CCME - January 2019

Market Feature: Heat exchangers

January 2019

The World Expo in 2020 in Dubai is a testbed for innovation.

How is the HVACR industry responding to the momentum?

See us at booth C7843

Emerging trends and best practices based on discussions with key experts from across the globe Bi-annual supplement on the District Cooling industry

See us at booth 1H25

news

• The Water Hub: Joan Kowal, Emory University • Microgrids: Ted Borer, Princeton University • Plant optimisation: Juan Ontiveros, University of Texas at Austin

Empower announces construction of world’s first Artificial Intelligence-managed DC plant

POST-EVENT REPORTS • Part 2 of HVAC R Expo (The Big 5 Dubai) • DistrictCooling 2018

UL offers new building Cx service

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A Global Industry With a Local Presence

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OVERVIEW

9TH MIDDLE EAST COLD CHAIN FOOD SAFETY CONFERENCE 21 January 2019 Turf Suite, The Meydan Hotel, Dubai, UAE

T

he previous edition of the Food Chain conference succeeded in bringing to the fore the urgent need for sweeping and pervasive best practices in the transportation and storage of thermally sensitive food products. The 9th edition has a self-mandated goal of largely seeking age-defining technological solutions for addressing issues related to how food is stored and handled. It equally wants to support the popular call for legislation specific to cold storage design and construction, and to transport refrigeration.

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Surendar Balakrishnan Co-Founder & Editorial Director T: +971 4 375 6831 M: +971 50 509 2457 F: +971 4 434 1906 E: surendar@cpi-industry.com

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FOR EVENT AND MARKETING-RELATED QUERIES: Alakananda Ghose Strategic Public Affairs Liaison & Events Manager T: +971 4 375 68 38 M: +971 55 764 9227 F: +971 4 4341906 E: alka@cpi-industry.com

In North America, contact: Kanika Saxena Our representative in North America T: +1 (905) 267 4666 E: kanika@cpi-industry.com

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January 2019

In Asia (except India), contact: Judy Wang Our representative in Asia T: 00852-30780826 E: judy@cpi-industry.com

3

vol. 14 no. 01  january 2019

2020

sentiment amongst HVACR players on how the upcoming World Expo 2020 is shaping the UAE market?

‘The UAE has been ambitious and thoughtful in its energy plans for Expo 2020’ Dr Ghassan Al Nimry, Eco-Structures International

22

‘Expo will give manufacturers global exposure’ Ashwin Alexander, MD, Cannelle Holdings

‘Architectural diversity demands customised solutions’

26

‘Historical data and fire safety’

page

24

on the cover

Kartik J Raval, General Manager, Leminar Air Conditioning

Robert Davies, Head of Specialist Services, WSP Middle East

17

08

District Cooling 2018, Dubai, UAE Conference highlighted how District Cooling is contributing to smarter urban growth

30

4

supplement

Post-event reports

The HVAC R Expo at The Big 5 Dubai in November 2018 presented an opportunity for several companies to showcase not only innovations but also their philosophy and intent to align with the region’s socio-economic and sustainable development goals. In this, the second part of Climate Control Middle East’s coverage of the exhibition, we bring you more profiles…

29 Bi-annual supplement on the District Cooling industry: Emerging trends and best practices based on discussions amongst key experts from across the globe

hx?

Challenges relating to measuring the performance of heat exchangers and the role disruptive technologies will play in future manufacturing processes.

48

‘A modular route to

Hasan Celik, Managing Director, Controlled Environment Projects, Kingspan Insulated Panels

28

Interviews:

40

Ted Borer, Princeton University

42

‘Deciphering the Dynamics of The Water Hub’ Joan Kowal, Emory University

44

eDItor'S note

‘Microgrids enhance a region’s resilience’

‘If you are truly interested in efficiency, you never rest’ Juan Ontiveros, University of Texas at Austin

January 2019

what the

revolutionising cold stores’

The Big 5 Dubai 2018

chasing utopia

regulars

20

Perspective

Interviews:

Market Feature

What is the general

06 Regional News

50 Global News

63 MARKET PLACE

66

January 2019

5

Chasingutopia

EDITOR’S NOTE

H

appy New Year, and here’s wishing you a bright time ahead!

The birth of a new year is always an opportunity for reflection, for assessing the consequences of our

thoughts and actions, and the true value of milestones passed.

There is no doubt we have come a long way in making our buildings more resource-friendly and healthy, in

helping mission-critical infrastructure achieve greater reliability and in ensuring temperature-sensitive food and pharma products are stored and handled in a way as to preserve their integrity. But there still is much ground to be covered.

For want of space, here’s a non-exhaustive wish-list for 2019…

•

Politicians, policy-makers, planners and decision-makers in the HVACR industry will embrace longtermism, unfettered by compulsions to establish their legacy.

Surendar Balakrishnan Editor @BSurendar_HVACR

•

Smoke control design achieves a greater level of sophistication.

•

Integrated project development becomes the norm than the exception, as do properly structured and implemented testing and commissioning procedures and FM practices.

•

Architects, designers and contractors undertake regimented post-handover site visits and, as a follow-up measure, recalibrate their approaches, if necessary, with a view to applying them in new projects they undertake.

•

IEQ becomes as much a part of the intense narrative in discussions as does energy efficiency, and retains its importance in every stage of a building’s lifecycle. Specifically, air filtration is not caught in

MARKET FEATURE: HEAT EXCHANGERS

the web of energy efficiency and that there are ways to overcome pressure drop.

January 2019

•

Duct cleaning is simplified, and perhaps the world will even see self-cleaning and self-sealing ducts, thus addressing concerns over IEQ and air leakages, which lead to energy losses worth billions of dollars.

•

Proper design, construction and maintenance practices confine building-related illnesses and hospitalacquired illnesses to the past.

The World Expo in 2020 in Dubai is a testbed for innovation.

How is the HVACR industry responding to the momentum?

SEE US AT BOOTH C7843

Emerging trends and best practices based on discussions with key experts from across the globe Bi-annual supplement on the District Cooling industry

SEE US AT BOOTH 1H25

news

• The Water Hub: Joan Kowal, Emory University • Microgrids: Ted Borer, Princeton University • Plant optimisation: Juan Ontiveros, University of Texas at Austin

Empower announces construction of world’s first Artificial Intelligence-managed DC plant

UL offers new building Cx service

•

Get the next issue of Climate Control Middle East early!

• Part 2 of HVAC R Expo (The Big 5 Dubai) • DistrictCooling 2018

All free cooling and passive-cooling opportunities are suitably explored and considered as part of the C

overall mix in every project.

POST-EVENT REPORTS

•

Urban Heat Island effect is viewed as an even greater factor for consideration in planning new towns and cities – an urgent need, given the rapid increase in population and urbanisation the world over.

PUBLICATION LICENSED BY IMPZ

US$15

•

Optimisation of water use is a given and that all building industry stakeholders act responsibly in

•

The design, build and O&M functions of cold storage warehouses are handled by specialised and wellqualified consultants, contractors and FM teams.

•

The efficiency of solar PV cells in capturing energy from the sun reaches new heights, as does the efficiency of energy-storage devices, thus raising the possibility of uninterruptedly benefitting from the sun.

•

A world free of misrepresentation of product certifications, counterfeit products and other unfair and illegal market practices.

•

Economic recovery and a sustained period of growth, resulting in a healthy pipeline of projects and on-time payments.

Co-Founder & Commercial Director Frédéric Paillé | fred@cpi-industry.com Assistant Editor Hannah Jo Uy | hannah@cpi-industry.com Associate Editor K E Priyamvada | priya@cpi-industry.com Advertising Enquiries Frédéric Paillé: +971 50 7147204 fred@cpi-industry.com

Rao Ali Akbar: +971 50 4108034 Sales Manager ali@cpi-industry.com Manzoor Usman: +971 58 121 8393 Business Development Manager manzoor@cpi-industry.com

Co-Founder & Editorial Director Surendar Balakrishnan| surendar@cpi-industry.com

Saudi Arabia Numair Sami Alamdar Consultant / Technical Support Jeddah, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia T: +966 566 565 965 E: numair@cpi-industry.com

Strategic Public Affairs Liaison and Events Manager Ruqiya Shariff | ruqiyah@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: +1 905 267 4666

Office Manager Ana Liza Valino | admin@cpi-industry.com

In Asia (except India), contact: Judy Wang, Our representative in Asia T: 00852-30780826 E: judy@cpi-industry.com

January 2019

Published by

Design Manuelito Quisay | maq@cpi-industry.com

Administrator Muzzammil Hameed muzzammil@cpi-industry.com Webmaster Chris Lopez | chris@cpi-industry.com Database/Subscriptions Manager Purwanti Srirejeki | purwanti@cpi-industry.com

Founder, CPI Media Group Dominic De Sousa (1959-2015)

6

MY

CY

CMY

K

Refrigerants with a GWP of around 400 – a level, experts say, is needed to mitigate climate change and, at the same time, are non-flammable, so they meet current and proposed building codes.

•

Y

CM

preventing pollution of surface water bodies and aquifers.

Visit our website: climatecontrolme.com/digital Also available at

M

Head Office G15, Building 4, Dubai Media City, UAE PO Box 13700 Tel: +971 4 375 68 30 / Fax: +971 4 43 419 06 Web: www.cpi-industry.com Printed by: Al Ghurair Printing and Publishing LLC © Copyright 2019 CPI. All rights reserved.

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

January 2019

7

REPORT

HVAC R Expo (The Big 5 Dubai 2018)

And we have here... (part 2) The HVAC R Expo at The Big 5 Dubai in November 2018 presented an opportunity for several companies to showcase not only innovations but also their philosophy and intent to align with the region’s socioeconomic and sustainable development goals. In this, the second part of Climate Control Middle East’s coverage of the exhibition, we bring you more profiles…

8

January 2019

Airchal Middle East

A

irchal Middle East showcased its range of air-handling, fan-coil, ducted-split and condensing units, all manufactured in Abu Dhabi.

Bassel Abd El-Aziz, Sales Director, Middle East, said that in addition to offering standard products, the company offers customised solutions for its customers across the MENA region. Every building owner faces unique problems, he said, providing the example of space constraints in mechanical rooms or the inability to accommodate fancoil units, owing to design issues, as examples. “We are selling more than the pre-engineered equipment,” he said.

“We use our engineering experience in the field to provide solutions, and it differentiates us from other HVAC companies.” El-Aziz added that Airchal’s air-handling products are unique owing to their frameless design, which is uncommon in the region and which allows them to offer TB1 and T1 features that are highly desired in snow parks. El Aziz said the company’s major specialty in the region is providing fresh air-handling units for snow parks, in addition to healthcare facilities and other specialised projects.

AlpicAir

A

lpicAir highlighted its range of residential and light commercial products, in addition to VRF systems, fan-coil units and chillers during its participation at the Expo, The company’s representative, Erkki Peterson said the objective of its participation was to look for local distributors for the company’s products for the Middle East. Peterson added that while the company’s product range is generally not the cheapest, its main competitive advantage is high energy-efficiency features, leading to long-term savings in the opex. “Our ambition is not big-volume sales,” he said. “We are looking for partners interested to sell quality products.”

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January 2019

9

REPORT

HVAC R Expo (The Big 5 Dubai 2018)

Appidi Technologies

I

ndia-based manufacturer, Appidi highlighted its range of desiccant dehumidifiers and energy-recovery systems at the Expo.

AVS Reddy, Managing Director, said there is strong market potential for energy-recovery systems in the United Arab Emirates, owing to the growing appreciation of Green Buildings. Reddy added that desiccant dehumidifiers are ideal for industrial applications and that he is also seeing greater demand for the product from the pharmaceutical industry and from the growing number of data centres, where maintaining low humidity is crucial.

Reddy said the company aims to connect with potential partners and enhance the company’s exposure.

Reddy added that interest in these systems will continue to grow, as the inevitable rise of electricity costs drive stakeholders in the GCC region towards energy-efficient HVAC solutions to ensure long-term sustainability.

Appartme

T

he area of focus for Europebased energy-management system provider, Appartme at the Expo was its application solution.

Maciej Putniorz, Marketing Manager, Appartme, said: “This is the first time we are exhibiting at the Big5 and are showcasing our home energymanagement application.” The company he said, attempts to cover an end-user’s energy-management needs from a smartphone.

ATB Systems

A

TB Systems showcased an automatic tube brushing system at its booth during its participation in the Expo. William Boesch, President, Water Technology of Pensacola, said the system was designed and manufactured to keep chiller tubes clean. “We provide anywhere from 15-20% energy savings by keeping it clean,” he said, adding that the company’s project references include some of the biggest chiller plants in the world and that its system has allowed clients to save a significant amount, owing to reduction of energy consumption.

Boesch said the company specialises in a number of energy-saving equipment for chillers, in addition to offering plate heat exchangers.

Beacon

T

he year 2018 has been very good for renewable energy and the idea of exhibiting at the Big5 in Dubai is also to gauge the kind of technology in the market, said Sandhya Prakash, Founder and Managing Director, Beacon, while speaking on her expectations for the Big5. In terms of technology, when the company began five years ago, she said, there was a need to educate people on renewable energy. “In addition,” she said, “pressures like VAT came along and people immediately began to look for energy savings.”

10

January 2019

Betec Cad

B

etec Cad Industries chose to focus on its fire dampers while exhibiting in the Expo, Gautham Srinivasan, Quality Checks Engineer, said. Speaking on general market conditions, Srinivasan said it was important to address issues with regard to cash-flow from the perspective of end-users. “If you compare 2018 to 2017, there has been a little bit of a problem with regard to cash flow,” he said.

“However, we are still doing well when compared to others in the market.” And with reference to quality, he added, “We don’t find too much of compromise made on the quality of materials being used for manufacturing, because materials are regularly inspected at every level of the manufacturing process.”

BIMobject

T

he Expo proved to be an ideal place to reach out to manufacturers and explain the importance of making data available, said Justin Style, Marketing Technologist, BIMobject. BIM, when paired with data, he said, empowers not only designers but also FM managers to better manage the construction process, as everyone has access to data; BIM enables them to understand what they are building.

Brentwood

B

rentwood, an avowed specialist in developing internal components for cooling towers, highlighted its film fills during its participation in the Expo. Gene Rudolph, Senior Vice President, Cooling Tower, stressed that in the United Arab Emirates and across the region, there are two main issues related to water for cooling towers: Access and quality. “In cooling efficiency, one of the biggest factors is the quality of the water,” he said. “We design fills that go into cooling towers that are anti-fouling, so even though there’s a lot of microbiology in the water, a lot of debris, ours are designed not to foul up. This gives the operator that continuous good use of their water and gives the cooling performance they are looking for.” Rudolph said that operating cost is often an afterthought, but that as electricity bills climb higher, more companies are looking for ways to reduce opex of the plant. He added, “We believe we have a product that can do that in many applications, specifically in District Cooling and around the climate control market.”

CGM

C

GM, an Italian manufacturer, showcased its five-axis machine for pre-insulated duct panels during its participation at the Expo. Marco Tamburini, Sales and Technical Services, explained that the machine creates ready-to-build pieces and is able to cut as per ducting requirements, from a zero-degree angle up to 45 degrees. CGM, Tamburini said, has been present in the United Arab Emirates, and participating in The Big 5 for approximately eight years. He added that the company’s products had been well-received by the local markets and that CGM is looking to expand its presence in the Middle East and across Asia, naming its strong after-sales programme as a competitive advantage.

January 2019

11

REPORT

HVAC R Expo (The Big 5 Dubai 2018)

Conex Bänninger

C

onex Bänninger showcased its product range at The Big 5. Visitors were able to view innovations, such as the flame-free B MaxiPro press-fit solution for ACR copper pipe joints, at the company’s stand. The B MaxiPro range was developed specifically for air conditioning and refrigeration applications and features Conex Bänninger’s B profile 3-point press system to provide a reliable, permanent and leak-free joint, the company’s representative said.

Also on show were the company’s B Press copper fittings, which have a leak-beforepress indicator feature, a specially designed EPDM O-ring. Richard Franks, Business Unit Director, said: “The Gulf is an important and developing market, and The Big 5 Dubai provides an excellent opportunity to promote the company’s wide range of products.”

EGAT

M

arwa Afifi, Managing Director, Egyptian German Air Treatment (EGAT), described exhibiting in the Expo as significant. The company showcased its fire dampers, sound attenuators, air- handling units and air curtains. A considerable number of people came to see the equipment and were impressed with the fact that the equipment is UL Certified, said Afifi.

There is a high competition within the HVAC industry for the products, she said. Giving an overview of the market in Egypt, she said, “In Egypt, manpower and labour are cheap, which is why we are able to keep up with the market, even though times are economically tough.”

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January 2019

Dutco Tennant

D

utco Tennant highlighted its wide spectrum of products, which Harshit Goel, Key Account Engineer, said, included most of the global HVAC solutions. He said the company supplies valves, pipes and fittings for building services, and chilled water and District Cooling projects through its various divisions, such as its civil infrastructure division.

Dwyer

D

wyer Instruments used the Expo as a platform to introduce its IEF electromagnetic flow meter to the Middle East market. Designed for measuring water in pipes, the IEF does not necessitate the system to be shut down to install the product, which saves time and makes it ideal for a number of crucial HVAC applications.

Bradley Chapman, the company’s General Manager, said the product has been well received by visitors. He added that Dwyer also showcased its range of sensors for building automation, which measure pressure flow and level, temperature and air velocity, and sense various gases.

Chapman said the company views the Middle East as a continuously growing and significant market.

Hoval

E

urope-based Hoval showcased its rotary heat exchangers during the Expo.

Christian Takacs, Sales Engineer, Heat Recovery, Hoval, said that owing to the increasing number of new builds, the market demand for heat exchangers in the Middle East is high. “Our company is based in Europe, and our focus has been on rotary and plate heat exchangers,” he said. The demand for sustainability and the call for energy efficiency, he added, continues to grow.

Lifa Air

L

ifa Air introduced its new battery-operated duct cleaning systems and smart air purifiers for consumers during its participation in the Expo. Johan Brandt, CEO, reported garnering a lot of interest from visitors at the booth for its products, and commented that the company has received a growing number of unique inquiries from clients across the GCC region for its duct cleaning systems. Brandt said main interest groups include FM companies looking to expand their portfolio by procuring such tools. Lifa Air, he added, also trains FM companies for such specialised services.

“Interest is growing,” he said.

“Duct cleaning is becoming more important, as people understand the importance of the clean air [they] are breathing.”

Oxycom

“W

e basically sell healthy air,” said Hans Reinders, CEO, Oxycom, underscoring the company’s commitment to raising awareness on the importance of improving IAQ, through its range of products. As part of its participation in the Expo, however, Reinders highlighted the company’s indirect evaporative cooler, which he described as being twice as efficient as an enthalpy wheel. “The uniqueness of our heat exchanger,” he explained, “is that we can moisturise the outgoing air inside the heat exchanger to cool the incoming air in the heat exchanger, and if we cool the incoming air in the heat exchanger down to 18 degrees C, then we are at least 10 or 12 degrees C lower in temperature than the best enthalpy wheel in the world. Our efficiency is not at 80% but 150 or 160%.

It means 75% of the heat load or fresh air that you bring in will be cooled. That, again, will reduce energy needed for the air conditioner.” Since entering the GCC region a few years ago, Reinders said, Oxycom has learned and adapted its products to the region’s harsh conditions and that the company now has a greater understanding of the market needs, the special treatment needed by the technology and the scope of after-sales service requirements, which he described “as the future of connection with the customers”.

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January 2019

13

REPORT

HVAC R Expo (The Big 5 Dubai 2018)

Unigulf

U

nigulf showcased its wide range of insulation products during its participation in the Expo. Kishore Deotarase, General Manager (Sales), spoke on the company’s strengths with regard to products in the field of insulation, which he said, covers fibreglass, rubber insulation and rockwool insulation. “We also have polystyrene insulation for building applications, pre-insulated panels for HVAC ducting applications and, within that, we have pre insulated panels for clean room applications, such as for pharmaceutical companies and hospitals,” he said. “Besides that, we have refrigerants and flexible duct connectors.” Deotarase highlighted the company’s 30 years of experience in the United Arab Emirates, as well as its investment in all the necessary certifications to ensure quality of products and compliance with local standards.

Volcan International

T

VIR

“A

t the Big5 Dubai, we are showcasing FCU hook-up units.

As valve producers, we have an office in the region and deal directly and not through agents,” said Abraham Jacob, General Manager, VIR ME International. The Big5 for many years has not been centric to the Dubai market, but more centric to Expo dealers, he added. “We get a lot of interesting enquiries and this is good exposure, the only thing missing is the focus on the HVAC area.”

hrough its tie-ups with international brands, Ajman-based Volcan International offered a range of duct fabrication machinery and solutions, during its participation in the Expo, said Shashank Dandavate, President and Managing Director. Dandavate said that Volcan exhibited along with US-based Tin Knockers, which specialises in heavy-duty sheet-metal-working machinery, some of which were displayed at the booth. Dandavate said reception for the products has been good and that it was pleased that Tin Knockers was able to demonstrate the efficiency of its machines to potential customers during the Expo. “We want people to see and buy it, and not just sell from the catalogue,” he said, “That’s also our philosophy. We don’t want to cheat the customers, we want them to know what they are getting.” Dandavate said Volcan’s main role is to advise customers on the most suitable machine to match their requirements, by leveraging its decades of experience in the region.

looking for REFRIGERATION products?

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January 2019

January 2019

15

PRODUCED BY

3rd edition

24 MARCH 2019 | DUBAI, UAE

OVERVIEW

F

rameworks, like Europe’s F-Gas regulation and the Kigali Amendment to the Montreal Protocol, which requires high-GWP gases to be phased down, have compelled and motivated manufacturers of refrigerants to look for alternative solutions to those in circulation, with an eye on lower GWP, greater energy efficiency and, equally crucial, zero flammability, given the growing reluctance among contractors to accept even mildly flammable options.

The third edition of Refrigerants Review will examine the refrigerants emerging in the landscape and will foster discussions involving government bodies, building owners, consultants and contractors in the Middle East on how to time a switchover to a refrigerant that is specifically suitable for high-ambient conditions, and will have longevity as its hallmark. One context of the discussions will be the dip in economic activity in the region and how it is influencing decisions. Another will be the country-specific deadlines and whether a compelling case can be made for building owners to wait till they expire to make the change.

OFFICIAL PUBLICATION OFFICIAL PUBLICATION

WWW.REFRIGERANTSREVIEW.COM FOR EDITORIAL-RELATED QUERIES:

FOR SPONSORSHIP OPPORTUNITIES:

Surendar Balakrishnan Co-Founder & Editorial Director T: +971 4 375 6831 M: +971 50 509 2457 F: +971 4 434 1906 E: surendar@cpi-industry.com

Frédéric Paillé Co-Founder and Commercial Director T: +971 4 375 6833 M: +971 50 714 7204 F: +971 4 434 1906 E: fred@cpi-industry.com

FOR EVENT AND MARKETING-RELATED QUERIES: Alakananda Ghose Strategic Public Affairs Liaison & Events Manager T: +971 4 375 6838 M: +971 5 576 49227 F: +971 4 4341906 E: alka@cpi-industry.com

16

January 2019

In North America, contact: Kanika Saxena Our representative in North America T: +1 (905) 267 4666 E: kanika@cpi-industry.com

Rao Ali Akbar Sales Manager T: +971 4 375 6832 M: +971 50 410 8034 F: +971 4 4341906 E: ali@cpi-industry.com

Manzoor Usman Business Development Manager T: +971 4 375 6834 M: +971 5 8 121 8393 F: +971 4 4341906 E: manzoor@cpi-industry.com

In Saudi Arabia, contact: Numair Sami Alamdar Our representative in Saudi Arabia T: +966 566 565 965 E: numair@cpi-industry.com

In Asia (except India), contact: Judy Wang Our representative in Asia T: 00852-30780826 E: judy@cpi-industry.com

A CLIMATE CONTROL MIDDLE EAST SPECIAL SUPPLEMENT

WORLD EXPO

2020

INSIDE:

‘The UAE has been ambitious and thoughtful in its energy plans for Expo 2020’ Dr Ghassan Al Nimry, Eco-Structures

Expo will give manufacturers global exposure

Architectural diversity demands customised solutions

Historical data and fire safety

Ashwin Alexander, Cannelle Holdings

Kartik J Raval, Leminar Air Conditioning

Robert Davies, WSP Middle East

FEATURE

PRIMING FOR 2020 What is the general sentiment among regional and international HVACR players on how the upcoming World Expo 2020 is shaping the UAE market?

January 2019

17

FEATURE

Priming for

2020 T

he stage is being set for the World Expo 2020, and the UAE, its host country, is once again in the international spotlight. Mehmet Şanal, Chairman, ISIB, says that with the highly anticipated event merely a year away, Dubai is attracting interest from Mehmet Şanal global trade markets. “For a period of six months, starting October 2020, millions of people will visit Dubai,” he says, “which offers invaluable opportunities for all of us.” In this context, Şanal says, companies across various sectors have undertaken measures to position themselves accordingly, in anticipation of the footfall Dubai will have from regional and international visitors.

Zoe Hu For Şanal, the Expo underscores the importance the HVACR sector must place in the Middle East market, which he describes as ‘ever open’ to development.

“It is of particular importance to make use of the potential in the region and provide the technology of the future,” he says, stressing that it is ISIB’s goal to help Turkish solution providers play a more significant role in the region’s Bassel Abd El-Aziz progress.

Zoe Hu, Deputy General Manager (West Asia and Africa), Chint, speaking from the perspective of Chinese players, also believes the Expo offers a wealth of opportunities in the market, adding that the company is involved in some projects and views the event as ample opportunity to highlight its portfolio, which includes services related to energy and power.

Bassel Abd El-Aziz, Sales Director, Middle East, Airchal Middle East, adds that while the Expo is sure to drive the construction market and, subsequently, the service sector, stakeholders have not observed the boost in the market to the extent previously expected.

18

January 2019

Viken Ohanesian, Executive Director, Harwal Group, believes the softness in the market only means there is nowhere to go but up. “I don’t see in the next year or two this horrible threat,” he says. “We are in it already, whatever was going to happen – we feel it. I believe 2020 is a stage to bring everybody in and, hopefully, unleash a fury of investment.”

Gleaning from the level of participation of the Technical Supplies and Services Company (TSSC) in the Expo, A P Dellapenna, Executive Director – CEO, says the most important thing with regard to securing such projects was to get approved as a vendor, and that those that have been approved can expect good opportunities in the pipeline. TSSC, he says, is associated with companies that have been awarded the construction of the pavilions.

Ohanesian believes that the Expo is set to boost the population of the Viken Ohanesian UAE, which will serve as a catalyst for new growth trends on the consumer side, impacting food and retail. This, he says, in turn will lead to an uptake in demand for farms, warehousing and logistics. “We are looking at first the infrastructure build and then the actual growth in population to take it to the next level,” he says. “Hopefully, it pans out that way.” Gene Rudolph, Senior Vice A P Dellapenna President, Cooling Tower, Brentwood, says that growth in demand for such solutions aligns with the region’s efforts to move away from being an oil- and gas-dominated economy.

Though overall demand is expected, how much attention is being given to the quality of the equipment to be installed? Are Expo-related projects stumbling under the same challenges Gene Rudolph facing other developments, such as the

WORLD EXPO 2020

What is the general sentiment among regional and international HVACR players on how the upcoming World Expo 2020 is shaping the UAE market? Widely considered an ideal stage for showcasing innovative and energy-efficient products, will the event signal a shift in the industry mindset towards the adoption of more sustainable solutions with a long-term view? Hannah Jo Uy investigates…

pressure of deadlines and cost-centric thinking? Taking on an optimistic view in this regard is Kishore Deotarase, General Manager - Sales, Unigulf, who says that though payment delays can be a challenge in current market conditions, he believes there will be no compromise on the quality of equipment going Kishore Deotarase into Expo developments from project managers and consultants involved – even with jobs that have to be handed over by the end of the year. Deotarase says stakeholders are being driven to “come up with something innovative, eye catching and also technically impressive”.

He adds: “Their names are also at stake.

They make sure projects have real quality, not only aesthetics.” This, he Nazar Shahinian says, is largely driven by stiff competition in the market, stressing that stringent measures ensuring quality and efficiency can be expected from such projects of significant value, size and appeal.

Nazar Shahinian, VP-Business Development, Harwal Group, says that when it comes to aesthetics and structure, in-house engineering teams and know-how pave the way for creative Miro Donabedian solutions for the building envelop, which can address energy efficiency and fire and life safety requirements. Ohanesian adds: “They are not mutually exclusive. If you want an aesthetically appealing and functioning product, it doesn’t mean it has to be very expensive. We can value-engineer a solution, bring manufacturing, contracting and design all together and decide what is needed.”

Miro Donabedian, General Manager, TSSC, adds that such an approach allows companies to pass the saving to the client for turnkey solutions. Donabedian believes the same measures extend to cold chain, elaborating on the existing solutions to ensure food

safety and temperature control of critical products such as pharmaceutical items through the integration of smart features for closer monitoring.

Dellapenna says ‘smart’ is the general direction the market is taking and that while there are limits when it comes to adoption of quality solutions, Hans Reinders modern and effective products always find the right audience. “Dubai is the place of new solutions,” he says.

“We test, then it spreads all over the world.”

Hans Reinders, CEO, Oxycom, says that as such, the event is an ideal platform to promote a shift in industry mindset and move the dial towards greater adoption of green technologies.

Liju Thomas Eapen “The World Bank report said indirect evaporative cooling will have a future in the HVAC industry,” he says. “Now, with EXPO 2020, what a chance that would be to show that there are great solutions for reducing energy and getting healthier indoor air quality in the buildings! It would be a great way to educate the market.”

Liju Thomas Eapen, Managing Director, Al Arif A/C, believes that this kind of education should be the most important legacy of the Expo. “You can’t just think of Expo 2020,” he says, “because it is very close. There has to be life and sustainability after Expo 2020. There will be things which I believe the government will do to encourage the people to come, stay here, invest in and grow with this country.”

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

Write to editor@cpi-industry.com

January 2019

19

INTERVIEW

Dr Ghassan Al Nimry, Eco-Structures

‘The UAE has been ambitious and thoughtful in its energy plans for Expo 2020’ With much of the development relating to the World Expo in 2020, to be hosted by Dubai, already underway or nearing completion, there is a need to ensure that the goals of clean energy, lowest-possible energy consumption and low emissions are being met, says Dr Ghassan Al Nimry, Director, Eco-Structures International, in this interview with Ranjana Konatt, where he also explains the inherent benefits to be had from a building-integrated, thermal-energy-storage HVAC system. Excerpts…

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VAC systems constitute a key parameter with regard to health problems. Urban Heat Islands can affect human health by contributing to general discomfort, respiratory difficulties, heat cramps and exhaustion. With respect to the projects associated with Expo 2020, what steps need to be taken to mitigate the Urban Heat Island effect?

The UAE has been ambitious and thoughtful in its energy plans for Expo 2020, with 50% of the energy intended to come from solar sources over the Expo’s six-month duration. The simple modification of the land surface itself needed to develop the Expo site, and the developments, will produce an Urban Heat Island (UHI), although steps to mitigate that effect are guided by many demand-sidemanagement strategies recommended by the government. With much of the development already underway or nearing completion, there is a need to ensure that the laudable goals of clean energy, reduced consumption and low emissions are being met.

Of all the Expo 2020 developments, the legacy plans still unfolding are of paramount importance. Truly sustainable construction methods are needed to ensure that these permanent developments are future-proof. Adopting a wide-scale policy of mandatory thermal energy storage in concrete structures is the most effective UHI mitigation policy that can all but eliminate one of the main contributors to UHI, specifically waste heat generated by excessive energy usage in buildings. There is great awareness of the need for cleaner energy supply, but to be effective, a wider application of energy storage technologies must be adopted to reduce peak demand and consumption and to optimise clean energy sources, effectively bending the emissions curve and most effectively mitigating the formation of UHIs.

How can technology contribute to mitigating UHI? Are there any available technologies?

The technology to mitigate UHI with design-based strategies is under development. To cite some examples, utilising shading

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strategies, double-skin façade with airflows and ventilation in cavities, as well as using reflective paint and increased green spaces. The most advanced ventilation and passive-cooling design approach is an airbased, building-integrated, thermal-energy-storage HVAC system, which slashes installed AC capacity by 50% and shifts peak loads from peak/daytime use to off-peak/night-time use, a combination that significantly reduces waste heat generation, and which is achieved at a lower cost than conventional AC.

What examples do we have worldwide of buildingintegrated HVAC systems that prove their effectiveness?

The most effective sustainability approaches are holistic in nature.

Integrating clean energy sources with HVAC and building structure offers a future-proof UHI mitigation strategy. Using a buildingintegrated HVAC system halves the installed AC capacity, increases the proportion of energy used during off-peak times, and improves the annual COP (Coefficient of Performance) of the chillers, therefore significantly reducing the amount of waste heat generated. Moreover, the reduced rooftop mechanical equipment makes more space available for clean energy production – for example, solar power – and for green roofs. In the United Kingdom, the University of East Anglia (UEA) campus constructed a building using a thermal-energy-storage HVAC system in conjunction with a solar PV rooftop. The design team sought to use as little concrete as possible in order to keep down the structure’s embodied energy, capitalising on the hollow cores of the reduced concrete structure to funnel through the building’s HVAC system. Energy from the PV panels on the roof becomes stored in the concrete cores, whenever excess energy is produced, and the PV system contributes around 25,410kWh of carbon-free electricity to the building. This leads to an annual carbon saving of 16.92 tonnes at a cost of £591/tonne, based on a 25-year life expectancy.

The University of Gloucestershire Sports Centre, also in the United Kingdom, features a similar approach, with photovoltaic electricity generation, relying on bio-climatic design principles and other rational-use-of-energy measures to reduce overall energy demand by

WORLD EXPO 2020 40-60%. The special ventilation system in the building circulates conditioned air within the concrete slabs’ internal voids to provide thermal storage to reduce summer cooling as well as winter heating loads, lowering building demand from 164 kWh/m2 (gas) and 155k Wh/m2 (electricity) to 79 kWh/m2 (gas) and 31 kWh/ m2 (electricity) – a reduction of 52% (gas) and 80% (electricity).

The unique HVAC system, coupled with the PV system, produces significant CO2 emissions saving. The PV solar system generates 51,700kWh, representing approximately 29% of the overall building energy use.

The World Expo 2020 is expected to see approximately 25 million visitors. With regard to IAQ in the pavilions, could you analyse the influencing factors and the measures that must be taken into consideration?

to play in determining whether IAQ problems are addressed or not?

Owing to the many complications from conventional HVAC systems in the extreme GCC region climate, facilities management operations need to be vigilant and consistent in following the required equipment operations and maintenance procedures.

Humidity controls must be managed in order to prevent the causes of sick building syndrome, flowing from the condensation that occurs with the extreme heat from the outdoor environment and the cold air temperatures maintained in the indoor environment, and that provides a fertile growth medium for mould, fungus and bacteria. There must be regular inspection of ducting, and supervision of the piping and ducting inside the plenums, which are out of eyesight, to ensure that no bacteriological growth forms. Proper BMS software needs to regulate temperatures.

With 25 million visitors expected from How does a building’s orientation around the globe, it is crucial for the indoor play a crucial role in the issues air environment to function so as to relating to air flow? And in terms of prevent the spread of illness, by supplying possibly repurposing these buildings, clean and filtered fresh air. Avoidance offices and other commercial spaces, of in-room air recirculation as a health what are the measures that must precaution and constant filtration of air be taken into consideration once the can significantly impact health positively.

Expo is over?

Dr Ghassan Al Nimry However, achieving these targets using Along with radiant cooling techniques, conventional AC design will result in a significant ventilation strategies are the most effective cost and energy consumption penalty. Temperature low-energy means of keeping indoor environments stability and avoiding excessive airflows must also be a comfortable. Building orientation to improve air flow and priority, particularly as the visitors to the Expo hail from many shading strategies are effective low-cost methods of reducing countries in the world, each used to specific types of weather and overall building energy demand. Strategies that can funnel airflow internal comfort levels, and who may not be comfortable with the and ventilation into the building through the building envelop can internal design conditions that are prevalent in the UAE market. further harness natural cooling methods and reduce waste heat Further, young children and the elderly are more susceptible to generation. airborne illness and infection. Continuous high volume cold blasts of air should be avoided, and more passive cooling ventilation In the broader scope of things, what are the strategies are preferred. To meet these needs, building the legacy opportunities for the HVACR industry to contribute buildings, or the airport extensions for Al Maktoum and Dubai to the success of the Expo? What is the relevance of International can provide the 120 million passengers a year good engineering in IEQ and an overall good guest by 2050 improved IAQ and multi-comfort environments, using experience? building-integrated, energy-storage HVAC. For existing buildings Visitors to the Expo will not only remember the architecture but also and the ones that cannot be retrofitted with a building-integrated, what was their experience during the Expo, and this vitally includes energy-storage HVAC system, regular maintenance is necessary how comfortable (or uncomfortable) they felt. The air quality, the to ensure stable temperatures, proper filtration and ventilation, HVAC noise, airflow volumes, drafts, etc. Focus on energy efficiency needed for a high level of IAQ. in the heating and cooling industry is increasing, and many companies are starting to utilise and rely on smart equipment for better productivity. Smart design methodologies utilise technology As the Expo site is likely to see an inflow and that relies on data control and BMS systems that regulate outflow of visitors, which might lead to a differing temperatures to keep thermal comfort stable and responsive to demand in cooling loads through the day, how can fluctuating loads. With Dubai on the map during 2020, it’s a prime good IAQ and IEQ be maintained? time for regional HVAC solutions to take the stage. In an industry In extreme heat, reliance on passive cooling alone is not an option. that has not fundamentally altered in over 100 years, new and Active cooling strategies are required, typically involving blasts of next-generation HVAC systems – such as building-integrated HVAC cold air through conventional HVAC ducting, producing extreme systems – are well poised to revolutionise the way buildings are temperature variations and causing condensation, mould and cooled across the GCC region. bacteriological growth. Radiant cooling strategies provide more stable temperatures for fluctuating occupancy levels. Storage functions can also reduce peak demand and accommodate heavy inflows without undue or excess energy consumption.

HAVE YOUR SAY!

Could you elaborate on the role of system operators and facility managers as having a significant part

We welcome your views on the Q&A. Write to editor@cpi-industry.com

January 2019

21

INTERVIEW

Ashwin Alexander, Cannelle Holdings

Expo will give manufacturers global exposure Ashwin Alexander, MD, Cannelle Holdings, shares the unique set of challenges in supplying to a project of the magnitude of the World Expo 2020, adding that the onus is on a multitude of stakeholders for ensuring the different pieces of equipment are handled, installed and maintained properly. Excerpts from an interview he gave to Ranjana Konatt of Climate Control Middle East‌

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n the broader scope of things, what are the opportunities for manufacturers and suppliers of equipment to contribute to the success of the World Expo 2020 in Dubai?

The Expo is a good platform and opportunity for manufacturers and suppliers to contribute to its success and expose themselves on a world scale.

However, gaining access to it is difficult. The approved vendors on the list are defined, and it is difficult to supply if you are not on the list. Clients want products from brands that are known in the market, especially brands that follow stringent quality measures or provide a utility or service that goes above and beyond what the market is used to.

Ashwin Alexander

Could you elaborate on the progress of Expo projects?

Overall, the projects at the Expo site are moving at a fast pace with tight deadlines. I don’t think there are any delays in projects, neither are there any problems with regard to cash flow; so far, it is working well for us, and everything seems well-planned.

As a supplier to the project, on whom does the onus of a good visitor experience lie?

Suppliers and manufacturers work behind the scenes. In terms of visitor experience, the onus of doing a good job lies with the client, who [is directly and indirectly responsible] for installing and maintaining the products. I would say that the Expo 2020 will take Dubai and the UAE to a new level from a global perspective. In terms of market demand, the region is already seeing an uptake of new projects, which is likely to get better with the Expo coming up.

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

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WORLD EXPO 2020

January 2019

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INTERVIEW

Kartik J Raval, Leminar Air Conditioning

Architectural diversity demands customised solutions Leminar Air Conditioning is one of the HVAC suppliers to the World Expo 2020. Kartik J Raval, General Manager, Leminar Global analyses the role of price, the importance of locally sourced products and the part played by consultants in projects of this scope. Excerpts from the interview he gave to Ranjana Konatt of Climate Control Middle East‌

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n the broader scope of things, what are the opportunities for the HVACR industry to contribute to the success of the World Expo in 2020 in Dubai? What relevance does it hold in terms of good IEQ and an overall good guest experience?

Expo 2020 is a mega event with sustainability as one of its top agenda-points. The HVACR industry has a significant role to play in ensuring good IEQ, which has a direct bearing on the comfort of visitors. Energy-efficient, locally sourced sustainable HVAC products can negate the long-term, potential environmental impact of large-scale development such as this by reducing energy consumption as well as emissions.

What unique situations have you faced in terms of being able to reliably supply to the Expo project?

Expo 2020 is a time-bound project and has its fixed set of timelines, which cannot be compromised under any circumstances. Hence, there will be pressure on meeting delivery timelines. Besides, given the architectural diversity of the projects, there is also the need for providing custom solutions for specific requirements. Leminar, in collaboration with its principal partners, has always lived up to the expectations of customers in the past by providing solutions to such critical requirements, and we are geared to handle the same in the future. Our wellplanned inventory has enabled us to meet the immediate delivery requirements of Expo projects.

In 2017 and 2018, Leminar won supply deals of over six Expo projects. A total number of 86,676 items of HVAC accessories are being supplied to the projects across the Expo Sustainability, Thematic District, CoEx Centre. What are the standards in place to ensure the quality of products being supplied?

Leminar is one of the very first companies to be ISO-certified in the HVAC industry and also the first to upgrade to the latest ISO 9001:2015 certification. We represent premium products from reputed international brands with quality certifications.

This gives us confidence in the quality of the products we supply. Moreover, we have in place a rigorous quality check process on receiving material from factories and at the outbound stage, before delivering to sites.

UAE is a signatory to the Paris Agreement. What relevance does this hold in terms of refrigerant use, and energy efficiency in aesthetically pleasing buildings?

The focus on phasing out refrigerants that contribute to global warming is a positive development any way you look at it. We

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WORLD EXPO 2020 are proud to represent Rheem, who were the first to introduce high-efficiency and environment-friendly R-410A air conditioning equipment in the region dating back to 2009, many years before the Paris Accord was reached. Even today, with energy prices on the rise and environment safety a key factor, Rheem continues to innovate and drive efficiency by coming out with superior higher-EER products. Its VRF solution offers design flexibility for architects and engineers to create aesthetically pleasing buildings without compromising on efficiency.

What is your opinion of these buildings being architecturally different and requiring customised solutions in terms of the way equipment are installed and maintained?

Buildings that are architecturally different and require customised solutions need to be thoroughly reviewed at the initial design stage. The consultants have a bigger role to play in this scheme of things, and fortunately in our industry, there are several highly qualified firms that do a good job. We, in our capacity, work closely with consultants

at the design stage to develop custom solutions in collaboration with our manufacturing partners, and with contractors at the execution stage to ensure the installation meets the specified standards.

How big a factor is cost in the way products are selected for the Expo?

Pricing is an important consideration for any purchase decision, be it an HVAC product or otherwise. But it is not the single determiner.

Leminar has a gained a great reputation in the Kartik J Raval market for the quality of products and services we offer, and we live by our motto of “Commitment beyond comparison�. As an organisation, we do not compromise on either the product quality or the services we offer, irrespective of the situation.

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

January 2019

25

INTERVIEW

Robert Davies, WSP Middle East

Historical data and fire safety With reference to the Expo, Robert Davies, Head of Specialist Services, WSP Middle East, provides an insight into how learning from previous events plays a crucial role in risk mitigation for fire safety. Excerpts from an interview he gave to Ranjana Konatt of Climate Control Middle East‌

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he World Expo in 2020 is an event that is expected to attract an overwhelming number of visitors from all over the world to the UAE. From a fire safety point of view, what are the risk-mitigating measures that must be in place for a project of this scale?

When it comes to risk mitigation, it is crucial to learn from previous events. One of the main requirements is to understand the size and the number of people attending the event. To ensure that they are warned and are moved away in case of a fire.

Another aspect to fire safety at the current stage of the project is design. We follow a good design standard to ensure that the execution of the project is carried out correctly. Again, the design could be done perfectly and must work along with the architectural aspects to the project.

Could you elaborate on your contribution to the Expo?

We are contributing to the Mobility Pavilion at the Expo 2020. This, in addition to the Metro expansion link. With both the projects, we are working across fire and life safety, and the mechanical, structural elements along with the façade and design aspects.

Could you elaborate on testing and commissioning as crucial to fire safety in buildings?

Handover of the pavilion will be done later this year or during early

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2020. The projects are in line with the UAE fire codes and with the international codes. The systems must be tested and commissioned according to the mentioned guidelines. The UAE fire code came into existence in the year 2011; since then, it has evolved and has helped the industry to better understand the many fire safety aspects in new-builds.

Robert Davies

When it comes to architecturally complex buildings, especially ones which have to handle heavy loads, what are the special fire safety considerations that must be taken into account?

Architecturally complex buildings have a number of potential outcomes and have a significant impact on the structure of a building. They must also have sufficient fire resistance, so that people have enough time to evacuate in the event of a fire.

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

WORLD EXPO 2020

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www.careersbay.com or email alissa@careersbay.com January 2019

27

ERSPECTIVE

Hasan Celik is Managing Director, Controlled Environment Projects, Kingspan Insulated Panels – MEATCA Region. He may be contacted at Hasan.celik@kingspan.com

A modular route to revolutionising cold stores An essential component for many businesses around the world, cold stores offer a great many advantages. These are, however, offset by significant operations-related costs. There is hope in sight, though, as new technologies are set to make expensive, time- and energyconsuming cold stores a thing of the past, says Hasan Celik

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n today’s fast-paced world, where it seems anything we could want is a click or a swipe away, we have come to expect greater efficiency from just about every aspect of our business operations. Not surprisingly, that also includes our cold store solutions. As cold store technology has evolved over the years, so has demand from customers for efficiency on all fronts – be it related to materials, labour, installation time or thermal and fire performance. While conventional cold store rooms and warehouses are still used by large multinational companies for anything from perishable foodstuffs to lifesaving pharmaceuticals, a growing number of businesses around the world are opting for free-standing cold store solutions, which offer great flexibility in the choice of location, size and materials.

INTRODUCING A MODULAR APPROACH One of the most exciting recent breakthroughs in cold store technology is the freestanding modular panel system. The system concept is based on the smart use of the load-bearing capacity of sandwich panels according to strict rules of engineering discipline. The unique feature of the system is that it does not require any steel structure to be built, as a combination of wall and

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ceiling panels are used to create a hybrid, free-standing controlled environment. By eliminating the need for a steel structure, the modular system offers unprecedented ease and speed of construction. The panels can be configured to form ‘modular units’ of varying dimensions, with a typical unit being 10m x 10m x 7m. Once the concrete floor is provided, a unit of this size can be mounted in as short a duration as two days.

With installation and pulldown possible in a shorter period, the modular system can help save on time as well as on labour costs.

The smart modular design also allows for great scalability. As a company’s need for cold storage grows, it can simply add more units to expand its cold store facilities.

WHAT ABOUT THERMAL EFFICIENCY? The simplicity and speed of construction are one thing, but the true test of the freestanding modular panels is how well they insulate. After all, there’s no denying that the thermal performance of cold stores is crucial from a business perspective. Not only does failing to keep perishables at the proper temperature range affect supply and potentially increase costs, but the cooling expenses associated with cold stores is a significant factor that impacts the company’s bottom line.

Recommended for multi-purpose, temperature-controlled environments for cold storage, chilled storage and food processing applications, where the internal temperature range starts from -40°C, the modular system can be designed to withstand internal and external temperature differences of up to 120°C. As a result, the panel system keeps an average insulated temperature of -18°C or lower, if required, regardless of location or season.

The panels typically include a nextgeneration, closed-cell, hybrid insulation core, featuring a foam fitted with distinctive grey microcells, which give it a strong thermal performance, with up to 20% improvement in thermal efficiency – a distinct possibility, as compared to other insulation cores.

LIFETIME PERFORMANCE The special insulation core with microcells not only helps achieve thermal efficiency but also has the potential for offering superior fire protection and improved environmental performance. The core typically is designed to be hygienic and highly resistant to moisture ingress, chemicals and solvents, as well as to mould and bacterial growth.

As the technology typically relies on nondeleterious materials, it has a low Global Warming Potential (GWP), which also makes it a choice for consideration from a sustainability standpoint.

ADDITIONAL FEATURES The modular system not only offers flexibility in terms of the location, height and width of its units but typically also comes with a large range of profiles, coatings and insulation core thicknesses to meet project-specific demands.

The modular panels incorporate a unique patented panel joint detail that achieves excellent thermal performance while allowing for the addition of vapour barriers and hygienic seals. The system typically also comes with several options for cold storage doors, such as sliding doors, hinged doors or sectional doors, as well as energy-efficient lighting options. Additional accessories that can be used with the system typically include hygienic border panel protectors, safety posts and flexible protection for corner wall and panels.

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

A CLIMATE CONTROL MIDDLE EAST SPECIAL SUPPLEMENT

TRACKING THE DISTRICT COOLING INDUSTRY IN THE MIDDLE EAST

INSIDE: Microgrids enhance a region’s resilience Ted Borer, Princeton University

Deciphering the dynamics of The Water Hub Joan Kowal, Emory University

‘If you are truly interested in efficiency, you never rest’

POST-EVENT REPORT DistrictCooling 2018 Discussions:

‘Efficient energy for smarter cities’ ‘Operational Excellence – Global Best Practices and Strategies’

Juan Ontiveros, University of Texas at Austin

January 2019

29

DistrictCooling 2018, Dubai, UAE

Melding District Cooling with the search for ‘smarter’’’ Dubai conference highlights how District Cooling is contributing to smarter urban growth

By Hannah Jo Uy | Assistant Editor

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he role of District Cooling in enhancing energy efficiency towards achieving smarter cities was the central theme of DistrictCooling2018, which ran from December 9 to 11 in Dubai. Organised and conducted by the International District Energy Association (IDEA) and hosted by Empower, the Dubai-headquartered District Cooling utility provider, the conference drew a cross section of utilities, consultants, contractors, building operators, suppliers and technology solutions providers from across the world.

The conference commenced with a panel discussion, titled ‘Efficient Energy for Smarter Cities’ (see page

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34). Moderated by Rob Thornton, President and CEO, IDEA, it featured senior industry executives from the Middle East, North America and Europe.

The panelists discussed what makes District Cooling key for smarter cities, potential areas of improvement with regard to customer engagement, the feasibility of thermal energy storage and efficient infrastructure models based on international references. The second panel discussion, titled ‘Operational Excellence – Global Best Practices and Strategies’ (see page 36) saw a panel of experts discuss how strategies for operation and maintenance must support good design, and the importance of anticipating the lifecycle to ensure quality

service. The panel shared innovative practices, tools and techniques to ensure operational excellence, and discussed assessing the carbon footprint of systems.

A subsequent panel discussion, titled ‘Financing the District Energy Enterprise’ (See Voices, page 40), featured panelists in the fields of banking, finance and District Energy and tackled the subject of how the growth of District Energy is largely dependent on the availability of both short- and long-term funds, and how its economic success relies on the sharing of risk, pricing and capital.

The conference also saw over 20 presentations from industry experts on a variety of topics, such as the vital roles that automation and machine-learning

TRACKING THE DC INDUSTRY IN THE MIDDLE EAST

play in enhancing operational efficiency, the best way to address common technical issues and concerns, and the growing demand of a skilled workforce in the field. The Danish Board of District Heating, in cooperation with Danish manufacturers, also held a breakout session on ‘Scandinavian Energy Efficiency Technologies and Best Practices in Advanced District Cooling’.

On the sidelines of the conference was the tradeshow, which featured exhibitors

highlighting products and innovations relating to District Energy.

The conference concluded with a panel, titled ‘Global Expertise, Innovation and Solutions’(See Voices, page 40). It featured a delegation from North America, which discussed challenges, opportunities and key issues relating to District Cooling, micro grids, system optimisation, the energy-water nexus and customer expectations. The session was presented

in a town hall setting, in a bid to encourage audience members to pose their questions to the expert panelists, sparking a lively discussion from both camps.The conference concluded with a technical tour of Empower’s District Cooling scheme.

Hamon, integrated cooling and air quality solutions for a cleaner environment Hamon is a multinational Group with over 100 years experience in the design and supply of cooling technologies (wet and dry cooling) and air quality systems to the power industry, as well as other energy intensive sectors.

We engineer, manufacture, deliver and erect all cooling system types as well as dust, acid gas and NOx removal systems with over 50,000 references worldwide in all types of applications.

Our local teams are ready to support you on the specifications of the project, its implementation as well as the maintenance of the equipment.

HAMON COOLING TOWER COMPANY Dubai Airport Free Zone Authority Building 4W B-Block, Office 649 P.O. Box 293647 Phone number: +971 4 6091672 info.hctc@hamon.com www.hamon.com

January 2019

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DistrictCooling 2018, Dubai, UAE

Panel Discussion 1

‘Efficient energy for smarter cities’

By Hannah Jo Uy | Assistant Editor

▶ L-R: Abdusalem Al Mobayed, Ahmad Bin Shafar, Jim Lodge and Werner Lutsch Photographs courtesy IDEA

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ob Thornton, President and CEO, Werner Lutsch, Managing Director and International District Energy CEO, AGFW, answered that it was D, all of Association (IDEA), kicked off the above, stressing that all aspects are the first panel discussion by essential in the move towards smart cities. commending the uptake of Seconding this was, Adib Moubadder, Chief District Cooling in Dubai in Executive Officer, Emirates just a short period of time, District Cooling (Emicool), underscoring the two million who stressed that “a smart tonnes of refrigeration (TR) city cannot be attained capacity it holds today. This without sustainable became the take-off point development and longfor Thornton’s next set of term solutions related questions, all with the aim of to infrastructure”. Smart identifying what makes District meters, he added, are also Cooling key for smart cities. vital for raising awareness Rob Thornton “Is it efficiency and plant among customers on the performance because of load need to be more conscious differentiation?” he asked. “Is it integrating of energy consumption. In agreement was thermal storage and avoiding expensive Michael Schack, Director, Decentralized electricity? Is it smart meters, where we help Solutions for Cities and Territories, ENGIE, customers use energy more effectively? Or, D, who added that while District Cooling has is it all of the above?” a bright future, and that it is set to be a

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preferred solution in the coming years, educating customers is necessary, and championing a comprehensive approach is a key requirement.

Tom Nyquist, Executive Director, Engineering and Utilities, Princeton University, also weighed in on the value of implementing a comprehensive approach, sharing recent investments being made

by Princeton in this regard, not only for HVAC projects within buildings but also in converting the entire campus from fluorescent to LED lamps, which helped reduce the lighting load on the campus by 10%. While a District Energy system offers flexibility with loads, Nyquist stressed that this is not the case with individual chillers, which is a lot harder to control with a central plant, and, if located in isolated buildings, can lead to stranded capacity. Providing an example, Nyquist pointed to an offcampus data centre, originally designed to accommodate a particular load, but since the operators decided later on to come up with virtual servers, the loads did not go up as anticipated.

Also advocating a well-rounded approach was Juan Ontiveros, Assistant Vice President, Energy and Utilities, University of Texas at Austin, who outlined innovative approaches being implemented in the campus, which Thornton described as a “small city” in itself (See related interview on page 46). “We have been producing 100% of energy [we use] since 1929,” Ontiveros said, adding that the university's philosophy is to get the best equipment within the budget and adapt accordingly, to ensure there are no losses in the system. The university, Ontiveros said, runs equipment, such as towers and pumps, in part-load conditions to maximise power savings. He added that the university also undertakes a careful assessment of chilled water conditions and sources. “We try to understand where the constraints are in the distribution system to minimise the amount of horsepower [needed] to pump water, then we do thermal energy storage,” he explained.

Currently boasting a capacity of 60,600 tonnes of refrigeration, the university, Ontiveros said, continuously adjusts its system every few seconds in order to gain further understanding on what is being done, adding that effective application of thermal storage allows the campus to optimise its chillers, extend the life of its equipment and achieve 30,000 TR of spare capacity. “You can’t just look at pumps, chillers or towers,” he said. “You have to look at it altogether and really try to consider the whole system

TRACKING THE DC INDUSTRY IN THE MIDDLE EAST

holistically to use less fuel and less energy.”

Jim Lodge, Vice President, Clearway Energy, in Phoenix, Arizona, also spoke of his experience leading up to the current model of using ice storage as the utility’s core capacity in Arizona. In the beginning, Lodge said, he had to face a sceptical customer base, owing to their negative experience related to the use ▶ L-R: Adib Moubader and Tom Nyquist of thermal storage in commercial office buildings, which, he said, failed because of the operators’ lack of training and inadequate skill set. To overcome this bottleneck and convince stakeholders to get on board with Clearway Energy’s proposal of a District Cooling system, Lodge said the first step was to showcase successful reference projects across the United States to highlight the benefit of proper operations. This, he said, proved to be successful. “Our operators absolutely love thermal storage, because it’s like a battery back-up for them,” Lodge said. ▶ L-R: Juan Ontiveros and Michael Schack “Not only do we use for peak shaving, we shift about 10 megawatts from on-peak to off-peak electricity demand – it’s Thornton weighed in and said that an emigrated strategy in Phoenix. It’s not similar challenges exist in the United States, just sitting there waiting to be used; it is where not every utility or independent actually replacing multiple chillers, and we system operator effectively delivers a grand count on it, just like we count on mechanical price signal between the afternoon and equipment.” evening, which impacts how District Energy Providing a Middle Eastern perspective, systems perform in certain markets. “I think Abdusalem Al Mobayed, CEO, Saudi Tabreed in Texas, during summer months, price has Operation and Maintenance Company, reached USD 9,600 a megawatt-hour,” he said that in addition to peak-load shaving, said. “That is USD 96 for a kilowatt-hour, thermal storage provides redundancy which typically costs about five cents.” to the Tabreed scheme. “In case of any Based on his own experience at the power interruption,” he said, “we start our University of Texas, Ontiveros stressed that, emergency DC generator, run a couple of such are the challenges, they (his team) take secondary pumps and start supplying chilled to heart with regard to their work on the water from the thermal storage to our endcampus. “We operate a net-zero building,” users and clients, until the problem get he said. “The risk to me is that if my plant fixed.” goes down, I am in the dark, and I have Al Mobayed added that regulations also hundreds of millions of dollars’ worth of have a vital role to play in helping enhance research on the campus.” This, he added, is the value of thermal storage for its benefit what makes them risk-averse, gauging all to be revealed to the end users, touching aspects, such as gas purchase and water on the feasibility of price signals. Ahmad use, to ensure resilience of operations.

Bin Shafar, CEO, Empower, said that in the Thornton added that while the United Arab Emirates, there is still one price beauty of District Energy lies in its ability tariff charge, making it difficult to quantify to adapt to local environments and the actual savings District Cooling provides. changes, the issue is about harvesting He added that, while Dubai, undoubtedly, and integrating local resources into more occupies a leadership role when it comes to robust hybrid infrastructures. “For me, it’s District Cooling in the Middle East – for which not a technology problem – it’s a policy he commended the solution providers in the challenge,” he said. “We need to work on fields of sub-metering, thermal storage and getting the rules right.” treated sewage effluent (TSE) – he believes Schack added that Engie’s main the market is still premature and that “it will roadblock in its move to decarbonise take 5-10 years to reach the second level”.

the building stock is that it is often “stopped by silo approaches”. He said: “The decision-makers don’t understand the complexity of the approach, and we are running out of time with climate change. We need to implement holistic solutions.”

Moubader, in agreement, stressed that some countries, until now, do not believe the damage human activity is causing the environment. “Policy makers have to be able to implement a strategy without disrupting the people,” he said. Providing an example, Moubader pointed to RSB Dubai’s efforts to develop regulatory frameworks and its role in informing stakeholders on the importance of sustainable development. “For example, one villa in Dubai is about 4,200 square foot. It can save the environment seven tonnes of CO2” he said. “Imagine how many villas and apartments could reduce CO2, if we control and do the zoning.

This will have an added value for all the stakeholders.”

Ontiveros stressed that it is important to hold the designer and contractor accountable for what they do, suggesting the implementation of annual energyintensity goals that must be met.

Accountability, he said, is key to achieving these goals.

Thornton led the discussion to a close by asking panelists how they approach initial stages of District Cooling projects, given the heavy investment they entail. Bin Shafar answered: “I believe in checks and balances.

We need to understand the demand of the projects. If there are 15 buildings under construction, we know there is a deadline in delivery. We are meeting their programme, they are not meeting ours, so it’s about working with them.” Bin Shafar added that beyond the network, factors such as the ability to meet capacity demand and electricity load must be considered ahead of time. Al Mobayed was in agreement, stressing that given District Cooling is a capex-intensive project and business model, it is important to implement proper analyses from the onset. He added that it is also a design issue, and that many utility providers are looking to implement the necessary measures to mitigate the risk of overcapacity.

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January 2019

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DistrictCooling 2018, Dubai, UAE

Panel Discussion 2

‘Operational Excellence – Global Best Practices and Strategies’ Moderator: Laxmi Rao, Director of International Programs, IDEA Panelists • Tariq Al Yasi, Chief Operation and Maintenance Officer, Empower • Bruce Ander, President and CEO, Markham District Energy • Ted Borer, Energy Plant Manager, Princeton University, • Pablo Izquierdo Lopez, PMO Director, Dubai Carbon Centre of Excellence • Sam Chatterton, Vice President, Johnson Controls • Joan Kowal, Senior Director Energy and Utilities, Emory University • Robert Smith, Vice President, RMF Engineering

Hannah Jo Uy, Assistant Editor, Climate Control Middle East, presents a verbatim account of the discussion…

Laxmi Rao: The folks who do the design don’t often include the experience, insights and horror stories that operational folks could present, to modify and not make the same design [mistakes] over and over again – including over-capacity, not designing for resiliency and some of those factors. My question would be, in your experience, have you found you are at the table at design sessions, or are you left with a design that is cumbersome and difficult?

Bruce Ander: We haven’t been around that long, approaching 20 years, but we try to bring our operational group, supply managers in the operations level, into the

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Joan Kowal: My background design process, attending was mostly in operations. meetings, looking at the When I came to Emory and design and sitting at the also picked up a design table. In terms of access group, it was a perfect nexus, or maintenance, the space because now you were able around equipment or to influence design with your the equipment chosen, it operations group. We also certainly includes them had the commisioning group – from the buy-in for the Laxmi Rao with us, which sits in balance plant they accept and have with the design team and to operate. I mean, when operations to ensure operations has a voice the designers and the engineers are gone, at the table. I think it’s important. I think, at the operations group assume responsibility first, operators tend to think design engineers for the next 20 or 30 years. I think it makes a know how it should be and would difference. It’s hard to measure, but there is defer to them, and [we] have to invite something there.

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DistrictCooling 2018, Dubai, UAE

two plants that are similar; each plant has to be different from the previous plant, otherwise we are not learning.

Rao: I think we forget the role of experience and insight from those that use this system, and we don’t invite them, because they’re busy, and they can’t take time off, because they are running the system. I find that if you engage with even up to the level of operators, a lot of free wisdom is there, to prevent too many mistakes. My next question is about growing your system and operating multiple systems. Tariq, you have 70 plant rooms? How do you coordinate this network of multiple plants? What tools do you use? Obviously, constraints in number of people, any insights on best practice as you grow these plants from an operators’ perspective?

▶ L-R: Tariq Al Yasi, Bruce Ander, Ted Borer and Pablo Izquierdo Lopez Photographs courtesy IDEA

them to the table, encourage them and ask engineers to let operations group lead in initial stages. I do find once you invite them, they have a great voice in the table, and they participate with commissioning, and you get better transition from design to operations by having that link.

Robert Smith: As a designer, we welcome that input from the people that would inherit these plants on simple things like where equipment will go, how you will access it, how you will bring in spare parts – those are rudimentary things, but they’re important. The most successful plants are the ones where the operators have that kind of input and influence to get what they want from what they learned over the years, to get the best outcome.

Rao: Sam, when you provide [equipment], do you find there has been a conversation with many of the [stakeholders] ultimately operating these systems? Who approaches you first?

Sam Chatterton: There are some companies that do this extremely well, involving operators – there is absolutely no substitute. There are companies, where I have to bridge operations. Being able to practically perform that plant and operations is a different reality altogether.

We have come a long way in terms of design; I think there is a long way to go in the operational matrix. [Such as for] plants like today in Dubai, when it’s not a design day, [there is] small percentage of company optimisation.

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Rao: Yes, I think it’s best practice, not common practice. Ted? Ted Borer: The operators are not always trained for a standard design drawing for plant. One of the tools we found much more helpful [is a] walk through. Can I walk through it? Can I maintain it? As a design engineer, we need capacity for the design day, for the most extreme day, but that’s not where we live. We generally live on the nonextreme day at some part-capacity load, so a conversation between design engineer and operator is important, so we have turn down to operate in the non-extreme day.

Tariq Al Yassi: It takes, I think, around six months to design a plant – they will operate it for the next 5-10 years. [It’s] important to have the operations team from day one, involved right away from the initial stage and concept design. We created a workshop from one stage to another. The consultant, the technical team and operations team sit in a workshop. Every stage in this workshop might take a week, it might take 10 days. Everything is presented by the consultant and technical team to operators during the small workshop, and if the operators have any requirement, it will be taken by the consultant and design team. Mutually, it really has big value and impact. At the end of the day, when you hand over the plant to the operator after commissioning, they are fully aware of what is going on from past experience with past plants, as it has already been considered and mistakes from previous plants avoided. We don’t need to repeat again. We learn from one plant to another. We don’t like to have

Al Yasi: The most important thing in the plant is the people. You have the best system in the world, [but if] you don’t have experience, who knows how [it will run]. After having the right people, you have to have the right instruments and equipment… design has to be built having that equipment, [with] software and people who can be acquired properly. Then, I am not going to say it’s easy, [but] it will be an exciting experience operating those plants.

We have come up with central demand control, which helps us a lot in operating and controlling multiple plants. As many as 80% of our plants are connected to command and control, and [we are] connecting the rest of the plant this year.

The software and equipment helped us a lot in controlling our plants and setting the KPIs we need, to know what we are monitoring. Not all the data are important and essential. Sometimes, we realise we spent a huge amount of time analysing data, which really does not add value to our operations. Now, we are focusing more on the data that is going to help us improve efficiency. [It’s about] understanding our customers' needs.

Borer: I’ll add to that. We are at four plants, not 74. Thinking of the question you had before, one of the things we have done is to introduce a small business culture into a very large operation. Every client has a plant owner or manager, and it’s Craig’s plan, and they take pride in that. It’s a small business culture in a larger organisation.

At the end-of-the-year performance evaluation, it’s the pride introduced at each plant level that counts.

TRACKING THE DC INDUSTRY IN THE MIDDLE EAST

Rao: You mentioned people are important, I think that is universally true in many systems. How do you retain good people and bring new people into the system? I know Ted talks about unique humans watching the data. While data informs us, insights of humans are very important, so to give tribute to those that maintain our system, from performance to bonuses, how do you keep good people working in these difficult jobs? How do you bring in new people?

Al Yassi: Give a good bonus!

Ander: We attracted good people. We are known in Canada for what we have done, whether CHP or thermal storage, now carbon capture, so when you have a young operator looking to find where they can go, is it a power plant, maybe not as interesting, [but] in terms of being multi-faceted. What we learned in District Cooling, if you have a community skill platform, any number of things, all sorts of things we introduce over the years are very interesting, and it’s a resume builder for operators.

Borer: I agree with you that first, you need to pay people an appropriate wage, but since this conversation is about best practice – it’s about respect. It’s about going to the individual cleaning the chiller tube and saying what did you find? What went wrong? Teach me what your job revealed, that we can take advantage of it in the plant. I think it’s a bit of humility and eye contact with every single person on staff. We have almost no

▶ L-R: Sam Chatterton, Joan Kowal and Robert Smith

turnover, and people come and continue for their careers, and that’s by choice.

Pablo Lopez: I’m in a different position because of sustainability. In my case, it’s more difficult to attract than to retain. I think integration between design and operation is very good. If someone has handed over something and says, now you have to run the operation profitably, without having that much of a chance of having an input in it, it would be a hard job, and they would not be motivated to do that.

Chatterton: My experience with technical people is that compensation is not what drives them; it’s technical growth, whether in training, technical opportunity or, as Ted said, to be respected. It seems to be a thing, especially in the service industry, that technical recognition. They can easily move to another [company], but the technical growth is key to keeping strong technical people.

Kowal: I think I would add that a lot has to do with pride in the work they do. What we try to do is to make everyone, down to the front line, understand that what they have done has helped us achieve, whether in terms of energy reduction or water reduction. Because, sometimes we settle this goal at a certain level, we talk about it in a meeting, but those in the front line don’t see the results. We try to share the transparency of data with them, for them to know that everything they are doing is imperative for preventive maintenance and helps us achieve our goals, so the pride they contribute to overall goals helps us keep everyone engaged.

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DistrictCooling 2018, Dubai, UAE

Money-talk “The way banks have funded District Cooling companies, price has been a significant driver, and I think that’s the key reason tenders are reflected as they are. One of the key reasons long-term capital has not come into this sector as an infinite perpetuitytype concession, or it may be that the capital market, public or private investment takes time, is that it can be costly. It’s resource intensive, a variety of issues. I can only speak on behalf of Citigroup when thinking about long-term bank financing capital and the returns we seek. Long-term is really more for institutional investors, but if it’s a straight up 25-year financing, our institution probably shies away from that type of tender.”

David Dubin Managing Director, Head of Infrastructure Financing, Citibank

We the utilities “In an environment where people are saving, when you look at the make-up of retail space, which is high in retail [money is going more] towards more experiences. What people are willing to spend money on are entertainment and activities. It’s not directly related to District Cooling, but it points to a shift in how the economy is developing.”

Khatija Haque Head of MENA Research, Emirates NBD

Jim Lodge Vice President, Clearway Energy

January 2019

“We have chilling all-yearround, because we have a variety of data centres.

That’s why combination is important from a resiliency story. From data centres we can talk about resiliency, away from the utility grid.

We had a major ice storm in 1998, the foundation of the creation of the system as our community.

IBM considered locations in Canada and abroad, and out came the District Energy CHP proposition, so for the city of Markham, District Energy is the economic development outcome, where IBM selected Markham and brought 3,000 jobs.

Bruce Ander President and CEO, Markham District Energy, Canada

“I think banks, and their bankers, need to do two or three things to recognise certain instances, up and down variability to their cash flow; banks need to see through that in terms of the type of facility and take a medium-term view.

But the core that the bank should do is [give] best terms both for price and condition.”

David Dubin Managing Director, Head of Infrastructure Financing, Citibank

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“We focus on revenue – in a majority of District Energy systems, the biggest unknown is fuel cost. Most District Energy companies do a good job insulating themselves from cost increases, so financiers look at it – the other part is, how are you handling cost?

The type of escalations, I think those are some key metrics that can be focused on to gain confidence.”

voices

TRACKING THE DC INDUSTRY IN THE MIDDLE EAST

Resiliency as the keyword “In Germany, CHP is doing well. At the moment we are struggling with the new governances, because we have a plan in Germany to have just renewable energy and having just renewable energy makes it difficult for CHP. We are still working for that. We are focusing on energy efficiency.

We want to take it for serious reduction of CO2. The first step should be to use CHP plants instead of just electrical plants; the next step would be probably just renewable.

“We have about 20-35% renewables; in the end, the electricity you get is five per cent of this, because the wind is not always blowing, the sun is not always shining. We still use a lot of coal, still have some nuclear plants, which will shut down in 2022.”

Werner Lutsch Managing Director and CEO, AGFW

“Ten years ago I didn’t remember saying that word, but now with Hurricanes Katrina and Sandy, people noticed how vulnerable we are. Is it a flood? Is it an earthquake? Is it a man-made event to throw us loose? We used to weigh everything on economics, now resiliency plays a much bigger role on how a system is configured.”

Robert Smith Vice President, RMF Engineering

“In 2012, Hurricane Sandy hit the Eastern Seaboard.

Our state of New Jersey was out of power for several days, and [we] kept the university running. The important takeaway is not [just] system reliability, we built it to save money, and incidentally what came with that is additional resilience and additional reliability.

[It’s] not that we put in something, in case we’d have an unreliable utility. We are displacing more expensive power on one day, there are chances when they do fail now we have resilience and reliability behind the meter, an incidental benefit.”

Ted Borer Energy Plant Manager, Princeton University

“Conversations that weren’t occurring five years ago, are occurring now. People realise that even if you have highly reliable power supply, things can happen. We are responsible as utilities group for having a Plan B, which is justified because of loss of research from loss of cooling or power. Now, resiliency is an important word.

Princeton made an economic decision and got resiliency as a by-product. If you lose research you’re talking about millions of people a day, and add it to your ROI.”

Joan Kowal Senior Director, Energy and Utilities, Emory University

“We have done the analysis. Our range of equipment ranges from 2005 to 1945, obviously that from 1945 is not the most efficient. All of our buildings have two substations, two chilled water connection and domestic water connection designed in a loop electrical distribution, looped in the building throughout the system.”

Juan Ontiveros Assistant Vice President, Energy and Utilities, University of Texas at Austin

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Ted Borer, Princeton University

Microgrids

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enhance a region’s resilience

ould you provide a first-hand account of Superstorm Sandy, and how Princeton served the community through its microgrid?

The hurricane moved its way up the eastern seaboard of the United States, and as it approached campus, it took down trees, affecting power quality and reliability.

Soon, it caused the utility power to go out, and as the voltage dropped, our plant shut down. However, the microgrid was able to self-restore, and we used the power to restart power supply to the campus. So technically, we were without power for only 15 minutes. The tricky situation here was getting administrative permission to isolate the campus from the rest of the power grid. Because we had cogeneration on site, we were able to separate and shut off the less important loads on campus.

We ran separately from the power grid for days. We told people in the community, if their house is cold, we had set up cots and that they could come and rest at the University. However, most importantly, the first responders – that is, the firefighters and the police – were able to come to the university and get a meal and recharge their phones and radios. They were able to have meetings and decide what they should work on next, before getting back on to the field. The important takeaway here is that you don’t need every single place to have a microgrid, but if you have one occasionally, scattered throughout a community or region, it does make a huge difference.

Microgrids reportedly lower energy costs for customers. How much, though? Are the savings significant to overcome capex barriers?

The big savings come from the fact that microgrids enable cogeneration, thermal storage and other cost-saving opportunities.

We generate a lot of power whenever the grid price is higher than our marginal cost

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Superstorm Sandy lashed the eastern seaboard in the United States in 2012, causing USD 70 billion in damages. During the time, Princeton University served as refuge for the community and for first responders. Ted Borer, Energy Plant Manager, Princeton University, in this interview with Ranjana Konatt of Climate Control Middle East, recounts the havoc the hurricane wreaked, while pointing to microgrids as having an essential role to play in a region’s ability to be resilient. Excerpts…

to generate. We purchase a lot of power whenever the grid price is lower than our marginal cost to generate. That way, our campus customers enjoy the benefit of the lesser cost. Savings relate to dozens of factors and are very specific to the location, the grid and the energy needs being served. Payback may take from five to 15 years, depending on these factors. Or, under a power-purchase agreement, the savings may be immediate.

In any case, though, the lifecycle savings are far more than the capex. Fewer microgrids would be built if they weren’t. Even utility customers outside the microgrid save a little money if they pay real-time utility rates, because our generation has the effect of

slightly lowering the total net cost of power on the grid. That is, establishing a microgrid is a win-win for all customers, not a zero-sum game.

You describe microgrids as distributing risk into smaller pieces, whereby grid reliability is improved. Could you please elaborate?

Imagine there are two large utility generators serving a region. Each is capable of generating enough power to serve the grid by itself – that is, 100% redundancy.

It’s easy to picture scenarios where those generators, or the substations or the wires between the plants and the ultimate customers are damaged. There are a few points with high vulnerability in the system that could interrupt service to large portions of the region. Alternatively, if we reduce the size of the two plants and scatter several microgrids around the region, it is possible to have the same (or less) total installed generating capacity, while increasing reliability.

Microgrids, as per your description, reduce both energy use and peak demand and work well with CHP to greatly increase energy efficiency. This means they can

TRACKING THE DC INDUSTRY IN THE MIDDLE EAST

widely be used as the system of choice, or do they work well only in some applications?

for additional revenue with little capital investment. Could you please elaborate?

Microgrids would work everywhere, but they are not financially attractive and make no sense in some places. For instance, at home, on a tiny scale, you could buy two differentsized generators; however, you might spend five times as much if you run the air handler, the oven on self-cleaning mode, the welding machine and other appliances that use electricity. It’s not about what’s possible, but whether it is cost-effective and a sensible use of your financial resources.

For instance, with regard to installation and maintenance, right now the utilities provide electricity to us, and you don’t need to worry about it. But if you decide to build yourself a microgrid, you need to begin doing what they (the utilities) have been doing. You need to make sure it’s safe and that you know how to operate and maintain it. You need to make sure that you have good fuel and that the fuel is of good quality. So by establishing a microgrid, you have taken on a lot more responsibilities and you get greater benefits. You have to ask yourself, “I am going to spend some money, but is that money going to be worth it?”

Yes. We built our cogeneration system in 1996. It wasn’t until 2003 that power was deregulated in our state of New Jersey.

At that time, it became more lucrative to generate more power during the day and less power at night. We used the same asset fewer hours per year and generated more savings. More recently, the power grid has established a market for frequency regulation. By modulating the output of our existing gas turbine in response to a grid frequency signal, we are able to help support the local grid frequency.

We get compensated for this activity at about 3x the price of power. It is a new revenue stream, same asset. It is a minor investment in controls.

Could you elaborate on the economic motivation to conserve energy and how the scenario with regard to price and energy is different from the Middle East?

In Dubai, for instance, the price of electricity is the same all day and all night; whether you’re a residential customer or commercial, it’s the same price. In our state, in New Jersey, the price of power for residential customers never changes, but for commercial purposes it changes

Ted Borer

dramatically, as fast as five minutes. It’s not rigorously a demand charge but more of an energy charge that changes every five minutes. In the middle of the night I might pay two cents per kilowatt-hour, and in the day I may pay 25 cents per kilowatt-hour, so it could be 10 times as much. We have a very strong economic motivation and use as much energy as we can during the night in order to avoid the amount of energy purchased during the day.

Could you elaborate on the University’s control platform, which reportedly works relative to the energy needs of the campus in accordance with grid and weather conditions to forecast the corresponding load?

The control system advices us and helps us predict when electricity is going to be expensive and cheap. It is a combination of a software along with many meters, where we look at temperatures, pressures, flows and energy use through all the major equipment on campus. It is not rigorously an IoT-powered system, because when I think of IoT I understand it to be hundreds and thousands of data points connected to a system. In our system, we have a few hundred data points. I mean one temperature signal, a pressure signal, while the rest are sensors. The sensors are not scattered and are not radio transmitters; they are Bluetooth-enabled and hardwired directly back to the campus.

You say that existing generation assets can be operated in new ways

Microgrids provide self-sufficiency and resilience especially in emergency situations. How can they be applied in the United Arab Emirates?

We put in cogeneration not because of reliability issues but in order to save us money. A collateral benefit is that it also gives us reliability and resilience in crises.

I believe that the power supply in the United Arab Emirates is very reliable and very good, so there’s nothing to take away from that. But every once in a while, we still expect that there might be a problem, something that might take out the energy supply, and it would be nice to have spots of enhanced reliability. Having microgrids at critical locations, such as police centres, firefighting stations and hospitals, is crucial. The United Arab Emirates could benefit from cogeneration, not because the power is unreliable but firstly to save money and also to be more efficient. The power plant by itself might be 25-45% efficient, but if you do cogeneration, you could even do 75-80% efficiency. Hence, I am not concerned with who owns it; it could be a government or a utility or even a privately owned microgrid. Even with technology, you can use chillers, gas turbines, jet engines or diesel fuel.

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

January 2019

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Joan Kowal, Emory University

Deciphering the dynamics of The

Water Hub As a response to the drought situation in the United States, The Water Hub, a technologically savvy solution, uses recycled wastewater for non-potable demands, such as heating and cooling. Joan Kowal, Senior Director, Energy & Utilities, Emory University, in the United States, in this interview with Ranjana Konatt of Climate Control Middle East, elaborates on how The Water Hub has managed to meet 100% of the water demand of Emory’s steam plant. Excerpts…

C

ould you highlight how the drought situation drove Emory to develop The Water Hub?

The Water Hub was a concept my colleagues learnt about at a conference approximately 8-9 years ago. At the time, the technology was deployed in Europe but not in the United States. At the time, even Atlanta was going through heavy drought, and so we pursued the technology, which was put through various capitalfunding concepts. Initially, a third-party actually funded, maintained and operated the facility. The water extracts were redistributed through the plants, and the contract was eventually signed in 2013, after which the facility came online in early 2015. In addition, the wastewater treated

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January 2019

at the plant meets very high cleanliness standards – so much so that the water can be released back into the creek.

The Water Hub meets almost 100% of the water requirements of the campus’ utility systems, including Emory’s chilled water plants and the central campus steam plant, which provide cooling and heating to over 70 buildings. What is the capacity of the District Energy plants?

The Water Hub can clean up to 400,000 gallons of water per day, and we maximise the volume during our summer cooling period. We have around 20,000-25,000 tonnes of cooling capacity, so we are able to make up the cooling capacity with the volume of water.

The Water Hub, as we understand it, provides a low-energy, highefficiency cleaning process through filtration, circulation through natural earth and plant bioreactors, and exposure to ultraviolet light and chlorination.

How much is the energy cost?

In the locale where we are, our water is sent downstream to a very large water treatment plant, where it would be treated, redistributed and then pumped back into the system. Similar to power and when you have energy-redistributed resources, so we have to pump and process close to where the demand is, and we don’t have the distribution losses or the energy needed to pump the clean water back to us or to pump the waste down to the treatment plant. So, the numbers aren’t as transparent as we’d like them to be, but we do know that it is saving energy, because we are only pumping it within our campus.

Could you elaborate on the challenges with regard to achieving operational efficiencies?

Joan Kowal

One of the things we found out early on was that there are a lot of different things in the sanitary waste stream. We found that one of the research departments was dumping animal beddings into the sewer system, and it was creating problems at the pump intakes. As a result, they had to keep cleaning the pumps and pulling them out. We then asked them to compost the

TRACKING THE DC INDUSTRY IN THE MIDDLE EAST

animal beddings, which was a better way to dispose them. It has really given us a crude understanding of what’s in the system, and presently we have an issue where they have found baby wipes in the system. This is a major challenge in terms of what’s plugging the intakes. When you are not in the business, you don’t think about these things. We did not anticipate all this, and now we have installed filtering devices on the front end.

water for the campus chilled-water system?

How were you able to reduce carbon emissions with regard to water use on campus?

What happens to the blowdown water? Where does it go?

Well, I think it goes back to discharging and reusing our own water. Now, we are not relying on pumping water from a distance.

We also installed solar panels at the facility, so they are helping set the electrical use at the water plant.

Does the water need to be polished before deploying it as makeup

We have polishers at our steam plant, but we don’t have them at our cooling towers. However, we did have to modify our chemical treatment programme at the cooling towers. Modify in the sense that the original chemistry was based on the quality of the water. So, we had to reduce some and add others, while adjusting the menu of chemicals used.

When water is brought to the cooling tower, it rejects the heat from the chilled water system, and as you reject the heat you see a steam mist coming from the top. The evaporation of water causes a concentrated mix of chemicals left in the basin of the cooling tower. When the chemicals concentrate and get to a point that is high, you then have to get the valve and blow down the water. It is then closed and

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refilled with non-chemically treated water.

We operate in 7-8 cycles of blowing down water, which then goes back to the Hub and mingles with the rest of the water. The rest goes back out to a different part of the sanitary system.

What has been the overall response to The Water Hub? Also, are there any additional challenges with regard to odour?

There are people interested who want to replicate what we have. We were very stringent with our developer, when it comes to smell. There shouldn’t be an odour, as the Hub is located right near residential facilities and offices. The technology we use is such that you don’t have the build-up of gases to create the smell.

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January 2019

43

Juan Ontiveros, University of Texas at Austin

‘If you are truly interested in efficiency,

you never rest’

I

f you were to assess the situation, how would you draw the balance between meeting demand loads, as a part of the demand-side strategic plan, and meeting the constant need for energy efficiency?

The campus at the University of Texas at Austin, in the United States, is spread across 280 acres of land and is known for its integrated microgrid, featuring a Combined Heat and Power (CHP) plant. The single-largest electrical load is the cooling system, with a capacity to provide 60,600 tonnes of refrigeration to the campus.

With 160 buildings connected to the grid, Juan Ontiveros, Associate Vice President, Utilities, Energy and Facilities Management, at the university, provides an insight into the past five years of achieving an annual energy efficiency of 84-87%, while also focusing on the challenges that lie ahead. Excerpts from an interview he gave to Ranjana Konatt of Climate Control Middle East…

Our campuses have been growing but not our budgets.

We added two million square feet last year, and more than just providing energy-efficient cooling, we have to provide energy, which must be reliable, efficient and sustainable. We have multiple power generation sources and often consider ourselves at risk if we are connected to the normal grid. We produce our own energy and always operate net zero. An important aspect to meeting demands is to have access to a good control system, which determines the ability to connect to a grid and to detail whether I need to import power or export power. When you have five different plants and two thermal storage tanks, the challenge is in deciding which one is better to run, with the lowest amount of energy.

Using natural steam for heating and cooling is another very diverse challenge, but we’ve worked out the method of dispatching – that is, to know which chiller or turbine to run, in order to get enough energy to the building.

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January 2019

Where does the campus stand in terms of system efficiency, and what measures have you taken to ensure you’re constantly moving towards the 90% annual energy-efficiency goal?

On the supply side, in 2002, the annual system efficiency was 1.5 kilowatts per tonne, which was bad. In 2008, we dropped it to 0.8 kilowatt per tonne and, then, further to 0.65 kilowatt per tonne in three years. Last year, we were at 0.62 kilowatt per tonne, and now my goal is to get to 0.6 kilowatt per tonne. In terms of the amount of power generation, in 1976 we were delivering around 150 million kilowatt hours; we now deliver 320 million kilowatt hours, with less fuel and an efficiency of 0.62 kilowatt per tonne on an annual basis. In my opinion, if you are truly interested in efficiency, you never rest.

We have also cut our fuel use in the past two months, which is five per cent less, when compared to the previous year. The idea is to look at the situation holistically and make our own steam, cooling and power.

Juan Ontiveros

The main campus at Austin features a Combined Heat and Power (CHP) plant with a total capacity of 134 MW of power and 1.2 million lb/hr of steam generation capacity. The single largest electrical load on campus

TRACKING THE DC INDUSTRY IN THE MIDDLE EAST

is the cooling system, with the capacity to provide 60,600 tonnes of refrigeration to the campus.

Does the cooling system run at full capacity to date?

Eight years ago, our cooling systems were running at full capacity, but not at present.

Though it may sound like a bad thing, it is not. Plants are one aspect, but what’s even more essential is having a good distribution system. If you don’t have the right size of piping to support the load of the building, it’s not going to work. Even though our system is large, it is all looped, hence it does not matter which system and plant are running.

With the help of a central control, I can access all five plants. We are soon getting to the point, where one plant will be located 10 miles away and can be monitored remotely, without the need for people.

You mentioned that the power plant’s new equipment is more efficient. Could you elaborate on how technology, when combined

with a control system, helps deliver on efficiency?

I think the challenge is that most people don’t know what they can do with technology. What we’re trying to do is to set the gold standard. We work with a company, who created a control system for us. In addition to the system, we use Variable Frequency Drive (VFD) systems to control the chillers, water pumps and the chilled water pumps and the tower fans, and it is all in one integrated system. What it does is it makes all simultaneous decisions. It uses its own networks after considering all the options, it shows the least number of equipment I need to run to make the tonne. We have evolved, and the plant we implemented this with was a brand new one. Now, the system has evolved from just controlling a plant to also managing distribution and multiple plants at the same time. We have learnt a lot during the journey. The plants are also monitored independently from Seattle, so if there’s something wrong, the operators there will call my operators.

What role does cost play? Is it an overruling factor in opting for energy-efficient solutions?

When it comes to capex and opex, it is a balancing act. At the campus, we finance ourselves and are moving into a process, where we are picky when it comes to designs for our plants and buildings. We also analyse lifecycle costs, and typically, the cost of a building is one-eighth of the lifetime cost of a building. This means that the operational cost is eight times more than the cost of a building; hence, you want to build it right, but you also want to be able to operate it right.

Here is where the mistake lies. Very often, campuses and commercial buildings are looked at with a maximum lifecycle cost of 3-10 years, when we think 100 years. Another important aspect is to have specific design standards for buildings.

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January 2019

45

Guest column TRACKING THE DC INDUSTRY IN THE MIDDLE EAST

F

lexibility will be, without doubt, the key to the future of energy grids. Future grids will need to have the capability to react almost instantaneously to changes in loads, in order to efficiently manage constantly fluctuating consumption and generation. On the customer side, there will be an expectation of a full suite of smart grid devices that match particular requirements.

These needs will be shaped by a wide range of factors, from population density to climate and geography. Some parts of the world produce a lot of wind power or have access to geothermal sources of energy. Colder regions need to monitor heating consumption, while warmer regions need accurate data on consumption of energy used for cooling. Thanks to cutting-edge solutions, every region can have smart grids tailor-made to their needs, in a way that maximises the gains our technologies offer.

In the Middle East and parts of Asia, the market for cooling meters is growing fast.

Cooling meters offer comfort, economic savings and contribute to climate change mitigation. The obvious need for cooling in hot climates, combined with strong economic growth are primary drivers, and in some regions political decisions have played a role, too. One example of this is Saudi Arabia, where the country is working towards ambitious goals outlined in their Vision 2030 initiative. The plan’s ultimate aim is to use the resources of their petrochemical wealth to redesign their country and economy, while reducing the dependence on oil. This has involved massive investment in several large-scale building projects. For example, the King Abdullah Financial District in Riyadh has been designed to highlight the country’s status as a financial services power in the region. It is being built to the highest possible energy-efficiency standards.

46

Dubai is also taking similar steps. The new Viceroy Hotel complex has been fitted with 4,000 ultrasonic cooling meters with Automatic Meter Readout (AMR) to enable precise consumption-based metering. Dubai’s Shoreline Apartments complex, on the world-famous artificial islands, the Palm Jumeirah, will use a cooling solution with 3,500 metering points. In Barwa City in Doha, Qatar, cooling consumption in homes will be precisely measured using 6,300 ultrasonic meters. This technology is also suitable for use in retail projects, like the Avenue Mall in Kuwait, which has 6,500 metering points and the Mall of Egypt, the largest mall in Cairo.

Large deployments like this add additional benefits to those of the technology, when used on a smaller scale.

When smart grid infrastructure is installed from a central point to serve several buildings as ‘District Cooling’, significant gains are seen in the overall performance. This removes the need for traditional, isolated air conditioning systems and provides gains in energy efficiency of up to 40% and lifecycle cost savings of up to 20%.

These projects, and many more across the region, are examples of “full-spectrum cooling solutions”; they cover every stage of the process, from metering to billing. As the buildings of the future are being constructed, smart technologies are playing a key role in ensuring maximum efficiency, with benefits for service providers and customers, as well as for the environment.

Flexibility for the future with smart cooling solutions

January 2019

Future grids will need to have the capability to react almost instantaneously to changes in loads, in order to efficiently manage constantly fluctuating consumption and generation, says Roman Tost, Sales Director Heat, Landis+Gyr GmbH.

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

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47

FEATURE

Heat exchangers

What the

Hx?

Representatives from the industry decode the heat exchangers market, including its estimated size in the region, technological advancements and challenges

By Ranjana Konatt

T

he recent call for energy efficiency in individual building and District Cooling applications has led to a demand for products that are energy efficient.

Given that the performance of heat exchangers influences a building’s ability to be energy efficient, they have always been the subject of intense focus. “The market size of the heat exchanger sub-industry [in the Middle East] can be estimated to be AED 50 million,” says Sudeep Sethi, General Manager, SPC Heat Pipes. The overall market worth, he adds, has gone up over the past one year at the rate of 15-20%, annually. The recent call for Green Buildings, he further adds, has contributed to the demand for more units.

Reny George, General Manager, Gulf Sondex, has a similar understanding of the heat exchanger market. Echoing Sethi, George says that the market demand has reflected an upward graph. “Projects are available, and today the market has money,” he says. “There are no issues with regard to cash flow in the sub-industry.” End-users, George adds, are steered towards being energy efficient and seek to reduce carbon emissions.

“The year 2019 seems to be looking good for the heat exchanger market,” he says. Pointing to a few regions that might experience a slowdown in demand for heat exchangers, he says, “Turkey might see a drop in demand; however, the market in Dubai looks good, with a growth rate of 7-8%, annually.”

Moiz Nooruddin, Director, Dolphin

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January 2019

Radiators and Cooling Systems, however, has a different opinion. He believes the demand for heat exchangers in the Middle East has seen a slight decrease. “When compared to the past few years,” he says, “there are fewer projects in the region.” Pointing to the factors leading to the decrease, he says VAT is one, along with decreasing oil prices. However, with reference to the availability of projects, George believes that the District Cooling sector in the region is presently seeing an uptake in projects, leading to a rise in demand for heat exchangers, with a focus on energy efficiency.

Elaborating on demand, Sethi says the plate heat exchanger market is on a strong footing. End-users, he adds, are also opting for heat wheels, which “help to conserve energy and, as a thumb rule, save 15% of the energy bill on a yearly basis”. This is in comparison to heat pipes, which help save around 13% on a yearly basis. “Heat wheels,” Sethi adds, “rotate in an airstream and need skilled technicians to maintain them.” Elaborating, he says, heat wheels have a gear motor with a special desiccant coating, which requires maintenance. “If the heat wheel is not maintained well, the desiccant coating will most likely get choked with dust particles, which will influence performance,” he says.

Speaking further on performance, Majed Abu Al Hassan, Senior Project and Development Manager at Dubaibased District Cooling utility provider, Emicool, points to an important aspect with regard to end-user demand. “Clients today are looking for the most efficient

Reny George

Sudeep Sethi

heat exchanger,” he says. This is not only with regard to performance but also with reference to space. “The price of land and space continues to rise,” he says. “This pushes endusers to want heat exchangers, which are not only easy to maintain but compact in nature.”

Technological advancements A recent development in the sub-industry is the arrival of 3D-printed heat exchangers, though still largely in the R&D stage. The University of Maryland, in the United State, is at the forefront of the interesting development. Elaborating on technology, Nooruddin says that though 3D printing might be used in other markets across the world, it has not affected the market in the region. In a way predicting the future, he says, “It is unlikely 3D printing will influence the market in the region.”

When it comes to technology, the focus is still on the basics. As Sethi says, today, every manufacturer is looking at designing a good plate with the aim of increasing energy efficiency, while reducing turbulence. “The challenges from a manufacturer’s perspective,” he adds, “vary from client to client.” Pointing to one specific challenge, he says, “Projects tend to move at a fast pace, and if there is a lack of coordination and proper communication among the contractor, consultant and the supplier, the order for products might be placed late, which can not only delay a project but also influence the way installations are carried out.”

Moiz Nooruddin

Majed Abu Al Hassan

advise customers to do frequent cleaning and servicing by using an eco-friendly chemical, which is designed to remove unwanted debris.” Echoing him, George says: “Maintenance comes into question when in operation. The better the water quality, the better the lifespan of the heat exchanger.”

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Write to editor@cpi-industry.com

Measuring performance Identifying the measuring of the performance of heat exchangers as another challenge, Sethi says, “It is not easy to measure how a heat exchanger is performing on site.” To get a correct reading, he adds, “Typically, a grid of sensors would be required, as it collects the readings from 16 places across the face of a heat exchanger.” So far, he says, thirdparty testing is the best option. Echoing Sethi, George says: “When it comes to testing and measuring performance, there are two solutions. One where a standard AHRI test is carried out, which most end-users opt for, and the other is a third-party test.”

Elaborating on the maintenance of heat exchangers, Nooruddin highlights that the issues come in when seawater is used in heat exchanger applications. “Some of the problems are related to scaling and tube blocking,” he says.

“Periodic cleaning and servicing, and chemical cleaning are required for the smooth functioning of heat exchangers. We

January 2019

49

NEWS REGIONAL

Dubai crowned as the ‘Champion City’ for District Cooling solutions

International District Energy Association District Cooling Conference and Tradeshow 2018 ends with participants stressing the importance of finding adequate financing for projects to drive the growth of the industry

By CCME Content Team

T

cooling towers, as well as highlighted the growing he eighth edition of the importance of District Cooling in sustainable cities, International District Energy the communiqué said. In addition, the conference Association (IDEA) District brought to light energy budgets and operational Cooling Conference and efficiency through automation and machine Tradeshow 2018 ended with Dubai learning in District Cooling, the communiqué being crowned as the ‘Champion added.

City’ of the District Cooling sector Rob Thornton, President and CEO, IDEA, said: globally, showcasing a cooling “Dubai has been a forerunner with sustainable capacity of nearly two million tonnes solutions, and Empower has further accelerated of refrigeration (TR), the organisers the city’s position with its innovative District announced in a Press communiqué.

Cooling solutions, helping the country to achieve its In addition, Ahmad Bin Shafar, CEO, sustainability goals. The way the country is shaping Empower, was named as 2018 IDEA its projects, integrating District Cooling solutions, I Global leader, the communiqué am confident that the city is well-placed to achieve said. The conference was held the lowest carbon footprint in the world by 2050. from December 9 to 11, under the The eighth edition of this conference has not only patronage of H.H. Sheikh Ahmed Bin discussed efficient strategies to achieve sustainable Saeed Al Maktoum, Chairman of the urban growth but has also positioned Dubai as the Dubai Supreme Council of Energy and champion city for District Cooling solutions.”

Chairman of Emirates Airlines Group, The communiqué said the conference focused the communiqué added. ▶ L-R: Rob Thornton and Ahmad Bin Shafar on regulating the District Cooling sector, as well Commenting on the conference, as innovative solutions that would generate cost Bin Shafar, said: “District Cooling is optimisation and decrease carbon footprint. The communiqué said recognised as a proven and key climate solution for cities. While the conference also highlighted financing, where officials from several the conference has brought to focus several efficient methods companies in the sector pointed out the importance of finding for increasing efficiency and reducing carbon emissions, it has suitable financing that can drive the further growth of the sector. The also illuminated Dubai’s strength in the District Cooling sector, communiqué added that apart from cost efficiency, the participants showcasing the emirate’s pioneering experience in the industry, also highlighted several other benefits of the industry, including during the event.” reduction in electricity as well as water consumption, by using treated While the conference shed light on strategies for improving water for District Cooling and the reduction of loads on the network. efficiency for District Cooling, it also focused on the importance of

‘Expo 2020 will definitely lead to the uptake of new projects’

There are certain criteria to be met with reference to Civil Defence approvals, says Rapid Cool

By Ranjana Konatt

T

he challenge with reference to equipment used in professional kitchens today, is that it is difficult to get Civil Defence approvals, said Ankur Arora, Junior Sales Engineer, Rapid Cool Group of Companies. “There are certain criteria, which must be met, such as fans must be operational for two hours during the event of a fire and must

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January 2019

have certifications for being able to withstand high temperatures,” he said.

Elaborating on the market, Arora said, “Expo 2020 is likely to result in the uptake of new projects.” He added: “Presently, there are a number of projects we are working on for Expo 2020. For instance, we are providing smoke systems for the metro line.”

Siemens works with Expo 2020 Dubai to create a blueprint for future smart cities Digitalised infrastructure will support Expo 2020 Dubai in meeting sustainability, comfort, safety and security targets, says company’s representative

By CCME Content Team

D

ubai is on its way to creating one of the most connected and sustainable World Expos in history, as Siemens begins one of the world’s largest installations of its building technologies at Expo 2020 Dubai, the company announced in a Press communiqué. The digital solutions will connect, monitor and control buildings across the site with MindSphere, the cloud-based operating system for the Internet of Things, powering the collection and analysis of data for intelligent decision-making and actions, the communiqué said. The smart technologies will support Expo 2020 Dubai’s targets for energy efficiency, comfort, safety and security, the communiqué further said.

Siemens – Expo 2020’s Infrastructure Digitalisation Partner – will deliver a sitewide implementation of its digital building management system Desigo CC, covering each of the Event’s Thematic Districts (Mobility, Opportunity and Sustainability), their respective pavilions and the Dubai Exhibition Centre, the communiqué said.

The system will use sensors and analytics to monitor and control building functions in all three Districts, including air conditioning, energy usage, lighting control, elevators, and air quality and fire alarm systems, the communiqué further said.

According to Siemens, the data from these systems will be managed by a

command and control centre in each Thematic District to reduce energy usage, ensure the comfort of building users and maintain maximum levels of safety and security. Data will also be fed to Siemens Navigator, a central overarching cloud-based management platform, the communiqué said. Connecting 137 buildings from a single site, it will be one of the world’s largest installations of the cloud system, giving operators visibility of the whole site and using data analytics to monitor energy usage during the Expo, the communiqué further said. With MindSphere powering the digital infrastructure, data from multiple sensors, gateways, systems and applications will be integrated, correlated, analysed and visualised to allow intelligent actions to be taken, the communiqué added.

Markus Strohmeier, Senior Executive Vice President Building Technologies Division, Siemens Middle East, said: “Expo 2020 Dubai is building the most digitalised, connected Expo in the Event’s history, and we will

support this with data-driven infrastructure for sustainability, safety and security. With more than 25 million visitors expected, Expo 2020 Dubai is the largest event ever staged in the Arab world, and a global benchmark of how smart infrastructure will form the foundation of our future cities. I’m proud that Siemens is playing a major role in digitalising this internationally significant event.”

Mohammed Alhashmi, Senior Vice President – Innovation and Future Technology, Expo 2020 Dubai, said: “Innovation is at the heart of World Expos and the United Arab Emirates. Coupled with Dubai’s ambitious plans to be a pioneer for smart city technology, we are delighted that through our partnership with Siemens, Expo 2020 Dubai will become a world-leading showcase for the potential of smart cities.”

The communiqué said key safety and security systems will be integrated into the Expo’s digital infrastructure, including a world-record installation of Siemens’ video management system, Siveillance VMS300 and the access control system, SiPass Integrated. The communiqué further said that more than 20 subsystems, including security, access control, building management and fire safety systems will be integrated with the centralised Siveillance Vantage command and control platform, providing holistic situational awareness and enabling smart decision making.

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January 2019

51

NEWS REGIONAL

Empower announces construction of world’s first unmanned District Cooling plant The Jumeirah Village Circle plant will have a capacity of 50,000 TR and cost AED 250 million, says CEO

By CCME Content Team

E

mirates Central Cooling Systems Corporation (Empower), the District Cooling services provider, announced the beginning of construction of its new 50,000 Tonnes of Refrigeration (TR), unmanned District Cooling plant, in Jumeirah Village Circle (JVC), through a Press communiqué. The total cost of the plant is AED 250 million and it is part of Empower’s drive to increase the number of District Cooling plants across Dubai, the communiqué said. This is also part of Empower’s ongoing efforts to utilise Artificial Intelligence (AI) technologies, the communiqué further said.

According to Empower, the JVC plant is the world’s first unmanned and fully automated District Cooling plant. It uses AI to monitor and automatically adjust inflow and outflow of the chilled water, as well as an Advanced SCADA system with the capacity to read two million data related to cooling towers, chillers, transformers and water supply, the communiqué said. It also

Dubai Plan 2021, to make uses award-winning Treated Dubai a smart and sustainable Sewage Effluent (TSE) and city whose environmental Thermal Energy Storage (TES) elements are clean, healthy technologies to serve chilled and sustainable.” water, the communiqué further Empower confirmed that said. The plant’s operational the new plant is designed efficiency will reach 0.89 KW/t, according to the highest using six water chillers running Ahmad Bin Shafar international standards, taking on 11 KV of electricity, the into account the standards of sustainable communiqué added.

Green Buildings and the modern urban Commenting on the new plant, Ahmad developments of Dubai, as well as the Bin Shafar, CEO, Empower, said: “Empower overall aesthetic appearance of the area is increasing its efforts to promote reliable and the architecture of surrounding and high-quality District Cooling services buildings, the communiqué said. to customers across Dubai. This supports The communiqué said with the the vision of H.H. Sheikh Mohammed bin addition of the new JVC plant, Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Empower’s list of District Cooling plants Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of is expected to reach 75 plants by the end Dubai, to promote Dubai as the world’s most of 2018. The communiqué further said sustainable city and the city with the lowest that Empower also expects to increase carbon footprint in the world, by 2050. It the number of buildings using District also supports the Dubai Integrated Energy Cooling, to reach over 1,090 buildings by Strategy 2030 to reduce energy and water this year end. consumption to 30% by 2030, and the

Hamon joins Eurovent Middle East

The Middle East’s HVACR industry association expands its membership base

By CCME Content Team

H

amon Cooling Tower Company has become a member of the Eurovent Middle East association, the company announced in a Press communiqué. The company is a significant entity in the cooling tower sector, with a specific focus on the manufacturing of large cooling systems, process heat exchangers, heat recovery equipment, chimneys and waste boilers, the communiqué said.

Commenting on the membership, Talal Damerchi, General Manager, Hamon Cooling Tower Company, said: “We have always emphasised cooperation among the industry to educate and develop the GCC region’s market. Eurovent Middle East gives us this opportunity. We

52

January 2019

Talal Damerchi

Markus Lattner

are looking forward to be part of this growing family and sharing our expertise with others.”

Markus Lattner, Managing Director, Eurovent Middle East, said: “The strength of an association lies in the specialisation and expertise of its members. We are very happy to welcome Hamon Cooling Tower Company to our group and expand our range in the field of large industrial process cooling. We share Hamon’s call for closer cooperation among the industry for the benefit of the region and are constantly working to improve our outreach and offers to the market.”

Tabreed wins four leading industry awards in 2018 These industry awards are a recognition of the company’s efforts across various departments, says CEO

By CCME Content Team

N

ational Central Cooling Company (Tabreed), organisation but also improved two-way communication in the UAE-based regional District Cooling the reporting system, consistency in reporting of hazards, utility company, has been awarded ‘District near misses and incidents and simplified the closing of any Cooling Utility Provider of the Year’, at reported incidents with recommended corrective actions, the Climate Control Awards; ‘Excellence in HSE on a thus resulting in the company receiving the ‘Excellence in Project’, at The Big Project Middle East Awards; Group HSE on a Project’ award, the communiqué further said.

Carbon Champions Award, at the District Cooling Tabreed received the Group Carbon Champions Award, Jasim Husain Thabet 2018 Conference and the Korn Ferry 2018 Employee presented at the District Cooling 2018 Conference, titled Engagement Award, the company announced in a Press ‘Efficient Energy for Smart Cities’, by The International communiqué.

District Energy Association (IDEA) in partnership with Dubai Carbon Commenting on the awards, Jasim Husain Thabet, CEO, Tabreed Centre of Excellence (Dubai Carbon) for special recognition of the said: “We are proud to have obtained these leading industry combined achievements of the District Cooling industry in the awards in recognition of our efforts across our various departments.

Middle East, in advancing efficient energy for smart cities, Sustainability is one of our core pillars and something the company the communiqué said. Also, the city of Dubai received is wholly dedicated to. Tabreed is committed to building on its the ‘District Cooling Champion City’ award, in which achievements towards reducing the burden on power grids and Tabreed was recognised for its key role in the industry, contributing to the region’s energy-efficiency goals.” the communiqué further said.

According to Tabreed, during 2017, the company achieved The Korn Ferry 2018 Employee Engagement a 1.97 billion-kilowatt hour reduction in energy consumption Award publicly recognises organisations that in the GCC region – enough energy to power 112,419 homes have built superior levels of engagement, as in the United Arab Emirates every year. This led measured through their recent people surveys, to the elimination of 986,748 tonnes of CO2 the communiqué said. To calculate winners, emissions, or the equivalent of removing Korn Ferry analysed the percentage of 214,511 cars from the streets every year, thus employees who either ‘strongly agreed’ or resulting in the company receiving the Climate ‘agreed’ with the following two statements: Control Award, the communiqué said.

‘I feel proud to work for the company’, and ‘I Over the last several years, Tabreed revamped would recommend the company as a good place to work’, its efforts in HSEQ, focusing on instilling a culture the communiqué further said. Thabet concluded, “Being of safety among its 850+ employees, the communiqué said. recognised as an outstanding employer, we give thanks Last year, Tabreed introduced an Automated Incident Reporting to our employees, and we are just as proud as they are System, which not only enhanced HSEQ culture within the about their commitment to Tabreed.”

The market sees a rise in demand for heat wheels Heat wheels help conserve energy, while also helping with loads on cooling units, says SPC Heat Pipes

By Ranjana Konatt

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he market is changing and there is a trend where people are using heat wheels for heat transfer, said Rahul Srivastava, Senior Sales Engineer, SPC Heat Pipes, while commenting on demand in the market. “Heat wheels are one way to achieve power savings and also to save on energy,” he said. “Energy conservation has been made mandatory by the Dubai Municipality, which has led to the rise in demand for such units.”

Even in big projects, Srivastava said, they have carried out retrofits and changed units.

“The Middle East has a climate which is hot and humid and, hence, the load on cooling systems tends to be very high,” he said. Using heat wheels, he added, in addition to other equipment, can help with both, load and power consumption.

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Chint introduces power, solar and HVAC solutions to UAE market

Official says first seminar in the United Arab Emirates signals the company’s commitment to enhance its presence in Middle East and Africa; outlines growth opportunities in the GCC region

By Hannah Jo Uy | Assistant Editor

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Additionally, Hu said, in hint underscored the United Arab Emirates, its commitment to as well for the rest of the advance its presence Middle East and Africa, in the Middle East and increased government Africa region by organising its focus towards Green first seminar in the United Arab Energy is driving demand Emirates on December 18, in for solar PV and CSP in the Dubai. Zoe Hu, Deputy General Zoe Hu coming years, which, she Manager, West Asia and Africa, said, the company is in a position to said that the seminar aimed to introduce address.

Chint Group’s comprehensive range of Hu said that while Chint has long solutions in power generation, distribution been present in the country through and storage and energy-efficiency local partners, the UAE market remained management, in addition to HVAC and largely dominated by western brands. solar products, to local partners, who may “The ‘Made in China’ image keeps be familiar with only a small aspect of the changing,” she stressed, highlighting Group’s portfolio. the capacity of Chinese manufacturers Hu said Chint considers the United to address a wide range of customer Arab Emirates as a big market owing to its requirements. Speaking on opportunities strategic location as a hub for the region, the company sees in the pipeline, Hu and the country’s position as a strong said the World Expo 2020 offers a industrial base, being host to a number lot of opportunities for all players in of manufacturers in a cross-section of the market and that the company is industries. In view of the close cooperation involved in some projects related to the between the United Arab Emirates and Expo.

China, Hu said, the company believes it is Hu added that Chint also views Saudi the ideal time to play a more active role Arabia as a good market, and that the in the market by participating in events company has recently opened its second and organising its own seminars. “We factory office in Egypt. In the coming want local clients and partners to know years, Hu said, Chint aims to strengthen we are here and we want to continue for cooperation with local partners, not the long-term,” she said. Hu added that only with regard to selling the product the economic impact of erratic oil prices but also going deeper to leverage the and the region’s strategies related to the company’s global experience and environment are driving demand for good international project references and be a quality products, at a reasonable price. one-stop solution provider.

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No issues of liquidity in cash flow in evaporative cooling, says ProXcelo The demand for evaporative cooling continues to grow, leading to an increase in demand for solutions, says CEO

By Ranjana Konatt

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vaporative cooling is a simple concept, the demand for which comes from areas that cannot be cooled by ACs or fans, said Ziad Ibrahim, CEO, ProXcelo, while giving an update on the market demand for the concept. The demand for evaporative cooling, he said, has grown over the past few years and continues to grow, as there are more business openings and an increase in the demand for solutions.

Ziad Ibrahim With regard to Expo 2020, Ibrahim said, “We are going to consider making our contribution.”

The construction projects definitely need evaporative cooling to keep the workers safe and in perfect condition, he said. When it comes to the technology’s contribution to sustainability and energy efficiency, Ibrahim said, “Our air coolers have very low consumption with a considerably large cooling capacity.” Commenting on the market and hiccups in liquidity and cash flow, he said, “There are no problems when it comes to payments from clients.”

Based on experience, Ibrahim added, the company has found a high demand for evaporative cooling and, hence, has recently opened a factory and office in Ajman Free Zone. “The office,” he said, “enables us to provide better customer service and shorter delivery time.” The overall idea and motive, he said, is to provide the best quality products, not only in the United Arab Emirates but also elsewhere, through exports.

UL offers new building testing and commissioning service

Service provides science-based expertise to MENA construction industry, to help design and build energyefficient buildings, says VP and GM, UL Middle East

By CCME Content Team

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s MENA countries continue to drive towards reducing energy consumption, UL has introduced a new testing and commissioning service for the region that helps determine the energy efficiency of buildings, the company announced in a Press communiqué.

The Building envelop testing and commissioning service for the Middle East region was introduced by UL at the Big 5 International Building and Construction Show, held from November 26 to 29, 2018, in Dubai, the communiqué said.

The building envelop, often referred to as the façade and roof, consists of the thermal, weather and air barriers separating building interiors from the outdoor environment, the communiqué said. The thermal performance of building envelop products and systems is critical to achieve energy efficiency and performance, the communiqué further said.

According to UL, the service provides performance testing and assessments to determine the rate of air infiltration and thermal performance of the entire building enclosure assemblies and components. This expertise helps building owners, contractors, consultants and architects design and build more energy-efficient

buildings, from pre-construction to postinstallation, the communiqué said.

Hamid Syed, Vice President and General Manager, UL Middle East, said: “To be in line with the UAE government’s policy to reduce Dubai’s electricity consumption by 30% by 2030, businesses must aim to Hamid Syed improve their energy efficiency and set affordable and clean energy goals to ensure a sustainable environment for future generations. Similar objectives have also been set in most countries across the region.

Therefore, we know this is a service the construction industry will be interested in and were delighted to introduce it at the Big 5.”

The communiqué said that in addition to the launch of building envelop testing and commissioning, UL showcased its fire containment and building inspection services with a focus on their expertise in the ducting industry, with products, such as fire-rated ducts, along with environmental services and fire and life safety services, at the Big 5.

Accuracy of data underpins food safety, says Ecolab

Discussing the feasibility of having minimum standards in transport refrigeration and cold storage facilities, Dr Petran said, making sure that vehicles are equipped and capable of maintaining Company official discusses feasibility of minimum standard in temperature parameters “is a good line transport refrigeration and cold storage in the sand that should not be crossed”.

She added, “There needs to be some sort

By Hannah Jo Uy | Assistant Editor of tracing to verify that vehicles have the necessary mechanics and equipment to maintain the iven that temperature control chain is broken,” Dr Petran said, temperature of food at 4 largely underpins food safety, stressing that the capacity to degrees C or below.” especially in a country such as gather data, is not nearly as Dr Petran said that the the United Arab Emirates, with important as the quality of the scope of standards could its high-ambient conditions and reliance on data and how it is used, so that cast a wider net and include imported food, Dr Ruth Petran, Vice President the right information is passed improving traceability related RD&E Food Safety and Public Health, on to the necessary individuals.

Dr Ruth Petran to the practices of individuals Ecolab, stressed that while it is important for This, she said, will lead to a receiving and handling the stakeholders to embrace and draw insights more holistic overview of the food, from the point of delivery, as the from emerging technologies, such cold chain, allowing decision vehicles enter the backdoor of food retail as blockchain, which improve makers to look at opportunities facilities’ cold stores. She added that in traceability throughout the cold for improvement and identify addition to maintaining the temperature chain, equal importance must be areas that require fundamental of the food supply, standards could also placed in ensuring the accuracy changes throughout the process implement best practices for cleaning and of the information being – be it with regard to the hygiene of food transport vehicles, to guard integrated as data points. equipment in use or best practice against possible cross-contamination from “If there are mistakes or in transit – to ensure food safety prior loads of food. missing parts in the data, the parameters are being met.

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UAE HVAC market sees demand for hookup fan-coil units “The product does well on energy-efficiency, which explains the demand for it,” says General Manager, VIR ME International

By Ranjana Konatt

Abraham Jacob

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ver the last couple of years, there has been a lot of interest generated around hook-up fan-coil units (FCUs) in the UAE market, said Abraham Jacob, General Manager, VIR ME International. Normally, he said, the user needs a lot of piping and also needs to tread the pipes, unlike with the hook-up FCUs. “Typically, the product does well on energy-efficiency, which explains the market demand for it,” he added.

Elaborating on the impact of the economic situation on the UAE market, Jacob said, “The economy has not been going up for the past few years, but we feel that the year 2019 will be better, as a lot of projects are still in the design stage.”

The future has arrived. And it’s beautiful!

China's first 100-megawatt solarthermal power plant was successfully connected to the national grid this week in Dunhuang City, Gansu Province.

Erik Solheim @ErikSolheim

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January 2019

‘Solar technology needs to be used to its full potential,’ says Beacon Energy Solutions The retrofit market is ripe, and with the call for retrofits, every building being retrofitted must be given individual attention, says MD

By Ranjana Konatt

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he availability of solar energy and the use of solar technology is not a new concept, said Sandhya Prakash, Founder and Managing Director, Beacon Energy Solutions. “However, solar technology is not being used to its full potential in the region,” she said. The retrofit market is ripe and with the call for retrofits, every building being retrofitted must be given individual attention, Sandhya Prakash Prakash added.

“The belief that one solution fits all is a wrong proposition,” Prakash said. A retrofit, she said, requires a certain amount of consulting, before it is even suggested. She further said: “End-users don’t always want to pay for consulting and as a result, often end up choosing the wrong retrofit for their buildings.

Consulting is something that we always insist on, in addition to carrying out an audit to monitor a report before and after the retrofit is carried out.” She added, “We have completed 60 projects in the span of three years and have a success rate of 40%.”

Exploring the ‘Internet of Energy’ Europe-based energy-management application company sets focus on the Middle East

By Ranjana Konatt

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he Internet of Things (IoT) has been shaping the landscape of the HVAC industry, while also influencing the energy-management space.

Echoing the thought was Maciej Putniorz, Marketing Manager, Appartme, who said, “Today an enduser can take care of all energy management needs on an individual level, just from an application.” Elaborating, Maciej Putniorz he said: “Through the application, typically, you can set the temperature in your apartment in an Eco and Comfort mode and can schedule events, turn on the AC and can even go through reports, based on your energy use. It’s more like the Internet of Energy.” However, the amount of energy saved is dependent on the end-user and typically ranges from 15 to 20% on a yearly basis, he added.

Elaborating on the acceptance of IoT-powered solutions in the region, Putniorz said, “We still do not have presence in the Middle East.” In Europe, he said, the acceptance for energy-management applications is high. “Ideally in Europe,” he added, “we deal more with heating; however, we do hope to expand our end-user base to the Middle East.”

HVACR Expo Saudi to offer CPDcertified workshop sessions Event will be a platform for showcasing new products, innovations

By CCME Content Team

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Safi (213 of 232)In a VACR Expo unique look into where Saudi, which will cooling solutions might take place from develop to improve efficiency, January 28 to 30 Safi Marroun, Business at the Riyadh International Development Manager, YMCO, Convention & Exhibition will speak on HVAC and Center, will offer a number Biomimicry at the event, the of free-to-attend, continuing Arif Hussain Safi Marroun Abdul Rouf Pandith communiqué said. Marroun professional developmentsaid: “Biomimicry is looking at certified (CPD-certified) nature as a mentor and source of measure. In that case, biomimetic workshop sessions, as well as showcase the market innovations, the design brings natural non-fuel strategies into our design. Designs organisers said. already in the market vary from passive cooling systems to zeroBacked by the Saudi Standards, Metrology and Quality moisture rooms used for medical purposes, for example.”

Organization (SASO) and GCC Standardization Organization (GSO), District Cooling, Photo- AbdulRoufanother solution to tackle and in response to the popularity of workshops conducted in the the sustainability target, is increasingly popular in Saudi Arabia, previous edition, HVACR Expo 2019 will increase its educational the communiqué said. According to Abdul Rouf Pandith, Senior offerings in the 2019 edition, the organisers said through a Press Mechanical Engineer, KEO International Consultants: “District communiqué. Set to accommodate twice the number of delegates, Cooling consumes 50% less power compared to conventional cooling the agenda will run across two workshop theatres and will feature a systems. District Cooling is considered not only to be feasible but also total of 30 sessions, the communiqué said. necessary in Saudi Arabia. HVACR service providers in the Kingdom, Arif Hussain, National Product Manager, Al Salem Johnson and other Middle-Eastern countries, are reporting elimination of Controls, will speak on the theme of energy-efficiency improvements thousands of tonnes of CO2 emissions from the installed District in cooling technology at the event, the communiqué said.

Cooling plants in the region.”

Commenting on the latest government initiatives that promote According to the organisers, these speakers will be joined by environmental action in the local HVACR industry, he said: Arif government figures and brand representatives. The agenda will Hussein“In view of the 2030 initiative, the Saudi Government include presentations by SASO and GSO, as well as training sessions enacted SASO regulations to improve the efficiency level of all

by Hussein & Al Hassan G Shaker Bros, Modern Trading CO. Ltd, air conditioning equipment. Moreover, they have introduced a Carrier and Shaker Group, the communiqué said.

District Cooling framework for new developments exceeding 15,000 Rouf said, “By inviting and bringing together government tonnes, and the Saudi Building Efficiency code has been recently stakeholders, policy and decision makers and leaders from the District revised and implemented. In addition, the Saudi government is Cooling and Utility sectors across the country, HVACR Expo Saudi can encouraging efficiency improvements in existing buildings through mark a new era in the cooling sector.” registered ESCO companies.”

HVAC market in Egypt sees high demand for fire and smoke dampers No shortage of projects in Egypt, says MD, EGAT

By Ranjana Konatt

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here is high demand for fire and smoke dampers in Egypt,” said Marwa Afifi, Managing Director, Egyptian German Air Treatment (EGAT). “There is no shortage of projects in Egypt,” she said, and, while elaborating on the projects currently underway, she added, “We are supplying to the Grand Egyptian Marwa Afifi Museum and have just completed a project at the Mall of Egypt.”

The company, Afifi said, was founded in the year 1985 and focuses on manufacturing fire dampers, sound attenuators and air-handling units. She said, “We work across the board and all the products we have are UL- Certified, which is what draws clients.”

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‘Retrofitting is crucial to achieving a net-zero target’

Qlikchain offers solutions to improve food security

The challenge lies in fixing existing buildings and then focusing on new projects, says Principal, Integral Group

What companies began as Proof of Concepts are now being implemented as blockchain strategies, says CEO, Qlikchain

By Ranjana Konatt

By Ranjana Konatt

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lockchain is viewed in two ways, first, by understanding its application to cryptocurrency and second, its adoption in business use cases. Commenting on this thought, Ayon Hazra, CEO, Ayon Hazra Qlikchain International, said, “Slowly, but surely, we are entering a phase, where blockchain is being adopted in a way it is meant to be.”

The Netherlands, he added, is moving forward; what began as Proof of Concepts (POC) by companies are now spreading to actual implementation, as they are able to visualise the potential benefit the application of blockchain brings to a business.

Commenting on Qlikchain and its contribution to the farm-to-fork concept in the food chain, Hazra said, “Our mission is to improve global food systems at the farm level, and to do this it is crucial to develop sustainable farming practices.” TruVito and AcreCX are the two blockchain-based solutions Qlikchain offers, he said.

Elaborating, Hazra said, “TruVito is an auditing service, which enables farmers to prove the control conditions of their farms and receive certifications.” Auditing the harvest is the first critical step towards food security, he said, which is presently plagued by weak purchasing power, cheap imports and unfair trade practices. AcreCX, he asserted, is the other blockchain-based marketplace for harvest-audited farms. While living in a globalised world, there is a need for markets to be connected, he said. The idea, he added, is to empower small-scale farmers in shifting power from global corporations to farm cooperatives.

Exploring the benefits of IoT-enabled sensors IoT-enabled sensors can help businesses and projects save time and money as well as monitor productivity of the work being done, says Co-Founder, Time Control Technologies

By Ranjana Konatt

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January 2019

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he notion that each building needs to be zero-carbon within its own footprint is a misconception that has emerged with the increase in the demand for energy efficiency, said Edward Garrod, Principal, Integral Group. He further said, “Today, achieving the net-zeroemission goal means being consistent across Edward Garrod individual buildings and district lifecycles.”

And the challenge, he added, is to first fix existing buildings and then focus on new projects.

Garrod was speaking on the topic, ‘Policies and framework approaches for zero-carbon cities and buildings’, at a session during the Seventh Annual Emirates Green Building Council (GBC) Summit, on October 9, 2018, in Dubai. Elaborating on the subject, he said, “Retrofitting is crucial to achieving the net-zero target, and it is important for the consultant, contractor and even the end-user to feel positive about moving towards the concept of net zero.”

Everything is interconnected, and it is important to identify these connections to make energy-efficient decisions, Garrod said. However, highlighting the roadblocks to achieving the net-zero goal, he pointed to the lack of transparency in building operations as a major challenge.

“When buildings are not commissioned and well-maintained, owners are not keen on sharing any information related to the performance of the building.” This lack of transparency, he said, comes in the way of setting clear targets.

he IoT continues to shape the way in which businesses function and its integration in the HVAC industry is crucial and cannot be ignored. Ghassan Yusuf, Co-founder and Hardware IOT specialist, Time Control Technologies, while echoing the thought, said, “As an IoT-first firm, we help businesses save on both time and money, while also increasing productivity.” Referring to IoT-enabled tracking sensors, he said,

the company also generates automated time sheets, payrolls and attendance reports. “Our clients are mainly from the construction and contracting space,” he said. And having such sensors ensures that the owner of the company pays the right amount of money for the right amount of work, while also being able to monitor the efficiency of the work being done, he said. Though the sensors are multipurpose, which can be used for different requirements, they use AI

UAE is a perfect candidate for Solstice N41, says Honeywell Company official outlines reception of low-GWP, nonflammable refrigerant in HVACR market; shares global trends

By Hannah Jo Uy | Assistant Editor

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he global reception for Honeywell’s Solstice N41 has been exceptional, said Sanjeev Rastogi, Vice President and General Manager, Fluorine Products, who added that a number of OEM providers have expressed interest in working with the refrigerant. “Historically, the AC market had a really tough time finding a non-flammable, low-GWP refrigerant,” he

Experiential centres crucial to understanding placement of HVAC equipment Having the right location and placement for HVAC equipment is vital and must be planned out with proper measurements, says MD, Emitech Group

said. “N41 is just that, it’s energy efficient, and there are very limited changes in design required, for the OEM to implement the solution. Also, because it is almost a drop-in solution, the entire contractor and after-market can continue operating as if there was no change in the refrigerant.”

The United Arab Emirates, Rastogi emphasised, is the perfect candidate for N41, as the refrigerant is more energy efficient, even if the temperature is higher.

Non-flammability is also of paramount concern to local stakeholders, he added.

Another aspect that will lower resistance to N41’s adoption, Rastogi said, is the fact that from a training perspective, the use of the refrigerant will not be an issue, as there will be no dramatic changes in terms of training and, with regulations emerging in favour of low-GWP refrigerants, N41 will be the easiest for OEMs to implement. “We go through a lot of effort to make sure the amount of redesign required is minimal,” he said.

Rastogi added that since Solstice N41 will be of lower cost than HFCs in Europe, the region will be more willing to adopt the solution. “In addition to just the cost per unit of the refrigerant,” he said, “the alternative is to go to a flammable refrigerant, where the cost of adoption is very high, not just in designing the equipment and making it safe but also in training the entire channel to deal with it, and the risk is very high, as well.”

Rastogi said Honeywell plans to commercialise Solstice N41 in 2019.

While testing will be done globally, he said, the company will target countries where there are regulations to phase out R-410A, where the price of HFCs are high, such as in Europe, and where energy efficiency is a desirable attribute, such as in the Middle East.

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he placement of HVAC equipment in an indoor space is crucial to the overall health of the occupants. Rahul Duragkar, Managing Director, Emitech Group believes that the subject today deserves more attention and points to noise and vibration as key factors influencing occupants in an indoor space. He said, “Having the right location and placement for HVAC equipment is vital, and its placement must be planned out with proper measurements.”

Rahul Duragkar Pointing to experiential centres as an ideal way to understand the working and placement of equipment in its natural setting, Duragkar said, “Experiential centres not only help clients understand how equipment will work but will also help in understanding its placement.” For instance, he said, clients can get a clear idea of how ducts will run in a congested space, which also eases the decision-making process in choosing equipment.

By Ranjana Konatt

to tell you what is happening, he further said. “We have a cloud platform, which can be accessed by four to five levels of management, right from the project manager to the building monitoring company,” he added.

Pointing to a misconception within the industry about the market, Yusuf

said, “When we speak of tracking devices, people within the HVAC industry often take it in a negative way, but it can be used for safety and security.” Elaborating, Yusuf said that such sensors can be of great benefit within the cold chain in monitoring a fleet of transport vehicles, to keep a check on breaks and, hence, ensure food quality.

What a shining 2018 for #SolarHeat in 6 new large #SolarDistrictHeating plants have been commissioned and are now generating clean and free heat

Solarthermalworld @solarthermal

January 2019

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‘Robopro is a one-stopsolution for project management’ The software caters to supply requirements that are not available in standard Enterprise Resource Planning solutions, says CEO, Robosoft Solutions

By Ranjana Konatt

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echnology gives an organisation the edge over its competitors, said Karan Khemka, CEO, Robosoft Solutions, while elaborating on the role of technology in the HVAC industry. “Our job is to make businesses work efficiently," Khemka said. "There is a need and demand for good Enterprise Resource Planning solutions (ERP) in the construction and project management space. Though there are a number of software applications available, what the market needs is a clear-cut solution, which takes care of everything. There are numerous facets to a project, from project detailing, to supply management and to costing. And very often, clients use different software packages for different solutions."

Pointing to Robosoft’s software, Robopro, Khemka said, the company has a specific software-based solution for the HVAC industry, which takes care of 20% of building functions that cater to HVAC systems.

Karan Khemka

From a detailed overview of project-based procurement to an activity-based costing and profitability, the software, he said, caters to the supply requirements that are not there in standard ERPs. Presently, he said, the company has 30-odd clients and understands the challenges they face. “When it comes to the overall market acceptance of the software,” Khemka said, “the situation is a positive one, as the solution does benefit the client, while enabling them to control the entire project from a single software.”

‘BIM is approached with varying levels of maturity by stakeholders in the industry’ Stakeholders are aware of the value BIM brings to a project, but they are often hesitant to take the first step towards change, says company representative

By Ranjana Konatt

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uilding Information Modelling (BIM) and its application as a technology have been appreciated and adopted by the HVAC and construction industries at different levels across the world. Echoing the thought, Justin Style, Marketing Technologist, BIMobject, stressed on the differing levels of maturity among stakeholders in the HVAC industry, the world-over. He said, “People across the world approach BIM with different maturity levels.” For instance, he said, in Northern Europe, BIM has a high acceptance rate, which can be attributed to government legislation.

When the pressure to adopt a technology comes from the top, he added, it ensures that industries and businesses are monitored efficiently.

Pointing to the need of the hour, Style said, “Stakeholders are aware of the value of BIM, but often cost is an issue which hinders its adoption.” Often, project cost margins are slim and people have to invest in the initial phase, he said. “We constantly speak to stakeholders coming from different levels in the industry and we tell them to be evangelists of BIM,” said Style. Elaborating, he stressed the need to tell managers that they need to keep up with time and embrace change and technology. He added, “The adoption of such technology is a collective effort and for it to work we need to see ourselves taking the step towards change.”

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Lack of management can lead to costly project delays Industry representative outlines risk posed by HVAC contractors that do not have a strong financial grasp on the business

By Hannah Jo Uy | Assistant Editor

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iscussing how lack of management can lead to costly project delays, Scott Ritchey, Vice President, Plumbers Supply Company, and author of Make More Money: 12 Profit Pillars for HVAC Contractor Success, said that when it comes to commercial performance-based or time-based projects, many large and successful contractors fail to manage the job in terms of Scott Ritchey labour, material and scheduling. “That causes them to miss times and dates,” he said, “or, worried about hitting that penalty in the contract, they hire more people and add more cost and that backfires on them.”

From an engineering perspective, Ritchey said, most contractors are able to specify the necessary system to achieve the target performance. “They understand the science of air conditioning and design,” he stressed. However, Ritchey said that if engineers, general contractors and HVAC subcontractors don’t have a strong grasp of the financial considerations required, they run the risk of going out of business in the middle of a project, costing the firm and clients even more. “The general contractor negotiated the initial price,” Ritchey stressed, “[but] the rescuing contractor, who is coming in, is not bound to that initial price. Yet, the firm is in a bind to get the project done, so the rescuing contractor can charge whatever he wants, because they need him.”

This, Ritchey said, is the risk stakeholders take, if the initial contractor does not understand the financial aspects of the business and does not implement the necessary measures to ensure that he is able to remain profitable and complete the job, beyond the science and engineering aspect of the project. Scheduling, buying and developing the right inventories for a project, he said, are vital factors in contracts of performancebased jobs, stressing that they must be taken into account, from the onset, to ensure the benefit of all players down the line.

Cost a major influencer in photovoltaic energy solutions The main objective is to replace standard materials like glass with photovoltaic glass, says CEO, Sunretec

By Ranjana Konatt

Scheherazade Himour

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he Middle East is the perfect place for harnessing solar energy to its fullest, said Scheherazade Himour, CEO, Sunretec. The French company, which specialises in photovoltaic power plants on building rooftops, works with Green Buildings. “The main objective is to replace standard materials like glass with photovoltaic glass,” she said.

Nowadays, buildings must produce their own electricity and not depend on external sources for energy or be connected to a grid, Himour said. The Middle East region, she highlighted, is perfect for the application; however, the only roadblock, she said, is the price of the solution. “It is expensive,” Himour asserted, and even though it is ideal, finding clients who have the budget is where the challenge lies.

The Middle East, Himour said, is a region that not only sports beautiful infrastructure but also has hot sunshine, which is essential. The solution, she said, can power both lighting and complex HVAC systems in buildings. Solar energy is the future, Himour said, and with the call made for Net Zero Energy Buildings and for Green Buildings in the region, there will have to be an energy-efficient alternative.

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MEP contracting industry requires proper project-planning Rahul Duragkar, Managing Director, Emitech Group, analyses the challenges plaguing the MEP contracting industry in the region

By Ranjana Konatt

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“Much of this,” he asserted, he MEP contracting “can be linked back to the industry is often plagued lack of skilled MEP workers in by challenges that do the industry, who especially not always come up for work on retrofit projects in discussion. Analysing present the region.” With regard to day compromises made during specialised MEP services in installation, maintenance and Rahul Duragkar the MENA region, Duragkar testing of HVAC equipment, pointed to short time frames Rahul Duragkar, Managing as a major challenge. He said, “It is crucial Director, Emitech Group, stressed the need to maintain and plan properly at the design for proper planning in projects. “Today, stage, before diving into new projects.” Items the MEP sector is witness to poor quality like proper mock-ups, which have distances work and a lack of proper planning during accurately established for the placement the design stage in projects,” he said. of HVAC equipment, are crucial. “In some With regard to installation, he said, the projects,” he said, “we see consultants being company is often faced with situations, particular about proper coordination and where it is called in to rectify flaws and mock-up approvals, but the issue is that it is defects left behind by other contractors.

Call made for quality checks on fire dampers Quality checks at the manufacturing stage are very crucial, says Quality Checks Engineer, Betec Cad

By Ranjana Konatt

often left for the last minute.” This, Duragkar highlighted, leads to wrong installations at the site, which later on requires rework.

In addition, Duragkar pointed to the present economic situation as a major influencer in the MEP industry. He said, “Some MEP contractors have dropped the price of work and try to get the job done at the lowest possible price.” This, he said, has resulted in a loss of business; however, at the same time, clients still demand the same quality of work and MEP materials. He added: “There’s not much that can be done. We have to keep our expenses low and deal with the situation, hoping that better value jobs will come by, with better payment cycles.”

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he market demand for fire dampers is high in the United Arab Emirates and in Saudi Arabia, said Gautham Srinivasan, Quality Checks Engineer, Betec Cad. “Today the main concern is with regard to air balancing, which makes quality checks at the manufacturing stage very crucial,” Srinivasan said. “Today,” he added, “fire dampers have been made mandatory, especially in new buildings,” which is one of Gautham Srinivasan the contributing factors to the demand for fire dampers in the market.

With reference to quality checks being carried out on fire dampers, Srinivasan asserted that an end-to-end check of raw materials is necessary. “Right from the raw material stage, to its cutting, bending, welding, inspection and assembling, all products must be checked,” he said. “Typically,” he added, “after completion, the unit is sent to the electrical section, where operation tests are carried out, after which it is despatched.”

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January 2019

NEWS GLOBAL

Refrigerant recovery lacks regulation, says Project Drawdown No economic incentive to recover and destroy refrigerant gases, says Senior Fellow

By Hannah Jo Uy | Assistant Editor

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Currently, he said, three standards provide guidelines ecovering refrigerant gases from the domestic, for issuing of credits for ODS destruction projects – industrial and transport refrigeration and air CCX, Climate Action Reserve and Voluntary Carbon conditioning sectors is critical to prevent large Standard. According to the World Bank, he added, the volumes of these gases from being vented voluntary carbon market is projected to grow at a rate into the atmosphere, said Kevin Bayuk, Senior Financial of 15% per year, which could stimulate demand for Fellow, Project Drawdown, sharing key takeaways from credits from refrigerant destruction projects. the Refrigerant Management Technical Report, authored Bayuk said that in Project Drawdown’s analysis,

by Kapil Narula, Chair for Energy Efficiency, Institute Kevin Bayuk Australia was highlighted for its industry involvement. for Environmental Sciences, University of Geneva.

“In 2003, the Ozone Protection and Synthetic Greenhouse Bayuk said that though a number of developed countries rolled out gas management Act 7 was passed by the Australian regulations prohibiting venting, this is still rather the exception than parliament that made it mandatory for the refrigeration the rule, adding that even if there is regulation, its enforcement, even and air conditioning industries to recover, return and safely in developed countries, is a challenge. “Due to the Montreal Protocol, dispose of ODSs and synthetic GHG refrigerants. "Recovery and countries have been reporting their consumption of refrigerant gases, reclamation professionals must be certified by the Australian but there is no accounting on quantities of gases banked in existing Refrigeration Council or ARC,” he said. Bayuk explained that equipment stock,” he said. “The data on penetration of recovery the law prohibits venting, requires that sellers of ODSs and and destruction practices is also limited. In the absence of this data, GHG refrigerants accept recovered refrigerants, importers of estimating the quantities of these gases being vented annually, due to refrigerants should have valid importers' licence and companies improper disposal practices, is a challenge.” buying or selling refrigerants must meet specified criteria.

Bayuk said that in the domestic sector, due to the smaller volumes “There are stiff penalties for non-compliance,” he said. “An of gases contained in refrigerators, there is no economic incentive for offence under the regulation carries a maximum penalty of recovering and destroying gases. This is an issue, he stressed, as there AUD 1,100 (USD 794) for individuals and AUD 5,500 (USD is a huge stock of domestic refrigerators, many of which are older than 3,968) for corporate entities.” Additionally Bayuk said that 15 years, indicating that they also continue to hold refrigerants, which Refrigerant Reclaim Australia (RRA), a not-for-profit industryhave high GWP. “It is also easier to regulate refrigerant recovery from funded organisation, was established to recover, reclaim and the commercial refrigeration sector,” he said, “especially the large destroy ozone-depleting refrigerants. “RRA is strongly supported centralised supermarket sub-sector that is controlled by a handful of by key industry participants, involving importers and wholesalers very large companies.” of refrigerants and relevant industry associations, such as Bayuk stressed that for recovery and destruction to be practised, equipment manufacturers and contractors,” he said. “This economic feasibility of these methods should be improved. “Recovery inclusiveness is considered to be a major factor in the success from larger commercial applications in both refrigeration and air of the programme.” Bayuk said that the role of RRA is to collect, conditioning is economically more viable,” he said. “However, the costs reclaim or destroy unwanted and contaminated material and in of justifying establishment of destruction facilities will depend on other the country, the concept of recycling and reuse of refrigerants is market forces. For example, creation of a voluntary carbon market also widely promoted. focused on generation of carbon credits from refrigerant destruction.”

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January 2019

63

NEWS GLOBAL

‘We now have the ability to understand how building design and IAQ influence our health’ Harvard MD says current building investment neglects the powerful influence of indoor pollutants

By Hannah Jo Uy | Assistant Editor

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interactive microbial ecosystem.” Third, Dr his is an exciting time to be in Taylor highlighted computer-aided statistical the building profession, said Dr analysis programmes that can sort through Stephanie Taylor, MD, Harvard large datasets and reveal correlations Medical School, Founder, Taylor between patient outcomes, in addition to Healthcare Consulting, pointing out that key overall occupant health, stakeholders now have the ability and the built-environment. to more accurately understand “Because of these new how building design and indoor air tools, the resulting insights management influence our health. and discoveries enable This ability, she said, comes from us to manage the indoor three things. environment to promote The first is advances in the health, productivity and monitoring the indoor air quality learning of all occupants,” through building management Stephanie Taylor she said. “Conversely, we can systems. Secondly, Dr Taylor mitigate many infectious diseases, worrisome said these new tools enable us to detect trends in chronic diseases and alleviate the tiny microorganisms (bacteria, viruses, suffering from allergens.” fungi) in and on our bodies and in the Despite these tools being at the built-environment. “These microbes, most disposal of stakeholders, Dr Taylor said of which were previously undetectable, that decreasing energy consumption is still can either support our health or cause the emphasis in designing and managing disease,” she added. “We now know that the buildings. “While this is good for controlling building design and indoor air quality act outdoor pollution and other atmospheric as evolutionary forces on this complex and

consequences of burning fossil fuels, we are neglecting the powerful influence of indoor pollutants,” she said, adding that this is evident in most new developments, as well as in retrofit efforts. Citing misconceptions that may continue to drive such thinking, Dr Taylor said that many stakeholders believe that “if we cannot see, smell, taste, hear or feel something, it is not important". Further, they believe that the building does not really influence patient outcomes and that bacteria and viruses are all bad.

Sharing her professional opinion, Dr Taylor said that the guidelines for healthcare facility design and operation, as published on the Dubai.gov website, are quite good.

However, she added, “There are new research findings showing correlations between indoor air management and improved occupant health (better patient outcomes and decreased clinical staff absenteeism), which are not included in the hospital design and management guidelines.”

Eurovent Innovation/HUB videos released on Eurovent ClimaNovela YouTube channel

Ken Modeste’s presentation, 'Cybersecurity is the new Safety for the 21st Century', is among key Eurovent Innovation/HUB videos to be made available online, organisers say

By CCME Content Team

D

uring the 2018 Eurovent Summit’s Innovation/HUB in Seville, Spain, Ken Modeste, Director, Digital Health, UL – an expert on cybersecurity, interoperability and protocol compliance climate – delivered a talk, titled ‘Cybersecurity is the new Safety for the 21st Century’, which is available on the Eurovent ClimaNovela YouTube channel, the organisers announced in a Press communiqué. This is among key Eurovent Innovation/ HUB videos, to be made available online, the communiqué said.

The communiqué said, with the advent of IoT in the HVACR domain and understanding that we have a myriad of opportunities, risks and regional and governmental potential regulations, Modeste asked what should the HVACR industry do?

The communiqué further said Modeste posed the questions: How do manufacturers begin to demonstrate assurance that their

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January 2019

products and systems are safe and secure? And as end-users, how do consumers focus on the trustworthiness of systems that they are deploying in their environment?

According to Eurovent Summit organisers, Ken Modeste’s presentation and other expert presentations at the 2018 Eurovent Summit, can be viewed on the Eurovent ClimaNovela YouTube channel.

ISK-SODEX ISTANBUL 2019 International Exhibition for HVAC&R, Pumps, Valves, Fittings, Fire Prevention, Water Treatment and Insulation

2 - 5 October 2019

Tüyap Fair Convention and Congress Center

Istanbul • Turkey sodex.com.tr

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65

NEWS GLOBAL

ASHRAE publishes updated residential, construction standard The standard establishes minimum whole-building energy performance requirements for energy-efficient residential buildings, says representative

By CCME Content Team

A

SHRAE has released an updated edition of ‘ANSI/ ASHRAE/IES Standard 90.2-2018 Energy-Efficient Design of Low Rise Residential Buildings’, the body announced in a Press communiqué. The standard establishes minimum whole-building energy performance requirements (design, construction and verification) for energy-efficient residential buildings, the communiqué said.

According to ASHRAE, the 2018 revision of Standard 90.2 outlines cost-effective residential building energy performance measures that are at least 50% more efficient than those defined by the 2006 International Energy Construction Code (IECC).

Theresa Weston, Chair of the Standard 90.2 committee, said: "Standard 90.2 provides a mechanism by which any residential building design can be easily evaluated against performance objectives. This update to the standard offers better alignment between this standard's requirements and marketplace product availability, as well as some revisions to improve the document's clarity and internal consistency."

MARKETPLACE

According to ASHRAE, the 2018 edition of Standard 90.2 provides: • Clarification for modelling software requirements • Guidance on the use of international climate data presented in ASHRAE Standard 169 • A new normative appendix on proper installation techniques for critical thermal resistance building components • Improved prescriptive envelope performance data tables • New performance specifications for ground-source heat pumps • Minimum lighting efficiency provisions for single-family, large single-family, and multifamily homes • Guidance on pool heater pilot lights, pump motor efficiency, and exterior de-icing systems • Clarifications to multi-zonal building air-leakage testing procedures The communiqué said the cost of ASHRAE Standard 90.2-2018 is USD 94 for ASHRAE members and USD 110 for non-members.

This section contains updates on regional and international products.

E+E Elektronik EE23-T5 industrial transmitters

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+E Elektronik has announced the launch of the EE23 series of industrial transmitters.

According to the company: • The transmitters measure relative humidity and temperature and also calculate the dew point and frost point temperature.

• The EE23-T5 is suitable for a temperature range of -40 degrees C to 180 degrees C. ▶ EE23 humidity and • The E+E humidity sensor, with optional sensor temperature transmitter coating, ensures accurate and stable measurements. with metal enclosure • The EE23 series includes models for wall or duct mount, as well as different remote probe versions.

• The devices are available with a robust IP65 / NEMA 4-rated polycarbonate or metal enclosure.

• The three-parts-enclosure design facilitates easy installation, service and replacement.

• The E+E proprietary coating protects the sensing elements against corrosive and electrically conductive pollution.

• The measured data is provided on two current or voltage outputs.

• An optional relay can be used for alarm and control tasks.

• A display and an integrated power supply module are further optional features.

• The user can easily perform a two-point humidity and temperature adjustment.

• The analogue outputs and the relay output can be freely configured.

January 2019

events in 2019 Food Chain Dubai (9th edition) 21 January 2019 Turf Suite, The Meydan Hotel , Dubai, UAE

DC Dialogue (3rd edition)

With greater market penetration as the goal, what is the roadmap ahead for the District Cooling industry in the Middle East?

12-13 June 2019 Dubai, UAE

Refrigerants Review (3rd edition) 24 March 2019 Dubai, UAE

World IEQ Forum (6th edition) 14-15 April 2019 Kuwait City, Kuwait

The Consultant Contractor Conference (3rd edition)

Climate Control Awards (9th edition) 26 November 2019 Dubai, UAE

Strengthening the foundations for better building performance

30 September 2019 Dubai, UAE

SPLITDECISION

Split-decision 9 December 2019 Dubai, UAE

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