CCME April 2013

www.climatecontrolme.com

INTERVIEW Saeed Alabbar on the GCC Green Building movement p36 report: Gulfood 2013 p32

NEWS

– Dubai hotel gets green globe certification p6 | du inaugurates solar power plant p10 | DM releases food code p12 | Eurovent launches Vrf certification programme p16 | Mycon acquires licence to make JetMaster p18 | SSE and dimplex introduce smart heating system p20

focus Cooling towers and IAQ p64 counTry reporT Japan p46

perspective The future of better building performance p74

Special report: The cold chain industry in India p52 plus: Special ventilation feature

APRIL 2013

UNITY The 1st Annual Middle East VRF Conference called for cooperation among industry players and openness in sharing operational data

PUBLICATION LICENSED BY IMPZ

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Vol. 8 No. 4 | APRIL 2013 04 from The ediTor Whispering subtlety

happenings

contents

06 The region 14 At large 22 Marketplace 32 reporT

Where the world comes together Gulfood 2013 demonstrated the event's growing importance in the food and beverage industry, not only in the region but also in the world.

36 inTerview

'Operational data is here but is not made available' In a face-to-face with B Surendar, Saeed Alabbar expands on the status of the Green Building movement in the GCC and itemises the opportunities that lie ahead for those that are earnest about pursuing sustainable development.

46 counTry reporT

A race to energy efďŹ ciency What drives the energy efficiency initiatives in Japan, and what have they achieved? Jerome Sanchez has the report.

focus

58 All pumped up Industry players explain how pumps can play a vital role in improving performance and reliability of HVACR systems. Jerome Sanchez brings the report.

69 Venting out the pollutants Jerome Sanchez explores some key issues relating to ventilation systems and indoor air quality (IAQ) and how these can be prevented or redressed.

38

A call for unity

The 1st Annual Middle East VRF Conference called for close cooperation among industry players and openness in sharing operational data in order to encourage industry growth and technological development. This is part I of our extensive coverage of the event.

72 feaTure

Unearthing the facts Mapping the Underworld Team, UK, undertook a research project to detect and map buried pipelines and cables with the help of a multi-sensor device. We bring the details.

74 perspecTive

Building for life: The future of better building performance Sustainable technologies get a lot of press coverage, but when it comes to satisfying the world’s almost insatiable appetite for energy, nothing today beats energy efficiency, says Johan Samuelsson, Vice President, Trane Middle East and Africa.

64

52 IS THE

TRAIL GOING COLD?

Keeping it cool, clean and safe

How do cooling towers affect IAQ? What possible adverse impact does chemical treatment of cooling towers have on the environment? What is the present outlook of the cooling towers sector in the region?

Jerome Sanchez turns to industry players to gather their perspectives and insights.

The usual dismissive eye-rolling at the mention of the importance of cold chain is fast becoming a thing of the past in India which is rapidly becoming urbanised with even two-tier and three-tier towns mimicking lifestyles of metropolises. Pratibha Umashankar has the report.

April 2013

www.climatecontrolme.com

3

froM the

editor Publisher Dominic De Sousa

WHISPERING SUBTLETY

Managing Director & Associate Publisher Frédéric Paillé | fred@cpi-industry.com Editorial Director & Associate Publisher B Surendar | surendar@cpi-industry.com COO Nadeem Hood | nadeem@cpidubai.com

I

n September 2006, Kelvin Bruce, who headed the regional operations of an IAQ-services provider, organised and conducted a conference in Dubai involving the US-based National Air Duct Cleaners Association (NADCA).

During the conference, one of the presenters put on screen a sequence of extremely disturbing images of mould-afflicted humans.

It was hard to believe the scarred faces on screen, but there they were in shocking, haunting detail. So profound were the images that, almost seven years on, I have a vivid memory of them.

IAQ-gone-wrong does not often manifest itself in such startling detail, though.

Generally speaking, most people are not so negligent as to wait till a full-blown on-the-surface case to rush for medical help. It is altogether another matter that most are not cognisant of fungal exposure of the inner kind, and attribute respiratory distress, nausea and headaches to some other ailment; even doctors get mycotoxicosis wrong.

IAQ-related maladies do not visit in a whirlwind fashion, either – the experts speak of how mould and its kin work their dreaded impact inside the body in almost lilting, unparalleled subtlety, hence the need for vigilance among administrators of hospitals, hotels, malls, airports and universities. There is an urgent need for them to fully comprehend the significance and, instead of partially or wholly value-engineering it out, take the initiative to demand top quality from designers, architects, technology service providers and maintenance firms.

For months at a stretch, my team and I have extensively been focusing on air filtration and ducting issues through the pages of Climate Control Middle East, to do what we can to move it from after-thought to must-have status. And now we are priming ourselves up for a focused, dedicated conference on indoor environmental quality, with the fond hope we can escalate the issue and garner mindshare among those that control the purse-strings. While the intent and regulations are headed in the right direction – case-in point the National Strategy and Action Plan for Environmental Health of 2010, in the UAE – the ultimate buyin has to come from the building owners. Instead of looking for loopholes, which can relegate regulations and enforcement to near-nothingness, the building owners would best serve society by dipping into the conscience. That would be the true sign of a mature industry.

Contributing Editors Pratibha Umashankar prati@cpi-industry.com Anoop K Menon anoop@cpi-industry.com Senior Business Development Consultant Stephanie McGuinness stephanie@cpi-industry.com Design Genesis Salao | getty@cpi-industry.com Webmaster Troy Maagma | troy@cpidubai.com Database/ Subscriptions Manager Purwanti Srirejeki purwanti@cpi-industry.com Advertising Enquiries Frédéric Paillé: +971 50 7147204 fred@cpi-industry.com Stephanie McGuinness: +971 50 6679359 stephanie@cpi-industry.com USA and Canada Kanika Saxena Director (North America) 25 Kingsbridge Garden Cir Suite 919 Mississauga, ON, Canada L5R 4B1 kanika@cpi-industry.com Tel/fax: +1 905 890 5031 Euro Zone and UK Sicking Industrial Marketing Wilhelm Sicking 45130 Essen - Emmastrasse 44 Tel: +49 (0)201-779861 Fax: +49 (0)201-781741 Andreas Sicking 59872 Freienohl - Kurt-Schumacher-Str. 16 Tel: +49 (0)2903-3385-70

B Surendar

Fax: +49 (0)2903-3385-82 sicking-media@email.de • www.sicking.de

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Climate Control Middle East April 2013

–

the GCC Green Building

cold chain industry

in India p52

www.climat

econtrolme.com movement p36 Report: Gulfood 2013 p32

Dubai solar power plant hotel gets Green Globe Certificatio VRF certificatio n p10 | DM releases Food Code p12 n p6 | du inaugurates JetMaster p18 | programme p16 | Mycon acquires | Eurovent launches SSE and Dimplex licence to make introduce smart heating system p20

Special report: The

FOCUS Cooling towers and IAQ p64 COUNTRY REPORT Japan p46

Perspective The future of better building performance

p74 PLUS: Special ventilat ion feature

APRIL 2013

UNITY

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happenings the region

DSI awarded contracts Projects in KSA and UAE include data centre and cash centre facilities

D

rake & Scull International PJSC (DSI) has recently been awarded contracts collectively worth AED 369 million for the construction of three banking facilities,

including a major data centre in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and a utility project in Abu Dhabi. Announcing this, DSI elaborated that it had been awarded three separate contracts by Al Rajhi Bank,

with a combined value of AED 287 million, to construct the bank’s cash centre, operations centre and a major data centre facility in Riyadh. The company has also secured an AED 82 million contract for the construction of a government utility project in Abu Dhabi, it said.

Commenting on the award, Saleh Muradweij, Executive Director of Drake & Scull Construction, said: “These projects are indicative of the favourable market conditions and the aggressive pace of development being undertaken across the public

and private sectors in two of our main growth markets.

DSI’s broad expertise in general contracting and our deep understanding of the regional construction landscape will allow us to deliver on time our new contracts with Al Rajhi Bank in KSA and the utility project in Abu Dhabi.”

DSI revealed that it closed the year 2012 with a record high backlog of AED 9.1 billion as of December 31, 2012, and has managed to secure AED 1.1 billion worth of work in KSA, Qatar and Abu Dhabi year to date.

Dubai hotel gets Green Globe Certification First for Park Regis Kris Kin brand

P

ark Regis Kris Kin Hotel Dubai has been awarded the international Green Globe Certification (GGC), following a sustainability audit conducted by Farnek Consulting, GGC’s exclusive partner in the Middle East.

Announcing this, the 390room five-star hotel added that GGC was the premier worldwide sustainability stamp for the tourism industry and that more than 800 businesses in 50 countries had so far met the 337 exacting standards.

According to Farnek, the GGC-certified hotels can have access to its Webbased Hotel Optimiser technology, which enables them to track their energy performance, water consumption, and non-recyclable waste production, calculate their

6

CO2 emissions and analyse the savings on operational costs.

Commenting on the certification, Scott Butcher, General Manager, Park Regis Kris Kin Hotel, said, “We are truly proud to receive this recognition that reinforces our commitment to the emirates’ transition towards a greener economy.”

Sandrine Le Biavant, Division Manager, Farnek Consulting, on her part said that the hotel team had shown commitment to achieve certification, with a clear two-year strategy and a well thought-out environmental plan.

“Building on its newly certificated status, the hotel will roll out a number of new carbon footprintreducing initiatives in 2013, and has also

Climate Control Middle East April 2013

Scott Butcher and Sandrine Le Biavant

launched an internal forum to generate further ideas and proposals,” she added.

Speaking to Climate Control Middle East about concrete steps the hotel has taken to encourage sustainability from an HVACR point of view, Prasanna Balasuriya, the hotel’s Chief Enegineer, said: “We understand that HVAC takes up about 60% of the total electricity consumption in the hotel.

Therefore, we maintain all of the HVAC systems in a way that they operate

efficiently. We have three 450 TR centrifugal chillers in the hotel, which are efficient compared to other types.” He also shared the information that the hotel was installed with double-glazed, tinted window panels to reduce the heat load in the guest rooms. In addition, he revealed that the room management system in the hotel controlled the set points in the guest rooms, while the public area air conditioning was controlled by the building management system.

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happenings the region

Rockwell welcomes six ASHRAE Qatar Oryx companies to holds seminar its programme Announces CHRVI Middle East dates ASHRAE UPDATE

Says partnership offers manufacturers access to expertise, product resources and sustainable solutions

R

ockwell Automation PartnerNetwork framework, which offers global manufacturers access to a collaborative network of companies, has announced that two new product suppliers in the Americas region have joined the Rockwell Automation Encompass third-party product referencing programme, while two new partners have joined its OEM Partner programme, and two new EMEA solution providers have been added to the Solution Partner programme.

According to Rockwell, the PartnerNetwork involves a collaborative team of suppliers and system integrators, who work collectively to solve manufacturing and automation challenges and mutually focus on developing, implementing and supporting solutions to achieve plant-wide optimisation, improve machine performance, and meet sustainability objectives.

Rockwell made the following claims about the efficacy of its programmes: Encompass Partner companies offer added functionality to complement and improve Rockwell Automation solutions in order to help manufacturers achieve the ideal application fit. Members of the OEM Partner programme provide high-quality, innovative machinery that uses Rockwell Automation solutions. Solution Partners are established companies who offer widespread knowledge in design, implementation, project management and maintenance of industrial control systems.

In this context, Tom Mercer, Regional Channel Manager, Rockwell Automation, Middle East, commented: “The favourable response to our integrated solutions from a global perspective is truly exciting and substantially affirms the broader market demand for automation. Given the strong and active partnership Rockwell Automation has, it is a great fit for our automation partner network since they bring the local expertise and dedication to excellent customer service that our customers have come to expect. Our growth strategy of innovation and partnership is committed to continually enhancing the services we offer to EMEA and globally.”

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Climate Control Middle East April 2013

A

ccording to the ASHRAE Qatar Oryx Newsletter, the Chapter held a seminar on March 11 at Asiana Restaurant. The focus of the seminar was a presentation made by Mohamad Nazer on the topic “Training on Centrifugal Pumps – Design, Selection and Operation”.

The presentation focused on the following areas: • Major pump components • Functions of components • Design calculations on shaft deflections • Losses in pumps • Pump selection • Trouble shooting In its Web site, the Chapter shared the information that the international exhibition for Cooling, Heating, Refrigeration and Insulation (CHRVI) Middle East, will be held from June 4 to 6 at the Doha Exhibition Center, aimed at meeting the demands of the industry for potential energy use reduction and to present the latest available technologies in the industry.

Sponsored by Mannai Trading Company, Toshiba Air Conditioning and ASHRAE, and organised by Heights Exhibitions and Conferences, CHRVI Middle East will focus on the technologies in the fields of cooling, heating, refrigeration, ventilation and insulation in the manufacturing and commercial sectors, ASHRAE Oryx said.

“The exhibition coincides with the fast development of the State of Qatar in construction, building and the preparation of World Cup projects,” Waleed Wahba, CEO, Heights Exhibitions and Conferences, reportedly said during a press conference dedicated to the announcement of the event. The press conference was attended

by Khalid Al Mannai, Executive Director, and Aleck Grewal, CEO, Mannai Trading Company; Hideyuki Kumazawa, Toshiba’s Director EMEA and Hassan Sultan, President of ASHRAE Oryx Qatar, the Web site informed.

happenings the region

du inaugurates solar power plant

Says it is part of its green initiatives to support the UAE leadership’s vision

T

elecom company, du has announced the inauguration of the new Shams 1 concentrated solar power (CSP) plant.

Saying that it is in support of the UAE leadership’s vision for a greener and more sustainable future, the company claimed that it has implemented several long-running innovative and viable sustainable practices to conserve energy and contribute towards a greener future for the UAE.

In this context, Osman Sultan, CEO, du, said: “His Highness Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan, the President of the UAE, has a strong vision for our country that will lead us to a more sustainable future.

Under his guidance, our nation has achieved many world firsts, including the adoption of a long-term national initiative that will lead us to become more environmentally conscious.

The inauguration of Shams 1

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Climate Control Middle East April 2013

Engineering

Energy

Environment

is a strong step towards our greener future, and I offer my congratulations, on behalf of all my colleagues at du, to the leadership and the people of the UAE on this momentous occasion.”

In addition to the announcement of the inauguration, du listed other sustainability initiatives it had taken: hybrid power solutions at base station sites: du has decided to convert all possible off-grid sites to smart hybrid sites by deploying hybrid solutions, which, in this case, involves deep cycling batteries and the smart Energy Manager, which cycles the site’s load between generator and batteries, thus reducing the run time of the generator significantly – 137 sites were converted to hybrid power solution, resulting, so far, in 50% less fuel consumption and, therefore, 50% lesser CO2 emissions; saving of around 1.3M litres of diesel fuel; and decrease

in generator runtime by 70%, meaning less air and noise pollution.

Increasing temperature inside btS shelters: As a part of “du green initiatives”, the du technology team has increased the temperature set point inside over 2000 BTS sites, resulting in three per cent energy saving. When asked for details, the company revealed to Climate Control Middle East that the set point inside the BTS shelters was previously 21°C, and was raised to 25°C. It explained that ambient temperature was not a factor there. However, to benefit from cooler days – mostly between November and March – it was testing a Free Cooling Unit system that would draw in cool air from outside. This would help reduce the runtime of the air conditioning units, and further contribute to considerable energy savings, the spokesperson at du pointed out.

happenings the region

Daikin unveils new split systems Focuses on energy efficiency and improvement of indoor environmental quality

D

aikin McQuay Middle East FZE officially launched its new line of split systems on March 20 at the InterContinental

Hotel, Dubai Festival City.

Ahmed M Eldessouki, Senior Sales Engineer, Daikin McQuay Middle East FZE, in his presentation of the new product line, focused on the features and benefits of the high-tier, wall-mounted split unit.

He informed that the system was available in both R22 and R410A models and that it was particularly optimised to operate in ambient temperatures of as high a 54°C. He added that the new split unit could attain a rating of up to five stars, following the standards of the Emirates Authority for Standardisation and Metrology (ESMA).

Below are other features of

the system that Eldessouki highlighted in his presentation: • High efficiency at full load and very high efficiency at partial load • Start-up booster cooling function that provides faster cooling on start-up • Turbo mode function that increases the airflow of the system for quick cooling • Quiet mode for operation as quiet as 34dBA • Sleep mode function for adjusting the set temperature for sleeping comfort • Two filters – a saranet filter for elimination of dust, and a titanium apatite filter for the elimination of organic

Dm issues food Code A first for the region, the code aims to elevate the standards of food safety

T

he Dubai Municipality, on March 25, 2013, released the Dubai Food Code with the aim of providing a set of model requirements to help food businesses achieve a higher degree of compliance with the food regulations, and attain a higher standard of food safety through the adoption of good practices.

Commenting against the backdrop of a press conference specifically called for the release of the Code, Khalid Shareef, Director, Food Control Department, Dubai Municipality, said: “Dubai’s vision is to establish a world-class food safety system that helps provide safe food to the residents and the several millions that visit the Emirate each year.”

The Code is an interpretative guideline

12

that explains how to meet the objectives identified in the administrative and local orders passed by the Government of Dubai.

According to the Dubai Municipality, the Code has, as its primary focus, a broad range of food establishments, including, but not limited to, restaurants, hotels, bakeries, butcheries, grocery stores, food catering units, food factories and food packing material manufacturers.

One of the more relevant areas to the HVACR industry included in the Code is on ventilation. The Code prescribes that the air supplied to food premises shall be of sufficient quality so as not to contaminate the equipment or the food, as unclean air, excessive dust or build-up of condensation or grease are

Climate Control Middle East April 2013

all potential sources of food contamination.

Another significant area to the industry is that on temperature control during transport and storage. The Code endorses that all high risk and perishable foods requiring temperaturecontrolled environments to extend their shelf lives or limit microbial growth shall be transported, stored or distributed in equipment that consistently maintains certain temperatures.

Speaking to Climate Control Middle East, Bobby Krishna Thulasi, Principal Food Studies

contaminants • Auto random restart function for preventing power surges after an interruption For the outdoor unit, Eldessouki pointed out that it had a wide operating range of up to 54°C and that it came with hydrophilic gold fin to increase the life span of the unit. He added that the outdoor unit could be installed on the roof, on the terrace or against an outside wall. His presentation also included a brief introduction on ceiling-mounted cassette units, ducted split units, and rooftop package units.

and Surveys Officer, Food Control Department, Dubai Municipality, said: “Frozen food has to be kept at -18°C during transportation and storage, while chilled food has to be kept at 5°C.” The Dubai Municipality will be organising workshops to introduce the Food Code. According to the Municipality, licensing requirements will be adapted to the Code.

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Trane Egypt Tel: +202 2624 1328

Trane Kuwait Tel: +965 2482 6207

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Trane Qatar Tel: +974 4430 9000

happenings At lArge

ISh 2013 draws big crowds Ignorance and uncertainty preventing new energy paradigm from gaining ground, reveals poll

Photo courtesy Messe Frankfurt Exhibition GmbH / Petra Welzel

Claims advanced aluminum pastes significantly boost electrical performance of solar cells

D

I

SH, touted to be the world’s biggest trade fair for innovative bathroom design, energy-efficient heating and air conditioning technology and renewable energy, held from March 12 to 16 at the Frankfurt Fair and Exhibition Centre, reportedly attracted 2,434 exhibitors presenting their new products in two main sections – ISH Water and ISH Energy, the fair organiser Messe Frankfurt said.

As an interesting but significant aside, the organiser revealed that based on a representative poll conducted on its behalf, the average cost of a single-family house for heating and hot water in Germany was around EUR 2,500 pa, with consumers wasting billions every year owing to obsolete heating systems, representing an enormous potential, as around half of the heating energy and, therefore, a considerable amount of money, could be saved through the installation of new technology. However, ignorance and uncertainty were two factors preventing the new energy paradigm from reaching the boiler room, the organiser added.

Although around 90% of respondents knew how old their heating system was, almost half of them underestimated the share of heating and hot water in their ancillary costs, and in actual fact, 14

Sunrise reports achieving 20.3% efficiency with Solamet

Climate Control Middle East April 2013

these costs accounted for around 55% of the total, Messe Frankfurt elaborated. The survey also reportedly showed that although many landlords and tenants were willing to invest in their homes, they shied away from modernisation projects. Building work and costs, difficulty in obtaining an overview of the supply side, and lack of transparency and security with regard to official incentive and subsidy programmes, were cited as the main reasons for this.

The trade fair, whose twin themes were energy efficiency and resource conservation, pointed to the fact that although energy efficiency can make an important contribution to the new energy paradigm, it was frequently ignored in the current discussion, which tended to focus on the increased use of renewable energies and the price of electricity.

“Unfortunately, lots of people are simply unaware of how much energy can be saved by using new technologies”, said Wolfgang Marzin, President and CEO of Messe Frankfurt. “In many cases, they could save up to 50% on their energy costs, which means, investments would amortise very quickly. But that’s not all. Such investments also increase the level of comfort and feeling of well-being. To this end, ISH presents a multi-faceted spectrum of highly innovative solutions.”

uPont Microcircuit Materials (MCM) and Sunrise Global Solar Energy Corporation have announced that they have produced solar cells with conversion efficiencies of 20.3% using the newly commercialised DuPont Solamet PV36X series aluminum photovoltaic metallisation pastes for rear-side passivation of silicon solar cells.

Sunrise reported that results with its latest CELCO high-efficiency solar cell design were independently verified by certified global standards group, Fraunhofer ISE in Germany and added that high-performance solar panels with electrical output power greater than 280 Watts were produced and certified by independent certification group, TÜV Rheinland. It claimed that higher conversion efficiencies allow for greater electrical power generation in solar cells.

DuPont, on its part, added that Solamet PV36X series pastes can achieve greater cell efficiency gains compared with traditional aluminum pastes due to better electrical contacts and stronger adhesion.

The new materials also exhibit strong resistance to a phenomenon known as potential induced degradation (PID), which has been observed in competing solar cell designs, where performance can slightly decrease, it explained.

“Our collaboration with Sunrise Global Solar Energy has yielded excellent results,” said Peter Brenner, Photovoltaics Global Marketing Manager, DuPont MCM. “This successful commercialisation of high-performance solar cells, when coupled with the right materials, continues to lower the cost of producing electricity with solar energy.”

For 25 years, Faisal Jassim Trading Co. has been your partner in building the future. Today, we renew our pledge to provide you with products and services to face the ever changing demands of the building industry.

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happenings At lArge

eurovent launches certification programme

• • •

First programme for VRF systems

•

E

urovent Certification Company (ECC) has announced compliant registration of manufacturers for its new VRF programme.

It has added that certified performance for VRFs would be available on Eurovent Certification’s Web site by the end of September 2013, and that the certification process steps, along with product test(s) required to comply

with certification protocol, would generate certified performance data for VRF between the end of June and the end of September 2013.

For manufacturers applying for the programme, Eurovent has proposed the following process: • Signing of agreement by manufacturers for VRF programme, from now onwards – there is

halton Group records growth in 2012

Eyes emerging markets such as Asia and Latin America

H

alton Group, which deals in indoor climate and environmental products, services and solutions, has announced that despite the uncertain global economic climate, 2012 was one of the most successful years in its history. The company’s sales increased by 16% compared to the previous year, reaching the figure of EUR 168 million, and also improved its operating profit, touching EUR 13 million, the announcement reported.

The Finnish, family-

16

owned company, which is organised in three business areas – providing solutions for public and commercial buildings, commercial kitchens and restaurants, as well as for marine and off-shore applications – has operations in Europe and the Middle East, the Americas, and Asia. It revealed that it is especially targeting the emerging markets, such as Asia and Latin America.

According to Halton, it has established sales units in Brazil, Philippines,

Climate Control Middle East April 2013

• • •

no deadline as this is a voluntary registration Declaration file for products below 50 kW to be provided by applicant Selection of products to be tested sent by ECC Declaration file for products above 50 kW up to agreed scope of programme (to be defined) Delivery of products below 50 kW Selection of products to be tested with participant laboratories ECC to publish certified performance for the full scope of the programme For manufacturers registered at a later date, the schedule applied would be modified according to timing

According to ECC, data

Saudi Arabia and Turkey, as well as created a joint venture, Halton-Innes SA, in Mexico to serve the Spanish-speaking Latin American countries. The company is also investing in Finland by opening a new manufacturing facility for air filtration production in 2013, next to its existing facilities in Kausala, it added.

In this context, Mika Halttunen, Chairman of the Board at Halton Group, said: “Our R&D centres on three continents enable us to carry out testing of new products and customised solutions for customers.

Halton also works in close collaboration with leading universities and research centres to be able to apply the latest

would be made available in the Edibatec – Cl@a database used as a data library by major thermal calculation software for building, and more information would be available at www.catalogueclea.fr. Also, additional companies willing to join the VRF certification programme can contact the company at apply@eurovent-certification. com.

ECC claimed that its certification was recognised in the field of industrial third party product performance for HVACR products, offering consultants, energy engineering offices, architects and product end-users the most comprehensive certification programme that covers up to 15 product families, according to European and international standards.

knowledge in the field to benefit our customers.

“There is a growing demand for services, which helps create comfortable and safe indoor environments that have an energy-efficient and sustainable life cycle.

In addition, the operations in different business areas and regions support and balance each other during economic cycles. This is another factor contributing to Halton’s success.”

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happenings At lArge

fCI wins awards Company says Control magazine readers chose the winners

C

ontrol magazine readers have selected Fluid Components International (FCI) as the Number One supplier of both thermal mass flow meters and flow switches for over a decade. Announcing this, the company said that the results of the 21st Annual Control Readers’ Choice Awards represent the collective opinion of hundreds of process automation professionals.

FCI, in the wake of winning the awards, claimed that its products were requested by name in many of the world’s most demanding environments for flow instrumentation and were recognised for their precision measurement accuracy and repeatability in harsh conditions, where their high performance ensured both end-product quality and operational safety.

Gea to participate at trade fair

Will showcase products related to seafood processing

in areas with difficult access such as harbours and bays; AccuJector Injection System, especially developed for fish injection amounts from five to 50%, where the cuts of fish can be immediately packed after injection or transported to the next processing step; and PowerPak Thermoformer for hygienic packaging of fresh and deepfrozen fish.

G

EA Food Solutions and GEA Refrigeration Technologies has announced that it will participate and present a number of innovations at the Seafood Processing Europe, to held in Brussels from April 23 to 25 (Hall 4, Booth 4-5839).

GEA listed three main products it will showcase at the trade fair: Geneglace containers for mobile ice generation and storage, which are designed for the generation and storage of flake ice, with application

mycon acquires licence to make Jetmaster

Equipment can be used for cleaning fin-type heat exchangers

M

ycon has announced acquiring the global licence for the construction and sale of equipment (JetMaster) for cleaning finned heat exchangers, from its sister company, Kipp Umwelttechnik, which will offer the patent-protected process (additional patents are pending) as service work on finned heat exchangers in all sectors within Germany, such as coolers in the engine sector, oil coolers, cold stores and air conditioning systems.

According to Mycon, JetMaster has been tested on finned heat exchangers

18

up to 650 mm deep and can also be cleaned if they are accessible from both sides.

It added that JetMaster employed an environmentally friendly cleaning process that solely worked with the smallest volumes of clean water and compressed air (at most 1 - 6 bar), meaning that the process could also be used in all outdoor areas.

Mycon explained the cleaning process saying that the water was pre-treated within the equipment, and when fed in as a compressed

Climate Control Middle East April 2013

air stream, the pre-treated water was charged with micro-bubbles and blasted at high speed through a special nozzle onto the finned heat exchanger to be cleaned.

The

emerging stream penetrated into the sensitive fins, where it caused a cavitation effect that loosened the dirt adhering to the fins and, ultimately, carried it away.

The company claimed that the cleaning effect made finned heat exchangers look almost new even after serious contamination by oil and other organic substances, and had the added advantages of energy savings, elimination of heat-related downtimes and extension of the service life of systems.

happenings At lArge

Systemair acquires holland heating from Carrier Acquisition aimed at strengthening Systemair’s market position in Europe

SSe and Dimplex introduce smart heating system Claim that it could cut bills and increase use of renewables

I

n a joint press release, SSE, a UK-based energy company, and Dimplex, an appliance manufacturer, claimed that Quantum, a new smart electric thermal storage (SETS) system they have introduced into the market, offers customers efficiency savings of up to 20%.

More significantly, they added that a new report commissioned by them and published by energy consultancy, DNV KEMA, has concluded

20

that the thermal storage technology could play a key role in Europe’s transition to a smarter, low-carbon energy system, by storing up renewable energy when demand is low and supply is

Climate Control Middle East April 2013

S

ystemair, on March 5, 2013, acquired Holland Heating, a Netherlands-based manufacturer of air handling units, from Carrier. Commenting on the transaction, Gerald Engström, President and CEO of Systemair, said: “We are very pleased to acquire a company with such a long history and strong product portfolio.” He added that the acquisition of Holland Heating would ensure that

high.

According to SSE and Dimplex, the study looked at the potential impact of the new SETS technology on both customers and the energy system, and found that, as well as providing significant comfort and cost benefits to those using storage heating, SETS could provide as much as 54 GW of additional flexible storage capacity across Europe by 2050, potentially saving up to 7.4 TWh of electricity and three mega-tonnes of CO2 emissions per year. The two entities added that this could be increased to 148 GW if all electrically heated homes

Systemair would become the market leader in the manufacture and supply of air handling units in the Netherlands and would strengthen his company’s market position in Europe.

Founded in 1955, Holland Heating has its headquarters and production facilities in Waalwijk. The company had been owned by Carrier since 1997, and had a reported turnover of EUR 32.5 million in 2012.

switched to SETS. In the light of this, Ian Marchant, Chief Executive of SSE, said: “No matter what the energy supply mix looks like in the future, it is clear that there will be more renewables on the system, which means it will be crucial to find new ways to balance the variability of supply in a smarter electricity grid. This report shows that smart electric thermal storage has huge potential to help in this area, as well as saving people money and giving them much better control over their heating. We’re, therefore, delighted to be bringing it to market for the first time in partnership with Dimplex.”

Stuart Mackenzie, Managing Director of Dimplex, added: “Quantum offers consumers with electric storage heaters the opportunity to reduce their running costs by up to 27%. It’s also a Green Deal-approved measure, so the capital cost outlay can be substantially reduced.”

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ENGINEERING ADVANTAGE

marketplace

this section contains regional and international products information

Camfil Farr

CamCleaner

A

ir purification technology and air filter solutions provider, Camfil Farr, has announced introducing CamCleaner, a range of patented air purifiers with, what it claims to be, the most efficient HEPA filters on the market. They are more efficient, reduce energy costs, and create healthier work environment, Camfil Farr further claims.

According to the company, the CamCleaner comes in the following range: CamCleaner 30000; CamCleaner 6000; CamCleaner 2000; CamCleaner 300; CamCleaner Molecular RRC 850/1700; and CamCleaner 800.

The manufacturer lists the following product features and advantages: n CamCleaner can suck in air from two different directions and can control how clean the air is in various zones, even if there are no walls dividing the premises. It can, thus, deliver pure air to surfaces that are particularly sensitive, while other areas can maintain a lower requirement level.

This is possible, because it optimises the airflow to meet the demands of the working environment. n Absolute filters are used, because they purify mechanically instead of electrostatically. All the filters are environmentally labelled and classified and standardised. n Apart from purifying the air, heating (in cold climates) is made more efficient, as CamCleaner acts as a supplement to the existing ventilation system – the building owner can circulate and clean the heated air present in the room, instead of drawing in and heating new cold air

CamCleaner 2000

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Climate Control Middle East April 2013

CamCleaner 300

CamCleaner 800

from the outside. n Inbuilt sensors, which automatically regulate the indoor environment, are available as optional extras. The quality of air is then adapted to suit the number of people in the room. n CamCleaner 30000 and CamCleaner 6000 can also be connected via ModBus for remote control and review of the filter change interval. n As an add-on, Camfil IAQ Analysis can be incorporated to CamCleaner units, which provides a direct picture of the IAQ, which is monitored.

All measurements are saved in the database, which contains millions of IAQ measurements. n The IAQ reports are based on SS EN, SS EN ISO and IEST standards of classification. n Thanks to the air rendered pure, products are protected, and cleaning frequency may be reduced by up to 50%. n It reduces headaches, asthma and irritation of the respiratory tract caused by contaminated air, and results in improved work performance and wellbeing.

CamCleaner 6000

CamCleaner 30000

CamCleaner Molecular RRC 850/1700

marketplace

This section contains regional and international products information

Desso

AirMaster carpet

C

laiming that it ensures cleaner air in hospitals and offices, which could provide relief for the MENA region’s asthma sufferers, help lower healthcare costs and reduce absenteeism from work, European carpet manufacturer, Desso has introduced AirMaster carpet.

Desso puts forward the following statistical data to support its contention that the MENA region is prone to allergies: Firstly, according to a report by the World Allergy Organisation (WOA), the MENA region is home to an estimated 50 million asthma sufferers, which costs the regional health service and local economies an estimated USD 2.5 billion each year in direct medical costs,

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Andre Dulka, Regional Director, Middle East, Africa & India, Desso

absenteeism from work and low productivity.

Secondly, the WOA has reported that the prevalence of asthma within the GCC is thought to be relatively high, particularly among children, with recent studies in the UAE showing that 20% already suffer from

Climate Control Middle East April 2013

DESSO AirMaster comes in 18 colours, offering a range of possibilities

the disease. According to a global asthma prevalence study part of a World Health Survey (WHS), designed and implemented by the World Health Organization (WHO) in 2012, in Kuwait, 17% of the population is afflicted. In Saudi Arabia, numbers vary from region to region, ranging from 15% to 25% and in the UAE, 12% of adults also suffer from asthma.

In the light of this, Desso lists the following product features and advantages: n AirMaster is able to capture and retain potentially harmful fine dust, lowering its concentration in the indoor air by as much as eight times, compared with hard floors, and four times lower than with standard carpet – based on tests performed by the German Test Institute (GUI), with Desso AirMaster versus standard PVC hard floor and versus standard structured loop pile carpet. n The ribbed structure and the open spaces between the thick and fine yarns allow optimal air circulation and improved dust release.

Andre Dulka, Regional Director, Middle East, Africa & India, Desso, highlighted additional salient features of Desso carpets. Speaking to Climate Control Middle East, he pointed out that all Desso products were tested and adhered to the limit values for volatile organic compounds (VOCs) as defined by the Carpet Industry Association for Environmental Issue (GUT). He added that the same set of criteria was used by the US-based Carpet and Rug Institute (CRI), which launched its Green Label Plug testing and certification to indicate carpet and carpet backings that emit low VOCs. “All Desso’s business carpet products meet these criteria,” Dulka emphasised.

He also shared the information that, in the development of the company’s carpet tiles, Desso sought to use the healthiest chemical ingredients from a human health and environment point of view.

This, he added, helped to reduce the problem of VOCs posing risks to people’s health.

marketplace

this section contains regional and international products information

Belimo Americas

New Generation Globe Valve Actuator and Retrofit Linkage

S

aying that the actuator gives valves the “extra muscle” they need for applications where higher close-off pressures are required, Belimo Americas has announced the release of its New Generation Globe Valve Actuator and Retrofit Linkage solution.

The manufacturer lists the following product features and advantages: n They are engineered to suit a broad range of HVAC applications. n The actuator offers greater force (up to 1011 lbf) with a reinforced rugged design, a

selectable fail-safe position switch and a quick connect coupler, making installation quick and easy. n With a retrofit linkage that adjusts to most globe valves, the actuator provides increased flexibility with reduced inventory. n Other technical finer points are: Travel ranges of up to 2" (50 mm) Multiple voltage options (24V and 120-230V) One universal linkage retrofits most globe valves, regardless of make Increased force ranges

E+E Elektronik

EE300Ex transmitter

D

ubbing it as a safe measurement of humidity and temperature in challenging industrial applications, E+E Elektronik has introduced its new EE300Ex transmitter.

The manufacturer adds that the device complies with the ATEX Directives for intrinsically safe equipment, and can be employed in both hazardous and explosive gas and dust locations in zones 0 / 20.

The manufacturer lists the following product features and advantages: n Thanks to its easy-toclean stainless steel housing, the humidity transmitter is ideal for use in the pharmaceutical and chemicals industry. n The E+E humidity sensor element guarantees longterm stability and precise

26

and reliable measurements in the range of 0 to 100% rel. hum. and -40 to180°C and from 0.01 to 300bar under pressure. n The two-part housing concept simplifies the installation of the humidity transmitter and permits rapid replacement of the measurement unit, such as for calibration, without time-consuming re-cabling.

As a compact wall-mount n version or with an up to 10 m remote sensing probe, it is ideal for a wide range of applications.

The current values can be n read off the device directly using the optional display.

It can also be used for n moisture measurement in oils: The humidity content of oil can be issued as absolute in [ppm] or

Climate Control Middle East April 2013

for higher close-off pressures Field selectable fail-safe position switches Lower power consumption during operation Reinforcing the points stated above, Joseph Carcare, Product Manager, Belimo Retrofit Solutions, said: “With

its innovative valve clamp and quick connect coupler, the New Generation Globe Valve Actuator can be installed and adapted in minutes.

Engineered to suit a broad range of HVAC applications, the new generation actuator and retrofit linkages are highly adaptable making selection, installation and service hasslefree.”

relative as water content [aw]. n In addition to the measured values for humidity and temperature, the dewpoint, frost point, absolute humidity, mixing ratio and other computational functions can also be issued. n It is designed using two-

conductor technology – the measured values are issued on two analogue outputs with 4 to 20mA. n The configuration adapter can be used to carry out custom modifications of the transmitter and to adjust the humidity and temperature outputs quickly and easily.

marketplace

this section contains regional and international products information

Xylem Bell & Gossett System Syzer mobile app for Android

S

aying that it is widely recognised as the industry standard for calculating flow rates and pressure drops in piping systems, Xylem, a water technology provider, has announced that its popular Bell & Gossett System Syzer software program is available as a mobile application for the Android operating system. It adds that the app can be downloaded for free from the Google Play Store, and that HVAC professionals with a smartphone or smart mobile device can now have the same functionality and program features while working in the field.

According to Xylem, the System Syzer application is based on the novel plastic wheel calculator designed by Bell & Gossett’s Gil Carlson. Widely recognised as the “Father of Modern Hydronics,” Carlson first introduced the System Syzer in 1963, and it has since been distributed to well over 100,000 engineers and tradesmen, it claimed.

The company has listed the following features, functions and several critical calculations the System Syzer can perform:

n Calculating the friction loss and velocity through various pipe types and sizes based on existing fluid conditions n Calculating the relationship between fluid temperatures, system flow and heating/ cooling load n A unique Cv tool that shows the relationship between Cv, flow and head and accounts for fluid properties n A Pipe Length/Pressure Drop tool that interfaces with other calculators to view the relationship between pipe length, friction loss and total head loss n A bundled Circuit Setter/Triple Duty Valve calculator that is very useful during the design phase to help predetermine valve settings, and out in the field, to determine flow through the valves based on pressure drop readings Xylem revealed that the System Syzer was released as an app for Apple iPhone and iPad devices last year. It is also available for free download on all iPad and iPhone devices from the Apple App Store.

Bell & Gossett BPX brazed plate heat exchangers

X

ylem has announced the addition of four new Bell & Gossett BPX brazed plate heat exchangers to its line of large plate heat exchangers. The 3” and 4” brazed plate heat exchangers, models BP432, BP433, BP434, and BP435, are ideal for large hydronic heating applications, refrigerant evaporators, condensers with large chillers and many other applications requiring flow rates up to 800 GPM, the manufacturer has claimed.

The company lists the following product features and advantages: n The compact, low-cost units with innovative corrugated plate design provide very high heat transfer coefficients. n The heat exchangers use stainless steel plates and are vacuum brazed together to form a durable product that withstands both high pressure and high temperature. n All four models have a design pressure of 435 psig, min/max design temperature of 310/450°F, lifting lugs, and support/ mounting feet. n Additionally, all models are designed in accordance with ASME Section VIII, div. 1 and include a “U” stamp as a standard offering. n They provide high rates of heat transfer, which requires less surface area than conventional shell and tube exchangers.

Other advantages of the BPX heat exchangers versus conventional shell and tube units include: n One-sixth the size n One-fifth the weight

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Climate Control Middle East April 2013

n Uses only one-eighth the liquid n Requires one-third to one-fifth the surface area According to Xylem, the new models are available for selection and pricing in the System Syzer selection and configuration software.

Tuned to Your Cooling Needs

Minkels

Next Generation Cold Corridor

T

outing it as a modular and highly flexible aisle containment solution that separates hot and cold airflows in an energy-efficient manner, data centre maker, Minkels has announced launching the Next Generation Cold Corridor.

Minkels revealed that it had launched the first version of the Cold Corridor system at the CeBIT in 2006, and has now incorporated modularity in its new design The manufacturer lists the following product features and advantages: n New design roof panels with a high level of light transmission n Plug & Play integration of monitoring sensors n Access and access control and air-tightness, which prevent leakage of cooling air n PIN code system or card reader system, which offer a broad choice of security options and (automatic) door systems n Ease of installation n Optional modules based on clients’ best practices n Compatible with a variety for fire extinguishing systems

A01122EN

In addition to the above, Jeroen Hol, CEO at Minkels, said: “Virtualisation and cloud computing have given data centre dynamics a considerable boost. As an extension of this development, users are expressing a growing need for highly scalable, and, therefore, flexible data centre solutions. They want to be able to conveniently upscale or downscale a data centre whenever necessary. Cost considerations also play a role in this call for flexibility. This highly modular design offers extensive opportunities to implement such a Cold Corridor solution in stages and, therefore, more cost effectively, too.”

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April 2013

www.climatecontrolme.com

29

report

gulfood 2013

Where the

W rld comeS together

Reported to be the biggest edition in the event’s 26-year history, Gulfood 2013 demonstrated its growing importance in the food and beverage industry, not only in the region but also in the world. We bring you the report.

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As global trends continue to drive consumer demands across the food, beverage and hospitality sectors, having a meeting point where global players in the industry can come together to do business and stay abreast of the latest developments in the sector is of utmost importance. As an official communiqué from the Dubai Airport Freezone (DAFZA) put it, the food and beverage (F&B) sector is one of the fastest growing industries in the world, reportedly valued at USD 7 trillion. In the GCC alone, food imports are expected to more than double in the next decade, increasing from USD 25.8 billion in 2010 to USD 53.1 billion in 2020.

Held from February 25 32

to 28, Gulfood 2013 was inaugurated by H.H. Sheikh Hamdan Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Deputy Ruler of Dubai and Minister of Finance of the UAE. The opening ceremony was attended by H.E. Sheikha Lubna Bint Khalid Al Qasimi, Minister for Foreign Trade of the UAE. The event was attended by ministers, ambassadors, dignitaries and trade officials from around the world, and once again opened its doors to exhibitors and participants from over 4,200 companies from 110 countries.

Reported to be the biggest edition in the event’s 26-year history, staged on a record exhibition space of 113,398 m2, Gulfood 2013 was widely regarded as a testament to the importance of the event on a truly global scale.

Commenting on this, Trixie Loh, Senior Vice President, Dubai World Trade Centre (DWTC), organiser of Gulfood, said: “Gulfood’s importance on a truly global scale cannot be disputed. Not only has the show enjoyed substantial growth yearon-year without exception, and attracted participation

Climate Control Middle East April 2013

More than being a trading and networking platform, Gulfood has evolved into an opportunity for education and learning for participants from countries around the world but the show also now commands a place on the calendars of heads of state, government ministers and official delegations looking to strengthen relations at the highest level.”

Sharing his insights on the importance of the event in the context of the Middle East, Mohammed Suwailem, Senior Director for Sales, DAFZA, commented: “With a record of 4,200 exhibitors, we find

that Gulfood and F&B-focused events provide increasingly beneficial opportunities for us to showcase our facilities to companies who are looking to invest in their business in the Middle East and want the support and expertise to do so.”

In an official release, Helal Saeed Almarri, Director General, Department of Tourism and Commerce Marketing, and CEO of DWTC, expressed his delight over the presence of government ministers and top-level delegations from around the world, and said that this fact demonstrated the event’s consistent growth over the last 26 years, to become a significant driver of F&B trade for global markets. Almarri added that the continuous participation of large and small F&B companies alike drove home the fact that Gulfood delivered business contracts and facilitated trade opportunities for both regional and international businesses.

More than being a trading and networking platform, Gulfood has evolved into an opportunity for education and learning for participants.

“With Gulfood being an important trading platform for F&B professionals from around the world, it is important for us to ensure that the show is a source of education and learning for visitors,” said Loh in a news release.

Claiming to bring together more than 50 international experts, food specialists and business leaders from all sectors of the F&B industry, the Gulfood 2013 Conferences incorporated four key summits – the Global Food Leaders’ Summit; Food Packaging and Processing Forum; Food Inspection Conference; and the Franchising Workshop.

Speaking about this, Loh said in the afore-mentioned news release that the Gulfood 2013 Conferences

report

gulfood 2013

would address the latest trends, critical issues and opportunities impacting various sectors of the industry through panel discussions, presentations, interactive workshops and case studies. “The conference programme is a key feature of Gulfood, and every year, we try to enhance this by bringing the very best calibre of speakers to provide regional professionals with access to content that is shaping the global F&B landscape,” said Loh. The Global Food Leaders’ Summit reportedly brought together senior executives from some of the world’s foremost food and drink companies. Key topics, the report added, included issues and commercial drivers that impact strategic decision-making; factors shaping the future of the food industry; the role of the private sector in food security, food consumption and sustainability; and the implications of being a large-scale business. Sheikha Lubna delivered the keynote address at the Summit.

The Food Processing and Packaging Forum, on the other hand, focused on topics such as balancing quality and quantity in food processing, the role of packaging specialists in tackling food waste, and cost management through strategic planning and

Sheikh Hamdan Bin Rashid Al Maktoum opens Gulfood 2013

34

DAFZA at Gulfood 2013

Climate Control Middle East April 2013

sourcing.

The Food Franchising Workshop offered participants advice on franchise investing, the role of supply chains in a franchise business, and hidden elements of a franchise agreement. The workshop was facilitated

by Kit Brinkley, Director of the World Franchising Association, the release revealed.

Another much anticipated event during Gulfood 2013 was the Gulfood Awards 2013. Held on February 25 at the Samaya Ballroom of the Ritz Carlton, the ceremony was said to have attracted a record number of entries in 24 categories, and was judged by an international panel of independent industry experts. Commenting on this year’s edition of the Awards, Loh said: “Both the level of interest and quality of submissions we have received for the awards have been exceptional. It is exciting to see regional players in the food and beverage industry raise the bar for excellence and innovation every year.” The complete list of winners is available at www.gulfood. com.

Other events held alongside Gulfood 2013 were the Emirates International Salon Culinaire (EISC) and the Baking and Pastry Guild Competition. 

interview

SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT

OPERATIONAL

DATA IS H BUT IS NOT MADE AVAILABLE Saeed Alabbar, the Director of Alabbar Energy & Sustainability Group (AESG), is renowned for speaking his mind out. Here, in a face to face with B Surendar of Climate Control Middle East, he expands on the status of the Green Building movement in the GCC and itemises the opportunities that lie ahead for those that are earnest about pursuing sustainable development.

What is the true picture of the Green Building movement in the GCC? In 2006, we heard and saw a lot of talk and passion.

In 2008, the downturn put a lot of projects on hold, though. Is there a revival?

Do you sense a build-up in momentum?

Speaking for the UAE, the talk has been translated into action.

The leadership is driven by the federal umbrella and a push for green economy. In Estidama, Dubai Municipality and JAFZA, we have green building standards. So from a leadership point of view, there is a lot of action.

The drivers are the carbon footprint, energy and water conservation, because energy and water constitute a huge financial burden. For instance, if you take water, the amount of money that goes into upgrading the desalination infrastructure and subsidies is huge. From a building point of view, a Green Building increases the value of the property. You have better indoor environmental quality (IEQ) and you spend less on energy and water.

We have a large number 36

of existing buildings in the country. Particularly in the downturn, a lot of organisations need to have a handle on the utility costs, and greening them can help.

Do you sense a lot of green washing in the region?

Ultimately, tenants will be driven by the economics of it. The industry needs greater accountability. There are a lot of valid claims of green buildings, but at the same time, you have the not-sosubstantiated claims, so you need accountability. We have to evaluate the energy consumption per square metre or the water consumption per square metre to arrive at a conclusion as to whether a building is green or not. Most developers for the most part are approaching it in the right manner. Operational data is not easy to come by, though, and it should be produced in a standardised form. The data is there, but it is not something that is made available.

then you have different GCC entities with their own Green Building rating systems. The questions being raised in some quarters are that, considering the ambient is similar in the GCC, why do we need so many rating systems? Do they not pose an administrative nightmare for companies and building owners aiming to pursue green?

I feel this talk of a union gets blown out of proportion. There is not much complexity in having different standards.

Yes, it will be nice to have everything streamlined across the region, but there is complexity in different jurisdictions that are governed differently. So codes have to fit into that. In the US, there is a federal code, but each state has different codes. There is still lot of coordination that’s taking place. ESMA is working to coordinate efforts. So dialogue is taking place, and it is improving.

You earlier spoke of Estidama and Dubai Municipality’s Green Building initiative. And

Where are the opportunities for businesses like yours?

From a retrofit angle, we do a lot of work. On energy

Climate Control Middle East April 2013

auditing, we do see a lot of opportunity. There is also a lot of opportunity in incorporating the low-hanging fruit. Even before we consider chillers, we ought to address aspects and features like commissioning, sensors, BMS, VSDs on the pumps, and making the buildings airtight. We need to look at the capex of chiller retrofits – they are a feasibile option, but the payback could be a bit long.

In the case of commissioning, in the case of Green Buildings, an independent commissioning agency is needed to make sure the process is done properly. We are called in to do a lot of work on these, and it is a service we offer.

We can identify areas where we can save millions of dirhams. So having that sort of independent decision adds a lot of value, making sure everything is being installed properly. Through the testing and commissioning phase, we are very hands-on to make sure the building’s systems are calibrated in the right manner and that the building is fully functional. It is important, however, that this process

HERE does not stop once the building is handed over and that the operations staff members understand their responsibilities and receive training.

At the same time, there could be high turnover of the trained staff. So it should be people-driven and process-driven. That way, if people leave, there is no skills gap or knowledge gap. So process is important.

We do a lot of analysis work in guiding the design. We work closely with the architects and do day-lighting simulation and energy simulation to find the peak load to invest in MEP. We also test out different ideas of HVAC. For instance, we try to ascertain what happens when you go from District Cooling to VRVs and give guidance.

We also take steps to effectively track the energy usage of buildings.

We set up the reporting measure and continuous improvement measures.

We also do a lot of legionella analysis.

Legionella risk has to be

included in management plans.

We institute measures to minimise risk.

We can identify areas where we can save millions of dirhams.

So having that sort of independent decision adds a lot of value, making sure everything is being installed properly

April 2013

www.climatecontrolme.com

37

event report

1st annual middle east variable refrigerant flow conference

38

Climate Control Middle East April 2013

A CALL FOR

UNITY The 1st Annual Middle East VRF Conference called for close cooperation among industry players and openness in sharing operational data in order to encourage industry growth and technological development.

This is part I of our extensive coverage of the event.

T

he 1st Annual Middle East Variable Refrigerant Flow Conference, held on February 24 and 25 at Radisson Blu, Yas Island, Abu Dhabi, UAE, served as an opportunity for government authorities, industry players, master developers and subject experts to come together under one roof to discuss and deliberate on key issues concerning the technology of variable refrigerant flow (VRF) systems.

VRF cooling systems have long been touted as a technology that could minimise efficiency losses,

offer low lifecycle costs compared to traditional HVAC systems, and provide a sustainable solution to increasing concerns over energy efficiency and the continuously growing demand for electricity. In these times of economic uncertainty, when cost reduction and optimisation of energy usage are the top priority of the industry and its stakeholders, VRF systems could definitely be the right kind of fit.

Discussions and deliberations at the Conference, however, revealed several important concerns over VRF systems.

One of the most pressing challenges to the growth of the technology, pointed out during the event, was the general lack of familiarity and knowledge about the system on the part of engineers and contractors

and of the installation and maintenance personnel.

The perceived insufficient awareness about the technology was regarded as one of the deterrents to the development of VRF systems in the region. It was felt that owing to this, a large part of the market is reluctant to embrace the technology and chooses to stick with the more traditional familiar cooling systems.

Another hurdle to the growth of the VRF industry, highlighted during the Conference, was the absence of cooperation and unified effort on the part of manufacturers and suppliers. The observed absence of collaboration among industry players was pointed out as an impediment to the creation of standard regulations and training programmes for installation and maintenance April 2013

personnel. It was also regarded as one of the reasons for the absence of a standard documentation on the technology and of a collaborative effort towards information dissemination on VRF systems.

The presentations at the Conference were insightful and interesting. As a part of our extensive and comprehensive coverage of the event, we bring you excerpts from the addresses/ presentations of Mohammad Ahmad Al Mulla, Director of the Metrology Department, Emirates Authority for Standardization and Metrology; Edwin Young, Programme Manager of Estidama, Abu Dhabi Urban Planning Council; Dr Esam Elsarrag, Director of the Gulf Organisation for Research and Development and George Kenich, Head, Infrastructure and MEP, ALDAR Properties. www.climatecontrolme.com

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event report

1st annual middle east variable refrigerant flow conference

Mohammad Ahmad Al Mulla

of the Metrology Part II of the report willDirector feature the Department, Emirates Authority sessions on high-performance Standardization and Metrology buildings and the case for studies for green buildings. In addition, we will (ESMA) also bring you the highlights of the other panel discussions that took place during the event.

“T

he UAE, through ESMA, is very much keen, not only in conserving energy but also in protecting the environment. We believe that, while the UAE is blessed by God with abundant oil, it is our duty to use oil wisely, as it is considered a nonrenewable resource. At the same time, we are also committed to protecting our planet Earth.

“There are currently some initiatives that ESMA is implementing or is planning to implement.

One of these is the energy efficiency standardisation and labelling programme for air conditioners, lighting products, washing machines, refrigerators and storage water heaters.

“These [initiatives] are geared towards our commitment to energy conservation and our role in solving the issues relating to climate change.

While we are implementing these programmes and initiatives, it is also high time, and equally important, for us to really

40

look into the appropriate refrigerant that can be used in air conditioners, not only in the UAE but also in the region.

“We all know that R22, or HCFC – the current refrigerant widely used in air conditioners and other cooling appliances, is responsible for destroying the ozone layer, which is the Earth’s main protection from the sun’s harmful ultraviolet radiation. With the ozone layer depleted, and with the harsh climate in the UAE, people are exposed to risks of skin cancer, cataract and other ailments associated with UV rays.

“The UAE is one of the first countries committed to the protection of the ozone layer by signing the Montreal Protocol. This commitment was further reinforced by Federal Law No 13 of 1999, regulating the importation of ozone depleting substances.

With the above-mentioned UAE’s stand on the depletion of the ozone layer brought about by harmful chemicals, let me reiterate that we, at ESMA, consider this event

Climate Control Middle East April 2013

as a very important one, as we are regulating air conditioners, refrigerators and other cooling appliances.

“These appliances use R22 refrigerant, considered an ozone-depleting substance, and once technology allows us to have an environmentally friendly refrigerant that assures safety and efficiency of these appliances, then, easily, we can amend our existing regulations to use the appropriate refrigerants.

“What lies ahead at

existing equipment and appliances.

“The above-mentioned target will be elevated to other GCC membercountries, through the Gulf Standardisation Organisation, so that the ban on appliances using ozone-depleting refrigerants will also be implemented.

“The variable refrigerant flow systems, I understand, represent an attempt to meet current realities and the region’s sustainability goals. It will be interesting to listen to the different

The UAE is one of the first countries committed to the protection of the ozone layer by signing the Montreal Protocol. This commitment was further reinforced by Federal Law No 13 of 1999, regulating the importation of ozone-depleting substances ESMA and what is our strategic goal? We will soon create a committee to study and develop a regulation to gradually decrease the importation of R22, and appliances using R22 will gradually be restricted, starting from the year 2015. In the near future, R22 refrigerant will only be used in servicing

stakeholders on their [take] about this technology, the challenges and the solutions on offer….

“I sign off with the hope that this conference will be one more firm step towards achieving the UAE and the region’s sustainability goals.”

“W

Edwin Young

Programme Manager, Estidama Abu Dhabi Urban Council Planning

Part II of the report will feature the e have sessions on high-performance twofor buildings and the case studies green buildings. In addition,rating we will also bring you the highlights of the systems otherthat panel discussions took would really that come place during the event.

aboard VRF/VRV. We have two standards in our building rating system where it will be applicable.

One of them is Minimum Energy Performance, RE-R1. VRV/VRF can definitely support as a document. Unfortunately, we do not see a lot of systems of this type in buildings; people are still willing to stick with their original technology of chilled water. But in certain types of usage and in certain typologies in size, this definitely has the technology that will improve energy performance and will be more commercially viable.

That is the important thing – we are getting an energy improvement using VRF/ VRV over chilled water, but in the same respect, it should cost less, which is important for everybody in this fierce commercial climate.

“Now, the other thing is RE-R3 (Ozone Impacts of Refrigerants). Estidama has made the step to nullify the use of R22 within the Emirate. As our colleagues from ESMA have said, it is a long-term goal for the United Arab Emirates to make that step. Abu Dhabi took that step early.

“One of the problems we have had is that we cannot control borders, as only ESMA can control borders … so R22 still appears, unfortunately, in new buildings, even though we try and make sure that it doesn’t….

“Now, the important thing when you come to variable refrigerant volume is that R22 is really not

Going forward, we see this as a natural progression, where the use of R410A or R407C will effectively help reduce any risk of somebody using R22 an option. Going forward, we see this as a natural progression, where the use of R410A or R407C will effectively help reduce any risk of somebody using R22.

“The second and more important side of this is … we have the same codes in villas, but we have prescriptives. So, we set a Coefficient of Performance (CoP) for minimum standards for villas of 3.4.

Again, that has helped the

VRF/VRV marketplace.

Then, if you want to go for an optional credit under RE-1 (Improved Energy Performance), you have to have a CoP of 3.8….

We have this requirement for zero ODP, and it is an important factor for any selection going forward.

So, VRV in villas is one of the big things for us….

“There is a very large government housing programme going on within the Emirate of Abu

Dhabi. The government, as a whole, has a mandate to deliver almost 3,000 villas per annum over the foreseeable future. “When we started looking at villas two years ago, they were split-based…. Now, we have 9,000 villas currently with a design rating of two pearls, and they are all government-funded.

The majority of that marketplace is VRF or VRV, which is a complete market change. So, obviously, it’s working…. We have 6,000 [villas] currently in sight and, again, most of these are currently proposed with VRV/VRF systems.

What we have proven is that by joint effort, we can work together to make it better….

“We believe, though we do not have the final statistics, that the VRF marketplace in Abu Dhabi was relatively low in 2010.

Going forward … the villas, predominantly, will increase the marketplace share and there is enough there for everybody. So, we have changed that marketplace for a better and safer technology. It is something that we want to move forward with the industry.

“We think we are helping your marketplace. What do we want in return? better training “That is something that Estidama has been very proud of, as we have trained over 6,000 [people] in the last two years…. It is only through educating your public that you will make your life and their lives easier, and training is something we are very

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event report

1st annual middle east variable refrigerant flow conference

Part II of the report will feature the sessions on high-performance buildings and the case studies for green buildings. In addition, we will also bring you the highlights of the other panel thattake took keendiscussions on to try and place during the event.

forward with you.

Consistency in commissioning “Commissioning here is pretty poor. Obviously, you can have the best system in the world, but if it is commissioned badly and maintained badly, it will never perform to its optimum level.

Refrigeration systems here are working during summer, or working close to the end of physics. They need to be commissioned properly. They need to be maintained. It is something that the market can drive forward….

Better quality installations “It is something that we are keen to move forward [with]. Even though there

VRF. Obviously, the system capacity is a lot bigger, and if there is a gas leakage, it will have a bigger effect.

We need to make sure that pipe work quality and testing and lower leakage rates are approved forward.

Only you can drive that as a supplier. That is something that you have to do to make for better overall environmental standards.

Simple ownership instructions in Arabic “It is important that users, when they get the new villa, understand how to use the product. These are complex pieces of equipment, but they have to be used effectively.

Minimum standards of workmanship “We would like you, if possible, to set up a body of standardisation, where you all work together….

It is common practice in all of the Emirates to change refrigeration gas every three to four months…. That is not reclamation; that is discharge into the environment is no ODP requirement in R410A and R407C, they still have high GWP. So, we have global warming potential by leakage. It is common practice in all of the Emirates to change refrigeration gas every three to four months….

That is not reclamation; that is discharge into the environment. We need to try and stop that in VRV/

42

Come together once a quarter, do what you have to do to try and improve your marketplace. While you are competing against each other, you have a very good marketplace here, and hopefully, Estidama expands into the other emirates…. Use Estidama to try and influence yourselves and get better installations.” 

Climate Control Middle East April 2013

Dr Esam Elsarrag

Part II of the report will feature the sessions on high-performance buildings and the case studies for green buildings. In addition, we will also bring you the highlights of the other panel discussions that took place during the event.

Director, Gulf Organisation for Research and Development (GORD – GSAS)

the criteria, you will get penalised and get a minus.

So a minus in energy, a minus in water, and a minus score overall would mean you will not get the certificate….

“We decided to go with the European standards.

So we followed the EN ISO 13790 framework.

This is why we are having problems with the HVAC suppliers. When we ask them about the seasonal

mechanical for the GCC countries. We are now working hard with the GCC countries to write the mechanical codes, and your input is very important….

“We know that ASHRAE standards are not suitable for our region…. We need to work hard to develop our passive design standards. Actually, Kuwait went further on that. They started their research and worked closely with

Qatar is criticised by the World Bank as having the highest per capita in the world for carbon emissions. We are responding to this message

“W

e have five criteria for energy: The first is energy demand…. You have to pass the passive design standards, or else you will not be certified … and you have to pass it according to the tools and the benchmarks set up by GSAS. “For step two, we need to deploy efficient systems.

For each criterion, we have tools and we do not accept modelling, as we have our modelling tool. So, we have here delivery and, of course, your VRF systems

come here to show your competence, and we have some standards for that.

“Step three: From where do you get your electricity? Is it from the grid, or from Kaharama, or from Electricity and Water Authority. We also calculate that.

“Then, we calculate the CO2 emissions and the NOx and SOx. “So we have five criteria and failing in one of these criteria would mean you will not get the certificate.

“In addition, GSAS is the only system in the world that can penalise you. If you leave any of

energy efficiency ratio, they come back with the ASHRAE value. You have to follow the EN ISO standards…. The whole framework has been modelled in a simplified tool, so you do not have to worry about modelling anymore.

“Our benchmark is almost 30% less than ASHRAE. So, our zero is 30% less than ASHRAE 90.1. This is so, because Qatar is criticised by the World Bank as having the highest per capita in the world for carbon emissions.

We are responding to this message. So, to get just one-third of the points for energy, you have to be 45% less than ASHRAE. To get the full mark, you have to be about 60% less than ASHRAE….

“Now, GORD is commissioned to put the unified code for the

ASHRAE, and developed the ASHARE 90.1-Kuwait.

But, we told them this would not work.... We have to have passive design standards for the region.

“We are also working on the refrigerants, although the only country applying regulations on refrigerants is UAE – Abu Dhabi, in particular. In Qatar, as a country, you will not find any regulation for refrigerants, and this is silly. But, people are working hard to get it done. We appreciate the Abu Dhabi work in this regard.

“We are also talking about systems: Definitions of CoP, the seasonal energy efficiency ratio we should go through, and which standards, and if they are suitable for our region or not… Within six or nine months, you will find a big update on this.” 

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event report

1St AnnuAl Middle eASt VAriABle refrigerAnt flow conference

George Kenich

and MEP, ALDAR Part II of the report willHead, featureInfrastructure the Properties PJSC sessions on high-performance buildings and the case studies for green buildings. In addition, we will also bring you the highlights of the other panel discussions that took ne of the place during the event.

“O

fundamental advantages of this system is in saving energy. It is very obvious that with this kind of system, we might have around 30% [in energy savings]. In the United States, we had one study for this in Harvard, and we found out that some developers and some users reported around 40% to 50%, some around 25%.

This is related to the nature of the system, specifically to the compressor and the inverter working inside in order to make the system work much more efficiently….

“Another critical thing about the system is that it is modular. That means you can design as much as you like; you can put any of these indoor units wherever you want; you may have whatever function you like, be it heating or cooling; and you can control the units individually. This system also has the ability to adapt the flow as per the load requirement….

“It has also been measured that the system has a very quiet operation.

Some of the systems are reaching around 25dB for the indoor unit and 50dB for the outdoor unit….

“It also has a small footprint, so it can be used to save space in a development or in the building itself.

“It can also be monitored in a centralised way. It can be flexibly controlled by building management systems….

“Now, let’s try to find out what the concerns about the system are:

44

The initial cost … some years back was around 40% [higher than the traditional systems]. Now, it has dropped down to 30%, and hopefully, as the market grows, maybe, we can see it dropping down [further]….

“Facilities managers and maintenance technicians are not 100% familiar with this technology, though.

We do have a problem

in finding a proper maintenance team to fix it later….

“In terms of installation cost, we are facing the same problem of lack of awareness of the market.

To be fair … it is quite new in this area, and even in the United States….

“The fourth concern we have is in terms of lifecycle cost. Life cycle cost is a fundamental issue whenever you are dealing with sustainability issues.

It is the way which you define the cost: From the installation until the end of the lifecycle of this item.

In this specific case, we do have a lot of unknown areas, which makes it difficult to clearly evaluate the lifecycle of this [system] in order to have a proper judgement if we are going to use it or not….

“The most important concern for me is about the refrigerant. This system has an extremely big length of refrigerant pipes and it is directly related to the refrigerant, either for cooling or heating.

Imagine having a small

This is a fantastic technology, but all of our concerns are due to unknown situations

Climate Control Middle East April 2013

building and having one kilometre, approximately, of refrigerant pipes inside, under pressure…. For us, this potential leak is critical….

“We are mostly using the “environmentally friendly” R410A refrigerant…. This specific refrigerant has an ozone-depletion potential of zero, but it has a specific global warming potential (GWP) of 1,900, according to some books, or 1,875, as per Estidama. Just to give you an idea, carbon dioxide has [a GWP of] 1, while this one has 1,900 – 1,900 times more than carbon dioxide…. Imagine, if I have a leak of 10 kilos of this refrigerant, what is the impact?

“This refrigerant works at higher pressure than other refrigerants. Due to its nature, this refrigerant requires specialised personnel. That is the reason why I mentioned that we are concerned about maintenance and installation. For sure, this one will be in many other HVAC systems, but the problem will still be there, as long as you have long refrigerant pipes….

“In conclusion, I would like to tell you that this is a fantastic technology, but all of our concerns are due to unknown situations….

More than any of the above-mentioned setbacks, the most crucial is the absence of familiarity and clear documentation within the engineering community. I believe that, as this will improve, definitely all these things can be solved.

“We cannot predict the future of this specific technology, but as Abraham Lincoln said: ‘The best way to predict the future is to create it’.” 

country report

JAPAN

A RACE to

ENERGY EF

There is an intensified effort to reduce energy demand in the residential and commercial sectors in Japan due to an evident spike in consumption. What drives these endeavours, and what have they achieved? What is the roadmap ahead? Jerome Sanchez seeks to find answers to these questions, as he explores some of the energy-efficiency initiatives in the Land of the Rising Sun.

T

There is a heightened focus on reducing energy consumption in the residential and commercial sectors in Japan. A report by Toshi Sakamoto, Director, Energy Efficiency and Conservation Division, Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry (METI), Japan, reveals that electricity consumption in the residential and commercial sectors account for approximately 30% of the current total energy demand in Japan, and that it has grown remarkably compared to that of the industrial and transportation sectors. His observation is supported

by Chaobin Dang and Eiji Hihara, Assistant Professor and Professor, respectively, from the University of Tokyo, when they point out in a presentation that, while the energy consumption in the industrial sector has 46

remained steady, there is a significant spike observed in the level of consumption in the commercial and industrial sectors in recent years.

Takashi Iwai, Marketing Manager, Fujitsu General Middle East, confirms this, as he reveals that energy consumption in Japan has been in constant rise since 1985, especially in residences and offices. “The reason for the increase in energy consumption is the increase in demand for household appliances, like air conditioners,” explains Iwai.

To address the issue of the continuously growing energy demand, the government of Japan has launched several energy-efficiency regulations and has introduced assistance programmes to encourage energy savings.

From an HVACR industry perspective, Iwai notes the shifting priority of consumers to more energy-efficient systems, and says that this drives the growth of the HVACR sector in Japan. “We observe that most of the consumers think that they would like to purchase air conditioning systems with energy-saving features,” he reveals.

In addition to the increasing energy demand in the two

Climate Control Middle East April 2013

The ZEB campaign

The Japanese government believes that it is possible to realise the zero emission goal by 2030 with medium- and low-rise office buildings through the use of new and more advanced technologies major sectors, Iwai attributes the urgent need to find solutions to the rise in electricity costs brought about by the economic recession and the shutdown of nuclear power plants in Japan. He further explains that owing to the increment in prices of electricity in the country, demand for more energyefficient air conditioning systems has increased.

According to the Sakamoto report, to address the current issue of the alarming increase in energy consumption within the commercial and residential sectors, the Japanese government has launched the Zero Emission Building (ZEB) campaign aimed at making new zero emission public buildings by 2030. The report points out that the Government of Japan defines a zero-emission building as a facility that emits zero CO2 on an annual net basis by reducing energy consumption through the enhancement of the energy performance of the building envelope and equipment, and the use of renewable energy on site.

According to the same document, through the ZEB campaign, annual CO2 emissions and energy consumption could be reduced by 20% to 40%, even with the use of existing technologies. To realise 100% reduction in CO2 emissions, however, what is essential is to develop new technologies, and innovative designs and integrated controls to effectively combine them.

The Japanese government believes that it is possible to realise the zero-emission

FFICIENCY

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country report

JAPAn

goal by 2030 with medium- and low-rise office buildings through the use of new and more advanced technologies. The following are a few of the technological developments that may encourage 100% zero emissions, as outlined in the report by Sakamoto: • High thermal insulation and solar shading in buildings • The use of natural energy in terms of outdoor air cooling, night purge and outdoor air intake control based on indoor CO2 concentration • Development of heat sources with about 20% higher efficiency than the ones used at present • Low energy consumption conveyance through the use of inverters and highefficiency motors, pumps and fans, among others • Development of highefficiency lighting equipment with one-third of the current level of power consumption • Installation of solar panels with twice the conversion efficiency of the current ones on twothirds of the rooftop area

The Top Runner Approach requires substantial improvement in energy efficiency for each targeted product. The rates of energy efficiency improvement required by the programme range from 16% to 80%. unit aggregates and analyses data on energy usage and estimates future energy demand to adjust the air

The BEMS option

The joint presentation by Dang and Hihara adds that another proposed means of managing electricity consumption in commercial buildings is through the use of building energy management systems (BEMS).

The use of BEMS is proposed because of its capability to detect human presence or absence in each floor or room and to measure humidity and temperature in a floor or in a room.

Based on the data sent by the BEMS, the central monitoring and controlling unit adequately controls the air conditioning and the lighting systems. In addition, the central monitoring and controlling 48

Climate Control Middle East April 2013

conditioning control.

The popularity of BEMS in Japan is confirmed by Iwai, when he says that automatic energy saving function, like human sensor control, is fast becoming accepted in Japan.

The Top Runner Approach

Osamu Kimura, Researcher, Socioeconomic Research Centre, Central Research Institute of Electric Power Industry, in his research paper published in www. climatepolicy. jp, discusses another energyefficiency initiative

more than 70% of residential electricity consumption,” says Kimura, citing a 2004 report from METI. how the pRoGRamme woRkS “As the name suggests, the most energy-efficient product on the market during the standard-setting process sets the Top Runner standards.

Thus, the Approach is essentially based on market data,” points out Kimura.

“However, it also takes into account technological analysis, that is, the Top Runner Approach considers technological potential for efficiency improvement in the future,” he explains.

In order to comply with the Top Runner standards, Kimura says that producers must ensure that the weighted average efficiency of the products they sold

adopted by Japan, called the Top Runner Approach.

He shares the information that mandatory efficiency standards for appliances and automobiles are not new in Japan and, in fact, has been in effect since 1980. They, however, failed to induce sufficient improvement in energy conservation, as the standards were rarely revised and were largely based on negotiations with the industry without any explicit standardsetting method.

The situation reportedly changed with the establishment of the Kyoto Protocol in 1998. “Japan was required to further accelerate energy conservation efforts to achieve greenhouse gas (GHG) emission reduction target of six per cent by 2008 to 2012 compared to the 1990 level,” explains Kimura.

Hence, the Top Runner Approach was introduced.

This initiative, Kimura continues, was expected to be an effective strategy for setting efficiency targets and reducing energy consumption in the residential sector.

The programme started in 1998, covering nine products, including room air conditioners, fluorescent lighting, television sets, copying machines, computers, magnetic disk units, video cassette recorders, refrigerators, passenger vehicles and freight vehicles.

The scope of the programme was regularly reviewed every two to three years, and the product coverage gradually expanded to include 21 products in 2009. “It is worth noting that the electricity consumed by the Top Runner targeted products amounts to

in the target year achieves the requisite standards: “Therefore, not all of a manufacturer’s products have to meet the target, but on an average, they must achieve the standards. This flexibility enables producers to provide a wide range of models to meet market demand, while guiding the overall market to higher energy efficiency,” says Kimura.

IS the pRoGRamme effeCtIVe? The Top Runner Approach requires substantial improvement in energy efficiency for each targeted product. The rates of energy efficiency improvement required by the programme range from 16% to 80%, Kimura points out, and reveals that so far, these targets have been achieved for all products, and have

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April 2013

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country report

JAPAn

often been even exceeded.

“The contribution of the programme to energy efficiency is not clear-cut in all cases, because energyefficiency improvements are partly a response to market demand and autonomous technological improvement,” he says. He, however, points out a target product where one can clearly discern the impact of the programme, the case-in point being air conditioners.

Kimura explains that the new standards for room air conditioners based on the Top Runner Approach were adopted in 1999. “The standards required energy efficiency to be increased by 66% in COP value by 2004, compared to the 1997 level,” he says. He believes that the adoption of the standards has had a significant impact – altering the technological 50

trajectory from increasing capacity to improving energy efficiency. “A close look at the energy efficiency trend tells us more about the impact of the standards…. Not only has the Top Runner standards effectively improved the efficiency of the high-end Top Runner product by 50% but it has also almost doubled the efficiency of the low-end products. This implies that the Top Runner standards contribute strongly to eliminating low-efficiency products from the market,” highlights Kimura. a few ChallenGeS Though the Top Runner Approach has some salient benefits and concrete achievements in some segments, Kimura concedes that there are a few concerns regarding the initiative.

“One of the problems is the lack of explicit methods for considering the impact on consumers,” he points out.

Because the Top Runner Approach is based on the Top Runner products on the market, the increase in prices of the products accrued by

Climate Control Middle East April 2013

the market are so expensive that they cannot achieve payback within the lifetime of the equipment, which is considered to be around 10 to 15 years. He also observes that cost-effective potential for efficiency improvement in air conditioner technologies seems to have been exhausted. “Motor efficiency of compressors is approximately 95% and total heat-insulating efficiency is over 80%; both factors are nearing saturation,” he highlights. “Efficiency improvement in recent years has been achieved mainly by expanding heat exchangers; this too is handicapped because of limited space in Japanese houses. Further tightening of the standards, therefore, might not be cost effective.”

Cost-effective potential for efficiency improvement in air conditioner technologies seems to have been exhausted improving energy efficiency is not explicitly considered, Kimura adds. “Although it is stipulated [in a document from the Energy Conservation Center of Japan] that standards should not force consumers to ‘purchase economically inappropriate high-priced products in the name of energy savings’, there is no prescription for lifecycle cost analysis, and thus, such analysis is not conducted appropriately,” he explains.

According to some studies, elucidates Kimura, many efficient air conditioners on

Conclusion

With the increasing energy prices and the heighted focus on reducing the effects of GHGs on the environment, the call for improved energy efficiency among a wide array of products in Japan, including air conditioners, is growing louder. Thanks to the introduction and continuous improvement and expansion of energy efficiency initiatives, like the ZEB campaign and the Top Runner Approach, there has been a remarkable improvement in energy efficiency in buildings and targeted products.

In the context of the Top Runner Approach, although the success of the programme across all targeted products is not clear, it has been successful in driving the trend of energy efficiency improvement in some products, like air conditioners. In these cases, says Kimura, the programme provided a clear direction for product development, aiming at higher energy efficiency and at eliminating lowefficiency products from the market.

IS THE

TRAIL GOING COLD? The usual dismissive eyerolling at the mention of the importance of cold chain is fast becoming a thing of the past in a country that is rapidly becoming urbanised with even two-tier and three-tier towns mimicking lifestyles of metropolises.

Part I of our report.

Report by Pratibha Umashankar with inputs from B Surendar

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Climate Control Middle East April 2013

A ACRECONF 2013, a twoday international conference held on February 8 and 9, in New Delhi, organised by the Delhi Chapter of ISHRAE, in association with ASHRAE India Chapter, had the avowed theme “360 Degree View on Emerging Mega Trends in Building Design”. When building design is the focus, can HVACR be far behind? Ergo, the delegates pondered over the issues related to Net-zero energy buildings, energy-efficient equipment, reducing carbon footprint and heating, refrigeration and air conditioning engineering. Not surprisingly, it had a session dedicated to cold chain.

ACREX 2013, touted to be the largest biennial International Exhibition and Conference catering to the air conditioning, refrigeration, ventilation and building services’ industries, held in Mumbai on March 7 and 8, once again organised by ISHRAE, too focused on the HVACR sector.

The events, especially ACRECONF, highlighted the fact that transport refrigeration is a somewhat neglected area in India.

However, the usual dismissive eye-rolling at the mention of the importance of cold chain is fast becoming a thing of the past in a country that is rapidly becoming urbanised with even two-tier and three-tier towns mimicking lifestyles of metropolises, with a wide variety of food and beverages being transported across the land – often in hot

and humid weather – to cater to a largely young populace with a disposable income.

At the other end of the spectrum, the Food Security Bill, which is mandated to provide rice, wheat and other food grains at very cheap rates to the poor, will soon become a reality, with the Cabinet giving its nod to it, and the Parliament, which, at the time of this magazine going to press, was expected to pass it. This will entail an efficient public distribution system (PDS), which is a massive exercise, considering the country’s size.

Given this scenario, cold chain – and concerns around it – has gained immediacy and urgency.

What gets frozen?

The frozen foods market in India typically comprises green peas, ice-cream, meat, corn, okra, mixed vegetables, mango pulp, ready-to-eat foods, tinned fruit, poultry and dairy products. Cold chain also has under its umbrella, pre-cooling, which is accelerated cooling immediately after harvesting, and includes strawberries, pomegranates and mangoes.

In India, controlled atmosphere (CA) storage is primarily used for apples and pears, and extends the life of the produce by six to eight months, or longer.

While cold chain is fairly well established for milk producers in the country, and to a lesser extent, fish, meat and poultry products, it’s still in its infancy when it comes to fruits and vegetables, as also CA technology, conceded Harshil Surange of ACR Consultants, Pune.

He listed the following facts and trends: The present capacity of CA technology is around 50,000 metric tonnes (MT), with an expected target of 100,000 MT, due to the huge potential for CA in India. For example, there are many CA facilities in

India produces 115 million MTL of milk; it is the No 1 milk producer in the world; it is No 2 in the production of fruits and vegetables; and No 6 in fish the state of Himachal Pradesh to store apples. the pRe-fRoZen maRket: Products that have already undergone freezing, for example, ice-cream aC anD VentIlateD StoRaGe: Controlled ventilated stores, for example, to store onions DIStRIbutIon CentReS CompRISe: Inventory management system; dry storage; precooling; blast freezing; plustemperature storage; and minus-temperature storage, among others. They deal with everything from grading, sorting and ripening to being involved in delivery docks and administration units. tRenDS: 1. Distribution centres to start coming up all over the country 2. Timing will depend upon the entry of retail giants like Wal-Mart 3. Installation of PEBs (PreEngineered Buildings) and insulated panels – multistoreyed facilities with storage racks 4. Mobile racking, as space is wasted owing to aisles 5. Movable aisles, allowing higher net product density 6. Green technologies/ April 2013

energy-efficient technologies to reduce environmental impact

Benefits

An efficient and qualitatively superior cold chain can certainly reap rich rewards for both the producer and the user. Capt Pawanexh Kohli, Chief Advisor, National Centre for Cold-chain Development, listed the following benefits of a strong cold chain: 1. Increased food safety and shelf life 2. Increased market reach and share 3. Differentiation to consumer 4. Matching quality with aspirations 5. Traceability in food supply 6. Green and sustainable cycles

Bringing cold chain out of the freezer

Undoubtedly, given India’s growth rate in an increasingly globalised world, its aspiration to become a regional power and its rapid urbanisation, the cold chain industry has immense potential as well as opportunities in India. There are cold hard facts to support this.

“India produces 115 million MTL of milk; it is the No 1 milk producer in the world; it is No 2 in the production of fruits and vegetables; and No 6 in fish,” says Surange.

Kohli put forward the following facts: • India has 142 million hectares [of farmland] with 130 million farmers.

• There are 18 states in India where direct marketing is allowed for horticultural produce.

• In this set-up, the producers become the true originators of the food chain, which is good.

• India is the world’s largest exporter of beef.

• India has 6,488 cold storages with www.climatecontrolme.com

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ACRECONF 2013 in pictures...

cumulative installed capacity of 30.4 million MT. • More than 26% of cold storage units were built post 2004.

The government, on its part, has come out with several incentives to encourage farmers and the cold chain industry and related sectors. Surange enumerated a few: “Excise concessions, service tax exemptions and the National Horticultural Board coming up with technical standards, with more in the pipeline.”

“The government allows 100% FDI in cold chain, and NCCD, APEDA (Agricultural and Processed Food Products Export Development Authority), NABARD (National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development), SFAC (Small Farmers' Agribusiness Consortium) are supporting bodies, and there are 56 farmer-producer organisations (FPOs),” added Kohli.

Yet, none of this has made an appreciable impact on the cold chain industry. What, indeed, is keeping farmers from developing cold chain infrastructure? When posed with this question by the moderator during a discussion at ACRECONF, Kohli replied: “Too many of them are too small, so the challenge is in grouping them. FPOs are now being given 100% subsidy. So we need to enable farmers to help them achieve their full potential.

54

“McDonalds monitors its meat all the way through the cold chain. In India, the farmer does not monitor his produce all the way. So there is ownership missing.” Kohli believed that the producerowner model is a good option to rectify this.

He pointed to another conundrum: “The cold chain business is profitable. People

Reefer transportation is lagging in capacity.

There are only 7,000 reefer trucks in the country, serving 30.4 million MT. So only 7 million metric tonnes of food is moving on the roads say it’s not profitable. But, there is an ulterior motive for this, because they will not get subsidies from NHB, etc., if they say it’s profitable. Though they say it’s not profitable, they keep building more cold storage units.”

While this is one of the

Climate Control Middle East April 2013

many challenges wired into the politico-economic mindset of the country, there are several other technical and infrastructural roadblocks, which the cold chain industry can, perhaps, help overcome.

The weakest links in the chain

Surange listed lack of quality road network, which impacts transport refrigeration; shortage of good quality water; excessive use of pesticides; lack of availability of trained personnel; and high initial cost of projects (ROI five to six years) as few of the problems that need to be addressed. “Maharashtra has started giving subsidised agricultural tariffs for electricity for cold storages, which is good,” he conceded, and added: “It’s important to

identify the product and the ROI. Apples and pears are sold at Rs 200 (USD 3.68, as of the March 30 value of the Indian Rupee against the US Dollar) a kilo, so the cost justifies the means.”

Kohli identified another culprit when he said: “Farmers have ramped up production due to food inflation. Yet, there is shortage of food in the country, owing to broken links in the cold chain.

Reefer transportation is lagging in capacity. There are only 7,000 reefer trucks in the country, serving 30.4 million MT. So only seven million metric tonnes of food is moving on the roads.

Kohli listed other issues besieging the food industry: • Drop in equity • Perishability • Information asymmetry • Lack of holding

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capacity • Not part of integrated value chain (except milk) He also identified issues of concern, which he believed the government needs to address: • Knowledge gap • Infrastructure gap • Consumer awareness • Transparency and traceability • Viability and sustainability • Hygiene and food safety • Technology links • Market linkage Anil Mathur of Danfoss, revealed that there is 40% to 50% loss of food products in India, whereas there is only 10% to 15% loss of food products in developed countries.” This is a sad commentary on the state of affairs in the food chain sector.

KK Mitra, VP of Lloyd Insulation, while corroborating this, pointed out that though India is the largest producer of various food products, the choice and quantity available for consumers is low, due to wastage. “We ought to treat a [food] commodity like a human being,” he said. However, this is not the case in India. Huge quantities of foodstuff and farm produce is lost due to poor management, lack of proper preservation and an unreliable and inefficient cold chain, which includes challenges of interrupted power supply and poor insulation.

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Cold chain is

hot

Vikash Sekhani, Director, SAFE A&T Technology Private Limited, India, shared the following information during a chat with B Surendar on the sidelines of ACREX 2013: “The refrigeration (cold chain) industry is growing at a phenomenal rate.

The government is giving incentives. Earlier, there used to be only Amul (a popular dairy in India); now, we see international brands and more local brands of dairy products like pasteurised milk. So, cold chain is the market. That is where the growth will be.

“We, at our company, are into the components business. We are making available a lot of components for the cold chain industry – accumulators, receivers....

For a long time, we were making two models of these; today, we are making 10 models. So that is where the growth has been. Overall, VRFs and cold chain are the most promising markets.”

Mitra revealed that a lot of cold stores in India have closed down owing to thermal insulation failure.

“So, it’s important to have field stores at every important centre to prevent rapid deterioration in 30°C heat,” he suggested, but added: “Refrigeration will bring down the temperature.

But for how long can we have low temperature? So, it’s up to insulation. And finally insulation saves energy.”

Insulating against failure: In his presentation at ACRECONF titled “Thermal insulation systems for energy efficiency”, Mitra said “India is a tropical country, so insulation is a necessity.

Walls get affected by high temperature. The bitumen incorporated in them melts (at 25°C), so the insulation comes loose. Hence, proper installation of insulation is important.”

He put forward facts to reinforce his point: When it comes to thermal insulation for buildings, high-ambient condition continuously affects roof with heat ingress, and insulation will stop heat/ cold ingress from outside; transmission load of roof and walls accounts for 30% of all the power consumed by built area, which can be saved with efficient insulation.

Mitra listed things to be factored in: • Determination of optimum R value for walls • Determination optimum thickness of insulation • Removing of thermal bridges • One per cent of moisture ingress = 5% of insulation decrease • Cost of insulation increases linearly with insulation thickness; but cost of electricity consumption linearly decreases with insulation

Refrigeration will bring down the temperature.

But for how long can we have low temperature? So, it’s up to insulation.

And finally insulation saves energy • Cold storage requires vapour barrier on both sides of the insulation

Overcoming challenges

While government incentives will go a long way in helping the cold chain industry, as also the farmers, incentives can also tie the sector in knots, either due to redtape or systemic failure due to complacency, apathy and lack of continuous and consistent monitoring.

Just as systems can fail the beneficiaries, so can beneficiaries fail the system. Appropriate use of government handouts by all the stakeholders is one way of making the cold chain work. Making it a well-oiled machinery by strengthening all the links is another, wherein the industry has a role to play.

“Applying insulation in existing cold storage facilities is an exciting possibility,” said Mitra.

Surange believed that beefing up refrigerated transport for processed and preserved food will help the sector.

Speaking from his company’s standpoint, Mathur added: “Danfoss has solutions for the entire value chain from farm to fork

GOING ON THE

– it has VLT refrigeration drives (VSDs adapted for refrigeration applications).

The company’s ADAP KOOL solutions for convenience stores and supermarkets is a neat fit. It represents a smart solution, wherein it is possible to control temperature from remote locations.”

Kohli listed his set of solutions to enable the industry to make a mark: • Collaborate with source or producer • Collaborate with produce aggregator • Prepare access to the consumer market • Appease the Indian consumer demand

Conclusion

With changing lifestyle of nuclear families, demand for processed and refrigerated food is increasing in India. Rapid urbanisation will continue to lead to proliferation of food retail, and thereby cold chain. The entry of

retail giants like WalMart will drive the sector forward, and hopefully bring about standardisation and sustainability. “Danfoss is involved in Bharti WalMart, and has realised 25% reduction in energy consumption,” revealed Mathur, adding credence to this.

The country and the sector need to be ready for FDI, both in terms of changing to an international mindset and getting its act together in terms of infrastructure to harvest the low-hanging fruit of retail. But in the rush to do so, the challenge is not to lose sight of energy efficiency and sustainability, as they will not only test the strength of the sector, but will strengthen the sector.  Note: The report is based on interviews conducted at ACRECONF 2013 held in February in New Delhi and ACREX 2013 held in Mumbai in March.

A

detailed report titled “Frost & Sullivan’s Inputs on India’s Crippling Power Infrastructure” highlights India’s tenuous power supply: “In the wee hours of Sunday, July 29, 2012, India witnessed one of its worst power failures in over a decade.

An inter-connect substation near Agra (in north-central India) tripped, followed by the automatic shutdown of all power generation plants in the Northern region. The following day witnessed a more widespread collapse, which included not just the Northern grid, but also the Eastern and North Eastern power grids, extending power failure to 19 states and two Union Territories, covering half of India’s population.

“It has emerged that a few states (Uttar Pradesh, Haryana, Rajasthan, and Punjab) in the Northern grid overdrew power beyond their permissible limits, ignoring strong warnings from the Northern Regional Load Dispatch Center (NRLDC) and the Central Electricity

BLINK...

Regulatory Commission (CERC) to maintain grid discipline and stop overdrawal.”

This does not bode well not only for the cold chain sector, but also the HVACR sector, in general.

In the same report, Amol Kotwal, Deputy Director, Energy & Power Systems Practice, Frost & Sullivan, South Asia, Middle East and North Africa, offered solutions under the rubric “The way out”: “India’s power infrastructure requires a major overhaul, which involves some major reforms and policy implementation across the entire value chain. From an action standpoint, this would involve combination of increased generation capacity, efficient T&D infrastructure and better grid control.

Besides these, reducing theft and wasteful usage of electricity, revised power tariffs and better billing systems would lead to customers paying accurately for exact power consumption, thus curbing wastage.”

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focus

PUMPS

Electric driven chiller used for building cooling

ALL

PUMPED The pumps industry is perceived to be slow-moving in terms of technology and innovation. Consequently, many facilities managers disregard pumps when looking for opportunities to improve performance and reliability of HVACR systems. Here, industry players explain how pumps can play a vital role in achieving this. Jerome Sanchez brings the report.

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UP

P Pumps have long been serving as workhorses for the HVACR industry. Over the years, HVACR systems have changed owing to the strong presence of key drivers for innovation, including code compliance, environmental concerns, cost issues and development in technology and equipment.

In many cases, believe industry players, tried-andtrue solutions are falling by the wayside, replaced by innovative approaches to old problems.

Though the common perception in the industry is that pumps have not undergone such drastic changes compared to almost every other component in an HVACR system, pump manufacturers are said to have made significant improvements in impeller designs, construction materials, bearing and seal designs and couplings.

Though some modifications have been introduced to pumps, many industry players still feel that these improvements are more “evolutionary” than “revolutionary”.

James Piper, PE, Ph D, a national consultant for Facilities Management, in his article “Pumps: The Heart of HVAC” that appeared in www.facilitiesnet.com, says that the perception about the changes in pumps, or the lack thereof, causes many managers to overlook the pump as an opportunity to improve the performance and reliability of HVACR systems. He adds that

building designers replicate designs used in the past in new building designs and renovation plans, and system operating practices simply follow tried-and-tested methods. “When pumps fail, technicians replace them with new ones with the same characteristics,” says Piper.

Fortunately, the situation is changing today. As many advancements that have touched other areas of building HVACR operations are already being applied to pumps and their operation, engineering and maintenance managers are now reportedly able to achieve levels of operating efficiency that would not have been possible years ago. “While improved operating efficiency is a primary benefit of today’s pump installations, it is not the only one,” Piper explains.

“System performance has improved, reliability has increased, and maintenance requirements have been reduced.”

The pump industry in the Middle East

The pumps segment for the HVACR industry is pegged by industry players to be worth approximately USD 100 million. Raj Rishi Chauhan, Assistant Manager, Pumps Division, Faisal Jassim, provides an estimated breakdown of the size of the pumps sector: “The size of the market related to pumps in Saudi Arabia, UAE, Qatar and Oman is probably around USD 75 million. The construction industry size in the region is roughly USD 1 trillion. Out of this, Saudi Arabia holds 51%, UAE has 25%, Qatar has 13% and others with 11%.”

Sarfraz Dairkee, General Manager, M A H Y Khoory & Co does not provide an estimate of the market size of the pumps sector, but observes that the pumps market is linked to

Though some modifications have been introduced to pumps, many industry players still feel that these improvements are more “evolutionary” than “revolutionary” construction activities in the region. “The basic pump sets would roughly constitute about one per cent to 1.5%, and the entire pumping system, including the pipes, the fittings and controls, would be around two per cent to four per cent of the total construction costs,” he says.

The presence of construction activities is widely regarded by industry players to be one of the foremost drivers for growth of the pumps sector. Amidst the economic downturn of recent years, some countries, particularly in the GCC, have managed to take a defiant stance against the crisis. Saudi Arabia and Qatar are two countries in the region that still enjoy huge government spending on infrastructure and housing despite the economic crisis. Owing to the continuous growth in construction activities, industry players see a big potential for business in Saudi Arabia and Qatar.

Nadir Ilmas, Division Manager, ITT Pumps, Faisal Jassim, expresses this optimism, as the countries account for approximately 50% of the total construction activities in the region. “The construction market size is approximately USD 550 April 2013

billion in Saudi Arabia and around USD 130 billion in Qatar,” Ilmas reveals.

Commenting on the promise Oman holds in the construction sector, and consequently for the HVACR industries, he says: “We also see Oman as an emerging market with a potential of over USD 4 billion. Oman, in the last few years, has seen major growth with new state-of-the-art airports lined up in Muscat, Salalah and Sohar.” He adds that tourism is also currently booming in Oman, that has resulted in the construction of at least 22 to 25 hotels in regions like Qasab, Muscat and Salalah. “There is also a new seaport under construction in Duqm. Obviously, a new port would need infrastructural development, including hotels, housing projects, and so on,” he adds.

Dairkee provides a more general view of the potential of the pumps market in the region in the light of strong construction activities in Saudi Arabia, Qatar and Oman. “Pumps for air conditioning are generally specified for multistory buildings and dense development,” he says. Since dwellings, villas and smaller buildings still continue to rely on window and split air conditioners, in his opinion, the potential of the pumps market in these three countries will still depend on the development plan and the allocation of funds.

After the downturn

The global financial downturn is likely to put pressure on the investment, as well as on the operating costs. Dairkee thinks that this pressure will result in a call for better utilisation of resources with improvement in the efficiency and effectiveness of resources, in general, and energy www.climatecontrolme.com

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PUMPS

and water, in particular.

“Efficiency, therefore, is likely to affect profitability in more significant ways as compared to the past,” he explains, and adds that this stronger impact on profitability should open up requirements for energy audits and retrofitting of the systems to minimise on the cost. “Considering the increasing awareness and appreciation of environmental footprint, the sector providing effective turnkey services is likely to grow,” is his contention.

Ilmas and Chauhan are in the opinion that the global economy continues to benefit from an increasing globalisation and trade in a harmonious international environment, which they say, allows for a growth rate of over four per cent.

Commenting on the situation during the downturn years, Ilmas and Chauhan explain that the recession of 2010 through 2012 was caused by oil shocks and a lack of trust that undermined international cooperation and trade integration.

For the present, however, adopting a more positive tone, the gentlemen from Faisal Jassim point out that the recovery has been steady and that an estimated 5,045 building construction projects are in progress. “The pumps and the HVACR market were affected by the downturn, but they are also recovering.

We have increased our efforts throughout the GCC region and we were able to maintain our growth story,” say Ilmas and Chauhan.

The presentday pumps

With a heightened focus on cost and energy efficiency and sustainability of components of the HVACR systems, industry players predict that more funds will be pumped into research and development of new pumps to make them more efficient 60

Electrical pumps of various sizes

Intelligent controllers can detect abnormalities like cavitation, sticking control valves and system leaks when programmed to do so and more installation friendly.

Ilmas and Chauhan cite the new Bell & Gossett VSX as an example of a technology that is headed that way.

“Bell & Gossett VSX design is a major invention in this direction," they say. "It is a

Climate Control Middle East April 2013

brand new pump developed

by Xylem, and can offer much better efficiency, much smaller footprint and price comparability and competitiveness.” They point out that a lot of control technology is coming in, like pump inbuilt variable frequency drives (VFD) and intelligent controls.

Dairkee, too, notes that the current trend in pumps is moving towards automation for monitoring and for the building automation and management systems (BAMS).

Piper, in his article, speaks about intelligent pump controls systems. He says that VFDs are able to greatly improve the energy efficiency and control effectiveness of pumping systems, but intelligent pump controllers can offer more than that and can better adjust to system load changes, better control pump operations, provide

control over a wider range of load conditions and produce smoother pumps startups.

“Intelligent controllers also use VFDs to regulate pump speed, but they do so, not as a standalone device but as another element in the overall building automation system,” he elaborates, and adds that, by connecting the pump and its controller to a digital field bus, data from the pump and its sensors can integrate into the system. A program, then, monitors the operating conditions and identifies cases that are outside normal operations and those that could damage the pump.

Piper highlights that intelligent controllers can detect abnormalities like cavitation, sticking control valves and system leaks when programmed to do so. In his opinion, “Technicians can use the system to identify recurring or intermittent

Energy efficiency is yet to be measured and, therefore, to be managed. In fact, it is often the case of obese designs that cause system failures and draw the attention to the pumping system deficiency problems that, otherwise, might go undetected.”

Ilmas and Chauhan list other key improvements: The use of investment casting technologies in pumps to reduce rejections in final pump castings Creation of pumps with the same hydraulic but with much lesser weight owing to investment casting, which leads to savings on metals and foundry costs The introduction of compact electronic devices for pressure flow switches for controls and protection of electric pumps Easier inspection of bearing, mechanical seal and shaft sleeve by making them readily accessible from both sides of the pump Introduction of maintenance-free bearings, eliminating the need for regular maintenance documentation logs, overgreasing problems and the risk of mixing greases that can cause failure Introduction of onepiece unitised seal, thus, eliminating multiple

seal components and simplifying replacement

Market reception of technology and innovation

each application is unique is gradually sinking in, but at a very slow pace,” he says.

Add Ilmas and Chauhan: “We are seeing more and more trends towards more efficient pumps and motors.

The region is slowly adapting to IE-3 design of motors, which are even more efficient than the earlier high-efficiency designs. The introduction of investment casting technology has made the pumps much more compact than before. The pumps are much lighter in weight and environmentally friendly in comparison to older, heavier designs.”

Dairkee highlights the fact that, at present, there is a move from the governments and municipalities in the region for the implementation of sustainable practices.

However, he adds that in order for the initiatives to

gain significant benefits, sustainability has to be adapted and closely integrated into the local environment.

Key challenges and maintenance

When asked about the key challenges their companies are facing in the region, Ilmas and Chauhan are unanimous in their opinion that oversizing still remains an area of concern, as consultants put greater safety margin while selecting pumps. “We see a lot of pumps running at 50% to 60% of the rated RPM, whereby they work on lower part-load efficiency,” they say.

“As you know, the efficiency of a pump drops substantially if you work on part-load.”

Dairkee seconds this observation. He points out

The common perception among industry players used to be that the market in the region is governed by price and not by quality, reliability and sustainability. Ilmas and Chauhan observe that the market in the region is now becoming conscious about quality, reliability and sustainability. They once again cite the example of the success story of Xylem pumps in the region. “Obviously, the customers today are looking for the best products with the most competitive price," they say. “This is the way we have been pricing our product in the region. This is why Xylem products are being sold all across the region compared to other products.”

In Dairkee’s opinion, the market in the region is brand conscious and that it believes that reliability is linked to the brand rather than to better engineered solutions. “The appreciation of integrated design and of the fact that April 2013

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PUMPS

Industrial piping in the heating/cooling plant of a university

More often, costs from pump repairs and disruption to building operations due to pump system failures exceed the cost of ongoing maintenance by a factor of 10 or more that the main challenges in the region are with system optimisation and appreciation of the life cycle performance evaluation. “Energy efficiency is yet to be measured and, therefore, to be managed,” he says. “In fact, it is often the case of obese designs that cause system failures and draw the attention to the 62

pumping system deficiency.”

Industry players are unanimous in their opinion that no matter how advanced the control system of one’s pumping system is, pumps will operate effectively and efficiently only if managers schedule its maintenance properly. Piper says that, unfortunately, facilities managers ignore maintenance until something goes wrong.

The spokespersons from Faisal Jassim make the same observation. “As far as maintenance is concerned, we do not see a real service trend in the region. Most of the pumps run endlessly unless they breakdown,” they say, and explain that contractors normally finish the contract at the end of the defect liability period. Once this period is over, they point out, the building is taken over by a maintenance contractor who hardly maintains the pump.

More often, costs from pump repairs and disruption to building operations due to pump system failures exceed the cost of ongoing maintenance by a factor

Climate Control Middle East April 2013

of 10 or more, Piper says.

He adds that maintenance activities and the frequency with which they must be performed should vary with the capacity of the pump and the nature of the load it is serving. By checking the pump regularly, maintenance technicians will be able to identify pump problems early, thereby reducing repair costs and disruptions in operations, he suggests. In addition, he believes that maintenance personnel should follow the manufacturer’s recommended schedule of maintenance activities.

A few of the key maintenance issues cited by industry players are: Periodical greasing of the bearings and realignment of pump coupling Net positive suction head issues leading to cavitation Air getting mixed in water in cooling tower applications Corrosion issues, though they are not particularly common in the region Dairkee sums up the issue on key challenges and maintenance, saying,

“Pumps are simple and robust machines, and with better understanding of the variances, the system dynamics and integrated approach, much higher reliability and system efficiencies are achievable.”

Conclusion

For a pump installation to be successful, facilities managers need to change their ways of thinking about pumps. Managers need to keep themselves in tune with new technologies and innovations and seriously consider maintaining a regular schedule of preventive maintenance procedures.

As Piper points out, if the managers stick with the old design and operating practices, the system will not be able to operate as efficiently and as reliably as it could. On the other hand, if they wait to adopt new technologies that are available, they will miss opportunities to ensure smooth building operation and enhanced energy efficiency. 

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COOLING TOWERS

KEEPING IT COOL, CLEAN AND SAFE

How do cooling towers affect IAQ? What possible adverse impact does chemical treatment of cooling towers have on the environment? What is the present outlook of the cooling towers sector in the region? Jerome Sanchez turns to industry players to gather their perspectives and insights on various issues surrounding cooling towers.

S

everal cases of outbreak of Legionnaire’s disease from around the world point to cooling towers as the possible cause of its spread. The biggest risk of Legionella infection reportedly occurs when people breathe in miniscule droplets of infected water.

Evaporative cooling towers are said to spray such droplets on their fill to maximise heat transfer and, by doing so, create the risk of spreading Legionella. In the light of these reports attributing the spread of the disease to cooling towers, there has been an increased attention on their management and maintenance and the best ways possible to keep them clean and, therefore, safe.

The cooling towers sector in the region

Aslan Al-Barazi, Executive Director, IMEC Electro Mechanical Engineering, shares his insights on the present status of the cooling towers sector in the region, particularly in the UAE and Qatar, where his company is 64

heavily involved. “The last few years have surely not been good, neither for the cooling towers industry, nor for the contractors,” says Al-Barazi. Despite this, he observes that at present, he can sense a positive outlook and hope for the sector.

“What is interesting, though, is the contrast in their answers when you spoke to them, say, in September and when you speak to them now,” he reveals. He points out that the tenders moving in the market now are more “solid” and more viable than they were in the last few

Climate Control Middle East April 2013

years. “The bottom line is that the market is moving positively; now and the next year – 2013 and 2014 – are expected to be the turning point for the industry – a recovery scenario,” he comments.

Georges Hoeterickx, Director of Business Development, Evapco Europe, shares the same positive outlook when he says that projects that were being drawn up since 2008 have already reached the market. He also points out that though the cooling towers market

Cross flow type towers, despite their drawbacks, are still used in spite of the fact that sunlight can enter directly into the water basin and, thus, enhance the development of algae in the water

feature

COOLING TOWERS got reduced in size in some parts of the region, it has actually flourished in other parts, like in Saudi Arabia and in Qatar during the downturn. This, he continues, prompted many Dubai-based contractors to look for projects in the Kingdom and in Qatar.

Al-Barazi supports this observation. In his opinion, the Saudi market is very “bullish” and has the ability to thrive despite the recession. “The Saudi market is a large market, which stands, in my view, as an independent market from the rest of the GCC markets,” he says. “It has economic strength and the ability to move forward independent of the negative economic figures of both the local and the global economies.”

Similarly, Al Barazi expresses his optimism on the Qatari market as he expects that the World Cup 2022 will have a positive effect on the industry. “Current work is mainly focused on infrastructure, though the MEP industry is beginning to feel its effect at present, with many consultants on the design board,” he observes.

Ashwani Koul, Managing Director, GEA Polacel Cooling Towers, agrees with the other two industry players, as he notes that Saudi Arabia and Qatar always had the potential as markets. He, however, points out that the countries have very slow implementation processes. Koul adds that, in addition to looking for projects in these two countries, GEA’s strategy to thrive during the downturn was to diversify its product line to give them access into other market segments. “GEA started operations in 2008, exactly when the downturn hit the markets,” Koul says. “UAE was the biggest casualty of the downturn.

However, the losses in the UAE were recovered in [some other parts] of 66

Exploring cooling tower maintenance and treatment

T

o elucidate more on the issues relating to the maintenance and treatment of cooling towers, Climate Control Middle East Dan Mizesko turned to Dan Mizesko, Managing Partner, Al Shirawi US Chiller Services LLC. He spoke extensively about water treatment and how the use of chemicals in maintaining cooling towers may have adverse effect on the environment.

How important is the proper management of water re-circulated through cooling towers to ensure their thermal efficiency and longevity?

A proper and professional water treatment programme is essential to ensure chiller and tower longevity and efficiency. Water treatment is as important an aspect of a planned preventive maintenance (PPM) programme, as is tube cleaning, oil and filter changes, NDT analysis, bearing inspections, and others.

As a cooling tower maintenance service provider, how do you maximise cycles of concentration (CoC)?

That is a very good question. As a chiller and energy specialist service provider, we look at CoC as a critical aspect of water treatment: The higher you increase the CoC, the more water you can save. In a country such as the UAE, this should be of paramount concern. However, you need to be sure you do not increase the CoC to a level where you can scale the tubes, as this will have a very adverse impact on energy consumption. In addition, high CoC can cause chloride corrosion.

What problems could an increasing amount of dissolved solids in the cooling tower cause?

This could be an issue in chemical water treatment, as additional chemicals will be required to keep the total dissolved solids (TDS) in suspension. Otherwise, you can have tube and tower scaling issues.

Climate Control Middle East April 2013

What cooling tower treatment programmes do you offer? How do you deal with maintenance issues such as corrosion, scaling and biological fouling?

The primary goals of advanced water treatment in HVAC systems are to prevent mineral scale formation, control biological activity, and inhibit corrosion.

These problems traditionally have been addressed by means of chemical activities.

Difficult to administer, monitor and control, chemical additives are, ultimately, discharged to the environment, where they can contaminate surface and ground water, concentrate in water treatment plant residuals, and be directly aspirated by people exposed to the mist created by cooling tower drift.

To resolve these problems without using chemicals, Al Shirawi US Chiller Services (USCS) has been recommending and making available in the region the Clearwater Dolphin non-chemical water treatment system technology. In addition to eliminating all chemical usage, this technology will allow the user to increase the cooling tower CoC, thus substantially reducing make up and blow down water requirements and associated costs. It will also reduce the carbon emissions associated with the water production and distribution. In addition, it will allow users to earn points towards LEED certification and comply with the government mandate that all UAE buildings and industries move to a “greener” footprint.

Do you use chemicals in maintaining cooling towers? If yes, how, do you make sure that these chemicals would not have adverse effects on the environment during blow down?

Yes, we do use chemicals in cooling towers. However, we always encourage and recommend the use of the Clearwater Dolphin system. Any time you use chemical water treatment, you will discharge hazardous chemicals into the sewers and drainage systems and aspirate toxic chemicals into the atmosphere.

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COOLING TOWERS

the region. Also, despite GEA Polacel’s strength in the HVACR market, the global structuring of its product line gave it a small window into other markets.”

Antoine Stephan, General Manager, Hamon CTC, points out that, in his opinion, the economic downturn has not passed, and the recovery has been slow and has not been steady. In his estimation, it will still take one or two years before one can sense an economic recovery.

Georges Hoeterickx

Ashwani Koul

IAQ and cooling towers

Both Al-Barazi and Hoeterickx regard the connection between cooling towers to IAQ to be indirect, if not remote. Despite this, they do not discard possible scenarios when IAQ could actually be affected by cooling towers. Hoeterickx explains: “There is no direct relationship between cooling towers and IAQ. The only possible relationship could be that contaminated discharge air from the cooling towers could enter the air intake system and, as such, reach the occupants.”

He believes that cooling towers, like any other product, need to be designed to operate safely and efficiently. “Safe does not only mean [the availability of] mechanical protection like fan guards, safe access platforms, and the like, but it also means that cooling towers should be designed to minimise the potential development of bacteria in the cooling tower water. These bacteria can eventually cause Legionella disease outbreaks,” he warns.

In this regard, Hoeterickx reveals that, in his opinion, many cooling towers sold in the GCC countries do not meet the normal requirements to minimise or eliminate the growth of bacteria. “Cross flow type towers, despite their 68

Aslan Al-Barazi

drawbacks, are still used in spite of the fact that sunlight can enter directly into the water basin and, thus, enhance the development of algae in the water,” he says.

He adds that the presence of algae in cooling towers is a precursor to the growth of bacteria.

Al-Barazi provides another scenario, saying that the location of cooling towers could perhaps affect IAQ. “Cooling towers have a remote effect on IAQ if they are wrongly situated in close vicinity to the air intake side of the consumer circuit or if they are situated outdoors and are very close to the surrounding buildings,” says Al-Barazi.

He adds that in the early design stage, the wind direction should be carefully considered, and suggests that the location of the cooling towers relative to the surrounding buildings should be at a minimum of 50 to 100 metres in plant rooms or district cooing applications.

For the package range

Climate Control Middle East April 2013

Antoine Stephan

cooling towers, he proposes that they be placed on the roof or as distant as possible from passersby or occupants, if placed on the ground.

A few dos and don’ts

The industry players are unanimous in saying that regular maintenance and cleaning is still the best way to prevent the presence of contaminants and bacteria, such as Legionella, in cooling towers. “Needless to say, a good water treatment programme is the best preventive medicine against dangerous airborne contaminants and bacteria, like Legionella,” says AlBarazi.

He emphasises that the presence of algae and scaling inside cooling towers create a prefect breeding ground for Legionella. This, he adds, is not only dangerous for occupants but also for workers who breathe the air in the vicinity of cooling towers. He, then, offers a piece of advice for anyone maintaining or inspecting

a cooling tower: “Do not open the access door of the cooling tower and put your head inside for inspection while the tower is in operation, as you would expose yourself to the risk of inhaling airborne bacteria, like Legionella.”

In this context, Al-Barazi stresses the importance of educating and training maintenance personnel and of entrusting the operation and maintenance of cooling towers to experienced and reputable facilities management companies.

Koul shares his observation that, owing to lack of experience and expertise on the part of some cooling tower maintenance providers, problems such as corrosion, scaling and biological fouling continue to exist unaddressed.

“The [persistence of the] afore-mentioned problems are due to lack of proper maintenance and management of cooling towers and water treatment,” explains Koul, and offers a solution: “If clients, as in mature markets like the US, Europe or India, give the responsibility of managing and maintaining the equipment to the product manufacturers, this problem will not happen or will be drastically reduced.”

More than the elimination of bacteria and contaminants, regular maintenance and cleaning are extremely important for the lifetime of the equipment, keeping the performance and efficiency as per design and avoiding the development and growth of bacteria, believes Hoeterickx. Al Barazi, on his part, points out that regular maintenance and cleaning ensures that the critical parts of the cooling tower, like the PVC fill and the water distribution system, will not clog and, hence, last much longer, reducing the life cycle costs for the clients. 

VENTING OUT THE

POLLUTANTS Ventilation systems play an important role in expelling pollutants and contaminants that may bring adverse health effects to occupants. Jerome Sanchez explores some key issues relating to ventilation systems and indoor air quality (IAQ) and how these can be prevented or redressed.

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illions of people are working and living in buildings and homes with mechanical heating, ventilation and air conditioning systems. These systems are designed to

provide air at comfortable temperature and humidity levels and to ensure it is free from air pollutants, which may be harmful to occupants. The processes involved in ventilation are said to be of utmost importance in determining the quality of the indoor air of a building or of a home.

According to a document

from the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), titled Ventilation and Air Quality in Offices, ventilation is not just as simple as moving air within the building or introducing outdoor air into the building. “Ventilation,” explains the document, “is actually a combination of processes which results in April 2013

the supply and removal of air from inside a building.”

The processes, adds the document, typically include bringing in outdoor air, conditioning and mixing the outdoor air with some portion of the indoor air, distributing the mixed air throughout the building and exhausting some portions of the indoor air. The quality of indoor air may be affected if one of these afore-mentioned processes is inadequate.

There are many potential sources of indoor air pollution that may cause adverse health effects. “The proper design, operation and maintenance of the ventilation system,” explains the document, “is essential in providing indoor air that is free of harmful concentrations of pollutants.”

The ventilation sector in the region

“The GCC has an extremely diverse ventilation market,” observes Jordan Baker, Regional Manager (Middle East Gulf), Greenheck, adding that different sectors, including commercial, industrial and residential require specialty products for their specific markets.

Yannick Applasamy, Marketing Manager, Aldes Middle East, adds that the ventilation sector in the GCC is not as big as it is in other countries, like France. In his opinion, the observed lack of presence of ventilation systems in the GCC markets can be attributed to the seemingly unclear imposition of binding regulations in terms of ventilation.

In the light of huge government spending on infrastructure projects, industry players are unanimous in saying that the booming construction sector in Saudi Arabia and Qatar bodes well for the HVACR industry, including the ventilation sector.

“Saudi Arabia remains to be the leader in our www.climatecontrolme.com

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focus

ventilation segment with 10% growth predictions year on year,” reveals Baker.

“Qatar’s preparation for the 2022 World Cup will ramp up the ventilation industry by around 2015.”

He adds that Qatar’s new air conditioning standards, slated for 2013, will possibly usher in a new air conditioning market landscape.

Andrew Kirton, Sales Director, Middle East, Novenco, shares that his company is currently focused on Qatar and Saudi Arabia and is actively looking for local agents to represent its brand in both countries. “KSA is a relatively new market for car park ventilation systems using jet fans in place of traditional ductwork systems, but most major consultants now recognise the many advantages to the client of providing more energy-efficient and effective systems,” announces Kirton, then adds that, as of the moment, his company is seeing a growth in the number of projects with specifications based on jet fan ventilation systems.

In the context of Qatar, Kirton attributes the steady growth of the sector to the forthcoming World Cup 2022, although he notes that, at present, the construction sector is still moving relatively slowly.

Steven Gobert, Export and Marketing Manager of Belgium-based Grada, says that his company is highly focused on the Saudi market and, in fact, has gone into a partnership with local companies, like Tamkeen.

For his part, Aboobacker Aslam, Sales and Marketing Manager, Systemair Middle East, reveals that his company enjoys a positive response from the Saudi Arabian market and that it predicts a continuous growth in the Kingdom. In addition, he says that Systemair Qatar 70

Most of today’s buildings are constructed without openable windows, and mechanical ventilation systems are used to exchange indoor air with a supply of relatively cleaner outdoor air has been set up to cater to the present and the future megaprojects in the country.

Ventilation systems and IAQ

As the EPA document explains, indoor air pollution is caused by the accumulation of contaminants that primarily come from the inside of the building, although some may also originate outdoors. The pollutants may be generated by a specific source or several sources and may be generated periodically or continuously. “Common sources of indoor air pollution include tobacco smoke, biological organisms, building materials and furnishings, cleaning agents, copy machines and pesticides,” enumerates the same document.

The EPA document suggests that controlling the pollutants at the source is the most effective strategy for maintaining healthy indoor air. However, controlling or mitigating all the sources of pollutants is neither always possible nor practical. Thus, ventilation, either natural or mechanical,

Climate Control Middle East April 2013

Photo courtesy footballsitrep.com

VENTILATION

is the second most effective approach to providing acceptable indoor air.

“The purpose of ventilation,” says Mats Sandor, Technical Director, Systemair AB, “is to enable us to breathe clean air by removing stale, polluted air from our homes and replacing it with good quality air. By doing this, we create healthier indoor conditions, better performance and excellent comfort.”

Most of today’s buildings are constructed without open-able windows, and mechanical ventilation systems are used to exchange indoor air with a supply of relatively cleaner outdoor air. “The rate at which outdoor air is supplied to a building is specified by the building code,” explains the EPA document. Supply rates are said to be primarily based on the need to control odours and CO2 levels. As per ASHRAE Standard 62-1989: Ventilation for Acceptable Indoor Air Quality, the specified rate at which outdoor air must be supplied to each room within the facility ranges from 15 cfm/

person to 60 cfm/person, depending on the activities that occur in the space.

Baker observes that existing buildings, as well as a number of new buildings, commonly use split air conditioning units that merely recycle air within a particular space. “These types of systems do not draw in fresh outdoor air, hence leading to poor IAQ, and stale and stagnant air inside the occupied space.”

This situation, he adds, can have adverse effects on the occupants, such as difficulty in breathing.

Sandor reports two separate studies conducted in Sweden that establish the relationship of ventilation and IAQ. The first, called the Värmland Study, endorses the fact that ventilation has a significant impact on children’s health as the results of the study showed that children living in well ventilated homes had better chances of staying healthy.

The other, called the Bamse Study, established that the presence of moulds, dampness and condensation in homes increased the risk

of asthma.

Applasamy endorses the view that while the introduction of fresh air is an important process in ventilation, extraction of air in particular locations of a facility is of equal significance. “Extraction of air in precise rooms, like in kitchens, toilets and bathrooms, is important and should clearly be indicated in the design,” he says, “In addition, the amount of fresh air in the room should be clearly specified.”

Applasamy also recognises a problem with the prevalent use of mechanical ventilation in today’s facilities: “The problem is, if the air conditioning systems are not used, the building will not have proper ventilation,” he explains, adding, “The ventilation system should either be parallel or separate.

Small fans can be used for four to five rooms or flexible ducting can be used to introduce fresh air into the building when the air conditioning system is turned off.”

In addition to what has been mentioned by the

Qatar’s preparation for the 2022 World Cup will ramp up the ventilation industry by around 2015 industry players, the EPA document throws the spotlight on some of the most commons problems in ventilation systems that may result in indoor air problems, and offers possible solutions to them: • Intermittent airflow from HVAC systems may cause elevated indoor contaminant levels and may impair contaminant removal. Minimum ventilation rates should, therefore, be defined by air cleanliness and distribution, as well as temperature and humidity instead of by thermal conditioning needs.

• Air supply vents installed too close to building exhaust vents re-entrain contaminated exhaust air into the building, thereby increasing indoor pollution. In addition,

placement of supply vents near outdoor sources of pollution provides a pathway for contaminants into the building’s ventilation system. Therefore, the location of all air supply vents must be carefully considered.

• Ventilation systems should be turned on several hours prior to occupancy and should be shut down only after the occupants have left, as an HVAC system that only begins to operate after building occupants have arrived or shuts off before the end of the work day, can cause an increase in buildingand occupant-generated pollutant levels.

The importance of maintenance and regular checking

Ventilation systems must be properly maintained to promote a healthy IAQ. Left poorly maintained, ventilation systems may possibly become sources of contamination. The EPA document suggests that humidification and dehumidification systems must be kept clean to prevent the growth of harmful bacteria or fungi.

Commenting against the backdrop of proper system maintenance, Baker points out that maintenance personnel must consider the manufacturers’ recommendations when cleaning ventilation filters.

He also suggests routine duct cleaning to remove dust, mould and bacteria from the system.

Gobert endorses the view that maintenance and cleaning of ventilation systems do not only affect the quality of indoor air but also the performance and efficiency of the units.

To encourage the proper maintenance of ventilation systems, he reveals that April 2013

Grada has updated its general conditions, giving guarantee only on units that were maintained as they should.

Kirton offers a similar opinion when he points out that the efficiency of ventilation systems is “inextricably” linked to correct maintenance.

“Clogged filters,” says Kirton, “can put a huge strain in supply fans, which in turn, can lead to unnecessarily high energy consumption.”

Applasamy highlights another important factor in maintaining the IAQ of buildings and facilities when he says, “Regular cleaning of filters and diffusers are required, but it is also important to conduct regular analysis and testing on IAQ and occupant comfort, as well as regular audit of the whole system.” Through the regular analysis of the whole system, ideally by a third-party service provider, he points out that one can check for the deterioration of the system and for particles possibly stuck in the system that may be re-circulated in the air. “You can do proper maintenance of the system,” he says, “but the analysis of the air inside the building is of utmost importance.”

Conclusion

A ventilation system that is properly designed, installed, maintained and operated is essential in ensuring a healthy indoor air. In the absence of proper ventilation, contaminants and pollutants can build up and may cause occupant discomfort, health problems and reduced performance levels. As endorsed by the EPA and the industry players, regular cleaning and maintenance of filters and diffusers, along with testing and evaluation of the system and the indoor air, is of utmost importance to keep the good quality of indoor air.  www.climatecontrolme.com

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feature

MAPPing the underworld

UNEARTHING

THE FACTS Utility pipelines, and more recently, cables, are buried beneath an ever-changing urban landscape. Mapping the Underworld Team, UK, undertook a research project to detect and map them with the help of a multi-sensor device. The project’s findings were presented in a brochure recently. We bring the details.

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ost of us are familiar with adventure stories of yore, where maps of buried treasures lost long ago and found decades later by treasure seekers, who went hunting with a map, only to discover the surface landscape changed. Drawing an analogy between such tales and the pioneering research work done by the 72

Mapping the Underworld (MTU) Team to detect and map buried utilities, Chris Rogers, Professor of Geotechnical Engineering University of Birmingham, and MTU’s Principal Investigator, believes that buried pipelines are important assets and the records are considered by many owners to be valuable and commercially sensitive information. He highlights this in his Foreword to the recently released brochure titled Mapping the Underworld.

Climate Control Middle East April 2013

Seen in this context, MTU’s initiatives to map the underground utilities to make streetworks safer, more effective and more sustainable, gain a sharper perspective.

“The records often relate the pipeline’s positions to the edge of

Mapping the Underworld

WHERE IS IT? WHAT IS IT? DOES IT TALLY WITH THE RECORDS? CAN I SEE EVE RYTHING? AM I SAFE TO DIG ?

MAPPING THE UND ERWORLD

a road, a building or other feature, and yet today’s urban landscape will often have totally changed,” explains Professor Rogers.

“The saving grace is that the routes of many of the roads in our cities [in the UK] tend to remain, so we might have a record of a pipeline in a street, although its position relative to the current road layout is unknown. This leads to another challenge: any attempt to transpose the records from an old map to a new one often leads to inaccuracy. Slightly disturbingly, the analogy of a treasure seeker with a map and a spade is not so very far removed from today’s street workers equipped with utility records and a mechanical excavator.”

Professor Rogers says that there are several reasons why utility pipes and, later cables, are buried in the ground. The chief among them are: for protection from damage by surface activities, vehicles and the weather; to provide support to resist differential movements; and to keep the unsightly arteries of civilised life hidden from view.

“The ground is, therefore, our friend in this endeavour, and in fact, this is where I started my research career – researching flexible pipe support,” reveals Professor Rogers. “However, when we need to excavate to maintain existing, or install new services, the ground becomes our enemy – a barrier to our being able to detect what is where below the surface.

Unhelpfully, although we have utility records, they are known not to be wholly reliable (i,e, inaccurate and/ or incomplete).”

Given these challenges, what was needed was “x-ray specs”. This is where the EPSRC sandpit (or IDEAS Factory) came in, says Professor Rogers – a concept of inter-disciplinary cooperation. This was

MTU final dissemination seminar

A

ccording to Mapping the Underworld (MTU), a one-day seminar and exhibition was hosted by the MTU Team at the Ordnance Survey Centre, Southampton, UK, on December 12, 2012, to showcase its research into the creation of a multi-sensor device to detect and map buried utilities. The project’s findings were presented alongside national and international developments in the area, and provided an opportunity to explore several initiatives that sought to make streetworks safer, more effective and more sustainable, an MTU news release said.

The event attended by more than 120 delegates, reportedly covered UK, because it was thought that the project that MTU decided to undertake needed a wide range of disciplines – a coming together of the most relevant scientists, engineers and other specialists – to create idea models.

He reiterates that of equal importance to the research outputs was the creation of a community around this. Having been asked to lead the MTU initiative, it was vital to create a research community, “and this we have done as a team,” he adds, while also acknowledging the contribution of the stakeholder community which supported the researchers throughout.

“The seed-corn funding was granted for a series of projects under the umbrella of Mapping the Underworld, and the rest is history, or rather the future,” says Professor Rogers. “What we aim to show hereafter [in the brochure] is that x-ray

European and American perspectives of the challenges and latest advances in remote technologies for pipeline and cable detection, location and mapping.

This, it said, appealed to a wide range of stakeholders who have to deal with buried utilities, from those who commission and carry out streetworks, and those who seek to maintain standards and regulations for such works, to those researching and developing geophysical and mapping technologies.

Highlighting the activities of the MTU Centre of Excellence, the news release said that it was a commercially-driven training, standards and accreditation initiative set specs do, in fact, feature in a number of guises, as long as you suspend your disbelief.”

The brochure lists the following areas that it explores: • A brief history of the Underworld • How good are we at finding our own?

• A brief history of Mapping The Underworld • Advanced sensing technologies – Ground Penetrating Radar • Advanced sensing technologies – VibroAcoustics • Advanced sensing technologies – Low-Frequency Electromagnetic Fields • Advanced sensing technologies – Passive Magnetic Fields • A multi-sensor device – putting it all together • Creating the map – combining data and records • Ground intelligence April 2013

up in collaboration with MTU, being led by Dr Metje and Dr Royal. This training solution demonstrates how academic researcher can successfully come together with practitioners to understand industry needs and develop a facility that has farreaching implications for industry standards and safety, MTU claimed, and added that this was an exciting development for the industry, as it opened up for the first time the possibility of a national certification scheme – something the industry had wished to see for some time.

Further information can be found at www. mappingtheunderworld. ac.uk

• • •

– making the ground transparent So just how effective is the MTU device? – the proving trials Making an impact – from back to the future Where do we go from here?

Taking his cue from the last chapter, Prof Rogers says, We have ambitious plans for taking the initiative forward into new spheres of influence, and, if we are successful in raising the funding, we hope everyone will join with us in advancing this novel area of science and engineering.”

In the future, Professor Rogers says, that he would like to look at noninvasive pipeline condition assessment technologies (Assessing the Underworld) and is said to be awaiting reviews of a currently submitted research proposal to take the project forward. www.climatecontrolme.com

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perspective

BUILDING PERFORMANCE

Building for life:

the future of better building performance Sustainable technologies like wind and solar get a lot of press coverage, but when it comes to satisfying the world’s almost insatiable appetite for energy, nothing today beats energy efficiency, says Johan Samuelsson, Vice President, Trane Middle East and Africa.

While the efficiency of commercial buildings has improved significantly in recent decades, the building industry has only begun to tap the energy reserves trapped in underperforming facilities.

Modern technologies, practices for boosting building performance

There is a wide range of groundbreaking innovations in high-performance building technologies, operating practices and intelligent building services available today that will create better, healthier, more comfortable and more productive indoor environments in the years to come. Buildings account for a significant portion of Middle East energy

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consumption. Building owners can reap benefits by adopting these technologies and principles. New technologies and improved energy-efficiency practices enable commercial buildings to achieve higher levels of energy efficiency, better overall performance, lower lifecycle costs and a smaller environmental footprint.

Numerous sources, including the US Green Building Council (USGBC) and European Union Institute for Energy and Transport (IET), say that high-performance buildings use 20 to 30% less energy and cost as much as 50% less to operate over their full occupied life, compared to conventionally equipped and operated buildings.

More energy-efficient building systems and the use of a wide range of energy conservation measures have helped drive down the energy intensity of commercial buildings by 18.5% over the last three decades, according to the US Department of Energy.

But the inventory of existing

Climate Control Middle East April 2013

Sensors embedded in mechanical systems will provide critical data used by intelligent service programs to analyse, predict problems and take corrective actions with building HVAC equipment buildings has just scratched the surface, when it comes to realising the full potential of energy efficiency to help reduce global energy

consumption and our environmental impact.

Just as significantly, building owners and operators are starting to recognise that betterperforming buildings are assets that help organisations accomplish their missions, and, most important, financial and operational goals. They create better, healthier, more productive places for people to work, learn, teach, live, heal, shop, stay in and visit.

Opportunities abound today in existing buildings

For the foreseeable future, the greatest energy, operating and service performance-improvement opportunities can be found in the world’s inventory of existing buildings.

These buildings represent an attractive target for efficiency improvements because they account for about one-third of the electricity consumed, according to the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and Energy Efficient Buildings PrivatePublic Partnership, and generate about 18 to 20% of greenhouse gas emissions.

Energy retrofitting of European buildings would yield an estimated 20 to 50% improvement in energy consumption, reduce greenhouse gas emissions by more than 12% and create more than three million jobs, according to the European Buildings under a Microscope report, prepared by the Buildings Performance Institute of Europe.

This is a watershed moment in the evolution of the high-performance building movement, as technologies and practices mature and the body of evidence supporting adoption of these principles

continues to grow. Following are some of the factors driving such adoption: • Continuing improvements in the economy will likely cause organisations to resume historic levels of capital investment. This includes spending on new construction, building additions and HVAC system retrofits, provided that building owners can achieve an acceptable rate of return on their investment.

• The expanded

capabilities of building-modelling software make it easier to analyse and predict the long-term impact of choosing high-performance building alternatives during the design and construction phases.

Meanwhile, the “green premium” is shrinking; the USGBC estimates that the incremental cost of choosing highperformance building features ranges from 0 to 6.5%. Trane has found that the cost of implementing energy conservation measures is recouped many times over a building’s long occupied life. For example, replacing outdated lighting fixtures, lamps and controls offers one of the best rates of return on investment, often

paying for itself in three years or less. Rapid improvements in LED lighting technologies promise to extend the opportunity for improvements.

• Evidence continues

to grow that betterperforming buildings yield better-performing organisations. For example, research

by Michigan State University shows that workgroups moving into LEEDcertified buildings achieve higher levels of productivity. A CoStar Group study has found that commercial buildings with Energy Star or LEED credentials commanded premium rents, enjoyed higher occupancy rates and sell for higher prices on the open market. A study by the Building Commission

service programs to analyse, predict problems and take corrective actions with building HVAC equipment, which leads to improved reliability, extend equipment life and efficient operation.

of Victoria, Australia, has found that worker productivity can be enhanced by about 30% with an optimal indoor environment.

• Environmental

performance goes handin-hand with energy efficiency. Exact rules, reporting requirements and milestones are up in the air in many jurisdictions. However, it is a sure bet that organisations of all types will be compelled to comply not just with more stringent national, state and local regulations but also with higher expectations from customers, shareowners, employees and the community.

• Organisations of

all kinds are under extreme pressure to do more with less – less budget, fewer resources and a smaller staff.

Building automation systems, which are key enablers of optimal building performance, automatically perform tasks that used to require human intervention with the intelligence to optimise results. Wireless communications technology, applied in these systems with open communications standards, will prove to be a breakthrough in improving controls and energy optimisation in the commercial existing building market.

• Sensors embedded in

mechanical systems will provide critical data used by intelligent

Better-performing buildings on the horizon

The world of indoor climate solutions has changed dramatically over the course of the last century, due largely to technical innovations that make buildings better and help owners and operators

Celebrating a century of innovation Trane, celebrates 100 years of HVAC innovation in 2013. Founded in 1913 by James and Reuben Trane, it is a provider of indoor comfort solutions and services and a brand of Ingersoll Rand. To learn more, visit http://www.trane.com/commercial/100years/.

April 2013

www.climatecontrolme.com

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perspective

BUILDING PERFORMANCE

accomplish their missions and achieve their most critical goals. No doubt the next century will bring about innovations that are every bit as impactful as the convector radiator, turbovacuum compressor, unitary air conditioning and building automation controls.

Meanwhile, there is no sense in waiting for the “next big thing” and the new generation of superefficient buildings, when we have the technology and know-how today to extract the tremendous energy reserves that exist within millions of underperforming buildings. Companies like Trane continue to explore concepts that apply to both new and existing buildings and promise to take energy efficiency to new heights in the next several decades:

• The biggest leap

forward in building efficiency will come not only from improving the performance of individual systems such as HVAC, mechanical, lighting and access control, but it will also come from enabling all building systems to operate in harmony.

Advancements in control technology, wireless communication and the continuing move to common operating systems will enable unprecedented interoperability of key building systems and allow more sophisticated building control strategies.

systems, ductless air conditioning and others.

• Performance of even

the best-designed and operated buildings degrades over time, according to researchers at the Lawrence Berkley National Laboratory (LBNL), who advocate continuous monitoring, fault detection and diagnosis, and commissioning to keep buildings operating at their original design performance (ODP) levels. More organisations will adopt commissioning, re-commissioning and continuous commissioning strategies to help realise the full value of their high-performance building investments.

• The move to intelligent

• Innovative HVAC

approaches will grow in popularity as the drive to reduce energy consumption continues. Examples include geothermal heat pumps, thermal storage, modular HVAC

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Climate Control Middle East April 2013

services and predictive maintenance models will accelerate as building owners and operators strive to improve reliability, reduce operating costs and do more with less. Intelligent services combine technology, access to unprecedented levels of data and sophisticated analytics to continuously collect, interpret and act upon data from building systems and controls to optimise operational performance.

Sensors and smart controllers built into HVAC equipment and connected to the web will fuel this sophisticated data

analysis. Intelligent analytics will be able to study equipment usage patterns and learn from past experience.

With capable service partners, building operators can focus internal resources on other priorities and reduce challenges associated with a shortage of qualified HVAC specialists.

• Building modelling and

analysis software has come a long way since its introduction during the energy crisis of the early 1970s and the science of modelling continues to advance.

Features enable building owners and their energy services partners to compare the impact of various choices and use net present value (NPV) based cost analysis, which provides a more realistic picture of the total savings that energy conservation measures will generate over a

There is no sense in waiting for the “next big thing” and the new generation of super-efficient buildings, when we have the technology and know-how today to extract the tremendous energy reserves that exist within millions of underperforming buildings building’s lifecycle.

Modelling also helps designers accurately match building system capacity to anticipated requirements.

• The new generation

of building occupants – including the technatives born in the information age – has different expectations than their older colleagues. They expect to interact with building systems using their smart devices, for example, changing the way the building industry thinks about user interface.

They want to work flexible hours, access data remotely, put a premium on personal time and work for

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perspective

Building PerforMAnce some or most of the energy they use onsite, often using alternative generation methods such as solar, wind or fuel cells.

An alternative to large regional power plants, this distributed generation model enables buildings to sell any excess power they generate to the public power grid, realising the potential of a net-zero building that creates more energy than it consumes.

Dubai Emirates Towers at night and new buildings around Sheikh Zayed Road

WATER SCARCITy IS LIKELy TO BECOME ONE OF THE PIVOTAL ENVIRONMENTAL CONCERNS OF THIS CENTURy AND HVAC SySTEM PROVIDERS WILL NO DOUBT BE CHALLENGED TO DEVELOP SySTEMS THAT OPERATE WITH LESS WATER organisations whose values – including environmental values – they share. All of these things have implications for building owners and operators and the systems they choose for their buildings.

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• Better communications

with utilities will enable building operators to take advantage of the best available rates and use thermal storage and other technologies to shift cooling load to offpeak hours. Advanced control systems share data openly between building systems and utilities to enable these capabilities.

• Energy companies

will find new ways to go to market. For example, instead of selling hardware, original equipment manufacturers may offer their customers the opportunity to buy “occupant comfort” and charge a monthly fee to supply whatever combination of products and services are necessary to keep building occupants comfortable.

• The combination

Climate Control Middle East April 2013

of automated controls, wireless

communications and more sophisticated electronic sensors will make it easier for operators to personalise comfort settings for individuals and reduce energy costs by avoiding cooling or heating vacant areas at the same level as occupied ones.

• Water scarcity is likely

to become one of the pivotal environmental concerns of this century, and HVAC system providers will no doubt be challenged to develop systems that operate with less water. Like manufacturers of other kinds of equipment, HVAC companies will need to thoroughly examine their products’ environmental endto-end footprint, from design through disposal.

• Many of tomorrow’s

high-performance buildings will generate

The demand for energy in the developed and developing world continues to grow exponentially, with no end in sight. Finding sustainable energy solutions is a complex problem.

Solving it will require us to continue to develop safe and efficient methods to find, develop and produce fossil fuels while also exploring alternative forms to generate energy.

It is impossible to overstate the importance of energy efficiency in the equation. Tapping into the energy reserves trapped in underperforming buildings can take us a long way towards ensuring that the needs of an energy-intensive world are met. 

The writer is Vice President for Trane Middle East and Africa.

He can be contacted at johan_samuelsson@ irco.com

Phone: +971 4 8159 300 | Email: info@daikinmcquayme.com | Website: www.daikinme.com