Using Virtual Reality in Electric Power and Water Utilities, Power & Water Leaders magazine, Oct2019

O CT O B E R 2 0 1 9

NEWS

Pumps seal the cracks in the norwegian granite

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SUEZ announces the construction of new energy-waste plant in the United Kingdom

Water stewardship goes beyond operations

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EDITOR‘S NOTE

W

e are now in the age where holograms and augmented realities are no longer a work of fiction. There are many startups and big companies venturing into the development of virtual reality (VR), mainly because such technology is expected to be of significant use in the industry today, especially in the power and water industries.

The utility industry is collecting data every single day. This massive collection of data can be a major player in the decision-making process if only it is analyzed and presented in the most intuitive way possible. Augmented and virtual realities play a substantial role in presenting these analyzed and filtered data to the right person at the fastest and most accurate way.

The technology helps in securing the safety and efficiency of the entire workflow. Workers can use AR and VR in maintaining the equipment and assets of the company. When one is in the field, they can easily communicate the actual scene and problem through AR and VR. Through this way, the communication between both parties is more efficient and accurate, eventually increasing the company’s overall performance.

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Benefits of Using Virtual vReality in Power and Water Sector

Although the technology is already in use in the gaming world, there is still much work to be done for it to be incorporated in the utility industry. Equipment and machines need to be connected to a system for them to provide real-time information that can be used in monitoring and maintenance.

The simulation of the assets is also a big deal since they need to be very accurate to generate useful data.

Nevertheless, the use of this technology in the power and water industries is not far-fetched. With the numerous emerging researches, it will

not be long before the very first virtual reality in the utility sector is produced. Until then, we will stick to the traditional practices and hope for the best.

Regional Office: LG Electronics Gulf FZE, P.O Box 61445, Dubai. Tel: +971 4 279 9222, UAE, Mr. Amjad Abu Alika, Tel: +971 50 450 9808, email: amjad.abualika@lge.com; Fortune International Trading LLC, Mr. Wail Halbouni, Tel: +971 50 481 3570, email: fortintl@emirates.net.ae; Ghantoot Trading, Mr. Nour Haboush, Tel: +971 50 109 4109, email: nour.h@ghantootgroup.ae; District Cooling Company, Mr. Ahmed Henedi, Tel: +971 50 658 4832, email: ahmed@districtcoolingcompany.com; Al Yousuf Electronics, Mr. Moitra, Tel: +971 50 457 6170, email: pmoitra@alyousuf.com; Bahrain, AJM Kooheji and Sons, Mr. Jayachandran, Tel: +973 36888801, email: v.jayachandran@ajmkooheji.com: Al Babtain Air Conditioning & Refrigeration Co., Mr. Naji Kataya, Tel: +965 5 051 5771, email: nkataya@albabtaingroup.com,kw; BLK, Mr. Imad Rhayel, Tel: +965 5 157 1229, email: irhayel@blk.com.kw; Oman, Oman Gulf Enterprise, Mr. Narender Kumar, Tel: +968 9 747 4505, email: narenderk@otegroup.com; Aspire Projects and Service, Mr. Vivek Wagh, Tel: +968 99357694, email: vivekwagh@aspireoman.com; Azerbaijan, NBC LLC., Mr. Elkhan Sadikhov, Tel: +994 50 216 3363, email: elkhan.sadikhov@nbc.com; Al-Con Maxiwell Group, Mr. Vagif Alexperov, Tel: + 994 50 216 2092, email: maxiwellbaku@inbox.ru; Armenia/Georgia, ARAY Gulf, Mr. Vilson Melikjanyan, Tel: +374 9 307 7755, email: vilson@aray.am; Yemen, Modern House Exhibition, Mr. Khaled Jabr, Tel: +967 71 172 0202, email: mail@mhe-yemen.com; Pakistan, Iceberg Industries (Lucky Goldstar), Mr. Imran Jamil Khan, Tel: +923 21 277 6100, email: ceo@icebergindustries.net

CON TENTS

NEWS

14 Benefits of Using Virtual Reality in Power & Water Sector

28 Pumps seal the cracks in the norwegian granite

32 SUEZ announces the construction of new energy-waste plant in the United Kingdom

36 Water stewardship goes beyond operations

38 THE BIG 5: Driving Future Construction Strategies 6

F E AT U R E S T O RY

44 Ten Innovative Solutions of Social Incubator Program in ABU DHABI Rewarded AED 4.4 Million Investment to Support People of Determination

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The Right Product Applications for Centrifugal Chiller in Philippine Buildings

54 TOSOT Aircon Brand Took Center Stage at PHILCONSTRUCT Mindanao

56 Five Ways To Improve New Office Security

62 What Can Augmented Reality Do for Oil and Gas Industries?

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How RIDGID Ensures a Clean Underground Drainage System It’s no surprise that, unlike other countries, the Philippines only has two seasons: the dry season, where the sun’s up longer than usual and people are scrambling in the heat like eggs on a pan, and the cold, wet, rainy season, when the skies turn to grey and storms pass above and leave the Philippines as fast as a wave that crashed ashore.

Currently, this archipelagic country is experiencing the latter season as we enter the fourth quarter of the year. Because of this, the drainage systems in our cities and other urbanizes locales have neared their peak in terms of usefulness and effectivity—the overflowing streets, coupled with the many bits and pieces of trash scattered across said streets, and even the various gunk people in homes, condos, and other buildings flush down their drains and loos (such as grease, hair, toilet paper, sanitary napkins, food, and plastic, among countless others) have contributed to clogged pipes, overflowing canals, and other related problems for our underground drainage. On average, unclogging a pipe or drain may take about twelve hours or more—that’s half the day, flushed down the same drain, just like that. To make

matters worse, if the tenants of the building or household don’t change how they throw their waste products, the decongested pipe may be clogged again in a month or less.

Complications in sewage and drains like those are not uncommon for highly urbanized settings like Metro Manila, where each facility has its own intricate system of pipes that interconnect to the greater, municipality-wide system. It may sound complex, (especially when one factors in the fact that different structures have different pipe systems, from the most nuanced, somewhat unnoticeable facet, to an entirely, massively dissimilar network) but due to the ingenious efforts from

the company called RIDGID, these difficulties have been made easier to solve.

Specifically, RIDGID’s underground technology makes it possible to see, find, and solve clogs as if unclogging a bottle of wine. Without RIDGID’s tools, as stated above, it takes about twelve hours or more to clear the pathway for congested pipes, whereas RIDGID can de-clog pipes in minutes. Their FlexShaft™ Drain Cleaning Machines, SeeSnake® Cameras and the K-5208 Sectional Machine are just some of their weapons in the war against congested drainage systems beneath the cities of the Philippines.

Direction: Kindly take note that congested drainage is not only limited to happen in metropolitan areas, drainage facilities management is highly necessary in numerous establishments including hotels, factories and other related industries located in rural places.

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Firstly, their drain decongestants can unclog any pipe from its obstructions. From the tiniest residential clogs, to heavy-duty municipal lines, RIDGID builds drain cleaners that can answer the call with pride. Clogged sinks, tubs, shower drain, toilets, and everything in between, are no match for their FlexShaft™ Drain Cleaning Machines. A few of their tools to ward of clogs are the K-45 Sink Machine, Power Clear, Hand Spinners, and more!

Secondly, their SeeSnake® Cameras are instrumental in showing the materials and debris that are actually contributing to the pipes and drains’ clogged states. To see the reason why a pipe is clogged and the possible location the obstruction is taking place is a blessing RIDGID Machines can give its users, because how can you give a solution to an unknown problem? A big part of the hassle plumbers face when it comes to pipe maintenance is truly the fact that they’re usually kept in the dark. With their micro CA-300 Inspection Camera, their SeekTech Line Locators and more, plumbers and servicepeople can do a much finer job in terms of pipe maintenance.

Lastly, users of RIDGID’s sectional machines will feel the raw power of their instant acting cable clutch that maximizes operator control.

Their newest K-5208 Sectional Machine is the most powerful and compact sectional drain cleaner on the market—able to dish out efficient in-field clutch serviceability to minimize down time when maintenance is needed.

Its innovative fluid management feature provides a cleaner operation after using the machine.

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here to stay and uphold their mission of making our urban settings more bearable and enjoyable. They have safeguarded the state of the metropolis’ underground systems such that life above ground may shine brighter than usual. So, if you’re

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The potential uses of augmented and virtual realities in the power and water industries are already foreseen as a big leap for the utility industry. The technology

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is predicted to be of significant use in performing field work, inspecting the equipment, and training new personnel.

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COVER STORY

What is Augmented Reality and Virtual Reality Augmented Reality, most commonly referred to as AR, is a tool used in presenting computer-generated data overlaid on the physical, real-world. The generated data can either be sound, graphics, GPS data, video, or a combination of all.

Virtual Reality, on the other hand, is the technology which places the user inside a 16

computer-simulated reality where one can interact with the items inside the imaginary world. This type of technology is already being used in modern-day gaming systems.

COVER STORY

Advantages

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Better Performance with Less Cost

Fast Data Transfer

Although the technology is not out for commercial use yet, there are already many players entering the marketplace. It may not be pretty apparent, but virtual and augmented realities are a big hit in the industry, attracting more and more startups and companies to invest in its development and eventually decreasing the cost of the products.

Data is a major player in the utility industry, mainly because the analysis of the collected data can significantly impact decisions and flow of the overall system. But this can only be useful and beneficial when the right data is delivered to the right person at the right time with the right presentation. Integrating Augmented Reality into the equation can provide a fast and superb way of transferring and presenting data, all while preserving the accuracy of the collected data.

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Efficient Communication and Reporting Using VR in the field for faster communication is among the top reasons why the deployment of this technology is a must. A worker on the site, especially one that is inexperienced and not knowledgeable on the task, will not be restricted to describing the technicalities and failure of the equipment through phone conversations and photos alone.

Instead, the supervisor in the office can see the actual site himself through virtual reality and give accurate diagnosis and decisions. The AR will also overlay the details and specifications of said equipment, making the ordering of parts faster and more reliable.

Safer Field Work for Employees With the use of AR and VR in the field, employee safety can be ensured since the data from the big assets and equipment are displayed in the most intuitive manner possible. There are also additional data, such as invisible gas and leaks, which will be useful in alerting the workers of potential trouble and problems.

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AR, is a tool used in presenting computergenerated data overlaid on the physical, real-world.

The generated data can either be sound, graphics, GPS data, video, or a combination of all.

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The Future of AR in the Utility Industry In the near future, workers in the power and water industries will be able to work more efficiently using Oculus headset or Google Glass.

With just one press of a virtual button, they can be able to repair leaking substation transformers and pinpoint areas with power outages.

Although this vision is still in the works, it is no surprise that populating these video game-like interfaces can be of significant help to the utility processes, especially in the safety department. One such visualization and analytics software startup, the Space-Time Insight, recently 24

held a demo in San Diego, California, where people are taken on a virtual tour around their substation which features actual data from several utility companies in the state such as San Diego Gas & Electric and Southern California Edison.

The demo included special goggles needed to see the virtual world and all of its data.

One can see the leaks of poisonous sulfur hexafluoride gas from the circuit breakers, which the human eyes cannot see in the real world, and the low level of insulation oil of the transformers, which is also invisible to the naked eye. A data chart of both types

of equipment are displayed to the user, and they are given the option to dispatch a crew to repair the troubled machine.

On top of that, some companies are already working on making the equipment like transformers and high-voltage apparatus “smart� in the future. They plan on connecting hair-like fiber optics to these devices to collect real-time data such as strain and temperature.

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NEWS

Pumps seal the cracks in the norwegian granite

In one of Norway’s biggest ever tunnel construction projects, the Follo Line, a risk of gas leaks is threatening workers as they cut their way into the raw mountainsides. SCALA2 pumps have been brought in to take care of this problem.

odan, the supplier of construction equipment, to find a solution to the problem.

The solution was ten SCALA2 pumps connected to 1,500 litre water tanks. The cracks are covered and the constant water pressure keeps the gas away.

Deep in the Norwegian bedrock by the harbour in Oslo, ten SCALA2 pumps have been put to work. They maintain a constant pressure of 3 bars.

Water is pumped into the bedrock, so gas won’t leak. In here, the air is filled with humidity and dust but the scent is clean thanks to the pumps.

“We have several years of experience from an earlier partnership with Grundfos, who are always ready to come up with custom-made solutions. To make this system work, we needed a constant pressure of 3 bars. The unique electronics of the pumps made it possible to sustain the necessary pressure,” says CEO of Elmodan, Lars Ingemann.

Condotte construction company is overseeing construction of the Follo Line – the longest railway tunnel in the Nordic countries.

In 2016 they discovered a potential danger. Old storage fuel tanks for ships were leaking gas, which could seep into the tunnel through cracks in the bedrock.

Condotte therefore asked Elm28

Resists tough environment Exploding, digging, drilling and blasting are necessary to get through the solid granite. Since Spring 2017 the pumps have withstood the tough environment

– and they continue to do so. ”We are working with giant machines, and in a difficult and sometimes dangerous environment, especially when considering stationary equipment which is exposed to continuous dust and humidity. Therefore, it is an absolute necessity that we have a system, which is stable, and which does not fail under the circumstances we experience in the tunnel,” says André Pas, Project Manager for Condotte.

The SCALA2 pumps will be used until the drilling of the tunnel has been completed. Then the sides of the tunnel will be covered with concrete so the gas has no way of getting in.

Originally, the pumps were designed for providing perfect water pressure in residential buildings.

“When Elmodan called we were just about to send SCALA2 on the market. Even though the pumps were made for households we saw an opportunity to use their intelligent control because it is very reliable and stable – exactly what Elmodan requested,” says Lars Würtz Jensen, Sales Technician for Grundfos.

The trains are expected to be running on the tracks by the end of 2018. Then it will be possible to use the 20-kilometre Follo Line from Oslo to Ski. The tunnel is designed for trains to travel at up to 250 km/h.

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NEWS

SUEZ announces the construction of new energy-waste plant in the United Kingdom SUEZ announces the construction of a new Energy-from-Waste plant in Stockton-on-Tees (County of Durham) in the United Kingdom to manage household and commercial waste in the North East of the country from 2021.

With an investment of approximately â‚Ź150 million, this facility will be owned by the Group, demonstrating its confidence in the future of its businesses in the country and providing a concrete response to the lack of infrastructure.

5 Energy-from-Waste process lines are currently operated in Teesside, to serve the authorities of Stockton, Middlesbrough, Redcar & Cleveland, Northumberland, as well as the South Tyne & Wear Waste Management Partnership. This new line will be located on the same site and will be able to treat 240,000 tonnes of residual waste a year from 2021.

It will have a capacity production of 25 MW of electricity, the equivalent of the consumption of 30,000 households.

In the United Kingdom, SUEZ intervenes on the complete waste cycle, providing services to local authorities through Private Finance Initiative (PFI) and Public-Private Partnership (PPP) contracts, as well as to compa32

nies. The Group manages more than 10 million tonnes of waste every year. To date, it operates 7 Energy-from-Waste facilities1, which produced 1,195 GWh of electricity in 2017. It is currently building a residual waste gasification facility in Surrey. With an investment of approximately â‚Ź150 million, the Group will own this new Energy-from-Waste

plant, demonstrating its confidence in the future of the Recycling & Recovery businesses in the country and providing a concrete response to the lack of infrastructure.

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Water stewardship goes beyond operations Water, ecosystems and human development – each is deeply connected with the next. It is also the theme of this year’s World Water Week, the annual gathering of experts in global water issues. Here discussions will focus on the role business can play in water stewardship, and its contribution to sustainable water management in factories, at watersheds, in agricultural supply chains and communities.

orchard, sprinkler systems on 2.5 acres and ridges/ furrow bed on 2.5 acres.

“Water scarcity is a huge challenge that we face today,” said Fazal Abbas Makan from Pakistan’s Ministry of National Food Security & Research.

“This partnership between PARC and Nestle Pakistan is an excellent example of how the private and public sectors can come together and work on something which is beneficial for all.”

In Pakistan, the agriculture sector remains one of the largest and most inefficient users of water.

Worldwide, about 70 percent of all water is used in agriculture. Locally, that percentage stands at 90 percent, with 50 percent wastage due to poor irrigation methods. Therefore, it is vitally important to focus on increasing the overall efficiency of water usage by this sector.

PARC is the apex national organization working closely with Pakistan’s federal, provincial research institutes and universities to provide science-based solutions to agriculture related issues faced by the country.

Nestlé Waters Pakistan has partnered with Pakistan’s Agricultural Research Council (PARC) to enhance the organisation’s technical capacity by installing high-efficiency irrigation systems featuring solar water pumps at the 6-acre demonstration site. Various low-water techniques are on show, including drip irrigation on 1 acre 36

The site will model best practices by using innovative methods and environment friendly technology to enhance crop production through minimum use of water, and is part of Nestlé Waters’ commitment to water stewardship. The project will also serve as a knowledge hub for farmers, professionals, media, and those visiting the research centre, providing a platform for water stewardship locally, where it matters.

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MIDDLE EAST NEWS

New product sectors, the largest construction industry research, an exclusive C-level forum, an ever stronger focus on technology and innovation, and seven events under one roof are among the many novelties attending construction professionals at the upcoming edition of The Big 5 (25-28 November, Dubai World Trade Centre).

Celebrating its 40th anniversary this year,

Middle East’s leading event for the construction industry has much in store to support construction companies through a shifting economic landscape, boost business, launch the latest building solutions, educate industry professionals, and foster best practices championing technological innovation.

Matt Denton, President at dmg events comments: “This 40-year milestone is a great testament to how our teams have effectively worked towards keeping the show fresh and relevant for our stakeholders and attendees.

Innovation and adaptability have always been at the core of our strategy as we transform each edition to keep up with the changing business environment and industry needs.”

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THE BIG 5: DRIVING FUTURE CONSTRUCTION STRATEGIES

For the first time, The Big 5 The show will also expand 2019 will cover the full its product sectors’ construction cycle. This year, in offering with the introduction fact, the exhibition will run together with six co-located events allowing industry professionals to source thousands of products for every stage of the construction projects, from inception to completion. The Big 5 Heavy, Middle East Concrete, HVAC R Expo, Middle East Stone, The Big 5 Solar, and the Urban Design & Landscape Expo will all run alongside The Big 5 at the Dubai World Trade Centre, from 25 to 28 November.

of the brand new Offsite & Modular Construction sector.

“With rapid and efficient construction delivery being in high demand, buyers require state-of-the-art offsite and modular construction solutions for residential, educational, healthcare as well as commercial applications,” Josine Heijmans, Portfolio Director at dmg events, explains.

Here, industry leaders like BK Gulf will be presenting their modular solutions of pre-engineered mechanical, electrical, and plumbing (MEP)

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units for the first time ever. A dedicated educational agenda, the Offsite & Modular Talks, will simultaneously shed light on advances in offsite and modular construction, analysing new challenges and opportunities for prefab in the region.

Further, in an effort to drive informed decision making, The

Big 5 will present the “Voice of the Construction Industry”, the largest research conducted in the construction sector.

Based on the responses of nearly 6,000 industry stakeholders from 136 countries, it will unveil current and upcoming trends, opportunities, and challenges faced by construction players. The

The initiative, taking place a day before the official opening of the exhibition, will facilitate communication across the industry providing a unique opportunity for key construction stakeholders to meet and discuss current challenges, trends, and strategies in a closed door setup.

In the backdrop of last year’s success, The Big 5 will bring back its popular features dedicated to promoting innovation and technology in the construction sector. The event will once again host some of the world’s most promising industry start-ups at its “Start-up City”, and will present the latest building solutions at the dedicated “Live Innovation Zone”.

The second edition of the FutureTech Construction Summit will run on November 25, with a brand new agenda focused on five trending topics: Artificial Intelligence, Digital Asset Management and Digital Twins, Smart Home, Smart Buildings and IoT, BIM, and 3D printing, VR, AR and drones.

research will also offer essential insights on which markets are most promising and why, and how industry professionals are preparing to harness business opportunities.

Ms. Heijmans states: “We are extremely proud and excited to be releasing this unprecedented report at The Big 5 2019. We expect the ‘Voice of the Construction Industry’ to massively 42

The RTA Innovation in BIM Summit at The Big 5 Heavy will also return on November support the decision-making of 26. The summit will explore the construction industry players for the next three years in a shifting economic landscape, providing exclusive intelligence that will help generate revenues, save money, and shape future strategies.”

The key findings of the report will be announced at The Big 5’s CEO Roundtable, a new forum gathering top developers, contractors, consultants, and government entities in the UAE.

impact of BIM on the present and future of the infrastructure industry with updates on AR, 3D printing, industrialized construction and data analytics.

Finally, a wealth of solutions relating to 3D Printing, Drones and Surveillance, Site Mapping, Robotics, Thermal Imaging, and Virtual Reality Trainings among others will be showcased in a new dedicated area at The Big 5 Heavy this year.

Beyond bringing to Dubai over 20,000 innovative products, the seven events will also provide more than 220

complimentary high-level summits, practical seminars, and CPD-certified workshops to foster collaboration, support best practices, and provide effective solutions to today’s industry challenges.

At The Big 5, visitors will be able to attend the FutureTech Construction Summit and the Women in Construction Forum & Awards, along with the Architecture & Design Talks, the BIM Talks, the Technology Talks, the Project Management Talks, and the Offsite & Modular Construction Talks.

This year, The Big 5 Heavy and Middle East Concrete will offer an extended education agenda including the ACI Concrete Summit, the RTA Innovation in BIM Summit, the Geospatial Leaders Conference, the Geotechnical and Engineering Summit, the ACI Seminar Series, and the Geotechnical and Engineering Workshops.

The HVAC R Pioneers’ Summit will run alongside the HVAC R Talks at the HVAC R Expo, while the Solar Talks will once again take place at The Big 5 Solar focusing on solar energy in rental property, the future of smart grid technologies, and the role of SME’s in driving a solar powered future.

Moreover, Middle East Stone will offer four days of Stone Design Seminars, and the Urban Design & Landscape Expo will launch the new Urban Design Talks, in addition to the high level Urban Design & Landscape Summit that is returning this year.

The Big 5 is organised by dmg events and runs from 25 to 28 November at the Dubai World Trade Centre from 11:00 to 19:00 daily. The event is free to attend to all pre-registered visitors.

MIDDLE EAST NEWS

Ten Innovative Solutions of Social Incubator Program in ABU DHABI Rewarded AED 4.4 Million Investment to Support People of Determination

M

a’an announced today the ten winning teams in the first cycle of the Ma’an Social Incubator program.

Ma’an is part of the ‘Ghadan 21’ accelerated development programme designed to spur diversity and growth in Abu Dhabi’s economy to make it one of the best places in the world to do business, invest, live, work and visit.

The winning projects include a mobile app that helps convert text to sign language and another that helps people with

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visual impairments to navigate their surroundings through sensors and visual recognition.

Among the winners of this year’s edition, six teams were local, while four teams were international.

The event this morning announcing the ten winning projects was attended by His Excellency Sheikh Abdulla Bin Mohamed Al Hamed, Chairman of Department of Health; His Excellency Dr. Mugheer Khamis Al Khaili, Chairman of the Department of Community Development; His Excellency Abdullah Abdulali Al Humaidan,

Secretary General of Zayed Higher Organization for People of Determination; His Excellency Hamad Al Dhaheri, Director General of the Social Support Authority; and Her Excellency Salama Al Amimi, Director General, Authority of Social Contribution - Ma’an.

The Ma’an Social Incubator program is the first of its kind in the region, with each of the ten teams eligible to receive funding up to AED 200,000 released at every successful milestone the participant reaches, as well as support for living and housing expenses for non-residents of

Abu Dhabi.

The program aims to support and develop innovative social concepts and start-up projects so they may become social institutions or civil facilities with an active role in helping people of determination in facing challenges in their communities, offering them solutions that improve their quality of life and achieve their ambitions.

The Ma’an Social Incubator program also provides the necessary and specialized support needed for these projects to be sustainable, offering the guidance and tools needed for growth, including financial and moral support, as well as office space, business expertise and access to possible investors.

Since launching the program in May earlier this year, 130 ventures applied for the Ma’an Social Incubator program from as far afield as Brazil, Denmark, France, Nigeria and India.

Later in August, a shortlist of 25 nominated teams were invited to pitch their solutions before a panel who came together to decide on the final ten winning teams.

The teams will have the opportunity to test their social start-up ideas and gain an in-depth understanding of the market, in addition to attending a series of plenary workshops and receiving mentor advice that will help them develop their idea into a product or service, beginning in September and continuing for 16 weeks.

Ma’an was established in Feb46

ruary 2019 by the Department of Community Development in Abu Dhabi with the aim of bringing together the government, the private sector and civil society to support a culture of social contribution and participation. The authority will deliver solutions for social challenges with four main pillars of work – a Social Investment Fund, a Social Incubator Program, Community Engagement Programs and the introduction of a new type of public contracting, Social Impact Bonds.

Ma’an seeks to reinforce the culture of giving in Abu Dhabi, and establish the volunteering needs of the community, aiming to make us of the currently available social volunteering opportunities and initiatives, as well as contribute by generating new opportunities.

Her Excellency Ms. Salama Al Ameemi, Director General of

Ma’an said: “We are absolutely delighted with the incredibly innovative ten solutions that have been awarded a place in the Ma’an Social Incubator program, and are now fully focused on helping the entrepreneurs to make their dream become a reality.

“These social start-ups will contribute towards establishing sustainable social solutions for people of determination and raising their standard of living in Abu Dhabi and the UAE in general, with an ambition for global impact in the future. This is a hugely important phase in our first incubator program, and we are very much looking forward to working with the committed and passionate people leading each of the start-ups, making their concepts and projects a reality.”

The program offers unique and valuable networking opportunities for the teams to

build relationships with individuals outside of the program, including investors, third sector leaders, industry figures, and decision makers in specialized fields regionally and internationally. Ma’an will also host ‘demo days’ to present the concepts of the ten winning team organised for review and evaluation, as well as to leverage funding from investors.

The 10 successful start-ups are: 1. Accessible Ad: Platform for information, expertise, training and support to ensure effective accessibility for People of Determination in Abu Dhabi 2. The Butterfly Foundation: Advocacy agency to bring support and empowerment in the hands of People of 48

Determination in Abu Dhabi 3. The Camp: Inclusion-safe, seasonal, mobile sleepover camps for Children of Determination in the UAE 4. I Hear You: Mobile app that enables communication from text to sign language and vice versa 5. Inclusive: Online platform serving as an umbrella for all things inclusion-related in the UAE 6. Key2Enable: Assistive technology empowering People of Determination to use tablets, computers and smartphones with adapted hardware and accessories 7. Martha Edu: Educational smart cards and mobile app to educate hearing impaired children and parents on signing language

8. Ioptyc by Nexart: Solution for people with visual impairment to navigate their surroundings through the use of distance judging sensors & visual recognition technology 9. RAB3I: Social venture offering People of Determination an opportunity to attend recreational activities with a (trained) ’buddy’ who shares similar interests 10. Heroes of Hope: Social enterprise delivering equal opportunities for People of Determination, including recreational activities, work opportunities, and sporting events

A S I A PA C I F I C N E W S

The Right Product Applications for Centrifugal Chiller in Philippine Buildings

The Philippines is a tourist hotspot both figuratively and literally. Foreigners from all over the world fly from all across the globe to dip their toes in the warm sands of our beaches and bathe under the tropic sun. But for most of us locals who are too accustomed to the heat, we find ourselves scuttling within the cool confines of larger buildings—mainly hotels, condos, malls, and for those old enough to enter, casinos, to name few. Entering buildings just to be swathed by the cool air is so embedded in Philippine culture that we have a word for it: palamig. If not for top of the line technologies in facility-wide cooling, then this casual, cultural practice and the word that comes with it would not even exist.

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It goes without saying, but residential air conditioning systems are poles apart from their bigger cousins found in commercial buildings and industrial facilities. On one hand, personalization and the ability to cool any room of your choice is perfect for small families and groups found in smaller locations. However, these larger buildings and the numerous individuals who visit these places on a daily basis demand so much more. A constantly cooled place for all around, all time, holistic comfort is one such demand. Facilities such as these typically have cooling loads that exceed 400 refrigeration tons (TR) and therefore require efficient water-cooled centrifugal chillers

such as the TOSOT Water Cooled Centrifugal Chiller CVE Series.

One of the great things about a water-cooled centrifugal chiller for facility-wide cooling is the overall effectiveness of its performance in most aspects, especially for buildings with much larger cooling loads.

For instance, water-cooled centrifugal chilling systems have an efficient way of dissipating heat. As the name implies, water-cooled chillers use water evaporation to counter heat—a process that is less energyintensive than blowing air against a hot surface as with air-cooled chillers. Also, since water has a higher heat capacity than air, making it inherently easier to remove heat. The TOSOT Water Cooled Centrifugal Chiller CVE Series also boasts a capacity of 250 to 1,400 TR, which translates to 879 to about 4, 924 kW. Inventing technology that emits less carbon and is friendly to the environment is a rising trend in innovation. There is a constant need to appease the needs of the world without sacrificing the proficiency of performance.

With that said, the TOSOT Water Cooled Centrifugal Chiller CVE

Series utilizes non-ozone depleting HFC-134A refrigerant, providing a safe and eco-friendly choice without compromising efficiency, keeping cool the various industries where air conditioners are required, such as manufacturing, warehousing, food processing and storing, etc.

Usually installed within the building they are designed to cool, water-cooled chillers are not affected by outside weather conditions. Unlike them, air-cooled centrifugal chillers are placed outside the facility, subjecting them to lifespan-shortening elements.

This alone means that water-cooled centrifugal chillers are also sturdier and last longer than their air-cooled counterparts.

While they do have a higher installation and maintenance cost, the TOSOT Water Cooled Centrifugal Chiller CVE Series 52

utilizes solar energy to buttress those costs, and bears a huge capacity to make it a worthwhile purchase. It is also kitted with state-of-the-art technologies to ensure a highly competent cooling experience for all, such as high-speed direct-drive two-stage impellers, a functional, all-condition “wideband” pneumatic design, high-speed permanent magnet synchronous inverter motors, on-board sine-wave inverters, low viscosity vane diffusers, two-stage compression enthalpy adding technology, highefficiency heat exchangers, a wide and touchable screen to guarantee a smooth user experience, authority classification with passwords for much needed security measures, and soft loan-on and soft shut-down, among other hallmarks to make certain that the Filipinos found in hotels, apartments, restaurants, office buildings, shopping malls,

theatres, gyms, workshops, hospitals and other places have utmost comfort in the facilities.

The Philippines being a warm temperature country is an understatement and more often than not, people take the existence of perfectly cooled buildings for granted—walking inside and letting their sweat and clothes dry thanks to the provided air. But hopefully, the next time we enter a building that greets us instantly with a fresh, inviting breeze of cold air, we can start thinking about the processes and the actual machine that allows us to feel that air.

Because if it weren’t for systems such as the TOSOT Water Cooled Centrifugal Chiller CVE Series, the word palamig and all its culturally relevant variations would be limited to just fanning ourselves with our hands and paper.

A S I A PA C I F I C N E W S

TOSOT Aircon Brand Took Center Stage at PHILCONSTRUCT Mindanao

was always built for business.

The event itself was attended by the giants and figureheads of the building and construction industry, attracted hundreds of companies from more than 20 countries each year and gave them a great deal of exposure, and gave its supporters the maximum return for their investments— truly, a bang for their buck deal.

TOSOT returned with an amazing array of top-ofthe-line products. As the leading manufacturer and distributor of high-quality air-conditioning products and home appliances in the Philippines, TOSOT received hundreds of trade visitors from mechanical engineers to CEOs of multinational companies that inquired about their high-tech products.

DAVAO, Philippines – SMX Convention Center Davao, SM Lanang Premier was the venue for one of the biggest construction and building conventions of all time with PHILCONSTRUCT Mindanao.

The event, which occurred on September 6 to 8, 2019, called in waves of attendees comprised of buyers, partners, contractors, and the like. Needless to say, the convention was a success, and to say the event was big would be an understatement. The expected number of attendees were met and many partnerships were built, paving 54

the way for a brighter future in the construction industry. The event itself was red-letter and many corporations bent on upholding product effectivity and efficiency without infringing upon sustainability showcased their life-improving innovations.

Organized by the Philippine Construction Association, Inc. (PCA), the leading organization in building and construction whose members are responsible for over 70% of all construction projects in the country.

PHILCONSTRUCT Mindanao

Their chillers, cost effective and high-tech wall-mounted and floor-standing air conditioning units, sleekly gorgeous kitchen appliances such as home induction cookers and water dispensers, TMV5s, to name a few, were thoroughly examined by many willing purchasers.

These wares and appliances are especially made more important, seeing as Davao is a 1st class highly urbanized city that is ever-progressing.

Despite PHILCONSTRUCT Mindanao being only 3 days long, TOSOT received countless delegations from various

engineering organizations, HVAC distributors, retailers, building owners, shopping mall directors, facilities management professionals, contractors and interior designers who showed strong interest in TOSOT’s air conditioning units and kitchen appliances.

TOSOT exhibition stand won 1st runner up in the “Best Booth” category. TOSOT’s exhibition stand is one of the most stunning design in the convention center. This is a commitment not only to bring the best products in Mindanao, but also to give a better marketing experience when guests visit the booth.

Those at TOSOT were able to close countless deals during the event amounting to hundreds of thousands of pesos to further their goals of creating more effective, efficient, products while championing sustainably. With these deals, they can continue to stay ahead of the curve in the industry of technological appliances.

For those who are interested to see TOSOT aircon units, visit their showroom located at 2162 FB Harrison St., San Jose, Pasay City, Philippines or call +632-8330000 to book an appointment. You may also visit their website http://www. tosot.com.ph/ to get more information about the best split type premium aircon in the Philippines.

Follow TOSOT on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter pages for more news and updates.

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F E AT U R E S T O RY

Five Ways To Improve New Office Security

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re you reading as a concerned business owner? Do you have concerns about office security? What steps have you taken to make sure your workplace is protected? These are just some of the questions you will have to answer when setting up a new office. Keep in mind; every locality has its pros and cons. Therefore you must check the criminal records of the new place where you’re setting up your office in. There are many ways with which one can protect the office from criminal activities.

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However, it is important to act upon some of the most concrete options.

In this article we will navigate you through some ways with which you can improve office security in a new place. An office is a workstation which is inhabited by many things such as expensive assets, laptops, computers, electronic devices, expensive furniture and a lot more. Burglars can break into such places easily. Therefore you must do something that makes the employees feel safe.

F E AT U R E S T O RY Some of the ways to improve office security are:

1. Incorporate an electrical gate Electrical gates have always been immensely important when it comes to magnifying the security of a property. Ever heard of turnstile gates? They allow one person to enter at a time. You can get one such gate for your front entrance and a backdoor from Daosafe website. With such gates even the security guard won’t have to worry about a lot of people flocking the entrance and entering in even numbers.

DaoSafe has a vast array of designs and properties which can suffice for the security need of a property. Therefore you must incorporate a protective gate as a first option.

2. Install CCTV cameras CCTV cameras are very important in this day and age to protect people. Unfortunately many companies often underestimate their benefits which is why they run in a lot of troubles later on. CCTV cameras should be installed outside the office and inside to know about the whereabouts of the employees and all the visitors who are entering the premises of the building. Through CCTV camera, a company gets to know about any possible danger that the building might have from outside. CCTV cameras record 24/7 footage and can be navigated in all positions.

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3. Incorporate top-notch door locks Door locks play a very important role in protecting an office building. However, not every room is going to have an electrical door lock. Some of the discreet rooms in the office which house important documents will surely need to have concrete door locks. If you have the traditional door locks in mind, they won’t help at all. Electrical door locks are pivotal in protecting the building and have a system which can be operated by the CEO of the company. Furthermore, if burglars or terrorists break into the office building, door locks can suddenly be activated to block entrance in all-important rooms.

4. Good lighting is necessary Lights are not just a great renovation option but are equally important for maintaining workplace morale. If you haven’t seen the modern LED lights, you must check them online to see 60

the different designs they come in. The best thing about such lights is that they can be incorporated in the interior and the exterior of the office. The modern styled LED lights come in a single pallet which has so many of them encrusted in it. In this way, a small space can lighten up easily. For office security, such lights must be installed in the lobby, back door entrance, front door entrance, accounts department, etc.

5. Provide parking space to employees The most important thing which possibly could be stolen in case of no parking provided by the company is your employee’s vehicle. The best idea to improve security of office for employees is to provide a parking space. An ideal parking lot will be able to provide relief to the employees with regards to their vehicle. If your office building is not spacious enough to provide a parking station for the employees, you must consider renting some space nearby for your employees. Some companies

even have laws which provide complete coverage to the employees in case their car gets stolen.

Conclusion: Lastly, you must make sure that the office building has been made out of the finest material. Even the windows need to be properly insulated and well-built to protect the building from burglars breaking in. The protection of the workspace is not just important for the assets it has but also for the people who work there. Office security is a very topical thing in the world right now which is why people are coming up with interesting ideas every single day. With much advancement in technology, it is possible to track such people down, but it is better to devise strict security measures that prevent criminal events from taking place.

F E AT U R E S T O RY

What Can Augmented Reality Do for Oil and Gas Industries?

New technologies are proliferating the business world, and two of the most exciting are virtual reality and augmented reality. Virtual reality consists of environments that contain sights and sounds and are completely computer generated and accessed through the use of VR helmets.

The gaming community and increasingly other industries use VR. The fastest growing area of use for VR is in training simulations.

What is Augmented Reality?

Augmented reality is the mixing of virtual reality in the real world whereby sounds, images and text are overlayed via computers onto what we actually see around us. So virtual reality replaces the world around us, and augmented reality adds to the world.

You can see augmented reality images using an app on a smartphone or other computer device or through some type of eyewear. We have seen this is high end movies and video games, and now augmented reality has begun to be used by industries for various purposes.

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AR in the Oil and Gas Industries

Oil and Gas augmented reality has proven to be an important tool for the oil and gas industry because it offers companies a wide range of benefits.

OnSite Training and Instructions

Oil and gas companies can use AR and wireless headsets to have top experts guide personnel though tasks. This allows the experts to not have to spend long hours traveling to sites. Instead they can stay in one location, and apply their expertise and training to any number of AR ready sites all around the world.

Assessment of Underground Assets and Worksites

An entire underground asset and worksite or any part of it can be overlayed on to an augmented reality program, and show up to the minute status of things. Companies can see oil and gas reserves, pipelines, construction areas, and all other elements of a project with a 3D visual representation. This allows for better utilization of people and other resources, minimizes accidents and saves money for companies.

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Replacement of Parts

Oil and gas companies can use AR to assess and even help replace worn broken parts. With an ability to get a 3D view of things, this can be doe accurately and efficiently. Newer AR programs will be able to anticipate wear and tear and tell companies when parts are likely to break causing disaster avoidance and more uptime for workers and sites.

Today every large and middle size oil and gas company is utilizing AR and looking to use it more. Currently hey are training staff on the use of wireless goggles that also have sound capabilities and connecting them with relevant departments to coordinate efforts that improve efficiency and affect the bottom lines. The results have been spectacular and in this volatile and price sensitive industry, this technology is helping to control costs, As AR continues to improve and the use of robotics increases, companies envision a time when robots using AR will be doing all of the difficult and dangerous work for their companies.

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