d was somefine Ice Cream which, with the Strawberries and Milk, eat most Deliciously.” No typos here; spellings and punctuation were a bit fluid in those days. And ice cream still remained up there – at high tables in mansions, and Europe continued to pride itself in specialising in the technique, with Italy being the frontrunner since the Middle Ages, and France a close second.

In fact, Thomas Jefferson, one of the Founding Fathers of the United States,

and its third president, between penning the famed Declaration of Independence (1776), whose principal author he was, is supposed to have made extensive notes on ice cream-making – which some say was a staggering 18-step recipe. He is also credited with bringing the French technique to America and owning an ice cream-making machine called a sorbetiere. How he made time for the commodious concoction, while being immersed in nation-building and honing his statecraft is a matter of wonder and conjecture. Perhaps, they don’t make them that way anymore – both men and ice cream. They, perhaps, broke the mould.

And then appeared the first advertisement for ice cream in the New World, on May 12, 1777 in the New York Gazette. Confectioner Philip Lenzi announced that he would be offering ice cream “almost every day”, along with an array of other desserts, at his ice cream parlour in downtown New York City, thus freeing ice cream from the kitchens of the rich. It’s believed that Lenzi had arrived from London in 1773 and set up shop the following year. The advertisement was apparently an afterthought. But his parlour is credited with being the first commercial establishment to sell ice cream in America.

Wait, there’s another claimant here:

Giovanni Bosio is supposed to have established a “gelateria” in 1770.

But this does not cut much ice with historians, as it’s not backed by evidence.

However, the man who popularised ice cream – and making Philadelphia famous for it, in the process – is Augustus Jackson, a Black American.

In fact, some historians call him the originator of ice cream, which, of course, is as insubstantial as melted ice. Be that as it may, it’s true that in the late 1820s, Jackson, a cook, moved to Philly and opened a small confectionery store, and sold cold custards – he cooled them on ice blocks or placed the moulds in a covered bucket of ice. Each bucket contained a quart, and was sold for a dollar, and was hugely popular. He expanded his establishment, and had virtual monopoly over the ice cream business, selling them to his own clientele and supplying them to other ice cream parlours. Many replicated his idea, making Philadelphia – America’s first capital – its ice cream capital, as well. Jackson died a wealthy man – one of the wealthiest Black Americans in Philly – but his family was unable to keep up with the demand and competition, with ice cream parlours springing up at every street corner.

Soon, corner shops, too, found

And out it popped!

Frank Epperson, an 11-year-old boy from Oakland, California, the story goes, accidentally left a glass of juice with a spoon in it on a windowsill, while visiting friends in New Jersey. There the glass sat, all through the cold night. And in the morning, he found the juice frozen. He ran hot water over the glass and pulled out the frozen juice along with the spoon still stuck to it. He called his invention Epsicle, after his name. The year was 1905. In 1922, he is supposed to have introduced it as a novelty at an amusement park in Oakland, California, rechristening it Popsicle – an ice/icicle lollypop, which could be held in the hand and licked! Quick to realise its commercial potential, he applied for a patent, and got it in 1924.

Though frozen “juice bars”, also sometimes called Hokey Pokey, were known earlier, and other ice cream makers were toying with a similar idea, Epperson beat them to it and marketed it. Now, of course, Popsicle/popsicle is both a brand and a generic name.

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May 2016

it difficult to cope with the demand for ice cream, and what was needed was large volumes and a steady supply. Jacob Fussell, a Baltimore milk dealer, who has already found a mention in this column the last time round as a pioneer, became the father of the American ice cream industry, that too, entirely by default – someone else’s loan default, in fact. And thereby hangs a tale: A small-time dairyman, who also ran a modest frozen confectionery shop, defaulted on a debt to a lender.

The lender, not too keen on taking over the business in lieu of the loan payment, asked Fussell to take charge. Knowing the unpredictability of demand and supply in the milk trade, and often left with surplus milk, Fussell saw a window of opportunity here to diversify, and accepted the offer.

As business grew, he realised he had to reinvent ice-cream making – from making it to manufacturing it. In 1951, he decided to relocate to Seven Valleys, in York County, Pennsylvania, and commissioned Daniel Henry, a local miller, to build an ice house and ice cream factory, which is recognised as the first factory in the United States that commercially produced and distributed ice cream. The ice cream business had gone wholesale!

Over the years, vanilla, chocobar and strawberry became standard factory-made fare sold in supermarkets, elbowing out ice cream parlours rustling up their own unique flavours or homemade treats with special ingredients. But we now have gourmet restaurants offering “mother’s recipes” or “old-world flavours”. And ice cream has come a full circle.

HAVE YOUR SAY!

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

References: http://www.foodtimeline.org/foodicecream.html http://www.nfraweb.org/resources/articles/details.aspx?ArticleId=18 https://www.uoguelph.ca/foodscience/book-page/ice-cream-historyand-folklore http://www.ideafinder.com/history/inventions/icecreamcone.htm

It’s a bit waffly Ice cream was served in bowls and paper cups for long. And then, three major events happened simultaneously in 1904 in St Louis, Missouri – the World Fair, the 100th anniversary (postponed by a year) of the Louisiana Purchase being celebrated with an Exposition and the summer Olympics. Ice cream and waffle stalls vied with each other to sell their fare to the milling crowds, especially at the fairground. Business was brisk, and when one of the ice cream vendors ran out of cups, Ernest Hamwi, a Syrian immigrant selling zalabia – a waffle-like pastry – nearby, used his presence of mind and started rolling up his waffles into cones to help the ice cream seller.

The waffle had literally bent over backwards to become a cone! It became such a huge hit that ice cream and waffle vendors quickly turned from competitors to collaborators, and joined hands to sell ice cream in edible cones. Later, Hamwi put together a pastry cone-making machine, was granted a patent for it in 1920, and started the Missouri Cone Company. By 1924, Americans were, according to statistics, consuming more than 245 million ice cream cones per year, and Hamwi became a cone tycoon. Incidentally, it was during the St Louis Expo that The Missouri State Building boasted of a large air conditioner in the basement, to cool the exhibition hall and most of its rooms.

This marked the first time the general public enjoyed comfort cooling.

The scoop!

So popular was the all-American ice cream soda that by 1880, it was a regular treat on Sundays.

This prompted the rather pious community of Evanston, Illinois, to frown upon this indulgence and issue a law against serving it on Sabbath day. Ice cream parlours found a clever way of circumventing it by creating a new delicacy – scoops of ice cream drizzled with flavoured sauces and syrup, sprinkled with fruit and other toppings with a cherry on the top. Sold only on Sundays, to begin with, it came to be called ice cream sundae. And by 1900s, it was sold on all days all over the country, almost edging out ice cream soda. Why sundae? It’s another spelling of Sunday.

Or was someone bending another rule to avoid commercialising “Sunday”? Anyway, it’s one of the many stories swirling around this delicacy, with many “inventors” laying claim to it. And oh, the jump rope rhyme makes sense now, doesn’t it?

May 2016

81

HVAC MIDDLE EAST ANNUAL

SAFETY Conference

9 May, 2016 | Andalus Ballroom Habtoor Grand Beach Resort & Spa, Jumeirah Beach, Dubai, UAE

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Produced by CPI Industry, the publishers of Climate Control Middle East magazine, the conference will be addressing several fire safety issues with a strong HVAC imprint to them. Among various topics, the conference will be examining the factors to be considered while selecting the best equipment, to ensure appropriate civil defense regulations and projects requirements are met; the liability of the client, contractor and manufacturer of fire safety equipment used on a project; and the building fire protection safety audits for Existing Buildings – the common fire protection-related pitfalls found during audits of Existing Buildings.

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• A fundamental understanding of the ways and means to prevent fire from spreading through the HVAC systems in a building • What are the factors to be considered to select the best equipment to ensure appropriate civildefence regulations and projects requirements are met? What are QCD guidelines on product certifications and approvals?

• What is the liability of the client, contractor, manufacturer of fire safety equipment used on a project? What is the scope of the responsibility on each party? What is the impact of this on the insurance cost to client, contractor?

• Navigating conflict standards – a discussion on NFPA versus Eurocode requirements and their implementation in the region • Third Party Testing/Inspection –the role of the AHJ, the contractor, and the fire safety consultant in facilitating the third-party witness testing and inspection process • Fire Protection Systems Maintenance – overview of the requirements of NFPA 25 affecting the industry • How can fire safety-related HVAC manufacturers align themselves to retrofitting initiatives initiated by such bodies as the UAE Ministry of Public Works, Dubai Municipality and the Emirates Green Building Council, with a view to enhancing fire safety features in Existing Buildings and in bringing them up to date with cutting-edge technologies?

Visit www.hvacfiresafety.com to request a brochure

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May 2016

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