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COUNTRY REPORT: CHINA
The Asian nation moves to rebrand itself by trading the stigmatised “made in China” for the promising “innovated in China”
JULY 2015
THE 8TH EDITION OF THE CLIMATE CONTROL CONFERENCE SOUNDED A CALL FOR COLLABORATION AMONG INDUSTRY PLAYERS
HVAC 360 - a step towards
market transformation
FEATURE:
VALVUE FOR MONEY Valves manufacturers discuss strategy for improved market performance PUBLICATION LICENSED BY IMPZ
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PRODUCED BY
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5 - 6 October 2015 Dubai, UAE
WORLD
IEQ FORUM
The World IEQ Forum is an earnest attempt at fostering discussions on the critical questions in front of planners and policy-makers in the region. The Forum is an extension of the continual and robust editorial coverage on IEQ-related issues in Climate Control Middle East magazine, published by CPI Industry. Though the coverage has addressed the various issues through an HVAC prism, the Forum is broadbased and all-inclusive, keeping in mind the broader issues of good health, well-being, productivity and happiness.
KEY TOPICS
Implementation strategies based on vision documents towards health and well-being in the GCC region and global policies UAE’s National Strategy and Action Plan for Environmental Health Qatar National Vision 2030 Dubai Plan 2021 World Health Organisation
Balancing economic growth with IEQ aspirations towards better health and well-being Combating outdoor pollution
Balancing IEQ and energy efficiency needs in the region: Policy, regulatory and enforcement perspectives The public sector’s leadership role in driving IEQ change in the region, with a balanced approach towards energy efficiency
SECTOR FOCUS
IEQ in schools: Multiple parameters impacting health, academic performance and overall growth and development of the student community in the region… culmination of an editorial campaign
ENDORSED BY
Towards Dubai EXPO 2020 and the 2022 FIFA World Cup… the role of IEQ in enhancing the visitor experience
EXHIBITOR
The critical importance of commissioning and retrocommissioning for good IEQ Economics and finance: Bursting the myth that good IEQ is a costly proposition
Guest experience and health: IEQ in the hospitality industry Healthcare innovations in design, construction, installation, commissioning, operation and maintenance
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contents VOL. 10 NO. 7 JULY 2015
page
10
HVAC 360
- A STEP TOWARDS MARKET TRANSFORMATION
IEQ IN
SCHOOLS page
24
private education sector in Dubai aligns itself with Vision 2021 goals
Q&A
page
32
intERViEW: iAQ ‘Sick building syndrome is a huge problem in the UAE’
Principals of the emirate’s private schools gather for KHDA’s Journey to the National Agenda page
26
green schools make for healthy schools For improved student health and performance, schools should consider adopting Green measures, says Moheet Vishwas
IEQ IN
HEALTHCARE page
28
‘appropriate design is a critical component in preventing healthcareassociated infections’ Amr Metwally, Head of Architecture Division PMC at Hamad Medical Corporation, shares his insights on Qatar’s healthcare industry as well as details of the communicable disease hospital, currently under construction in the Gulf country
4
July 2015
page
44 special report HVaCR in Turtle Island From polar bears in the Arctic tundra of Greenland and Canada to the sandy beaches and coral reefs in the Caribbean, North America is the only continent that has every kind of climate. Such varieties in climate have brought about varieties in thought processes for HVACR players, pushing them to develop innovative products that cater to various cooling needs
leo schuler, the Founder and CEO of Switzerland-based Pro Ace (Progressive Air Consulting and Engineering), in conversation with Fatima de la Cerna of Climate Control Middle East on adopting a holistic approach in building design for better IAQ
PERSPECTIVE page
36
What ails our industry
page
40
In the fourth of a six-part series, George Berbari focuses on the air side of things, highlighting the typical design and manufacturing mistakes related to FCUs and AHUs, and how they are impacting energy efficiency and indoor environmental quality (IEQ) in the GCC region
page
50
MARKET FEATURE
Pulsed power (Part 2) Dan Mizesko on why the technology for condenser water treatment is being regarded as the future in the context of chilled water systems
page
59
Valvue for money The ‘cost is everything’ mentality continues to plague the valves industry in the region, but manufacturers insist a long—drawn—out strategy of building awareness will turn the tide in favour of quality and reliable performance
A collection of stories, in anticipation of the 21st Session of the Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change “The UAE has an appetite for sustainable and energy-efficient technologies” Bangkok meeting discusses HFC conundrum ‘The heat pump industry needs to prepare now’
REGULARS
Ed's note 06 A need to think broadly NEWS
62 Regional 68 Marketplace
COUNTRY REPORT: CHINA
54 page
Enter the dragon Market players say that the world no longer perceives China as a haven for counterfeit products. Through conscious efforts to research and develop new technologies, the HVAC industry in China is already transitioning its image from “made in China” to “innovated in China”. By Rajiv Pillai | Features Writer
July 2015
5
A need to think broadly T
B Surendar Editor @BSurendar_HVACR
COUNTRY REPORT: CHINA
The Asian nation moves to rebrand itself by trading the stigmatised “made in China” for the promising “innovated in China”
JULY 2015
THE 8TH EDITION OF THE CLIMATE CONTROL CONFERENCE SOUNDED A CALL FOR COLLABORATION AMONG INDUSTRY PLAYERS
HVAC 360
- a step towards market transformation
FEATURE:
VALVUE FOR MONEY Valves manufacturers discuss strategy for improved market performance
Get the next issue of Climate Control Middle East early! PUBLICATION LICENSED BY IMPZ
US$15
Visit our website: www.cpi-industry.com/digital Also available at www.issuu.com/cpi-industry
he multiple stakeholders in the construction and the HVAC industries are going about their assignments in a disconnected, dis-engaged manner, and it is costing the GCC region dear in its efforts towards socio-economic progress and towards aligning itself with the global battle to mitigate the effects of climate change. This was the key message that emerged during the 8th edition of The Climate Control Conference, on June 15 and 16 in Dubai. While the responsibility of government bodies in creating an enabling environment for the construction and HVAC industries is an important one, it is as much upon the twin industries to usher in a robust change in thinking and approach when it comes to delivering on energy efficiency, including reducing direct and indirect emissions; increasing reliability and ensuring good indoor environmental quality. With oil prices fluctuating, the situation is challenging for regional governments in their bid to strengthen project profiles, which no doubt is causing uncertainty in the market, but the outlook of the two industries ought to be long-term and broad-based. Economic cycles are a reality – they always have been – and hence it is imperative that the HVAC and construction industries look beyond the present turbulence and build a platform for the future by embracing an integrated and inclusive approach, so that thermal comfort, health and well-being are delivered to the peoples of the region in a manner that is resource-friendly and least polluting, among other attributes. The twin industries would also do well to think broadly. Global warming is a persistent phenomenon. In close to mid-May 2015, the US National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) reported that the monthly average global concentration of CO2 in the atmosphere had crossed 400 parts per million – for the first time in the last 800,000 years. The responsibility is enormous to, hence, do away with the malady of denial, as if to suggest global warming is someone else’s problem, and to approach every project with conviction that any and every effort taken, no matter how insignificant it may appear, is hardly so. The world is looking at the region for an excellent response – and nothing less than a concerted effort would do.
Publisher Dominic De Sousa Managing Director & Associate Publisher Frédéric Paillé | fred@cpi-industry.com
Editorial Director & Associate Publisher B Surendar | surendar@cpi-industry.com
CEO Nadeem Hood Associate Editor Pratibha Umashankar | prati@cpi-industry.com Contributing Editor Anoop K Menon | anoop@cpi-industry.com Assistant Editor Fatima de la Cerna | fatima@cpi-industry.com Features Writer Rajiv Pillai | rajiv@cpi-industry.com Design Genesis Salao | getty@cpi-industry.com Events & Marketing Leader Ruqiya Shariff | ruqiyah@cpi-industry.com Events & Marketing Leader Kathleen Rebello | kathleen@cpi-industry.com
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July 2015
Advertising Enquiries Frédéric Paillé: +971 50 7147204 fred@cpi-industry.com
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Published by
Head Office PO Box 13700, Dubai, UAE Tel: +971 4 375 68 30 / Fax: +971 4 43 419 06 Web: www.cpi-industry.com Printed by: Alpha Printing Press, IMPZ, UAE © Copyright 2015 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.
July 2015
7
The
BIG PICTURE
8
July 2015
TOXIC SPACE Industry experts, commenting on the state of underground car parks in the UAE, say that there is a pressing need for effective carbon monoxide sensors and ventilation systems. An odourless and colourless gas, carbon monoxide – often dubbed as a “silent killer” – is recognised as one of the world’s leading causes of fatalities resulting from accidental poisoning. According to data from the National Health Service, every year, more than 200 people in the United Kingdom seek medical help due to accidental CO poisoning. The situation is even worse in the US, with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reporting that the gas claims over 400 lives annually.
July 2015
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... In PICTURES
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July 2015
HVAC 360
- A STEP TOWARDS MARKET TRANSFORMATION Multiple stakeholders from pre-construction, construction and post-construction disciplines gathered at the 8th edition of The Climate Control Conference to give a 360-degree diagnosis on the current state of the HVAC industry. We bring you the event, in pictures...
July 2015
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... In PICTURES
S
ince 2008, when the first edition of The Climate Control Conference was first held, the event has been designed with two objectives in mind: train the spotlight on pressing market issues and, much like the HVAC industry itself, push for innovation and find ways to improve upon the conventional. This year’s conference was no different. Guided by the theme, ‘HVAC 360: Connecting the dots... raising the bar’, the 8th edition of The Climate Conference spotlighted the persistent disconnect among stakeholders by asking industry players to participate in a discussion that covered a record 82 topics. And it did so while employing a unique format that did away with the traditional panel-andpresentation system of conferences. Instead, speakers from policymaking bodies as well as representative developers, manufacturers, consultants, contractors and end-users answered questions put to them on the spot. In the place of presentations and practiced speeches were spontaneous dialogues aimed at bringing about industry and market transformation, making for lively interactions and, at times, heated but instructive debates. While speaking with Climate Control Middle East during the first day of the conference, Jasim Mohammad Sulaiman Al Ali of ESMA said that he found the participants gathered to be spirited, with enthusiasm and questions to spare. “I have my work cut out for me,” he joked, before admitting that he found the discussions plenty engaging. Saad Ali of Ruskin Titus, meanwhile, remarked before the event started that the unconventional format might have been a risk, but he appreciated the freshness of the concept and its departure from the traditional ideas of how conferences should be designed. He added that, as with most risks taken in the interest of innovation, all the conference needed to achieve success would be for one participant to buy into the idea and talk about the industry with candour, and the rest would follow. Based on what transpired during the two-day MODERATOR: event, held on June 15 and 16, it is safe to say that the rest Sougata Nandi, Technical Advisor, CPI Industry followed, and we have the images to show for it. MODERATOR: B Surendar, Editorial Director & Associate Publisher, CPI Industry
Faisal Ali Hassan Rashid, Dubai Supreme Council of Energy
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July 2015
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... in pictures
Dermott Crombie, Ingersoll Rand
Burhan Jaber, SKM Air Conditioning
Hans Reinders, Oxycom
Nikhil Bhatia, Sonitec Vortisand MENA Colin Bridges, Belimo Automation
Saad Ali, Ruskin Titus
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July 2015
July 2015
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... In PICTURES
Jagath Gunawardena, Dubai Chamber of Commerce and Industry
Eng Anwaar Al Shimmari, UAE Ministry of Public Works Somayyah Abdulla Alyammahi, UAE Ministry of Energy
Sanjiv Sachdeva, GESS
George Berbari, DC PRO Engineering and Emil Samarah, Diamond Developers
Asim Hashmi, SKM Air Conditioning
Nimal Amukotuwa, Consultant
(L-R) Faisal Ali Hassan Rashid, Dubai Supreme Council of Energy; Matthias Kasprowicz, TROX Middle East; Dermott Crombie, Ingersoll Rand
Wail D Al Halbouni, Fortune International Trading Co.
Samir Thabet, Consolidated Contractors Company
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July 2015
James Grinnell, Dubai RSB, Dubai Supreme Council of Energy
Redha Salman, Dubai Municipality
Jasim Mohammad Sulaiman Al Ali, Emirates Authority for Standardization and Metrology (ESMA)
Nesar Reza Khan, GGICO Properties
Nabil Shafa Amry, La Casa Architects and Engineering Consultants
Faris Saeed, Diamond Developers
Charles Blaschke, taka solutions
George Kenich, SEMCO
Hassan Younes, Griffin Consultants
Bharat Asarpota, Emarat
K Anbalagan, Proleed Engineering Consultants
Karim Badruddin, Central Ventilation Systems
In August... detailed report on the discussions and photo-feature of the exhibition
July 2015
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HVACR CAREERS FAIR Careersbay.com, in partnership with CPI Industry, hosted the Middle East's first ever HVACR Careers Fair at the 8th edition of The Climate Control Conference, providing jobseekers and students alike access to some of the region's top HVACR companies and employers
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July 2015
... In PICTURES
IEQ IN
SCHOOLS A Climate Control Middle East EDITORIAL CAMPAIGN
ENDORSED BY
HEALTH MINISTERS’ COUNCIL FOR THE COOPERATION COUNCIL STATES
July 2015
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Awareness, awareness, awareness
A
t a meeting in May, conducted by the Knowledge and Human Development Authority (KHDA) in Dubai, one of the attending school principals, during a session on how to handle complaints from parents, said something absolutely startling. Highlighting how a parent had complained of his daughter feeling hot in the classroom, the principal said, “Should I really care about this?” Shockingly enough, there was no contrarian view expressed in the room. At once, the response from the principal and the lack of feedback to his statement brought home the sad truth of the alarming disconnect between the need for IEQ best practices and the prevalent sentiment among schools, though of course, one must not generalise. Good IEQ in schools will be a reality only if all the stakeholders involved are committed to the cause. And the first step to that is awareness of the critical importance of good indoor air quality, thermal comfort and acoustical comfort for student health, well-being and academic performance. As a magazine, besides persisting with the editorial campaign, we have been promoting the cause through organising meetings with the authorities, who see the value in the efforts, and through community outreach programmes. Case-in point was the KHDA meeting, where we distributed copies of the magazine and highlighted the various issues and sub-issues (see images, below). Much more needs to be done, though, to bring about a transformation in thinking, and it is our endeavour to invite multiple stakeholders to the World IEQ Forum, which we will be conducting in early October in Dubai. The highlight of the Forum will be a dedicated session titled ‘IEQ in schools’. And we are willing to go out of our way to persuade school principals, among other seemingly non-believing stakeholders, to shake off the apathy.
B Surendar
Editor, Climate Control Middle East
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July 2015
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Private education sector in Dubai aligns itself with Vision 2021 goals Principals of the emirate’s private schools gather for KHDA’s Journey to the National Agenda
I
n 2010, H.H. Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, the Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, launched the UAE Vision 2021 – the aim of which is to place the UAE among the top countries in the world through the pursuit of six national priorities. One of those priorities is a first-rate education system, and to achieve it, the UAE 2021 National Agenda has identified key performance indicators and related goals, including improving the country’s rankings in international assessment examinations, such as Trends in International Mathematics and Science Study (TIMSS) and Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA). In line with the said goal, the Knowledge and Human Development Authority (KHDA) held the 2nd Annual Journey to the National Agenda, in early June. According to an announcement on the KHDA website, the event gathered
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principals of Dubai private schools and had them working on research projects, in teams, to determine what measures schools outside of the UAE have undertaken to improve their performance in international assessment tests, and how to apply those same measures in Dubai schools. “In the past few years, we’ve worked with Dubai’s private schools to look at teaching and learning practices and identify the actions we must take to improve," said Dr Abdulla Al Karam, the Director General of KHDA. "Now’s the time to start looking at the practices of schools outside of Dubai. Research in wellbeing and education has taught us that happier school communities will lead to happier students and improved outcomes, and we believe it is this that will help us reach the 2021 National Agenda targets.” The principals, the website further revealed, will present their findings at KHDA’s What Works event scheduled for September 2015.
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Green schools make for healthy schools Research shows that Green schools bring about a reduction in abseenteism among students and a boost in their academic performance. The significance of this finding cannot be denied, because test scores and performance evaluations are recognised as vital ingredients to students' success in life. The results of a 2005 study, which appeared in an International Monetary Fund (IMF) publication, indicates that faster learning and higher test scores are significantly and positively associated with higher lifetime earnings. Image: Shutterstock | Infographic: Moheet Vishwas and Genesis Salao
Monitor IEQ annually to reduce risk of outdoor pollutants FILTER
Return fan Exhaust air
Building regulations and local authorities, like Dubai Municipality, could ensure that any school already existing within 150 metres of traffic-congested areas or major roads are fitted with competent air filtration systems.
Energy-efficient automated controls
The school creates a green and healthy space Teachers can use gardens to teach basic ecological principles. Through this method, children become aware of their environments and learn about nutrition, leading to healthier choices and healthier lives.
Mixing Duct
Five simple steps schools can take to ensure optimum indoor environmental quality
HEAT PIPE
HEAT PIPE
Pre-cool
COOLING COIL
FILTER
Supply Fan Fresh air: Warm & humid
Re-heat
1. Maintain thermal comfort by operating HVAC systems within design temperature (10 degrees C to 13 degrees C dew point) and relative humidity criteria (typically between 40% and 50%). 2. Use high efficiency MERV filters that support IAQ by filtering indoor (VOCs) and outdoor (dust, sand, NOx, SOx, etc.) air pollutants. 3. Keep areas free from standing water to prevent proliferation of microorganisms on filters. 4. Ventilate and supply classrooms with 15 cfm of fresh air per person to reduce CO2 concentrations. 5. Get HVAC components regularly checked by scheduling routine maintenance visits from specialists.
REUSE, REDUCE & RECYCLE STRATEGY
Moheet Vishwas has a master’s degree in Energy Engineering and a bachelor’s degree in Electronics and Electrical Engineering. He works as an engineer in Dubai and can be contacted at moheet.vishwas@gmail.com. Any ideas or views expressed are his own.
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IEQ IN HEALTHCARE A Climate Control Middle East EDITORIAL CAMPAIGN
July 2015
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IEQ in
HEALTHCARE InTERVIEW
‘Appropriate design is a critical component in preventing healthcareassociated infections’ Amr Metwally, Head of Architecture Division PMC at Hamad Medical Corporation (HMC), shares with Fatima de la Cerna of Climate Control Middle East his insights on Qatar’s healthcare industry as well as details of the communicable disease hospital, currently under construction in the Gulf country
How would you describe the current state of the healthcare sector in Qatar? We’ve had great progress, as evidenced by the fact that HMC buildings have received several awards and are recognised regionally and internationally. However, the industry seems to be focusing on transforming the healing environment into spaces that resemble more like hotels. While it’s good to make hospitals more welcoming and appealing, efforts appear to have stopped there. We only speak about design quality, but what about the design process? What we are trying to do in our projects in Qatar now is bring attention to the process of design and implement methods that will result in speed and efficiency. We want to move away from the traditional way of thinking and go for more intelligent designs, to move towards smart products. And we also have a lot of projects in the works that are unique.
What kind of projects? What methods have you implemented to promote better indoor environmental quality (IeQ), particularly in connection with air quality and HVaC solutions? Better IEQ starts with selecting the right design process, which is why recently we’ve been utilising simulation models more and more in our building design. Simulation models allow us to have better understanding of how buildings will behave after construction. An example is CFD (Computational Fluid Dynamics) simulation modelling, which uses numerical methods to solve the fundamental nonlinear differential equations that describe fluid flow (the Navier-Stokes and allied equations) for predefined geometries and boundary conditions. The result is a wealth of predictions for flow velocity, temperature,
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density and chemical concentrations for any region where flow occurs. A key advantage of CFD is that it is a very compelling and non-intrusive virtual modelling technique with powerful visualisation capabilities. It allows engineers to evaluate the performance of a wide range of HVAC/IAQ system configurations on the computer without the time, expense and disruption required to make actual changes onsite, hence promoting the concept of efficiency and energy savings in the early phases of the project. That’s why it has become a standard part of our design. For hospital HVAC system designs, they present unique challenges to facility managers due to the sensitivity of the hospital environment. The selection process is not straightforward, because in healthcare facilities, there is an increased level of demand, a variety of required thermal conditions and codes regarding reliability and hygiene. On top of that is the increasing pressure to reduce energy consumption while maintaining a safe environment, which is mainly why we have started employing more VAV (Variable Air Volume) systems, known for offering energy savings and giving better air quality to the patient environment. In general, we’re very careful when it comes to HVAC systems as they have a strong impact on patients’ comfort level. This is especially true in the communicable disease hospital we are currently constructing in Qatar, which I believe is the first in the Middle East and one of the few that currently exist in the world. It’s a new sector that has developed as a result of communicable diseases like Ebola.
What guidelines are you using for the hospital you’re building? What are your priorities? Appropriate design of the physical environment in hospitals always contributes to improvements in patient well-being and satisfaction, delivery of medical care, staff satisfaction and reduction in healthcare costs. Appropriate design is also a critical component in preventing healthcare-associated infections (HAIs), particularly through the provision of sufficient single-patient rooms, ample physical space in clinical areas and an environment that can be readily cleaned and decontaminated. The in-patient accommodation in hospitals generally should be designed
in a way that addresses a number of requirements, including: • Maximising patient comfort and dignity • Ensuring ease of delivery of medical care • Making appropriate provision for family members and other visitors • Minimising the risk of infection • Sustainable design and energy efficiency When it comes to communicable disease hospitals, however, infection control and prevention demand critical
attention due to the highly infectious environment, and one of the most important considerations are the HVAC design and the ventilation strategies, such as having 100% fresh air circulation not only in the isolation rooms with negative pressure and ante room but in all rooms. Also, all the ducts must be equipped with ultraviolet purifiers. This is in addition to exceeding code requirements by having the air extraction above the building by more than four metres, by vertical chimneys.
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IEQ in
HEALTHCARE INTERVIEW
The entire project was really quite challenging. There are no solid standards dedicated for communicable disease hospitals, since as a sector, it is new. Also, their design is not quite aligned with certain cultural concepts, like having families stay with the patients. It is not recommended in this kind of hospitals; however, we cannot disregard culture so we had to create zones for the public that are completely separated from the patients’ zone, both in terms of planning and ventilation.
Project information for Qatar’s communicable disease hospital* Location: Rumaila Facilities: Outpatient clinics as well as three storeys of 65 in-patient and isolation rooms; shaded car parking for 104 vehicles Plot area: 11,170 square metres Built area: 8,950 square metres Total cost: QAR 85 million Start date: 01 August 2012 Expected completion date: Third quarter of 2015 (*As listed on the website of Ashghal: www. ashghal.gov.qa/en/Projects/Pages/ProjectDetails. aspx?pid=269&affid=2&Category=Health)
How about the doctors, nurses and the rest of the staff? How are they going to be protected? We are addressing that challenge by working closely with an established operation committee, whose responsibilities is to create the hospital operation policy. Another role of theirs is to minimise the direct interaction between the clinical team and the patients, without compromising the delivery of medical services. Outside every room is a computer that is fed with real-time data about the patient. Unless there’s something serious that requires the doctors to go in and check the patient, they are not allowed in the room at all, and neither are the nurses or the rest of the hospital staff. The policy is that every two months, every doctor and medical staff has to go for a medical check-up to make sure that they have not been infected. Also, operation policies don’t only
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consider normal situations but also extend to cover potential issues that may arise during epidemics or other public health emergencies. The policies comply with the national strategy that focuses on legal and operational preparedness, and include laws related to: isolation and quarantine; travel restrictions; duties to treat highly infectious patients; implications of the federal Emergency Medical Treatment and Active Labor Act (EMTALA); healthcare workers’ rights to a safe working environment as well as workers’ compensation and medical leave; confidentiality protections afforded by the HIPAA Privacy Rule; and disability protection for patients.
What were the factors behind the decision to build a communicable disease hospital in Qatar? Qatar is booming now, with the construction market massively increasing. This means that the expected number of labourers coming in to Qatar is dramatically increasing as well, making them more vulnerable to communicable diseases like tuberculosis (TB). TB is a difficult disease, because not only is it contagious, it also requires patients to stay in the hospital for at least 60 days. They need to be under supervision of the doctor to ensure that they take their medication. But with them staying for such a prolonged period of time, the capacity of TB clinics and general hospitals is not enough. That is why Qatar, knowing that facilities specialising in treating communicable diseases represent a new sector in the world, decided to build one, which will also serve as quarantine hospital in case of an epidemic.
You said that the hospital will be the first of its kind in the Middle East. Do you see other countries in the region following suit and building their own communicable disease hospitals? Definitely. In fact, I think Saudi Arabia is now requesting for one, because of the size of its population and the fact that religious tourism brings millions of people from all over the world to Saudi — the risk of having patients with
World Bank 2013 data on Qatar: Total population:
2,168,673
Population growth:
5.6% (second highest in the world)
Incidence of TB (per 100,000 people):
40
infectious diseases is very high. There has also been recent news about some Ebola cases appearing there. So, yes, I think you will soon hear about Saudi building one. Also, communicable disease hospitals will support disease prevention through travel clinics that provide information and recommendations as well as pre-travel vaccines and check-ups once back in the country. I think all these factors, together with globalisation, point to this new type of hospitals spreading.
Earlier you mentioned that when it comes to the design process, speed is a main concern. Why is it a main concern? The biggest challenge we are facing in Qatar is the tremendous increment in population. Every month, we have
around 25,000 people coming to the country as part of the country’s economic boom and its massive number of mega projects, either in construction or infrastructure. But hospitals are not built as fast as the population is growing. So, while a growing population is good for the country’s development, for some sectors, if no proper planning is done to accommodate this growth, it will mean potential deficiencies. In order to accommodate this growth, the government is going in two directions: short-term and long-term. Long-term involves the development of the Qatar Healthcare Facilities Master Plan, which identifies new hospitals that are being planned. And for shortterm, we are looking at building smallsized hospitals that can be finished in less than a year and at developing a renovation programme for existing facilities, to expand their capacity.
ACREX2016_185x130_Climate_Control_Middle_East_engl.indd 1
22.06.15 13:15
July 2015
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Q&A
INDOOR AIR QUALITY
‘SICK BUILDING SYNDROME
is A huGE PRoBlEM in thE uAE’ Leo Schuler, the Founder and CEO of Switzerland-based Pro Ace (Progressive Air Consulting and Engineering), in conversation with Fatima de la Cerna of Climate Control Middle East on adopting a holistic approach in building design for better IAQ
i understand that you specialise in indoor air quality (iAQ). Could you share details about the more recent projects you’ve worked on? What iAQ issues have been brought to your attention? I have just completed a project in Abu Dhabi for a five-star hotel, whose kitchen exhaust was so bad that a number of its rooms could not be occupied. The hotel had been losing income for over a year, which is expected, because if you walked into a five-star hotel and found yourself escorted to a room that smelt like onions, you’d walk out, wouldn’t you? We had to treat the exhaust air and install air purifiers. I also did work for an operator of an international airport, who had two main concerns: high energy consumption in the terminals and complaints about kerosene fuel smells from staff as well as passengers. It turned out the filter system being used at the time had very high pressure loss and was inefficient during high humidity conditions. What we did was replace the obsolete filter system with advanced chemical filters, resulting in improvements to the IAQ and a 30% drop in energy costs. What was causing the problem with the hotel’s kitchen exhaust? It was primarily a design problem, and shortcuts were also taken during construction, with the building requirements not implemented properly. What happened was – and this is a case I’ve encountered in other projects – that the exhaust pipes were installed according to what was convenient for those who were on the job and not according to the needs of the building. What I’ve seen quite often is that the exhaust air from a restaurant is not treated or neutralised and, once expelled, is deflected into a supply air duct rather quickly, because the exhaust stack and inlet are very close. It’s a recipe for disaster.
If you walked into a five-star hotel and found yourself escorted to a room that smelt like onions, you’d walk out, wouldn’t you?
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July 2015
you mentioned that it was primarily an issue with the design. in your opinion, how much of a challenge are flawed building designs in achieving good iAQ? I’m an engineer, so I look at solutions. The design comes for me a little bit second. If you design a building to look good, but you forget about the services – the air supply, the lighting – you’ll end up unable to make the whole building work. It’s important to take a holistic approach. The building should not only look good but also fulfil its purpose of protecting its occupants and providing them with an invigorating environment. Architects have to talk to us, the rest of the stakeholders, and make us understand what they’re after, so that from the start we can already plan
July 2015
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Q&A
INDOOR AIR QUALITY
and find a way to make it work, because once the building is built, it will be too late. Furthermore, IAQ is an important part of IEQ (indoor environmental quality) and is probably the biggest factor that contributes to sick building syndrome, but it is – unfortunately – often overlooked because air quality is intangible. Just to give you an example: in the case of MERS (Middle East Respiratory Syndrome), if someone carrying the disease entered a building, the HVAC system can transmit that to other rooms, and we’ll have an outbreak. That’s why it’s important that a building must be designed properly and the right measures must be taken to ensure that a healthy environment can be maintained. Based on your observation, how big a problem is sick building syndrome in the uAE? Sick building syndrome is a huge problem here in the UAE. Most of the buildings we go to have issues, and I think it’s partly because cost is still the focus and priority. Essential services like HVAC systems are also seen as a burden, a necessity because it’s too hot, but many don’t see the benefit of going beyond the minimum. Thus, I think that when people here talk about the costs of a building, they should also ask themselves how much the sick building syndrome will cost them and how much financial loss they’ll suffer if people take sick days. How does an unhealthy and unproductive workforce affect a company’s bottom line? Zhukov Oleg / Shutterstock.com
Chemical filters are widely used in Europe and in the US. They are an established technology, and they’ve been around for 30 years, but they are perhaps seen as a luxury here. Most engineers in the UAE use mechanical filters to take care of dust and particles, but chemical filters are highly effective against VOCs and other pollutants. They’re a very good complement to HVAC systems. Upfront, they are more expensive, but they offer savings in energy and running costs. some experts claim that it is difficult to achieve energy savings while maintaining a healthy iEQ, but you are talking about enjoying both. in your opinion, what can the GCC region’s industry players do to make sure end-users enjoy both benefits? They need to start with the building hull. They need to have it properly shaded and insulated to minimise the thermal load from the harsh sun, thereby minimising the cooling load. If they build a glass palace with a glass facade, the thermal load from the sun will be higher. That’s a design choice, of course, but it would be more sensible to have a design that’s suitable to the climate. Players must also analyse what kind of pollutants are threats to the environment to determine what HVAC solutions are necessary; and to find a balance between using outdoor air and recirculating conditioned air. By achieving a high recirculation rate of indoor air, they won’t have to cool as much outdoor air, which will mean lower cooling and dehumidification costs. The key, really, is for all stakeholders to work together from the start. An engineer does not speak the language of an architect, and vice versa. Everyone has to understand each other, because proper foresight and planning would mean better results for the building owner and occupants.
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billing@empower.ae I Tel: +971 4 375 5300 I www.empower.ae July 2015
35
PERSPECTIVE George Berbari is the CEO of DC PRO Engineering. He can be contacted at gberbari@ dcproeng.com
36
Fan Coil Units PART 4
What ails our industry
on the internal comfort. A new trend that is elevating energy efficiency and internal comfort is the EC motor FCU. EC stands for Electronically Commutated, which basically means it is a fan with a brushless DC motor, with the variable speed drive integrated with the motor. EC motor FCUs In this, the fourth of a six-part series, George Berbari consume less than 80 watts per tonne at full speed and focuses on the air side of things, highlighting the offer further saving at partial typical design and manufacturing mistakes related to speed. And when used along FCUs and AHUs, and how they are impacting energy with modulating chilled water valve, they can offer unrivalled efficiency and indoor environmental quality (IEQ) in indoor comfort levels from the GCC region temperature, humidity and noise perspectives, in addition to one of the most efficient air movement conditions in the is not sufficient to cool the he indoor chilled industry. kitchen, particularly when 1.5 water Fan Coil When we come to real to 6 kW of heat is generated Unit (FCU) design practice, however, only one by the stove and kitchen oven. has not changed main manufacturer offers It is always recommended that much since 1960; affordable EC motor FCUs. every kitchen has a dedicated in fact, it stagnated Manufactured in China, they FCU for proper temperature until the new efficient EC motor come at an estimated price of control and proper ventilation, came into fashion. USD 200 per tonne, or USD which would allow 50 CFM to For long, the industry in 0.5 per CFM, compared to USD be exhausted from the space the GCC region has persisted 120 or USD 0.3 per CFM for and for it to be under negative with a low-cost application of traditional units. However, the pressure to prevent the smell a basic FCU unit with on/off motor is noisy and the control emanating from cooking to control valve and three-speed is not up to the mark. Instead spread to the other parts of the thermostat. A traditional FCU of fully varying the speed, it house without compromising electric motor consumes 100 selects a lower speed and acts watts per tonne for low static as a two-speed FCU. The true and around 200 watts per tonne full variable speed EC motors for high static at high speed. are offered by some local and One of the common European manufacturers, at a mistakes the industry has higher price, when compared made is to select the FCU on to the Chinese unit. medium speed, leading I expect the industry to oversizing, higher EC motor FCUs, with in the GCC region to noise and greater indoor thermal diffusers, can offer develop and hope that humidity in an already all major manufacturers oversized situation. a lower capital cost and offer affordable FCUs should always be much lower operating cost Chinese-origin FCUs selected at high-speed when compared to offices that will be challenged value to allow the user the cooled through central air by many Middle Eastflexibility of a good stephandling units (AHUs) with based manufacturers down range. This ought to offer equivalent to be the norm, especially variable air volume units. However in when the selection is (VAV) diffusers these changing times, I done at extreme design advise every consultant and conditions of 45 degrees C, contractor to buy a sample unit which occurs for less than 35 and controls to test them prior hours in a year. to placing the final order. Another common mistake is Hotels and bedrooms, in to combine the kitchen with the particular, present themselves living room area, limiting the as great applications for EC kitchen to a minimum supply motor FCUs; in fact, many of less than 100 CFM, which
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July 2015
international hotel chains have started to specify them as the only acceptable option. Hotels also have sophisticated room management systems that control the access to the room, the internal lights, the FCU fan speed and temperature, as well as the curtain. A room management system integrates very well with the EC motor technology, as it can send a 0-10 V signal and modulate the fan speed. Office buildings can integrate EC motor FCU with thermal non-electricoperated diffusers with special controls that can measure the main supply duct pressure as well as supply and return air temperature, and modulate the fan speed as well as the modulating control valves without any wall thermostat. They can carry out the function by using just one comptroller per office to control multiple FCUs through a Human Machine interface (HMI), installed in one location. EC motor FCUs, with thermal diffusers, can offer a lower capital cost and much lower operating cost when compared to offices cooled through central air handling units (AHUs) with variable air volume (VAV) diffusers. The AHUs are specified with extensive ductwork and complex communicating controls, such as VAV boxes with measuring stations, which raise the cost of installation to over USD 5 per CFM, or three to five times that of EC motor and traditional FCUs. Their power consumption is also unattractive, running as they do at 200 to 300 watts per tonne at design flow; and as they run for extensive hours, I have come across two buildings,
VAV boxes have stagnated in development, with the exception of dynamic flow measurement and sophisticated controls and communications that are very difficult to commission, to operate and to maintain where the annual consumption is a staggering 1.0 kW/tonne. Some of the shortfalls of current AHU designs are as follows: • None of the AHUs have a BTU meter on chilled water and a VFD drive with a Kwh meter linked to an intelligent control system that can provide year-round performance.
between, for example, 1 Bar Gauge at a design ambient of 45 degrees C linearly down to 0.1 Bar at mild ambient temperature of 25 degrees C.
• AHUs with mixing boxes that mix return air with treated fresh air, which uses VFD associated with VAV boxes, may compromise fresh air delivery at part load or reduced speed. We need to have dedicated outdoor treated fresh air delivered directly to the spaces to avoid that. • VAV boxes have stagnated in development, with the exception of dynamic flow measurement and sophisticated controls and communications that are very difficult to commission, to operate and to maintain. It is time we looked for simpler alternatives, such as nonelectric self-powered
• Hydraulic chilled water flow that uses high authority combination control and pressure independent balancing motorised valve, which are not meant for variable chilled water flow and which can simply be replaced with an equal percentage two-way control valve with 35 to 40% authority and double regulating valve to save on pressure drop and, hence, pumping energy. The variable chilled water flow strategy should follow a completely different pass, where an industrial-grade differential pressure transmitter, placed at three-fourths of a distance downstream, can be used with PLCbased controller that varies the set point
July 2015
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PERSPECTIVE
Fan Coil Units PART 4
What ails our industry
thermal diffusers with dedicated bypass connection for fresh air, and avoided any centralised communication protocols. • I see a big focus on AHU body strength, leakage, thermal bridging and filter leakage, with the internal body pressure varying between -1,000 and +1,000 Pa for strength and from -400 to + 700 Pa for leakage, in compliance with Eurovent EN 1866. Nothing is wrong in that, but we should minimise external pressure from the typical 500 to 750 Pa, to less than 250 Pa, which will decrease the AHU as well as the duct leakage
We should minimise external pressure from the typical 500 to 750 Pa, to less than 250 Pa, which will decrease the AHU as well as the duct leakage situation and, further, reduce the fan motor power
situation and, further, reduce the fan motor power. This can be achieved by selecting the right size and right location of AHU, to minimise ducting; we must also select a low duct velocity of less than 5.0 m/sec. CPI Industry accepts no liability for the views or opinions expressed in this column, or for the consequences of any actions taken on the basis of the information provided here.
HAVE YOUR SAY! We welcome your views on the article. Write to editor@cpi-industry.com
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July 2015
July 2015
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Dan Mizesko is the Managing Partner of Al Shirawi US Chiller Services. He can be contacted at dan@uschillerservices.com
Pulsed power Part 2
Why this technology for condenser water treatment is being regarded as the future in the context of chilled water systems
L
ast month, we looked at how non-chemical pulsedpower water treatment technology is worth a look-in, for it completely eliminates the need for any and all chemicals typically used in a condenser/cooling tower system. The pulsedpower technology improves the operational performance of the water-based systems to which it is applied, be they chillers, towers or pumps. It makes these systems more efficient and longer lasting by eliminating such performance inhibitors as scale, corrosion, bacteria, biofilm, encrustation and fouling. In other words, it will decrease the lifecycle costs associated with towers, chillers and pumps. Last month, we specifically looked at the issue of scale prevention. In this issue, we shall be looking at how the pulsed-power technology ensures bacterial control and corrosion control and inhibits algal growth. Bacterial control The pulsed-power technology has two methods of controlling microbial populations in cooling systems: encapsulation and electroporation.
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Of all the forms of corrosion, localised corrosion is of most concern, because it can cause rapid deterioration and leaks in a system
clean of planktonic bacteria and renders them incapable of reproducing.
Electroporation
The high-frequency, pulsing action of the pulsed-power technology’s electric fields damages the membranes of planktonic bacteria by creating small “pores” in their outer membrane. The condition weakens the bacteria and inhibits their capability to reproduce. The combined effect of these two separate methods
– encapsulation and electroporation – results in exceptionally low total bacterial counts (TBC) in cooling tower water. Microbial life is encapsulated into the forming powder, preventing it from reproducing. Microbes have a 24- to 48-hour lifespan. Any microbes not captured in the forming powder are “zapped” by the secondary pulse, forcing them to spend their lifespan repairing cell wall damage rather than reproducing.
Figure 1: Encapsulation: Minerals coat bacteria
Encapsulation
In last month’s issue, I had discussed how a limestonetype powder incorporates most of the free-floating (i.e., planktonic) bacteria. Without the pulsed power technology, the bacteria are repelled by the suspended particles due to the fact that nearly all tiny particles have similar negative static electric charges on their surfaces. Once the powder is growing, the repulsion to bacteria is eliminated; therefore, the bacteria are attracted to the powder by other natural forces (i.e., van der Waals forces) and become entrapped in the powder particle. The powder, in effect, sweeps the water
Figure 2: Electroporation: Pulse damages bacteria membranes
Biofilm or slime Normally, bacteria form a biofilm or slime layer on equipment surfaces. A biofilm consists of a slimy bacterial secretion that forms a protective canopy to protect the bacteria beneath it from chemical biocides. It is very slimy to the touch, four times more insulating to heat transfer than mineral scale, and is the primary cause of microbial influenced corrosion. The bacteria that live in a biofilm, adhering to an equipment surface, are called sessile bacteria and represent 99% of the total bacteria in a system. The pulsed-power technology eliminates the slime layer through the process of nutrient limitation. All the living organisms in a cooling tower depend on each other for their food supply. Thus, when the nutrients from the planktonic bacteria are diluted, the biofilm cannot be sustained and will not be created (or it will disintegrate it, if one already exists prior to the installation or operation of the pulsed-power technology). Corrosion Control The most serious corrosion concerns in a cooling tower or boiler come from chemical additives. Removing chemicals, avoiding the use of softened water and using the chemicalfree pulsed-power technology eliminates the concerns. Other serious concerns come from localised corrosive attack, caused by biofilm or mineral scale. Under the pulsed-power treatment, these conditions are absent and, therefore, these types of corrosion are eliminated.
Localised Corrosion
Of all the forms of corrosion, localised corrosion is of most concern, because it can cause rapid deterioration and leaks in a system. Localised corrosion
can only be detected visually (except in the case of eddy current testing of chiller tubes to detect the localised attack, caused by chemicals or biofilm). Localised corrosion can virtually be eliminated by the pulsedpower technology. The types of localised corrosion that could be present in cooling towers or boilers include: microbialinfluenced corrosion, pitting, and under-deposit corrosion of several varieties.
Uniform Corrosion Uniform corrosion is characterised by the slow dissolving of entire metal surfaces. It is of minimal concern, because it rarely
A biologically active system is one with an active slime layer and high planktonic bacterial count. Such a system is at risk for poor thermal performance, microbialinfluenced corrosion and pathogens limits equipment life, due to the corrosion resistance of the metals used for equipment construction. Corrosion coupons, which use the weight loss of a metal sample to measure uniform corrosion rates, are a reliable method of corrosion monitoring. Galvanised sheet steel and stainless steel show no uniform corrosion in pulsed powertreated systems. Copper and
plain carbon steel experience minimal uniform corrosion within industry accepted norms in pulsed power-treated systems. In a cooling tower, the method the pulsed power employs to ensure low uniform corrosion rates is to take advantage of the natural corrosion-inhibiting powers of calcium carbonate. The pulsedpower technology manages cooling tower water so that calcium carbonate powder is always forming. Calcium carbonate in that state (called saturation) acts as a powerful cathodic corrosion inhibitor. As such, it greatly slows the corrosion process by blocking the reception of electrons that
are thrown off by the corrosion process. With no place for the electrons to go, the corrosion process is physically and very effectively controlled. algae Algae are plants, which like all plants, require sunlight and nutrients to grow. In cooling towers, algae are aesthetically undesirable and may promote other microbial growth. However, unless they interfere with the thermal performance of the tower by blocking fill or plugging nozzles, algae are, on their own, relatively benign. A biologically active system is one with an active slime layer and high planktonic bacterial count.
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Such a system is at risk for poor thermal performance, microbial-influenced corrosion and pathogens. Algal growth, combined with high total bacteria count, can be a warning sign of a biologically active system. Algal growth, combined with low Total Bacteria Count (TBC), is not a warning sign for a biologically active system. Consistently low TBC is a sign of a biologically inactive system, regardless of the presence or absence of algae. Algal growth may be particularly noticeable during the spring and summer. As previously noted, algae require sunlight to grow; therefore, open cooling systems and systems that
receive direct sunlight are more prone to algal growth. Blown-in dirt and nutrients also promote algal growth. The pulsed-power technology provides excellent microbial control and good algal control under most situations. However, a combination of one or more of the following factors may result in some opportunistic and relatively benign algal growth: • Exposure of the basin to direct sunlight • Limited water circulation in areas of the basin (e.g., an outside trough on cross-flow towers) • Settled dirt and precipitates • Intermittent circulation of the water through the system • Areas of intermittent wetting (splash areas)
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July 2015
Engineering
Energy
Environment
Under the pulsed-power treatment regime, TDS is less accurate and should not be used If the amount of algae is undesirable, the following actions can be performed to minimise a persistent algal bloom: • Prevent sunlight from falling on algae-prone regions. Care must be taken to prevent interference of airflow and thermal performance of the tower, though. When feasible, this procedure is the best solution. • Improve the water flow in quiescent areas of the tower. • For intermittently operated systems, circulate the water periodically without a load through the pulsed-power unit. • The use of filtration systems to relieve the system of blown-in and precipitated solids can reduce the area for algae to thrive. Effective filtration will not remove existing algae but should prevent future blooms. • Slug-fed chemical algaecide does not interfere with pulsed-power water treatment; therefore, algaecide addition is permitted. However, algaecide treatment may be only marginally effective in areas where climate and blow-in make the tower particularly prone to algal blooms. • If there is no slime, if the heterotrophic plate counts are in control, and if the algae are not interfering with tower performance,
ignore the algae, until they are removed by routine periodic tower cleaning. Monitoring The following three measurements are key to maintaining a well-run cooling tower: • pH • Conductivity • Total Bacteria Count These three parameters should be measured and recorded once every month on large cooling systems of 600 TR of cooling or greater, and once per quarter on smaller systems. Occasionally, Total Dissolved Solids (TDS) is used as an alternative measurement of conductivity. Under the pulsedpower treatment regime, TDS is less accurate and should not be used. The pH in a cooling tower under a pulsed-power treatment regime will naturally rise and level off between 8.0 and 9.0, depending on local conditions. Conductivity in cooling tower water should approximately match the setting on the conductivity controller that operates the system blowdown.
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.
July 2015
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special report
NORTH AMERICA
HVACR IN TURTLE ISLAND
From polar bears in the Arctic tundra of Greenland and Canada to the sandy beaches and coral reefs in the Caribbean, North America is the only continent that has every kind of climate. Such varieties in climate have brought about varieties in thought processes for HVACR players, pushing them to develop innovative products that cater to various cooling needs. By Rajiv Pillai | Features Writer
T
he global economic downturn pushed building owners and facilities managers to defer equipment replacements, but with the markets bouncing back, they are gradually unfreezing their budgets. Furthermore, with space heating and cooling accounting for close to 40% of all the energy consumed in the building sector in the United States, there is a pressing need for energy-efficient HVAC equipment. “The current North America HVAC market is about USD 32 billion and is expected to grow in low double digits during the next five years,” says Rakesh Saxena, the General Manager at Trimac Inc.
Market boosters
“The primary market driver continues to be energyefficient technologies that encourage new purchases, which in turn, generate continual operating savings,” says Dean Wood, the Sales and Marketing Manager at EnviraNorth Systems Limited. Corroborating this is Mike Hicks, the Project Manager at Stanley Consultants, Inc, who says that the concern over climate change has pushed the federal government and other code authorities to reach for ever higher goals regarding sustainability and energy efficiency. “ASHRAE Standard 90.1 has increased requirements incrementally, with each version, which when compounded, increases requirements dramatically,” he says.
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July 2015
AHU & FCU
I
n an interview with Climate Control Middle East, James Walters, the Vice President (International Affairs) at the Air-Conditioning, Heating, and Refrigeration Institute (AHRI), said that AHRI and its members continued to work with the current US Administration, James Walters including the US Environmental Protection Agency and the US Department of State to define a US and global refrigerant strategy. “We are very involved in discussions about the EPA SNAP programme and with the Department of State regarding the proposed North American Amendment to the Montreal Protocol,” he added. AHRI and its members believe that to productively transition to low-GWP refrigerants, there must be a steady deliberative process that allows decision-makers in the private and governmental sectors and consumers to properly understand the cost, energy efficiency, safety, and operating characteristics of alternative refrigerants. “As important, but often not discussed as much, is the need to educate and train, especially installers and maintenance personnel on the proper storage and handling of alternative refrigerants,” Walters said. “This will require a new, higher level of training.” Walters said that AHRI and its members have undertaken a comprehensive research programme to identify suitable alternatives for many different applications. Known as the Low-GWP Alternative Refrigerants Evaluation Program (Low-GWP AREP), it is now in its third year and its second phase, which involves testing various alternative lower GWP refrigerants at high temperatures. “This,” he said, “is of particular interest in warm climates, including the MENA region.”
Split Units
A profile of the efforts of the Air-Conditioning, Heating, and Refrigeration Institute (AHRI) to work towards low-GWP (global warming potential) refrigerants
Ductded & Packaged Units
(The United) States of Refrigerants
Chillers
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July 2015
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special report
NORTH AMERICA
Stretching a thin semiconductor crystal could create better solar cells, according to Stanford researchers: stanford. io/1J6zOty Rakesh Saxena
Standford University @Standford
The only way to not be bogged down under pressure is to innovate. And to continue innovating
Dean Wood
Mark Handzel, the Vice President of Product Regulatory Affairs and Director of HVAC commercial buildings at Xylem, says that all of the aforementioned factors, including the Department of Energy’s push for energy efficiency legislation in commercial buildings, combined with recovering North American economies, are ultimately contributing to either upgrades of existing systems for reductions in energy consumption and lower utility bills, or new construction with state-of-the-art systems that boast high-efficiency products
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July 2015
Mike Hicks
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and equipment intelligence for smart buildings.
Roadblocks
Having a demand is a good thing, even if it is primarily driven by the government; however, for manufacturers to cater to this need is challenging. Says Hicks, “Energy efficiency goals that are required to achieve savings above ASHRAE Standard 90.1, such as LEED, force the efficiency of systems and equipment to levels that could be very difficult to achieve.” And after adhering to such changing regulations and standards and developing innovative energy-efficient products, unloading them into the market is another challenge, which essentially translates to customer education. Says Wood, “New technologies continue to evolve, but educating the market on their benefits/ applications will always be the key.” Yet another challenge is the presence of external competitors. Jeff Williams, the Product Manager at Vallourec, remarks that there is an ever-increasing pace of technological growth and competition from Korean and Chinese companies.
Jeff Williams
Coping by innovating
The only way to not be bogged down under pressure is to innovate. And to continue innovating. This is what most HVAC manufacturers in North America believe in. “Designing products to exceed North American efficiency standards – that is, by aligning with EU requirements, without adjusting product footprint is another way companies are innovating in North America,” Handzel says. “This is especially important to provide efficient solutions for retrofit projects in North America, due to the need to update ageing infrastructure or reach carbon emissions requirements.” He says that making products smarter with more embedded
capabilities, such as remote access via Wi-Fi, building management system integration, intuitive system interface and real-time data reporting, will give facility owners/operators more options than they ever had. Furthermore, he remarks, “Ensuring products are flexible to fit any system, and are fast and simple to install are critical benefits that our customers are seeking.” Similarly, Williams and Wood believe that innovation is the key to success. “R&D is a key factor for developing competitive advantages,” Wood says. “Innovation has been, and remains, crucial to our success.” He also implies that the whole idea of innovation is intrinsic and not under governmental pressure. “Industry standards and regulation don’t necessarily dictate our innovations,” Wood says. “These practices tend to be based on minimum requirements.” Most North America-based industry players believe in sharing innovative
Toronto, Canada
CAIRO HEAD OFFICE:
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Tel: 0971 4 297 8500 Fax: 0971 4 2652 192 E-mail: alliedae@eim.ae Burj Khalifa, Downtown Dubai, UAE
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Winner of Best Consulting Firm District Cooling in the Climate Control Awards 2011
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• Jeddah, KSA • Toronto, Canada
FOUNDED TO LEAD
Allied has grown into one of the leading Engineering and Project Management firms in the Middle East, boasting offices in 3 major Countries in the Middle East (Egypt, United Arab Emirates, Kingdome of Saudi Arabia). Allied offers full range of Engineering and Project Management services provided by nearly 140 dedicated professionals distributed among Egyptian, UAE and KSA locations. The company is a multidisciplinary consulting firm and has a track record and specialization in Buildings, Industrial Works and District Cooling and Power Generation Plants.
July 2015
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special report
TOXIC AIR LONDON: London schools may be sued if pupils fall ill because of pollution standard. co.uk/news/politics
NORTH AMERICA
and best practices worldwide, including with the Middle East. Considering that the Dubai Supreme Council of Energy launched the Dubai Integrated Energy Strategy 2030, which aims to reduce energy demand by 30% in 2030, there ought to be a demand for North American energy-efficient HVACR products.
nicholas cecil @nicholascecil
The Me-Na connection
The HVAC players of North America have always found the Middle East region a good selling market for HVAC products, given the obvious hot climate in the region. Handzel says: “I think the Middle East is a primary region of focus for most HVAC companies, regardless of whether they are NA-based or global, as Xylem is.” Xylem, he says, is actively ramping up on its capabilities and expanding its presence in the Middle East. “We’re leveraging our capabilities in NA and other regions to launch highly efficient global products that are being localised to fit the needs of our customers around the world.” Wood says that in order to cater to a market not only in the Middle East but also globally, Envira-North adopts a certain corporate philosophy: produce the highest quality product(s), establish a local presence (dealers/distributors) to
Making products smarter with more embedded capabilities, such as remote access via Wi-Fi, building management system integration, intuitive system interface and real-time data reporting, will give facility owners/operators more options than they ever had
develop relationships in areas they cannot be physically present, showcase their product(s) capabilities and educate the market on their abilities to produce a return on investment.” Williams says that it is not just North America but also other continents that view the GCC as an exciting market with a lot of potential for new growth. Vallourec, he says, plans to continue working with partners within the United States and worldwide to develop the
market in the GCC, bringing in new products and fostering strong business relationships in the region.
HAVE YOUR SAY! We welcome your views on the article. Write to editor@cpi-industry.com
“I wish to see stronger economic ties among the nations in the Gulf. I think that we, as individual countries, have massive power, but we can be more if we unite all that power. We can even exceed the sum of the parts that make up the massive power that we possess. And I hope that it happens in my lifetime. I hope to see the region become an economic authority, and I know that if that happens it will affect every industry, including the world I cater to.” – Mohammed R Alyemeni, Senior Advisor at TVM | Capital Healthcare Partners for Saudi Arabia & the GCC countries and former Deputy Minister of Health in Saudi Arabia for Planning & Health Economics
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July 2015
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MARKET FEATURE VALVES
VALVUE FOR MONEY The ‘cost is everything’ mentality continues to plague the valves industry in the region, but manufacturers insist a long-drawn-out strategy of building awareness will turn the tide in favour of quality and reliable performance.
T
he growing real estate and construction sectors in the Middle East represent good news for the HVAC industry. Vijay Dhutale, the Divisional Manager at Herz Middle East FZE, quoting research results by the Building Services Research and Information Association (BSRIA), a UK-based research and consultancy organisation, says the HVAC market is expected to grow annually by 6%-12% in the Middle East from 2011-2015. This essentially translates to good news for manufacturers and suppliers of valves.
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July 2015
It’s raining valves
Besides the growth triggered by the construction and real-estate sector, there is a conscious push by the UAE government, with the Dubai Supreme Council of Energy (DSCoE) in 2011 launching the Dubai Integrated Energy Strategy 2030, which aims to reduce energy demand in the Emirate by 30% by 2030. As per the DSCoE, one of the strategic pillars to achieve the 30% savings is District Cooling. Dhutale adds that the major thrust is towards energy efficiency, which opens the doors to technologies that can lower power consumption. So where do valves fit into all the momentum? In an article, titled Getting Invalved, which appeared in the August
2012 issue of Climate Control Middle East, the author, Zulfiqar Mooraj elaborated on the importance of hydraulic balancing to ensure that all consumer sub-circuits received sufficient chilled water. Mooraj is the Managing Director of Samson Controls FZE. In order to reduce capital and operating costs to a minimum, Mooraj wrote in the article, it was important to make sure that cooling systems operated at optimum efficiency. He went on to enumerate some important factors to achieve the ideal: • Selecting system components, such as pipes, pumps, chillers and control valves so that they are adequate but not oversized for their particular loads
Developers preferred not to spend too much on valves, because they were not “exposed” or seen, unlike a nice frame, fancy tap or a shiny door
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MARKET FEATURE VALVES
• Incorporating variable output pumping arrangements, which enable energy savings, when the system demand is below maximum design values • Ensuring that the distribution network is correctly balanced at all times, especially under varying load conditions • Limiting differential pressures (circulating heads) in subcircuits to levels, which allow temperature control valves to provide modulating control at all times. Energy efficiency, Mooraj wrote, could be achieved by selecting the appropriate components and instruments that are fine-tuned to provide optimum results. Picking up from where Mooraj left, Dhutale
reiterates the criticality of hydronic balancing. “If the system is not balanced properly, you will notice that in some high-rise buildings, some places are cool and some places are warm,” Dhutale says. “Thus, balancing plays a major role.”
obstacles
Despite industry players specifying the importance of control valves, for instance, customers, for a large part, continue to unshakeably lean towards lower costs when taking buying decisions. And lower costs come at a price – a strong likelihood of compromising on the quality. In an interview with Climate Control Middle East (September 2013 issue), Ramakrishnan Bethoor, the Product Manager
Manufacturers and suppliers are under constant pressure to deliver on unreasonable project delivery deadlines
at Econosto and Ozten Ismail Serhan, the Sales Manager at Danfoss, spoke in elaborate fashion on the prickly issue of low-cost valves. Serhan spoke of how developers preferred not to spend too much on valves, because they were not “exposed” or seen, unlike a nice frame, fancy tap or a shiny door. Bethoor spoke of the stiff competition from low-cost valve manufacturers as the foremost challenge for his company. The low-cost mentality of 2013 is intact in 2015. Mooraj points to how, to this day, customers prefer to buy low-cost valves to save money, which from a lifecycle perspective is an incorrect decision. “Definitely, cost of investment is important, but the savings that are generated over a period of time by having good controls, will supersede the savings that you will have by reducing your cost of investment,” he says. In addition to the bane of the low-cost culture, Mooraj talks of time pressure as the scourge of the valves industry. He implies that manufacturers and suppliers
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July 2015
Zulfiqar Mooraj
Vijay Dhutale
are under constant pressure to deliver on unreasonable project delivery deadlines. “One of the big challenges that we face is when things need to be done in a hurry,” he says. “The cost of resolving a problem is much higher than the cost of doing it right the first time.” The solutions to the cost and time conundrum are not easy to come by. Building a culture of better awareness and solidarity is one answer, though. “From a District Cooling plant to the building owner, they all should have the same interest in reducing the cost and increasing efficiency,” he says. “All stakeholders need to work together.”
HAVE YOUR SAY! We welcome your views on the article. Write to editor@cpi-industry.com
GREE BRAND AGENTS IN THE MIDDLE EAST COUNTRIES: Afghanistan: Heritage FZE, MA 03, Jebel Ali, UAE, Email: samimqay@hotmail.com • Bangladesh: Electro Mart Ltd • Egypt: Tiba Manzalawi Group, Email: Shady@tibagroup.me • Iraq: Hardland Electromechanical Trading and Contracting, Email: ramez@hardland-co.com • Iran: NIA Air Conditioning Company, Email: sadri@nialimited.com • Jordan: Izzat Marji Group, Email: mohd.taha@marji.jo • Kuwait: Al-Babtain Air-Conditioning & Refrig. Co, Email: Ghassan@albabtaingroup.com.kw • Lebanon: Societe Acsons S.A.R.L, Email: acsons@cyberia.net.lb • Libya: Mersin Inc, Email: nori.aradi@muzzn.com • Palestine: Triple r for trading and Marketing, Email: rami@triple-r.ps • Pakistan: DWP Technologies (pvt) Ltd, Email: malik.tariq@dwp.com.pk • Qatar: Al-Ta’adhod, Email:amged@greeqatar.com • Saudi Arabia: Al-Asasyah (Basic Electronics Company Ltd), Email: info@al-asasyah.com • UAE: Nia Limited Co, Email: zakir@nialimited.com, Hariet@nialimited.com
July 2015
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COUNTRY REPORT
China
Enter the dragon Market players say that the world no longer perceives China as a haven for counterfeit products. Through conscious efforts to research and develop new technologies, the HVAC industry in China is already transitioning its image from “made in China” to “innovated in China”. By Rajiv Pillai | Features Writer
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fter considering driving forces, like favourable economic development, urban population growth, rising income and a growing retail market, the California-based market research firm, Frost & Sullivan, in 2012, predicted that the total market size in China would be USD 17 billion in 2015, with a compounded annual growth rate of 20%. The firm went on to state that the top three Chinese manufacturers – Haier, Midea and Gree – could supply 50% of the world’s demand for HVAC products. This may be the reason why Zakir Ahmed, the Managing Director of NIA Limited, the exclusive agent for Gree products in the region, refers to China as the “factory of the world”. “Nearly two-thirds of room air conditioners sold worldwide are made in China,” he says.
Raging dragon There are several factors that drive the raging demand for HVAC products in China. They include rapid economic development and an improvement in the standard of living of people in China, which in turn, have prompted a new wave of building construction. According to a study by Qiu B X (Main barriers and basic policy for promoting energy-saving construction in China, 2007), since 2000, one and a half billion square metres of area of buildings have been built every year, and the trend is projected to continue until 2020.
No matter how much of “guanxi” or “connections” you have, there still persists a lingering issue, and that is the perception of China being a haven for counterfeiters
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COUNTRY REPORT
China
Andreas Ochsenbauer, the Head of International Sales (District Energies) at Samson, adds: “Population is a driver in China. And air conditioning is the basic need of the people.” Ochsenbauer says that although energy efficiency is one of the other driving factors, as is in the case of Europe, in China, the demand is more law- or regulation-driven. The increase in buildings has a direct effect on the national energy consumption, and therefore, the Chinese government has taken energy management into serious consideration. Two laws in China – the Renewable Energy Law and the Energy Saving Law – provide the main guidelines for building energy systems and the HVAC&R industry in China. The Renewable Energy Law was enacted in 2005, and the Energy Saving Law was issued in 2008. Energy saving for air-conditioning systems and refrigerators has been in consideration for many years. “The Chinese government decided to make solar power the cornerstone of their Renewable Energy strategy,” Ahmed says, adding that Gree is a core member of a research driven by the Chinese Central Laboratory to develop innovative solutions for cooling appliances. Another driver, Ochsenbauer says, is political. He draws attention to the numerous political standards in China, which though driving demand, prove to be a major challenge to interpret.
Zakir Ahmed
Andreas Ochsenbauer
Obstacle course Ochsenbauer says that for an outside player, the political standards might be hard to understand. And that following them might be illogical. He cites an example: “In a certain building in a region, they decreed that only hand wells must be used, because there was a manufacturer who sold them. This was politically motivated.” Adding to the woe, he says, was the fact that such standards are written in Chinese. Yet another challenge, Ochsenbauer says, has to do with finding skilled people in the industry. The lack of adequate skilled people might be owing to a lack of proper education, he deduces.
The Yin and Yang of HVAC business So how do HVAC manufacturers thrive despite such political and resource challenges? Ochsenbauer says it’s something that the Chinese refer to as “guanxi” – a word that describes the basic dynamic in personalised networks of influence and is a central idea in Chinese society. “They operate very locally, and they have local connections,” he says. “There is a certain tacit understanding and influence amongst the people. Replicating this idea elsewhere is difficult.”
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Dragon 2.0 Water-source VRF units are well-entrenched in China, industry insider reveals... At the 3rd Annual Middle East Variable Refrigerant Flow Conference, in March 2015 in Dubai, George Berbari, the CEO of DC PRO Engineering, boldly predicted that by 2020, VRFs would be phased out and that VRW (variable water flow) systems would take their place. To this, Moan Abraham, the General Manager (Air-Conditioners), at Hisense Middle East, responded by saying that water-source VRF systems were already in use in China, and that the country was way ahead when it came to implementing innovative systems. Elaborating on the technology, Abraham said at the conference that the advantages of using such a system was that it utilised heat from ocean, soil, industrial waste and municipal waste water to realise cooling and heating. One of the case studies he spoke of was on the Pangu Plaza, a famous landmark in Beijing. The whole project, Abraham said, spanned an area of 39,360 square metres and included a seven-star hotel and three residential apartments. The three international apartments, Abraham revealed, received cooling by means of 129 24-HP water-source VRF units. Moan Abraham
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COUNTRY REPORT
China
However, no matter how much of “guanxi” or “connections” you have, there still persists a lingering issue, and that is the perception of China being a haven for counterfeiters.
COPY THAT! China, fairly or unfairly, is associated with counterfeit products. But is the scenario different? Ahmed says: “Undoubtedly, some of the manufacturers are responsible for the manufacture of products under private labels registered elsewhere in their home markets that infringe upon international patents and registration. For example, Super General and General Cool are registered in the UAE, and it can be challenged as an infringement of the world-famous General brand.” He goes on to explain that China has no qualms in manufacturing and supplying a brand as long as it’s registered elsewhere. Although this may be legal in some way,
Innovation, for the Chinese, is mostly copying first. However, Chinese standards are increasing, and this must be taken very seriously
it is unethical. Ochsenbauer presents another facet to the issue when he talks of how, owing to such a perception, some EU companies go to China, manufacture products there and brand them as an EU product. He feels that innovation, for the Chinese, is mostly copying first. However, he says, Chinese standards are increasing, and this must be taken very seriously. “Earlier we used to make fun of Chinese products, but not anymore, because they have a lot of innovative and high standard products to offer,” he says. “The faster they learn, the costlier their products become.” He believes that the whole counterfeit issue was a problem and a perception 10 years ago. With increasing awareness
on the importance of R&D, the Chinese industry, organisations and universities have promoted the development of and even pushed for in-depth research in the realm of HVAC products. This is slowly changing the perspective in the HVAC domain from “made in China” to “developed or innovated in China”.
HAVE YOUR SAY! We welcome your views on the article. Write to editor@cpi-industry.com
“For those of us educated in the West, our aspiration is to be able to show that we can use our Western education to invest back in our home countries. In my field, for instance, we can use what we have learned to improve the overall design experience and the environment, in general. We are not there yet, but it is a young society, and the new generations who have been educated in the West are coming back to practice in the region. And we are beginning to realise that you cannot only import foreign education; you actually have to analyse and localise it, in a smart way. That translation is something quite special. We develop our own language.” – Nasser B Abulhasan, Principal, AGi architects
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In this, the first of a four-part series, Christopher LaBorde takes a look at the UAE’s HVAC sector. He believes the country has positioned itself for progress.
O
n January 4, 2014, I had breakfast with the refrigerant gas recycler, Ted Atwood of Polar Technologies. Ted was one of the last people I saw before I moved from the United States, to split time between the UAE and my home in Louisiana. Ted mentioned that he was working on a HVAC refrigerant gas tracking and workflow software project, and that if I wasn’t already committed to another project, I should take a look at the UAE market. I had come to the UAE for a 10-day trip, two months earlier, and the UAE market appeared to not be suffering from problems plaguing the United States. In fact, the UAE had a very inspiring sense of willingness to embrace change if it meant securing its future as one of the more influential countries in the world. It even seemed to be leveraging its position as an oil-rich country for the purpose of shaping a better future for its people, by importing educators, top-level education facilities and technologies. In the past, I had done research on many infrastructure technologies and had access to a wide variety of technologies that could be useful for any emerging nation. Armed with a list of UAE contacts and a willingness to learn how the UAE worked, I was determined to figure out the landscape and which technologies may be most useful to the UAE. After 10 weeks, two trips, and over 50 meetings, the answer was clear, the UAE had an appetite for sustainable and energy-efficient technologies. More specifically, the leaders of the UAE were seeing what was happening with Saudi Arabia, and the Gulf in general, and wanted to reduce their demand-side energy needs, and for this, Ted’s project was perfect. Now all I had to do was learn more about the HVAC industry. If I was going to engage in
Like many of the industries in the infrastructure world, most of the problems are unknown to people that have the corresponding experience in solving these problems business development for this technology, I needed to fully understand the problems of this industry in the UAE and the rest of the world for comparison. All of my background and experience up to the point, though, had not prepared me for the discovery of how ready the HVAC industry is for change around the world and how incredible the opportunity is for profound change. In 1902, Willis Carrier developed much of the technology that shaped the modern-day HVAC industry. Some of the bigger problems in the HVAC world were also born on that day, and haven’t experienced much change since then. Like many of the industries in the infrastructure world, most of the problems are unknown to people that have the corresponding experience in solving these problems. As a result, the problems seem to grow in isolation away from the eyes of the actual creative people that can solve them. An example of a similar problem to this is the liquid infrastructure problems in the United States. Most people do not know that the US has roughly a one trillion-
dollar problem that they will have to solve over the next 20 years when it comes to getting clean water to their people, and wastewater away from them with a deteriorating piping network. Just like the water industry in the United States, most people do not fully understand how much of the energy spend is for the heating and cooling industry and how ready it is for disruption. An example of a company taking advantage of the unexplored values in HVAC optimisation is Nest Labs, which built a self-learning, “smart” thermostat that had Web access to create an opportunity for the power bill payer to get the same or better air temperature comfort at a lower price through a smart device. At first, the idea seemed like a gimmick to many people, but later, as the details of Google’s USD 3.2 billion-dollar purchase of Nest Labs in January of 2014 became known, everyone began to take a serious note. A big part of its strategy was to turn data into intelligence for the power bill payer. In this definition, “data” is raw information that can be gathered and created in any number of ways, and “intelligence” is what that information looks like after it has been purposely processed into something the person making the critical decisions can easily use. The more I learnt about the HVAC industry, the more it started to look like an industry that had large gains available in it, especially in the parts of the world that cannot function well without having their natural climates altered for the majority of the people living in them. The UAE started to shape up to be just such a place.
PERSPECTIVE
“The UAE has an appetite for sustainable and energy-efficient technologies”
The writer is the Business Development Manager for the MENA Region at TrakRef. He can be contacted at: claborde@ trakref.com
To be continued… 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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While there is certainly an additional challenge in phasing out HFCs in high-ambient temperatures, there is enormous innovation in technology and increasing availability of alternatives. Also, the proposals on the table do not envisage immediate action by the so-called A5 countries, like the Gulf countries – the proposals are for a gradual phase-down of HFCs (not phase-out), starting in five to 15 years, depending on the proposal.
HARD TALK
Bangkok meeting discusses HFC conundrum Opposition from some GCC states delays progress in the complete phase-down of HFCs, says a representative of the Environmental Investigation Agency (EIA), in an exclusive interview with Climate Control Middle East, in which she reveals that the GCC states opposed the phase-down over concerns related to availability of viable alternatives suitable for high-ambient temperatures
T
he 35th meeting of the Open-Ended Working Group (OEWG35) of the Parties to the Montreal Protocol on Substances that Deplete the Ozone Layer was held in Bangkok in April 2015. A two-day technical workshop, followed by a three-day political meeting, was dedicated to the issue of managing hydro-fluoro-carbons (HFCs). There were high expectations at the start of the meeting after India, previously one of the strongest opponents, submitted its HFC phase-down amendment proposal. The proposal, in combination with those previously filed by the North American countries and Micronesia and the efforts of the African group, brought new energy to the negotiations, with the vast majority of developing and developed countries in favour of a phasedown of HFCs under the Montreal Protocol. However, strong opposition from Pakistan, Saudi Arabia and other Gulf states, revealed that there remain serious obstacles.
Excerpts from the interview with Clare Perry, conducted by Rajiv Pillai, Features Writer at Climate Control Middle East…
Clare Perry
Can you tell us why there was opposition from some of the countries? And how do you think the issue can be resolved?
The primary opposition seems to have come from Saudi Arabia, Bahrain and Kuwait. The reason stated for their opposition is concern over the availability of HFC alternatives that work in the high-ambient temperatures that they typically experience. However, their opposition may be related to the ongoing climate talks under the UNFCCC.
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India was one of the strongest opponents but now has submitted its HFC phase-down amendment proposal. Could you share any insights on why India is on board now? Is it owing to the new leadership in place? India submitting a proposal is in line with what was agreed by Prime Minister Narendra Modi when he visited the US in September, last year, and we hope this indicates new climate leadership from India; however, the proposal itself is sadly lacking in ambition. For A5 countries, including India, their proposal allows unconstrained growth of HFCs for the next 15 or so years, and then requires that developed countries pay for all costs to convert out of HFCs, rather than incremental costs, which is the usual mechanism of the Montreal Protocol. So developing countries would have a huge financial incentive to expand HFC production and use, even when HFC-free alternatives are available. We should be doing the opposite; we should be avoiding growth, wherever possible, and building incentives for developing countries to leapfrog HFCs rather than make the mistake that developed countries have in phasing in these super greenhouse gases. Even for developed countries, which are already taking unilateral action to phase-down HFCs, India’s proposal allows a great deal more HFC consumption than any other proposals on the table.
When, do you think, will we see a complete global phase-down of HFCs? In terms of agreeing an amendment to the Montreal Protocol to phase-down HFCs, this is entirely possible to achieve this year or the next year, but there is a lot of work still to be done to be sure we have a fair and effective agreement, where all countries are on board. There seems to be a genuine will from the Parties to the Montreal Protocol to work hard to achieve this – we had an additional inter-sessional meeting in April in Bangkok, and there is another smaller additional meeting this month, followed by the usual Open-Ended Working Group in July in Paris. To complete the phase-down of HFCs will take many years – most of the proposals envisage phasing down to about 10-15% by 2040-2050, so clearly we need to start soon.
‘The heat pump industry needs to prepare now’ Eurovent claims its Certita Certification contributes to the COP21
W
ith more than six million units installed in Europe, heat pump’s renewable energy from air, water and ground can be used efficiently to provide 100% of a building’s heating, cooling and hot water demand and reduce GHG emission. Sharing this information, Eurovent Market Intelligence, the European statistics office on HVACR market, revealed that according to estimates heat pumps could save 50% of the building sector’s CO2 emissions for heating and cooling and five per cent for the industrial sector, corresponding to nearly eight per cent of total global CO2 emissions. COP21, the 2015 Paris Climate Conference, said Eurovent, will aim to achieve a legally binding and universal agreement on climate, with the objective of keeping global warming below 2 degrees C. In this context, the impact of the heating/cooling demand of buildings will be significant, and the heat pump industry needs to prepare now, Eurovent pointed out. It claimed that this was where product performance certification, delivered by Eurovent Certita Certification, would play a key role in ensuring transparency and in delivering reliable data. Eurovent shared the results (see table) of a study it carried out based on 2014 sales data collected from 280 manufacturers of heat pump and chillers units <100 Kw. Eurovent claimed that its certification applied to all heat pump applications: air to water, brine to water, direct expansion, domestic hot water, and air to air.
Eurovent Certified Performance Penetration Rate
HP - Chillers 0-100 kW
Belgium
67%
Czech Republic
25%
Denmark
38%
Finland
49%
France
90%
Germany
55%
Italy
59%
Netherlands
49%
Norway
37%
Portugal
43%
Russia
87%
Slovenia
82%
Spain
48%
Sweden
45%
Switzerland
45%
Turkey
37%
United Kingdom
30%
UE 28
66%
© Eurovent Market Intelligence Sales Data 2014
VA Rsity Looking into the
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July 2015
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REGIONAL
UAE Ministry of Environment and Water inaugurates Air Quality Network Programme will make air quality a national priority to help bring to fruition vision of sustainable development
O
n the sidelines of the 6th Green Economy Annual Conference held in May, the UAE Ministry of Environment and Water signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the National Centre for Meteorology and Seismology (NCMS), the Environment Agency-Abu Dhabi (EAD), Dubai Municipality, Fujairah Municipality, the Municipality and Planning Department in Ajman and Sharjah Municipality for the launch of the UAE Air Quality Network. According to the press
communiqué announcing the launch, HH Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, approved the establishment of the network while attending the brainstorming sessions for the Government Creative Laboratory, an initiative organised by the Ministry in October 2014. Commenting on the MoU, H.E. Dr Rashid Ahmed Bin Fahad, UAE Minister of Environment and Water, said that the launch of the UAE Air Quality Network is the
UAE MoEW attends the 35th GCC Undersecretaries for Environmental Affairs’ Meeting Forum spotlights regional initiatives aimed at resolving environmental issues
T
he Ministry of Environment and Water represented the UAE in the 35th GCC Undersecretaries for Environmental Affairs’ Meeting, held recently in Doha, Qatar. The
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realisation of the policies to achieve the vision of sustainable development set by the wise leadership and that it reinforces the Ministry’s eagerness to motivate all the parties to undertake more endeavours to enhance the efforts of promoting environmental sustainability in the country. Dr Bin Fahad further stated that the UAE Air Quality Network is expected to contribute to the development of a comprehensive and integrated national strategy that will place the preservation of the environment and the
delegation, as per a press statement, was headed by H.E. Abdul Rahim Al Hammadi, Assistant Undersecretary for Environmental Affairs, and included representatives from the Ministry and local authorities. The meeting reportedly focused on topics concerning joint work, with the aim of developing and implementing plans and programmes for overcoming regional environmental challenges. The plans and programmes that were discussed, the statement said, included cooperation with other countries as well as with regional and international
improvement of air quality among the country’s priorities. The MoU signing, he said, demonstrated the vital role played by the federal and other competent authorities in the implementation of the project to raise the level of air quality by up to 90% by 2021. As per the communiqué, under the terms of the MoU, regular meetings will be held to discuss technical and operational issues of the network. All parties will also collaborate to use a standardised mechanism to measure pollutants and calculate daily the air quality index as well as the index concentrations of particulate matter, among others. Moreover, the communiqué added, the parties will organise seminars, joint workshops and training programmes to promote the exchange of expertise and build the capacity of workers in the field of air quality monitoring.
organisations, such as the UNEP Regional Office for West Asia and the Regional Organization for the Protection of the Marine Environment. (ROPME) According to the statement, the forum reviewed a study on the establishment of the GCC Environmental Monitoring Center and addressed developments on the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCC), the Kyoto Protocol, the Vienna Convention for the Protection of the Ozone Layer and the Montreal Protocol on Substances that Deplete the Ozone Layer.
empower’s DC piping network to cross 225 km by year end The company claims its pipeline network is among the most efficient globally
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mirates Central Cooling Systems Corporation (EMPOWER) has unveiled expansion plans that will see its District Cooling transmission pipeline crossing the 225-kilometre mark in Dubai by the end of 2015. Empower said its pipeline network is among the most efficient globally, because the company has strategic tie-ups with some of the world’s major suppliers of pre-insulated pipes, a critical element in District Cooling systems. One of the suppliers is ELIPS, located in Jebel Ali, in which Empower
“Empower’s District Cooling systems provide effective and efficient means of air conditioning,” said H.E. Ahmad Bin Shafar, the Chief Executive Officer of Empower. “Water is cooled in central
plants and distributed through a network of piping systems to individual customers in different buildings. We have expanded the pipeline network proportionate to the growth in areas we cover and opened new cooling plants. We have been successful in commissioning District Cooling projects on schedule, because we have control over the supply of the all-important preinsulated pipes.”
Ahmad Bin Shafar
holds major share. In 2010, Empower found an alternative solution to importing supplies of pre-insulated pipes through ELIPS, which manufactures pipes of similar high standards.
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July 2015
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REGIONAL
Faisal Jassim and Climaveneta ink deal Climaveneta hopes to establish a strong foothold in the UAE region through the new venture
Abu Dhabi’s Al Maryah Island Plant
Tabreed commences chilled water supply to Al Hilal Bank Tower on Al Maryah Island Connection to the DC network will enable Al Hilal Bank tower to reduce its expected energy consumption by approximately 2.9 million kWh per year, Tabreed claims
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bu Dhabi-based National Central Cooling Company PJSC (Tabreed) has announced that it has commenced the supply of chilled water to Al Hilal Bank tower on Abu Dhabi’s Al Maryah Island. Tabreed, which acquired Al Maryah Island District Cooling plant in 2014 in a consortium with Mubadala Infrastructure Partners (MIP) – an infrastructure-focused fund investing in the Middle Jasim Husain East, North Africa and Turkey, with institutional Thabet investors from the GCC region and Asia – will deliver more than 1,600 tonnes of cooling (TR) to the tower. Jasim Husain Thabet, Tabreed’s CEO, said: “In conjunction with our partners at MIP, we are proud to deliver our services to Al Maryah Island, which is one of Abu Dhabi’s key developments, as it aims to become the new Central Business District and luxury lifestyle destination.” Tabreed claims that its District Cooling services will enable Al Hilal Bank tower to reduce its expected energy consumption by approximately 2.9 million kWh per year compared to conventional cooling. This will lead to the elimination of 2,000 tonnes of CO2 emissions per year. Mohamed Jamil Berro, the Group CEO of Al Hilal Bank, said: “Al Hilal Bank prides itself as ‘the Orange bank that thinks green.’ One of our top priorities is to ensure high levels of sustainability and the least environmental impact across all of our facilities. Through Tabreed’s expertise, we are fulfilling our commitment to a greener future for the communities we Al Hilal Bank tower on Abu Dhabi’s Al Maryah Island serve.”
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aisal Jassim Trading Company (FJTCO) hosted a conference and a partnership kick-off meeting with the Italian chiller manufacturer, Climaveneta to mark a new launch in the chiller sector. The conference took place in Dubai on June 8, and it illustrated the history of Climaveneta and its core technologies, besides the key products for the UAE market. Elaborating on the cooperation with FJTCO, Mauro Montello, the Sales and Marketing Director at Climaveneta, said: “The new partnership is a further successful step in strengthening our presence in Middle East area." Speaking at the meeting, Azzam Messaykeh, the COO of FJTCO, highlighted the importance of energy efficient products and how the UAE government has an initiative to reduce energy demand by 30% by 2030. “We hope that this partnership, and this initiative that Faisal and Climaveneta is taking, will support UAE to achieve its goals,” he said. Besides announcing the partnership, Climaveneta conducted a technical presentation on air-cooled chillers. The topics that were presented discussed key technologies applied to chillers, efficient air-cooled chiller solutions at high-ambient temperatures for the UAE market, variable primary flow systems, and Clima PRO – Climaveneta’s specialised chiller plant optimisation system, amongst others.
Qatar Cool wins twin awards at HR Summit District Cooling provider collects silverware during the 2015 MENA Human Assets Expansion Summit
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oha-headquartered Qatar Cool has won the “HR Team of the Year Award” and the “Excellence in Learning and Development Award” during the 2015 MENA HR Excellence Awards Ceremony, held on May 20 and 21 at the Sofitel-the Palm, in Dubai. The awards ceremony was part of the 2015 MENA Human Assets Expansion Summit, which celebrates leading employers and HR practitioners for their
Yasser Salah Al-Jaidah (center)
outstanding achievements and drive for impactful human capital strategies. Qatar Cool was judged on a variety of topics, such as strategic planning and talent attraction. On the occasion, Yasser Salah Al-Jaidah, the Chief Executive Officer at Qatar Cool, commented: “We are proud to receive such recognition at such a prestigious summit. The awards are a demonstration of our commitment to perfecting our operations in all areas of our business, starting from HR and talent development to other business support disciplines and operational practices.” Al-Jaidah also stressed on the importance of adopting best practices in an effort to improve efficiency of internal business processes that support the main operations of any business.
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For Inquiries, Please contact us at: Mekar Air Handling Units LLC
Mekar is an Italian manufacturer of high quality chillers, air handling units and fan coil units. Our strength lies in our diverse and energy efficient product range, flexibility in design and manufacturing which is backed up by reliable after sales engineering support.
Dubai:
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Qatar:
tel. +974 4 4153742
Riyadh:
tel. +966 5 00360470 +966 5 99878838
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Italy:
tel. +39 045 6630536
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REGIONAL
Al shirawi FM secures D3 contract D3, upon completion, will comprise offices, retail outlets, galleries, hotels and even residential spaces
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l Shirawi Facilities Management, one of UAE’s facilities management providers, has announced the signing of a three-year contract with TECOM Investment’s Dubai Design District (D3), where Al Shirawi FM will oversee
the entire Integrated Facilities Management of the 200 hectare project. Developed under the TECOM Investment brand and announced back in 2013, D3 upon completion, will comprise offices, retail outlets, galleries, hotels and residential spaces.
DiAC enjoys nearly AED 9 million in energy savings Aims to share sustainability best practices with other countries and cultures Fatima de la Cerna | Assistant Editor
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uring a conference on building future educational facilities that Informa Middle East staged in Dubai earlier this year, Dr Ayoub Kazim, the Managing Director of the Education Cluster of TECOM, announced that, as of March 2015, the Dubai International Academic City (DIAC) has enjoyed
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Commenting on the case, Mohammad Saeed Al Shehhi, the Chief Operating Officer of D3, said: “We decided to go with Al Shirawi FM, because of our earlier experience with them at Dubai Industrial City and also from references from the market. Most importantly, however, is the diversity of their portfolio. They can provide us with a lot of services, as a one-stop-shop for us in D3 and for our future tenants.” In terms of IFM services, Al Shirawi FM will oversee
energy savings worth AED 8,924,004. Dr Kazim described the savings as a result of TECOM’s commitment to designing and operating university campuses that are environmentally and economically sustainable. DIAC, Dr Kazim noted, is the world’s largest free zone dedicated to higher education, with a total built area of 1.5 million square feet. He also mentioned that it is the location of 25 international branch campuses from over 10 countries and, as of the 2012-2013 academic year, had a student population nearing 25,000. With green features, such as solar trackers and intelligent building automation
the daily operation of MEP, specialised systems and building fabrics. It will also handle housekeeping and pest control services as well as onsite cleaning, irrigation services and the overall landscaping of the facility. Navin Valrani, the CEO of Al Shirawi FM, said, “We are already the largest private local FM company in the nation, and D3’s presence will take us to a whole new level where we can have global ambitions.”
systems, and green strategies, like instituting a ‘no smoking’ policy and utilising District Cooling, defining it as an institution, DIAC functions as “an education ecosystem” that sets the bar for green learning spaces, locally and globally, Dr Kazim said. “We are always looking for best practices not just here but in other countries, as well,” he said. “We are open to the next practice, because as a free zone dedicated to higher education, we have researchers from all over the world, who are interested in coming to the UAE to study our green schools. It is our objective to provide awareness about sustainability initiatives and to share that culture with others.”
Emirates Wildlife Society unveils EWS-WWF 2020 vision and corporate membership programme New partnership opportunity models announced to conserve UAE’s environment
From R to L: Tanzeed Alam, Director of Climate & Energy, EWS-WWf, Ammar Shams, Regional Head of Corporate Sustainability, HSBC Bank Middle East Ltd., Dr. Mark Craig, Director of Life Sciences, Al Ain Zoo, Shadi Bakhour, General Manager, Canon Emirates – UAE.
Beta dampers receive UL Certification Products have also won the approval of civil defence authorities in the GCC region, the company claims
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eta Industrial has announced the launch of its new range of motorised fire, smoke and combination fire/smoke dampers. The new products, the company said, were manufactured in its factory in Al Quoz, in Dubai, and have been certified by UL as well as approved by several civil defence authorities in the GCC region. According to the announcement, released by the company, the addition comes as a part of the Beta brand’s continuous development and an extension of other recently added products, such as pressure relief dampers and (eyeball and cylindrical) jet nozzles, as well as new models of VAV for both the pressure-independent and by-pass varieties. Beta said that more new products, designed to add value to the brand itself and to the product family, are in the pipeline.
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mirates Wildlife Society, in association with World Wildlife Fund (EWS-WWF), shared their EWS-WWF 2020, “Together for a Brighter Future” vision on June 8 at the Shangri-La Hotel, Dubai. Unique partnership opportunities were also unveiled with the aim to protect the environment, whilst expanding EWS-WWF’s activity to contribute to conservation efforts and promote positive environmental change in the UAE. The event took place under the Patronage of H.E. Razan Khalifa Al Mubarak, Secretary General of Environment Agency – Abu Dhabi, Managing Director and board member of EWSWWF, who welcomed leaders and influencers from the UAE’s environmental industry, and called on organisations to join its journey towards protecting the UAE’s natural heritage. During the event, EWS-WWF presented its five-year forward-looking strategy and the new and unique models of collaboration available to partners. The strategy outlined the organisation’s vision for tackling climate change and biodiversity in the UAE and beyond, as well as aiming to conserve the emirate’s natural heritage through maximum impact. Calling for immediate action, EWS-WWF representatives encouraged attendees to join them in achieving their vision. Senior members of the organisation’s delegation also took part in a panel session that discussed the sustainability issues in the UAE and emphasised the need for solutions through successful partnerships. EWS-WWF officials also celebrated the organisation’s partnerships over the last decade and thanked attendees for their positive contributions to date.
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PiQCV (Zonetight) Belimo
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the PIQCV spares electricity during operation, while the pump capacity, and thus the electricity consumption, can be lowered, as the pressure-independent function of the valve is ensured even at a low differential pressure.
elimo, the Switzerland-headquartered manufacturer of HVAC actuator solutions, has announced the addition of PIQCV (Pressure Independent Quick Compact Valve) to its ZoneTight product range. In describing the PIQCV, the company said that, as a space-saving characterised control valve, it supplies every heating and cooling element with the precise amount of water required and maintains the hydraulic balance of the system. According to Belimo, even with differential pressure changes and in partial-load operation, over-flow or under-flow to the end devices is prevented and room comfort is ensured. Explaining, the company said that the deposit-resistant characterised control valve offers tight sealing in all differential pressure situations and is motorised with a similarly compact plug-in actuator. The company also noted that the actuator technology from Belimo can be selected for every application with open-close, three-point, modulating actuation or with MP-Bus light. Belimo added that its latest development also scores points in terms of energy efficiency, claiming that the actuator of
CsVW-series speed-controlled screw compressor BitZER
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ITZER claims its CSVW series (see figure: BITZER CSVW26200MY) can be used to achieve very high SEER values for direct-evaporative water cooled liquid chillers, due to the latest system technologies. BITZER said that using a frequency inverter in screw compressors can approximately double the control range when compared with conventional slider control. A second Vi (the ratio of the geometric displacement following completion of the suction process to the geometric displacement when the discharge gas mass flow begins to be discharged) that is adjusted with a control slider can increase part-load efficiency by 11%. Seamless Vi control doesnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t provide any benefits to water-cooled liquid chillers. Using a permanent magnet motor eliminates aluminium losses in the rotor, which makes it possible to further increase efficiency throughout all areas of operation. Compact screw compressors with integrated frequency inverter, the company said, offer exceptional energy efficiency and an impressive control range to meet the legal requirements of the future.
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Advancedsense Pro GrayWolf sensing solutions
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merican manufacturer, GrayWolf Sensing Solutions, in a press communiqué, recently announced that it has completely redesigned its AdvancedSense handheld environmental meter. The new AdvancedSense Pro, according to the communiqué, allows users to connect to the company’s range of probes, displaying and logging up to 32 parameters simultaneously, and to measure their choice of TVOCs (Total Volatile Organic Compounds), particulates, air velocity, differential pressure and specific gases, including but not limited to formaldehyde, O3, CO2, CO, NH3 and Cl2. “Documenting and reporting IAQ, IH, FM, HVAC and other environmental surveys has never been so efficient and reliable,” the company said, adding that the AdvancedSense
Pro “takes mobile computing to a whole new level for measurement and reporting”. The new features of the redesigned product, as per the communiqué, include a built-in camera, which can be used to add photos to printed reports and embed videos in digital reports, as well as WolfMail, which sends data files (with attached notes) direct to clients from the unit. Its hardware, meanwhile, includes embedded computer/circuitry with an 800MHz processor speed, which is three times faster than the original model, a 32GB memory and a 3.5-inch touch-screen display that can show as many as 11 readings simultaneously before cycling the display.
Quantum hD unity system controller Johnson Controls inc
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escribing the Quantum Unity HD as a reliable system controller for Cold Storage or similar refrigeration processes, Johnson Controls said that its product unifies multiple controllers into one display, allowing the user to quickly and easily navigate from Evaporator control to Condenser/Vessel control. The Quantum HD Unity system controller, Johnson Controls adeds, is an energy management solution that incorporates best refrigeration control practices with proven software and hardware.
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