CCME September 2015

SPECIAL REPORT: A Shadow of 2009

With the IMF forecasting a fiscal deficit for the UAE, does the industry have cause to worry?

SEPTEMBER 2015

SPECIAL REPORT: A SHADOW OF 2009

With the IMF forecasting a fiscal deficit for the UAE, does the industry have cause to worry?

SEPTEMBER 2015

BILLIONS LOST

THROUGH LEAKING DUCTS

Experts estimate energy loss through faulty HVAC ductwork in the region to be 40%; by that count, the Middle East is losing billions of dollars in energy a year

MARkET fEATuRE

BEYOND AESTHETICS Experts on the critical role grilles and diffusers play in builtenvironments

REgion REPoRT: SCAnDinAViA

EDiToRiAl CAMPAign: iEQ in HEAlTHCARE

Innovation keeps the northern European region’s HVAC industry afloat as it deals with strict regulations and pricing challenges

Jeffrey Brand, of Perkins Eastman, on how to prevent a dip in IEQ while carrying out renovation work in hospitals

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SCHOOLS

WORLD

IEQ FORUM

HOSPITALITY INDUSTRY

HEALTHCARE INDUSTRY

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

KEY TOPICS

SECTOR FOCUS

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

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

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

 The critical importance of commissioning and retrocommissioning for good IEQ

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

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

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

 Guest experience and health: IEQ in the hospitality industry

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

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

ENDORSED BY

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SUPPORTING ASSOCIATIONS

STRATEGIC HVACR RECRUITMENT PARTNER

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contents vol. 10 no. 9  SEPTEMBER 2015

page

12

COVER STORY

NO SMALL LEAK! With severe implications that include billions of dollars’ worth of lost energy and increased risks of respiratory complications for building occupants, leaky ductwork ought to send alarm bells ringing in the region.

By Fatima de la Cerna, Assistant Editor

Q&A page

22 ‘Possible is the language here in the UAE’ Eng Anwaar Al Shimmari, Director of the Projects Planning Department at the UAE Ministry of Public Works, shares details on the Ministry’s retrofitting programme and its collaboration with the Emirates Green Building Council

page

42

POST-EVENT REPORT

agenda 82: Deconstructing the disconnect Day 2 of the 8th edition of The Climate Control Conference once again saw policymakers and industry leaders engage in discussions, in a bid to identify a roadmap for a cohesive approach to multiple disciplines and activities that typically shape a built-environment.

By Rajiv Pillai, Features Writer

4

September 2015

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contents vol. 10 no. 9  SEPTEMBER 2015

IEQ IN

page

26

page

60

special REPORT Is it 2009 all over again?

HEALTHCARE

With the price of oil showing signs of declining further, the IMF foresees the UAE as posting its first fiscal deficit in six years. Considering the havoc the economic woes of 2009 caused, do the HVAC and construction industries have reason to worry? By Fatima de la Cerna, Assistant Editor

‘Make sure that everything fits, because you’re putting new technology into an old building’ Jeffrey Brand, Principal and Executive Director at Perkins Eastman, talks about different ways of maintaining good IEQ in hospitals while carrying out renovation work

PERSPECTIVE page

54

Energy modelling – need for a revisit Pointing out that energy modelling software simulation often yield results that do not necessarily reflect future or current operation and use of a building, Hassan Younes makes a cogent case for more accurate models that could not only give a realistic picture but also contribute to the calculation of a building’s lifecycle cost and energy conservation

page

56

page

64

page

32

special SUPPLEMENT

VARsity The VRF story Can the VRF sector continue to thrive in the Middle East market? Most VRF players say it can, primarily because of the system’s high efficiency

INTERVIEW

page

68

A refrigerant for the future: ammonia working group explores the potential Eric Delforge, Chairman of the ammonia working group formed by eurammon, explains why the group was set up, the significance of the revised F-Gas Regulation and why natural refrigerants will become more relevant in the long term

What ails our industry George Berbari concludes his six-part series with a look at what makes radiant cooling systems an attractive option

MARKET FEATURE

page

74

Air me out!

Multi-motor starters versus single motor starters

Air distribution systems, such as grilles and diffusers, affect indoor air and influence the health of building occupants, and are not merely elements that enhance the design aesthetics of a room. Industry experts voice their views on the critical role played by air distribution systems. By Rajiv Pillai, Features Writer

Nael Al Quqa presents a comparative study on multi-motor and single motor starters, with an analysis of the merits of using MV multi-motor starters for chillers in District Cooling plants

case-in point

page

72

“Evalving” a technique

By opting for ICF valve solution from Danfoss, Fanar Al Khaleej helped keep plant oil and margarine at the right temperature for Dubaibased, United Foods. We bring you the case study.

REGULARS page

78

REGION REPORT: SCANDINAVIA The chilled-out Norsemen Driven by strict legislation and enforcement measures, on one side, and the challenge of pricing, on another, manufacturers of HVACR equipment in Scandinavia have relied on innovation to survive and to thrive. By Rajiv Pillai, Features Writer

6

September 2015

Ed's note 08 Untapped potential NEWS 86 91 94 95 96

Regional Global Comings & Goings Associations & Societies Marketplace

September 2015

7

Untapped potential or years at a stretch at conferences, there has been considerable debate on available sources of water for cooling. While potable water, the use of which is being discouraged in the GCC region, continues to be a factor, the spotlight has been on treated sewage effluent and, to a much lesser extent, on sea water.

Condensate water is dismissed as being insignificant, but the attitude towards it begs the question – have we fully explored the possibilities and explored case studies from around the world before choosing to scoff at it as having minimal impact? More pertinent is the question – can we afford to ignore it, living as we do in a highly water-stressed region, where every drop ought to be valued?

In a significant development, the Hyatt Regency Atlanta, in the state of Georgia, in the United States, reported that in 2013, it used 35% less water compared to 2000, as an entity putting substantially less pressure on the city’s water supply infrastructure. The 1.5-million-square-foot property, which has a total of 1,260 guest rooms, reportedly saved 36 million gallons of water in 2013, through adopting twin strategies – by increasing the cycles of concentration in its six cooling towers and by tapping into the condensate that was generated by its air-handling and fan-coil units. By investing USD 12,000 in a condensate recovery system, in 2013, the hotel collected and diverted one million gallons of condensate to its cooling towers. The investment in the system took only six months.

In neighbouring Athens, Georgia, the US Environment Protection Agency (US EPA) developed a water-management plan for its Science and Ecosystem Support Division (SESD). In 2008, it installed a condensate-recovery system in a 66,000-square-foot facility within SESD’s 12-acre expanse. Overall, the US EPA spent USD 24,500 on the system, which involved routing the condensate from the facility’s rooftop air-handling units and a flow meter to measure the total number of gallons collected and diverted to the building’s cooling tower. The system saved the facility one million gallons of water against a 2007 baseline, marking a 25% reduction in water consumption. According to US EPA, the payback period was less than six years.

The relative humidity in Atlanta typically ranges from 39% to 91% over the course of the year. In Dubai, the relative humidity typically ranges from 26% to 92% over the course of the year. While there are instances of installation of condensate-recovery systems in the emirate, there is no ignoring the fact that they are few and far between. Given the comparable relative humidity profiles, the technical feasibility of installing such a system and a favourable payback period, if one were to also consider the non-economic benefit of conserving the precious resource, there is no reason why the emirate – and the entire region – ought not to take condensate recovery more seriously, indeed.

F

B Surendar Editor @BSurendar_HVACR

SPECIAL REPORT: A SHADOW OF 2009

With the IMF forecasting a fiscal deficit for the UAE, does the industry have cause to worry?

SEPTEMBER 2015

BILLIONS LOST

THROUGH LEAKING DUCTS

Experts estimate energy loss through faulty HVAC ductwork in the region to be 40%; by that count, the Middle East is losing billions of dollars in energy a year

MARKET FEATURE

BEYOND AESTHETICS Experts on the critical role grilles and diffusers play in builtenvironments

REGION REPORT: SCANDINAVIA

EDITORIAL CAMPAIGN: IEQ IN HEALTHCARE

Innovation keeps the northern European region’s HVAC industry afloat as it deals with strict regulations and pricing challenges

Jeffrey Brand, of Perkins Eastman, on how to prevent a dip in IEQ while carrying out renovation work in hospitals

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September 2015

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

September 2015

9

A look at the future Described as the future cities of the world, Smart Cities – at least as a concept – are gaining traction in the different parts of the globe, mostly as a result of the expanding urban population. According to the United Nations, by 2045, over six billion people will be living in cities. That’s six billion who will need access to housing, electricity, water and other public services. Smart Cities, through the use of information and communication technologies, can help governments and community leaders better manage their resources, improve energy efficiency and achieve sustainable economies, whilst still providing residents with a high quality of life.

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September 2015

The

BIG PICTURE

September 2015

11

COVER STORY

ENERGY THIEF‌ Ignored even as the ME region loses billions of dollars a year Faulty and leaky ductwork in buildings in the Middle East is recognised by industry insiders as a hidden spectre that results in significant energy loss, higher power consumption, sick building syndrome and reduced performance of HVAC equipment.

Why, then, does the problem remain largely unaddressed in the region?

By Fatima de la Cerna | Assistant Editor

12

September 2015

L

eaky ductwork is an energy hog that is hidden from view – or at least that’s how Max Sherman, a Senior Scientist at Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, in the United States, describes the problem in his article, “Billions in Lost Energy Leaking Out of Home Heating & Cooling Ducts”, which the laboratory published in March 20011.

Focusing his attention on California, Sherman states in his article that ducting systems typically leak 20% to 40% of the state’s heating and cooling energy, before going on to claim: “Statewide, the potential savings from improving ducts is between 1 and 2 gigawatts (GW) of electricity alone.

No single efficiency improvement has equivalent savings potential.” Quantifying his claim, he says: “The potential savings from sealing residential ducts in California adds up to USD 1 to 2 billion per year.”

Sherman’s article was published 14 years ago. However, the problem he examined persists, not only in California but in all of the United States, with the US EPA estimating that in an average American home, “about

20 per cent of the air that moves through the duct system is lost due to leaks and poorly sealed connections”2.

But is it an issue that concerns only American homeowners?

Epidemic proportions

Kiro Naumov, Managing Director of Firestop Middle East, regards leaky ductwork as such a severe and widespread global problem that when asked to comment on the topic, describes it as an “epidemic”. Elaborating, he says: “Current research in Europe and in the US indicates that air duct tightness is a pervasive concern. The ASHRAE Handbook indicates that 75% of commercial buildings in the US suffer from 10% to 25% leakage.

Similarly in Europe, field testing shows that air leakage is routinely 15% or more, while recent field testing in Australia and the Philippines indicates a similar scope of the problem. We can assume the same issue is present in the region [Middle East].”

It would seem like a sound assumption to make, with Amrit Saxena, Business Development Director of Macsil General Trading Company, revealing that air

From the resistance we face from contractors when we request air-leak testing, I can conclude that not a lot of consultants or projects require that it be carried out

An exercise in assumptions

The following calculations, which were drawn up by Rakesh Saxena, General Manager of Toronto, Canadabased Trimac Inc, show the potential savings that Dubai can accrue just from sealing HVAC air leaks. Do note that listed figures are based only on assumptions and estimations and are not intended to be taken as statistics.

Installed capacity in Dubai for 2013, in kW1

9,656,000

Assuming 80% capacity utilisation during summer

(9,656,000 x 0.8)

7,724,800 kW

Assuming 70% of that is used in the buildings

(7,724,800 x 0.7)

5,407,360 kW

Assuming 50% is used for AC*

(5,407,360 x 0.5)

2,703,680 kW

Total energy used for AC

2,703,680 kW

If 30% is saved by sealing ducts

(2,703,680 x .0.3)

Cost per kWh, in AED

0.24

Saving per hour (rounded off)

(811,104 x 0.24)

AED 194,665

Saving per year assuming AC is in use for 240 days

(194,665 x 24 x 240)

AED 1.12 billion

Equivalent to CO2 emission, tonne per year2

2,443,435

Equivalent to cars removed from the road, per year3

498,660

Equivalent to number of households supplied with electricity, per year3

207,352

811,104 kW

Assuming 20,000 kWh per year, per household

*As per Noor Eldin Mohammed Al Bargouthi of Dubai Municipality, 50% is a low estimate, with the real figure being higher, around 70%.

Sources: 1 www.dewa.gov.ae/images/pressoffice/DEWA_FACT.pdf 2 www.leics.gov.uk/calculating_our_carbon_footprint.pdf 3 www.carbonneutralcalculator.com/Carbon%20Offset%20Factors.pdf

September 2015

13

COVER STORY

#Homeowners, turn your #thermostat down but not off when you leave for #vacation. More tips: http://ow.ly/QAipu

York HVAC @YorkHVAC

leakages in an average building in the Middle East “constitute an energy loss of around 30% to 40% for newly constructed buildings, peaking at up to 60% to 70% for buildings 15 years and older”.

In a way echoing Saxena’s figures, Noor Eldin Mohammed Al Bargouthi, Senior Mechanical Engineer at the Building Department of Dubai Municipality, shares the view that in Dubai, energy loss due to faulty HVAC ductwork could be “40%, roughly”. He is, however, quick to clarify that approximation, saying: “Actually, it depends on the application of the building. It should be less than 30% for villas and townhouses – for horizontal projects. But for skyscrapers, it could be as much as 40% to 50%. It could also vary according to the quality of the project. If you have a project with very high standards for labour, materials and installation work, the percentage will definitely be lower.”

Kiro Naumov

Amrit Saxena

Noor Eldin Mohammed Al Bargouthi

Hidden factors

Al Bargouthi’s emphasis on standards playing a part in leakage-related energy loss reflects his view that the problem of leaky ducting systems can be traced to either inexperienced labour or poor installation practices. And it’s a view shared by others.

“In the time I’ve spent in this industry,” Saxena says, “I have realised that this is a very aesthetic region, meaning elements of a building that are visible to the public are given much greater importance than something tucked over a false ceiling.

Because of this reason, many MEP contractors and duct fabricators can be seen cutting major corners, such as using only a small percentage of the recommended amount of duct sealant or, in some projects, not using any at all. This type of practice – combined

14

September 2015

Hassan Younes

Alex Cargopoulos

with the use of poor quality materials, limited information availability and unwillingness of consultants to revise specifications written at least five to 10 years back – result in the current situation we have.”

Hassan Younes, Technical Director and Partner at Griffin Consultants and Vice Chair of the ASHRAE Falcon Chapter Grassroots Government Affairs and Chapter Technology Transfer Committee, agrees that mediocre workmanship is partly to blame for the region’s defective HVAC ducting systems. “A big factor is poor installation practices,” Younes says. “Normally, duct leakages occur on transverse joints, longitudinal seams and duct penetrations. Poor facilities management (FM) is also a main contributor.

In some cases, we have observed unqualified maintenance personnel using ducts as walkways, leaving testing holes and smoke dampers open and not checking holes that have developed due to rust.”

Silent and invisible

The issue of poor FM, Younes points out, makes addressing the trouble with HVAC ducting systems even more of a challenge than it already is. “Technical facility management is still not being taken seriously in the region due to lack of competent maintenance personnel,” he says. “A lot of developers and building owners favour FM companies with lower fees over companies offering higher quality services, which would, of course, result in compromises.”

In addition to FM and installation issues, lack of ductleakage-testing requirements also poses a challenge, Younes adds, disclosing, “From the resistance we face

September 2015

15

COVER STORY

There’s a $100 Million opportunity for green energy in #GCC over the next 10 years.

Are you ready to join the #SmartFM revolution?

MEFMA @MEFMA

from contractors when we request air-leak testing, I can conclude that not a lot of consultants or projects require that it be carried out.”

Alex Cargopoulos, Business Development Manager at Smashing!

Cleaning Services, voices a similar observation. “While we have completed many duct-leakage tests on new buildings over the last few years,” he says, “the number of new developments being announced and the number of buildings under construction, compared with the number of companies approved to conduct leak testing, would suggest that not everyone is following recommendations for testing.”

Cargopoulos further admits, “Majority of the leak detection we do is usually after the symptoms of duct leakage have been observed for some time.”

Delayed detection of duct leakage is a pervasive problem, one that both Naumov and Al Bargouthi attribute to the fact that leaks are – as Sherman put it – hidden from view.

“This problem is silent; it is invisible,” Al Bargouthi says. Naumov, meanwhile, is even more forthright, calling air leakages “an evil not seen”, before bringing up leaky water pipes for comparison: “Leaking water can be seen, hence easier to address.

Air leakages, on the other hand, are a fact of life. There will always be leakages. The goal is to minimise them.” He remarks that achieving the goal, however, can be difficult since regulations are not being sufficiently enforced.

regulations that cover the issue of leaky and faulty ductwork.

“The SMACNA HVAC Air Duct Leakage Manual is the main standard we follow when inspecting, reporting on and planning a duct-leakage-testing project,” says Cargopoulos. “It outlines leakage limits as well as testing procedures for conformity with those limits.”

Other than SMACNA, Cargopoulos identifies The International Green Construction Code Version 2, IAPMO’s Green Plumbing and Mechanical Code Supplement (2010), the International Energy Conservation Code (2012) and ASHRAE 90.1 as among the standards his company uses.

In terms of regulations, meanwhile, he indicates that in the UAE, the Green Building Code of Dubai and the Pearl Rating System of Abu Dhabi address air leakage, saying: “The Dubai Green Building Code Practice Guide specifies which designs of HVAC system and ductwork layout require duct-leakage testing, and decrees that this must be carried out by a company approved to do so by Dubai Municipality.

Likewise, in Abu Dhabi, new buildings looking to earn an Estidama Pearl Rating are required to follow strict requirements for air tightness in order to achieve minimum energy efficiency. And this is a requirement; no additional credit is given for meeting these parameters.”

Touching on standards, Younes also names SMACNA as the guidelines to be followed for leakage-testing procedures, while describing ASHRAE 90.1 as the benchmark being followed by most GCC region countries. “ASHRAE 90.1 mandates

But that is in addition to mould formation in plenums, caused by low-temperature air leaking negatively into negatively pressurised return plenums. On the other hand, in return ducting, outdoor air leakage into the return add unnecessary loads to the AC system, while leakage into indoor return system can bring additional loads or alter pressurisation patterns in rooms

A question of enforcement

All five experts are in agreement that there is no shortage of standards and

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September 2015

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COVER STORY

duct-leakage testing to be done on all systems that have a static pressure of three inches or more,” Younes says.

On the subject of regulations, Younes says: “Building codes in the area are beginning to align themselves with international building codes, which require proper duct sealing, as well as testing for ducts that are under a static pressure above 750 Pa (three inches). Dubai Municipality’s Green Building Codes require leakage testing for all ducts located outdoors and any system having a static pressure above 250 Pa (one inch), which is more stringent than ASHRAE 90.1 and the International Energy Conservation Code (IECC). However, it is yet to be assessed if the requirement is strictly and fully enforced.”

Speaking candidly on the matter of enforcement, Al Bargouthi says, “To be honest, right now, the focus is on air leakage of the building [envelope] itself, because we want to ensure that buildings are kept safe from untreated air, and in the area of ducting, we still don’t have our inspectors checking the installation materials.” He makes sure to stress, though, that Dubai Municipality is fully informed on the severity of the problem of leakages in ducting systems, pointing out that having testing and commissioning regulations is a significant step in addressing the issue.

“Everyone needs to think seriously about

the problem with ducting, with its installation and maintenance, because it affects our energy consumption and our electricity bills,” says Al Bargouthi.

Counting the losses

Al Bargouthi’s sentiment is shared by the rest, who express the need for complete awareness of the different implications of leaky ducts.

“In the US alone, commercial buildings account for approximately 20 quadrillion BTUs of annual primary energy consumption, or approximately 25% of the overall non-transportation power consumption,” Naumov says. “HVAC systems typically account for 50% to 60% of the overall energy consumption of commercial buildings; hence, reducing excessive air-duct leakage, in the United States, has the potential of saving upwards of 500 trillion BTUs of energy, annually.”

Naumov observes that with the Middle East having a less-skilled workforce than the United States, not to mention a greater dependence on air conditioning equipment, due to a harsher climate, the region could reasonably be expected to have a worse ducting problem and to be losing more energy and savings. Just how much, Saxena offers an estimate: “In this region, the average building uses at least around 50% – a conservative estimate, because the real figures could go up to more than 70% – of power for its HVAC system.

Considering the minimum value of 50%, the average savings for a G+9 building in Dubai would be anywhere around AED 2 to 3 million or AED 200 to 300 per square feet, and both amounts are for a 10-year period from just a single building. This means that if regulations were enforced for new buildings today, in two to five years, we could potentially be saving power worth more than AED 100 million yearly – and without a significant change in project pricing.”

Interior air duct leakage results in short cycling of the HVAC system, with air leaking out of the supply duct being drawn into the return without passing through the occupied space. This causes the HVAC system to operate longer

Smart +Green

A matter of occupant and system health

The consequences of air leakages are not limited to energy loss and higher power consumption, though.

“Clearly, supply duct leakages occurring indoors can lead to increased energy expenditure due to the leaking air not being

18

September 2015

delivered to where it is needed,” Younes says. “But that is in addition to mould formation in plenums, caused by lowtemperature air leaking negatively into negatively pressurised return plenums. On the other hand, in return ducting, outdoor air leakage into the return add unnecessary loads to the AC system, while leakage into indoor return system can bring additional loads or alter pressurisation patterns in rooms. Indoor Air Quality issues can arise from duct leakage, when the leakage occurs in an area prone to pollutants.”

Expressing the same concerns as Younes, Cargopoulos says: “Leakage anywhere in an HVAC system can cause a number of performance issues in its components, as well as have severe health implications for the building’s occupants.” Going into greater detail, he adds, “Particularly during the summer months, any leaks in outdoor ducting will place great strain on an airhandling unit, and this strain will inhibit the system’s ability to do what it was designed to do, which is to deliver cool,

dry air to the occupied space, making it inevitable that a build-up of moisture and contaminants will ensue.”

Cargopoulos further explains: “Any ingress of contaminants into a building, as a result of duct leakage, which is quite common due to the frequency of sandstorms in the region, will affect the health of occupants, especially those already suffering from pre-existing respiratory illnesses like asthma and allergies.”

Those without pre-existing conditions are not safe, either. Cargopoulos points out that a build-up of moisture “creates the perfect breeding environment for moulds and other bacteria, in the presence of organic materials like dust and sand, which in turn, can lead to chronic respiratory conditions in people who have not suffered from problems before”.

Other than affecting the indoor environment of buildings, the unnecessary load and strain on the HVAC systems mentioned by Younes and Cargopoulos can also impair the performance and lifespan of

the HVAC systems.

“Interior air duct leakage results in short cycling of the HVAC system, with air leaking out of the supply duct being drawn into the return without passing through the occupied space,” Naumov says. “This causes the HVAC system to operate longer, and the extended operating hours of the system can increase maintenance costs and, eventually, result in premature replacement of the system or its components.”

Weights and measures

With the alarming energy cost and health implications of leakages in ducting systems, it is apparent that steps must be taken to, if not eliminate, at least minimise their occurrence. But considering the challenges that have been presented, what are the avenues of action available to industry stakeholders? What measures can they take to reduce the incidence of air leakages?

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19

COVER STORY

MEP contractors and duct fabricators, Younes says, should adhere to standards like SMACNA, while facility managers should “make sure that smoke dampers are always tight and not leaking into return ducts, visible holes are fixed and periodical leakage testing is in place”. In the case of policymakers, he suggests: “Authorities should look into enforcing ductleakage testing for outdoor ducts once every five years and not only during the initial commissioning of buildings. As I’ve mentioned, Dubai Municipality already recognises the issue with its inclusion of testing requirements in its Green Building Codes. And we have studied the effect of duct leakage on energy loss in all of our energy-auditing projects. The frequency of such leaks is striking.”

For Naumov, commissioning companies have a large part to play. “Commissioning people,” he says, “are the last line of defence and should provide honest results.

Proper building commissioning practices are the best method to ensure that air duct tightness standards are achieved.”

While he agrees with the points on testing, commissioning and enforcement of regulations, Saxena also highlights the advantage of using high-quality products and solutions. “Duct fabricators should use quality UL-listed duct sealant on all longitudinal and transverse joints of the ducts,” he says. “A UL-listed sealant will not crack during system vibrations. Duct fabricators and MEP contractors may also propose to clients and consultants that they apply microbial-resistant sealant coatings inside the ducts to eliminate air leakages and the possibility of mould growth.”

Also dispensing specific advice, Cargopoulos explains that when leakages are suspected, the first step to take is identifying the location of the leaks. “This can be done with smoke testing or thermographic imaging,” he says. “Once the key problem areas have been identified, a range of materials, such as foams, mastics and even aerosolised adhesive particles, can be used to address the leaks.”

In addition to providing practical tips on leak detection and offering solutions,

Cargopoulos calls for industry players to exhibit a sense of ownership.

“There will always be poor products and cheap installers out there,” he says, adding, “The main factor behind leakages is the quality-control process. Installers, contractors, facilities and building management companies, and the building owners themselves need to take responsibility and ensure that appropriate standards and best practices are followed, from the design right up to the commissioning stage.”

Commissioning people, are the last line of defence and should provide honest results

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September 2015

The crucial nature of information

The question is: what will make stakeholders feel a sense of responsibility, especially over a problem that is hidden from view?

What will motivate them to take notice of an issue that has largely been ignored for so many years?

For Cargopoulos, awareness of the severity of the problem will. He says: “I think knowledge of the implications of not inspecting or testing for duct leakage will lead to many more building and facilities managers and MEP contractors taking the problem seriously. The information is easily available; a quick search online will open up a vast amount of literature on the subject.”

Younes, also highlighting the value of information and of an educated industry, draws attention to the lack of research on the issue of leakages in HVAC ducting systems in the Middle East. “No comprehensive studies have been carried out in the region,” he says. To raise awareness of the problem, he recommends that action be taken to tackle the dearth of local information, starting with “case studies on buildings that show the cost related to duct leakages”. Such studies, he said, could help prompt building owners to “start rectifying duct leakages”.

Saxena supports the idea of

research as well, noting that although small-scale studies have been made in the region, a “much larger study needs to be carried out, which can only be sponsored by a third party, like the government”.

The future is smart

While there’s no telling just yet if governments in the GCC region would ever consider conducting large-scale research on air leakages, headway is reportedly being made in the area of information collection. That is, at least in Dubai, with H.H. Shaikh Mohammad Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice-President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, having launched in 2014 the Dubai Smart City strategy, which should eventually prove useful to the industry.

“Once the Dubai Smart City project is complete,” Al Bargouthi says, “we will be able to provide statistics. With all the buildings in Dubai connected, we will have a database for all of them, and that database will contain information on Indoor Air Quality and energy consumption, including component areas, like HVAC, water, controls and so many more.”

The smart city project is a good project, Al Bargouthi says. And it’s one that he says he is confident will, eventually, bring about positive changes to builtenvironments, not the least of which is a reduction of leaks in ducting systems.

That will certainly be a positive change, for as Sherman also states in his 14-yearold article, better ductwork is a win for everyone. It’s a win for the environment, the government, the building owners and the building occupants, for it would mean reduced energy consumption, carbon footprint and electricity bill, as well as healthier and more comfortable indoor environments.

References: 1 http://www2.lbl.gov/Science-Articles/ Archive/leakyducts-billions.html 2 http://www.epa.gov/greenhomes/ WholeHouse.htm

HAVE YOUR SAY!

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

September 2015

21

Q&A

UAE NATIONAL VISION 2021

‘possiBle is the language HERE IN THE UAE'

Eng Anwaar Al Shimmari, the Director of the Projects Planning Department at the UAE Ministry of Public Works, speaks with Fatima de la Cerna of Climate Control Middle East about the UAE National Vision 2021 and the Ministry’s retrofitting programme, among other topics. Excerpts...

When we spoke at the 8th edition of The Climate Control Conference (15-16 June 2015), you mentioned the Ministry of Public Works has started a programme to promote the concept of sustainability within the Ministry itself. It is a part of the programme, called Ruwad, isn’t it?

Yes, the Ministry has introduced Ruwad. It’s a programme for project managers, or senior engineers currently holding projects, to encourage them to specialise in a field required in the Ministry, in the country or in the region. One of those specialties is sustainability.

We have project managers who recently graduated from this programme. They received their certificate on sustainability, which adds to their qualifications. The programme also supports the Ministry’s mission of ensuring that sustainability, which is part of the UAE National Vision 2021, is incorporated into all our projects in the future. And to achieve that mission, we are educating our engineers and creating awareness among them to ensure that they will support sustainability through their projects.

Sustainability is broader and much deeper than what we expect.

The more time passes, the more complicated it gets. It’s not only

Even if there are subsidies or government support, we as a people should not wait for the time when the government will be forced to take action, like removing subsidies, for us to become aware and start saving energy 22

September 2015

about the economy and the climate. It also has another dimension, which is related to culture, because our culture can either inspire or derail sustainability.

Could you elaborate on that? What do you mean by culture affecting sustainability?

We have been, and still are, raised based on the concept of welfare, and this gives us the impression that everything is okay; that we can use and have whatever we want, whenever we want.

Are you talking about subsidies?

Not only about subsidies. I’m talking about our consumption of electricity and water, of green materials, because the market, so far, is affordable, especially compared to other countries that have an issue with sustainability and carbon footprint. So, people have this kind of welfare attitude and seem to have the impression that they can go ahead and do whatever they want.

Even if there are subsidies or government support, we as a people should not wait for the time when the government will be forced to take action, like removing subsidies, for us to become aware and start saving energy. It is this kind of awareness that we as government hope to achieve by making sure that people are educated.

Sustainability has several pillars. Everyone talks about green, energy and materials, but there are elements that are hidden or have an indirect impact. For example, culture as I’ve mentioned. Another is ensuring that existing buildings are being taken care of, and that’s why the UAE government, particularly the Ministry of Public Works, is working with the Emirates Green Building Council and the Dubai Supreme Council of Energy to develop technical guidelines for retrofitting. Actually, we already have the first version of the guidelines. We recently launched it, and we will see how it goes from there.

What kind of milestone map do you have for the retrofitting project? What targets have you set?

I can’t go into details right now, but I can say that things will evolve in the next few months. There will definitely be a closer engagement between the Ministry and the Emirates Green Building Council. The plan is to train engineers from the Ministry through the Council, to make them ready for the retrofitting guidelines. There definitely will be a roadmap for this.

The Emirates Green Building Council is relatively new compared to other international green schemes. I think that for its efforts to be better recognised and appreciated there must be collaboration with the different entities in the UAE, and not only in the federal level but also with the local governments.

You also mentioned at the conference that though you admire Abu Dhabi’s Pearl Rating System, you feel the country would benefit more if all the standards and rating systems were brought under one umbrella. Could you please elaborate?

This is my personal opinion and not intended to represent the views of the Ministry... I think that with the UAE being a small country, in terms of size and not achievement, having standards under one umbrella or classification would be advantageous and would help in achieving international recognition. Systems like LEED and Pearl are similar in the sense that they allow the classification of buildings.

I am, of course, aware that there are existing differences. For example, some emirates use British standards, while others use American [standards]. But if the emirates were to collaborate, a unified set of standards could be created based on those two. And since we already have existing infrastructure, we can just mention or highlight which standards were used. In the end, they’re two sides belonging to the same coin. The same thing can be said about rating systems. It would be very interesting if rating systems were unified.

I remember I was one of those who tried to establish the Architectural Association of the UAE. We spent time on meetings and all, but in the end it became clear to us that the UAE Engineering Society was better suited to take the lead on what we wanted to do, so we decided against the planned architectural association. I totally respected this, because having one umbrella or having a unified approach gives people clarity and lets them know the proper channels to reach. Having several channels could make them lose their way.

September 2015

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Q&A

UAE NATIONAL VISION 2021

Whatever SEWA’s plans are, though, it’s important we ask ourselves: Did District Cooling work well and achieve the goals in Abu Dhabi and Dubai?

Speaking of the different emirates, one of the big topics discussed at The Climate Control Conference was District Cooling, which the Dubai Supreme Council of Energy has identified as one of the strategies for reducing power consumption in the emirate by 30% by 2030. Northern emirates, like Sharjah, don’t have District Cooling, though, and are primarily relying on split and window ACs. Are there plans of establishing District Cooling in those parts of the UAE? SEWA would be able to discuss this better than me. But as an urban and infrastructure planner, and as someone who has worked on projects in all the emirates of the UAE, I can say that we have to respect how hard it can be to establish an infrastructure network of something new within an existing crowded urban fabric. District Cooling would work well in high-density areas, but those areas have zero available infrastructure corridors to provide or introduce something new like District Cooling. And it would involve a big cost. Can we do it? There’s no way to say that it’s impossible. Possible is the language here in the UAE, but there will definitely be major cost implications.

Maybe SEWA has plans to introduce District Cooling once it has established a fullfledged electrical network, as there were some struggles with electricity in the past.

Whatever SEWA’s plans are, though, it’s important we ask ourselves: Did District Cooling work well and achieve the goals in Abu Dhabi and Dubai? We have to consider previous cases to determine if something will be successful or if it will produce negative consequences. I’m not saying that District Cooling is not a success story; but as far as I could tell from my previous experience in the private sector, it has implications on the end-users, in terms of the fees they need to pay and the efficiency of the system. And so, we have to consider the whole story and do a cost-benefit analysis.

What is your opinion on public-private partnerships (PPPs)? Is it something that the Ministry is, or may consider, looking into?

As I always say, we don’t reinvent the wheel. We always learn from case studies, and there are many stories of successful PPPs worldwide. Still, we need to be aware of all the details, to be fully educated about PPPs and, if we do decide on going ahead with a PPP project, we must see to it that the contract paints a win-win situation, with no side being disadvantaged by it.

PPPs have worked in projects involving housing, energy and roads, among others.

And in many cases, PPP has worked either as a preventive system – that is, to avoid the situation of having governments pull out of financing projects – or as a form of support, because it wasn’t feasible for governments to finance the projects themselves.

Part of the welfare plans of the UAE is to go ahead with letting the government finance projects on its own. There is, of course, a possibility that PPP will be introduced, but it will most likely be done in a small scale, so it can be studied. We cannot just bring a system from other countries and implement it here. There are different factors to consider: the targeted segment is different, and people’s reactions will be different.

But, yes, PPP is something that we already considered. And we are expanding this to study it further and see about doing a pilot project, and if it works and if the market is ready... I personally think PPP is a great concept, but I have to highlight that the UAE government will definitely not allow any harm to come to the end-users, to the citizens.

Earlier, you talked about culture and the UAE National Vision 2021. In your opinion, how does having an expatriate-heavy population affect the achievement of the National Vision?

I just see everything in harmony, because in the end, everyone – expatriates and locals alike – benefit from the country and the country benefits from them. If we put together all our efforts, if we collaborate with one another, we will reach a better place and the country will achieve even more success.

The UAE is one of the safest and most secure countries in the region, which makes people really keen on being and staying here. I’m really happy with the kind of mature and harmonious relationship the different nationalities in the UAE have with one another. It’s what makes this a really peaceful place. And I feel gratified whenever I travel abroad, and I hear from people that they are happy to meet someone from the UAE, because we are kind and collaborative. Small things like being friendly and saying “hi” or being generous with a smile can elevate the UAE. I don’t want to segregate non-locals from locals, because in the end, we all play a part in shaping the identity of the UAE.

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September 2015

IEQ IN HEALTHCARE A Climate Control Middle East EDITORIAL CAMPAIGN

September 2015

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IEQ in

HEALTHCARE INTERVIEW

Branding healthcare and hospital renovation projects Jeffrey Brand, Principal and Executive Director at Perkins Eastman, sits down with Fatima de la Cerna of Climate Control Middle East to discuss the challenges involved in hospital renovations and the steps that can be taken to prevent a dip in IEQ

E

arlier in the year, Jeffrey Brand was one of the participants at a conference on hospital design and infrastructure, organised by Informa Middle East. Brand made a presentation on operational and project factors, during which he stressed on key aspects that ought to be considered while carrying out hospital renovations.

The factors he identified included challenges to renovations, such as infection control, safety, phasing and cost. One way of overcoming the challenges, he said, was to develop a comprehensive and detailed analysis of issues like MEP requirements and site

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September 2015

renovations, which included understanding structural and MEP requirements; isolating services to prevent disruption to existing functions; accepting that “no plan survives contact with reality”; establishing protocols for emergency scenarios; anticipating noise levels and working out ways to limit noise-making activities to short intervals; and involving all stakeholders in the planning process.

At the end of his presentation, Brand shared more of his insights on the topic of hospital renovations in a one-on-one interview with Climate Control Middle East. Excerpts from the interview...

When it comes to healthcare facilities, how would you compare renovation projects to new constructions?

Which, would you say, are more challenging, especially when taking into account sustainability and iEQ concerns?

Renovations are more challenging. The exterior wall, if it’s an older building, may not meet current sustainability standards, and of course, any material that might be contaminated during construction must be remediated. For air handling, you’d want to

opportunities. He also identified different measures that can be taken to mitigate different “construction negatives”. To control dust, for instance, he explained that airtight physical barriers must be erected, negative pressure air locks should be used and ducts should be blocked. For infection control, he highlighted the need for the hospital infection control committee to be involved in the project and for work supervisors to be properly trained and certified.

Brand, who is based in New York City and whose multidisciplinary design firm has carried out assignments at Duke University Hospital and New York Presbyterian Hospital, among other sites, also shared several tips on how to plan for

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Moreover, you’re often dealing with lower ceiling heights and ductwork that is very big, because the original design is old, and now you need more air changes. The challenge is often getting under a beam and low ceiling height, and being able to provide enough air to the places you want to provide

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September 2015

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IEQ in

HEALTHCARE INTERVIEW

Bone marrow transplant patients, for example, are at most risk for infection, because their immune systems are basically rebuilding.

What this means is that the air in the room must blow from the patient to the family member or whoever is in there with the patient

make sure that you can meet all the standards for air changes. If you’re doing a bed tower and you have isolation patients, you must be cognizant of the need for negative pressure and the need to protect them from airborne pathogens. HVAC systems play a really big role in how you prevent infections from jumping from one patient to another.

I don’t think that there are any more risks in renovations. It’s just that often, when you’re renovating, you’re somewhere in the middle of the hospital, and systems connect through your space. The question becomes: if I’m renovating a particular floor, how do I get the rest of the hospital to function while I’m connecting to the HVAC ductwork? To give you an example, when we did the surgical suite at Duke, we had to vacuum out the ductwork to make sure that there was no dust. Even though we protected it, we could still get dust, so we had to take extra care during construction to prevent dust, and when we were done, we still had to clean everything up.

Moreover, you’re often dealing with lower ceiling heights and ductwork that is very big, because the original design is old, and now you need more air changes. The challenge is often getting under a beam and low ceiling height, and being able to provide enough air to the places you want to provide. That’s the challenge, but it’s not an impossible obstacle. It’s just... you need to make sure everything fits, because you’re putting new technology into an old building.

Based on your observation, what are the current trends in the healthcare sector, in terms of technology and HVAC solutions?

We’re doing a lot of ambulatory facilities, at least in North America. We’re seeing this big movement towards managing the population of patients through ambulatory services, because you can do ambulatory surgery and cancer centre work and clinics in these facilities. Patients go there for the day and then go home at night, and they get better. The air systems we’re using produce enough air changes to protect them, but I think they are the same systems as before. Of course, in-patient and operating rooms and ICUs require much more air changes and much more humidity control, because they’re more controlled environments.

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September 2015

September 2015

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IEQ in

HEALTHCARE INTERVIEW

For burn rooms, the focus is on protecting the patient from infection. The air has to have certain humidity content and must be bacteria-free, which means a lot of HEPA filters to make sure the air is really, really clean.

With regard to technology, we do a lot of 3D modelling. Bone marrow transplant patients, for example, are at most risk for infection, because their immune systems are basically rebuilding. What this means is that the air in the room must blow from the patient to the family member or whoever is in there with the patient. A lot of it is how you position the ductwork and the supply and return, and because of 3D modelling, we can now understand where the air is going to move in the room. We are very particular about where we place the registers. It’s actually more about that than the type of system we provide.

The same thing when talking about operating tables – we want the air to blow from the patient, who’s been cut open somewhere, to the staff and not the other way around.

Protecting the patient is paramount.

During your presentation, you mentioned the need to keep noise levels down while doing renovation work. How do you do that?

If it’s an exam room, we often bring the partitions up to the deck above and not just to the ceiling but all the way up. That way the sound can’t travel from over the ceiling.

Also, we make sure the doors have heavy insulation value, because we believe privacy is very important. We are actually at the forefront of proposing that recovery spaces should be individual spaces and that in emergency department settings, walls and glass doors should separate patients. They’re more dignified than mere curtains, and they also reduce infection, allow families to be together and provide better acoustical control.

The other advantage to individual spaces is that patients can control the lighting and the temperature. The customisation of the patient experience is very important at this point in time.

Speaking of controlling lighting and temperature, what is your view on the topic of energy efficiency in healthcare? Do you think it’s possible to achieve energy savings while maintaining the quality of medical care given to patients?

A lot of our clients are trying to cut down on operational costs, so what we advise them is if they’re not using their rooms at night, turn the lights off. And we also tell them that they can be more efficient with air handling. While they certainly should be careful in surgical settings, there are certain places where, when they’re not using the rooms, they can shut down a little bit. Energy cost is really high; that’s why older buildings can be a challenge. They have inefficient layout, and their energy-efficiency schemes are not set up from the get-go, which is why we’re very interested in using 3D modelling to show clients where they can control how much energy they’re using. And, of course, using controls and sensors can also help in achieving energy savings. Investing in controls in one of the best things building owners, in general, can do.

SNIPPET

‘We get only one planet’

W

arning that there’s no Plan B when it comes to our planet, US President Barack Obama recently unveiled a landmark initiative to slash emissions of heat-trapping carbon dioxide from power stations in the country by almost a third within 15 years. The proposal, called America’s ‘Clean Power Plan’, puts the burden on renewable sources of energy in place of coal and natural gas. This implies that the United States has to derive 28% of its power from clean sources like solar and wind by 2030, compared to 22% in an earlier draft. Obama asserted, “No challenge poses a greater threat to our future, the future generations, than the changing climate.”

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September 2015

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September 2015

31

VARsity

REPORT

Looking into the world of variable refrigerant flow systems

The

VRF story With numerous new technologies in air conditioning now available, the question that needs to be addressed is whether the VRF sector can continue to thrive in the Middle East market. Rajiv Pillai finds out where VRF systems stand and where they are heading.

E

nergy security in the Middle East has always been a matter of concern.

Following Dubai’s successful bid to win the EXPO 2020 and Qatar poised to host the 2022 FIFA World Cup, several infrastructureand industry-related projects have swung into motion, attracting more people to the region. The frenetic pace of economic activities and growth in population, however, have begun to put tremendous pressure on the region’s energy supply. Besides the market acknowledging the need for energy conservation, there is a conscious push by the UAE government in the direction, with the Dubai Supreme Council of Energy launching the Dubai

32

Integrated Energy Strategy 2030 in 2011, which aims to reduce energy demand by 30% by 2030.

To cap this energy demand and to encourage people to use energy-efficient products, HVAC manufacturers in the region have intensified their drive to

September 2015

promote the variable refrigerant flow technology or VRF – a technology reportedly known for its flexibility, modularity, efficiency and suitability.

Industry experts suggest that the VRF market is growing at a pace of 10%-15%, and is worth approximately USD 10 billion, globally. In the Middle East, more and more consultants and building owners are reportedly leaning towards the VRF technology than ever before, as it offers flexibility, energy efficiency and compact footprint. “As the region improves from the recent economic recession, projects are opening up in a big way, which represents a great economic opportunity for this technology,” says Mustafah Abdul Jabbar, Mechanical Engineer at Royal Cool. “Currently, VRF technology has an approximate six per cent of the market share in the Middle East, and the demand is increasing.”

Touted as a high-performance HVAC technology, VRF was invented in Japan more than 20 years ago and has large installed bases in several countries. It is, however, a relative newcomer to the US and Middle East markets. “VRF is a new generation alternative to the fixed-based system this country (UAE) was using, and it came late to this market,” says Zakir Ahmed, Managing Director of NIA, the exclusive agent for Gree products. He explains: “It took time to come to the Gulf countries, because the inverter

Mustafah Abdul Jabbar

Kandasamy Anbalagan

Gella Bharat

Zoher Abdullah

VRFs could have a much larger market share in the region, provided there is greater clarity on issues related to piping length, fresh air and performance, as well as independently reviewed operational data

systems that were used in the VRFs could not handle the high-ambient conditions. That was the technology then, but they have improved the machines; they have improved the protection for the inverter systems, which can withstand high-ambient temperatures of 52 degrees C.” Other than the claims from industry experts, General Services Administration’s (GSA – an independent agency of the United States Government) Green Proving Ground (GPG) programme assessed the technology and found that VRF systems can achieve 34% and higher HVAC energy cost savings.

GPG commissioned researchers at the Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL) to evaluate the technology.

PNNL’s evaluation was based largely on a critical survey of the available VRF literature and discussions with industry experts. Researchers also reportedly took into consideration a partial VRF installation at GSA’s Moakley Federal Court House in Boston, Massachusetts, four additional installations in the Pacific Northwest, a review of VRF simulation work, a hypothetical application of the technology to selected parts of the GSA portfolio, and a lifecycle cost analysis (LCCA) that compares VRF technology with a Variable Air Volume (VAV) system with electric reheat.

PNNL’s evaluation indicated that VRF technology merits GSA’s findings and assessment.1

As a consultant, we need to know the performance of the equipment at 50 degrees C

in the temperature range by two degrees C. For VRFs, it is supposed to be half a degree C. Furthermore, he believes that VRF systems have the ability to control the functioning of the air conditioning unit based on real demand, which means for every room there can be a single control. Energy use can, thereby, be rationalised based on actual use, rather than through the forced switching on and off of the machine. All these factors, concur industry experts, have increased the demand for VRF systems.

Demand and supply

Jabbar enumerates several reasons for the growing demand for VRFs: Their high efficiency; a need perceived by the market and governments for energysaving products with environmentally friendly refrigerants; the ongoing advertisement campaigns and training sessions conducted by suppliers and manufacturers for the region; and the use of DC compressors, especially for markets with electricity shortage, such as in Iraq.

“VRF system is going to be one of the players of the market competing against the chillers and standalone systems, naturally because of their energy efficiency,” agrees Kandasamy Anbalagan, Managing Partner at Proleed Engineering Consultants.

Ahmed corroborates this view, suggesting that VRF is about energy conservation and better quality comfort – a normal air conditioner would swing

September 2015

33

VARsity

REPORT

Looking into the worLd of variabLe refrigerant fLow systems

Average rate of vertebrate species loss since 1900: As much as 100 times higher than the natural rate http://ow.ly/PtJu2 #climatechange

BulletOfTheAtomic @BulletinAtomic

WATER-SouRCE VRf SySTEMS

A

t the 3rd Annual Middle East Variable Refrigerants Flow Conference, produced by CPI Industry, publishers of Climate Control Middle East magazine, held on March 30 and 31 in Dubai, Moan Abraham, General Manager, Air-Conditioners, at Hisense Middle East, spoke about the innovative technology of water-source VRF (WS VRF) systems. He said that the advantage of using such a system is that it utilises heat, such as ocean, soil, industrial waste heat and municipal waste water, to realise cooling and heating. It can also be connected to a cooling tower. He claimed that WS VRF offered better efficiency at partial loads, adding that the risk in WS VRFs was reduced with the use of multiple-heat sources, which meant that if one chiller unit failed, the other units would turn on as backup. The following are case studies he presented during the conference:

Moan Abraham

Photo courtesy www.panguhotel.com

Pangu Plaza, Beijing Pangu Plaza, a seven-star condominium, is a famous landmark in Beijing city and the Olympic Centre that has adopted the WS VRF technology. The entire project has an area of 39,360 square metres and has 418,484.70 square metres of construction area. The building, with a height of 191.56 metres, is meant for commercial office purpose, with the other three buildings dedicated to international apartments and one building for a sevenstar hotel. The three international apartments have adopted 129 24-HP water source VRF units.

Photo courtesy www.xmhouse.com

Xiamen Shimao Straits Tower, China Incorporating office, hotel, loft apartments and retail uses, the 300-metre-tall twin towers, covering a total area of 30,500 square metres and a gross floor area of 338,000 square metres, are installed with 566 water-cooled VRF units.

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September 2015

Variable Refrigerant Temperature Customize your VRV for best Seasonal Efficiency and Comfort

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September 2015

35

VARsity

REPORT

Looking into the world of variable refrigerant flow systems

Roadblocks

Despite the demand, there is a general belief that VRFs could have a much larger market share in the region, provided there is greater clarity on issues related to piping length, fresh air and performance, as well as independently reviewed operational data. Jabbar and Patrick Crombez, Department Manager of Direct Expansion AC Department at Daikin Europe

The government has to recognise that VRF is a product that has been precisely developed to cut the wastage and also conserve energy

know the performance of the equipment at 50 degrees C,” says Gella Bharat, Discipline Specialist (HVAC) at Tebodin & Partners. “What we found from our previous experience is that some of the manufacturers, they don’t even give a warranty that their equipment will run at 50 degrees C; they don’t want to give it in writing.”

Anbalagan believes that the sales teams representing the manufacturers are not well-informed and provide contradicting information. “They don’t understand some of the information that is in their own catalogue,” he says.

The general concerns range from a lack of awareness about the technology to how to quantify (operational data) and the possibility of refrigerant leaks. These were also the themes discussed at the 3rd Annual Middle East Variable Refrigerants Flow Conference, produced by CPI

NV – Brussels, admit to some challenges plaguing the VRF industry. Says Crombez: “Fresh air is one of the items we have been tackling. There is also the issue concerning controls integration, especially for BMS systems. For BMS companies, VRF is relatively new from their point of view. So there is a lot of discoveries that is happening there.”

There have been concerns raised by consultants, as well, who say that there is no adequate guarantee from VRF manufacturers about their claims of reliability and efficiency.

“As a consultant, we need to

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September 2015

in ASHRAE Standard 15, the equipment layout needs to strive to minimise the piping lengths, where possible. “If the system design is done right, you can take them [VRVs] to a higher length of piping,” said Yuji Miyata, the Chairman of Daikin Middle East and Africa, during a conversation with Climate Control Middle East, at their new VRV IV product launch event in Dubai, on June 9.

Industry on March 30 and 31, 2015, in Dubai. Concerning operational data, AHI Carrier, informally representing all the manufacturers, presented real-time operational data (see below) at the conference, which was a first-of-its-kind initiative for the region.

Another issue is that even though the VRV technology allows very long piping distances, due to cost and refrigerant charge limitations

Operational Data: Slide 1 Power consumption ranking for each unit Ranking

System

Floor

Tenant

Select area 2014

Area

Power Consumption

Unit

CO2 emission

1

AHI

Ground Flr

AHI

Board room

Board room 2

2120 kWh

1177 kg

2

AHI

Ground Flr

AHI

Board room

Board room 1

1859 kWh

1032 kg

3

AHI

Ground Flr

AHI

Board room

Training room

1061 kWh

589 kg

4

AHI

Ground Flr

AHI

Entrance area

Reception

938 kWh

520 kg

5

AHI

Ground Flr

AHI

Entrance area

Passage

548 kWh

304 kg

6

AHI

Ground Flr

AHI

Entrance area

Entrance seating

418 kWh

232 kg

7

AHI

Ground Flr

AHI

IT

IT

100 kWh

55 kg

Operational Data: Slide 2 Month

Hours

Average set temperature (Deg C)

Average indoor temperature (Deg C)

April 2014

1709

23.5

23

May 2014

1601

23.5

23

June 2014

1592

23.5

23

July 2014

1758

23.5

Aug 2014

1509

Sep 2014

Average outdoor temperature (Deg C)

Power Consumption (kWh)

ikW/Ton

29

3350

0.63

32.5

5576

0.90

34.5

5937

0.92

23

36

4363

1.02

23.5

23

35.5

5369

0.99

1542

22.5

22

33.5

5613

1.12

Oct 2014

1577

23.0

22.5

31

6325

1.07

Nov 2014

1475

23.5

22

25.5

5747

0.93

Dec 2014

1789

23.5

22.5

21.5

7922

0.71

Jan 2015

1884

22.5

22

19.5

8004

0.50

Feb 2015

1711

23.0

22.5

23.5

6296

0.88

Mar 2015

1778

23.5

22.5

24.5

5023

0.96

E R A E “W

” !

0 1 September 2015

37

VARsity

REPORT

Looking into the world of variable refrigerant flow systems

Denmark produces all of its electricity needs by wind power. http:// bit.ly/1LZOE8L #sustainability

Helen Green @orient8you

The solar VRF system

“G

ree was the first to launch solar VRF in the GCC,” claims Zakir Ahmed, Managing Director of NIA. He explains that the solar VRF system is a hybrid solar-electric air conditioner that can work on zero power from DEWA. The traditional air conditioner, he says, can consume nearly three times more energy compared to the solar VRF air conditioner, causing the consumer to pay a higher electricity bill.

“There are three key aspects to the product,” Ahmed says, elaborating: “Zero wastage, zero electric charge and zero worry.

Considering that renewable energy options are at a premium, the Zakir Ahmed solar VRF system ensures that energy is smartly used and there is absolutely no wastage of energy.”

According to Gree, the system incorporates the power management technologies in conversion from DC-to-AC & AC-to-DC with MPPT (Maximum Power Point Tracking), PAWM (Pulse AmplitudeWidth Modulation) and ternary communication technologies. This, it explains, is to optimise the power generated from the solar panels and minimise consumption from the grid.

WATER AND VRF: View and counter view

P

atrick Crombez, Department Manager of Direct Expansion AC Department at Daikin, says: “There is a market for watersource VRF systems in the Middle East as well. It depends a lot on the building. The building dictates what system should be used. If you have a lot of smaller offices, small hotel rooms, lots of variable loads, that’s when a VRV is a better option. If you have Patrick Crombez steady loads, a chiller would be a better option, to be honest.”

Zakir Ahmed, Managing Director of NIA, says: “Using a body of water as a means of re-cooling condensers was first considered when the Palm Jumeirah Project was under construction. Salinity in sea water presents many challenges for cooling towers. This may not be feasible in the GCC region due to shallow seas and the high temperature of sea water.”

Dharmesh Sawant, Senior Manager – B2B AC, at LG Electronics Gulf, threw light on the piping issue in his article, titled "Making VRFs work for you", which appeared in the August 2014 issue of Climate Control Middle East. He stated: “This [piping] issue can be addressed during the design stage by carefully selecting a combination of indoor units and outdoor units. I usually recommend that consultants divide the two systems vertically instead of horizontally. In other words, instead of connecting the entire ground floor to one system and the first floor to another system, it would be better to connect a few of the indoor units of the ground and first floor to one system, and the remaining to another system.”

With the issue of the piping length resolved and operational data presented, it is evident that the VRF industry players are serious in standing their ground and backing their claims.

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September 2015

The government should study what the new technologies are in the HVAC sector, such as in VRFs, and this must be put in the form of a regulation

By the government

A general appeal by industry players is for government bodies to help ease VRF systems into the market. “The government should study what the new technologies are in the HVAC sector, such as in VRFs, and this must be put in the form of a regulation,� says Zoher Abdullah, the Architect at Wafi Engineering Consultancy. “Explaining to the consultant or to the contractor [the benefits of using VRFs] will then be much easier, because there is government backing.�

Ahmed supports this view when he says that VRF systems have been designed with Dubai’s 2030 energy conservation strategy in mind. He elaborates: “The government has to recognise that VRF is a product that has been precisely developed to cut the wastage and also conserve energy. And though the government cannot come and tell end-users that they have to stop using chillers and start using VRFs, it can say that for every square metre of indoor space, end-users will rationalise the energy supply to only so much. If the government were to do such a thing, the customer would go around seeking efficient solutions. VRF is one of them.�

References

1 GSA Website. http://www.gsa.gov/portal/mediaId/196879/ fileName/GPG_Findings_06_-_Variable_Refrigerant_Flow.action

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39

THE 3RD ANNUAL MIDDLE EAST

VARIABLE REFRIGERANT FLOW CONFERENCE 30-31 March 2015 • Habtoor Grand Beach Resort, Dubai Marina, UAE

Thank you CO-HOST

DIAMOND SPONSOR

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ASSOCIATE SPONSOR

EXHIBITORS

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40

September 2015

OUR SPONSORS AND PARTNERS

...for your support and participation ENDORSED BY

SUPPORTED BY

SUPPORTING ASSOCIATION

STRATEGIC KNOWLEDGE PARTNERS

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STRATEGIC PARTNER

MEDIA PARTNER

The Three Factors Co.

September 2015

41

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

POST-EVENT REPORT: PART 2

: 2 8 A D G N N E AG STRUCTI N O T C C E E D N N O C S I D E TH

he 6 at t m 1 d n a fro ne 15 eholders d u J n o ed an ultiple tak u d s l g r e d a h n , to m nt a nce, ated nfere overnme y deliber approach ay 1 had o C l g e e ro fD h Cont tives from ssions. T a cohesiv ssions o ested e t a u -t r c s cu Clim resenta n dis admap fo . If the dis tried-and iscussion e i The p d f e e r o g t o d e a n w r t n h a g o t e w a i re h it m en sa ns m fy ing a 8th ed nce agai dustries to identi t-environ rture fro , the day w e o l h l t o buil 2 of depa AC in In all ics. The f bai, o a bid Day n Du n and HV ence in ly shape a a further ussions. i p o n t a 2 d Meyd nstructio elling evi at typical ay 2 was eting disc overed 8 v c o D p h i t , c r t h m f s e a c i o e o c h th iti rm et nted activ pe fo g for a s erall 14, w prese ines and sation-ty n v i o k ma r the pl disci ue conve ferences, sions of s q n e i en s t... a un ch of co g sev a oa appr remainin atim form e b h r t on in ve riter rpts, es W exce r u t a | Fe Pillai v i j a R rt by Repo

42

September 2015

R

ight from the beginning of Day 2, the moderators – B Surendar, Editorial Director and Associate Publisher of CPI Industry, and Sougata Nandi, Technical Advisor for Sustainable Development at CPI Industry – set the tone for the discussions by further breaking away from the traditional format of conference discussions. They opened the floor to various industry experts and to delegates for a fluid exchange of views and insights spanning such topics as sustainability, regulation, self-regulation, cooling approaches, Indoor Environmental Quality, commissioning and facilities management.

Introductory session with the UAE Ministry of Public Works nandi: “In your present capacity as Director of Projects Planning in the Ministry of Public Works, how do you see the government making progress when it comes to sustainable cities?”

Eng Anwaar Al Shimmari, Director – Projects Planning, uAE Ministry of Public Works: “Sustainability always has a conflict with the economy. You have to jeopardise either sustainability or return on investment (ROI).

This is one of the big challenges. People’s understanding of sustainability differs. Also, the level of sustainability that you want to achieve depends on the complexity of the project and the reputation of the project.

“Talking of projects that the Ministry of Public Works is engaged in, we can say that we are already communicating with the Urban Planning Council (UPC) in Abu Dhabi regarding the rating system. For example, the Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed City, in Fujairah, is a community of 1,100 villas for locals. In addition to public services and utilities, it should be rated according to the UPC rating systems. I would say that the housing sector has already achieved a mature understanding of sustainability when it comes to buildings.

“Sustainability has a different dimension. It is not only about the climate, it also includes socio-economic factors, where culture for me is really crucial and must be integrated. My understanding of sustainability today is totally different from what I had in my mind five years ago.

“I like the idea of having such an event, because it enlightens people. It gathers people under one umbrella; and from the government sector, as well, we need to have one umbrella to consolidate all these efforts. For example, UPC, Emirates Green Building, LEED certification systems, etc.

“All countries around are competing towards something, but what sets the UAE apart is that it has considered sustainability as part of its projects.”

September 2015

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

POST-EVENT REPORT: PART 2

small monopolies, and although there are regulations in terms of energy storage and using non-desalinated water, there are no regulations to effectively control the [District Cooling] market.”

SESSION 8: Regulation and self-regulation nandi: “James, what impact are you seeing since you were formed and since you started achieving certain regulations in certain areas?”

James grinnell, Head of Water – Dubai Regulatory and Supervisory Bureau: “The Regulatory and Supervisory Bureau (RSB) was created in 2010, and it became operational in 2011. We still are very much a small entity. Our initial mandate was to regulate Independent Water & Power Production (IWPP) for water and power generation.

Essentially in Dubai, the structure of the utility sector is very different from that of Abu Dhabi. In Abu Dhabi, we have a vertically separated sector. And you have an RSB that regulates the IWPPs. In Dubai, DEWA is the sole provider of electricity and water, and we are providing a regulatory framework for the additional generation, as growth continues in Dubai. In addition to IWPPs, we have been asked to expand our duties to other areas. First, in the role of ESCO markets, so the Dubai Supreme Council of Energy has an integrated energy strategy, which aims to diversify the supply of fuels to provide energy. And also to save 30% of demand against Business as Usual by 2030. And that demand saving comes in the form of a DSM (demand-side management) programme. And the RSB is providing the support and delivery that enables the programme. The second component is the retrofit programme, which aims to retrofit 30,000 to 40,000 buildings in Dubai by 2030, and what the RSB has

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District Cooling is using outdated technology and needs to evolve and develop… or die done is that it has looked at the market for retrofits. We looked at all aspects and what we observed is that, at the supply side, there are a few ESCOs that have been operating in Dubai for some time. But they are very limited and they have had limited growth. We worked to understand why that growth hasn’t been forthcoming.” nandi: “So, since you were formed, do you have regular interactions with the HVAC industry, where you get feedback from the industry in terms of what types of regulation they would actually recommend or would like to see, so that the industry starts becoming more sustainable?” grinnell: “On the supply side, we have launched an accreditation system. We have encouraged ESCOs to come and demonstrate their capabilities. We have also been asked to regulate the District Cooling sector. Over the period of 2013, we engaged key District Cooling providers who cooperatively provided data to us, to inform on the size of the market, the state of the market, etc. From an efficiency side, we engaged with the developers’ points of view, and we have researched the views of customers, as well.

“Throughout 2014, we ran a project to develop a regulatory framework for District Cooling, because one of the things we found over our research in 2013 was that the District Cooling market was a series of

nandi: “Could you brief the audience on the UAE Ministry of Energy’s objective for energy efficiency and its implementation plans?”

Somayyah Abdulla Alyammahi, Senior green Building Architect, uAE Ministry of Energy: “In 2014, our Ministry had developed a new structure, and we added three new departments – an energy efficiency and conservation department, a regulation and supervision department and a climate change and renewable energy department.

“For regulation, we drafted a federal law on energy and conservation. The law focused on three main sectors: building, industry and transportation. Since we have huge energy consumption in the building sector, we drafted the first phase for buildings, where we focus on all buildings – government to local. This law will help us to encourage or influence the behaviour of people towards energy conservation.”

Surendar: “If you could please share your insights on the importance of self-regulation in this market. We talk about regulation, but how important is self-regulation?”

Sarfraz H Dairkee, Secretary of the Board, Emirates green Building Council (EgBC): “Regulation only is the tip of the iceberg, while selfregulation is at the bottom. So the tip can only nudge things.

Regulation has to come from within.

And until and unless an innovative approach has been applied, I think our solutions have to be

very different. The root of this is innovation. We have to do a lot of unlearning. Right now, the focus is at the tip of the iceberg, which should not be the case.”

SESSION 9: Cooling approaches Surendar: “What we are trying to do through this session is to look at cooling approaches from different virtue standpoints: safety, reliability, energy efficiency, cost-effectiveness, resource conservation, being the least polluting, being the least noisy, having the smallest footprint possible, technological flexibility and being reasonably futuresafe from an economic perspective.

We are going to be looking at various cooling approaches – at District Cooling, at water-cooled systems from a boarder perspective and at air-cooled systems.

“First and foremost, I would like to bring in Eng Redha Salman. He’s the Director of the Sewage Treatment Plant (STP) operations of Dubai Municipality (DM). One of the fundamental requirements, as we all know, is water.

The availability of water, when we talk of District Cooling, when we talk of water-cooled systems. Eng Redha, if you could please take us through the efforts that DM is taking to ensure we

have enough TSE (treated sewage effluent).

What are the efforts you are taking to generate and distribute that TSE? Do we have enough to consider District Cooling as a viable model?”

Eng Redha Salman, Director of STP Department, Dubai Municipality (DM): “We have three networks under us – we have waste water sewage coming in, we have another network for TSE to distribute for landscaping and we have another network for the stormwater.

“Speaking about TSE, last year we had 217 million cubic metres. Only 30 million were surplus, which went to the sea. But the surplus is only during seasons where water is not much in demand. Yes, we do have TSE, but it varies during seasons.

These are important issues that one should consider.

“And yes, it [TSE] is cost-effective; its price is 1.3 AED per cubic metre.

This is more attractive than the cost of DEWA water. And it is used for several applications. One of them is greenery and landscaping. We have mapped out and found that TSE can be used in 23 different applications. There are only a couple of District Cooling companies that are using TSE. There is no regulation to force the

District Cooling company to use TSE water.”

Surendar: “George, do you believe in the present model of District Cooling?” george Berbari, CEo, DC Pro Engineering: “From 2005 to 2015, the only development that happened in the District Cooling industry was efficiency improvement from the chiller manufacturer. It did not come from the industry. And we stagnated in [District Cooling] technology. Once you stagnate, other technologies will develop. That said, 70% of the market is still air-cooled chillers and ducted splits. District Cooling is using outdated technology and needs to evolve and develop… or die.”

Surendar: “What are the other drawbacks? Ghaleb, you earlier spoke that it takes five litres to produce 1 kW of energy. We are talking of a very important aspect here – the availability of water for District Cooling and, further, the cost of producing that water.” nandi: “How would you do District Cooling differently if you were to decide that this is the way to make it more popular, rather than enforcing it through mandate or regulation? How would you do an entire lifecycle cost comparison between District Cooling and a standalone system?” ghaleb Abusaa, CEo, en3 Solutions (The Three factors Company): “There will never be one single solution.

There will always be direct expansion systems, small splits, VRVs, aircooled chillers and central air conditioning, forever. And that will possibly continue to take 70% to 80% of the market.

This is because of the class of the people; it’s the nature of the societies. So, when you do a job, do not exclude any possible type of air conditioning, because sometimes what you thought was the worst becomes the best.

September 2015

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

POST-EVENT REPORT: PART 2

“The problem today with District Cooling, when it comes to feasibility, is that the current contract, which I hope RSB will change, does not allow the end-user to reduce his capacity. If you are assigned 1,000 TR (tonnes of refrigeration) capacity, you have to pay a connection fee for 1,000 TR all year. And this is one of the drawbacks. The second problem is a penalty for Low Delta-T Syndrome by some manufacturers.

“Yet another major problem we have with District Cooling is that when we have two or three plants connected to a common network, we don’t have a live monitoring of the network. We only monitor the Energy Transfer Station (ETS) and the District Cooling plant.” nandi: “Holistically, how do air-cooled chillers stack up? Energy-efficiency-wise, it might not be as efficient as water-cooled chillers. But is there a case for air-cooled chillers?”

Bharat Asarpota, Maintenance Engineer, Emarat: “It depends on various stakeholders on what they want.

You have to take the cost into consideration on whether you are getting it from the grid or District Cooling and you pass on the cost to the tenants or consumers. As developers, the priorities have to be made very clear.

“As far as we are concerned, my corporation, when we developed the land in 1990, Sheikh Zayed Road had the Metropolitan Hotel. The government gave us this land, and there was absolutely no infrastructure. Forget about TSE, there

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September 2015

was insufficient water. So we had to go in for air-cooled chillers, and I think a lot of projects are stuck because of that. It’s not easy to retrofit an air-cooled chiller project and go for a water-cooled chiller, instead.

It’s just not possible. We actually looked at District Cooling as an alternative, but there was no infrastructure for it.” nandi: “In my opinion, there are also District Cooling plants that are standalone – meaning that they serve only one customer.

We have Nimal here, who has worked on such projects. One of them was the Wafi Mall, which uses a District Cooling plant and the other was the Hyatt Regency chilled water plant retrofit project. Please share with us very briefly both the projects in terms of what they used to be before and how they were upgraded into the new

Why, then, do I make a watercooled District Cooling plant and compare it with individual units of air-cooled VRFs? VRFs can also be water-cooled. The comparison is not just

system. And what specific advantages, in terms of energy savings and cost reduction, were you able to achieve owing to the upgrades?” nimal Amukotuwa, Consultant: “Wafi uses a District Cooling plant, and it’s a single user.

In Wafi, initially, each building had different HVAC systems.

Some were aircooled and some were water-cooled. At the same time, they were building the pyramid-shaped hotel, Raffles. So, they approached us and said they wanted to go for a standalone plant, which they would use for all their properties, including the hotel. We designed one plant in one of the vacant plant rooms.

And gradually disconnected all the systems one by one. The plant had sufficient capacity. The total plant capacity was 14,000 TR, and around 8,000 TR, I believe, were required for the hotel. Only thing I can’t give you is energy savings.

But, it was very successful, because their engineers have told us that they are very happy. And that they are saving money.”

“We retrofitted Hyatt Regency along with some apartment blocks. They had old York chillers that were around 20 years old. This was in 2004. I looked at them and said that we have to change the chillers, the cooling towers, the condensate water pumps and the primary chilled water pumps. At the time of proposing, I also suggested we should go for variable-flow primary Chillers. We had two variable-speed chillers and others were fixed speed chillers. We also had a chiller management system, which came from the chiller manufacturer – they were York chillers. Hyatt insisted on York.

“The Director of Engineering at Hyatt said that they were saving 32% on energy consumption. And this was all because of variable speed and chiller combination.” nandi: “Asim, are you manufacturing variable-speed-drive chillers in this region?

What kind of market demand are you seeing for such systems?”

Asim Hashmi, Sales Director (Applied), SkM Air Conditioning: “VFD-drive chillers, right now, are mainly very useful when you are talking about centrifugal capacity chillers.

Because when you are talking about a 1,000 TR chiller, VFD drives come in play, and when the chiller goes on part load of 25% to 40%, definitely it gives the advantage.

For air-cooled chillers, VFD drives are still not very popular in this part of the world, the reason being that air-cooled chillers are not running on 30-40% load – this is because for most of the buildings, you have a multiple-chiller load. And at every moment of time, you have at least one chiller load in the building.

“So VFD drive is good for centrifugal [chillers]. You get a lot of efficiency advantages. But for air-cooled chillers, I feel VFD drive is not so popular and is not so viable. But still, on a case-to-case basis, you can study and you can design.”

in terms of training the technicians and of how to manage an ammonia leak, if it at all happens.”

Surendar: “George, you are a strong advocate of District Cooling; at the same time, you believe in VRF systems, don’t you?”

Berbari: “The main difficulty with VRF is that you have to measure on the airside

of every unit to get the tonne out of the unit. The industry is evolving into variable water flow using the same technology of VRF. With VRW, we are pumping water, not refrigerant, and also chilled water from the VRW is very similar – we only need to add a heat exchanger at the pump, which is available now. You have the ability to measure the tonne-hour by putting a BTU meter on the chilled water. From

nandi: “Anbu, as a consultant, what are your views when it comes to chillers?” kandasamy Anbalagan, Managing Partner, Proleed Engineering Consultants: “We were wondering why people are not considering ammonia chillers in this part of the world. And as we talk to the manufacturers, they say that authorities may not have any objection to use ammonia chillers for commercial purposes. What are the precautions to be taken to mitigate the risks associated with using ammonia? This is one of the important questions. And the payback period is less than three to four years, depending on the power tariff. And so we are considering that as a serious option, and we are trying to get the approvals from the authorities. Basically, ammonia is considered for industrial application, and it cannot be used in a commercial environment. But in places like Europe, it’s already in use, and they consider ammonia as a safe refrigerant. But you need to take care of a lot more aspects

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September 2015

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

POST-EVENT REPORT: PART 2

my perspective, if you cannot measure it, you cannot manage it. And from my experience, it’s impossible to measure the proper efficiency of VRFs.” Abusaa: “I do not understand why we always compare District Cooling with VRFs. Why are we doing this from a commercial and a technical point of view? VRF is an air-cooled system, and District Cooling is a water-cooled system.

District Cooling has no meaning, if there is no diversity in the use. If I have 100 buildings, with all of them being offices working and closing at the same time, and with their heat load being 100,000 TR, I will have to make a District Cooling plant with 100,000 TR capacity. But if there is a diversity, the 100,000 TR goes down to 60,000, and it makes sense. Why, then, do I make a water-cooled District Cooling plant and compare it with individual units of air-cooled VRFs? VRFs can also be water-cooled. The comparison is not just.”

SESSION 10: The air side of things Surendar: “I would like to start this discussion from an air-filtration point of view. Sure, we need to consider energy efficiency, but there is also the cost of health. That’s very important. That’s what we will be addressing through this particular session. We are going to be looking at air-flow issues and health-related issues throughout this session, and also the next session, where we are going to be looking at broader IEQ issues.” nandi: “Are we really monitoring Indoor Air Quality (IAQ) in our buildings?”

Anbalagan: “I don’t think subsequent to the installations, anybody is going

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back and checking the air quality. Of course, the CO2 sensors are installed, and these are all part of the design, as per the codes requirements, and also, as a good engineering practice. And during the testing and commissioning period, we do check if everything is working as per the design intent. So, to that level, we are ensuring that everything is done properly, and rightly, such that the CO levels and the VOC levels and the performance of the AHUs are all proper. But as a follow-up measure, on whether it is working properly, in quite a few cases, we found that they don’t work over a period of time.”

Hans Reinders, CEo, oxycom: “In Europe, we went to a school, and the CO2 level was over 5,000 ppm.

Ventilation should not be according to ASHRAE standards, in my opinion. That’s nice, but it’s not enough – it’s just a minimum requirement. And minimum comes from the fact that ventilation costs energy. So, somewhere, these standards have been influenced by the old industry.” nandi: “Jagath, what are your views on IAQ monitoring?”

Jagath gunawardena, Manager – Projects and Building Development, Dubai Chamber of Commerce and industry: “Our satisfaction survey, at Dubai Chamber of Commerce (DCC), increased from 76% to 92%. We have a system where we periodically check the IAQ in our building every six months. It does not cost you an arm and a leg. We observed some of the formaldehydes from some of the MDF panels. Now, formaldehydes are carcinogenic.

“During a daytime survey for IAQ at the Chamber, we found that various other pollutants went up. We finally figured that it was not the dust or the CO2 but the perfumes the occupants used. Further, there is the Bakhoor, which is perfumed smoke and which was used at the time when a VIP came on a visit. Today, of course, those are slowly discouraged.

“And then, there are the carpets and their cleanliness. Constant testing of IAQ gives us a view of when to check what. A standard building must include in its code a semiannual testing of IAQ.” Sanjiv Sachdeva, Managing Director, gulf Engineering System Solutions (gESS): “When we talk of IAQ measurement in a building today, apart from CO2 sensing, there are IAQ sensors available, which would sense a couple of things together and give you the overall results. These sensors would also check humidity levels, because high humidity means more growth opportunities for micro-organisms and, hence, bad IAQ. “And when we talk of CO2, we should remember that CO2 itself is not a contaminant, it’s just the absence of oxygen.

And increasing fresh air quantities, based on CO2 levels, does not solve the problem, because high fresh air means more humidity. So we have to have good control strategies. The right AHUs could do actual humidity control and not just cooling and condensation.”

Surendar: “Saad, how severe is the issue of sandstorms? As a manufacturer, what are you doing towards addressing the issue?”

Saad Ali, general Manager – Ruskin Titus: “There is a lot of work done to handle sandstorms. Other that concentrating on the AHU side, I think it starts at the façade, which is very important.

I think we have to start from

September 2015

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

POST-EVENT REPORT: PART 2

the grilles and diffusers. But before that, we have to look at the louvre section, where the fresh air comes in. So there is a lot of work that is happening from the manufacturer’s side and not only from us.

As a company, we have been developing sand trap louvres.” nandi: “Christopher Rajamani comes from a lab perspective. Chris, could you please give us a brief about the current status of duct cleaning?”

Christopher Rajamani, Technical and Business Development Manager, Al Hoty-Stanger laboratories: “Healthy indoor air is recognised today as a basic human right. In the last five years, I have seen a revival within the IAQ industry. We have a lot of responsible clients within the industry, such as in schools. Yes, we have done quite a bit of testing for a number of companies. We have a lot of responsible cleaning companies, as well.

We find that the quality of indoor air, designed by the consultants, put in by the contractors, monitored by the municipality and the clients before the handover, is quite good. The only areas where we had a problem involved VOCs and formaldehyde. And that’s because the government has not issued strict laws against this.”

SESSION 11: Broader IEQ issues Surendar: “Hassan, could you please share your views on mould growth?”

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Usually, the problem is that the FAHUs are not handling dehumidifying as they are designed to do. Typically, the capacity is there in the system.

But for whatever reason... the off-coil temperature is above the 13 degrees that it’s designed to perform

Hassan younes, Technical Director, griffin Consultants: “The required humidity content in a room is 24 degrees C, and 50% humidity is around nine grams per kilogram. So this is what you are looking for. You need that value. Below 20 degrees C, the relative humidity will go higher.

Now, the problem we normally see when we do our audits or design reviews is that, first of all, under external conditions, people are still using the dry bulb and not the wet bulb for fresh air sizing. Instead of using 46 degrees C dry bulb and 29 degrees C wet bulb, people should use 35 degrees C dry bulb and 30 degrees C wet bulb.

“Another issue is that the exhaust fan speed is higher than the fresh air in some of the buildings. Condensation is the main contributor to mould. Whenever there is condensation, there is mould.”

Surendar: “Charles, would you like to add to this?”

Charles Blaschke, general Manager, Taka Solutions: “When we start to operate and save energy in buildings, there is a big conundrum, and that is the balance between IEQ and energy.

And I think everyone

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     

      

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   

 

   



  

               



         

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

POST-EVENT REPORT: PART 2

to do as priority, from energy efficiency and IEQ points of view?”

knows that you either get good energy performance or good IEQ. And to balance the two is very hard. We go into buildings, and there is humidity problem, and we think the building is not sealed. And there are these other problems, such as infiltration and leakage. But, usually, the problem is that the FAHUs are not handling dehumidifying as they are designed to do. Typically, the capacity is there in the system. But for whatever reason – lack of education, maybe – the off-coil temperature is above the 13 degrees that it’s designed to perform. So no building is going to have dehumidification if the FAHU has an off-coil temperature of 13 degrees C.”

Wrapping it up, on three...

SESSION 12: Energy efficiency and lowhanging fruit SESSION 13: Testing & commissioning SESSION 14: From thereon – The critical role of FM firms in sustaining IEQ and energy efficiency aspirations nandi: “We have three sessions left, but we are going to club them all together. Now that we have covered all aspects and the building is ready for testing and commissioning, what is the first key step the FM companies need

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September 2015

younes: “Before going into FM, as an owner, first you need to set your KPIs. As an owner, you should set your energy targets, your IAQ targets – all these things should be there so that when you get a tender from different FM companies, you can compare and know what a particular FM company is bringing and what another FM company is bringing. Currently, the situation that is played out involves the owner asking FM companies for a general maintenance contract and the lowest bidder getting the project. I mean, if I am an FM company and am bidding for such projects and if this is the way the game is being played, I will just go with the lowest requirements and the lowest bid and get the project. Now, as an FM company as we all know, education and training are very important; getting certification for the employees is very important, as well. I have never seen a well-operated building, except for maybe some that I have visited, and among the main reasons were bad design, bad installation, etc. So FM companies have a lot to do.” nandi: “Now there’s a dichotomy there, Hassan, because what essentially happened during my experience as an FM provider, the customers will typically give you a number of how much they are going to pay every year, for a certain scope of work. What the FM companies have learned to do is make a submission, with disclaimers written.

“If I can move on to Jagath, because not only has he already converted a building [Dubai Chamber] into a fantastic building, he is also in the process of building a new project.

“So, do you have plans in place when it comes to the Dubai university project?” gunawardena: “We have already started meeting up with FM companies.

In Dubai Chamber, we have our own KPIs and our own tenders system. And

in the tenders system, we select blue chip FM companies whom we know, who came recommended. We invited 16 FM companies, and we put them in one room.

And we told them at the beginning that this is our design and this is what we need. We gave them a design intent on all aspects, not only architectural but also MEP, BMS and operational. We gave them a design target and an operational target. nandi: “Essentially, what you are saying is that the whole exercise is a developerdriven process. You don’t need regulation.

You don’t need anybody to tell you what to do. You know what you want and you are a well-informed educated developer.” gunawardena: “Yes, that is what it is all about.”

Surendar: “What should we do to bring about market transformation? Do we need a carrot-and-stick approach to bringing the building owners to this kind of thinking?

Tharun Thomas, Energy Efficiency Consultant, Smart4Power: “On the process of market transformation, I would say that we have to see how building owners, FM companies, energy management consultants and energy service providers can embrace energy efficiency in buildings.

This can only happen if there is a business opportunity behind it, because we believe that facility management and energy management is no longer different. When there is an FM company coming on board, reducing the energy usage within a building should be a responsibility that they have to take up. Now to make it attractive, there should be an incentive wherein if you are able to save the current consumption by 15% or 20%, your sinking fund and service cost per square metre will go down, thus making the property attractive. So, it all has to be linked; it all has to make business sense, financial sense. And then, if the core competency is not available in-house, look into forming alliances.

September 2015

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PERSPECTIVE Hassan Younes can be contacted at hassan@ griffinconsultants. com

54

Energy Modelling

Energy modelling – need for a revisit Pointing out that energy modelling software simulation often yields results that do not necessarily reflect future or current operation and use of a building, Hassan Younes makes a cogent case for more accurate models that could not only give a realistic picture but also contribute to the calculation of a building’s lifecycle cost and energy conservation.

P

rediction is something humans have always craved for.

Reinventing a city’s future into a sustainable one requires a data-driven approach and a vision that is supported by accurate predictions.

The prime pillar of sustainable cities is low energy consumption and low environmental impact.

And the main contributor to energy consumption and carbon emissions in a city is the built environment.

No wonder then that building performance is an aspect that is most focused on when devising an urban sustainability road map.

Energy modelling of a building involves modelling of heat, air, moisture, light, electrical energy and mechanical energy, to come up with a prediction of energy use and building thermal and environmental conditions that could guide the designer or operator into

September 2015

systems and equipment but also a characterisation of the building utilisation through occupancy, and equipment schedules. In addition, a specification of the building operation is necessary, commonly through a definition of setpoint schedules, HVAC system availability and sequencing of multiple devices of HVAC equipment like chillers staging and control loops.

Energy modelling has become an essential part of building standards and rating systems, thanks to advancement over the years, its widespread availability, significance and proven benefits in lowering a building’s energy consumption.

In today’s market, especially in the GCC region, energy modelling is mainly used for compliance with rating systems. Developers and building owners do not require energy modelling as a project design deliverable, unless required by a sought-after building rating or an urban authority. Therefore, in most cases, once the approving or certifying authority accepts the modelling results, the energy model perishes, with the owner satisfied by the number of points achieved or the bare minimum that the project can get away with to receive the building permit.

In this context, a lot of energy modellers have surfaced in the market to cope with the energy modelling demand from LEED and Estidama. Most of those modellers have become familiar with the energy modelling rules that are set by ASHRAE standard 90.1 Appendix G. Yet, only a few have mastered the sound theoretical background that is much needed to arrive at correct results. With the currently available software, it is easy to create a model, run a simulation and get flashy results. But are those results correct? Do they truly reflect the future or current operation of the building? Such low quality, inherently incorrect and totally deceptive energy simulation results

Only a few consultants in the GCC region, and even worldwide, revisit buildings that they have modelled to compare the design modelling results with the actual figures from measured data and energy bills

the most cost-effective and efficient path to “greening” a building. Simulation of energy requires not only a description of a building’s geometry, construction materials, energy

create hurdles in the way of energy modelling, proving its worth and convincing developers of its tremendous benefits that outweigh the relatively insignificant added design cost. This is also the very reason why organisations like ASHRAE have taken it upon themselves to produce standards and guides to energy modelling, and to list energy modelling certifications for professionals that provide assurances that the certified professional is well-versed in the skills required to build sound energy simulation models.

In addition to containing and limiting the operational energy consumptions, a welldeveloped, accurately built and fine-tuned energy simulation model could be an essential and major contributor to the calculation of a building’s lifecycle cost – an aspect that is indispensable to assessing the success of a development. Not only that, but a living model that evolves from design to construction, and construction to operation, being fine-tuned throughout the way, would help inform decisions of future retrofits, drive energy management, and help in measurement and verification, and reduce the lifecycle cost of a building.

Only a few consultants in the GCC region, and even worldwide, revisit buildings that they have modelled to compare the design modelling results with the actual figures from measured data and energy bills. Recent studies conducted on schools in the UK have attempted to determine the extent of the difference between predicted and actual energy use. An average energy consumption of 2.4 times the design value was reported for new schools.

The worst case studied was 10 times the design figure.

This clearly indicates that there is a disconnect between how the building has been

designed to be used and how it is actually being used. Either that, or the problem lies in the methodology and correctness of how the design energy value has been calculated.

Moving forward, some developers worldwide have started asking for performance in use and energy use intensity (EUI) thresholds to be met by the designer/ contractor. Ideally, designers and contractors could be held responsible for a wide discrepancy between actual energy use index and the one predicted during the design and construction stages. Such practices will raise the level of professionalism in the energy modelling sector and will help reduce the number of uninformed modellers, by distinguishing them from the experienced and certified ones.

It is also, however, vital to note that differences between predicted and actual energy usages are not always attributed to poor modelling practices. A design that shows adequate performance, when subjected to computer simulation at the design stage, may depend on assumptions that are not reflected in the actual use of the building.

This is why it is important to revisit the building in the post-occupancy stage and update the model to reflect real operational patterns. By doing so, designers can defend their positions by noting operational behaviours that are different from the agreed assumptions during the design stage, like occupancy hours, or pinpointing wrong facility management operation of different energy consuming systems. This exercise would also help designers in adopting more realistic assumptions for their ensuing projects.

In a nutshell, and for the construction market to realise and reap the benefits of energy modelling, it will take knowledgeable and experienced modellers to

showcase those benefits on the one hand, and well-versed developers and building owners, on the other, to insist on accurate and calibrated living models that would span the life of a building, and for those models to be developed by certified professionals. Only then can the sector evolve and prove its worth in the sustainability revolution of cities. 

The writer is Technical Director & Partner at Griffin Consultants, ASHRAE Falcon Chapter GGAC Chair and CCTC Vice Chair and CIBSE UAE Chapter Consultants’ Liaison Officer. He is an ASHRAE certified Building Energy Modeling Professional and has been recently named

the recipient of the Young Energy Professional of the Year 2015 for the Middle East Region by the Association of Energy Engineers.

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

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

September 2015

55

PERSPECTIVE George Berbari is the CEO of DC PRO Engineering.

He can be contacted at gberbari@ dcproeng.com

56

Radiant Cooling Systems PART 6

What ails our industry In this, the concluding article of a six-part series, George Berbari looks at radiant cooling systems as an attractive option, considering they help save on costs associated with air-handling unit, ducting, filtration, fan and chiller energy

C

hilled beams, active chilled beams and underfloor radiant cooling are still being used in niche upscale markets, where the price of chilled beams ranges between USD 1,000 and USD 2,000 per tonne of refrigeration (TR).

They require a chilled water supply temperature of 57 to 60 degrees F (14 to 16 degrees C) to avoid condensation.

Radiant systems are better designed with small dedicated chillers that directly supply the desired temperatures for radiant cooling. The systems avoid large pumping losses, as they require two to three times the chilled water flow of traditional systems, owing to low chilled water ΔT of 5.4 to 7.2 degrees F (3 to 4 degrees C), as compared to 10 to 16 degrees F (5.6 to 8.9 degrees C) for traditional systems.

Radiant systems can be installed under the tiles with a fivecentimetre polystyrene insulation under 200mm-diameter PEX or HDPE pipes, and can be protected by light-weight concrete screed.

They typically can deliver up to 50 watts/m2 or 70m2/TR, which can cover around 50% of the cooling needs typically requiring 80 to 100 watts/m2 or 35 to 42m2/ TR. If used alone, they need to be complemented by another source of cooling, such as a fan-coil unit or an air-handling unit.

Radiant cooling systems could

September 2015

be put above the roof slab with insulation and water proofing above them. Some people embed them in the concrete slab and lay them in the steel reinforcement and test them prior to pouring the concrete.

Another type of radiant cooling is wall-based. Such a system is less-frequently installed, as it raises concerns when put behind a gypsum board, as the occupant might drill the wall, causing damage to the pipe behind it.

Radiant cooling costs USD 25 to USD 30 m2 or USD 1,750 to USD 2,100/TR but saves on costs associated with air-handling unit, ducting, filtration, fan and chiller energy.

One application where air distribution is very expensive and dangerous is in the healthcare sector, as it may distribute bacteria, viruses and diseases. Imagine a hospital room with radiant cooling, though, and a small fresh air and exhaust duct, used for ventilation, with no cross-contaminating wheel but with liquid desiccant heat recovery. I call an allradiant-cooling hospital a dream application, because it can save

The indirect-direct combo

T

hough the focus of the article has been on radiant cooling, I could not resist talking about the interesting developments surrounding evaporative cooling. We are witness to a new approach – an indirect evaporative cooling regimen, followed by direct evaporative cooling – finding its way into the market.

In peak summer, evaporative cooling can deliver air at 35 to 38 degrees C in the coastal areas of the GCC region and at 27 to 29 degrees C in dry areas, such as Riyadh, Madinah and Baghdad. A combination of indirect and direct evaporative cooling can deliver air at 28 to 31 degrees C in the coastal areas and at 19 to 21 degrees C in dry areas. The combination could resolve outdoor cooling in coastal areas and open new cooling applications in dry areas.

capital cost, operating cost and precious space that would otherwise be taken by air-handling units and large ducts.

Applications include large halls at the new Muscat International Airport MC3, in Oman; the Louvre Museum, Yas Island Yacht Club and the Sheikh Zayed Desert Learning Center, all in the UAE; the Royal Clock Tower, in Makkah, Saudi Arabia, and the Banana Island Resort, in Doha, Qatar.

Radiant cooling systems will work famously well, if all possible pitfalls are avoided. For instance, a common mistake is to take chilled water from a District Cooling scheme or a central chilled water

air conditioning system at 42 to 45 degrees F (5.5 or 7 degrees C) and pass it through a three-way control valve or heat exchanger to raise the supply temperature for the radiant systems.

I classify it as a common mistake, because it amounts to wasting most of the energy-saving benefits achieved in the compressor by supplying higher chilled water temperature.

Overall, great care needs to be taken while deploying radiant cooling systems.

It is essential to conduct a detailed feasibility study and to collect trial samples with field measurement and third-party certification prior to implementation. It

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PERSPECTIVE 58

Radiant Cooling Systems PART 6

makes sense to go through a process of due diligence, as we are talking of a new industry, which while is well established in the heating market, is trying to expand into the cooling industry.

Conclusion

This is the sixth and the concluding part of a “harangue”. The manner in which I chose to express my views stems from my love for the HVAC industry and my sense of anguish when confronted with poor practices.

The GCC region is under enormous pressure, as a result of a five to 10% annual increase in power consumption; the HVAC industry is contributing to half of the annual consumption, and 60

September 2015

to 65% of the power demand.

With these facts, shouldn’t the HVAC industry stand up and lead conservation efforts, instead of purely focusing on the business side?

The industry has to wake up and strongly engage with government authorities and utilities, as they take efforts to spread renewables and energy conservation. It is upon the HVAC industry to provide better alternatives to the systems being used today. I have seen the industry resisting more stringent regulation and guiding the government into leaner regulation, based on consensus.

I am hopeful my outcry will start a serious discussion and

trigger a change to the status quo; as a responsible stakeholder, I will strive for that change to happen – and quickly, at that. 

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

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

Write to editor@cpi-industry.com

September 2015

59

special report

FISCAL DEFICIT

2009

Is it

all over again?

With the price of oil showing signs of declining further, the IMF foresees the UAE as posting its first fiscal deficit in six years. Considering the havoc the economic woes of 2009 caused, do the HVAC and construction industries have reason to worry? Experts say the outlook is dim but not dark.

By Fatima de la Cerna | Assistant Editor

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September 2015

not a gloomy picture

For Asim Hashmi, Sales Director (Applied) at SKM Air Conditioning, the bad news from the IMF should, indeed, be met with concern – but only concern and not alarm.

“The situation is not so bright, right now, but it is not so gloomy, either,” he said, adding that he has observed the HVAC market slowing down.

“Beginning last year, there’s been slow movement in the market,” Hashmi said, before further sharing that he expected the situation to continue on until 2016. “Projects will slow down, and government spending will go down.

I mean, there are projects on the table now, but players will be reluctant. Everybody will be reluctant.”

The reluctance, he said, was not only the result of the decline in the price of oil and the anticipated fiscal deficit but also the result of unrest in other Arab nations.

AHU & FCU Split Units

A lot of projects that were put on hold in the past have been activated, and there are a number of new ones coming in, such as the Mohammed Bin Rashid City, which is a multi-milliondollar development project

Ductded & Packaged Units

I

n early June of this year, Reuters released a story echoing what some in the local media – based on speculations from economists and results of bankfinanced research – have been reporting as early as last year: the UAE is headed for a fiscal deficit.

According to the International Monetary Fund (IMF), Reuters’ source for its story, the country’s consolidated fiscal balance, which netted a surplus of five per cent of gross domestic product (GDP) in 2014, is expected to suffer a 2.3% shortfall this year due to falling oil prices.

In announcing its forecast, the IMF also pointed out that the deficit will be the UAE’s first since 2009 – a year that financial analysts and business leaders associate with market instability and profit loss.

With grim associations such as those still in people’s minds six years later, should the IMF announcement be a cause for concern for those in the construction and the HVAC sectors?

Chillers

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September 2015

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special report

FISCAL DEFICIT

Revenue generated by #energy efficient building upgrades expected to reach nearly $623 Billion by 2023: http://ow.ly/GP6N1

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“Because of war, people are holding on to their money,” he said. “Conflict is creating uncertainty about the region.”

Business as usual

Samir Thabet, the Sustainability Coordination Manager at Consolidated Contractors Company, agreed with Hashmi’s observation about the impact of war on business, but he clarified that in the case of his company, only offices in the countries affected by the unrest have felt the said impact. The UAE office, he revealed, has been business as usual, even with the looming fiscal deficit.

Thabet said that although projects were not as many as they expected, they were still coming in. He also shared that while oil prices may be slowing down decisions for new projects, he believed that they were in a good position. “This year is turning out better for us than 2014, and we are expecting growth in 2016,” he said.

The anticipated deficit, Thabet stressed, has had and will have no considerable impact on the construction industry.

Mohammed Khaja, Product Leader for Unitary Systems at Trane, admitted to holding a similar optimistic view when asked if he foresaw the fiscal shortfall affecting the HVAC industry.

“I don’t think there will be any impact,” Khaja said. “So far, activity has been normal, and we’ve been getting the same enquiries.

Also, a lot of projects that were put on hold in the past have been activated, and there are a number of new ones coming in, such as the MBR (Mohammed Bin Rashid) City, which is a multi-million-dollar development project.”

For Khaja, the lack of noticeable impact on the industry can be partly attributed to Dubai’s diversified economy and Abu Dhabi’s vast reserves. “The major development projects

Anwaar Al Shimari

Asim Hashmi

Samir Thabet

Mohammed Khaja

The projects are in the pipeline, and the cash flow is set for the next three years.

We, together with the Ministry of Finance, have put together some plans, and we have worked this out in the last two years to ensure that the cash flow is properly maintained for the projects 62

September 2015

in the UAE are in Dubai and Abu Dhabi,” he pointed out. “Dubai, with its diversified economy, is not dependent on oil. Abu Dhabi, meanwhile, has a deep well of reserves and is working on a lot of large Estidama projects.

I heard that it also has its own multibillion project in the form of premium villas. Around 10,000 villas, if I’m not mistaken.”

Thabet attributed the sanguine state of affairs to the foresight of the government. He gave the credit to the government, saying that as a result of 2009, “many regulations were introduced to better control and stabilise the market, and improve the economy”.

has made the UAE government better equipped to handle similar situations. “Of course, it’s always better when you are ready, because it allows you to expect things, and you can have contingencies,” she said. “Negative situations can be turned positive by learning from them. When you end up with lessons learned, you become ready to face any future issues you might encounter. And – again I’m stating my own opinion here – I think that’s

the case with the government. They did a wonderful job of taking us from 2009 to now, and they will do an even better job at taking us past this minor hurdle.”

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Lessons learned

Maintaining that the 2009 crisis and its ill-effects were well behind the country, Eng Anwaar Al Shimmari, Director of Projects Planning Department, at the UAE Ministry of Public Works, expressed confidence that the UAE government is every bit prepared to handle what is coming.

Sounding the caveat that she was not speaking on behalf of the government but only stating a personal opinion, Al Shimmari said: “I’m not going to say that another fiscal deficit will not have any impact on project planning, because it would. There will definitely be an impact, but the government will make sure that it will be minor. Even during the 2009 crisis, the support from the government was really strong.

And it also worked hard to ensure that the private sector would not be jeopardised. Today, the government is determined that there will be no repeat of 2009.”

To support her statement, she disclosed that no projects of the Ministry of Public Works have been or will be shelved as a result of the news from the IMF. “The projects are in the pipeline, and the cash flow is set for the next three years,” she said. Elaborating, she added, “We, together with the Ministry of Finance, have put together some plans, and we have worked this out in the last two years to ensure that the cash flow is properly maintained for the projects.”

While many in the business community would rather scrub their memories of the national and global economic situation of six years ago, Al Shimmari said that 2009 did leave behind one positive impact: it

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PERSPECTIVE Nael Al Quqa can be contacted at nkhamis@ dcproeng. com

64

Multi-motor starters

Multi-motor starters versus single motor starters Nael Al Quqa asks if it is worth using MV multimotor starters for chillers in District Cooling plants, and makes a comparative study.

A

s a common practice in District Cooling plants, soft starters are used for MV chillers and/ or MV pumps with high ratings to reduce and limit the starting current of the motors. This is done in order to reduce the voltage dip, protect the motor and increase its lifetime.

The nature and characteristics of the motors need to be understood when selecting

September 2015

A multi-motor starter can be maintained while the motor is running, as the motor has individual protection and the starter is located in a separate panel

the starter. Usually, each chiller has its own starter, which turns to the idle mode after the chiller starts and operates on the FLA current.

But, what if we use this starter to start more than one chiller? What, then, are the benefits? And the main question is, is it worthwhile using multi-motor starters to start multiple chillers?

The answer is 'yes'. A multimotor starter has advantages when compared to a single starter, especially for applications like chillers’ compressors and pumps.

It needs to be noted that the functionality of a multi-motor starter is not different from a single motor starter, which means the starting performance of both are the same. For these kinds of applications, the starting time with three times the nominal current is typically between six and 10 seconds, which does not affect the heat up of the starter device itself. The MV motor can normally start two or three times per hour, which means that the soft starter rating (number of starts per hour) for a multimotor is calculated as the quantity of the motors needed to be started.

Design and operation

The multi-motor starter is designed

in such a way that you can start one motor at a time, which is also the same case if you use a single starter, as you start one motor at a time in order to reduce the starting current and voltage dip in the electrical system. The starter is located in a separate panel, and each motor feeder is located in separate panels. Each motor feeder panel has a dedicated motor protection, isolator and by-pass contactor.

After the multi-motor starter starts, the first motor and the next motor comes up to speed, the by-pass contactor closes, and it becomes the current path of the motor. The starter, in such a case, will be idle, and it will then start the next motor, and so on.

Dimensions

The dimensions of a multimotor starter depend upon the number of the motors’ outgoings of the starter. If a multi-motor starter starts two motors, the dimensions are almost the same if two single starters are used. If the multi-motor starter starts three motors or above, the width is less by 10 to 25% compared to a single motor starter.

Reliability and maintenance

The reliability of a multi-motor

starter is at least as good as the reliability of a single one.

Furthermore, the multi-motor starter includes DOL option with full motor protection to guarantee the start-up and operation of the motor, even in case of failure or maintenance of the electronic parts themselves. A multi-motor starter can be maintained while the motor is running, as the motor has individual protection and the starter is located in a separate panel.

This option is not available in the single motor starter, as the starter’s protection and by-pass contactor are installed in the same panel.

A multi-motor starter demands lower maintenance compared to a single motor starter, because the active components, like the SCR, are only one in each starter, and all the passive components don’t require maintenance, unlike the soft starter itself.

estimated cost saving starts with 10% and goes up to 35%, depending on the specifications and the number of motors.

A multi-motor starter can be used in several designs in District Cooling plants, based on the design,

Price

The price of a multi-motor starter depends on its specifications. This means that a multi-motor starter is customised as per the requirement, as well as the motor’s outgoings and voltage range. The more motors in a multi-motor starter, the more will the savings be. The

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PERSPECTIVE

Multi-motor starters

application, local regulations and other engineering aspects.

If the District Cooling plant contains duplex chillers in a series connection, then the multi-motor can be used to start four compressors in the series connections, instead of using four single starters. In my opinion, this is one of the best designs for a multi-motor starter, as the four compressors are operated together in order to give the desired design temperature output of the series chillers. Therefore, in case you are using four single starters to start the compressors, and one of them has failed, then operating the other three compressors is electrically possible. However, they will not give you the desired design temperature output. Here, a multi-motor starter has the advantage of dimension, price and operation, as you will still have the option of starting the chillers on the DOL connection.

A multi-motor starter can also be designed as a redundant system, which means that the buses of the two starters can be connected by a bus-coupler, and the two starters can start each motor.

Conclusion

The following is the argument in a nutshell...

• The functionality of a multimotor starter is not different from a single motor starter, which means the starting performance of the two is the same.

• The width of a multi-motor starter is 10 to 25 % less compared to a single motor starter, if it starts three motors or more.

• A multi-motor starter includes the DOL option with full motor protection to guarantee start-up and operation of the motor, even in case of failure or maintenance of the electronic parts themselves.

• The estimated cost saving ranges from 10% up to 35%.

One can conclude from the above discussion that it is beneficial to use multi-motor starters to start chillers and MV pumps in District Cooling plants, as they have several advantages compared to single motor starters with regard to dimension, reliability and price. 

Reference: AuCom Electronics

The writer, a LEED AP, is a Project Managerat DC Pro Engineering, specialising in District Cooling plants. He has designed electrical systems for more than 900,000 TR of District Cooling plants and 40 MW of power generation plants, and has 10 years of experience in the field of construction, commissioning and consultancy.

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

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

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Q&A

NATURAL REFRIGERANTS

A refrigerant for the future:

ammonia working group explores the potential In 2012, eurammon, the initiative for natural refrigerants, founded the ammonia working group. In an interview, working group Chairman, Eric Delforge explains why the group was set up, the significance of the revised F-Gas Regulation and why natural refrigerants, such as ammonia or CO2, will continue to become more relevant in the long term.

How did the ammonia working group come to be set up?

Eric Delforge, member of the eurammon Executive Board, explains the potential of the natural refrigerant, ammonia

As a natural refrigerant, ammonia offers a great potential in the future for many applications and various capacity ranges, thanks to its high environmental benefits and energy efficiency. However, we still have decision-makers even within the refrigeration, air conditioning and heat pump industry, who denounce ammonia as a dangerous refrigerant.

Unfortunately, there is also a belief that ammonia installations are inherently expensive, and do not offer a sufficient energy efficiency advantage to provide an acceptable return on investment. Furthermore, the use of ammonia is excessively penalised by local legislative restrictions in many EU member states. This is why we decided at a eurammon general meeting in Mechelen in 2012 to address these issues directly and set up the ammonia working group.

To encourage a realistic appraisal of the facts, we want to show the industry how and where ammonia can be used safely and efficiently as a refrigerant What are the working group’s specific aims?

Our aim is to provide information about the various possible applications of NH3Â and to give ammonia a more objective image by communicating practical facts. Top priority is given to provide substantiated information about ammonia as a refrigerant, so that both the owners and, in the end, also the environment can benefit from the use of ammonia.

General scientific data regarding energy efficiency and costs are supplemented by application examples from practical use.

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September 2015

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

TECHNICIAN (AMMONIA REFRIGERATION) Our European client, who is based in Dubai, is in need of a technician with experience in ammonia refrigeration.

Qualifications:  Must be a Mechanical Engineering graduate with ammonia trade school training or RETA and Level A certification  Must have excellent troubleshooting skills in ammonia refrigeration and repair problems related to utilities  Preferably with at least 4 years experience in ammonia refrigeration systems  Preferably with good communication skills, both written and oral  With ability to read electrical and mechanical blueprints Responsibilities:  Ensure PMs are completed within schedule  Generate service requests for equipment Successful applicant will receive an attractive salary package

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

69

Q&A Ammonia (NH3) Ammonia has been successfully used as a refrigerant in industrial refrigeration plants for over 100 years. It is a colourless gas, liquefies under pressure and has a pungent odour. In coolant technology, ammonia is known as R 717 (R = Refrigerant) and is synthetically produced for use in refrigeration. Ammonia has no ozone depletion potential (ODP = 0) and no direct global warming potential (GWP = 0). Thanks to its high energy efficiency, its contribution to the indirect global warming potential is also low.

Ammonia is flammable. However, its ignition energy is 50 times higher than that of natural gas, and ammonia will not burn without a supporting flame. Due to the high affinity of ammonia for atmospheric humidity, it is rated as “hardly flammable”. Ammonia is toxic but has a characteristic, sharp smell, which gives a warning below concentrations of 3 mg/ m3 ammonia in air possible. This means that ammonia is evident at levels far below those which endanger health (>1,750 mg/ m3). Furthermore, ammonia is lighter than air and, therefore, rises quickly.

NATURAL REFRIGERANTS

Does the working group have a special project to help you achieve this aim?

To encourage a realistic appraisal of the facts, we want to show the industry how and where ammonia can be used safely and efficiently as a refrigerant. At the moment, we are planning a series of short video interviews with companies that have already opted for an ammonia refrigeration system, and to have them testify to their positive experiences.

We hope the final list of end-users will include international representatives from the food manufacturing, temperature-controlled storage, beverage and dairy sectors. We already work closely together with many operators, who keep us informed with a constant flow of highly valuable information about the challenges involved in practical use. One example: the revised F-Gas Regulation provides a legal framework that is valid throughout Europe, stipulating which refrigerants are allowed or prohibited. But the individual member states can have additional local rules, for example, in terms of the safety regulations or, eventually, how refrigerants are taxed. We collect this information and make it available to the market as background information that is relevant to decision-making processes. Furthermore, we also compile the most frequent and important questions and the answers covering all aspects of ammonia. Eventually, these will be published in a Q&A section of the eurammon website, together with a freely available presentation with basic information about the ammonia topic.

What is ammonia’s role in the market, at present and in future?

Most people ignore that ammonia has been used as a refrigerant for over a century, particularly in large capacity ranges – the so-called industrial applications.

Furthermore, ammonia also offers a huge potential for commercial systems in the medium capacity range. Initially, we are looking to make the market aware of the fact that ammonia and other natural refrigerants are not just alternatives to synthetic refrigerants, but that in the long term, they can become the most widely used refrigerants. Aside from being

Ozone Depletion and Global Warming Potential of Refrigerants Ozone-depleting Potential (ODP)

Global-warming Potential (GWP)

Ammonia (NH3)

0

0

Carbon dioxide (CO2)

0

1

Hydrocarbons (propane C3H8, propene C3H6, isobutane C4H10)

0

<3

Water (H2O)

0

0

Chlorofluoro-hydrocarbons (CFCs)

1

4680-10720

Partially halogenated chlorofluoro- hydrocarbons (HCFCs)

0.02-0.06

76-12100

Per-fluorocarbons (PFCs)

0

5820-12010

Partially halogenated fluorinated hydrocarbons (HFCs)

0

122-14310

very environmentally friendly – ammonia has a GWP and ODP of zero – we also have to emphasise their efficiency and future viability. Moreover, users are naturally also interested in the macroeconomic view. A look at the overall lifecycle of refrigerating systems operating with ammonia shows that low operating costs not only swiftly compensate for the high-end value in purchasing these systems but also offer long-term advantages in both ecological and economical terms. This applies all the more when taking into account that, in the future, the taxation of refrigerants may depend heavily on environmental criteria. In the end, however, the argument that convinces the most when I speak to high-end decision-makers is that applications using natural refrigerants tend to outperform all in total cost of ownership.

What does the revised F-Gas Regulation mean for the refrigerant branch, in general, and for ammonia as a natural refrigerant, in particular?

The new F-Gas Regulation, which was adopted in March 2014, has finally eliminated an investment hindrance for the branch. Companies now know the legal framework conditions applying to the installation of a refrigeration system, particularly in terms of which synthetic

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refrigerants will be allowed and which will be prohibited in the future. However, these rulings are part of a dynamic process and must, therefore, not be considered as a definitive comfort zone. In other words, some conventional refrigerants that are basically still permitted today may suddenly become a real cost factor tomorrow. In Scandinavia, for example, taxation depends on the GWP and ODP level of refrigerants. This scenario could be considered by more European countries, which is already happening. Most EU member states have undertaken actions to reduce their CO2 emissions by 2020. EU reports today predict that many countries will fail to reach their targets and will face considerable high penalties. The next step could entail sharing the costs out, according to the “polluter pays” principle, including many synthetic refrigerants. Finally, and most importantly, is the fact that the new F-Gas Regulation is a phase-down scenario. This means that the available quota allowing the use of F-gases will, in time, decrease dramatically. Ultimately, the most important message is that natural refrigerants offer the ideal solution to both energy efficiency and environmental issues, which are equally relevant and important. Furthermore, the miniaturisation of proven industrial refrigeration and heating technology to a commercial and domestic users scale will boost business and jobs and will contribute largely to a sustainable society. I am convinced that the winners will be those equipment manufacturers and end-users that will make the direct transition to natural refrigerants fast. 

Ozone Depletion Potential (ODP) The ozone layer is damaged by the catalytic action of chlorine, fluorine and bromine in compounds, which reduce ozone to oxygen and, thus, destroy the ozone layer. The Ozone Depletion Potential (ODP) of a compound is shown as chlorine equivalent (ODP of a chlorine molecule = 1).

Global Warming Potential (GWP) The greenhouse effect arises from the capacity of materials in the atmosphere to reflect the heat emitted by the Earth back onto the Earth. The direct Global Warming Potential (GWP) of a compound is shown as a CO2 equivalent (GWP of a CO2 molecule = 1).

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September 2015

71

case-in point

“evalvIng” a teCHnIQUe

Danfoss was that they wanted a solution strongly focused on safety.

Also, the ammonia-based refrigeration solution is regarded as environmentally friendly. Ammonia is a natural refrigerant, whose ozone-depletion credentials are purportedly far superior to other alternative refrigerants. It is also considered economical, with the payback time for the ammonia-based refrigeration system being five years. Furthermore, the refrigeration plant did not take up a lot of space.

By opting for ICF valve solution from Danfoss, Fanar Al Khaleej helped keep plant oil and margarine at the right temperature for Dubai-based United Foods. We bring you the case study.

In March 2015, Danfoss and Fanar Al Khaleej presented the first cold storage facility in the UAE with Danfoss ICF technology, with six- and four-module block valves.

The background Cooling experts, Fanar Al Khaleej have been customers of Danfoss for more than 15 years. They expanded their business recently and moved to Dubai’s industrial zone, and were approached by United Foods to build a cold storage facility.

Case-in point The challenge: For United Foods, a food and processing company that produces several brands of edible oils, margarine, butter and ghee (clarified butter) for the UAE and export markets, food safety and quality was the top priority. They, therefore, wanted a cold storage facility where vegetable oil, butter, ghee and margarine, which are stored at different temperatures, could be preserved safely.

This posed a challenge, as butter and margarine must be stored at 4 degrees C, whereas the ideal temperature for vegetable oil is 20-22 degrees C. Other products have to be kept at -18 degrees C. Fanar Al Khaleej, who were building the facility, had to come up with different types of cold storage systems within the same cold room for United Foods. Also, due to the very high cost of land in Dubai, the refrigeration solution had to be compact with a particularly small footprint.

The solution and other sustainable outcomes: Fanar Al Khaleej decided to go for ICF technology from Danfoss, with two new ICF valve stations, despite the technology being new to the UAE region. What convinced them to buy these products from

Conclusion

About the ICF valve station Danfoss claims that the ICF is designed for quick and easy installation, and explains that the plug-and-play ICF unit requires only two welds, whereas conventional valve stations, with six or more individual components, require up to 12 welds.

According to Danfoss, the ICF valve station incorporates several functions in one control body, and thus replaces a series of conventional mechanically, electro-mechanically or electronically operated valves.

This offers a number of advantages, not only in the design phase but also in the installation, service and maintenance of a refrigeration plant.

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September 2015

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73

MARKET FEATURE GRILLES AND DIFFUSERS

aIr Me oUt! Air-distribution systems, such as grilles and diffusers, are elements that not merely enhance the design aesthetics of a room but also affect indoor air comfort and, more importantly, influence the health of occupants in a building. In the backdrop of future mega events like EXPO 2020 and 2022 FIFA World Cup, industry experts voice their views on the critical role played by airdistribution systems. Rajiv Pillai has the storyâ&#x20AC;Ś

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September 2015

F

ollowing Dubai’s successful bid to win the EXPO 2020 and Qatar bagging the rights to host the 2022 FIFA World Cup, there appear to be signs pointing to a ramp-up in demand for air-distribution devices, such as grilles and diffusers, in the Middle East region. Many HVAC industry insiders concur that the demand for air-distribution systems is expected to go up in the coming years.

Balagopal V Nair, Key Account Manager, Technical, at Faisal Jassim Trading Company, says: “We foresee a huge potential for air terminal and control products in another five years. Already, there are more than 60 hospitality projects, plus other residential and commercial projects planned in and around the EXPO 2020 arena. WTC and Al Maktoum Airport are in the pipeline to meet the EXPO demand.”

Talking about the current status of grilles and diffusers, Brian Suggitt, Managing Director at Systemair, says that the market for airdistribution systems has been fluctuating over the last 12 months, with no definitive stability. However, he, too, believes that as the region moves closer to the mega events, demand will increase.

To succinctly summarise, using Bassam Nazzal's words: “Growth is expected, but the effect needs time to materialise.” Nazzal is the Managing Director of Beta Industrial.

Krikor Ohanian, Division Manager at Flowtech, explains that air outlets are required in chilled water and refrigeration systems. He believes that the market size of grilles and diffusers, in the UAE or elsewhere, is directly proportional to that of air control and duct accessories.

“Since grilles and diffusers are required in all projects,

Balagopal V Nair

Brian Suggitt

If the design of the product is incorrect, you could have an inferior, noisy and uneven air discharge

distribution systems are a necessity in all projects, the other drivers, Nazzal says, are price, delivery time, architectural concerns, quality and performance.

Elaborating on architectural

aspects and performance, Nair highlights how the shape and size of grilles and diffusers play a major role in enhancing the interior design of a building.

Bassam Nazzal

Krikor Ohanian

the value of grilles and diffusers would be around one per cent of the overall MEP value,” he adds. Putting a number to this demand, Suggitt says that the market size in the UAE is in excess of USD 1 million, annually.

Comfort vs appearance Besides the fact that air-

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75

MARKET FEATURE GRILLES AND DIFFUSERS

Owing to this, there could arise a conflict of interest between MEP engineers and architects, he adds. “On the one hand,” Nair explains, “engineers are concerned with the performance, while on the other hand, the architects are interested in the overall look and appearance. At times, performance and look might go hand-in-hand. We see a lot of requirements for customdesigned grilles that meet both the requirements.”

Suggitt, echoing similar views, believes that aesthetics should be paired with correctly performing products, adding that it is absolutely important to improve the air flow in a room and, at the same time, reduce the level of noise pollution.

Bad air days Choosing the right grille and diffuser will have a lot to do with the needs of the physical space (see side-bar, Air

The cost of the raw material (aluminium) is the same for all manufacturers, but the type of profile/ thickness matters a lot in the final production cost Diffusion Performance Index).

The placement of grilles and diffusers will determine how far the air will travel and how much area it will cover. Therefore, from IEQ and engineering standpoints, one must carefully consider the criticality of air-distribution systems. “If the design of the product is incorrect, you could have an inferior, noisy and uneven air discharge,” Suggitt says. “This, in turn, can cause discomfort in the workplace or room, resulting in unhappy occupants and potential reduction in the

Air Diffusion Performance index (ADPi) • ADPI is a statistical percentage of the measurements taken within an occupied space where the effective temperatures and air velocities fall within a comfort criteria, as recommended by ASHRAE. • The higher the ADPI, the higher will be the comfort level.

• Generally, an ADPI of 80 is considered acceptable.

• ADPI is compared against the ratio T/L, where T is typically the maximum throw – that is, at a minimum terminal velocity = 0.25 m/s Diffuser Type

Characteristic Length, L

High Sidewall Grille

Distance to wall perpendicular to jet

Circular Ceiling Diffusers

Distance to closest wall or intersecting air jet

Sill Grille

Length of room in the direction of the jet flow

Ceiling Slot Diffuser

Distance to wall or midplane between outlets

Perforated, Louvered Ceiling Diffusers

Distance to wall or midplane between outlets

(Side-bar content and image source: Faisal Jassim Trading Co and Flowtech)

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September 2015

efficiency of those occupants.”

He goes on to highlight that from the perspective of IEQ in schools, the level of teaching and pupils’ attention would deteriorate. Another scenario, he says, would be when an owner is trying to rent out his property; if the air-distribution systems are defective, then this could have a negative impact on the value of the property.

To this, Nazzal adds that the overall cost of maintaining HVAC installations would increase if the air-distribution systems are not proper.

Against the wind Despite several manufacturers increasingly becoming aware of the critical role played by grilles and diffusers, there are other obstacles that they need to tackle, market-wise. The challenges faced by manufactures are, typically, price and quality, says Ohanian. He explains: “The cost of the raw material [aluminium] is the same for all

manufacturers, but the type of profile/thickness matters a lot in the final production cost.

Several local manufactures compromise on the quality to reduce the cost, which poses a challenge for reputed manufactures.”

Suggitt, on his part, points out that many products are not tested in accordance with internationally recognised standards, implying that the market is primarily price-driven rather than specificationsdriven. His verdict: “Like everything, the best quality in all aspects will yield the best results.”

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

September 2015

77

REGION REPORT

SCANDINAVIA

The chilled-out Norsemen Driven by strict legislation and enforcement measures, on one side, and the challenge of pricing, on another, manufacturers of HVACR equipment in Scandinavia have relied on innovation to surviveâ&#x20AC;Ś and to thrive. Internationally, they are benefitting from the strict regime and the exertions it has engendered.

By Rajiv Pillai | Features Writer

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September 2015

I

t is believed that whenever Europe needs some vision or perspective, it follows Scandinavia by example. The countries to the north have managed to create a welfare system with free education, public support initiatives and a mature public health service. Scandinavian countries top the international rankings of the most competitive regions in the world, despite their having some of the highest taxes in the world, and despite their workers working fewer hours than those from other countries. Moreover, Scandinavian nationalities are some of the world’s happiest, according to the World Happiness Report.

The region’s best practices also extend to the HVACR sector, driven by a strong sustainability ethos, among other factors. “The HVACR industry in Scandinavia is working seriously to solve a number of environmental and energy challenges, and to meet EU and national demands for low-energy consumption, low-environmental impact and low-noise levels,” says Kim Valbum, CEO of Refrigeration, Air Conditioning and Heat Pump Contractors, Denmark. Commenting on the market size, he adds that the HVACR market in Scandinavia – including Denmark, Finland, Norway and Sweden – is estimated to be USD 5 billion annually.

Demand drivers

“What is driving the market right now is the transition from traditional energy sources to sustainable energy, and the efforts to reduce energy consumption, as much as possible,” Valbum says. Sune Boesen, Key Account Manager, Export, at Lindab Group, agrees with Valbum that energy efficiency is one of the key drivers. In his view, companies like Lindab, Swegon, TROX/Auranor, Fläkt Woods and Halton are striving to supply the newest and most energy-conscious solutions to the market.

S-F / Shutterstock.com

There are a number of other companies in Scandinavia that have experienced similar international success as a result of harsh local legislation September 2015

79

REGION REPORT

SCANDINAVIA

Hot Ice!

H

ans Ole Matthiesen, Global Segment Director at Danfoss. says that refrigeration, both for industrial and commercial purposes, constitute the main market within the HVACR segments in Scandinavia, with equipment manufacturers such as Johnson Controls (Sabroe), Norpe, Arneg (Wica), Hill Phoenix (Advansor), Hoshizaki (Gram Commercial) and Vestfrost, being the major players. He adds that refrigeration systems not only in Scandinavia but worldwide are becoming an integrated part of the distributed District Heating network. “This means that supermarkets with large refrigeration systems or, in principle, all facilities having large refrigeration systems, are not only consumers of energy but also suppliers of energy,” Matthiesen reveals. “Until only a few years ago, the big news was that you could utilise the heat in refrigeration systems to heat supermarkets.

Today, this technology is applied in most new supermarkets, and now, the very same supermarkets, can also supply heat to private homes, which are located nearby.”

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Kim Valbum

Sune Boesen

Regulations force innovations

Matthiesen says that most of the innovations in Scandinavia are owing to governmental regulations. “Advansor, a rack/pack supplier OEM, started their business less than 10 years ago, aiming to supply systems to the local market due to strict regulations on the use of refrigerants,” he says, by way of sharing an example. “In Denmark, GWP-based refrigerant taxation and limits on HFC refrigerant charges

Hans Ole Matthiesen

Tatyana Vyc / Shutterstock.com

I know that here in Copenhagen, around 200MW of District Cooling can be delivered. As we use sea water for the cooling process, we expect over the next few years to save around 79,000 tonnes of CO2/ year, as District Cooling reaches all across Copenhagen, when compared to electricity used for cooling

Apart from energy efficiency, the drivers include legislation and regulations, especially when it comes to refrigerants, reveals Hans Ole Matthiesen, Global Segment Director at Danfoss. “Refrigerant legislation,” he says, “has been a concern for the last many years – for example, the phasing out of HFCs, followed by the EU F-Gas Regulations [see 'Join the ban-wagon']. These regulations are impacting all equipment manufacturers in the industry.”

Danfoss, Matthiesen adds, plays an important role as a supplier of equipment aligned to lowGWP (global warming potential) alternatives like ammonia, CO2 and the new HFO refrigerants.

Price is also a driver, or rather a challenge, in the HVACR sector, Boesen says. “The Scandinavian market is a fairly high-priced market, so our challenge is to compete with cheaper and, usually, lower-quality products.”

The best way to cope with this is to give customers the added value by providing solutions and other after-sales support, he adds.

Yet another way to cope with the challenge of pricing is through innovation, Boesen says.

forced this development. Today, Advansor is among the largest rack manufacturers in Europe. There are a number of other companies in Scandinavia that have experienced similar international success as a result of harsh local legislation.”

There are more such examples of Scandinavian manufacturers rising to the occasion with innovative products, in the face of tight legislation. Elaborating on what he had said earlier, Matthiesen speaks of the TG310 compressor, which Danfoss recently introduced. He says that it uses the ultra-low-GWP refrigerant, HFO-1234ze (E), which he claims, makes it a highly energy-efficient and environmentally progressive compressor.

Join the ban-wagon

Boesen says that Scandinavian companies have always been seen as innovative and quality-oriented when it came to the building process. Lindab, for instance, he says, is always looking to roll out new solutions – one of them being the company’s next-generation VAV (Variable Air Volume) system – and striving to innovate, by keeping energy savings and quality as important criteria.

Matthiesen remarks that the cooling industry has always focused on new technologies, new industries and new

synergies. Besides the contemporary cooling approaches, he adds that District Cooling and District Heating have also always been on the radar.

At the frontier of District Energy

In 2013, Pernille M Overbye, Market Manager and Head of Department, District Energy, Ramböll, spoke of how 62% of all households in Denmark are supplied

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egulation in Denmark has led to a decline in the use of F-gases. The import of bulk HFC substances has been reduced from around 1,000 tonnes a year, in 2000, to around 350 tonnes, in 2010. In 2001 and 2002, Denmark introduced national regulation on F-gases. The aim was to reduce the use and emission of F-gases, and the Danish Parliament (Folketinget) agreed on a number of instruments. They introduced a ban on the use of F-gases for certain purposes, F-gas taxation and support for research and development of alternative technology.

In Denmark, taxation was implemented in 2001, and a ban on certain applications was introduced in 2002. (Information source: www.unep. org. Low GWP Alternatives to HFCs in Refrigeration, Environmental Projekt no.

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September 2015

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REGION REPORT

Scotland invests $5m to make poor homes efficient http:// ow.ly/Rkmt7

BIU @BIUenergy

SCANDINAVIA

by District Heating, in an article titled “Two Case Studies – Planning for District Cooling”, published in Hot|Cool, in 2013.

“The expertise we have developed both in Denmark and from around the world within District Heating is also wanted within District Cooling, as countries around the world look to District Cooling as part of a small energy infrastructure,” she said in the article.

Matthiesen says with certainty that in the Scandinavian region, District Cooling is mainly in the form of circulating seawater to buildings from small District Cooling circuits.

“Large consulting companies, like Ramböll and COWI, are working with District Cooling systems. Due to the Scandinavian climate, we do not have a lot of cooling of older buildings.”

However, the demand and future for District Cooling still persists, Boesen says. “I know that here in Copenhagen, around 200MW of District Cooling can be delivered. As we use seawater for the cooling process, we expect over the next few years to save around 79,000 tonnes of CO2/year, as District Cooling reaches all across Copenhagen, when compared to electricity used for cooling [article source: http://ing.dk/artikel/ koebenhavn-aabner-fjernkoeling-i-sydhavnennordhavnen-og-oerestad-168847],” Boesen says. “As the market demand for cooling increases, so will District Cooling.”

Transferring knowledge

With its experience and knowledge in the District Energy infrastructure systems and HVACR equipment, Scandinavia has always been a region of interest for GCC counterparts, Matthiesen says, adding that its HVACR products have found favour with regional distributors, contractors and developers. “The local air-conditioning OEMs and contractors in the GCC region heavily rely on the components designed and manufactured in Scandinavia,” he says. “The same is applicable for the refrigeration segment.”

Boesen adds that some Gulf countries follow American standards while some follow British, which can be a challenge for Scandinavian producers. However, he remarks, market penetration is already underway. “As long as we have designers from the UK and Scandinavia, we will succeed in transferring our solutions to the GCC.”

HAVE YOUR SAY!

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

SNIPPETS

Solar-powered cricket

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ccording to news reports, Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bengaluru, India, has become the country’s first sporting venue to switch to solar power. The stadium recently launched a 400-kV rooftop solar power system, installed on the roofs of the eastern stands. The panels will reportedly take care of a significant portion of power consumed by the facility. The system is estimated to generate 1,700 units of power every day.

The second phase will see another 850 kV solar photo-voltaic panels atop the western G stands. Put together, the systems are expected to generate 600,000 units of solar power annually and reduce 600 tonnes of carbon emissions. About 400,000 units will be supplied to the grid.

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September 2015

Getting under the weather

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f scientist Karen Aplin from the University of Oxford and five of her colleagues are to be believed, climate change has made inroads into various facets of our lives surreptitiously, including music and verse. The scientists have apparently combed through databases of more than 15,000 pop songs, finding statistical backing for the assumption that the weather strongly affects our moods, which are then reflected in the music artistes compose, as well as in public taste.

September 2015

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ADVERTORIAL

THE MAN WITH A VISION A visionary and a dreamer; a realist, pragmatic and action-oriented; passionate and astute; knowledgeable and aware of global construction activities – these are among the several attributes that would describe Dr Marcus G George, an Assyrian and the CEO/Partner of Engineering Consortium Consulting Engineers (ECCE). From humble beginnings in 1999, he took his company, singlehandedly, to admirable heights of success and achievements to position it today as one of the premier and most prestigious consultants in the UAE’s construction sector. Having established branches in Abu Dhabi, Qatar and internationally, he has now embarked on a mission to expand his business globally to Kenya, Ghana, Pune in India and Turkey. In an interview with Climate Control Middle East, he shares his visions and bares his goals of taking his Dubai-headquartered company to new territories, amidst cutthroat competition and challenges.

How far has the company achieved its goal of becoming a global entity?

In 2013, my vision for global expansion became an obsession.

I decided then that beginning 2014, I would put into motion plans to expand the business to territories where the construction sector was becoming active.

Our company’s name in Kenya is Engineering Consortium East Africa (ECEA). ECCE and ECEA are among the few unique consultants that undertake complete design services for buildings. This includes design for architectural, structural, MEP and QS services, with all respective departments housed under one roof. Within a very short time of its establishment, ECEA has been given opportunities by two government organisations in Nairobi to design two 44-storey iconic residential and commercial towers; design and develop a 40-acre plot comprising 16 highrise residential and commercial towers, a five-star hotel and a large shopping mall; and a fivestorey prototype office to be

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constructed in each of the 47 provinces of Kenya. In addition, we have had several encouraging enquiries from private investors, and discussions with respective clients are in progress for design and development of an eightacre plot for multiple residential, commercial and hospitality complexes; a high-rise building; a five-star hotel; and clusters of luxurious villas on a 26-acre plot.

How easy or difficult is it to do business in the African countries?

I found the Kenyan people very friendly and helpful. However, as everywhere else, having the right connections with the right people is most often very useful. Also, establishing a base by having an office to represent us in Kenya will help in increasing the business and improving our inputs.

You must have faced a lot of competition in the market.

What are the factors behind the success of your company? What is your secret formula?

The secret of our success is the unwavering commitment of our

September 2015

As consultants, it is incumbent upon us to advise the client the best, the most efficient and economical HVAC system for their building architects and engineers to produce excellent and economically viable designs for projects entrusted to us by our clients. In addition, we make concerted efforts to offer full commitment to our clients to win their trust and faith by ensuring that they are satisfied in every respect, particularly with regard to our strict adherence to delivery of design drawings on time.

We carry out in-depth studies for value engineering to affect savings in costs and provide cooperation and assistance when difficult situations arise. Our engineers have been known to work round the clock for days without a break to complete certain urgent assignments at short notice. Our commitment has been rewarded with repeat orders from satisfied clients, with whom we have established long-term relationships, on the strength of mutual trust. A case-in point is our long-standing relationship with DAMAC, for whom we have worked on a dozen towers and thousands of villas.

How do you keep your engineers motivated?

Our engineers, whether from the architectural, structural or MEP divisions, are all encouraged to work as a family, helping, assisting and discussing with one another their respective coordination issues. The words ‘We will do” is our motto not “I will do”. This creates a harmonious, friendly, comfortable and healthy working environment for all, including the Management.

It is known that you are a strong proponent of green building technology. How committed are you to the green imprint, and what initiatives has your company evolved towards achieving your goals?

Around 10 years ago, we undertook the challenge of designing our first project based on Green Building technology. The project incidentally happened to be Nakheel’s Offices in Jebel Ali. The design was carried out strictly in compliance with the then prevalent rules and recommendations of the American system of the clean Green Building design concept.

The design was carried out by our LEED-certified engineers to the complete satisfaction of the client’s engineers. We take great pride in our expertise in the design of buildings with a Green imprint, and we believe Green is in our DNA. What types of HVAC systems do you recommend for the

wide variety of buildings you design? Does it vary from building to building?

Our company ECCE and EVOM, headed by my partner, Moni Malhotra in the UAE, and globally, is involved in the design and supervision of a variety of structures, ranging from luxurious villas to highrise buildings comprising, but not limited to, residential and commercial complexes; hotels; hotel service apartments; hospitals and clinics; industrial complexes; and warehouses, and other similar structures.

Each class of structure is designed with an HVAC system that is most suitable for it, depending upon its type of occupancy and usage. The most common HVAC system recommended and used for high-rise buildings is the chillerbased system. In areas where District Cooling facilities are available, buildings can avail of this service, where cooling is provided by District Cooling companies through piped network. For smaller structures,

a variety of other, albeit, smaller systems are available.

As consultants, it is incumbent upon us to advise the client the best, the most efficient and economical HVAC system for their building.

What is your philosophy for designing an ideal building?

What are the various steps your company takes from project initiation to its completion?

I always make a very conscientious effort to motivate my design team to give their best to produce a perfect and environmentally suited design to fulfill the dream of each client.

The first phase is to initiate the process of discussions with the client and his engineers to obtain their brief, comprising their suggestions and guidelines, their expectations, details and particulars of all their requirements. Thereafter, we prepare the concept and schematic design for the client’s and his engineers’ comments and approval. Post-approval of the concept design, the detailed

Proposed hotel for Mohammad Omar Bin Haider Group, Studio City, Dubai

Borooq City, Nuaija, Qatar

Diamond City, Nairobi, Kenya

Mariakani Development, Nairobi, Kenya

architectural, structural and MEP design drawings are prepared and submitted to the client’s engineers for comments and approval.

Throughout the design phase, the client and his engineers are kept in the loop and regularly apprised of the progress of the design. Once the final design is approved and frozen, we prepare the tender documents, comprising BOQs and technical specifications, together with soft and hard copies of drawings for submission to contractors. If requested by the client, we offer our services for recommending names of suitable and reputable contractors.

What are your views on energy conservation?

Energy conservation has been a universal issue for decades, and needs to be addressed seriously by all responsible governments and citizens of the world. For consultants it would be their bounden duty and responsibility to ensure that the buildings they design take up the issue of energy conservation very seriously by ensuring that all materials used in the construction of the buildings strictly adhere to the Green Building norms and design guidelines. This entails the use of suitable materials; double glazing windows; energy-saving lighting fixtures; recycled waste water; solar heaters wherever practicable and affordable; and many other similar measures being researched and evolved.

What is the concept of value engineering?

Value engineering is primarily carried out on completed designs to improve the design, so as to reduce the cost without having any impact on the quality of the executed works and to investigate and check to ensure if savings can be affected due to overdesign in any parts of the design. Specific examples could be the sizes of steel rods in structural engineering; electrical and HVAC engineering equipment; thickness of walls; concrete usage; building materials, etc.

We are always alert to new developments and technologies that appear in the market from time to time, on a regular basis. 

September 2015

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Ventilation – the key to more energy savings Expert stresses importance of changing public perception to shift focus from air conditioning to natural cooling Fatima de la Cerna | Assistant Editor

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he residents of the Middle East would enjoy as much as 60% energy savings, if they were to Hans Reinders let go of their preoccupation with traditional air conditioning and made ventilation their priority.

Hans Reinders, the CEO of the Dutch company, Oxycom, made this claim just before revealing that he’s had frustrating discussions with potential clients, who had trouble grasping the concept of ventilation through evaporative cooling.

“Evaporative cooling is not complex,” Reinders said.

“It’s simple, but explaining it to people sometimes takes time, because their focus has always been air conditioning and everything they've learned has been air conditioning.”

To illustrate his point, Reinders related how he’s

Mondelēz restructures ME leadership team New leadership strategy will drive growth across MENA region, company says

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ondelēz International, the company behind brands like Oreo and Cadbury Dairy Milk, and which has regularly participated in CPI Industry's Food Chain Conference, has appointed a

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had people tell him that they’ll be happy with any cooling technology as long as they can set room temperatures to 21 degrees C; if not, then they have no need for it.

“I come from a different corner,” he stated. “I come from the side of ventilation, and ventilation means fresh air. Fresh air means indoor air quality, and indoor air quality means people are healthy and productive. As a business owner, you get five to 10% more performance and 30% less absenteeism. This has all been researched by Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory.”

Reinders, explaining the process of his preferred solution, said that ventilation removes the heat load from the building through indirect evaporative cooling. “You do not humidify when you cool indirectly with evaporation,” he said. “You only bring in outside air that has already

new leadership team to drive the next phase of growth of its GCC region and Pakistan business, the company said through a press communiqué.

As part of the restructuring, Alan Smith has been appointed Managing Director for the Gulf and Pakistan. With over 10 years of experience in Mondelēz International, Smith will be responsible for overseeing sales, logistics and operations for the GCC region and Pakistan, ensuring continued growth across

September 2015

been cooled. No moisture is added.”

The Gulf climate poses certain challenges, though.

Speaking specifically about Oxycom’s products, he said: “Here in Dubai, it gets humid, and the more humid it becomes, the higher the dew point is and the comfort level dips. What we’ve done is make a hybrid that is based on a compact air conditioner, combined with our indirect evaporative cooler. With that, we are now capable of achieving at least 60% savings, while ventilating a building seven times per hour.

That’s savings and fresh air.”

on starting them young and the chill factor To effectively shift people’s focus from traditional air conditioning to ventilation, Reinders observed, early introduction to evaporative cooling or, as he called it, natural cooling is necessary.

“We have to start in schools,” he said. “We have to make it a fundamental part of the industry by starting at the beginning.”

One of the things that need to be taught, he added, is the benefit of being more in tune with the natural environment.

“As human beings, we will benefit from being smart and using nature as guide,”

the MENA business, the communiqué said.

Vishal Tikku has been appointed President (Cheese, Grocery & Beverages), Eastern Europe, Middle East and Africa at Mondelēz International.

In this role, he will oversee marketing, sales and operations in the category’s biggest market, Saudi Arabia, as well as Nigeria, South Africa and Pakistan, with operations in Russia and Eastern Europe.

Jose Esteve will be leading one of the region’s biggest

he said. “We have to go with the flow. With buildings, for example, we can use the night to cool the mass of a building.

Let’s ventilate in the evening, when the temperature outside is in the lower 20s [degrees C], so that during the day, the building can absorb heat.”

Reinders also urged for people to not underestimate their tolerance. “We’ve become so intolerant of heat,” he said.

“The slightest rise in room temperature has us blasting on the air conditioner and setting it to 21 [degrees C],” he said.

“But the comfort zone that we think we need can be extended.

In fact, ASHRAE has extended the range for acceptable thermal comfort levels, because there are a lot of considerations, one of which is the chill factor.”

By ventilating the building every hour, Reinders explained, one can achieve a certain wind speed, and that wind speed can produce a chill factor of 1 to 2 degrees C. “In India and Pakistan, people have always had these big fans on the ceilings, and they survive high humidity and high temperatures because of the chill factor,” he said. “We don’t think about that anymore. We want to make it simple and not think.”

When you have people opting not to think, Reinders said, that’s when you know a change is really necessary.

markets as Managing Director for Saudi Arabia, where Mondelēz International has been operating over a century.

Through its subsidiary, Nabisco Arabia, the company operates one of the largest internationally owned food and beverage plants in the Middle East, producing Oreo, belVita, Ritz and Prince biscuits, as well as the Barni sponge cake. Jose has over 20 years of experience in international markets, including the Middle East, Africa, Latin America and Europe.

September 2015

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Empower wins iDEA innovation Award 2015 Company CEO says the award mirrors Empower’s global standing in innovation

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Ahmad Bin Shafar with Rob Thornton

Empower bags two awards at iDEA Conference Company wins gold and silver at the 106th edition of the conference in Boston

he International District Energy Association (IDEA) has honoured Emirates Central Cooling Systems Corporation (EMPOWER) with the IDEA Innovation Award 2015, in recognition of its Centralised Metering Data Management System, which manages more than 50,000 smart meters, the company said in a press communiqué.

Empower has received the award for the second time, which the company described as a reflection of its high global standing in the field of innovation. The company first won the award in 2013 for its treated sewage effluent (TSE) technology, which the company said, saves millions of gallons of potable water at its plants.

The recognition came amidst the participation of a highlevel delegation of Empower in the 106th International District Energy Association (IDEA) Annual Conference and Trade Show at Boston, in the United States. The delegation was led by the CEO, Ahmad Bin Shafar.

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mirates Central Cooling Systems Corporation (EMPOWER) won the IDEA Gold Space Award (for the total square feet of District Cooling committed) and the IDEA Silver Award (for total number of buildings committed to the system) at the awards ceremony associated with the 106th International District Energy Association (IDEA) Annual Conference and Trade Show, held in Boston, in the United States.

According to the company, the awards recognised Empower's achievements in adopting world-class District Cooling infrastructure as well as acknowledged the company's success in expanding the use of District Cooling as an ideal economic and environmental solution for residential and commercial units, offices and hotels.

Rob Thornton, the President & CEO of IDEA presented the award to Ahmad Bin Shafar, the CEO of Empower. While doing so, Thornton emphasised that Empower’s high recognition at the international level represented an endorsement of the company’s constant quest for innovation and efficiency in services.

“We are pleased with IDEA’s recognition of Empower’s high levels of reliability and efficiency in District Cooling services, which reconfirms our leadership position in this industry,” Bin Shafar said. “Undoubtedly, District Cooling services in the GCC and the Middle East, in general, are important services that should be reliable and efficient. We have succeeded in delivering District Cooling services in accordance with highest standards of efficiency and environmental sustainability.”

The ceremony was attended by decision-makers and specialists from around the world. On the second day of the IDEA Conference, Empower presented a case study, titled “District Cooling Marches on in Dubai: The Emirates Towers Case Study”.

To date, Empower has won a total of 26 awards from IDEA, not to mention numerous trophies and certificates from other events dedicated to the District Cooling industry.The judging committee included members of the IDEA board of directors.

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September 2015

Daikin completes the transition towards one brand Company says the development of adhering to the Daikin name represents a move towards a single source for all air conditioning product ranges for residential, commercial and industrial applications

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aikin has announced completing the transition towards one brand. The company made the announcement through a Press communiqué, dated

July 16.

Since the acquisition of McQuay International in 2006, Daikin had integrated many of its attributes and innovations that had positioned McQuay as a leader among HVAC applied equipment manufacturers, the company said through the communiqué.

Al Tayer inaugurates Empower’s Command Control Centre Facility can link more than 100 plants serving more than 1,000 buildings and 100,000 units, Empower says

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.E. Saeed Mohammed Al Tayer, MD & CEO of the Dubai Electricity and Water Authority (DEWA) and Chairman of Empower, has inaugurated a Command Control Centre (CCC). The new facility has started monitoring the activities of 26 of Empower’s 62 plants, through a highperformance smart network, the company said. The new centre has the capacity to serve 74 additional plants in the future.

“This is a major step in Dubai’s march towards conservation by providing environmentally friendly and more efficient District Cooling services, as part of the implementation of the ‘Green Economy for Sustainable Development’ initiative, launched by H.H. Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and the Ruler of Dubai,” Al Tayer said during the ceremony.

Al Tayer said that through the services of the centre, a large segment of consumers of District Cooling in Dubai will receive more efficient and sustainable services. The centre also ensures high-performance control, as it adopts precise and highly advanced measurement systems, he added. This first-of-its-kind investment will provide multi-level measurement tools to track and manage different aspects of DC, he further added.

Empower said the smart connectivity of its plants through the centre was being powered by the communications infrastructure

“We are pleased to announce that as of April 1, 2015, we completed the transition and started using the Daikin brand for all our products and services,” said Michel Farah, Product Planning Director at Daikin Middle East and Africa. “This represents a single source for all air conditioning product ranges for residential, commercial and industrial applications.

We will continue developing industry-leading Innovative and energy-efficient systems with the highest level of comfort and sustainability designed to meet customer and regulatory requirements.”

Added Sanjeev Maheshwari, Director of After-sales Service at Daikin Middle East and Africa, “At the same time, we will continue to provide aftermarket service and parts for all of our McQuay installed products.”

As a part of the transition, Daikin changed the legal company name from “Daikin McQuay Middle East FZE” to “Daikin Middle East and Africa FZE,” effective as of July 2, 2015.

“This is a very exciting and important change for our company,” said Yuji Miyata, Chairman of Daikin Middle East and Africa. “Completing the transition of our brand in this region will help us achieve our goals with continuous focus on investments in talent, technology and creating long-term relationships with our customers.”

of Dubai. It is currently monitoring 350 buildings, reflecting 10,000 single unit meters, and could add around 650 more buildings, and around 90,000 more individual unit meters.

“Empower’s Command Control Centre is providing a holistic smart monitoring of all the operations of Empower plants in Dubai to ensure smooth, reliable and sustainable District Cooling services across the Emirate,” Bin Shafar said. “The technologies used by the centre enable Empower to monitor all the operations of its plants that have a total production capacity of over one million Refrigeration Tonnes (RT).”

He added that the advanced technologies and systems used by the centre provide real-time access to information, and define supply and consumption patterns in each building unit through a click of a button, in line with Dubai Government’s vision of making Dubai a unique smart city in the world.

“The centre will give us insights into the consumption patterns of apartments, offices and commercial establishments as well as their needs from the District Cooling grid accurately,” Bin Shafar said.

“This will help us to deploy our resources effectively on the plants and networks, in general, and in specific, plant networks at peak times during summer periods. It also assists us to plan preventive maintenance schedule during winter months more effectively.”

According to Empower, the CCC is a global first for the District Cooling industry and is a testimony to Empower’s strong commitment to enhancing customer satisfaction through reliable and consistent service round the clock.

, YO U R T R U S T E D PA R T N E R F O R YO U R ENGINEERING, ENERGY AND ENVIRONMENT SOLUTIONS

EN GIN EERIN G

EN ERGY

EN VIRONMENT

Phone +971 4 445 7131, +971 4 447 4407 Fax +971 4 447 4410 P.O.Box 125787, Jumeirah Lakes Towers Tiffany Tower, 30th Floor - Dubai, U.A.E. info@en3solutions.com www.en3solutions.com

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September 2015

Engineering

Energy

Environment

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Abu Dhabi international Airport wins green accolade Facility renews its commitment to help fight climate change

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bu Dhabi International Airport has earned the accreditation level of ‘mapping’ from ACI Airport Carbon Accreditation for the third time, in recognition of its efforts to manage carbon dioxide emissions, according to an official communiqué.

In 2011, it was the first airport outside of Europe to be ACI Airport Carbon Accredited, and in 2013 the airport renewed its submission to maintain its mapping level accreditation within the programme.

This year, Abu Dhabi Airports initiated its third application to the programme by mapping emissions sources within the direct operational boundaries of Abu Dhabi International

Kuwait construction sector poised for significant growth Kuwait is thriving with USD 188 billion of construction projects currently underway, says dmg, the organisers of The Big 5 Kuwait

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ith USD188 billion of projects currently under various stages of planning and construction, Kuwait’s construction sector is poised for significant growth. The demand for highquality infrastructure, along with upscale residential and commercial properties, can be seen in several multi-billion dollar projects including the USD 7bn Kuwait Metro project, USD 3.3bn Kuwait International Airport, USD 2.6bn Subiya Causeway, USD 15bn Al Zour New Refinery Project and the USD 6.2bn motorway construction Ashley Roberts, Event Director of The Big 5 Kuwait, said:

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“Kuwait has earmarked USD 7.2 billion from its annual budget for 2015-2016 for the construction sector and accelerated the sector’s growth.

To leverage the fresh momentum experienced by the Kuwaiti market, our event will highlight state-of-the-art solutions and products for the construction sector. Following two successful editions, we are upbeat that the 2015 event will generate positive results for exhibitors and visitors alike.”

The third edition of The Big 5 Kuwait will be held from September 14 to 16 at the Kuwait International Fair. One new feature is the addition of a hall dedicated to Building

September 2015

Airport, as defined by the programme, calculating the volume of annual carbon emissions and compiling a carbon footprint report.

Abu Dhabi International Airport’s carbon footprint was, then, verified by an independent party, in accordance with ISO14064 (Greenhouse Gas Accounting). The verified airport footprint forms the baseline measure to which future activities and reduction targets will be aligned.

Commenting on the accreditation, Eng Ahmad Al Haddabi, Chief Operations Officer at Abu Dhabi Airports, said: “Environmental impact is directly linked to the operational efficiency of Abu Dhabi International Airport, and we are committed to reducing greenhouse gas emissions to have a positive effect on the local and global environment, whilst operating more effectively. As Abu Dhabi Airports builds the new Midfield Terminal at Abu Dhabi International Airport, one of the largest infrastructure projects in the UAE, sustainable design and environmental impact are key guidelines, setting a new standard for the construction and operation of airports around the globe.”

Airport Carbon Accreditation is an independent programme administered by WSP Environment & Energy, an international consultancy appointed by ACI EUROPE to enforce the accreditation criteria for airports on an annual basis.

Interiors products. The move is in response to a 2014 Visitor Survey, where 41% of visitors in 2014 requested to see more interiors products. Building Interiors products command a high demand in Kuwait with the combined value of retail, interior and fit-out market standing at USD 31 million.

A second new feature is the over 20 free-to-attend Continuing Professional Development (CPD) accredited workshops. According to dmg events Middle East & Asia, the organisers of The Big 5, they will be highly educational for

architects, interior designers, consultants, procurement managers, contractors, real estate developers, engineers, and government sector personnel who can register the points with their professional association or use it as certificate of attendance.

According to dmg, The Big 5 Kuwait 2015 will provide an ideal venue for regional and international manufacturers and distributors of related goods and services to showcase their products to the now-proven lucrative Kuwaiti market.

US climate change initiative Five states in the US sign climate agreement ahead of United Nations climate negotiations

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alifornia, Connecticut, Oregon, Vermont, Washington, and a majority of Canadian provinces were among the 22 governments that have signed a pact pledging support for carbon pricing and making the case for local climate action, according to an AHRI policy brief.

The memorandum commits signatories to action in at least one of four subject areas: greenhouse gas (GHG) emission reduction targets, public reporting on reduction of GHG emissions, undertaking actions to limit increase of global average temperature to below 2 degrees C and support for carbon pricing.

The agreement is part of a growing trend of subnational agreements being formed ahead of the 21st Conference of the Parties to the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change, in Paris this November.

GLOBAL

Carrier clocks 175 million metric tonnes of avoided greenhouse gas emissions Achievement marks anniversary of modern air conditioning

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o mark the 113th anniversary of Dr Willis H Carrier’s invention of modern air conditioning, Carrier announced celebrating another milestone – 175 million metric tonnes of avoided greenhouse gas emissions since 2000 as a result of the installation of what it called the high-efficiency Carrier systems.

This, said the announcement, was captured by the Carrier CO2NSERVATION Meter, which calculates avoided greenhouse gas emissions.

Giving details of the historical context,

Carrier, now a part of UTC Building & Industrial Systems, a unit of United Technologies, said that Dr Carrier launched his invention on July 17, 1902 at Sackett & Wilhelms Lithography and Printing Company in Brooklyn, New York, to provide humidity control.

According to Carrier, CO2NSERVATION Meter was introduced in 2010 to commemorate this and to highlight its commitment to environmental sustainability. The meter, the company elaborated, calculates avoided greenhouse gas emissions of high-efficiency products from Carrier’s global portfolio using sales data to estimate the total products in use, and displays the total metric tonnes of greenhouse gases avoided or saved on a rolling meter. Carrier claimed that since 2000, the avoidance of greenhouse gas emissions by its products equates to nearly 37 million passenger vehicles removed from the road for one year or savings from eliminating electricity use from nearly 24 million homes for one year.

“As a sustainability leader, Willis Carrier invented precise cooling processes that enabled countless industries to avoid waste and preserve resources for future generations,” said John Mandyck, Chief Sustainability Officer at UTC Building & Industrial Systems. “More than 100 years later, we honour his legacy with this fitting milestone on the Carrier CO2NSERVATION Meter, which demonstrates the power of choosing energy-efficient systems.”

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GLOBAL

AHRi applauds uS DoE for adopting ASHRAE 90.1 std for PTACs Final rules recognise AHRI's recommendations for certain unitary products, heat pumps, water heaters and PTACs

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he Air-Conditioning, Heating, and Refrigeration Institute (AHRI) has applauded two recent US Department of Energy (DoE) final rules, which adopt ASHRAE 90.1 efficiency levels for three-phase unitary products < 65,000 Btu/h, water-source heat pumps, commercial oil-fired storage water heaters and packaged terminal air conditioners (PTACs).

“Adopting ASHRAE 90.1 efficiency levels for these products is the most logical and efficient method for DoE to manage their collective energy use," said AHRI President and CEO, Stephen Yurek. "We are pleased that DoE has agreed to continue relying on ASHRAE’s expertise in this area.”

The two rules, Energy Conservation Program for Packaged Terminal Air Conditioners and Energy Conservation Program for Certain Industrial Equipment, including three-phase unitary products < 65,000 Btu/h, water-source heat pumps and commercial oil-fired storage water heaters, adopt ASHRAE 90.1 levels and were announced on June 30 as pre-publication final rules, becoming effective 60 days after publication in the Federal Register, in mid-July.

AHRI has long advocated for DoE to adopt ASHRAE 90.1 standards for regulated products to ensure efficiency levels increase in pace with technology, while allowing manufacturers to continue to provide a variety of affordable products for consumers.

GEA Air Treatment renamed DencoHappel Plans investing in innovation and product design

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encoHappel, in an official communiqué, has informed that from August, the former GEA Air Treatment organisation is operating under the name DencoHappel. The name change, said the communiqué, is connected with the sale of the GEA Heat Exchangers business by GEA Group to the investment company Triton on November 1, 2014.

The names “Denco” and “Happel” combine both roots of the company, the company said, and elaborated that in 1920 Otto Happel founded the Gesellschaft für Entstaubungsanlagen, a company for dust-collection systems in Bochum, Germany, which expanded to become a firm dealing in air conditioning and refrigeration technology, supplying close control units for IT and server rooms, laboratories and hospitals. Denco was reportedly founded in 1944 in the UK, and was acquired by GEA in 2006.

The company stressed that associated with the changes of ownership and brand name was a change in the corporate strategy. In this context, René van Rijsewijk, CEO at DencoHappel, said: “The renaming to DencoHappel is more than just a name change. It also means focusing on our strengths. With the support of our shareholders, we will invest strongly in innovation and product design and grow internationally.”

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September 2015

Elta Fans invests in growth at UK facility Installs twin-hoist crane at Fareham to boost production capacity and work flow at the plant

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ignificant investment by Elta Fans in its modern production plant in Fareham, in the United Kingdom, is ensuring future growth potential and new hub variations on its impeller range of fans, the company said in a press communiqué.

The installation of a five-tonne, twinhoist crane is providing a boost in production capacity and work flow at the plant, especially in the production of the larger and heavier fans, the company said. The growth in large bespoke units is also a factor in the decision to invest in the new crane,

the company added.

Larger and more awkward fan units, some weighing up to 3.5 tonnes, are processed in a safe and efficient working environment, which has been positioned away from some of the busier areas of the factory, the company said.

Inside the plant, the flow of work has been significantly improved following the commissioning of the new crane, the company said, adding that it is able to ship fans quickly from the assembly area to the packing area and swiftly out for delivery to customers.

There is also positive news at the smaller end of the Elta Fans’ market, with new hubs being introduced, the company said. The new hubs bring extra efficiency and capability to the Elta Fans impeller range, the company added.

Elta’s latest addition is the ‘Series 1’ impeller blade. The range offers three different hubs, covering 12 duct sizes, nine blade combinations and variable pitch to enable the selection of the most efficient combination for each duty, the company said. The new range is also significantly stronger than its predecessor, allowing use in more demanding applications, the company added.

The latest investments at Fareham, the company said, are part of progressive modernisation and follow the installation of a seam welder in the sheet metal area in 2013.

23MK-Hygienic 23M ygienic Series hygienic AHU series to meet the stringent indoor air quality standards required in hospitals, clean rooms, food processing and pharmaceutical industry.

These AHUs will provide:

M A D E I N I TA LY

www.mekar.it

- Precise indoor air quality as required - Air leakage and cleanliness standards met - Factory mounted controls - Minimize energy consumption

Italy

Dubai

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+39 045 6630536

+971 4 3574469

+971 2 4122253

+966 012 2726126

+96524815077 ext. 673

+968 24667649

+974 4 4153742

+966 11 4540028

September 2015

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GLOBAL

AHR Expo set to return to orlando after six years The show is anticipating over 50,000 professionals to be in attendance and nearly 2,000 companies to take part in the exhibition

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or its 68th edition, the AHR Expo (Airconditioning, Heating, Refrigerating Exposition) will return to Orlando, Florida – the first time it will do so in six years. According to the press announcement from International Exposition Company, the producer and manager of the event, the 2016 show will take place from January 25 to January 27, at the Orange County Convention Center in Orlando.

The company also revealed that it is expecting the total attendance for the event to exceed 50,000 (35,000 visitors) and the number of exhibiting companies, from 35 countries and covering all HVACR segments, to reach almost 2,000.

“Since the first event in 1930,” International Exposition Company said in the announcement, “AHR Expo has grown to become the world’s largest HVACR event,

attracting attendees from all 50 states and over 140 countries.

Visitors coming from all facets of the industry will include contractors, engineers, dealers, distributors, wholesalers, OEMs, architects, design/ build teams, plant and facility managers, utility operators, agents and reps. Exhibitors are many of the industry’s leading manufacturers, innovative suppliers and new companies entering the market.”

The event management company added that in addition to showcasing HVACR equipment, systems, products and components, AHR Expo will host over 100 seminars and new product and technology previews, which will be presented by endorsing associations and exhibitors.

Other special features are the ASHRAE Winter Conference, a concurrent event, and the AHR Expo Awards.

COMINGS & GOINGS Systemair gets new Managing Director and CEO

Julian Ford joins Altaaqa Global as Chief Commercial Officer To supervise the company’s strategic business development and top-line revenue generation functions

Roland Kasper takes over from Gerald Engström

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he Board of Directors for Systemair AB has appointed Roland Kasper as Managing Director and CEO. He takes over from Gerald Engström, who has been proposed by the Nomination Committee to be elected as Chairman of the Board.

Kasper, the company said, has been with Systemair since 2007 and a member of Group Management since 2011. He is also a board member of several of Systemair's subsidiaries.

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Roland Kasper

Said Kasper: “I’m very happy, proud and, at the same time, very humbled to be given the task of taking over Gerald Engström. Systemair is a leading company in the ventilation industry.

We will maintain our strategy to grow internationally through continued development of energy-efficient products and thoughtful marketing, via our sales companies in 45 countries, as well as acquisitions.”

September 2015

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ltaaqa Global has announced the appointment of Julian Ford as Chief Commercial Officer. According to the company, Ford’s remit is to ensure that Altaaqa Julian Ford Global achieves revenue growth targets and to facilitate the formulation and implementation of global commercial strategies.

As per a press statement, Ford has over 15 years of experience in the rental power industry and helped introduce the concept of power project rental to governments of developing economies, allowing them to hire power capacity to address short-term energy issues during times of hydropower shortage or other generation or transmission issues. He was also allegedly instrumental in taking the rental power concept to different regions across the globe and reportedly led the way for the development of the gas-fuelled temporary power equipment market in the mid-2000s.

“My vision,” Ford said, “is for Altaaqa Global to lead the evolution of the industry, and to be recognised as the premier source of innovative technical solutions and the highest level of customer service and support.”

ASSOCIATIONS & SOCIETIES

Eurovent, eurammon join forces to promote natural refrigerants The two bodies sign an MoU to strengthen their cooperation

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urammon, the initiative for natural refrigerants, and Eurovent, the European association for refrigeration and airconditioning technology, will combine their efforts to advocate the use of natural refrigerants. Monika Witt, the Chairwoman of eurammon, and Christian Herten, the outgoing President of Eurovent, have signed a corresponding Memorandum of Understanding.

The market for natural refrigerants is growing significantly, particularly since new statutory regulations have increased the ecological awareness among operators, eurammon said through a press communiqué.

In this context, eurammon and Eurovent have agreed to a strong cooperation. In the future, eurammon, as the centre of excellence for using natural refrigerants, will support the

new partner organisation with its vast experience and expertise, in order to act as a driving force in achieving their shared objectives, eurammon said.

In addition to sharing technical know-how, there

are plans to improve the cooperation by strengthening the link of the existing networks of both the organisations.

Among other aspects, this includes attending each other's regular meetings and events.

Monika Witt and Christian Herten at the eurammon Members' Meeting held in May 2015, in Budapest, during which they signed the MoU

Emirates Pre-insulated Pipes Industries Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates EPPI established in the year 2000. Equipped to handle all Preinsulated Pipe fabrication processes. All welding processes undergo Non-destructive testing. Complete steel pipe protection services prior to insulation.

Shot/grit blasting on internal & external surfaces. Airless spray epoxy coating is applied as per the project’s specification. Latest technology in polyurethane (PUR) foam dispensing and processing techniques to ensure the quality of the factory-applied insulation. State-of-the-art Extrusion Technology with fully-automated processes to produce seamless and solid-wall high density polyethylene (HDPE) pipe profile. ISO-9001 certified.

PRODUCT RANGE:

● EPPI can supply any size/type of pre-insulated piping system having carrier pipe of HDPE / Carbon Steel / ERW / SAW / Seamless complete with matching fittings & PU injected insulation of different thickness and density, covered with HDPE / FRP jacketing, as needed. ● EPPI- FLEX Pipes. ● Field Joint Insulation Kits (Rayjoints & GI Sheet + HSS). ● Leak detection system.

PROJECT SNAPS:

Please visit EPPI website (www.eppi.ae) for more information on range of products.

MANUFACTURER (Contact Detail): OMAN Rep. (Contact Detail): OMAN REPRESENTATIVE : Emirates Pre-insulated Pipes Industries (EPPI)

Blue Diamond Development Projects / Cheqpoint Tech LLC

Tel: +971 2 5501991, Fax: +971 2 5501992 E-mail: eppi@eppi.ae Website: www.eppi.ae

Tel: +968 24522283, Fax: +968 24522284 E-mail: info@bluediamondoman.com Website: www.bluediamondoman.com

P.O Box 73830, Musafah Industrial city of Abu Dhabi

Office # 209, Al Jus House, South Mawale, Muscat - Oman

Contact Person: Iyad Albarghouthi / George GP Contact Person: Sunil Deliwala / Harminder Singh (Cheqpoint Certifications: ISO 9001:2008, ISO 14001:2004, OHSAS 18001:2007 by Intertek with UKAS accreditation body & USGBC Member)

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MARKETPLACE

GEA Heat Exchangers Küba gastro slim FM air coolers

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EA has announced launching Küba gastro slim FM, which it describes as low-silhouette coolers for storage cabinets and dispensing systems, in extra-slim design.

The manufacturer lists the following product features and benefits: • The air cooler meets the demand for extra-slim design and use of natural refrigerants, as well as HFCs, in cooling counters, food storage units and cooling tables.

• With an installed width of only 75 mm, the unit cooler can be side-mounted with a single-sided air discharge, as well as behind a centre column and most cooling counters with discharge to both sides.

• The coolers are available with horizontal or vertical air discharge.

• In all versions, the patented air straightener assures uniform temperature distribution and considerably shortens cooling times.

• For applications requiring temperatures down to –30 degree C, it is possible to retrofit an electric defrost.

• Completely finished with a hygienic powder coating, it is suitable for use with sensitive as well as acidic products, such as marinades and tropical fruits.

• It comes in three model sizes and with cooling duty ranging from 0.11 to 0.23 kW. • The coolers have been optimised to meet the diverse requirements of the developing COv system designs; variables include transcritical, subcritical and standing pressures up to 60Bar.

FlIR MR160 Thermal Imaging Moisture Meter

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LIR Systems has announced the release of the new FLIR MR160 Imaging Moisture Meter for contractors, plumbers, roofers, energyefficiency experts, building inspectors and moisture remediation professionals.

According to FLIR, the MR160 is the first moisture meter to be equipped with a built-in thermal camera. It features Infrared Guided Measurement (IGM) technology, driven by a FLIR Lepton thermal camera core. With the addition of this capability, FLIR said it has developed the only moisture meter with the ability to instantly and efficiently pinpoint potential moisture issues, which are represented visually in the thermal image. The user, then, knows where to place the MR160 probes on the surface of the wall, ceiling or floor to best quantify moisture levels and

problems, FLIR added.

According to the company, the MR160’s portable, durable design and internal rechargeable battery make it an effective tool for every industry professional to carry on their tool belt. Along with thermal imaging, the company said, the MR160 includes an internal pinless probe for non-destructive quantitative measurements as well as an external pin probe for contact readings that help confirm actual moisture levels. A built-in laser pointer and display cross-hairs, the company claimed, make targeting easy. According to the company, users can capture and save both measurements and images together, and easily transfer the data to a PC for analysis and report generation using FLIR Tools software.

LOOKING FOR HVACR PRODUCTS? 96

September 2015

Danfoss VZH inverter scroll compressor range

Danfoss Inverter Scroll VZH 4-7TR compressor and prequalified drive package for light commercial and commercial applications

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anfoss has extended its inverter scroll compressor range, VZH, with permanent magnetic motor with three new models.

Designed for rooftops, air handling units, close control, process cooling and ground source heat pumps, the VZH models deliver cooling capacities between four and seven TR and up to 13 TR in manifold configurations and between three and 25 kW of heating capacity, the company said.

Eighty per cent of the rooftops and chillers need to be redesigned to meet upcoming stringent energy regulations, such as EcoDesign, DOE or GB19577, Danfoss said, adding that the variable-speed compressor technology is the best solution to exceed the new standards and get the highest energy savings.

Danfoss inverter scroll compressor, VZH is the second generation of scroll compressors offering variable speed technology for commercial applications in air conditioning with a mature, existing inverter scroll platform ranging from 13 to 26 TR, the company said. It now ranges from four to 26 TR (14-94 kW) and up to 52 TR in manifold configuration.

Enviroserve recovers, reclaims and recycles refrigerants Aspires to help fulfil UAE’S vision of sustainable environment

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The VZH compressors combine Danfoss know-how in compressor and drive design.

According to the company, the variable speed package has specific features that offer high value to the customers and endusers. They include: • Advanced efficiency through a wide range of applications: the pre-qualified VZH 4-7TR packages provide five per cent higher part-load efficiency versus existing inverter technologies.

Permanent Magnet Motors, optimisation for different pressure ratios with IDVs and 15-100% stepless modulation, lead to higher energy savings and part-load effciency while drive functionalities and integrated components lower standard applied costs, the company claimed.

• Short time to market and increased reliability: Danfoss offers dedicated drives for Danfoss Inverter Scrolls for the Light Commercial and Commercial markets. The perfect match of compressor and drive from a single supplier greatly reduces the qualification effort of the OEM, reducing the OEM’s time to market, the company said.

Enviroserve points out that this is in accordance with best practices and certain legislation, and also allows clients to fulfill their corporate environmental responsibility while operating within applicable laws.

It lists the following services:

nviroserve, established in 2005 in Public Private Partnership with the UAE Ministry of Environment, claims to be the only dedicated refrigerant gas recovery and reclaim operation approved by the Ministry of Environment and Dubai Municipality.

According to Enviroserve, old or contaminated refrigerants from air conditioning units, chillers, cold store units, among others, can be collected and contained, before being cleaned and purified back to the original condition for reuse in all types of cooling systems. This, says the company, reduces the need for a new refrigerant, as the old refrigerant is not vented into atmosphere.

Gas types (managed) :

All Freon Gas types, typically, R22, R134a, R11, R12, R113, R123, R404a, R407c

Training & Certification (provided):

Trains AC technicians to be certified in recovery procedures to ensure no gas is vented

Sell:

All Freon Gas types both Virgin & Reclaimed

Recycle:

Accepts all types of empty cylinders for metal recycling, especially disposable cylinders (13.6 kg)

Expertise:

refrigerant gas recovery and reclaim destruction of refrigerant gas

www.climatecontrol directory.com TO LIST YOUR COMPANY FOR FREE, VISIT: www.climatecontroldirectory.com/register/

FOR ADVERTISING OPPORTUNITIES, EMAIL: advertising@cpi-industry.com

September 2015

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AHR EXPO

M O N I TO R E D B Y

AWARDS 2015

23 NOVEMBER 2015 JUMEIRAH EMIRATES TOWERS, DUBAI, UAE

THEME

Inter-connected in thought and execution: An inter-connected, integrated and cohesive approach to the planning and execution of projects

THE CATEGORIES  Manufacturer of the Year (air treatment)  Manufacturer of the Year (air movement)  Manufacturer of the Year (ventilation)  Manufacturer of the Year (Fire safety)  Building Envelop of the Year (contributing manufacturer)  O&M Company of the Year (IEQ)  Independent Testing Laboratory of the Year (IEQ)  Architect/Architecture Firm of the Year  District Cooling Consultant of the Year  District Cooling Contractor of the Year  District Cooling Utility Provider of the Year  Rental Cooling Firm of the Year  O&M Company of the Year (District Cooling)  Manufacturer of the Year (chillers)  Manufacturer of the Year (cooling towers)

GO LD S P O NS O R

 Manufacturer of the Year (hydronic systems)  Manufacturer of the Year (pumping systems)  Manufacturer of the Year (controls)  Manufacturer of the Year (water and wastewater treatment systems)  Manufacturer of the Year (standalone DX, including VRF)  Manufacturer of the Year (outdoor cooling systems)  Project of the Year (standalone DX, including VRF)  Standalone Project of the Year (contractor/ contracting firm)  Consultant/Consulting Firm of the Year  Independent Testing Laboratory of the Year (energy efficiency)  Manufacturer of the Year (high-side refrigeration equipment)

B RON Z E S PON SO R S

 Manufacturer of the Year (low-side refrigeration equipment)  Manufacturer of the Year (supermarket refrigeration equipment and furnishings)  Manufacturer of the Year (transport refrigeration)  Manufacturer of the Year (transport refrigeration – body building)  GCC Region Manufacturer of the Year  Sustainable Project of the Year  Solar Photovoltaic Thermal System of the Year  Editor’s Choice Award  Paradigm Shift Agent of the Year  Marketing Initiative of the Year  HVACR Accessories Provider of the Year

ST R AT E G I C H VA C R R EC R U I T M E N T PA R T N E R

M E DI A PA R T NE R

www.climatecontrolme.com/awards FOR EDITORIAL-RELATED QUERIES:

FOR SPONSORSHIP OPPORTUNITIES:

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In North America, contact: Kanika Saxena Our representative in North America T: +1 (905) 267 4666 E: kanika@cpi-industry.com In Asia (except India), contact: Judy Wang Our representative in Asia T: 00852-30780826 E: judy@cpi-industry.com