CCME April 2016 by ccme.news

country report: qatar

Steady growth for the peninsula’s HVACR market as country ramps up 2022 FIFA World Cup preparations

April 2016

EDITORIAL CAMPAIGN

COUNTRY FEATURE: INDIA

IEQ IN HOSPITALITY

The South Asian nation is catching the world’s interest with its ‘Make in India’ initiative

QGBC’s Healthy Buildings Interest Group carries out IEQ survey in Doha hotel

Decoding

COP 21

The HVACR community reflects on the Paris Agreement and what it could mean for the industry interviews Dr Eng Waddah Ghanem, ENOC ‘Diversity translates to energy security’

HEADLINES

David Underwood, ASHRAE

‘We have to look seriously at nuclear energy’

Toshiba’s VRF wins AC Product of the Year award

Saeed Al Abbar, EmiratesGBC ‘The UAE’s INDC holistically addresses sustainability’

Empower awards contracts valued at AED 45 million

Taka solutions to represent Gulf region in ‘The Venture’ PUBLICATION LICENSED BY IMPZ

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April 2016

contents vol. 11 no. 4  april 2016

page

10 COVER STORY

COP 21

what they said

Regional and international HVACR stakeholders share their reactions to the COP 21 agreement and its possible impact on the industry.

page

‘I think CNG is going to be very good for Dubai’ Dr Eng Waddah Ghanem of ENOC discusses the company’s E&RM policy, as well as the UAE’s move to diversify its energy mix and introduce fuel subsidy reforms. page

‘We look at individual buildings, but we really need to be looking at districts’

‘The UAE is placing strong efforts in terms of HVAC technologies’

David Underwood of ASHRAE talks District Cooling, integrated building design, food wastage, sub-metering and nuclear energy, among other topics.

Saeed Al Abbar of EmiratesGBC shares details about his experience at COP 21 and comments on the UAE's involvement in the global fight against climate change.

page

EDITORIAL CAMPAIGN

Testing IEQ In 2015, QGBC’s Healthy Buildings Interest Group conducted an IEQ inspection in Mövenpick Hotel West Bay Doha. We bring you the results of the survey.

page

40 case-in point Clean and green “airospace” DencoHappel claims to have delivered cleanroom replacement and upgrade for a client in the aerospace industry, without disrupting production.

April 2016

page

market feature

country report

Pump it up

Goal in sight

Players from the pumps sector give their outlook for 2016 and reveal what they consider are the biggest challenges facing the industry.

The 2022 FIFA World Cup injects optimism into the future of Qatar’s HVACR industry with large infrastructure projects.

page

58 PHOTO FEATURE

country feature The next big thing

THE 4TH ANNUAL MIDDLE EAST

With the Indian government pushing its ‘Make in India’ campaign, global players are expecting the South Asian nation to become a force to reckon with.

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

perspective page

page

4TH Annual ME VRF Conference

Fire safety – who’s accountable?

Phenolic ductwork joins the mainstream

In view of the new UAE Fire Code, Karim Badruddin delves into the issues of liability, insurance cost and occupant safety.

Sarmad Fakhri makes a case for preinsulated phenolic ductwork, in light of the first SMACNA’s Phenolic Duct Construction Standard.

page

license to chill Ear to the ground – the efficacy of vibration analysis Continuing with the theme of Non-Destructive Testing (NDT) for the HVAC sector, Dan Mizesko discusses vibration analysis, in the second part of his series on the subject.

REGULARS

Ed's note 06 Market transformation in the making

NEWS 70 75 78 80 82

Regional Global Comings & Goings Associations & Societies Marketplace

April 2016

Market transformation in the making B Surendar Editor @BSurendar_HVACR

Get the next issue of Climate Control Middle East early!

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

April 2016

bout a year ago, at a seminar held at the Dubai Chamber of Commerce and Industry, participants pointed out to reluctance among banks to fund retrofit projects as a major obstacle, which they said urgently needed to be overcome. Last month, most of the principal participants of the earlier seminar met for a two-day conference. The mood this time around was considerably upbeat, with many expressing optimism the reluctance could be breached. Banks â€“ and other financial institutions, for that matter â€“ they said, were more receptive to retrofitting projects, despite the lack of the type of collaterals they traditionally seek, because they have come to realise that the Government of Dubai is firmly backing the initiative and is heavily involved in pushing through a strong retrofitting culture in the emirate. Besides, building owners are more willing and motivated to explore all possible avenues to secure the finance, because the IRR of any retrofit project can be as high as 35%. The prospect of achieving such a mindboggling number is alluring, which is persuading building owners to take the risk of a payback period of three years, say. Further, some suppliers are willing to come forward with various options to help the owners, including the leasing of equipment, with the promise of guaranteed energy savings. Market mechanisms of this kind are opening the doors to retrofit projects. From a broader perspective, over the years, electricity tariffs in Dubai have climbed; today, they range from 23 fils/kWh to 38 fils/kWh in the residential and commercial sectors. And it is expected they will go up further, in a bid to make them more cost-reflective in nature. Which means, there is a stronger motivation than ever before for building owners to seek out energy-saving equipment. Faced with the prospect of higher tariffs, there is, of course, the traditional alternative course in front of them of passing on the additional costs to tenants, but that model surely cannot be a sustainable one in the long run. In the broader GCC region, governments are keen on tapering the subsidy regime, which should bode well for those HVAC manufacturers and suppliers that are looking to serve up genuine energy-saving solutions for retrofit projects. Dubai alone has a stock of over 120,000 existing buildings, with the government targeting 30,000 of them for energysaving retrofits by the year 2030. Opportunity beckons, and those manufacturers and suppliers willing to start early in giving building owners flexible solutions in anticipation of market-transformation developments will be putting themselves in the best possible position to succeed.

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April 2016

R COVE Y STOR

Decoding

COP 21 I

n the months leading to the 21st session of the Conference of the Parties (COP 21) to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), there was much speculation about its outcome, specifically on whether it would result in a consensus on how the world could go about tackling the problem of global warming. The answer came on December 12, 2015, nearly two weeks after the climate talks commenced on November 30, in Paris, France. Close to 200 countries reached a decision to adopt what is now referred to as the Paris Agreement, and what has been hailed by the President of France, François Hollande, as “a major leap for mankind”. Echoing President Hollande’s sentiment, UK Prime Minister David Cameron called it “a huge step forward in helping to secure the future of our planet”, while United States President Barack Obama described it as “the best chance we have to save the one planet that we’ve got”.1

April 2016

Making history “Historic”, “unprecedented” and “long-awaited” are but some of the terms that have been used in media reports and statements released by world leaders with reference to COP 21, because for the first time since the UN climate talks started in 1992 in Rio, the conference ended with the Parties reaching a universal agreement on climate change. So what exactly does the agreement, which is scheduled to undergo ratification on April 22 in New York City, stipulate? What do the Parties hope to accomplish through the accord? As laid out in Article 2.1 in the final draft of the Paris Agreement, the accord “aims to strengthen the global response to the threat of climate change, in the context of sustainable development and efforts to eradicate poverty”.2 The section goes on to identify different ways the goal can be achieved, with the first being – and it is what experts claim is the highlight of the agreement – to hold “the increase in the global average temperature to well below 2 degrees C above pre-industrial levels and

Widely lauded as a historic accord on climate change, the Paris Agreement aims to mitigate global warming, by bringing about a reduction in GHG emissions, among other goals. But what would the adoption of the agreement mean for the industry and the region? How would it shape government regulations and business decisions? We bring you responses and reactions from regional and international industry leaders and members of organisations. By Fatima de la Cerna and Rajiv Pillai

to pursue efforts to limit the temperature increase to 1.5 degrees C above preindustrial levels”.2

The trickle-down effect Prior to the conference in Paris, Parties were asked to submit their Intended Nationally Determined Contributions (INDCs), indicating what actions or measures they planned to take as part of the adoption of a new climate agreement. Those pledges, if the Paris deal is ratified and enshrined in international law, will, in simple terms, determine how the COP 21 agreement will impact each participating Party. However, with the emphasis placed strongly on the need to cut down greenhouse gas emissions and the adoption of clean energy, expectations are high that industries and governments the world over will feel the effects of COP 21 in the form of new regulations and standards, particularly in

terms of energy efficiency and refrigerant use. Keeping this in mind, Climate Control Middle East approached experts and stakeholders and asked them to share their thoughts on the deal that came out of the Paris talks, specifically on the possible impact it would have on the region and the HVACR industry. We bring you their responses.

COP 21 – what they said What does the Paris Agreement mean for the GCC region, in your opinion? “The Paris Agreement means a lot to the countries in the GCC region, since they have positioned themselves for progress, and each country has an inspiring sense of willingness to embrace change to secure its future. The Agreement is also important for the region

because of the issue of fossil fuels, which form the backbone of the Gulf economies. The GCC region accounts for less than 2.4% of global greenhouse gas emissions. However, global climate change will have a severe negative environmental impact on the region, which, in turn, will have implications for economic and other developmental gains achieved by the region.” Hassan Sultan, Former President, ASHRAE Qatar Oryx Chapter and Director of Mechanical Department, MZ & Partners “I think COP 21 will have a significant impact on the built-environment, because buildings are one of the worst contributors to global warming and of greenhouse gases. So the outcome will likely be that government departments will enforce regulations – essentially top-down regulations – to reduce greenhouse gases and carbon emissions from buildings, and that directly relates to

April 2016

Sougata Nandi

Jordon Baker

Charles Constantin

equipment. We saw at the VRF Conference (21-22 March) the promotion and encouragement of the use of equipment with improved efficiency, and which bridges the gap between chillers and the standard DX unit. That’s a gap that fits in very nicely with regulation requirements for smaller buildings and also medium-sized buildings, where DX systems are typically specified. It now opens up the opportunity for more efficient units to be used, which directly reflects and relates to the objectives and the outcome of COP 21.” Scott Coombes, Director, AESG “Given the fact that GCC countries have the highest per capita ecological footprint in the world, and also, GCC [region’s] coastlines will go under water when sea level rises, the GCC [region] needs to look beyond COP 21. Dubai has already declared its aim to provide 75% of the emirate’s energy through clean energy sources by 2050. While this is laudable and much needed, the entire GCC [region] needs to come up with such aggressive initiatives, as Dubai alone cannot mitigate emissions that are already out of control.” Sougata Nandi, Founder and CEO, 3e Advisory “I’ve heard various construction professionals refer to the GCC [region] as ‘a product dumping ground’ for product that does not meet the energy efficiency requirements of other, more regulated nations. With increasing energy efficiency requirements in other countries, legislation in line with COP 21 goals are required to ensure products not allowed in other areas, such as North America and Europe are not sold off in the GCC [region] at lower cost, often being called a ‘value proposition’ for the project. This practice pushes out the high-efficiency products and technology that will advance the GCC countries. True value proposition is refining a system for

April 2016

Saad Ali

Holley Chant

more effective operation and lower operating costs, which may come at slightly higher procurement cost but often has fast payback period.” Jordon Baker, Regional Manager, Greenheck “The landmark agreement in Paris (COP 21) is an invitation to become more environmentally conscious and think ecologically for a sustainable economy. The use of green refrigerants in HVAC and the reference to Ventilation Engineering, including energy efficiency, will become more valuable in the region.” Charles Constantin, Managing Director, GEZE Middle East “This gathering means people will attempt to cut greenhouse gas emissions to a level that will limit the global average temperature but, most importantly, push certain institutions/governmental bodies to act and push codes to new/existing buildings. Although we may not see immediate changes, I see the UAE leading and embracing those changes as always.” Saad Ali, VP and Group General Manager, Ruskin Titus Gulf “Over the years, there’s been slow progress. A lot of great efforts have gone into the conversation on climate change, but there’s also been significant disagreement. This time, with COP 21, because countries were allowed to make commitments that are suitable to their own nations, talks progressed. The next step is to demonstrate actual, quantifiable improvements in the years to come. And when I talk about making COP real, it’s because when you deal with global leadership, to get a plan moving and for it to have actual meaning at a local or regional level in design and construction, you have to really set out to have a framework of how you’re going to do that. You can’t just go, ‘Oh, great. There’s now an agreement, and we all know what to do’. It’s not like that at all.

Hassan Sultan

“I think what’s very positive right now is that, because there’s this bigger movement, there’s a lot of reinforcement and encouragement from the public and private sectors for consultants, technology providers and clients to make true, meaningful and quantifiable commitments instead of merely saying, ‘Sure, yes, I’ll go green’. It would be good to hear, ‘My company has embedded in our business plan our commitment to making reductions of 30% over our baseline, and we will use a third-party assessor to demonstrate progress on those commitments’. It’s very specific and real, and will create change.” Holley Chant, Executive Director – Corporate Sustainability, KEO Consultants “The conclusions of COP 21 can be perceived as reassurance for GCC countries to continue and reinforce the strategy of economic and energy diversification that they have engaged in recent years. We at Chemours expect that COP 21 will accelerate the investigation and adoption of more environmentally sustainable refrigeration and air conditioning technologies.” Murli Sukhwani, EMEA Business & Market Manager, Chemours International Operations “The Paris Agreement is the first to commit all countries to cut carbon emissions, and it is partly legally binding and partly voluntary. Some aspects of the agreement, such as submitting emissions reduction targets and the regular review of that goal, are legally binding. However, the targets set by nations will not be binding. The pact will help to keep sustainable development on the right track and realise Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) no. 13: ‘Take urgent action to combat climate change and its impacts.’ “It sends a powerful signal that the world is fully committed to a low-carbon future and that the transition to a low-carbon economy

April 2016

Asim Hashmi

Hans Reinders

Jitendra Bhambure

Zhongbo Cao

is now unstoppable. In other words, it sends strong signals to investors and energy markets, which is likely to trigger a fundamental shift in investment from coal, oil and gas as primary energy sources, toward low-carbon energy sources like wind and solar.” Aamir Riaz, Corporate Director of Maintenance, Dur Hospitality

build a building here, you would have to cope with very strict standards of energy use and IAQ, and if you can’t, you won’t be in business anymore. It’s as simple as that. So the government is formulating stricter rules for energy consumption, and the industry will follow. It has to follow.” Hans Reinders, CEO, Oxycom

How do you see the Paris Agreement affecting the HVACR industry?

“COP 21 has each country taking initiatives to reduce energy consumption. Multiple approaches have already been taken, with the most basic being labelling programmes. So we have standardisation and regulatory bodies that control minimum efficiency levels. “From an R&D perspective, new technologies will have to offer energy savings. It is especially important in the HVAC industry, because about 60% of the energy a building consumes goes to air conditioning. So that becomes an important factor to be considered. “There are going to be challenges. How do you make the systems work in high-ambient environments? How do we train the technicians who will handle complex systems? Will there be a change of business model, in terms of after-sales service and unit maintenance? Many things will emerge. But we’re sure that we’re all working for the common goal of saving the environment.” Jitendra Bhambure, Executive Vice President – R&D and Technology, Blue Star

“A paradigm shift in the mindset of HVAC manufacturers is anticipated because of the Paris Agreement, and many other Green initiatives that are active in raising awareness about the negative impact and the dangers of global warming and greenhouse gas emissions. ASHRAE, COP, the UN and others are on the right track to achieve a carbon-balanced world. We are optimistic that all stakeholders will take full responsibility of providing project design, project requirement and equipment manufacturing and selection that are in line with the COP 21 Agreement. May the force of COP 21 be with all of us, as we attempt to reduce carbon emissions and, thus, limit the onslaught of global warming and reduce air pollution.” Hassan Sultan, Former President, ASHRAE Qatar Oryx Chapter and Director of Mechanical Department, MZ & Partners “It’s going to have an impact. It’s been delayed, because industries tend to wait longer so they can keep on thriving on their current products, but the outcome of Paris has made the government here more aware of the task at hand. Governments will implement maximum uses of energy per square metre, if you want to call it that way. Dr Esam Elsarrag of GORD (Gulf Organisation for Research & Development) said that, in the future, to be able to

Scott Coombes

April 2016

Do you see the agreement influencing equipmentbuying decisions? “Definitely. People are still doing a lot of R&D on new refrigerants, because certain refrigerants we are using, especially for chillers, don’t meet carbon-footprint requirements. In the future, refrigerants are going to be a

Aamir Riaz

major deciding factor when it comes to equipment [selection].” Asim Hashmi, Sales Director – Applied, SKM Air Conditioning “It will have an impact, because based on the agreement, governments, administrations and ministries will give more attention to new refrigerants and CO2 emissions, and then they will launch new regulations, which will affect end-users, as well as project owners and contractors.” Zhongbo Cao, Sales Director, Ningbo AUX Electric Co. (Royal Cool) “The main component of the Paris Agreement are the INDCs that define the goals of each country's climate change programme and outline the mitigation measures they plan to undertake to meet those goals. Out of the nearly 200 INDCs submitted, fewer than 60 mention HFCs and fewer than 15 indicate specific plans regarding HFCs. Several of them identify plans related to refrigerants. Many countries are, however, hoping to contribute to the reduction of high-GWP HFCs through the framework of the Montreal Protocol (MP), which was developed to reduce the production and use of ozonedepleting substances like CFCs. There has been growing support for the MP framework to be used to control the production and use of high-GWP HFCs, which have replaced CFCs in many applications. The Parties of the Montreal Protocol made a formal decision in 2015 “to work within the Montreal Protocol to an HFC amendment in 2016”, which would ultimately result in the phase-down of high-GWP products globally.” Murli Sukhwani, EMEA Business & Market Manager, Chemours International Operations

Sam Gouda

Klára Skačanová

Didier Coulomb

Barbara Harvey

Avipsa Mahapatra

Sidi Menad Si Ahmed

The global view What does the Paris Agreement mean to you or your company? “The Paris agreement reached at COP 21 shows that the much-needed political will to address climate change at a global level is there. It creates an impetus for the HVAC&R industry to find viable long-term alternatives to high-GWP hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs). Avoiding the use of HFCs – consumption of which is currently increasing steeply – could avert 0.5 degrees C of warming by 2100. Natural refrigerants that have zero or negligible impact on the climate are available across different sectors, and can readily replace HFCs in growing number of applications. Companies worldwide have commercialised technologies using CO2, ammonia, hydrocarbons, water and air as refrigerants, instead of synthetic HFCs, with continued efforts to invest in this direction. To cite the example of commercial refrigeration, at least 6,800 supermarkets worldwide are currently using CO2 transcritical technology – a number that is expected to grow rapidly in the next few years.” Klára Skačanová, Deputy Manager – Market Development, shecco “The agreement is important for the world, especially for all the refrigeration sector, including air conditioning. For that reason, I participated in the whole conference as Director General of an intergovernmental organisation, and had the opportunity to deliver a short statement during the highlevel segment of the Conference (see "The statement"). First, because we will have to reduce the energy consumption of the equipment everywhere in the world, even if the way to do it will differ in the various countries. We will also need to use more renewable energies (solar energy, etc.) for the refrigeration sector. “Second, because it will oblige us to reduce the fluorinated gases emissions. We already had discussions on the reduction of the production and consumption of hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs) since 2009 on the framework of the Montreal Protocol. We progressed a lot in 2015. However, negotiations did not really start. Now a worldwide agreement on the need to reduce

greenhouse gases emissions is a clear green light to really start to negotiate, and we hope to obtain results in 2016.” Didier Coulomb, Director General of the International Institute of Refrigeration (IIR) “Canada, alongside the countries of the world has reached an ambitious and balanced agreement to fight climate change. It was adopted by 195 countries, who will set targets, report on them in a transparent manner, and review and improve them every five years. Collectively, the countries of the world agreed to strengthen the global response to limit global average temperature rise to well below two degrees C, as well as pursue efforts to limit increase to 1.5 degrees C. We need to do this to avoid the harshest impact of climate change on our geography, livelihoods and health. “We are confident that the successful outcome of COP 21 will pave the way for productive negotiations under the Montreal Protocol in 2016 to phase down hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs). The Montreal Protocol offers the most effective framework and mechanisms to effectively address HFCs on a global scale. A phase-down of HFCs is important to meeting the ambitious objective of the COP 21 agreement.” Barbara Harvey, Spokesperson, Environment and Climate Change Canada “The agreement in Paris is a good foundation to start and strengthen global climate efforts. Although it is not a panacea, it definitely sketches the path forward towards a safer future. In November 2015, the Parties to the Montreal Protocol agreed to work together in 2016 to an agreement to phase down potent refrigerants, such as HFCs. The success in Paris to reach compromises and come to an agreement augurs well for that process in Montreal Protocol, in my opinion. An HFC phase-down at the Montreal Protocol would complement the landmark Paris agreement, by providing climate mitigation of up to 100 billion tonnes of carbon dioxide by 2050, and avoid up to 0.5 degrees C of warming by 2100.” Avipsa Mahapatra, Manager, Global

Climate Campaign, Environmental Investigation Agency, Washington DC “A lot of people argue that COP 21 was too little, too late. Too late? Maybe. But too little? I don’t know what’s too little. See, here’s the thing: There’s not enough we can do. The problem of climate change has, in my opinion, reached a point where it’s not reversible anymore. But with the COP 21 agreement, many countries have committed themselves to complying with certain standards, and that would mean changes in how we do business. Business as usual has to change, and it will change. “We also have to change our way of thinking, because we are not going to be able to solve the issue of global warming with the same mentality we had when we created it. And make no mistake – we can’t blame this problem on anything else. We created it. So yes, COP 21 will definitely change things. It will encourage the upgrade of equipment to more energy-efficient products. It will create healthy competition amongst suppliers, in terms of innovation and of developing products with lower lifecycle cost and easy installation requirements. It will change the market for the better. All over the world, standard labelling programmes have been introduced, and they impose stringent limits. Products – even small ones like home appliances – that fail to comply with energy-efficiency standards are going out of the window. They’re no longer lucrative, and are going down the food chain. Consumers and businesses are much more educated, and energy has become an important part of the agenda.” Sam Gouda, President and Lead Expert, Creara International

Why is there a lack of consensus regarding the use of refrigerants among manufacturers? “As far as natural refrigerants are concerned, there is a broad consensus among a growing number of industry players working with the technology,

April 2016

as to their technical viability for refrigeration, heating and cooling applications. As for manufacturers of fluorinated refrigerants, they have a commercial interest in safeguarding their market share and position in the industry, from which the current lack of consensus on refrigerant use arises. Nevertheless, with multiple generations of fluorinated refrigerants having been introduced to the market since the Montreal Protocol was signed, natural refrigerants are seen as a solution that can end this circle of disagreement.” Klára Skačanová, Deputy Manager – Market Development, shecco “Refrigeration equipment and refrigerants manufacturers have different interests: Their technologies are different, and will be developed differently according to the various national or international regulations, which are or will be adopted. Their competition is not only a competition among manufacturers, but it is also a competition among various kinds of national policies and regulations. This international competition is very clear when you participate in the various debates in United Nations conferences.” Didier Coulomb, Director General of the International Institute of Refrigeration (IIR)

“Not really in the refrigeration sector. If you compare this sector with other ones, it is clearly a sector that already made real environmental efforts for almost 30 years, thanks to the Montreal Protocol. The sector is thus much more mature than others. However, challenges are really important, especially in developing countries, and companies and countries need information and support. “The IIR’s (International Institute of Refrigeration) role is to disseminate scientific and technical information. The permanently selected and updated information we offer is necessary for all our members, in order to face these challenges.” Didier Coulomb, Director General of the International Institute of Refrigeration (IIR)

Do you foresee a paradigm shift in the mindset and actions of major corporations post COP 21?

“Canada was very encouraged to see businesses, entrepreneurs and investors actively participate in the COP 21 discussions, along with members of the Canadian delegation, Premiers from provinces and territories, mayors from across the country, aboriginal leaders, young people, environmental NGOs and labour force. Their message was loud and clear: Climate change is a priority, and they want to help and offer their creativity and their solutions. “The Government of Canada is planning significant new investments in green infrastructure and clean technologies. Not only will these strategic investments help tackle climate change, but they will also give businesses opportunities to be part of the solution. “Economic growth and environmental responsibility must go hand-in-hand. World economies are shifting towards cleaner, more sustainable growth, and it is essential that Canada be competitive on the world stage. Moving towards a more sustainable economy can offer tremendous opportunities for businesses.” Barbara Harvey, Spokesperson, Environment and Climate Change Canada

“We see a growing number of companies recognising the potential of natural refrigerants as opposed to fluorinated gases in refrigeration and air conditioning equipment across the world. A growing number of equipment manufacturers are recognising the business potential, while end-users see natural refrigerants as a future-proof solution that is energy efficient, cost effective and safe. There is definitely a global shift taking place in different parts of the world, driven by legislative changes (for example, the EU’s F-Gas Regulation), the energy-efficiency gains that can be achieved and voluntary commitments from end-users.” Klára Skačanová, Deputy Manager – Market Development, shecco

“I would at best be speculating to comment generally on the mindset of the diversity of corporations out there. But what I can say with certainty is that any smart corporation should have already seen the writing on the wall: If your products or processes are bad for the climate, it is bad business. Companies must now recognise that it is in their own interest to cut their carbon pollution. Climate-friendly technology choices, including in refrigeration and cooling, are the only future-proof solution.” Avipsa Mahapatra, Manager, Global Climate Campaign, Environmental Investigation Agency, Washington DC

“Depending on the equipment, the sector and the ambient conditions, manufacturers might find different refrigerants to be most suitable for their costs and markets. “The availability of choice is a great thing. Just like in renewable energy, where wind might be a better option than solar for some regions, refrigerant A might be preferred over refrigerant B for a specific purpose by a particular manufacturer. Of course, there are some manufacturers who are comfortable in business-as-usual, and resist putting in resources where short-term benefits are harder to see.” Avipsa Mahapatra, Manager, Global Climate Campaign, Environmental Investigation Agency, Washington DC

“The long-awaited forthcoming amendment on HFCs can no longer consider any replacement with GWPs, even the low-GWP ones, since the declared long-term ambition is to decarbonate our planet. Natural refrigerants can be used in many sectors and applications. So let us do it.” Sidi Menad Si Ahmed, Chief International Advisor, shecco

April 2016

The statement Didier Coulomb, Director General of the International Institute of Refrigeration (IIR), made the following statement during an important segment of the Conference… Refrigeration (including air conditioning) is indispensable to life. It will continue to grow steadily in the future, with a strong growth expected in developing countries. However, refrigeration accounts for about 17% of global electricity use, and some refrigerants (most CFCs, HCFCs, HFCs) are potent greenhouse gases if released into the atmosphere. Coordination with the Montreal Protocol must be implemented as soon as possible, in order to engage a phase-down of HFCs having a high global warming potential. The energy efficiency of alternatives to current HCFCs and HFCs is crucial. It is already satisfactory in many applications, and this should soon be the case in other applications, thanks to technological developments in progress. Safety may hamper the uptake of these alternative solutions, as they may present new risks. Standards and regulations must be adapted to the current technical knowledge: This is a major issue, both at the international and national levels. Objective, practical and up-to-date science-based information on technologies already available or in developmental stage, concerning their possible uses, their pros and cons, is indispensable. The International Institute of Refrigeration (IIR) can provide it to you. Join us. Thank You!

References: 1. http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/earth/paris-climate-change-conference/12047909/Paris-climate-

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April 2016

INTERVIEW

Oiling the wheels of sustainability In conversation with Fatima de la Cerna of Climate Control Middle East, Dr Eng Waddah Ghanem, Executive Director for EHSSQ & Corporate Affairs at Emirates National Oil Company (ENOC), discusses the company’s adoption of an Efficiency & Resource Management policy and the initiatives it has undertaken to become a sustainable organisation. He also comments on the UAE’s introduction of fuel subsidy reforms, as well as its commitment to diversifying its energy mix.

n December, ENOC organised a seminar focusing on energy efficiency and resource management, during which, it was mentioned that ENOC has adopted an Efficiency and Resource Management (E&RM) policy. Could you share details about the policy and what its adoption means for ENOC’s operations and ventures? How is the policy helping ENOC align itself with national goals to reduce energy demand? At ENOC, we’ve been thinking about efficiency for quite some time. In 2008, we started conceptualising the [E&RM] policy and system manual. A year later, in 2009, the Dubai Supreme Council of Energy was established, but by then, we’d already drafted the manual, which we circulated for consultation within the ENOC Group on June 24. In 2010, the document was approved and issued for implementation. Around the same time, the Dubai Supreme Council of Energy started looking to develop the Dubai Integrated Energy Strategy 2030 (DIES 2030) and introduce the idea of quick wins. We even received a letter from His Highness Sheikh Ahmed bin Saeed Al Maktoum, the Chairman of the Council, informing us that we needed to start implementing quick wins, like changing light bulbs and water heaters, things like that. DIES 2030 was actually launched in 2011, the year we expanded our audit scope and the year ISO 50001 standard was released. We, including our managers, underwent training on ISO 50001 around the beginning of 2012, to make sure that we were benchmarked against international standards. That same year, we also set up the Steering and Technical Committees, based on the idea that the Steering Committee, made up of managers from different parts of the organisation, would be responsible for upgrading and endorsing the policy and standard. The

April 2016

Technical Committee, meanwhile, would work on the implementation and reporting. The focus of the two committees – then and now – is, of course, energy and resource management, because we believe it’s important and very much aligned with the overall goals of Dubai and the UAE. By 2013, we’d already audited 16 or 17 of our business units, and so we started revising the benchmark. The difficult thing about auditing a company as diverse as ENOC is comparing the performance of different business units. For example, how can you compare the performance of the retail business to that of a refinery? There’s a big difference; refinery has a much bigger scope for energy savings. But we were trying to measure the performance of the company according to a management system score, so we devised a system that would allow us to compare the performance of every business that we have. Even the performance of the three buildings we have in the ENOC headquarters is also measured. We’re looking for them to become LEED Gold certified in the next six to 12 months, which is not easy to achieve, because we’re talking about relatively old buildings – around 22 years old.

Is that part of the retrofitting initiative of Dubai Municipality? To be honest, we didn’t do it because they asked us to do it. We actually installed BMS and put in E&RM drivers in these buildings even before the Green Building Regulations and Specifications came out. So we’ve been on that journey for a while, but we are aligning ourselves with what the Dubai government wants us to do, because it makes business sense. I mean, I don’t want to say that we’re doing what we’re doing for purely noble reasons. We’re not. It all makes business sense. By saving on your energy bill, you’re saving money. We’re a business, after all, whose focus is on our triple bottom line, one being economic.

Speaking of, ENOC’s vision talks about marrying profitability with social responsibility, what initiatives has it undertaken to bring its vision to reality? The whole concept of sustainability in business means that you need to sustain

your ability to continue to be profitable and operational, so I don’t think that there’s any conflict. I think they’re very much complementary. You see, in the past, it was all regulation-based, and a lot of the regulations then were prescriptive in nature, with the focus being on compliance for the sake of compliance. More progressive organisations definitely don’t look at it that way. The energy sector, the oil & gas in

organisation because of the savings it offers. In the same report, there’s also a section that talks about how much ENOC saved by making its buildings more efficient (see “Quotable efficiency”). The savings mentioned in the report are for 2014, but we have carried them on, and even came out with an estimate for 2015. At the moment, we’re still trying to decide if we want to release another E&RM report or if we’ll just include it in a sustainability report, since we recently created a Sustainability Office for ENOC.

How young is the Sustainability Office?

The vendors come and do that for free, because they realise that if the trials succeed, they have a shot at landing 20 customers in one go particular, is nearly self-regulating, because it’s an industry of competencies. We run complex operations, so the regulator doesn’t really interfere too much, except when it comes to high-level strategies, so as an industry, we’re trained to look at ambitious goals and objectives and align ourselves with them. This is important because the energy sector serves the energy needs of Dubai, so it has to be sustainable. And sustainability means different things and can be achieved in different ways. It can come with having systems that aren’t obsolete, and having competent and sufficiently trained human resources. Sustainability, therefore, is a holistic goal. Last year, we released the first edition of our energy and efficiency report. In it is an interview with our CFO, where he basically speaks about how resource management is part and parcel of being a profitable

It’s only a few months old. The work on sustainability has, of course, been going on for many years, but we’ve realised that there’s a need to have an office with that particular function, and it actually reports to my segment. We’ve had all these sustainability projects undertaken by different business units, but they didn’t come together under one umbrella. So, that’s the role of the Sustainability Office – to look at all the different projects and draw similarities among them; to identify areas where efficiencies can be raised; and, ultimately, to ensure that all are aligned with the bigger goals and standards being set by the Dubai Supreme Council of Energy and other organisations.

You spoke about ENOC’s plan of earning LEED Gold certification for its buildings. Considering that they are occupied buildings, how are you going about achieving that? We’ve already started implementing changes. In fact, a lot of the initiatives we’ve implemented have been going on for the last seven years. We’ve been upgrading our systems, and every time we do, we go for more energy-efficient solutions and better standards for building materials. When we upgraded our bathrooms, for example, we switched to sensor-activated taps and waterless urinals. And having BMS installed means automated and effective climate control inside the buildings. The temperature settings are demand-led and change automatically. During the day, they will stay at about 24 degrees C, but from around 4 pm until 6.30 am, the buildings

April 2016

INTERVIEW

will be kept at about 27 degrees C.

What challenges or difficulties has ENOC encountered in the implementation of its E&RM policy or green initiatives?

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We’ve had many challenges. A lot of the business units have been operating within the ENOC Group since the 1970s or 1980s, and they’ve grown accustomed to a certain way of life. When it comes to energy management, what many people don’t realise is that it’s not only a technical challenge. The technical aspects even tend to be the easiest to deal with. What’s hard is implementing a change in management, in the culture. Our Steering and Technical Committees, for instance, have quite a number of members. So in the beginning, we had to appoint segmentlevel representatives, especially since a lot of E&RM issues came from the womb of EHS compliance. That was definitely a challenge at first, and one reason why we had to do some restructuring, because when it comes to sustainability, the drive has to be from within. How do you get people from inside to drive it? You need to understand that you are not only moving them from being managers to being leaders but also to becoming stewards. That’s a big jump, and one of the key steps is a cultural shift. We had to educate them on what E&RM meant for their business, because that’s what they care about. We’ve been using different approaches to address the issue, with communication and education playing big roles. Being a member of the Steering and Technical Committees, in itself, is educational, since during our meetings, we have discussions and presentations of case studies. We also invite consultants to attend, and we have vendors coming to us, saying: ‘I can install some device on your motor and save you 20% of your energy bill.’ So we ask them to show us how they’ll do it, and if things go well, we propose doing a trial and ask for volunteer companies from our members. The vendors come and do that for free, because they realise that if the trials succeed, they have a shot at landing 20 customers in one go. In the past, vendors here were purely salesmen, but now, vendors bring their technical people. We actually tell them not to bring their sales people to the meetings, because if the person talking does not have the technical credentials, and all he can present is his sales pitch, I’ll have no problem telling him to leave.

Most of those in the Technical Committee are not the final decision-makers anyway, so he’ll be preaching to the wrong people. But if you as a vendor bring a technical person who can answer our questions, it will give us confidence to conduct a trial with you. And we’ve done a number of trials with passive systems, like reflective paints and coatings, and with active systems like variable frequency drives.

Since we’re on the topic of challenges, could you describe ENOC’s state of health, and how it has been affected by the dip in oil prices? From a purely oil-price perspective, 2015 was not a good year, but here’s the thing, ENOC’s performance is a bit unique. We are now fully integrated; we’ve got it from upstream right to downstream, so our performance sort of balances itself out. When oil prices are high, upstream exploration in trading is perhaps better; and when prices are between USD 40 and 60 a barrel, refining margins are quite healthy. If oil prices are lower and commodities are cheaper, the retail business or the downstream side become less profitable, not because of oil prices but because service price and energy costs go down. So though we’re talking about a thinner margin and a dip in profitability, it must be noted that your cost is also lower. Like I said, it all balances out. ENOC is now in a relatively fortunate position, because – as I said – its business units cover everything from upstream to downstream, and also because “rationalisation” has been introduced. You know people call it deregulation of oil prices, but I call it “rationalisation” because I’m truly for sustainability. If you subsidise anything, you do not get its true value. When something is subsidised, people tend to not use it in a rational way, but as soon as you sell it for its real price, people will start using or consuming that resource in a more rational manner, because now they’re paying the real price for it.

Tariff reform is actually one of the highlights of the INDC (Intended Nationally Determined Contribution) that the UAE submitted for COP 21 in Paris, with another being the country’s energy mix. The INDC

specifically identifies plans to increase the country’s “clean energy contribution to the total energy mix from 0.2% in 2014 to 24% by 2021”. How do you see that pledge affecting ENOC? And what is the company’s position on Compressed Natural Gas (CNG), which is also mentioned in the INDC?

emissions and noise levels and improving their overall efficiency. There were some issues with that though, because the people driving the abras had concerns about safety. Also, considerable research and development was required to improve the performance of the engine. But still, we went and invested in some prototype.

We’ve also been working on a major trial on CNG cars with the Dubai International Airport. They’re interested in talking with us about it, especially now because of the rationalisation of the gasoline price. And we’re looking at transport fleets and talking with Emirates Transport. We build the infrastructure for them and train them how

There are different targets now, with the government talking about increased generation in clean energy. And there are different classifications of clean energy. There’s alternative energy, which is primarily solar power. Most of the contribution is coming from the Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum Solar Park, and then there’s the proliferation of solar power within ordinary households, but that is taking some time because the regulations and standards surrounding that have been complex – more of a regulatory challenge than a technical one. The UAE obviously wants to look at clean energy for many reasons, including reducing its dependence on fossil fuels and diversifying its energy mix, which is why Dubai will be sourcing from the nuclear plants that will, hopefully, be running by 2017 and why DEWA has looked into investing in clean coal. As for CNG, that’s something ENOC has been supporting through its subsidiary, Emirates Gas. We’re the first company in the world to convert traditional boats – the abras – to CNG from diesel, thereby lowering their

I think CNG is going to be very good for Dubai, particularly since it’s rapidly becoming densely populated April 2016

INTERVIEW

Quotable efficiency to use it, so everything’s more efficient. Basically, when it comes to CNG, there are a couple of issues that need to be addressed. First is the need to educate people about safety. They think that CNG is more dangerous than gasoline, but CNG is extremely safe. Second, there’s a small investment required. To convert a regular car to CNG, one must invest AED 7,000 to AED 10,000. But I’m happy that the Dubai Supreme Council of Energy recently came out with an initiative to promote electrical and hybrid vehicles, because I think that we can make a signification contribution in the latter. Like I said, we can help develop the infrastructure, and at the moment, we’re also working with Dubai Municipality on a very exciting project. We’re converting waste from the sewage treatment plants into bio-methane, and then converting that into CNG. I think CNG is going to be very good for Dubai, particularly since it’s rapidly becoming densely populated. There are more and more cars on the road now, and I would imagine that a significant percentage of air pollution is from transport-related activities.

So you’re saying that the government’s plan to pursue clean energy will, in fact, benefit ENOC? First off, I doubt if there’ll be a complete redundancy of gasoline, because the UAE government did not say that it is getting rid of gasoline. It’s saying that there should be diversity, and diversity translates to energy security and environmental stability. It’ll also mean positive socio-economic changes, because diversification of industry brings in more investments and creates new jobs, competencies and capacities that can be built within the country. If you carefully look at the short-term goals that the UAE has identified, you’ll see that they are cleverly aimed at socio-economic development. Today, doing environmental projects makes economic sense. Even initiatives related to carbon management were developed to create an economic motivator. They were all created when the government felt that there was not enough economic motivation to get people moving in a certain direction.

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April 2016

Petri Pentti, Chief Financial Officer, ENOC: “The financial impact of our quick-win efforts has been quite encouraging. A meagre investment of AED 600,000 has yielded in savings of almost three times that amount. In terms of business plans, the expected annual savings is USD 9.6 million, with a payback period of two short years. “The E&RM strategy emphasises ENOC’s vision to be a leading, highly profitable and socially responsible integrated oil and gas group. We recognise that strategically it is not possible to achieve our goal without unwavering commitment to energy efficiency and sustainability that will also excite our core resource – our employees – while addressing the expectations of our other stakeholders.”1 Khalifa Al Qaizi, Senior Manager for Admin Services & Facilities Management, ENOC: “The accomplishments of ENOC’s determination are truly exhibited in the forecasted savings. During the procurement of the sustainable equipment, the suppliers estimated that the organisation would be able to save about six per cent of energy; however, the organisation defied this projection and managed to attain savings of 11%, which is almost double the initial estimate. Overall, the annual savings attained were AED 381,134 for the year 2014. In light of this success, AS&FM (Admin Services & Facilities Management) aims for savings of about AED 377,000 (10%) for the year 2015.”2

References: (1) Pentti, Petri. “Efficiency in the Book.” ENOC Energy & Efficiency: The Story so Far First Edition (2015): 26-28. (2) Al Qaizi, Khalifa. “The Building Blocks of Efficient Buildings.” ENOC Energy & Efficiency: The Story so Far First Edition (2015): 33-34

April 2016

INTERVIEW

‘We would like to see a lot more of integrated building design’ David Underwood, ASHRAE President, and B Surendar, Editorial Director & Associate Publisher, CPI Industry, met during ACREX 2016 in Mumbai, India, for a discussion on the HVACR industry. Their conversation covered a wide arc encompassing subjects like integrated building design, efficacy of District Cooling, tightening cold chain to reduce food wastage, sub-metering and nuclear energy. We bring you the excerpts.

Image source: www.idahoashrae.com

he architecture, civil and HVAC disciplines have traditionally worked in a disconnected way in the Middle East, which has resulted in IEQ- and energy efficiency-related issues cropping up. The issues could easily be addressed if all the stakeholders were to come together to have a more interconnected, collaborative approach. Your presidential theme is ‘making connections’. How can you, as president, help drive that message home for a global audience? My theme this year is ‘making connections’. And that answers a lot of questions that you are asking. However, I am one individual, and I can do only what I can do. We have a technical committee in ASHRAE that looks at integrated building design, and what you are referring to is a need to do a better job at integrating building design, where all the disciplines get together, look at what each of them is doing, and all I can say is that we would like to see is a lot more of that being done. We hope people from the Middle East can join into that group so that they can get a better understanding and can convey that message to their members.

Speaking from a broader perspective – I am talking about making connections between the HVAC industry and other industries. Let’s take North America as an example. Just like any other region, there is need for greater collaboration to move things forward. To cite an instance, District Cooling has been spoken of as a wonderful cooling approach, and yet it reportedly has a penetration rate of less

April 2016

than two per cent. And reportedly, there is scope for 40% energy savings through District Cooling. What is being done in the United States, for instance, wherein the construction industry, the utilities and other entities come together to collaborate on projects? That approach generally requires government intervention, because to try and get a whole bunch of people together that want to have a District Cooling system is really a challenge. Where we find it really successful are on university campuses, where you have a group of buildings, and also in hospital campuses. I would like to give you an example. This isn’t in the United States; it is Toronto. We built in Toronto many years ago, which required more water for the city. We have Lake Ontario along Toronto, and the bottom of Lake Ontario never gets warmer than about three degrees C. They brought that water in to supply potable water to the city, they set up some heat exchangers and the water went through there, and they have 10 kilometres of pipe

underneath the city for District Cooling; and it has taken 10 MW off the power grid. And that to me is a great example of a District Cooling system that is effective and working well. We had the privilege of carrying a case study on the project. You are referring to the deep lake water project. Yes, it’s called the deep lake water cooling project. It is, no doubt, a phenomenal project. You are talking of the use of geothermal energy there. But in many places, you don’t have geothermal energy available. What is being done to encourage the setting up of District Cooling schemes, considering that studies reveal that 70% of the population in the United States can benefit from District Energy? What are the ways and means of ensuring funding for the projects? You might want to look at that in the total perspective of what is happening with energy. The smart grid system you need

to look at carefully. We look at individual buildings, but we really need to be looking at districts. So District Heating, District Cooling and electrical distribution and electrical production for local areas is, to my mind, the way to go in the future, so that it actually becomes efficient, because you are working with a local context rather than with a much broader picture, which you cannot really predict (as to) what is going to happen in that area. Whether this will happen or not is something that we all have to try and work towards. It is again… you need government regulation to get involved with it. And there is a lot of resistance to government regulation in a lot of communities, so that’s part of the problem. We have to educate people. How successful has ASHRAE been in educating people? That is one of the strengths of ASHRAE. We provide a lot of education tools, not necessarily to the general public but to the engineering community, and we hope that

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April 2016

INTERVIEW

the engineering community will be able to do that education to the broader community. Often, one of the major problems we see is measuring energy performance of buildings, and I am talking of a regime of sub-metering. And while we have sub-metering for several utilities, the data are collected individually. We don’t seem to have an integrated approach. We could easily have a single entity responsible for measuring energy performance, water, chilled water, etc., that can avoid the duplication of work. All the data are collected and the reports generated; and we are able to know the energy performance of the building across multiple sectors, be it commercial, residential or industrial even. We don’t seem to have that. It’s a simple thing.

District Heating, District Cooling and electrical distribution and electrical production for local areas is, to my mind, the way to go in the future I mean, sub-metering has been around for a while, and yet we don’t see it being deployed widely enough. Is ASHRAE doing anything to encourage such a regime? Well, I don’t know if ASHRAE is doing anything directly to champion that, but there are areas of North America, in particular, that use systems that are now integrated,

April 2016

that are looking at the whole of the system in terms of use. And when your energy requirements are high, you are charged more money to try and make people reduce their energy consumption. And again, I refer back to my locale, the province of Ontario. We had integrated metering in the province now for several years. We used to peak at around 28,000 MW in the summer time. Now we peak at 23,000, so there has been 5,000 MW savings just by doing that. So it is there, and it has been used, but it is not extensively being used as it could be. And metering is something… I also know of several chains in the US that monitor buildings and they do centralise data collection to know what the buildings are doing. COP 21 concluded in Paris amidst a lot of optimism, and I think it is a phenomenal development, where entire countries came together and said they were making a commitment. What do you see is the way forward now, in terms of implementing and making sure that those targets are achieved without any delay? I ask this, because we have often seen political backtracking. What can we do as an engineering community to persuade governments to continue the process to sustain what they agreed on in Paris? That I think is a very interesting subject. COP 21 is the way forward. Governments have all committed to that at the highest level. It is the implementation that is a problem. You bring it back to your legislators at the various locales, and they have to do something. One of the biggest ways of reducing energy consumption or controlling it is to build buildings that are actually energy efficient. And the standards that ASHRAE develops – 90.1, 189.1 – these are the kinds of standards of design that can be utilised to build buildings that are energy efficient in the first place. When you take that design, you got to make sure that the building is built according to the way it has been designed. And that is something I have done a lot during my life – that is, the commissioning of buildings, where you actually put together the owner, the designer, the constructor and the operator, because in the end it is how the buildings are operated whether they will actually reduce energy consumption or not.

We don’t see much of a commissioning or re-commissioning approach in the GCC region, unfortunately, and a large number of buildings, and the systems in them, as a result don’t match design intent when it comes the time to operate them. What can be done to address this? I have a simple answer. My own definition of commissioning is this: Designer’s knowledge and transferring it to the operator’s hands. I think we have to do a better job at educating people around the world why it is very important to commission buildings. And you are not just looking at individual pieces of equipment, you are looking at the system, how they perform and the verification of the system. Many parts of the world are facing the prospect of a protracted economic slowdown. In the GCC region, depressed oil prices have led to a slowdown in construction activity. This has given way to talk of affordable housing project offering a lifeline to the HVAC industry. Has ASHRAE looked into lowcost housing and how air conditioning systems can fit into the regime without compromising on technical quality? We had an ad hoc committee that was looking at the activities of ASHRAE within the residential community. We have not been terribly active in that part of the industry for a long time. We now have a standing committee, which is looking specifically at residential. We have a lot of work going on in the developing economies, and combining those two things we are looking at those kinds of issues to see if we can actually bring technology forward that will help to make low-cost housing more affordable and to be able to air condition it, so that people will be comfortable. What is the name of the committee? The Residential Building Committee. The RBC. And is that going to be a worldwide initiative? That is the standing committee of ASHRAE, and we have members from around the world that are sitting on that committee to look at issues. In that case, would those members take the messages back to their associates in their respective countries and, thus, percolate it to a wider community?

regulations in place, but when it comes to enforcement, there are still challenges, and those are creating weak links in the cold chain. What leadership position is ASHRAE taking to address this? While the standards give a framework the world over, what can ASHRAE do to champion the cause, to strengthen the cold chain? ASHRAE is really with UNEP in that aspect. But we are a technical society. And all we can really do is to provide the technical information and for somebody to pick it up, that has to be somebody who is a regulator. We are not a regulator. We are

That is the intention. When it comes to refrigeration, there is an interesting book that was released in 2015, called Food Foolish. It is co-authored by John Mandyck, the Chief Sustainability Officer of UTC. And he spoke about how food loss and food wastage, if they were to be a country, would be the third largest emitter of GHGs after China and the United States. And that was quite an interesting perspective, the way it was put. And we still see huge gaps. Yes, we see

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April 2016

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through the day, and wind sometimes goes up and goes down. They are great when you looking at demand load, but they are not so good from a base-load perspective. This is my personal opinion, and this is not ASHRAE’s opinion, I really believe we have to look seriously at nuclear energy to cover the base load and then you can take those other Renewable Energy sources to cover the demand load.

We are looking at those kinds of issues to see if we can actually bring technology forward that will help to make low-cost housing more affordable and to be able to air condition it, so that people will be comfortable 30

April 2016

a voluntary organisation. We develop the standards and the best practices, so that you can actually build things and not have a fluctuation in the food chain. We have no power to force them to do so. That’s a government function. Your thoughts on Renewable Energy, on how the world can use more of solar or natural gas. What needs to be done to drive us in that direction to bring the carbon footprint down? Do you see any stumbling blocks, as such when it comes to the use of Renewable Energy? Are you happy with the pace of development the world over? That’s also a very complex question. Renewable Energy, like wind power and solar power, they are wonderful. First of all, the source is free, and they are available, but there are some problems with it, in terms of capacity. I am talking about there being enough capacity to cover the base load; and particularly when you look at solar, when you look at wind, they are not totally reliable. The sun does not shine

Nuclear despite Fukushima? Yes, despite Fukushima. You can build it better than what they built it in Japan. Engineers can look at these things, and there are ways to actually make them safer. There were things that were done on that plant that were not good engineering, and it’s a question of what mistakes were made to improve them. And would you like me to tell you a little story? Do you see this ring on my finger? It represents an accident that happened in Quebec City in 1904, when a bridge fell and 84 people were killed. Engineers were devastated by it, because they were engineering mistakes and oversights and not good commissioning practices. There was a University of Toronto professor, who suggested we needed something to remind engineers about their responsibility to society. So he designed this ring, and it was made from that steel that failed. And there is also a poem written by Rudyard Kipling, called The Ritual of the Calling of an Engineer. Every engineer in Canada, when they graduate from school, gets one of these rings to remind them of the responsibility to the society. And I refer that thing back to Fukushima.

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INTERVIEW

‘Buildings and cities have a pivotal role in tackling climate change’ Saeed Al Abbar, Chairman of Emirates Green Building Council (EmiratesGBC), shares with Fatima de la Cerna of Climate Control Middle East details of his experience at COP 21, as a member of the UAE delegation, as well as his thoughts on the country’s efforts to reduce emissions and fight climate change.

ould you describe your experience and participation at the 21st Session of the Conference of the Parties (COP 21)? What were your expectations going in, and were those expectations met? What were the standout moments for you? Last year, I had the privilege to attend the COP 21 Climate Change Summit in Paris as part of the UAE delegation. It was clear from the series of meetings and workshops at the conference that buildings and cities have a pivotal role in tackling climate change. We, as EmiratesGBC, look forward to continuing to play an active role in supporting the UAE in its climate change mitigation and adaptation strategies as the historic Paris agreement, which seeks to keep global warming ‘well below’ two degrees C, takes effect. Early in November, EmiratesGBC submitted its pledge to the WorldGBC as part of its #betterbuildgreen campaign, which focuses on the UN climate change negotiations. The campaign highlights WorldGBC’s global collective commitment for COP 21 and national

April 2016

commitments from Green Building Councils, which were unveiled at Buildings Day. In addition, EmiratesGBC launched its own campaign to encourage its members to submit their own pledges to support the UAE government strategies and goals for national development within the UAE vision 2021, the ‘Green Growth Strategy’ and the UAE's Intended Nationally Determined Contribution (INDC) submission to COP 21 to increase clean energy to 24% of the total energy mix by 2021.

and verification procedures to ensure the targets are achieved. Moreover, the UAE has launched a process to develop a full national inventory of greenhouse gas emissions, which will give a good indication on the progress. The INDC highlights the importance of Green Building regulations and efficiency standards. It also acknowledges the impact that air conditioning has on the UAE’s energy consumption levels, and even mentions how the country has

eliminated “the lowest-performing 20% of units on the market”. However, there is no mention of refrigerants – an issue that other countries are paying close attention to. Japan, for instance, (in its INDC) talks about introducing refrigerant control technology for F-gases. Do you see the UAE taking a direction on refrigerants in line with its pledge to help combat global warming? And, in your opinion, is the local HVAC industry prepared to comply with international regulations, particularly those concerning the phasing down or

What is your assessment of the UAE’s INDC, particularly the commitment it has made to limit emissions from its building sector and to further implement efficiency standards for air conditioning units and other appliances? In your opinion, are the pledges and proposed action plans indicated in the INDC enough to bring about a reduction in the country’s greenhouse gas emissions? And how feasible would it be to turn those plans and pledges into actual, concrete projects and initiatives? The UAE submitted its INDC to limit its emissions in line with Vision 2021 and ‘Green Growth Strategy’, which sets the roadmap for economic growth and social development rooted in sustainable initiatives. The UAE will pursue a portfolio of actions, including the aforesaid increase in clean energy. Vision 2021 is also complemented by the National Innovation Strategy, which aims to place innovation, science and technology at the centre of a knowledge-based, highly productive and competitive economy. In addition, Abu Dhabi’s Economic Vision 2030, as well as Dubai’s Plan 2021 and the Dubai Integrated Energy Strategy 2030 are leading the country’s efforts towards economic diversification and sustainable development in their respective emirates. Besides the clean energy target and energy and water strategies, the UAE’s INDC holistically addresses sustainability in terms of strategies on transportation, infrastructure, waste management and food security. It is important to note that the UAE’s INDC is supported by monitoring, reporting

April 2016

INTERVIEW

The UAE has launched a process to develop a full national inventory of greenhouse gas emissions, which will give a good indication on the progress

'Renewables can help MENA region diversify economies & put societies on a more sustainable path' IRENA DG @ MENAREC

IRENA @IRENA

April 2016

phasing out of certain refrigerants? The UAE is placing strong efforts in terms of HVAC technologies. The country is putting comprehensive infrastructure investments to move towards District Cooling and to improve efficiency, as compared to decentralised cooling. In Abu Dhabi, the ADQCC have a certification scheme for air- and watercooled chillers, which must demonstrate compliance with minimum efficiency requirements. Additionally, the requirements demonstrate that the refrigerant(s) used by the product(s) applying for certification have an ozone depletion potential (ODP) of zero in accordance with the Estidama Building Rating System. This proves that the local HVAC industry is well-prepared for the phasing down of certain refrigerants that have a negative impact on the environment. Judging from our conversations with different players in the HVACR industry, many don’t seem to be aware of the significance of the COP 21 agreement, with some even expressing complete lack of knowledge of what transpired in Paris. Do you see this lack of awareness becoming a serious obstacle in bringing to fruition the commitments the country has made in the fight against global warming? What do you propose the industry do to address this challenge? Countries who submitted their INDC are

committed to achieve these goals. From our side, we have committed to work closely with the UAE’s government entities as a key partner in the development and implementation of sustainable building initiatives and support for regulations. We will also accelerate the adoption of best practices by sharing best practice in sustainable buildings and acting as a focal point between industry, academia and government. We have also invited our corporate members and partners to make their ‘Climate Pledge’, which will take the form of targets and associated action plans. We will support them in achieving these commitments by measuring and verifying their pledges. COP 21 has been proclaimed a success by many; however, there are also those who are in disagreement, with some academics and scientists calling the agreement “weak” and “flawed”. Could you share your reaction to the agreement? Do you agree with those who herald it as a “landmark deal”? Or do you share the doubts of its critics? In our opinion, participants of the 21st Session of the UNFCCC Conference of the Parties, or COP 21, reached a landmark agreement on December 12, 2015 in Paris, projecting a new course in the two-decadeold global climate effort. For the first time, all parties must report on a regular basis on their emissions and implementation efforts, and undergo international review, which will make a huge difference.

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April 2016

REPORT

Putting

IEQ

to the test With the goal of raising awareness on the importance of good IEQ, while getting the real picture on hotel conditions, Qatar Green Building Council’s Healthy Buildings Interest Group carried out an IEQ survey in Mövenpick Hotel West Bay Doha, last year. The members of the Group looked into, among other elements, maintenance, acoustics and Indoor Air Quality. We bring you the details and results of the survey. By Fatima de la Cerna | Assistant Editor

Iñigo Satrústegui

April 2016

pril 2015 did not start out too kindly for the Middle East, as it brought with it a terrible sandstorm that swept across the region, disrupting – as per news reports – operations in airports and forcing schools and offices to shut down. While the reports pointed out that the storm’s severity was unusual, there’s no denying that sandstorms are regarded as natural phenomena in the Gulf region – a detail that was not lost on Qatar Green Building Council’s Healthy Buildings Interest Group (HBiG), which surveyed Mövenpick Hotel West Bay Doha on April 7 to determine the health of its indoor environment. “It’s important to note that the inspection was conducted just a few days after a bad sandstorm, an occurrence associated with an increase in the concentration of particles in the air,” Iñigo Satrústegui, Head of HBiG and Managing

Director of Quality Air Global, told Climate Control Middle East in a phone interview. “The location was also good, because there was construction going on nearby.” Explaining the points, he added: “The idea behind the exercise was to know the real situation in the hotel and get on-theground data, so we can help the country develop local standards by providing specific information on what should be done and what could be done. The most important plan was for results to show that, regardless of external conditions, it is possible to have good IEQ.” Parties involved Sharing that the inspection was completed within a 24-hour period, Satrústegui revealed that HBiG worked in coordination with the hotel facilities manager and asked for full access to the facilities, including 10-20% of the rooms, with at least one room per floor. “For the survey, we looked into acoustics and Indoor Air Quality (IAQ),” he said. “We also looked into humidity, accessibility, furniture and materials, housekeeping and operation and preventive maintenance, which is why we asked for full access to mechanical rooms, HVAC systems and installations, the kitchen and the kitchen exhaust, the building entrance, toilets, the swimming pool and a few other areas.” To effectively and thoroughly carry out the inspection, Satrústegui explained, the

Group divided the IEQ elements identified for testing among different industry experts, with him handling IAQ. The others involved were: Maro Puljizevic (Acoustics Section Manager, Al Mana & Associates) – acoustics; Natalie Clark (Country Manager, Reza Hygiene) for housekeeping – hygiene; and Dr Arch Atos Batarra for accessibility – furniture and materials Scope and methodologies According to the survey report released by HBiG, the testing of acoustics – particularly of indoor noise levels – was carried out by placing a sound level meter in “a typical bedroom, above the bedhead (or as close as practicably possible), 1.5 metres above the floor”. The report went on to explain that “all the services associated with the normal operation of the bedroom”, including air conditioning, were operating “as per design conditions”, and that measurement was performed “in the octave band frequency range of 63 to 8,000 Hz” for at least 30 seconds. On the whole, according to the report, the acoustics part of the survey encompassed outdoor noise, building services, noise emission levels of the hotel and privacy levels, as determined by the quality of sound insulation. For housekeeping, as per the report, visual inspection was carried out in the areas the Group requested access to, with the intention of ascertaining existing conditions related to particulates, VOCs (volatile organic compounds) and biological contaminants like mould,

bacteria and food matter. Procedures and techniques in cleaning, floor care and dusting were also evaluated. IAQ testing also involved visual inspection of the HVAC systems. In addition, IAQ samples were taken using direct-reading instruments and assessed according to established parameters. The carbon dioxide parameter specified in the report, for instance, is “no more than about 700 ppm over outdoor ambient” and is based on ASHRAE Standard 62.1- 2010. For particle matter 2.5, the parameter identified is reportedly based on US EPA criteria: “shortterm standard (24-hour or daily average) is 35 microgrammes per cubic metre of air (µg/ m3)”. “Different international standards, including ASHRAE and US EPA, were taken into consideration,” Satrústegui said. “Though most standards are basically the same, you also have to take into account local conditions.”

Satrústegui’s assessment, it appears to be in very good shape. “The hotel received high marks from all agencies involved in the testing,” Satrústegui said. “In terms of IAQ, my area of the survey, the results were good. The filters and coils were clean, and the kitchen’s exhaust system was isolated, so odours don’t get into the FAHUs.” He pointed out, however, that there are still areas for improvement. “In the smoking rooms, for example, while concentration of particles was similar to non-smoking rooms, and within standards, odours were noticeable, since they tend to stick to curtains and carpets.” To address the challenge of tobacco smell in the smoking rooms, Satrústegui said that the Group suggested that the hotel implement treatments like ozone, but emphasised that they be carried out by professionals. He adds that another

Bill of health So how healthy is the IEQ of Mövenpick Hotel West Bay Doha? Going by the results of the survey (see “In a nutshell”) and

April 2016

REPORT

solution that the Group recommended, and one that has allegedly been proven effective and permanent, is photocatalytic oxidation. “Because of the conditions in the region, we often hear stakeholders asking, ‘What can I do?’ There are many things you can do,” he says. “You can adopt proper design and observe proper maintenance, and there are different technologies that you can use. You know, the challenge in Qatar is temporary and mainly a result of heavy construction activity, which is creating an environment with a lot of noise and dust, but so many things can be done if we want to be healthy.” And healthy is definitely something that we want to be, he declares, before observing: “There’s much talk about sustainability today. What stakeholders must understand is that IEQ and sustainability are very much linked. Sustainability requires the creation of a liveable environment for the people. You can’t achieve sustainable development unless you ensure people’s welfare.”

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

In a nutshell

Excerpts from the presentation of findings* prepared by Qatar Green Building Council’s Healthy Buildings Interest Group

Results summary

Acoustics: • Suitable indoor noise levels • Reduced outdoor noise levels (noise emission) • High sound insulation Housekeeping: • Very high cleanliness standard was observed. • Housekeeping team used good practices in support of a Green cleaning programme. Maintenance and operation programme: • Very good operation and maintenance programme was in place, which is key in achieving satisfactory levels of Indoor Air Quality. • A scheduled maintenance plan according to the Mövenpick quality standards was followed by the maintenance team. • Files have been kept for each FCU and FAHU, with the history of all the maintenance works undertaken. • A regularly updated central maintenance system monitored and recorded the maintenance schedule. Indoor Air Quality: • The concentration of PM2.5 in all rooms and corridor were within the standards, with an average concentration of 14.3 μg/ m3 (EPA recommended limit for short-term exposure is 35 μg/m3). • Ventilation rate and comfort conditions were very good, as per CO2 levels. Humidity and temperature measurements were within the comfort levels. • Based on the data obtained, ventilation rates, filtration efficiency and cleaning and maintenance programme were correct.

Sample recommendations

• Change fragrance system from aerosol to non-aerosol. • Store chemicals in a ventilated room. • Put HEPA filters in all vacuums. • Enable regular operation of drop seals at room entrance doors. • Noise of fresh air supply to rooms is audible. Install FAHU with sound attenuator or duct liner to reduce background noise. • Reduce the RH level of the swimming pool to below 65% in order to lessen, as much as possible, the risk of mould and microorganism-growth in the area. *Those interested in acquiring comprehensive information about the survey findings are advised to contact HBiG at info@qgbc.org.qa

April 2016

Clean and green

â€œairospaceâ€?

DencoHappel, a Germany-based solution provider of precision climate control, was posed with the challenge of cleanroom replacement and upgrade for a client in the aerospace industry. The company accepted the challenge and delivered, without shutting down production. A reduced energy bill was an added bonus, DH said. We bring you the case study. The Background An internationally known UK manufacturer of military helicopters had a requirement to refurbish a 3000m2 cleanroom, whilst simultaneously maintaining full production capabilities. The client, committed to sustainable solutions, also wanted to reduce energy consumption, wherever possible. An investment of GBP 2 million was made to replace and upgrade the existing facilities, and to ensure they would be capable of meeting future manufacturing needs.

Case study

The existing cleanroom had an ageing heating and cooling infrastructure, which was no longer 100% reliable 40

April 2016

The challenge The existing cleanroom had an ageing heating and cooling infrastructure, which was no longer 100% reliable. When occasional heating and cooling faults resulted in the stringent temperature and humidity tolerances for the cleanroom production environment being exceeded, production could potentially be stopped. This was at great cost and inconvenience to the client. Solutions DencoHappel engineering and technical teams worked with the client throughout the design, planning, and on-site project management phases. Design The engineering team designed heating and cooling requirements for the refurbished cleanroom, with the capability to maintain

temperature tolerances of 21 degrees C +/− 3 degrees C and 45% +/− 15% humidity, and provide cooling capacity to the blade presses to allow heat rejection to the atmosphere of 800 kW. Planning The client's requirements for heating and cooling were met by converting the existing air supply to low-level displacement diffusers and integrating pressure independent control valves with the existing pipework system (with inverter pump systems installed accordingly). It also involved replacing the old cooling tower; cooling water, chilled water and low-pressure hot water pump sets and pipework; water-cooled chillers; and two air-handling units, as well as delivering environmental building control capabilities for the client. Project management DencoHappel worked with the client and other entities, for example, those replacing

the suspended ceiling and installing LED lighting, to produce an installation plan that would ensure continuous production facilities throughout the project. On site, a DencoHappel project manager worked alongside the client’s project manager and installation teams to ensure the seamless execution of the plan. Products used DencoHappel Polacel Towers were used to replace the old cooling tower. These modular towers were made to the client’s bespoke needs and custom-installed on-site. Since the cooling towers deliver water savings and lower climate cooling costs, the client was able to save energy. The company’s Cair+ air-handling units replaced the old units, delivering specified and controlled air temperature and air quality to meet the needs of the cleanroom environment. The company’s water-cooled chillers were deployed, in which heat exchangers were used as condensers and evaporators.

Conclusion The cleanroom replacement and upgrade was delivered on time, in accordance with the 12-month project plan schedule. Full production was maintained throughout. Other positive outcomes The cleanroom continued to meet ISO 8 cleanroom standards and tolerances for temperature, humidity and particle counts throughout the refurbishment period. The systems and new infrastructure enabled the client to have greater environmental climate control for the cleanroom. In the unlikely case of a failure in any part of the system, the client now has a more diverse range of control options, to be able to resolve any issues without the need to shut down production. The use of the company’s products continues to deliver the client an estimated annual reduction in energy costs of GBP 64,000.

April 2016

pumps

Pumping life into the market – energy efficiency Ahmed Saber Ghonim

What can the HVAC pumps market expect in 2016? Players from the sector try to answer the question, and also share their views on the importance of flow-rate, pressure loss and operating costs, vis-à-vis the selection of pumps for HVAC applications. By Rajiv Pillai | Features Writer

Pietro Moro

April 2016

ow much is the pumps market worth in the Middle East region? What is the market outlook? Difficult questions, these, even in the best of times, they elicit elusive answers when the times are uncertain. Braving the queries, Pietro Moro, Building Services Manager – MENA at Xylem, estimates the pumps market in the MENA region to be worth around USD 2 billion, annually. He says that the Middle East is a rapidly growing and diverse region with an increasing need for innovative water technology solutions. “Mega trends, such as population growth, urbanisation, industrialisation and water scarcity, will continue to drive investments in infrastructure and, thereby, pumps for various end-markets and applications,” says Moro. He adds: “Current market conditions withstanding, we anticipate a healthy market growth this year, although slightly stifled by the low oil price environment. We are optimistic, because regulations and end-users will continue to drive the need to optimise energy efficiency

in pumps and reduce related lifecycle costs.” Succinctly summing up the challenges in the sector, Ahmed Saber Ghonim, Sales Manager Utility at DESMI Middle East, says, “Awareness among project developers and consultants about the new global energysaving directive, new compact design, free maintenance and reliable performance of hydraulic centrifugal pump designs are mostly the challenges we are facing in 2016.”

Heart of the matter Considering that the pumps market is huge, there’s no debate about whether pumps play a critical role in HVAC applications. “Until a few years ago, pumps were considered the ‘heart’ of HVAC systems, in the sense that ‘pumps move the fluid’, as in the human body,” says Moro. “And while different components of these systems faced important modifications a long time ago, centrifugal pumps were only improved on design and materials.” He adds that the implementation of new energy-efficiency regulations led many manufacturers to

introduce new components and technologies. “A paramount improvement,” he says, “was the implementation of pump controllers, known as Variable Frequency Drive (VFD).” He explains: “Standard pumps run always at a constant speed. So it is necessary to install several types of valves to control the water flow through the system. While these valves help increase or decrease the temperature as needed, the amount of energy used by standard pumps will always remain the same, resulting in energy loss. VFDs control the pumps’ operational speed all over a wide range of flow demands, representing a significant reduction in energy consumption.” VFDs are the core components for building automation, says Moro. “Through a communication bus, the data of the pump and its sensors can be integrated into the HVAC system, where the software monitors the operating conditions and identifies

optimal parameters to meet the building demands,” Moro elaborates. “This makes it possible to detect any alarms coming from the pump itself, preventing technical issues that could turn into disruptions.” Moro says that if pumps are considered the “heart”, then VFDs can be considered the “brain” in modern HVAC systems, as they help save energy, ensure reliability and, ultimately, deliver cost-savings to the customer. Ghonim agrees with Moro, and adds: “If there is no pumped cold water at required quality of head and flow, the HVAC system is simply non-functional. Pumping cold water into HVAC systems is important to keep the temperature controlled at a suitable environment. In industries, HVAC systems are also crucial to keep production machines away from overheating. Many production processes depend basically on cooling or heating water in their facility to get the final product.”

Flow-rate, pressure loss and operating cost

In order to get a good final product, Ghonim believes that controlling the flow-rate and head of cold water at the exact certain level according to the required cooling load will ensure the most cost-efficient operation. He gives an example: “The cooling load will vary from day to night time, to the number of people, the number of working machines and the controlled area. It will also vary from season to

season, according to the sun’s direction and weather conditions of temperate and humidity.” Ghonim underlines this by saying that modern controlling technologies sense all those variants and send signals to the pumps, asking it to give more cold water or less by special pump speed controllers, such as VFDs. “While the old design codes are recommending to oversize the pump by 10% for expected future demand increase (bigger pump casing size), the modern philosophy is to select the pump at full impeller size with maximum possible efficiency operating point (Best Efficiency Point-BEP), at the same time, using VFD to ensure the best operation efficiency at all times,” he says. “Hence, payback of energy saved from this combination could be got by two years of operation.” Moro adds to this by saying that the flow and head of the pump are related to its power consumption. “Choosing the right pump is critical in achieving a high-efficiency level for the [HVAC] system,” he highlights. Experts are of the opinion that choosing the right pump will play a major role in the efficient functioning of an HVAC system. Now, coming back to the original question of what the year ahead means for the pump sector, the answer entails looking beyond 2016 – to 2020. To be more precise, the World Expo in Dubai seems to hold the answer.

HAVE YOUR SAY!

Pumping EXPO 2020

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

How does the mega event drive the market? The experts answer… Ahmed Saber Ghonim, Sales Manager Utility, DESMI Middle East: “The great fair of EXPO 2020 will be hosted by Dubai for the first time in the Middle East, North Africa and South Asia. All developers, especially in the commercial segment, are looking for this event as an opportunity to accommodate new trading and hosting facility. The government is eagerly preparing for this global event by building new communities, roads as well as airports.”

Pietro Moro, Building Services Manager – MENA, Xylem: “EXPO 2020 marks the first time the Expo will be held in the Middle East. We look forward to representing the Middle East and demonstrating to the world the Middle East’s can-do attitude. We are confident that it will be a catalyst for economic, cultural

and social transformation for Dubai. “The business community will benefit by the opportunities related to the infrastructure that will be developed, thereby creating job opportunities and economic welfare. As ‘sustainability’ is one of the key sub-themes of the EXPO, the water-energy nexus has really been brought to the forefront of issues that need to be confronted with innovative solutions. More than 70% of the overall water production and processing costs in the UAE result from the energy required to desalinate, transport, store, forward and distribute water. Hence, we believe that in addition to highlighting the importance and need for energy-efficient water solutions, the EXPO will be a stage for countries and companies to gather and forge partnerships to find solutions to these important issues.”

April 2016

ADVERTORIAL

Sustainable solutions to a changing planet Highlighting that inefficient pumps cost more than financial loss, Grundfos offers pumps that reduce energy consumption and lower carbon emissions, while saving money.

ne of the greatest challenges and concerns of the 21st century is to ensure sustainable development, while providing access to safe water the world over. These challenges will only increase along with the growing patterns of climate change, globally, and result in the suffering of more and more people. Today, one billion people are without access to safe water. Every year, three million people die as a result of contaminated water – half of them are children under the age of five. The needs of current and future generations cannot be met unless the world changes the way it uses energy. As technology gets smarter and more innovative, it can seem like the answer to environmental challenges is found through increasingly complicated systems. However, huge gains, both for the environment and in operating costs, can result from simply replacing one simple, integral component found in nearly every type of building and industrial unit – pumps. Pumps are present everywhere – wherever liquid or gas needs to be moved. They are used to raise, transfer or pressurise liquids, slurries or gasses. Our fresh water supply, heating and cooling systems and wastewater transport depend on pumps. Pumps consume

April 2016

10% of global electrical energy, and of that, much is unnecessary waste. If everyone switched to high-efficiency pumps, four per cent of the world’s total electricity consumption could be saved – equivalent to the residential electricity consumption of one billion people. Many customers can improve their energy costs by 50%, reduce CO2 emissions by 30% and significantly reduce pump maintenance and repair costs. Thus, pumps can offer significant savings to operators of commercial buildings, industrial applications, public buildings and water utilities. Energy consumption is most often the largest component in the calculation of the lifecycle cost for a pumping system. In commercial buildings, pumps often run more than 2,000 hours a year. Henning Sandager, Area Managing Director of Grundfos Middle East & Turkey, elaborated on the extent of the waste, saying: “Two-thirds of all pumps installed today are inefficient and use up to 60% too much energy. Often, pumps run continuously at their maximum speed, regardless of actual requirements. In reality, most pump motors only have to run at full speed five per cent of the time. This leads to massive energy wastage all day, every day.”

Not surprisingly, energy efficiency has become a top priority for water and wastewater companies, especially these days, when many of them have committed themselves to reducing the national water sector’s energy consumption. Grundfos strongly believes in enhancing its sustainability profile by offering cuttingedge green solutions, which will contribute to meeting a number of global challenges in terms of climate change, water constraints and demographic changes. As a global leader in pump solutions, Grundfos has a unique business opportunity in helping to improve energy efficiency of water solutions. Grundfos’ ability to pioneer and deliver superior environmental solutions to solve problems, such as water shortage, mismanagement of energy and natural resources, inefficient infrastructure and increasing CO2 emissions, is a way of focusing its capabilities in the areas where it can contribute most. It is clear that there will, in the coming years, be a growing need for protection against flooding and better systems for transportation, filtration and treatment of water. Optimising pumps makes sense, not just for the environment but also financially.

April 2016

ADVERTORIAL

PHOTO FEATURE

THE 4TH ANNUAL MIDDLE EAST

Grundfos offers a pump inspection service and an energy check report, that details client’s current pump installation and potential savings. Replacing pump systems can make an immediate difference, and in many cases, return on investment will be reached in just a couple of years, after which, the new system results in pure savings. “By offering a sophisticated inspection services, Grundfos hopes that clients will realise the environmental and financial benefits of replacing inefficient pumps. This will result in a win-win situation for everyone, both today and in the future,” concludes Sandager. As a global leading provider of advanced pump solutions, Grundfos has a keen interest and responsibility in supporting energy efficiency by applying its latest trendsetting technologies. Offering global sustainable solutions that improve quality of life for people and care for the planet, is an integral part of Grundfos’ core values and is engrained across the business.

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

Jasim Mohamed Al Ali

Nesar Reza Khan

Sagar Kulkarni

Grundfos making its mark – over seven decades and 40 countries Founded in 1945 in Bjerringbro, a small town in Denmark, Grundfos has expanded its production to over 40 countries. Today Grundfos is represented by 19,000 employees in over 50 countries worldwide with revenue above three billion Euros. Additionally, Grundfos has a strong local presence through its distributors and partners. With an annual production of more than 16 million pump units serving systems within buildings, industry, waste utilities, infrastructure, landscaping and water treatment, Grundfos is one of the world’s leading pump manufacturers and a trendsetter in water technology. Setting the highest industry standards in energy-efficient and sustainable pumping solutions is a key part of Grundfos’ foundation. Built on values and high ethics, Grundfos works with local communities and the global society to resolve the world’s water and energy challenges. Grundfos has been present in the Middle East since the 1980s, and today, its regional headquarters are in the Jebel Ali Free Zone, one of the largest ports and free zones in the world. It has additional representative companies in Saudi Arabia and Egypt, and branch offices throughout the region.

April 2016

P.R. Jagannathan

Essa Al Hashmi

Nawal Al Hanaei

VRF conference

â€“ a crucible of ideas Roxy Binno

The 4th Annual Middle East Variable Refrigerant Flow Conference, held on March 21 and 22 at Al Murooj Rotana, Dubai, exuded energy, with a kaleidoscope of end-users, consultants and manufacturers discussing opportunities for growth in the sector, and how VRF systems can help the region achieve its avowed environmental goals. In this edition of Climate Control Middle East, we bring you a few snapshots from the conference... L-R: Jayachandran S, Majd Fayyad, Engr Anwaar Al Shimmari

JM Bhambure

Tarek M Al-Sitt

Nabil Shafa Amry

L-R: Engr Anwaar Al Shimmari, Nesar Reza Khan, Nawal Al Hanaei, Roxy Binno

Dr Esam Elsarrag

Hans Reinders

Sachin Nehete

Holley Chant

April 2016

Sponsors and partners of the 4th Annual Middle East VRF Conference

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THE 4TH ANNUAL MIDDLE EAST

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

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THE 4TH ANNUAL MIDDLE EAST

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

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April 2016

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THE 4TH ANNUAL MIDDLE EAST

VARIABLE REFRIGERANT FLOW CONFERENCE Hassan Younes

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21-22 MARCH 2016 • AL YASAT BALLROOM AL MUROOJ ROTANA, DUBAI, UAE

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April 2016

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April 2016

country report

â€“ the 2022 goalkeeper The clock is ticking for the FIFA 2022 World Cup, and the mega event is poised to put Qatar on the world map. Has the HVACR sector already won the cup? Rajiv Pillai finds out.

April 2016

Ahmad Al Naser

Salah Nezar

“T

hey believe that this is the best time for them to construct because all the prices are low,” is Syed Jafar Imam’s sage observation. “They” here being the private sector. As Deputy General Manager, AHI Carrier - Toshiba, MENA, he should know. That’s why Imam believes that the current situation is not as catastrophic as it appears to be, despite furrowed brows across the board. Giving a snapshot of the various projects in Qatar from an HVACR perspective, Salah Nezar, Corporate Sustainability Director at Qatar Project Management, says, “Despite the unenthusiastic economic conditions due to the serious drop in revenues from the oil and gas industry, the HVACR market in Qatar is holding itself pretty well, mainly due to the huge volume of work associated to the ongoing mega infrastructure projects.” Gathering information for Climate Control Middle East, he reveals that according to a recent report from Qatar Investment Fund, the country is projected to witness a good pace for the next five to seven years, resulting in large infrastructure projects. The list of projects, he says, includes Q-Rail (USD 40 billion in investments), Deep-Water Seaport (USD 8 billion in investments), roads (USD 20 billion investments), stadium and ancillary venues (USD 4 billion investments), among others. “In a nutshell,” says Nezar, “Qatar’s investment in infrastructure only, is expected to reach USD 150 billion. On the micro scale, the volume of the HVACR market in Qatar is estimated to be around USD 550 million per year, representing about 20% of the MEP (Mechanical, Electrical and Plumbing) market share.” Nezar believes that despite some cash-flow issues currently observed by a number of small- and medium-size businesses, the growth of the HVACR market in Qatar is steady, and estimated to fluctuate between 10 and 15% until 2017. And then there is the FIFA 2022 World Cup.

The HVAC cup – on and off the field Though a majority of the construction work and, by extension, investments, will be around the World Cup, it will not be limited to stadium construction alone. As Qatar readies for the event, there is of course, a spill-over effect in all areas of infrastructure, from roads and transport to the hospitality sector. Underscoring this, Imam points out, “When I say infrastructure, I am talking about metro, roads, and then, of course, some of the new buildings that will be coming up.” Ahmad Al Naser, Managing Director at Drake & Scull Engineering, adds to this: “The anticipated USD 300 billion investment in Qatar’s infrastructure will boost the HVAC segment considerably. Construction and renovation of stadiums along with Airport City, Doha Metro, Energy City and Msheireb Downtown Doha projects will drive the modern, large-scale, energy-efficient cooling solutions to help the games proceed smoothly, despite the harsh weather conditions.” The infrastructure includes the 10,000 hotel rooms expected to take shape over the next few years as a minimum requirement for the tournament. Thus, the HVACR industry is expected to flourish within the hospitality market, too. Imam, however, warns: “But most importantly, Qatar is not going to overdo or overkill the concept. There are still talks of bringing in the cruise ships for people to stay rather than build 10,000 rooms and leave it. I think this is a very good thought process. They will build up hotels but there won’t be an overkill.” As far as the stadiums are concerned, there are speculations as to which type of HVAC technologies will be utilised. Nezar says that

Yasser Salah Al Jaidah

Syed Jafar Imam

District Cooling could be the answer Yasser Salah Al Jaidah, CEO of Qatar Cool, speaking of sustainable solutions, believes that District Cooling ‘zones’ in urban plans might prove effective… “It’s no secret that today’s energy systems are facing many challenges: The steady growth of global energy demand, depletion of energy resources and increasing emissions of carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases, to name a few. The combined effect of these challenges deserves a more sustainable approach to energy consumption, whether in energy generation or manufacturing environments. Such sustainable solutions, of course, not only improve energy efficiency but also contribute to cost efficiency of existing energy systems. “As such, it is imperative for governments to adopt ‘green’ technologies when it comes to energy production in the interest of minimising waste and preserving natural resources. Nonetheless, making such changes in the short run may not be as easy as it sounds, since urban planning usually takes into consideration other variables, such as population density and spatial mapping. On the long run, however, incorporating environmentally friendly technologies and energy-efficient systems, such as District Cooling networks, and zero-waste developments will set the stage for building the future cities of tomorrow, where population is expected to increase substantially, leading to increased energy demand. Furthermore, it is worth stressing on the potential negative environmental impact imposed by the creation of densely populated cities. The increased heat retention in exposed surfaces, and heat generated by activities from buildings in heavily populated areas trigger an Urban Heat Island (UHI) effect that causes temperature in its surroundings to rise. The latter can be mitigated through the use of green roofs and increased vegetation and through retrofitting buildings, with more energy-efficient utility infrastructures, such as District Cooling systems. “Consequently, assigning District Cooling ‘zones’ in urban plans for areas with a density cut-off ratio of around 10,000 tonnes of refrigeration (TR) per square kilometre (km2) or more, can be economically feasible for the utility provider and user alike. Most importantly, though, such a design would allow for approximate savings of 40-50% in energy usage, when compared to the energy consumption of conventional air conditioning methods in densely populated areas, let alone reducing the UHI effect. To put things into perspective, District Cooling could provide around 30% of the GCC [region’s] forecast cooling needs by 2030. This would prevent the region from having to build 20 gigawatts in new electricitygenerating capacity, and save 200,000 barrels of oil equivalent per day in fuel.”

April 2016

country report

an innovative cooling technology will rely on Computational Fluid Dynamic (CFD) technique to define with exactitude the contours of air-flow distributions, rather than using the empirical rules of thumb. “The proposed innovative cooling system,” he says, “is expected to be driven by solar energy under various conversion approaches. The open-air solar cooling solution for stadia in Qatar will bring innovation into a few energy sectors, such as conversion and storage of energy, accessibility to energy, energy efficiency, cost, availability and reliability.” He adds that the use of clean technology in cooling solutions, in a region where electrical power demand is driven mainly by comfort cooling, will align with Qatar 2030 Vision towards a more sustainable and green society. Other experts say that District Cooling will play a major role, especially when it comes to cooling the stadiums. “District Cooling is one of the technologies they are considering at the moment,” informs Imam. Drake & Scull International Qatar is reportedly executing the design, build and installation of a modular District Cooling plant in Lusail City, which will deliver an effective cooling of 50,000 tonnes of refrigeration (TR) by utilising multiple chiller plants, which will make it among the largest District Cooling plant installations in the region, reveals Al Naser.

Regulation and innovation Another driver for the HVAC industry is regulation. Imam reminds us that Qatar is one of the highest carbon defaulters per capita in the world, and wants to make amends. “Qatar now definitely wants to set an example,” he elaborates. “They have already implemented a new regulation, where they have imposed a certain Energy Efficiency Ratio (EER). That means, starting from July this year, none of the products can come with the old EER. And going forward in the coming years, they are going to ‘up’ the energy regulations. The first wave of change has already been planted, which will be directly affecting the HVAC industry in Qatar.” “Almost more than 4,500 companies in Qatar are not going to have their licenses renewed,” Imam points out, and adds, “The government definitely will have a strong reaction to this to make sure that things are done as per the rules.” Imam believes that because of the new regulation, technologies like VRFs that were not wholeheartedly accepted because of the initial investment and cost, will eventually be accepted. “VRF has a very low-operating cost,” he says. “With this EER regulation coming in place, conventional equipment will become costlier, and it will make more sense to invest in VRFs. So going forward, VRF is going to gain strong momentum.”

Football and long-term goals Al Naser says that there is reason to remain positive about the momentum of Qatar’s infrastructure development, as it is driven not just by the FIFA World Cup but also by the long-term basic infrastructure needs of Qatar’s burgeoning population. “The government is quite keen, and has been proactive in promoting the adoption of latest technologies, with a stringent quality monitoring system,” he says. “The government’s recent focus on deploying energy-efficient

April 2016

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country report

Picking up the piping Salah Nezar, Corporate Sustainability Director, at Qatar Project Management, thinks District Cooling projects in the pipeline will energise the sector…

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April 2016

“The future of District Cooling in Qatar is really promising, despite the mild stagnation observed recently. The current investments related to the District Cooling industry in Qatar are estimated to be around USD 2.2 billion. However, this number will reach USD 4 billion within the coming four years, based on the size of various projects currently under construction or those in the pipeline. “The District Cooling penetration rate in Qatar is about 10%, and it’s expected to grow at a steady pace to reach 15% within the coming six years. To illustrate the progress made during the past few years, the District Cooling industry in Qatar is no longer mentioning the Pearl Qatar cooling plant (the largest cooling plant in the world) as a reference and successful case study. Lusail City District Cooling system is becoming the new benchmark. The length of the looped reticulation is exceeding 160 kilometres, to be served by four scattered plants with a total cooling capacity of 330,000 TR. “The design approach used for this case is different from the one used in Pearl Qatar's centralising cooling plant. The four cooling plants are scheduled under various construction phases, depending on the city’s growth. When it comes to challenges, the discharge of the blowdown from cooling towers represents the major hurdle that the District Cooling industry is facing, Furthermore, the other challenge is the promulgation of a decree prohibiting the use of fresh water for District Cooling plants. TSE water is used as a substitute, generating serious environmental challenges related to the discharge of the water from cooling towers. This issue remains open in the absence of alternatives accepted by all stakeholders, such as Public Works Authority (Ashghal), Kahramaa and Ministry of Municipality and Urban Planning & Environment. It’s also important to highlight that Qatar is the only country in the GCC [region] that has a dedicated department for District Cooling regulation with Kahramaa, and a regulation framework is expected soon.”

systems for long-term sustainability will have a major impact on the energy infrastructure in the country, reducing Qatar’s energy consumption significantly.” He predicts that smart technology is expected to make major inroads into the segment. He elaborates: “Incorporation of smart technology could enable real-time analysis of atmospheric and ambient temperature, air pressure, humidity levels, and so on, which will allow the HVAC systems to scale their cooling capacity accordingly. Automated smart technology also allows for heat signature analysis that allows cooling to be diverted to certain areas of a building that show a higher temperature – typically sun-facing surfaces – while lowering the cooling draw in areas that are cooler.” Yasser Salah Al Jaidah, CEO of Qatar Cool, summarises by saying that incorporating environmentally friendly technologies and energy-efficient systems will help build the cities of tomorrow, where population is expected to grow, leading to an increased demand in energy. Imam, on his part, believes that FIFA 2022 is a good opportunity for Qatar to be on the world map. It appears that irrespective of who wins the 2022 World Cup, Qatar is set to score big.

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

April 2016

country FEATURE

Make in

Drawn by a fresh way of thinking by the Indian government, HVAC manufacturers in the Middle East are eyeing the possibility of a greater presence in the country. Story by B Surendar | Editor

n a case of the early bird trying to get the worm, UAE-headquartered Unigulf Air Conditioning Industries participated in Acrex 2016, the largest HVACR exhibition in the Indian Subcontinent, which took place from February 25 to 27, in Mumbai. As Rajesh Kane, who works as Production Manager at the company, explains, Unigulf went to the show to draw attention to the company’s offering of pre-insulated ducting systems. Such ducting solutions, he adds, have not yet gained as much traction in India as they logically ought to have. Logically, because in Kane’s view, preinsulated ducting systems score heavily over galvanised iron (GI) systems, as they take considerably less time to install, giving a cost advantage to the contractor. Also, they weigh considerably less – they are one-third the weight of steel – which means they reduce the

April 2016

overall weight of the building, thus subjecting the structure to lesser stress. Another UAE-headquartered company, S.K.M Air Conditioning also went to the show, because the company wanted to explore the possibility of drawing attention to its commercial air conditioning solutions, especially for the oil and gas sector in India. “We have a major share in oil and gas in the UAE and want to enter the market in India,” says Asim Hashmi, Sales Director (Applied) at S.K.M. Companies like Unigulf and S.K.M are eyeing India with a lot of interest. With the Narendra Modi Government perceived as being more dynamic than its predecessor, there is a positive buzz about the country. Add to the optimism the evident populationdriven demand for air conditioning, ventilation and refrigeration solutions, and a picture

emerges of a country pregnant with opportunities. As Hashmi puts it: “Air conditioning is becoming a necessity in India, and the majority of the population has not got air conditioning. Plus, there is the industrial growth. The government has announced 7-8% growth, which is an aggressive rate. And they are encouraging foreign investors, so there is construction.” The Subcontinent, Hashmi says, is huge, and people are multiplying growth in a short period of time. Manish Hira, the Director of another UAE-headquartered manufacturer, Hira Industries, at the exhibition, echoes Hashmi’s sentiments when he says: “India is being seen as the next China. The government is pushing the ‘Make in India’ initiative. India is being perceived as the next big thing.” The Make in India initiative is garnering global eyeballs. A pet project of the Modi Government, the manufacturing and industrial sector worldwide is looking at the programme with a lot of intent. Pankaj R Dharkar, President of Pankaj Dharkar & Associates, an India-headquartered MEP and Green Building consultancy firm, talks of how the programme is inspiring the Indian engineering industry to invest in R&D and in setting up manufacturing facilities. He says it is equally inspiring a large number of multinational companies to set up plants and make investments in India. “I can see a lot of positive energy flowing,” Dharkar says. “As a result of the programme, Indian consumers are going to get world-class products at much more reasonable costs. All the manufacturers – be it Daikin, UTC Carrier, Hitachi or Mitsubishi – are either coming forward or are investing into their existing factories.” The wind of optimism blowing through the country is so strong that talk of the global slowdown is met with some degree of scepticism. No doubt, there is a section of architects and MEP consultants, which has a wary eye on the roller-coaster nature of global markets and its impact on India in the form of a drop in prices, but largely speaking, the mood is buoyant, with many saying that they are loaded with projects. Says Dharkar: “In the last six months, I have seen lot of positivity. As a company, we have closed many orders. Maybe, I am one of those fortunate persons, but I can see that happening with many of our co-consultants, as well. And when consultants close jobs, it normally goes to contractors or suppliers in a matter of six

months to a year’s time.” Given the diversity in the HVACR industry, the growth is not uniform, though. On the residential side, there is an explosion of growth in the evaporative cooling market, says Varun Pahwa, the AVP - New Business Development of Bry-Air. In fact, so significant is the growth, he says,

All the manufacturers – be it Daikin, UTC Carrier, Hitachi or Mitsubishi – are either coming forward or are investing into their existing factories that there is a shift from an unorganised to an organised market structure in the evaporative cooling market. When it comes to the commercial sector, there has been a delay in old projects, owing to cash-flow issues. Additionally, there is reportedly very little in the pipeline in the forms of malls, new airports and office buildings that would be leased out. Nevertheless, there are opportunities for those that assiduously seek them out, including for those from the Middle East seeking a share of the market. In the view of insiders, like Pahwa, the commercial air side market is fairly saturated, but there are opportunities on the chiller side. It is a view echoed by Hashmi, who says S.K.M is keenly exploring the possibility of introducing its range of chillers and condensing units and also its avowed strength – rooftop packaged units – into India. Pahwa sees the greatest number of opportunities in the industrial sector in India. “The industrial side, oil and gas and the manufacturing sector have picked up a lot faster than the commercial HVAC

sector,” he says. “Refinery capacity is coming up in India. And I see a lot of activity in ship building, pharma and the food industry, which means a wider opening of doors for the suppliers of cold chain-related equipment. Middle Eastbased companies will be able to spot opportunities, if they have niche solutions.” While the opportunities are there, India, just like any other country, also poses a lot of challenges for businesses looking to establish themselves on its soil, or to strengthen their presence. As Hira puts it, India is a very protective market, characterised by high duty charges. It is a tax-heavy environment, he says, and demands a lot of paperwork. “It is true India is being seen as the next big thing, he says. “However, if people think they can come in and expect phenomenal growth rates, it won’t happen immediately. It will perhaps take five years. You can’t come with a Middle East mentality, because things are different here.” India is also a price-sensitive market. In the view of many of the industry insiders, the trick to succeeding as a manufacturer in India is to provide quality at costs that are affordable. The mantra for success, they say, is to make in India, develop in India, and source and price for India. “These are critically important points to remember,” says Barun Aggarwal, CEO of India-headquartered Breathe Easy Consultants. “Foreign prices will not work.” In making his point, Aggarwal points to the examples of Trane and Daikin, two of the international brands with a strong presence in India. “Earlier, they were selling at Rs 100,000 (approximately USD 1,500) per tonne of air conditioning (TR),” he says. “Today, they are selling at Rs 35,000 (approximately USD 530) per tonne of air conditioning. Daikin has more than 50% share of the residential air conditioning market in India. Earlier, they had a very small share. So if you are ready to embrace India in the true sense of the word, you will succeed.” Adding to Aggarwal’s words, Hira speaks of the critical importance of hiring local talent and establishing local infrastructure as a means to succeeding in India. Having local infrastructure, he says, is a vital aspect for businesses wanting to avoid the 28-30% import duty the Indian government imposes. That is precisely why Hira Industries in 2012 initiated proceedings for setting up factories in India. The proceedings included due diligence measures and scouting for a site reasonably close to a seaport. The

April 2016

country FEATURE

company eventually chose the western Indian city of Pune, owing to its proximity to the port in Mumbai. In 2015, Hira Industries inaugurated two factories – a 60,000 square-foot facility to produce its Maico brand of ventilation systems, and a 100,000-square-foot facility to manufacture its Aerofoam brand of insulation solutions. The 28-30% import duty that Hira refers to is in addition to the 12.5% value-added tax (VAT) that the government imposes. The total of the two is what those that do not have a factory in India have to contend with. This begs the question, ‘Would not Indian manufacturers have a tax advantage over those with facilities overseas?’ Not so, says Sanjiv Sachdeva, the Managing Director of Gulf Engineering System Solution (GESS), because manufacturers in India are required to pay excise duty and VAT, the total of which works out to be the same as the other tax regime. Hashmi says he does not find the tax structure in India to be adverse, even without a manufacturing facility in the country in the immediate term. “We shall be paying the same as the producers in India, if we take the equipment into the country in the name of the project owner,” he says. “You can open a letter of credit

As a country, we have built only 10-20% of what we need to build

(LC) in the name of the owner.” In the long term, S.K.M expects to establish a manufacturing facility in India, in the footsteps of the big MNCs. “We have taken note of JCI India Ltd and Daikin India Ltd and want to adopt that direction,” Hashmi says. One thing is for certain – there is no mistaking the determination of S.K.M to enter the Indian market. As Aggarwal puts it, India is still very, very young, when it comes to the building sector. “As a country, we have built only 10-20% of what we need to build,” he says. “In the next 20 years, we are going to see four times the number of buildings we have in the country. So energy efficiency and indoor environmental quality (IEQ) related to air conditioning will constitute a critical demand.”

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April 2016

Sarmad Fakhri is the Managing Director, Kingspan Insulation. He can be contacted at info@kingspaninsulation.ae

PERSPECTIVE

Phenolic ductwork joins the mainstream Saying that pre-insulated phenolic ductwork is a sustainable and cost-effective option compared to traditional galvanised sheet steel ductwork, Sarmad Fakhri makes a case for the former, in light of the first SMACNA’s Phenolic Duct Construction Standard.

t is now widely recognised in scientific circles that global warming is real, and that manmade greenhouse gases are a major factor in its escalation. Governments across the globe are setting targets to reduce emissions and tackle climate change, with initiatives, such as Dubai’s Integrated Energy Strategy; Abu Dhabi’s Vision 2030; and Qatar’s National Vision 2030. The move towards energyefficient products to help meet these targets is gathering momentum in the HVAC industry, and sometimes, there are unexpected benefits to be found along the way. Pre-insulated phenolic ductwork is a simple and cost-effective way to improve energy efficiency and reduce operational energy demand, and with the development of the first SMACNA (Sheet Metal and Air Conditioning Contractors’ National Association) Phenolic Duct Construction Standard (PDCS) last year, it is safe to say that it has truly come into its own as a mainstream product. The published SMACNA PDCS provides detailed information and guidance on all aspects of pre-insulated

April 2016

phenolic ductwork fabrication, from fire performance requirements to detailing the specific thickness of product to be used to achieve a certain R-value.

The positives Ductwork has traditionally been constructed using galvanised sheet steel, with insulation usually installed as a separate activity. Pre-insulated ductwork has integral insulation, ensuring maximum continuity and minimum thermal bridging. It also has very low levels of air leakage and, when fabricated correctly, it can help systems to run more efficiently and conserve energy on all fronts. Pre-insulated phenolic ductwork is extremely lightweight, weighing as little as 18% of the equivalent galvanised sheet steel ductwork. Its lightweight nature means that several sections can be joined together at floor level before being installed. An example of the guidelines provided by the SMACNA PDCS stipulates that duct length segments are permitted to 154 ¾ in. (3930 mm) with a width of up to 44 in. (1100 mm). For phenolic ducts

with a dimension of more than 44 in. (1100 mm) to 80 in. (2000 mm), duct length segments are limited to 47 ¼ in. (1200 mm) in length. For duct(s) with a dimension over 80 in. (2000 mm) installers are advised to consult with the phenolic panel manufacturer. An added benefit of the thin and lightweight properties of preinsulated phenolic ductwork is that it is particularly well-suited to projects where space and structural loading might be an issue. For projects with long spanning roofs, such as airports, this can be particularly helpful. It is also easy to handle, and can considerably speed up the installation process. Under the SMACNA PDCS, all ducts required to meet Class 1 Air Duct rating must comply with UL Standard 181 (Underwriters Laboratories: Factory Made Air Ducts & Air Connectors). Preinsulated phenolic ductwork, in general, can easily meet these requirements; however, it is important to refer to the manufacturer for specific product

performance details. These excellent fire properties, together with high levels of thermal performance and low Global Warming Potential (GWP) ensure that the product will perform well, both in terms of safety and operational environmental impact. Becoming the norm As the demand for better performing HVAC ductwork systems increases, pre-insulated phenolic ductwork is rapidly becoming the norm in many countries across the world. SMACNA’s new standard confirms its place in the industry as a mainstream modern solution.

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.

SNIPPET

Polluted air could make you obese!

one are the days when you could hope to reduce your weight by living on thin air, if Duke University research findings can be believed, which has appeared in the March issue of the Journal of the Federation of American Societies for Experimental Biology (FASEB). An experiment conducted on laboratory rats reportedly showed that rats exposed to pollution were heavier than those exposed to clean air. Till the results prove to be conclusive, you could perhaps breathe easy.

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April 2016

Karim Badruddin is the General Manager, Central Ventilation Systems Company, LLC. He can be contacted at karim.badruddin@cvshvac.com

PERSPECTIVE

safety

â€“ whoâ€™s accountable? In light of the new UAE Fire Code, Karim Badruddin examines the liability of the client, contractor and the manufacturer of fire safety equipment used in a project and the impact of the insurance cost on the client and the contractor. He stresses that each party involved shares the responsibility for occupant safety.

ire safety is one of the principal areas that needs attention after a building is constructed, in order to minimise damage and avoid the spread of fire. The safest method to manage incidents of fire is, of course, to prevent it. While this is a desirable goal, it is not always achievable. The next best step is to improve fire safety norms. To improve fire safety in the UAE, the authorities concerned launched the UAE Fire Code in 2011. Now, after a series of fire incidents, they have come up with a drive to review the UAE Fire Code in line with the British Standards and NFPA (National Fire Protection Association) Codes and Standards, with the objective of eliminating death and injury and protecting property and reducing economic loss during incidents of fire. When released, it will influence the construction industry in several ways. Broadly speaking, building owners now need to inspect and re-evaluate their premises to ascertain if their property meets with the latest regulations. Also, the ministry will annually renew the required certificates. Manufacturers, on their part, will have to get their products certified by the local authorities before supplying them to contractors, failing which, they will be subjected to fines and legal sanctions.

The responsibility of the client/ owner Owners are the entities who provide the commercial expenditure in order to execute a project proposal. They need to provide the

April 2016

necessary financial resources to contractors, who, on their part, execute the construction of the project. They are solely liable for ensuring that the building has proper commercial documents, such as permits and insurance. They also have to guarantee that the building premises is maintained in line with the policies and regulations laid down by the local authorities by arranging a third-party company to execute proper maintenance and checking, ensure that the equipment installed for fire safety is maintained in an operational state at all times and comply with the ministry regulations and internationally accepted standards, such as NFPA Codes and Standards. Owners, when working on the insurance policy, should bear in mind that any alterations after approval by the legal authorities shall be subjected to review and re-approval in order to avoid fines and disciplinary actions.

Onus of the contractor Contractors are hired by the client to understand and transform their concepts into a practical engineering solution at a designated budget in a timely manner. Contractors always need to remember that apart from the clientâ€™s concept, the security and safety of building tenants is also taken into consideration. In this regard, contractors need to refer to the NFPA Codes and Standards, which are widely accepted in the GCC region, Asia and the United States. Due to competition in the market, some contractors try to offer their services at lower rates by procuring affordable materials. This poses the risk of compromising on the quality of the project. However, as part of risk assessment, contractors should remember that the onus is on them to ensure that the

materials procured for construction are legally approved by the local authorities. Upon completion of the project, contractors have to ensure that the fire safety equipment is installed properly as per the manufacturer’s guidelines, with requisite certification, and that it matches the design principle, so that it operates as expected in the event of a fire. The contractors are legally obliged to look after design and infrastructure, and guarantee that it is in line with the client requirements, ministry policies and NFPA Codes and Standards.

The manufacturers’ role Manufacturers are approached by contractors to supply them equipment that complies with the specifications of the project. The manufacturers’ role is to make sure that the products supplied are as per the approved standards, and follow the necessary documentation and literature, and are accompanied by certification to support the credibility of the products. In short, a fire safety product needs to be approved and tested by a reputed third-party company in order to ensure the quality of the product. Once manufacturers deliver the fire safety systems to the contractor, though it is not the duty of the manufacturers to install them, they need to play the role of educating the contractor on how to install the systems and see that proper processes are enforced to make sure that the systems perform in line with the requirements and product certification. It is also their duty to advise contractors as product specialists, if anything else needs to be done to achieve the desired optimum performance of the systems. Thus, the manufacturers’ job does not end with the supply of equipment to contractors. They need to maintain constant communication with the contractors to make sure if the products supplied are ideal for the project, are complete and have no defects.

SNIPPET

A futuristic foldable home?

team of researchers from Harvard University has designed a unique type of foldable material that is versatile, tunable and self-actuated, according to a MailOnline news. The material can be programmed to change its size, volume and shape, and can collapse into a flat sheet to withstand the weight of an elephant, without breaking, and pop right back up to prepare for the subsequent task, the report elaborated. Inspired by an origami technique known as snapology, the material can be embedded with any kind of actuator, including thermal, dielectric or even water, researchers said, and added that it has implications for dynamic architecture, including portable shelters, adaptive building facades and retractable roofs.

Impact of insurance cost on the client and contractor Occupant safety is a matter of great importance, which has led the UAE authorities to publish a standard for fire safety. Before a building begins to operate, it is the responsibility of the authorities to make sure that building occupants are protected from and insured against unfortunate circumstances, as far as the structure of the building is concerned. Before issuing insurance for a building, insurance companies evaluate the building, keeping in mind certain points, to determine the type and value of the insurance to be issued, such as the cost of the materials used for construction and the number of people who will occupy or use the building. Typically, the premium for insuring buildings may be high, but those building owners who take the initiative of installing the best-in-class fire safety equipment and materials may benefit from favourable rates from insurance companies. This is because the high quality of the fire-safety equipment and materials could significantly lower the probability of casualties in the event of a fire outbreak. With less chances of death, injury, or property and economic loss during the unfortunate event of a fire, the interests of insurance companies, as well as those of the owners will be protected.

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.

April 2016

TO CHILL E C N E C I L

Dan Mizesko is the Managing Partner of Al Shirawi US Chiller Services. He can be contacted at dan@uschillerservices.com

Ear to the ground –

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

nyone who rides in or drives a car or truck with some regularity, knows that certain mechanical faults or problems produce symptoms that can be detected by our sense of feel. Vibrations felt in the steering wheel can be an indicator of an out-of-balance wheel or looseness in the steering linkage. Transmission gear problems can be felt on the shift linkage. Looseness in exhaust system components can sometimes be felt as vibrations in the floorboard. The common thread with all these problems is that degeneration of some mechanical device beyond permissible operational design limitations, has manifested itself by the generation of abnormal levels of vibration.

April 2016

vibration analysis Defining vibration What is vibration? And what do we mean by levels of vibration? The dictionary defines vibration as “a periodic motion of the particles of an elastic body or medium in alternately opposite directions from the position of equilibrium, when that equilibrium has been disturbed or the state of being vibrated or in vibratory motion as in (1) oscillation or (2) a quivering or trembling motion”. The key elements to take away from this definition are, vibration is motion, and this motion is cyclic around a position of equilibrium. How many times have you touched a machine to see if it was running? You are able to tell by touch if the motor is running because of vibration generated by motion of rotational machine components, and the transmittal of these forces to the machine housing. Many parts of the machine are rotating, and each one of these parts is generating its own distinctive pattern and level of vibration. The level and frequency of these vibrations are different, and the human touch is not sensitive enough to discern these differences. This is where Vibration Detection Instrumentation and Signature Analysis Software can provide us the necessary sensitivity.

Making sense of vibrations Sensors are used to quantify the magnitude of vibration or how roughly or smoothly the machine is running. This is expressed as vibration amplitude. This magnitude of vibration is expressed as: • Displacement – The total distance travelled by the vibrating part from one extreme limit of travel to the other extreme limit of travel. This distance is also called the “peak-to-peak displacement.” • Velocity – A measurement of the speed at which a machine or machine component is moving as it undergoes oscillating motion. • Acceleration – The rate of change of velocity. Recognising that vibrational

forces are cyclic, both the magnitude of displacement and velocity change from a neutral or minimum value to some maximum. Acceleration is a value representing the maximum rate that velocity (speed of the displacement) is increasing. Various transducers are available that will sense and provide an electrical output reflective of the vibrational displacement, velocity or acceleration. The specific unit of measure to best evaluate the machine condition will be dependent on the machine speed and design. Several guidelines have been published to provide assistance in determination of the relative running condition of a machine. But my strong suggestion is that vibration data be sent to a qualified vibration specialist company for analysis. I must emphasise that it is impossible to establish absolute vibration limits. However, in setting up a predictive maintenance programme, it is necessary to establish some severity criteria or limits, above which action will be taken. Such limits are not intended to be used for establishing vibration acceptance criteria for rebuilt or newly installed machines. They are to be used to evaluate the general or overall condition of machines that are already installed and operating in service. For those setting up a predictive maintenance programme, lacking experience or historical data, similar limits can serve as an excellent guide to get started, and the vibration specialist company will have all these limits in place for your equipment.

Tools for data crunching As explained earlier, many vibration signals are generated at one time. Once the magnitude of vibration exceeds some predetermined value, Vibration Signature Analysis can be used in defining the machine location that is the source of the vibration, and in need of repair or replacement. By using analysis equipment and software, the individual vibration signals are separated and displayed in a manner

that defines the magnitude of vibration and frequency. With the understanding of machine design and operation, an individual schooled in Vibration Signature Analysis can interpret this information to define the machine problem to a component level. Depending on the application, a wide variety of hardware options exist in the world of vibration. Although not complicated, actual hardware requirements depend on several factors. The speed of the machine, on-line monitoring versus off-line data collection, analysis needs, signal output requirements, etc., will affect the type of equipment options available. Regardless of the approach, any vibration program will require a sensing device (transducer) to measure the existing vibration and translate this information into some electronic signal.

Vibration Signature Analysis can be used in defining the machine location that is the source of the vibration, and in need of repair or replacement April 2016

TO CHILL E C N E C I L

Transducers are relatively small in size, and can be permanently mounted or affixed to the monitoring location periodically during data collection. In some cases, the actual translation of the vibration to an electrical signal occurs in a handheld monitoring device. A metal probe attached to a handheld instrument is held against a point of interest, and the instrument translates the motions felt on the probe to some sort of electrical signal. Other portable devices use a transducer and handheld datacollection device. Both styles will provide some sort of display where the vibration magnitude is defined. Styles and equipment size vary greatly, but the equipment is designed to be portable. In addition to instruments designed to measure vibration magnitude, many manufacturers provide instrumentation that will perform signal analysis as well. Equipment that feature a standalone design performs analysis in the field, independent of computer interface. There are other equipment designs, however, that interface transducers directly with a PC, where analysis software is utilised to interpret the signal data. Vibration monitoring and analysis can be used to discover and diagnose a wide variety of problems related to rotating equipment. The following list provides some generally accepted abnormal equipment conditions/faults, where predictive maintenance technology can be of use in defining existing problems:

Properly performed and evaluated Vibration Signature Analysis requires highly trained and skilled individuals, knowledgeable in both the technology and the equipment being tested 68

April 2016

• Unbalance • Eccentric rotors • Misalignment • Resonance problems • Mechanical looseness/ weakness • Rotor rub • Sleeve-bearing problems • Rolling element bearing problems • Flow-induced vibration problems • Gear problems • Electrical problems • Belt drive problems Analysing equipment to determine the presence of these problems is not a simple and easily performed procedure. Properly performed and evaluated Vibration Signature Analysis requires highly trained and skilled individuals, knowledgeable in

both the technology and the equipment being tested. Determination of some of the problems listed is less straightforward than other problems, and may require many hours of experience by the technician to properly diagnosis the condition. I have often seen my engineers run into people who are convinced a chiller problem exists due to vibration of the chiller. They typically request the chiller compressor to be dismantled, only to find out that there were no issues with the chiller whatsoever, and that it was a flow vibration. This is why an experienced vibration specialist company must interpret the signatures.

How much and how As indicated earlier, the styles, types and capabilities of vibration monitoring equipment vary greatly. Naturally, equipment cost follows this variance. Transducers can cost under USD 100. The expected cost for vibration metering devices capable of defining magnitude with no analysis capability is approximately USD 1,000. The cost goes up from there. A high-end vibration analyser with software and all the accessories can exceed USD 30,000. A typical industrial site can expect to recover the cost of the highend equipment investment within two years. Sites with a minimal number of rotating equipment, low-cost equipment installations, and/or no production-related concerns may find it uneconomically advantageous to purchase a USD 30,000 vibration analysis system. These facilities may be wise to establish an internal programme of vibration monitoring using a low-cost vibration-metering device, and then employ the services of an outside specialist contractor to conduct periodic surveys. These services generally range in cost from USD 300 to USD 6,000 per equipment analysis. Training for vibration analysis is available through a variety of system manufacturers and vendors. Additional training and certification is available through the Vibration Institute, from where certification for Levels I-IV is available. In the final analysis, vibration analysis is a must. If you are only going to perform one Non-Destructive Testing – which we do not recommend – it would have to be vibration analysis. 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.

April 2016

NEWS REGIONAL

Sheikh Mohammed launches Dubai Wholesale City AED 30 billion project to be the largest wholesale hub, worldwide

is Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, in an official communiqué, has announced the launch of Dubai Wholesale City. Planned to be the largest wholesale hub, worldwide, spanning 550 million square feet, to be developed over a 10-year period at an estimated cost of AED 30 billion, the new development, said the communiqué, will help increase the UAE’s contribution to the global wholesale trade sector that is valued at USD 4.3 trillion, and expected to grow to USD 4.9 trillion in the next five years. The new city will also reportedly benefit from Dubai’s logistics services and its location near Al Maktoum International Airport and the Jebel Ali Port – two major gateways for global cargo and shipping industries. The new global hub, the communiqué revealed, will comprise specialised integrated trading parks and an international trade exhibition facility, and will also feature country pavilions with commercial centres and malls offering products from various countries, including India, Malaysia, Thailand, Turkey, Australia, China, South Korea, Germany, Saudi Arabia, the United States and South America. During the launch of the project, His Highness Sheikh Mohammed stressed the role of trade as a key contributor in maintaining the UAE’s economic success, and a crucial sector in its future development. He said, “The UAE’s strategic location, world-class infrastructure, and strong institutions make it the most qualified place to lead the new wave of growth in wholesale trade on an international scale.”

Dubai Supreme Council of Energy’s 39th meeting reviews District Cooling regulation Strategy developed to enhance investments in market from 20 to 40% by 2030

.H. Sheikh Ahmed bin Saeed Al Maktoum, Chairman of the Dubai Supreme Council of Energy chaired the 39th meeting of the council at its headquarters, where District Cooling, regulations were discussed, an official communique has revealed. During the meeting, attended by H.E. Saeed Mohammed Al Tayer, Vice Chairman of the Supreme Council of Energy, a strategy to organise Dubai’s District Cooling sector was reportedly developed, which aims to improve the performance of operations and enhance the amount of investments in this market from 20 to 40% by 2030.

April 2016

DEWA wins awards at Smart Cities Summit and Awards Utility was recognised for Green Charger Initiative and Configuration and Deployment of Smart City Infrastructure

ubai Electricity and Water Authority (DEWA) has announced winning three awards at the Smart Cities Summit and Awards 2016, during the World CSR Day activities, held as part of the World Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) Congress, in Mumbai, India, on February 18. Giving details, DEWA said that it won awards in the Best Smart City Initiative category for its Green Charger Initiative, the Configuration and Deployment of Smart City Infrastructure 2016 category for its Dubai Smart Soil Initiative and for the Most Powerful Sm art City Leaders. These awards, DEWA claimed, reflect the utility provider’s commitment to enhancing Dubai’s position in the regional and international renewable energy sectors, The Smart Cities Awards, DEWA added recognise pioneering projects to make cities more liveable, sustainable and economically viable. “Inspired by the vision of H.H. Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, DEWA works to achieve its development goals, which support the UAE Vision 2021 and the Dubai Plan 2021,” said H.E. Saeed Mohammed Al Tayer, MD & CEO of DEWA. “The strategic objectives of these initiatives support the long-term Green Economy for Sustainable Development initiative, to establish the UAE as one of the global leaders in this area, and a global hub for exporting and re-exporting green products and technologies.”

“In support of the Dubai Clean Energy Strategy 2050, launched by His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, to transform Dubai into an international hub for clean energy and green economy, the Dubai Supreme Council of Energy is working towards the implementation of the energy Demand Side Management strategy, which features nine programmes that contribute to the sustainable development of Dubai,” said Al Tayer. These, he elaborated, include rules and regulations for Green Buildings, the rehabilitation of existing buildings, District Cooling, regulations and standards for energy efficiency, reuse of wastewater for use in irrigation and technology to raise the efficiency of street lighting, and the Shams Dubai Initiative to transform Dubai into the city with the lowest carbon footprint in the world.

For a detailed report, visit www.climatecontrolme.com.

“The Road from Paris” Climate Change Negotiation Forum stresses the role of stakeholders in private and public sectors in achieving low-carbon economy

Her Excellency Sheikha Lubna bint Khalid Al Qasimi, Minister of State for Tolerance and President of Zayed University Talal Al Dhiyebi, Chief Development Officer at ALDAR Properties PJSC

nder the patronage of Her Excellency Sheikha Lubna bint Khalid Al Qasimi, Minister of State for Tolerance and President of Zayed University, Climate Change Negotiation Forum “The Road from Paris” was held on March 16 at Zayed University, Abu Dhabi campus, a university communiqué has informed. H.E. Sheikha Lubna delivered the keynote address at the official opening ceremony, the communiqué said, which was attended by Professor Reyadh AlMehaideb, Vice President of Zayed University, representatives from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, members from the private sector, senior administrators, faculty members and students of Zayed University. The one-day conference was reportedly organised by Zayed University College of Sustainability and Human Sciences, in collaboration with the Directorate of Energy and Climate Change at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, United Nations Environment Program (UNEP) and Regional Office for West Asia (ROWA). The forum, said the university, was a major step aimed at evaluating outcomes from Paris COP 21 meeting, with special focus on the impact in the UAE and the GCC region, and served as a platform for decision-makers, scientists, young researchers and private sector representatives, to interact and discuss the research agenda for the future. In her address on the occasion, H.E. Sheikha Lubna highlighted that rapid

Aldar becomes the first licensed master developer under new real estate law rate of population growth had triggered increasing demand on industrial activities, which, among many other anthropogenic activities, had resulted in excessive release of greenhouse gases. The level of CO2 emissions, she underlined, had risen from 280 part per million (ppm), prior to the industrial revolution, to 379 ppm in 2005, reaching the current level of ~400 ppm. “These emissions,” she said, “are causing the world’s climate to change, leaving serious impact on our planet’s environment, and the way we live. Several studies have reported an increase of the average global air temperatures by 1.5 degrees C since the early 20th century, and an increase by about one degree C over just the last 30 years.” Pointing out that the challenge needed to be dealt with globally, she emphasised that “climate change issues are crossdisciplinary and transboundary issues”, which needed sustained cooperation of academic institutions and stakeholders in private and public sectors, to realise the goals of a green, low-carbon economy. According to Zayed University, the conference discussed topics, such as UAE green growth strategy as a tool to mitigate climate change, integrated environment policy and planning, sustainable development and energy policy under conditions of economic and climate change, historical perspectives of developing nations at COP meeting, with emphasis on COP 21, the roadmap for low-carbon and climate-resilient future and the role of public health in climate change.

Proactive alignment with new regulations drives speedy approval of Company’s application

ldar Properties has announced that it has successfully received a Master Developer license from the Abu Dhabi Department of Municipal Affairs under the provisions of the new Real Estate Law, which came into effect on January 1, 2016. Talal Al Dhiyebi, Chief Development Officer at ALDAR Properties, commented: “We are very excited about the introduction of real estate law in Abu Dhabi. We believe it will bring a high degree of predictability and transparency to the market and, thereby, increase the attractiveness of the market to existing and a new generation of customers. We are proud to be the first developer licensed by the Department of Municipal Affairs under the new regulations, as it reflects our commitment to the new law and the real estate market in Abu Dhabi as a whole. The new real estate law provides enhanced protection for customers of off-plan developments and enshrines the rights of owners and residents in existing communities. For its part, the Department of Municipal Affairs welcomed the step taken by Aldar Properties, saying that it looks forward to a similar move by other real estate companies to take the necessary measures needed to comply with the new law and fulfill the requirements and conditions needed to ensure quality and timely implementation of development projects.

April 2016

NEWS REGIONAL

Taka Solutions selected global finalist of The Venture Part of search for businesses offering sustainable solutions to real-world issues

aka Solutions has announced that it has been selected one of 27 startups from across the world, to be a finalist of Chivas Regal’s The Venture, a global search to find and support the most promising social entrepreneurs, who aim to succeed in business, whilst having a positive impact on the lives of others. The company’s selection was the result of a successful pitch made by Charles Blaschke, Managing Director, and Chris Burkhardt, Commercial Director, the announcement highlighted. Taka Solutions, said the announcement, will represent the Gulf region in the upcoming final of The Venture in New York City in July, to compete for a share of The Venture’s USD 1 million fund. The 27 global finalists will reportedly have a chance to pitch in front of an expert panel of judges, who are looking for businesses that can offer scalable and sustainable solutions to real-world issues. Ahead of the global final, the company informed, the competitors will take part in The Venture’s Accelerator Week to be hosted at the Oxford University by The Skoll Centre for Social Entrepreneurship. Commenting on the judges’ decision to award the title to Taka Solutions, David Freeborn, Managing Director of Pernod Ricard Gulf, said that it was reached after serious deliberation, and added, “We believe the business is a worthy winner capable of representing the region on a global stage, and competing strongly for its share of The Venture’s USD 1 million global social enterprise fund.”

Empower awards AED 45 million contracts and extends District Cooling network Responds to increasing demand for District Cooling service in Dubai

mpower has announced awarding contracts valued at AED 45 million since the beginning of 2016. The contracts, the announcement said, are part of significant expansion of the company’s operations, which reportedly currently occupy a share of more than 70% of the District Cooling market in Dubai, and serve to extend Empower’s District Cooling network, building associated infrastructure, and installing individual flow-meters for users, at various key projects in Dubai. These deals, said H.E. Ahmad Bin Shafar, CEO of Empower, will pave the way for a series of new contracts during the year, and added: “We are utilising our expertise and resources to respond to the increasing demand for District Cooling services in Dubai. Our operations are expanding at accelerated pace with focus on vital areas. We have created a robust system to construct and operate cooling plants according to the highest world-class standards.”

April 2016

Annual RetrofitTech UAE conference held in Dubai Dubai’s retrofit programme in relation to its DSM strategy one of the highlights

dvanced Conferences & Meetings (ACM) has announced holding the 2nd annual RetrofitTech UAE Conference under the patronage of Dubai Electricity & Water Authority (DEWA), at Park Hyatt Dubai on March 14 and 15. The two-day conference, officially supported by the Ministry of Energy in UAE, Dubai Supreme Council of Energy, Dubai Municipality, Dubai Tourism and Etihad ESCO, brought together government authorities, energy consultants, sustainability experts and technology providers, to discuss retrofitting projects, the associated opportunities and the update on UAE’s retrofit programme, the announcement elaborated. The conference, said ACM, featured keynote addresses delivered by H.E. Saeed Mohammed Al Tayer, Managing Director and CEO of DEWA, H.E. Dr Matar Al Neyadi, Undersecretary of the Ministry of Energy – UAE, and H.E. Ahmad Al Muhairbi, Secretary General of Dubai Supreme Council of Energy. Panel discussions assessing the upcoming challenges and opportunities in retrofitting and comparing energy retrofit with costeffective FM solutions were among the highlights of Day One of the conference. A few of the other presentations, on day one, said ACM, were: Retrofitting for improved energy efficiency and fire safety in UAE buildings; Maximising your most valuable assets: people, places and technology; How data and software can create value to customers beyond energy efficiency; The role of building retrofits in the COP 21 Paris Agreement; Lighting in energy performance contracting; and Better MEP designs for better future energy retrofits. In addition, Dubai Tourism made a presentation on how it will introduce the retrofit programme to the hospitality industry. The highlights of the second day were a presentation outlining the importance of Dubai’s retrofit programme in relation to its demand side management strategy, an update on the rehabilitation of 157 buildings located within the Jebel Ali Free Zone and associated opportunities valued at USD 17.4 million, and a panel discussion on green financing opportunities and challenges, as also involving owners in retrofitting buildings.

Absorbing formaldehyde from the air US company claims it can improve IEQ and simultaneously reduce energy consumption by reducing fresh-air intakes with revolutionary new technology By B Surendar | Editor

S-headquartered, enVerid showcased its BreatheEasy HLR unit at the 2016 edition of Acrex, which ran from February 25 to 27 in Mumbai. The unit, designed to lower formaldehyde content in the air, among other indoor pollutants, was introduced in India as a solution to improve indoor environmental quality (IEQ); there are plans to later introduce it in the Middle East. The unit has at its core a synthetic absorbent material. It is a combination of an inert, high-surface-area mineral; active polymers and a number of catalytic activators. “It is a completely different chemistry,” said Udi Meirav, the CEO of enVerid, adding that it took five years to develop. The absorbent absorbs the contaminants in the incoming air and sends the clean air out into the built-area, Meirav said. In India, it will be marketed by BreatheEasy Consultants. Barun Aggarwal, the CEO of BreatheEasy Consultants, described the technology as the first that he was aware of that removed formaldehyde from the air. The unit, he said, absorbed formaldehyde, TVOCs, ozone and CO2. “In laboratory conditions,

we have been able to take CO2 down to zero ppm,” Aggarwal said. “In a single-pass, we were able to achieve 60-70% of CO2 reduction and 70% ozone reduction. We have been able to achieve 40-70% reduction of formaldehyde and TVOCs.” Meirav said the absorbent-based technology was quite unique, adding that it was almost impossible to capture formaldehyde with gas filters. Highlighting the fact that formaldehyde present in the builtarea was a by-product of the decomposition

Udi Meirav

of organic matter in homes, he said that the technology also scored over most conventional air-cleaning products in the market, because in a bid to clean the air, they ended up decomposing the organic matter.

Such products, he added, did more harm than good. The HLR unit, Meirav said, was a breakthrough technology for various reasons. Among them, he added, was its ability to regenerate the absorbent material through heating. The material, he said, was flushed clean with hot air. The contaminants released during the cleaning process were exhausted out of the building, he added. The regeneration of the absorbent, Meirav said, took 30 minutes to an hour and the procedure was needed to be carried out once or twice a day. In the United States, the HLR was introduced mainly as a means to save energy. To date, it has been sold as an energy-efficient solution, based on the principle that energy prices in the country are high, coupled with the fact that building owners bring in large volumes of fresh air into the building, in accordance with ASHRAE standards. The absorbent material, Meirav said, by virtue of absorbing contaminants in the air, thereby rendering the air clean, encouraged the reduction of fresh air intake. Meirav said that in university installations in the United States, the technology has been able to achieve 30% energy savings in summer.

Eurovent certification for Daikin’s AHU factory in Jebel Ali Will give Middle East customers access to Eurovent-certified units with a fan array, says Daikin

aikin has announced that its air-handling unit (AHU) factory, started in December 2014 in Jebel Ali, to serve both local and regional markets from the GCC region, Middle East & Africa (MEA), is now Eurovent certified. The factory has gone through many metamorphoses in the last 11 months, said Daikin, and elaborated that the first major step was moving into a new larger facility in April 2015, providing more flexibility and the ability to manufacture machines worth more than USD 1 million per month. Approximately, a month later, the ISO 9001 certification procedure was reportedly completed – a prerequisite for the Eurovent certification. The factory has also invested in its own testing equipment, Daikin said, allowing the demonstration of compliance to the EN1886 standard for volumetric testing, leakage testing, and mechanical strength testing to its customers.

“The basis for the unit design follows the Professional Air Handling Unit design in our factory in Milan, Italy,” said Kilian Kelly, Regional Business Director of Air Side Products in Daikin MEA. “While following the design and processes from our factory in Italy, we had access to a wide range of options and best practices in the construction of the units, providing our customers with products that have the highest quality. With the Middle East becoming more concerned with energy efficiency, selecting the Professional series as our preferred product gives our customers access to all the energy-efficient features available to Eurovent-certified units with a fan array.” About the unit in Jabel Ali, Kelly said, “Locating the factory in Jebel Ali has reduced the company’s lead times, providing our customers with a better service and response time to not only deliver quickly and on time but also provide any additional backup or aftersales services they should wish to avail of.”

April 2016

NEWS REGIONAL

Unigulf awarded DCL certificate