CCME March 2016 by Climate Control Middle East

COUNTRY REPORT: ITALY EU member state remains upbeat despite uncertain global economic conditions

MARCH 2016

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COUNTRY REPORT: ITALY EU member state remains upbeat despite uncertain global economic conditions

MARCH 2016

EDITORIAL CAMPAIGN: IEQ IN HOSPITALITY

WANTED: ROBOTS

Dur Hospitality updates its cooling systems, as it targets energy savings and optimum guest experience

Employing robotics may be the answer to effective air duct cleaning

WHERE ARE WE ON

VRF? Once wary, the Gulf market appears to be warming to VRF systems. What could be driving the change in perception?

HEADLINES

INTERVIEW:

UAE DC sector to grow by 18% in five years – Emicool

RYOUJI SANOU, DAIKIN

World Energy Council releases report on unconventional gas

ASHRAE offers new course on VRF systems

‘We invented VRV, but we believe that having more competition means more marketing for the system’

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contents VOL. 11 NO. 3  MARCH 2016

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10 COVER STORY

GAINING FAVOUR VRF systems – previously regarded with caution – are gaining wider acceptance among stakeholders in the region. What is driving the change in perception? And what does it mean for HVAC manufacturers looking to extend their reach in the Middle East market?

Q&A

EDITORIAL CAMPAIGN

‘The refrigerant is never the priority of people buying air conditioners’

‘Natural refrigerants have the advantage of being available cheaply and at short notice in unlimited quantities’

Ryouji Sanou, of Daikin Middle East and Africa, talks refrigerants, VRF systems, oil prices and energyefficiency requirements, among other topics.

Sigurd Schiller, of eurammon and Johnson Controls Systems & Service, explains why he believes natural refrigerants should be the first choice for air conditioning.

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IEQ IN

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HOSPITALITY page

24 ‘Energy conservation and upfront costs are always critical discussions when it comes to system selection’ Denis Sorin and Aamir Riaz, of Dur Hospitality, talk about how their Saudi Arabia-based company is able to achieve energy-efficiency targets while maintaining the comfort of its guests.

CASE-IN POINT

Towards a healthier IEQ page

Hospital Břeclav in the Czech Republic claims to have lowered its environmental impact with the use of a low-GWP, air-cooled chiller.

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PROCESS

Staying afloat

#ClimateChange action starts w/ electing leaders who'll make brave & vital changes needed to save our planet. Visit http:// www.lcv.org/act/

Process cooling players in the region, while feeling the effects of ebbing oil prices and turbulent global economic conditions, are optimistic of their ability to ride out the storm.

COOLING REPORT

Leonardo DiCaprio @LeoDiCaprio

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PERSPECTIVE Robotics to the rescue For optimal air duct cleaning, Steven Scanlan recommends employing robotics over manual cleaning.

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MARKET REPORT

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Getting HVAC smart

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COUNTRY REPORT Do as the Romans do With Italy’s HVAC sector setting its focus on trends and innovations, is there anything the GCC region can learn from its European counterpart?

History

With the Internet of Things expected to grow into a USD 19-trillion global business by 2025, industry leaders share their assessment of how involved the Middle East HVAC sector is in the IoT conversation.

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Jacob Fussell

REPORT

(Father of the American ice cream industry)

The time is now! Read it before it melts!

Experts, saying that there’s no better time than the present to act, highlighted IoT and climate change at the Emirates Energy Efficiency Summit.

From its start as a frozen dessert made in ice pots to its mass production in factories, ice cream has had a delectable journey.

REGULARS page

LICENCE TO CHILL Oil analysis – a diagnostic tool Initiating a series on NonDestructive Testing, Dan Mizesko delves into the topic of oil analysis as part of predictive maintenance.

ED'S NOTE 08 More honour'd in the breach than the observance

NEWS 56 64 65 67

Regional Global Associations & Societies Marketplace

More honour'd in the breach than the observance harles Schwarz, the Chairman of the Middle East Acoustic Engineering Society, points out to how the Municipal governments of Dubai and Abu Dhabi have adopted regulations relating to minimum standards for acoustics in buildings used for educational purposes. In the same breath, he says that the regulations are “more honoured in the breach than the observance” – to borrow a Shakespearean epithet. “School developers and architects,” he says, “do not follow them, either because they are unaware of their responsibilities to ensure the code is adhered to, or they are aware, but disturbingly, decide to take their chances that the local authorities will not check that the appropriate studies have been included in the design process, and so choose to save time and money by ‘value engineering’ this step out of the project.” The same situation is being played out in the realm of fire safety management. The UAE Fire and Life Safety Code of Practice, for instance, came out in 2011, but many in the inventory of existing buildings went up prior to, or much prior to, the code. In this context, there is no telling the smoke-migration characteristics of a building in the event of a fire, if the dampers had not been properly maintained. The chances are that the older the buildings, the less likely they will meet the requirements, simply because of a lack of a culture of self-regulation among building owners, generally speaking. In view of the fact, the need of the hour is a fire safety audit that is undertaken on a periodic basis to ensure continuous compliance of the standard of fire-suppression systems, among other aspects. The condition of the systems and their performance would be recorded for review by all the relevant authorities, including the Civil Defence, and also those officers responsible for renewing trade licences. That way, the building owners that traditionally disregard fire safety regulations would be compelled to pay careful attention to safety measures and regularly upgrade and maintain the equipment in their premises.

C B Surendar Editor @BSurendar_HVACR

country report: ItALy EU member state remains upbeat despite uncertain global economic conditions

MARCH 2016

EDITORIAL CAMPAIGN: IEQ IN HOSPITALITY

WANTED: ROBOTS

Dur Hospitality updates its cooling systems, as it targets energy savings and optimum guest experience

Employing robotics may be the answer to effective air duct cleaning

where are we on

VRF? Once wary, the Gulf market appears to be warming to VRF systems. What could be driving the change in perception?

HEADLINES

INTERVIEW:

UAE DC sector to grow by 18% in five years – Emicool

RYOUJI SANOU, DAIKIN

World Energy Council releases report on unconventional gas

Get the next issue of Climate Control Middle East early!

ASHRAE offers new course on VRF systems

‘We invented VRV, but we believe that having more competition means more marketing for the system’

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COVER STORY

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COVER STORY

The UAE is not a benchmark for VRFs yet. A change in perception is needed Moan Abraham

Dharmesh Sawant

Zakir Ahmed

Syed Jafar Imam

George Berbari

eorge Berbari, CEO of DC PRO Engineering, in 2015 reprimanded the Variable Refrigerant Flow (VRF) industry for not doing enough to build confidence in the technology. He was voicing his opinion at the 3rd Annual Middle East Variable Refrigerants Flow Conference, produced by CPI Industry, publishers of Climate Control Middle East magazine. This definitely ruffled a few feathers at the conference, especially of those from the VRF fraternity. Berbari’s complaint was particularly about the lack of availability of operational data when it came to VRF systems. To this, Toshiba, one of the manufacturers, represented by AHI Carrier, responded by coming back with realtime operational data. Moan Abraham, General Manager (AirConditioners), Hisense Middle East, too, defending the sector, remarked at the conference: “I think most of the VRF manufacturers have IT-based control systems, which are very up-to-date. And they have software to record the data on a real-time basis.” Despite Berbari’s reservations, the fact of the matter is, the VRF market is worth approximately USD 10 billion, globally. In the Middle East, several consultants and building owners are turning towards VRF technology due to its purported attributes like flexibility, energy efficiency and a compact footprint, due to its

modularity, among others. On their part, HVAC manufacturers in the region have intensified their drive to promote VRFs, highlighting the same attributes. “The next big thing is VRF,” Abraham claims. “Today, there are pockets of it [VRF systems] in Japan, Korea and China. We have got a very good channel, business-wise [in the UAE].” He acknowledges that the UAE is not a benchmark for VRFs yet, and that a change in perception is needed. Geunwoo Park, General Manager at LG Electronics, says, “New developers, like IGO and Diamond Developers, who want to promote real estate value, prefer to go from one-to-one systems to more organised systems like VRFs.” He, however, believes that there was a 10-15% increase in sales in 2015, and that this year they expect it to be 5-10%. Speaking specifically about the GCC market, Dharmesh Sawant says: “Now, there is very good awareness on VRF systems among consultants. Earlier, only LG, Mitsubishi and Daikin were talking about VRF systems; now, more players are talking.” Sawant, Senior Manager - B2B AC at LG Electronics, believes that in terms of total costs – installation, cost of the unit, and the like – VRFs are 5-10% more expensive than ductedsplits. However, he believes that there are OPEX advantages on using VRFs. Park adds to this by saying that earlier, VRFs were considered ideal only for villas, but now, they are used even in apartments.

The bone of contention

So wherein lies the real issue, one might ask. Abraham thinks that some people have accepted VRFs and some have not. The problem, he says, is that consultants are earning less money from VRFs than they would from chilled water (CHW) systems. He explains: “Awareness

COVER STORY

is there, acceptance is there but the issue is affordability. It is not a low-hanging fruit. Manufacturers of VRFs need to make it affordable, else the market size for VRFs will remain small.” Another issue in the GCC region is the lack of skilled installers. “How are installers in Turkey able to install VRFs from the back of their trucks?” asks Abraham, and answers: “Such is their skills sets. Those guys are not engineers; they were split [system] installers. Today, they are VRF installers. So, GCC [region] needs better installers.”

With the coming of VRFs, CHW systems have seen an erosion of market share

Quotes to note “In Japan, where it was invented around 35 years ago, we have already come so far in achieving energy efficiency through the use of inverter systems. So inverter systems, as well as the focus on part-load performance, will definitely spread to more markets. “The more that people become aware of the benefits of the VRF system, the more they use it. And the benefits are for the user, particularly in terms of comfort. Indoor temperature is stable and always close to the set-point – and power is used only when needed. So you have the perfect comfort with the lowest possible cost of energy, with the flexibility of installation in buildings.” Ryouji Sanou, President of Daikin Middle East and Africa, when Climate Control Middle East asked him about the factors behind the growing interest in VRF technology “As for its [VRFs] link to 2020, I think that VRF is going to become a very important technology, and will be incorporated into the entire Expo 2020 infrastructure.” Vir S Advani, Executive Director at Blue Star, when Climate Control Middle East asked him about VRFs vis-à-vis EXPO 2020 “Market trends around the world are driving VRF. In North African countries, VRF makes up majority of the HVAC market. The same is true in Turkey, Iran and Pakistan. In India, VRF is also a big deal, and in the GCC [region], 10-15% of the market is now being specified as VRF. So VRF is no longer a choice but a necessity for every single HVAC company. They all have to embrace VRF; otherwise, they could easily be out of the market in the coming five years.” Fady Nassar, Director of Unitary Business at SKM Air Conditioning, when Climate Control Middle East spoke with him during a seminar his company organised in January

Industry expert, Zakir Ahmed, Managing Director at NIA Limited, says that the development of VRF is reaching its pinnacle, and adds: “There is nothing more VRF can improvise upon. It is energy saving. AHRI has clearly said VRF gives 35% more energy efficiency compared to one-to-one systems. The next level of VRF is about flexibility and absolute control by zones – the combination of zonal control and the benefit of using partload.” Ahmed thinks that there exists a direct conflict for market share between CHW systems and VRFs. “With the coming of VRFs, CHW systems have seen an erosion of market share, and chiller manufacturers have seen businesses moving away in Japan and other mature markets,” he points out. “So CHW players clearly recognised the strategic advantages of zone control and 35% more energy efficiency.”

The next step

Syed Jafar Imam, Senior Regional Manager - RLC (Middle East and Africa), at AHI Carrier, believes that, as manufacturers, they no longer need to defend VRF systems anymore, as their worth has already been established. “We need to focus more on how VRF systems can be incorporated in various systems,” he stresses. Pointing to another marketing strategy manufacturers could adopt, he adds that it would be a good idea to get endorsements from developers implementing VRF systems, through presentations.

HAVE YOUR SAY!

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

Q&A

VRF TECHNOLOGY

‘VARIABLE SPEED IS THE FUTURE OF AIR CONDITIONING’ Ryouji Sanou, President of Daikin Middle East and Africa, sits down with Fatima de la Cerna of Climate Control Middle East to discuss his company’s performance in 2015 and the growing interest in VRF technology in the region. He also shares his insights on the climate action plan the UAE has submitted to the United Nations for COP21 and the continued search for alternative refrigerants for high-ambient countries.

ow would you assess Daikin’s performance in the Middle East market in 2015? Was it affected by the drop in oil prices?

We entered the market here a bit later than our competitors, which is why we are well focused on improving our internal structure and furthering our market penetration. But compared to 2014, our sales in 2015 did register an almost double-digit growth. While we can’t really say that the situation with the oil prices has had an impact on our growth, we are noticing project delays as well as experiencing a market with low cash flow. Also, the project cycle is quite long, so the true impact on the industry will take time to become apparent. But we are taking measures to avoid surprises. For example, we are tracking payments more closely and carefully looking at what projects to pursue, what areas to prioritise. And the problem is not limited to the oil prices. There’s also the political situation in Iraq, Syria and some African countries. But we are still in a strong position in the UAE, which is one of our priority markets in the region. There is a lot of infrastructure planning being done because of the coming Expo 2020 and quite a good number of residential projects are in the works. Other markets we’re focusing on – and they are markets we believe won’t be as affected by the oil-price situation as the rest – are Qatar and Kuwait. In Qatar, we anticipate growth in the mega projects segment because of the [2022] FIFA World Cup. In fact, we are already involved in a big project. We are supplying a stadium with a 3,000 TR chiller system, along with fan coils.

What can we expect from Daikin in 2016? We’re going to use more inverter technology in our products, and the focus will be on real efficiency, not just full-load efficiency. We maintain a constant link between product development and the market. Just to give you an example, in 2015 we introduced to the GCC [region] around 15 new products. There’s always a new product that we intend to put on the market. We’ve also opened our Technology and Innovation Centre (TIC) in Japan. It’s a big institution that approaches R&D from a different perspective by having universities, academics and other industries working together to reach even higher levels in energy efficiency and thermal comfort. A lot of investment and efforts are being done in that direction.

The industry appears to be anticipating an increase in demand for VRF technology, with more manufacturers including VRF systems in their product line-up for the Middle East. How do you see this trend affecting your market position? We welcome the idea of having more manufacturers developing and producing VRF – or, as we call it, VRV – systems. We were the first in the world to invent VRV, but we believe that having more competition means more marketing for the system. More marketing will mean greater awareness, and a more aware market will be more receptive to the product. When the market is more receptive, we will have a bigger chance at getting to the projects.

What would you say are the factors behind the growing interest in the region in VRF technology? In Japan, where it was invented around 35 years ago, we have already come so far in achieving energy efficiency through the use of inverter systems. So inverter systems, as well as the focus on part-load performance, will definitely spread to more markets. The more that people become aware of the benefits of the VRV system, the more they use it. And the benefits are for the user, particularly in terms of comfort. Indoor temperature is stable and always close to the set-point – and power is used only when needed. So you have the perfect comfort with the lowest possible cost of energy, with the flexibility of installation in buildings.

The initial cost of VRF is generally higher than that of other cooling solutions, which can be a challenge in a market that is largely CAPEXoriented. Is there any possibility of Daikin and other manufacturers eventually lowering the cost of VRF? Speaking only for Daikin, we are about developing technology and maintaining product quality, and that’s why we are not considering reducing our prices. Also, expensive is a relative term. On a landed-cost or installed-cost basis, for example, if you compare VRV with a chiller system, the costs could be equivalent, but over the operation, the payback [for VRV] could come quicker. So, it’s all about the total cost of ownership. VRV has one of the lowest, and the price of the product itself is comparative to those of other systems.

We were the first in the world to invent VRV, but we believe that having more competition means more marketing for the system How suitable are VRF systems for retrofitting projects? Compared to what were available 10 years ago, products today are more energy-efficient and offer bigger savings, and that is what we are trying to show clients and end-users. We are definitely looking into the retrofit market. The opportunity here is to come with a full system that’s high in energy efficiency and easy to install on existing buildings – you won’t need big piping. The installation could definitely be done much easier, and VRV has been considered in many projects, like in Dubai government buildings, to replace old rooftop and ducted split units.

What type of construction or development project would benefit the most from VRF technology? Schools would, for one, because in a school you don’t have the rooms operating all day, every day. To give you an example: A school may have a section used by the teachers while the students are not there, which means you only need to run one part of the building, not the full building. In that scenario, if you use VRV, you will only be consuming energy enough to run that part of the building. You don’t have to run the whole place just so a few zones are cooled. Hotels, too. They have different occupancy rates, meaning you don’t have to run your full system for the entire hotel if the occupancy rate is not at 100%. It’s about looking at the use of the application, at the building load. The benefit doesn’t only come from the fact that it’s a VRV system. It also comes from the fact that you are moving from an air conditioner that can only do on and off – it runs, stops, runs and stops again – to one that continuously

changes its speed to adapt to the demand. That is why inverter – having started in VRV systems – is now coming into wall-mounted units, into ducted splits and into chillers, as well. Variable speed is the future of air conditioning.

How about affordable housing? How cost-effective would VRF systems be as a solution for affordable housing projects? Affordable housing is a relative term. More importantly, in this part of the world, effective cooling is what’s required in homes, whether affordable or not. It’s a basic requirement here, and not a luxury, so when considering VRV, of course, one doesn’t start by looking at the cost but at its suitability. We don’t propose VRV every time. We have a very good line-up of wall-mounted, ducted splits, rooftops and chillers. As for the difference in cost, it’s the same case with anything you buy. When you go to a shop, you don’t go to buy the lowestpriced item. You probably have some connection with an item or you’re looking for something specific. It’s the same thing in air conditioning. And what we’ve observed is that people, after using VRV or inverter technology in cooling, they cannot go back to conventional systems because they’ve seen the benefits. It’s not just about energy efficiency and the cost; the comfort level is higher. Furthermore, units today have functions and features that make them suitable for those in need of affordable cooling. Our new ‘Intelligent Eye’, for example. If no one is in the room, the set-point automatically goes higher, which means the unit does not consume the same amount of energy as it would if people were in the room. CAPEX will always be a consideration, but we feel our clients are more interested in how much

Q&A

VRF TECHNOLOGY

There is no perfect option, because there is no perfect refrigerant a system is going to cost them over a long period. And there are other aspects that come into play, as well. There’s flexibility, like I said, and zoning, but again, we don’t go and propose VRV systems to everyone. We see what the problem or requirement is, and work with the consultant to identify what is the best solution, and VRV could be one of them. It’s not the only one all the time.

The UAE, as indicated in the INDCs (Intended Nationally Determined Contributions) it submitted for COP21, has expressed its commitment to applying stringent energy-efficiency regulations for appliances like air conditioning units. In fact, ESMA introduced new standards back in November. What is Daikin’s position on the UAE’s move towards stricter standards? In your opinion, is the HVAC industry ready to comply?

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Senator Ted Cruz @SenTedCruz

Daikin is recognised as a top global brand, because we produce both the products and the refrigerants, and because we are able to comply with energy-efficiency regulations. We also make it a point to introduce products that suit the region’s high-ambient conditions. It’s part of our strategy to have early compliance with the new regulations. We recently released an announcement of all our products that are compliant with ESMA. However, we see many regulations being proposed and passed, and we are taking efforts to try and unify these regulations, even if just in the UAE. We think it will benefit all stakeholders to have only one set of regulations to meet, instead of having several. With regard to the industry and whether or not it’s ready – well, compliance will certainly be a challenge, because you have energy-efficiency requirements on one hand and refrigerant changes on the other. But we believe these regulations are following global trends, and that the HVAC industry in this part of the world is mature

enough to follow regulations and meet energy-performance levels. However, there’s a lack of awareness, especially among consultants and contractors, of these new regulations. This results in a delay between the time the regulation is legislated and the time it is implemented or adopted. This is very important to those who do try to comply, because lack of awareness means non-compliance, which means two different products on the market – the compliant and the non-compliant. But we have heard that market surveillance is now being carried out to track the products being sold, to make sure that they are meeting set regulations.

The UAE makes no mention of refrigerants in its INDCs, but other countries like Japan do. Do you see the government in the UAE, and in the other Middle East nations, eventually establishing a definitive position on refrigerants? Japan has been addressing the issue of refrigerants for several years now. It is basically leading the market, with other countries following it. As for the governments here in the Middle East, they are very much aware of the situation, of global warming, climate change and the depletion of the ozone layer. Right now, they are complying with the Montreal Protocol, but at the same time, they are looking at alternatives that are suitable for the region. They don’t want to go quickly with an alternative before really making sure that they are stepping in the right direction, with a product that can meet local ambient conditions.

There have been a number of conferences and discussions on refrigerants for high-ambient countries, but so far, no consensus has been reached among manufacturers. Why do you think that is the case? It’s true that to an external observer of those meetings, it would seem that many options are always being discussed. But

it’s important to note that there is no perfect option, because there is no perfect refrigerant. A compromise must be made, so we look at economic and efficiency factors, as well as safety, of course. Having said that, I think it’s also important to understand that in those meetings, the options get narrowed down, even though there might not be one single option in the end. Also, all those conferences focus on tests that compare the different options available. At the AHR Expo held recently in Florida, for instance, in one of the main sideevents, a comparison was made on the performance of the different refrigerants that are suggested to local manufacturers today, which have been narrowed down to HFOs, R32 and R290. A lot of tests are happening, comparing those alternatives to models using R42 and R410A, with the aim of finding the best one to use for the future. Everything’s still in the research phase, but in the advanced stages.

come in. It can be one of the answers to the search for low-GWP refrigerants.

Some experts are saying that if we really want to be successful in our efforts against climate change and global warming, we ought to look at natural refrigerants. What is Daikin’s position on natural refrigerants? As I mentioned, the options are being narrowed down, and CO2 was actually among the first options evaluated. It did not, however, meet the criteria for daily residential and commercial use. In terms

of emissions, yes, it’s perfect since it’s a natural refrigerant. It sets the benchmark, but in terms of energy efficiency and pressure values needed to develop an optimum machine that end-users can afford to buy, it would not be an ideal choice.

HAVE YOUR SAY!

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

Speaking of R32, last year, you launched the region’s first R32 system. Could you describe the response that it has, so far, received from the market? It would be difficult to make an assessment after only a few months, because switching to a new refrigerant takes time. It would be very difficult to make a sudden change. And there’s still the need to educate the market. Moreover, the refrigerant is never the priority of people buying air conditioners. They first look at energy efficiency and other benefits. Our product is a combination of the refrigerant, R32, and inverter technology. It is so efficient that it is being considered in many projects that aim to reduce overall consumption in large sectors. The reaction to the refrigerant itself, however, is something we can’t comment on, because no one regards it as the highlight of your product. The highlight is the consumption versus the cooling output. But then again, with the COP21 agreement and ozone-depleting substances already being controlled, we believe that more attention will be paid to the global warming potential (GWP) of refrigerants and a strong move will be made to limit the use of those with high GWP. As we heard in the last Montreal Protocol Meeting of the Parties held in Dubai last year, HFCs could be included in the list of substances to be limited in terms of emissions. That’s where R32 can

Q&A

NATURAL REFRIGERANTS

NATURAL REFRIGERANTS â&#x20AC;&#x201C; FIRST CHOICE FOR AIR CONDITIONING Air conditioning is no longer a topic of interest only for countries further south. Rising standards of living has resulted in a growing demand for comfort cooling in living and working spaces even across moderate climatic zones. The increasing need for energy also puts more focus on climate-friendly alternatives. Sigurd Schiller, eurammon member and Sales Manager for HVAC Germany South at Johnson Controls Systems & Service, explains the advantages of using natural refrigerants for air conditioning systems and comments on future market potential.

here is a growing trend to use natural refrigerants, such as ammonia or hydrocarbons for air conditioning. Which specific properties of these substances make them attractive for use in air conditioning systems?

On the one hand, natural refrigerants have the advantage of being available cheaply and at short notice in unlimited quantities, while covering many refrigeration applications. Natural refrigerants are also environmentally friendly and stand out because they are highly energy efficient and have no or only a very low direct global warming potential. Moreover, they do not come under the European Unionâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s F-Gases Regulation and should, therefore, be the first choice for customers. Decades of experience has already been gained in handling and using these substances in many industrial applications. This experience and knowledge now needs to be transferred to the air conditioning sector.

there are efforts to look into the possibilities for using natural refrigerants in combination with alternative refrigeration and heat pump systems 22

There is also currently discussion about using natural refrigerants for mobile air conditioning. What potential do you see here? By August 2015 in Germany alone, there were around 460,000 cars with the controversial refrigerant 1234yf used in their air conditioning system, registered. In the context of the further development of electro mobility, there are efforts to look into the possibilities for using natural refrigerants in combination with alternative refrigeration and heat pump systems. Natural refrigerants already offer great potential for mobile air conditioning, but just at the moment, still higher initial investment cost continues being a drawback.

Shorter payback periods are often an argument in favour of systems using natural refrigerants with their energy-efficient operation. Even so, some operators are still put off by the frequently higher initial outlay. Which measures do you think are necessary to make natural refrigerants more attractive for air conditioning systems? The first step involved in enhancing the appeal of natural refrigerants in air conditioning systems consists of reducing the system costs by standardising products and installation conditions, for example. At the same time, a change of approach is needed. Environmental awareness and sustainability must be given greater priority and importance in society at large and in the economy. Switzerland gives a positive example with its significantly stricter F-gases legislation that has driven the trend towards natural refrigerants. CPI Industry accepts no liability for the views or opinions expressed in this interview, or for the consequences of any actions taken on the basis of the information provided here.

IEQ IN HOSPITALITY A Climate Control Middle East EDITORIAL CAMPAIGN

IEQ in

hospitality Interview

A WINNING APPROACH

Can the hospitality industry achieve energy savings without compromising on guest experience? Saying that it’s doable, Denis Sorin and Aamir Riaz of Dur Hospitality share details of how their Saudi Arabia-based company has taken initiatives to meet the twin targets. By Fatima de la Cerna | Assistant Editor

Going behind the scenes…

With Denis Sorin, President of Hotel Operations, Dur Hospitality

hat is the position of Dur Hospitality on the issue of Indoor Environmental Quality? (IEQ) How does it ensure a good and comfortable indoor environment for its guests? Our brands are working hard on IEQ, particularly in the area of soundproofing. We are keen on ensuring that our guests are not disturbed by guests next door or by someone working, or even shouting in the corridor. For instance, in developing our standards for Makarem, which is one of our brands, we paid close attention to the DB (decibel) levels in certain areas, like at the

bed’s headboard and the bathroom near the door, because we understand that when you sleep or when you are in your bed, reading, you don’t want to be disturbed by what’s going on next door. We also pay attention to air conditioning. If you look at the air conditioning systems in most hotels today, you’ll notice that you need to be a scientist to understand how to make them work. Sometimes, you don’t know how to switch the unit off or how to change the temperature. We are looking at the people and the companies we are working with to ensure that the systems are simple to operate and that they work. So we are working on every aspect of the indoor environment and the guest experience to make sure that guests enjoy themselves. For me, a good hotel is one that makes you forget that you are staying at a hotel. It should not be what complicates your life but what simplifies it.

Discerning homeowners are happy to invest in architectural upgrades to enhance the look of their home. They’re also ready to invest in an HVAC upgrade, once they’re aware of the comfort advantages made possible with Emerson’s Copeland Scroll™ modulating technologies. Whether it’s the more affordable UltraTech™ two-step or the state-of-the-art, variable speed scroll, Emerson enables consistent comfort and humidity control, along with the energy savings that comes from high efficiency. And even the most sophisticated systems are easier than ever to install and maintain.

IEQ in

hospitality Interview

How do you keep your facilities maintained? Do you have an in-house facilities management team?

You mentioned standards earlier. Could you elaborate on the kind of standards that you are using or adopting? We are reviewing different standards. When you’re developing a new brand or adapting a brand to a new market or a new market request, you have to understand exactly what guests need. We have been conducting surveys to understand what the guests of today expect and what the guests of tomorrow will expect to find in their rooms. For instance, until recently, the standards of hotel brands were primarily concerned about the colour of the walls, the type of marble on the floor and other similar elements. Of course, those are important. They set you apart from other brands which may be offering the same quality of service. But we have to go further. Guests are expecting a lot more today, particularly in terms of technology. And technology is not only about having proper Wi-Fi connection, but it’s also about, as I’ve mentioned, simplifying the guest’s stay. For instance, while guests do want to be able to connect to Wi-Fi easily, they also need to be able to – again, easily – address their cooling requirements and get their preferred water temperature; some like hot water in the shower, while some like cold water.

Since we’re on the topic of technology, could you share with us how you utilise building management systems to improve operations in your hotels? How important is BMS

in your hotels? It’s very important. There are two different ways of implementing a building management system. There’s the basic way, which is just checking the temperature and basic elements like that. The other way is going into details and checking, for instance, every single air vent in the room, both when the guest is inside and when the guest is not in the room, in order to fully understand what’s going on in the room. This is because, depending on where the room is located

Depending on where the room is located in the hotel, the conditions change, and BMS allows us to understand the differences between rooms and be able to adapt solutions to the needs of each room in the hotel, the conditions change, and BMS allows us to understand the differences between rooms and be able to adapt solutions to the needs of each room.

Yes, we do. We are working with professionals with experience gained from working for different [hotel] chains. When you have varied experience, you are exposed to different ideas, and you are able to put together all those ideas and come up with better ones. Our team is very much dedicated to understanding and satisfying the needs of our guests. They spend their day going through our hotels; seeing where we are weak, where we are strong, what we can do to be better and identifying ways we can save money, because there’s a high cost related to air conditioning and there’s a high cost related to water consumption. One project we are working on in our properties is recycling water by using grey water in the toilets. Why do we use clean, drinkable water to fill the toilet tank when we have grey water? Air conditioning systems produce wastewater through condensation. We’ve found a system that allows us to reuse the water of the air conditioning system in our toilet tank. It’s a way to provide the service that guests want, while behind the scenes, we save a lot of money. The guest should not be made aware of whatever problems or issues we may have, including efforts to reduce energy consumption. Like I said, when you go to a hotel as a guest, you have your own life. The operations of the hotel should not be your problem. What we do is look at the way things are done. We look at how hotels are organised and operated, because when you build hotels from the ground, it’s quite easy to be energy efficient, to be water efficient. It’s much more complicated when you are working on an existing building. We’ve been surveying all the older buildings that we have, and evaluating how we can make them more efficient. And we’ve actually found a lot of things that can be done – simple things like low compared to the savings that you’ll be making.

POSITIVE EXP

Castel has been manufacturEXPRESSION ing industrial refrigeration and air-conditioning components that are sold over the world for over 50 years. The sound and efficient production organization and valorization of human resources are the key elements of its success, two features that are shared by other world-class Italian companies. A mix of both local and global attitude has allowed Castel to retain the DNA of a family business and fully Italian ownership also in the context of strong international expansion. Castel, an unexpected made-in-Italy successful story.

www.castel.it 27

IEQ in

hospitality Interview

Getting technical… With Aamir Riaz, Corporate Director of Maintenance, Dur Hospitality

hat kind of cooling systems does Dur Hospitality use in its hotels? And what were the factors taken into account when the selections were made? We have both air-cooled and water-cooled chiller systems in Dur properties. Energy conservation and upfront costs are always critical discussions in any project when it comes to system selection. In some projects, initial costs can outweigh lifecycle and operating costs. And initial costs of chillers can vary, since there are multiple factors involved other than the size. In general, scroll chillers are the most expensive type of chillers. Centrifugal chillers, meanwhile, are the most cost-effective option, but they are not available in all tonnages. When screw and centrifugal compressors are both available options, based on the capacity, screw compressors are typically 10% to 15% more expensive. Similarly, air-cooled chillers tend to be more expensive than same-sized watercooled chillers – at least if we strictly compare only the initial costs. When evaluating the total installed cost of an air-cooled system against that of a water-cooled system, however, the investment required for the latter is bigger because of all the components it requires to be operational. An aircooled system only requires chillers and chilled-water pumps, whereas, a watercooled system requires chillers, chilledwater pumps, condenser water pumps and cooling towers to be fully functional and energy efficient. The area, building design and available resources are also factored into our selection criteria. System

During the peak of summer, we experience high condensing pressures in chillers, resulting in reduced efficiency operation is linked to groundwork for selection; hence, selecting the right product will help minimise future maintenance troubles.

Having already covered the issue of costs, could you assess the performance of the different cooling systems you’re using? How are they in terms of energy efficiency? How about in maintaining good Indoor Air Quality and thermal comfort? Based on studies and experience, water-cooled systems are more energy efficient. They not only reduce operating costs and provide clear financial benefits but also help protect building owners and operators from uncertainties in electricity pricing. When selecting a cooling system, make sure to conduct an energy analysis to see which system is best for your application. Air-cooled chillers operate on the concept of using air to reject the building’s heat, which approaches the outdoor ambient dry-bulb temperature. Consequently, air-cooled chillers must raise the refrigerant temperature and pressure to a higher condition and, therefore, require more energy than water-cooled chillers to provide the same amount of cooling. Despite this, air-cooled chillers offer the advantage of a packaged system

with a single source of responsibility. Design and installation time is also reduced due to less equipment being involved – there is no requirement for cooling towers and associated freezing issues; consumption of make-up water and chemical treatment or condenser water pumps. Air-cooled chillers use scroll compressors up to 200 TR and use screw compressors above 200 TR of capacity. Water-cooled chillers, meanwhile, operate by using water to reject the building’s heat, which approaches the outdoor ambient wet-bulb temperature. Because wet-bulb is typically lower than dry-bulb temperature, the condensing temperature is also lower, meaning less work is required from the compressor to raise the refrigerant temperature and pressure. Although the water-cooled system’s energy requirement may be less than that of a comparable air-cooled chiller, one must still evaluate all the costs of the chiller system, including – as I’ve mentioned – the costs of components like cooling towers and condenser water pumps. The smallest water-cooled chillers (up to 200 TR) begin with multiple scroll compressors; those from 200 to 500 TR use screw compressors; and those above 500 TR mainly use centrifugal compressors. Water-cooled chillers typically last much longer than air-cooled chillers due to the location of the chiller (inside the building) and lower operating pressures owing to the use of water as a condensing fluid. With regard to maintaining good Indoor Air Quality and thermal comfort, what’s really important is adopting a good preventive maintenance programme, as is following manufacturer-specified operating guidelines.

In few Dur properties, some HVAC systems were old hat – they were obsolete and not environment friendly What kind of maintenance does your department carry out to make sure Dur Hospitality’s HVAC systems perform at an optimum level? How often do you carry out inspections and what do you check when performing said inspections? Checking refrigerant temperature and pressure and cleaning electrical components and condensers are the key elements to achieving optimum system performance. They are scheduled – based on running hours – daily, weekly, bi-weekly, monthly, quarterly, bi-annually and annually. I strongly recommend system periodic maintenance by authorised service dealers. Of course, daily routine maintenance, which can be done by an in-house team, is essential.

What are the common problems and challenges you encounter when maintaining HVAC systems in hotels? During the peak of summer, we experience high condensing pressures in chillers, resulting in reduced efficiency. Also during summer, consumption of make-up water tends to be excessive, and there’s a need for frequent servicing of condensing coils due to sand and dust storms.

I understand that Dur Hospitality has been working on replacing old air conditioning equipment. What

systems have you replaced and what replacements have you installed? In few Dur properties, some HVAC systems were old hat – they were obsolete and not environment friendly, that is, they ran on Freon R11 and R22. And because they were not performing up to the required level, we lost on our targeted revenue. So, considering the environment and the thermal comfort of our guests, we invested SAR 8 million on HVAC to replace old systems with the newest and latest chillers, which are energy efficient and environment friendly. We floated and diversified the tender to arrange site surveys for vendors and gather expert opinion, as a way of preparing for groundwork and implementation. As I mentioned earlier, the area, building design and available resources are factored into our selection criteria; hence, we selected a complete package of air-cooled chillers with the latest technology. I am confident that upon the completion of the project, the new systems will cover the thermal comfort requirements of our buildings and will generate a handsome revenue.

HAVE YOUR SAY!

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

“Human beings are driven by economic needs; if we have education, awareness and tolerance, and if poverty is eliminated, we will have true sustainability. After all, sustainability is about not only the environment but also future development. I’d like to see my kids grow up in a world where there is more understanding than conflict. So, in a nutshell, my aspiration is for us to live in a better world, Insha Allah.” - Dr Eng Waddah Ghanem, Executive Director, EHSSQ & Corporate Affairs, ENOC

ADVERTORIAL (Copy for this advertising feature provided by the company)

DESIGNED TO BUILD TTE, a part of UAE-headquartered Easa Saleh Al Gurg Group (ESAG), counts high-profile government entities among its customers and clientele. Established in 1951, it became part of the ESAG group in 1971, and currently has 460 employees. The company's activities are spread across three verticals – MEP projects, FM and trading. Arvind Kumar Bhatnagar, General Manager at TTE, speaks of the challenges facing the design & build sector, and how the company has consistently striven to rise above them to redefine quality.

he absence of an interconnected, collaborative effort among the multiple stakeholders during the design and construction phases is often cited as a reason for poor energy performance of buildings and for abysmal Indoor Environmental Quality (IEQ) standards. As design & build MEP contractor, do you find yourself uniquely able to offer a cohesive technical solution towards achieving efficiency and healthy builtenvironments? A very moot point, indeed, and I agree efficiency suffers due to lack of such collaborative effort. We have found that a designer’s interest wanes in the following order – architectural aspects, interior layouts and lower MEP costs to fit those designs. Also, MEP is afraid to voice concerns to clients on the design aspects for fear of upsetting the entire customer chain, as MEP is at the bottom of the pile in this industry,

which, in turn, leads to poor efficiency. Control logic, equipment selection (efficiency ratings) and designing with a maintenance outlook are the aspects typically overlooked. We are all aware that in comfort applications, fans use approximately 40% of all electricity in HVAC systems. Despite all the textbooks and handbooks, which describe the proper procedure for selection of fans, practice shows that fans in existing HVAC systems have very low total efficiency. A survey done once showed that average efficiency of fans was between 20 and 30%. Most suppliers will tell you that hardly anyone asks for IE3 and above rated motors. The increase in cost is very minor, but most suppliers in the region select lowerefficiency motors to make their prices attractive. Also, no one asks for impeller design and related aerodynamic losses. If all these factors are considered, we can save up to 50% in energy consumption of fans/motors. Coming to pumps, as contractors, we rarely see efficiency ratings specified.

The construction industry still talks of capacity only for HVAC equipment, be it component or complete equipment. Very rarely will you see a project specifying a horizontal split case pump for chilled water application. You save energy; it’s easy to service without disturbing piping connections. But costs double or more than that compared to a conventional pump, so no contractor will use it unless specified. There are many such factors overlooked in our industry. At TTE, we don’t back-paddle while discussing inherent design flaws with the stakeholders, and ask for brainstorming sessions at the design stage. We have been able to address major issues related to energy efficiency and IEQ in most instances. To achieve better energy efficiencies and IEQ, TTE conducts a holistic study of client needs, and our design keeps in mind the recurring costs of the installed system, rather than the initial costs. Whenever we share this study with our clients, they do listen. What goes in this study is a long list, and I can’t capture all that within the scope of this conversation. FM professionals often bemoan the fact that they are not involved in the pre-design stage of a project, which they say, results in multiple

Arvind Kumar Bhatnagar

FM-related challenges that come to the fore after the building has been handed over to the owner. Considering that you have an FM division at TTE, do you offer turnkey design, build and FM solutions to building owners? And if so, do you involve the FM team from the inception of the project? TTE has both FM and MEP projects divisions under one umbrella, and this offers us a unique perspective. The feedback given by our maintenance team is incorporated into the design and shop drawings of new projects. Our project team sees to it that any service, which calls for frequent preventive maintenance or has high probability of failure during the service, is installed with proper access for maintenance. We even go to the extent of finding

TTE Trading deals with the following products in the UAE: • HVAC – Danfoss, Rothenberger and Etihad Copper Industries • Solar – Kyocera • Security – CCTV (Hyundai), Parking systems (NICE) • Elevators – FUJI HD • Hygiene – Insect O Cutor, JAVA

any special requirement of the FM team of the end-user. This practice is regularly being followed at most DEWA, Empower and Etisalat projects as well as in our in-house projects. How well-trained are your FM professionals to effectively handle specific HVAC equipment, including controls, to extract that much more efficiency from them? Our FM division does only hard services, and since this is all we do, we make sure we are abreast with the latest goings on around the world. Our engineers travel around the world to attend seminars and learn new skills. As for equipment, our teams of technicians and supervisors have been trained with almost all the big HVAC companies. Our teams also attend refresher courses from time to time. At ESAG, we also have an in-house training centre, or learning centre, as we call it. TNA (Training Need Analysis) is a system-driven activity in our group. From chillers to CCUs, and from BMS-related issues to ELV systems, we have tackled critical breakdowns without the supplier’s support. There have been cases where we have restored the systems even before the supplier’s service team could respond. Open-plan offices are the bane of sustainable development initiatives in the region, because they often prevent a building owner’s energy-efficiency and IEQ aspirations from reaching fruition. Buildings are not fitfor-purpose, leading to thermal discomfort, poor IAQ and low energyefficiency. How do you address this as a design & build company? What measures do you take to

The view from the top “Easa Saleh Al Gurg Group (ESAG) has a vast real estate cluster, which requires the proficiency of an expert maintenance company that can service the needs of our tenant portfolio. TTE, with the experience of over 20 years in MEP installations and maintenance, offers the ability to create custom-made solutions for a varied external client base. “The Group’s viewpoint with regard to our service-related entities is to offer long-term solutions that protect the interests of stakeholder businesses and future build strategies. We work in close coordination with facility managements, catering to exclusive industry-based requirements. This has resulted in extensive collaborations with several blue chip clients, including DEWA, FEWA, Empower and Etisalat.” – Abdulla Al Gurg, Group General Manager, Easa Saleh Al Gurg Group LLC

ascertain the usage profile of a building and its occupancy characteristics? A very difficult question. Can you imagine a scenario where an HVAC guy points this out to an interior designer? He will look strangely in your face, as if a patient is instructing the doctor on how to operate. Also, the actual schedule is not known at the design stage. Thermal discomfort is a problem faced by all FM companies. The client always blames the maintenance team, not realising that this is a design defect and cannot be rectified without incurring costs for asset rectification. If we can simulate occupancy and use proper diversity factors, we could get insights

into energy usage and design systems accordingly, by using energy simulation software. We are also in a position to model not only the energy consumption of HVAC and lighting systems but also the water-usage pattern. As a trader of HVAC equipment, what are the challenges confronting TTE in a market that is not entirely free of counterfeit products or of those who under-invoice customers? TTE trades in high-quality components – Danfoss, Rothenberger and Etihad Copper Industries, among others. Due to lack of consumer awareness, such counterfeit

goods are flourishing and affecting companies and society as a whole. The greater challenge is the customers, who knowingly purchase counterfeit goods to have greater margins and, thus, compromise on the value of the product. The challenge also lies in finding such customers and educating them on the product and its application. The manufacturer’s support goes a long way in curbing such practices. Recently, TTE held workshops with the assistance of Danfoss, to educate our distributors, but for end-users, this will remain a challenge. Further, how much are you bothered by misrepresentation of certification of products? Do you feel there is a lack of a level playing field, owing to certain manufacturers or suppliers, who falsely claim certification labels for their products? Such practices seem to be prevalent here making an unlevelled playing field. Misrepresentation is equally affecting consumers and genuine manufacturers. We have come across cases, where some companies have falsely claimed the country of origin and clinched deals over their competitors at a premium price. Some companies even reroute their products through forwarding facilities in Europe to gain an unfair advantage. Companies also claim false performance parameters, which, in practice, cannot be measured at site. If independent (third party) testing/verification are made mandatory based on the parameters mentioned in catalogues, I’m sure many HVAC companies will have to print new catalogues for their products.

CASE-IN POINT

TOWARDS A

HEALTHIER IEQ Hospital B eclav in the Czech Republic lowered its environmental impact with low-GWP Trane air-cooled chiller. We bring you the case study.

The background

Hospital B eclav, located in the Czech Republic, worked with Trane, provider of indoor comfort and process solutions and services, and a brand of Ingersoll Rand, to select a longterm environmental solution for their HVAC system. As a result, leaders at the healthcare facility decided to replace their old system and install a Trane Sintesis air-cooled chiller with R-513A, a next-generation, low global warming potential (GWP) refrigerant.

regulations, and selected the new Trane Sintesis chiller with Chemours Opteon XP10 (R-513A), a non-flammable and non-toxic class A1 refrigerant under ANSI/ ASHRAE Standard. The Trane Sintesis is part of the

and high-efficiency operation. Result: Trane Sintesis chillers used up to 40% less refrigerant than traditional tube/fin and flooded heat exchanger

Conclusion

Hospital B eclav is on the road to meet its sustainability objectives with Trane Sintesis chiller using R-513A, a nextgeneration, low GWP refrigerant.

The case study

The challenge: Hospital B eclav needed to replace an old unit using R-22 refrigerant, which was being phased out in the European Union. Solution: The hospital decided to go for a solution, which would give them peace of mind by meeting the current and upcoming European F-gas

Other positive outcomes: Operational benefits were also of prime importance to the customer, and the Sintesis chiller achieved an industry-leading Energy Efficiency Ratio (EER) and European Seasonal Energy Efficiency Ratio (ESEER), while delivering amongst the quietest operations in the market, adhering to noise level regulations.

What the manufacturer said… Ingersoll Rand’s EcoWise portfolio of products, which are designed to lower environmental impact with the next-generation, low GWP refrigerants

technology, due to the microchannel condenser coil and the compact, highperformance, integrated, low charge (CHIL) evaporator design.

“At Trane, we work closely with our customers to show them how the right approach to HVAC systems can help meet the pressing environmental challenges, lower demand for energy and contribute to

reduced greenhouse gas emissions,” said Michal Jurenka, Commercial Sales Engineer at Trane. “In the case of healthcare facilities like the Hospital B eclav, our systems also play an important role in creating an enhanced physical environment for patients and staff.”

What the customer said… “With the latest regulatory and legislation trends, we were looking for a long-term solution that lowers the environmental impact of our HVAC system, while delivering

SNIPPET

energy efficiency – all while meeting specific needs of a healthcare facility, like low-noise levels and high reliability,” said Pavel Jurica, Head of Economic and Technical Department at Hospital B eclav. “We were looking for the combination of sustainability, efficiency and comfort, and Trane Sintesis met all those specifications.”

Drones to plant trees BioCarbon Engineering, an Oxford-based start-up company, is seeking international backing to develop the first automated treeplanting drones to help counter deforestation across the world, says a report in The Independent. If the plan were to succeed, specially developed fixed-wing drones would reportedly take detailed images of a particular area to tell the company about its nutrients, biodiversity and topology, to help afforestation.

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

DIRECT EVAPORATIVE COOLING PAD

CHILLER PRECO O LI N G

• Increased chiller efﬁciency in high temperature area by up to 50%. In high temperature and humidity up to 27% on a yearly basis.

• Click-on condenser air pre-cooler retroﬁt • Hydro chill ﬁnn technology • Compact, slim (90 mm), modular, integrated water distribution and collection, lowest pressuredrop in the industry.

P E R FOR M A NCE

Third party evaluations under Australian Standard AS 2913-2000 (TNO Netherlands and CSIRO Australia) have indicated a saturation efﬁciency between 89% and 93%.

OXYCOM FRESH AIR BV Heesweg 37, 8102 HJ Raalte • P.O. Box 212, 8100 AE Raalte, The Netherlands Phone +31 572 349 400 • Fax +31 572 349 409 E info@oxy-com.com • www.oxy-com.com

PROCESS

COOLING REPORT

Process cooling in a time of uncertainty With low oil prices cracking the whip on almost every industry, including the process cooling sector, experts share their views on strategies adopted to stay afloat. Rajiv Pillai assesses the health of the process cooling industry in the current market scenario, given its importance across the board. 34

don’t think that there will be much expansion in the process cooling industry this year, considering the current oil prices,” declares Sukumar Perumal bluntly, summing up the ground reality. Perumal, who is the Senior Sales Manager at Dolphin Radiators and Cooling Systems, elaborates: “Even in the oil and gas sector, a lot of heat exchangers are used, and people are not going for expansion, since the oil prices are down, and they, too, are only looking at refurbishment.” Charles A Russell, Sales Manager at Tower Tech Middle East, too, is of the opinion that the process cooling industry is being impacted very strongly in the GCC region by the oil price. “This is because the economy is so dependent on the oil income,” says Russell,

and cites an example: “You have a [cooling] tower that performs at a 100%, and it’s doing the job. And then across the years, it deteriorates to performing at 95%, then 90%, then 85%. In the full-blown operation, you are hurting, because you are not gaining complete performance from this tower. Now, the economy pulls back, and your production drops to only 75%, and now, the 85% tower handles the needs of the 75% production without a problem. So that means that the overhaul or augmentation that you were going to need is not necessary.” Pointing to the more pressing compulsions the sector faces, when even refurbishment becomes a luxury, and the resultant fallout, Russel adds: “When companies are just struggling to survive, they worry about how to make payroll. They are not going to spend money on these

Sukumar Perumal

Dr Moayyed Al-Qurtas

Imran Ali

Charles A Russell

Performance capabilities would be compromised in a process plant, which will struggle to meet its optimum designed parameters other things. They are going through all these kinds of decisions in trying to conserve their funding. So the first thing is that the new ventures and stuff are slowed down and put off, and the second thing is that people tend to delay [even] their refurbishment projects. And what that does is that it leaves them very vulnerable to any kind of catastrophic failure.” Another expert, Imran Ali, Managing Director at HVAC and Power Solutions, points to another danger of subsisting on bare minimum maintenance standards, when he says that maintaining a required temperature within a certain process industry is a vital element to achieve the quality of end-products. “Every industry has its own parameters to qualify for the standards set out by the industry regulators and local authorities,” he says, and warns, “Any breach to these codes will not only result in hefty penalties but also harm our environment and lives either directly or indirectly.” He adds that end-users often misunderstand the cooling concept of a conventional

chiller and a process chiller. “[Installing a conventional chiller] could result in production losses,” says Ali. “Performance capabilities would be compromised in a process plant, which will struggle to meet its optimum designed parameters.” Fail-safe Given the importance of process cooling, any failure in such systems is unimaginable. As Dr Moayyed Al-Qurtas, Chairman of the Gulf Petrochemicals and Chemicals Association’s (GPCA) Research & Innovation Committee and Advisor to the Board at Tasnee, puts it: “Manufacturers have to build [process cooling systems] around that [system failure]. It is part and parcel of every process. Every process has to be designed for every eventuality, including the failure of process cooling systems.” Perumal, offering a different perspective, stresses that process cooling systems cannot fail. He explains: “Process cooling is very important, and it cannot function without heat exchangers. Failure will not happen at all because it is a standalone equipment. There is no motor or pump in a heat exchanger. So the chance of failure is hardly two to three per cent. Every year, heat exchangers are well serviced, and their lifespan is between 10 and 15 years.” A wide spectrum of applications Ali reminds us that we are able to have quality products in every segment of our daily lives, thanks to process cooling systems. He slots process cooling into three major segments and elucidates their scope: 1. Light industrial applications 2. Heavy industrial applications 3. Commercial and

PROCESS

COOLING

f o o nce er w t t rma mm s la rfo su e h pe he t n he g t i en ve t urin e s s pro ts d t i ng n im lan Eas i l oo s ca ler p dle c he says. “Traditional c thi hil id i t HVAC chillers are not a as g c e M b designed for rigorous ia rs, lin th process applications. d A ea gg in A short period loss of production is usually much y tru on higher than the equipment s eas cost difference.” s

REPORT

• Die-casting plants • Food and beverage industry • Sewage water treatment plants • Reverse osmosis plants • Machine/oil cooling (multitude of applications) • Quenching applications

institutional applications Light industrial applications: • Bakeries – cooling during dough mixing • Dry cleaning – cooling of dry cleaning machines • Printing – cooling of heated printing rollers due to friction • Potable and drinking water cooling • Machine/oil cooling in small-scale industries Heavy industrial applications: • Emergency safety showers and eyewash facilities • Concrete batching plants • Plastic industries and extrusion plants

Commercial and institutional applications: • Medical applications (X-ray, MRI, CT Scan, etc.) • Laboratories • Drinking water systems • Swimming pools • Cold plunge pools Ali adds that cooling processes vary for HVAC applications. “The significant fact is that operational efficiency and production profits are directly tied to process cooling (equipment) performance and reliability, and therefore, there are basic design differences between a conventional system and a process cooling system,”

Innovating to stay afloat Ali believes that to wade through the rough waters, one has to innovate. “There are always new products showcased in this part of the world, as the Middle East always welcomes them wholeheartedly,” he says, and adds that the region has witnessed the PFRP (Pultruded Fiberglass Reinforced Polyester) cooling towers, as against the conventional ones. “Such towers can improve the quality of water for process chiller plants and provide more flexibility, i.e., reduced downtime due to maintenance, delivery and installation, options for water source, improved performance under high ambient conditions and ease of expansion when the demand load increases,” he highlights. The other innovations, he says, are adiabatic cooling (retrofits). “Adiabatic cooling,” he stresses, “is also very much seen in the last two years, as this can improve the performance of struggling chiller plants

during the summer season in the Middle East, when temperatures soar greater than 46 degrees C; it allows air-cooled process chiller plants to run without facing a de-rated capacity that can result in underperforming and overloaded process cooling plant.” Speaking of the options available, Ali says: “OEMs are now offering a wider range (-80 degrees C to +50 degrees C) of chilled water supply, with increased percentage of glycol composition with environment-friendly refrigerants (R134a, R32). Another product for the process [cooling] industry is magnetic bearing chillers. They offer zero maintenance, reliability and low noise, and are almost one-fourth in size compared to a similar capacity chillers. Thermal storage tanks are also playing an effective role in the process [cooling] industry, because storing and reusing produced chilled water can not only reduce energy consumption but also increase the integrity of the plant. The other innovations are EC (electronically commutated) fans and dynamic heat exchangers, which are also getting a strong foothold in this region.” With such innovations and strategies, and focus towards refurbishment, the process cooling industry appears to be positioning itself to survive the ebbing oil prices and the turbulent global economy.

HAVE YOUR SAY!

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

PERSPECTIVE Steven Scanlan is Head of Marketing and Communications Robotics Design Inc. He can be reached at steve.sc@ roboticsdesign. qc.ca.

AIR DUCT CLEANING

Here come the

ROBOTS! Optimal air duct cleaning increases energy efficiency of buildings, while saving billions of dollars, enhances health and basic comfort of occupants and improves worker efficiency, says Steven Scanlan, and claims that deploying roboticsabled equipment instead of manual cleaning yields better results.

he process of duct cleaning requires a sophisticated level of equipment and training, as a single uncleaned corner can contaminate the air. Yet, the industry regulations are only slightly more rigid than those for janitorial cleaning. Regulations have become more common in Europe, especially in France. However, though these correctly define the end-result of the service, duct cleaning equipment regulations leave out the quality of the equipment to be used, allowing some companies to charge more, while taking longer for the work and providing lower quality service. The nooks and crannies of duct cleaning There are three categories of problems which emanate from lack of attention to duct cleaning: Health risks, energy efficiency loss and dust explosions in factories. Health risks include asthma1, allergic reaction, sinus problems and respiratory infections2 from mould and dust mites, and Legionnaires' disease from contaminated water blown through the duct3, which can cause hundreds of deaths, especially in a large facility, such as a shopping mall, school or hospital. A Climate Control Middle

Many leading companies in the industrial, pharmaceutical and laboratory sectors in Europe and the United Arab Emirates, rely on robotics for cleaning East article (September 2015), titled "Energy thief... Ignored even as the ME region loses billions of dollars a year"4 focuses on billions lost due to faulty and leaky ductwork. It must, however, be stressed that even a functioning ductwork will operate 11% less efficiently if it is not cleaned correctly5, and the cost of this increased energy bills is transferred to the air conditioning system itself. This is because, in order to distribute the air through a contaminated system, the air conditioner must work harder than it was designed for, which will reduce the life

of the system and increase the chance of breakdowns. Dust explosions have caused billions in damages, and over a hundred deaths in the United States alone, which could have been avoided by cleaning the air ducts.6 Jean Sebastian Didier of IGIENAIR, a French-based IAQ specialist in the United Arab Emirates, warns, â&#x20AC;&#x153;The ducts are exposed to heat, humidity, condensation, sand and salt, and in the case of corrosion, high levels of dust, and frequent microbial growth, there will be major health and energy efficiency consequences.â&#x20AC;? This highlights that duct cleaning must not continue to be regulated archaically. Where a general end-result is expected, it should be enforced as a process where ducts are inspected, followed by brushing, while a dust collector vacuums the entire system, or it is vacuumed directly and then sprayed with disinfectant and/ or a sealant. Robotics to the rescue In this context, robotics is an effective option. Employing robotics decreases time and labour costs compared to outdated manual cleaning equipment and methods for the same tasks. In light of this, duct cleaning regulation needs to include

Cheap equipment which can’t pull its cable 30 feet, forces you to cut holes all over the duct equipment which does the cleaning more effectively and efficiently. In fact, many leading companies in the industrial, pharmaceutical and laboratory sectors in Europe and the United Arab Emirates rely on robotics for cleaning, as do several professional companies around the world. Beware of cheap equipment Lack of the right equipment is the cause of most common problems in manual duct cleaning. It is the same case with robotics. Cheap equipment which can’t pull its cable 30 feet, forces you to cut holes all over the duct. A robot which can’t climb an obstacle or slope won’t do most of the work required. A robot which gets stuck when it flips over, takes painful amounts of time to retrieve. And these are just a few examples of problems which plague a few of the robots on the market. Also, cheap products constantly push the bar lower in equipment standards. Raising the bar It needs to be reiterated that there are almost no laws to protect duct cleaners from equipment that brings lengthy sub-par jobs. Therefore, unless there are laws to protect them, it will be impossible to protect building owners from paying more and incurring longer down-times on their buildings, because it will be simply impossible to follow the law and remain in business with such equipment. In this regard, setting higher equipment standards will encourage innovation in the market, because equipment providers will be forced to focus on

offering quality tools, rather than cheating duct cleaners with inferior equipment. Industries worldwide are moving towards robotics, and with its growth in the IAQ industry, the future of duct cleaning looks positive. Not only will cleaning be thorough, faster and easier, but also, though advanced cleaning equipment, it will be possible to record the work, which can be streamed online in real-time, to allow the staff to ensure everything is completed to standard. In addition, reduced contract length will make duct cleaning less expensive, as it reduces the cost of having to shut down sections of the building for duct cleaning jobs. Owing to the aforementioned reasons, building owners will be less resistant to duct cleaning, leading to greater demand for it, and a cleaner, healthier and safer IAQ.

References: 1. http://www.lung.org/ourinitiatives/healthy-air/indoor/ indoor-air-pollutants/dustmites.html 2. http://www.ces.ncsu.edu/ depts/fcs/mold.html 3. http://www.humanillnesses. com/Infectious-Diseases-HeMy/Legionnaire-s-Disease. html 4. http://www. climatecontrolme.com/ en/2015/09/energy-thiefignored-even-as-the-me-regionloses-billions-of-dollars-a-year/ 5. http://nadca.com/en/ energy_saving_tips 6. https://www.osha.gov/dsg/ combustibledust

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MARKET FEATURE THE INTERNET OF THINGS

THE INTERNET

OF HVAC

Sougata Nandi

Jean-Luc Meyer

The Internet of Things is poised to be a USD 19-trillion global business by 2025, reveals Cisco. How much of that chunk belongs to the Middle East market? How involved – or connected – is the HVAC sector? Is it doing enough to adopt smart solutions? Rajiv Pillai attempts to find the answers to these questions and others.

he IDC FutureScape: Worldwide Internet of Things 2015 Predictions Web Conference held in 2014 in Massachusetts, United States, foretold that the local government will represent more than 25% of all government external spending to deploy, manage and realise the business value of the Internet of Things (IoT) by 2018. By 2018, 40% of IoT-created data will be stored, processed, analysed and acted upon, the conference further predicted. The Middle East is primed to become a global driver in

IoT-connected innovations, as the GCC’s cloud market is set to grow to USD 668.5 million by 2020, said industry experts at the GITEX Technology Week 2015, held in Dubai last October. Sougata Nandi, Founder and CEO of 3e Advisory, says that a large chunk of the IoT will be linked to HVAC devices and equipment, as well as energy metering. “The planet was operating perfectly fine even before the advent of HVAC systems,” says Nandi. “And there is no reason why they [HVAC systems] will not continue to operate

perfectly, even without IoTs for HVAC. However, change is inevitable, and we have moved on from steam locomotives to Maglev trains.” Nandi predicts that the IoT is here to stay, and that much has already been invested in it by significant players. However, he believes the important questions to ask are, “Does IoT really have any commonality with the HVAC industry?” and “How effectively can the HVAC industry leverage IoT?” Jean-Luc Meyer, Senior

Colin Bridges

Ghassan Barghouth

Faisal Zaidi

The HVAC industry in the region has not yet woken up to the shift in global paradigm through IoT

Vice President of Strategy and Innovation (Partner Business Unit) at Schneider Electric, responds by saying: “Given the possibility of having sensors and actuators on an IT network, there is an opportunity to further reduce cost, in terms of installation, in terms of technology devices. So you want to be able to detect the problem and do the analysis. And send to the cloud an alarm that says this chiller is not functioning well. You don’t have to send gazillions of data to the cloud to do analytics. The whole idea is also to gather the analytics and do the computing at the right level of infrastructure.” How prepared is the Middle East? Nandi thinks that in the context of the HVAC sector, the IoT is yet to start making its mark, particularly in the Middle East. “The HVAC industry in the region has not yet woken up to the shift in global paradigm through IoT,” he says. “There have been sporadic interests and initiatives by a handful of players, but they have neither been effective nor sustainable, simply because, the stakeholders are yet to see either the commercial value in this, or how to actually utilise it to their benefit in the most

effective way possible. The industry leaders by and large acknowledge the need and benefits of IoT. However, the unfortunate reality is that while equipment manufacturers have the technological expertise to deploy IoT, they are yet to come up with the correct approach to commercialise it.” However, Colin Bridges believes that the UAE, in particular, has shown itself to be a forward-thinking country with respect to energy use, and that it will continue to be one of the early adopters of the IoT technology. Bridges is the General Manager at Belimo Automation, Qatar. Ghassan Barghouth, Vice President, Middle East for Oil & Gas and Industrial Sales at Schneider Electric, believes that the Middle East is ahead when it comes to the IoT. “We hear customers asking for it; it is a big thing in the Middle East,” he says, and adds, “It is inevitable. If you want to be competitive in this market and provide the best service for your customers, you need to differentiate yourself. This is where the world is going. These are efficiency tools.” Faisal Zaidi, Marketing Manager at TROX, feels that having remote access to HVAC systems via the Internet is becoming the norm for accessibility, fault diagnosis, alarm monitoring and commissioning purposes. “Many more manufacturers are offering products with the capability of remote access,” says Zaidi.

It’s all about mindsets and skillsets Meyer says that the major challenge with the Middle East market is with the management. “I believe a change is required in the management, and your readers should embrace that change,” he advises, and adds, “So this is not necessarily on the

manufacturer’s side. I would say in each and every region, some people are frontrunners, and some people are laggards. And I suspect that the bell curve is the same everywhere in the world. You have frontrunners here like you have in the United States.” Highlighting the need for skillsets and mindsets to work in tandem, he points out: “The big thing I would say is skills. The technology is there today. But are the people willing to learn new things? We, as human beings, don’t really want to change.” About changing mindsets at the top, Meyer explains: “If you look at facilities managers, they tend to be people who are coming from the trade, they were experts in their field and they grew [in] the ranks because they knew how to fix a chiller, etc.

MARKET FEATURE THE INTERNET OF THINGS

With this [IOTs], they need to be better at explaining to their management what the ROI is. Yesterday, they were saying, ‘I need money because this is good; I need money because this is mandatory, as there is a new regulation.’ Now they need to say, ‘I need more money because I am going to make you save more money.’” Regarding honing skillsets, “There should be the need for collaboration with IT,” Meyer says, and elaborates, “I was at a conference in the United States not too long ago, and the people were saying that

young engineers coming out of school preferred to work for IT industries like Google or Facebook, rather than to work as engineers on the BMS. And these people do understand IT. So there is a challenge in terms of skills.” He hints that once these issues are fixed, everything should fall into place. Thus, he believes that a significant shift in thinking is required to understand and take advantage of the IoT capabilities. Jim Schwartz, Director, Global Product Marketing, at Johnson Controls, in

a December 15, 2014 interview with Archnews. com, too, underlined that understanding the IoT involved a change in mindset. “The Internet was made by people for people,” he explained. “But, now, it has become the Internet of Things. Experts predict in a few years, there could be 100 billion devices – actual physical things – connected to the Web. Some of these devices are online today. More – many more – are coming soon.” Zaidi has the last word when he says that the

easier it is to view and manage an HVAC system’s performance, the easier it is to increase the performance and optimise the energy efficiency. And this is possible with the IoTs.

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

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REPORT

Never a better time Forces like IoT and climate change are coming together, making the present the ideal time to move the energyefficiency agenda forward, says experts at the inaugural edition of the Emirates Energy Efficiency Summit. We bring you the report. By Fatima de la Cerna | Assistant Editor

(L-R): Dr Meshgan Al Awar, Secretary General, Zayed International Prize for the Environment; H.E. Bernard Fautrier; Lance de Masi; Agostino Renna; H.S.H. Prince Albert II of Monaco; Mohamed Ahmed Bin Fahad; H.E. Ahmad Butti Al Muhairbi

ake no mistake – future generations are going to look back at this time in history and judge today’s generation by how it addresses the need for energy efficiency. Agostino Renna, Chief Commercial Officer of GE Energy Management, made sure to hammer this point in, when he delivered the welcome remarks on the second day of the inaugural edition of the Emirates Energy Efficiency Summit (EEES), staged at the American University in Dubai (AUD), in the UAE. “Looking at the world we live in and the forces acting on all the things that we know and do,” Renna said, “there has never been a better time for us to scale the energy-efficiency agenda, to move it forward. My theory is that this generation will be remembered for what we did with the problem of

energy. Our generation will be remembered for that, so the time [to act] is now.” Forcing up to the issues While addressing the participants and the attendees of the Summit, which was held on February 3 and 4, Renna said that having been around the discussion on climate change and energy efficiency for most of his professional career, he could confidently say that the timing has never been better to tackle both. “Four powerful global forces,” he said, “are coming together to make this the opportune time to take advantage of some very important motivations on the planet.” The first of the four forces, explained Renna, is slow economic growth “where volatility is the new norm”. Elaborating, he noted, “If we look at global economies, [we’d see that] there’s not a

single country in the world that is not challenged, to varying degrees, by slow growth.” National GDPs, Renna explained, are driven by two factors: The size of the working population and the relative productivity of that population. “When you think about it from that perspective,” he said, “then the notion of energy productivity becomes fundamental to the conversation on economic advancement. And so I believe that this current condition of slow growth could actually lead well to a platform for energy efficiency.” Naming climate change as the second force, Renna observed that while it may have been an idea that first took root among the scientific community, it is now recognised as a legitimate concern by society at large. “Try asking children now about climate change, and you’ll see that they can relate,” he said. “Not only that, they

also feel that they ought to be doing something about it.” Much like GDPs, climate change is driven by two dynamics, the first being population growth, Renna said, before revealing that, according to demographic studies, the coming few years will see India and China’s population increasing to more than 2.5 billion. He further drove his point across by remarking, “It wasn’t so long ago that the entire planet had 2.5 billion people on it. In fact, it was in the 1950s.” Strongly connected to the first, the second dynamic that’s driving climate change – as per Renna – is people’s aspiration for a better standard of living. “As the population increases, there is an aspiration for what I would characterise as a wealthier lifestyle,” he said. “You can contextualise the word ‘wealth’ based on where you live in the world, but essentially, an increasing population would mean more people on the planet wanting to do more things, thus resulting in an unprecedented demand for energy and natural resources.” Citing the Internet of Things (IoT) and social media as the other two forces, he described both as enabling platforms, noting that IoT is allowing “the physical and analytical worlds” to come together, while social media is providing users “the opportunity to have instantaneous conversations with masses and masses of people”. Renna, giving more details on IoT, added: “Being able to embed intelligence and

‘Energy efficiency is no longer an option but a must’ At the conclusion of EEES, Erdem Soyal, Project Sales General Manager for GE Middle East, Africa and Turkey, shared with Climate Control Middle East his views on the Summit and a preview of Current, GE’s new start-up. What is your general assessment of the Summit? What were your expectations going in, and were those expectations realised? The idea of the event was to talk leadership, so we can address crucial subjects. We wanted to bring market experts and key stakeholders and decision-makers to address, first, how we can make efficient use of our resources; second, how to optimise our assets; and third, how we can increase our productivity with the existing resources. Considering the audience and the content of the presentations, I believe we achieved what we set out to do. The event was divided into three parts – informed, motivated and accountable. What was the reason behind the decision? We decided on the three clusters of presentations, because we really sought to create change and communicate a call for action. With this kind of events, allowing for the flow of information without requiring action would not make any sense. All who came spent their valuable time here, and we wanted to acknowledge and make use of that by, first of all, laying out the scenario and informing people of what the issues are and what the key requirements are to achieve energy efficiency; second, by encouraging people to come on board and become part of the movement for change; and third, by instilling in everyone, especially the decision-makers, a sense of accountability for the courses of action that need to be adopted. Some of the speakers touched upon the UAE government’s vision statements and plans of action, including Dubai’s target of using clean energy sources to provide 75% of the country’s energy

‘sensing’ pieces of equipment in devices and machines allows us to extract data and then use statistical analytics to be able to draw insights from the extracted data. With those insights, we will be able to take action that will drive productivity.” Social media, meanwhile, affords people with the “ability to iterate and test ideas, and more importantly, once those ideas show promise, the ability to scale them at a pace and with an intensity and focus never seen before”. A joint effort In addition to Renna, Dalya Almuthanna, President and

CEO of GE Gulf; H.E. Bernard Fautrier, Vice President and CEO of The Prince Albert II of Monaco Foundation; Lance de Masi, President of AUD; and Mohamed Ahmed Bin Fahad, Chairman of the Zayed International Foundation for the Environment, were also present to welcome the delegates to the two-day event. Founded and organised by GE and The Prince Albert II of Monaco Foundation, the Summit featured speakers from the public and private sectors, including H.E. Ahmad Buti Al Muhairbi, Secretary General of the Supreme Council of Energy; Abdulla Alshahyari, Acting Director of the Conservation

by 2050. In your opinion, how feasible are the government’s goals? Having the ambition is one thing, because that’s being motivated. Being accountable, however, is another thing. The ambition is definitely very strong – wanting to retrofit 30,000 buildings, for example, is an ambitious plan. So, I think, what we need now is to be in rigorous execution mode, because we need to have the right regulations in place. We need to have the right resources and the right people in place, so we can drive this forward as fast as we can. The climate is changing – the world is changing. We don’t have time anymore, and therefore, energy efficiency is no longer an option but a must. I understand that GE has a new start-up – an energy company called Current. That’s correct. Current is a new, first-of-its-kind energy company, which will look into not only lighting but the total energy bill of the building. It will do this by integrating LED, solar, onsite power, energy storage and electric vehicles, with its Predix platform, making it perfectly in line with the Dubai Smart City initiative. We’ll have a soft launch very soon. It’s all very exciting, because presently, what we do is go to real-estate owners, government agencies and other stakeholders, with the proposition to only change the lights so they can, for example, save 60-80% energy with their lighting. But in the future, we’ll approach the same people and say: You know what, we’ll install new technology and we’ll manage the whole energy bill for you, which could result in a reduction of 10-20%. That’s a significant figure, and it’s directly connected with what has been discussed [in] the last two days. You’ll hear more about Current in the market and about the direction [where] GE is going – the direction where future energy companies need to go. We need to really become more conscious about our energy consumption and think about how we can manage it more efficiently.

and Efficiency Department at the UAE Ministry of Energy; Frank Wouters, CEO of the EU-GCC Clean Energy Network; Iain Campbell, Managing Director of the Rocky Mountain Institute; and Saeed Al Abbar, Chairman of the Emirates Green Building Council. Also taking to the stage during the event, H.S.H. Prince Albert II of Monaco summed up what EEES was all about: “As a follow-up to the Euro Mediterranean meetings organised in Monaco over the past five years, the Emirates Energy Efficiency Summit offers a global approach to energy issues, due both to the questions

raised and the eminent figures who provide the answers – how can we mobilise individuals, companies and states for fundamental change, which is not cost-neutral, and whose results are sometimes distant? This question is, I believe, at the heart of any environmental commitment.”

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

COUNTRY REPORT

ITALY

THE ITALIAN RENAISSANCE With the Mostra Convegno Expocomfort event gearing up to celebrate its 40th edition in March, in Milan, Italy, stakeholders take stock of the HVACR market for 2016, with their gaze set on trends and innovations. Does the sector in the GCC region have a thing or two to learn from its Italian counterpart? Story by Rajiv Pillai | Features Writer Edited by Pratibha Umashankar | Associate Editor

Francesco Scuderi

Massimiliano Pierini

s you read this, Italy is gearing up for Mostra Convegno Expocomfort (MCE), to be held in Milan from March 15 to 18. There’s always a sense of euphoria around such events. “I am pretty sure it will be a great success and a lot of ideas around future technologies will come out,” says Francesco Scuderi, Technical and Regulatory Affairs Manager and Team Leader (Process Cooling and Food Cold Chain), at Eurovent. While MCE will showcase the latest innovations in the HVACR sector and provide a platform for the HVACR fraternity to network (for details, see "All roads lead to Milan"), could it be seen as a barometer for the sector in Italy once the dust settles? Giving a sense of the HVACR market outlook for the year ahead, Scuderi admits that the HVACR industry is in part affected by the current economic conditions. “The maintenance and replacement activities provide a solid base, so that the industry does not have to rely only on new investments and projects,” he says. “The economic conditions vary across the globe, so it is also a question for the industry to move around on the positive waves. In Europe, we are confident that the outlook is and will remain positive. The economic conditions are providing some changes due to mergers and acquisitions, indicating that there is a strong belief by investors in the future development of HVACR industries.”

The market – cued for signals Amidst such optimism, Massimiliano Pierini, Managing Director of Reed Exhibitions Italia, organisers of the MCE 2016, feels that ascertaining the exact size of the HVACR market in Italy is difficult, given the variety of sectors that form the entire industry, not to mention the uncertain economic situation. However, “The Italian scenario is very different from

Michele Paccagnella

Luca Donelli

the one in the UAE,” he concedes, and explains, “Here [in Italy], the landscape is peculiar, as it is characterised by a high density of old residential buildings and, therefore, with a limited possibility of structural change in terms of HVACR product renewal and the application of new technologies.” Despite this, Pierini believes that the industry foresees positive signals of recovery. “In 2016, the production in Italy is estimated to grow, especially due to export, which alone covers 62% of revenues,” he says. “This can be explained as the entire HVACR world in Italy that represents the highest standards of quality and technological excellence, both for residential and for non-residential buildings, from heating to cooling, from water treatment to bathroom taps and accessories, valves, etc.” Based on the data given by ANIMA (Federation of Italian Associations of Mechanical and Engineering Industries – the trade organisation within Confindustria representing companies of the mechanical sector), Pierini says that the production output registered an increase of 2.2% in 2015, compared to the previous year, reaching USD 11 billion, with a forecast of a further increase of +1.4% in 2016. Pierini digs out some more statistical data to help us understand the size of the HVACR sector in Italy from a study by CRE SME Research Institution, which reveals that the HVACR sector is worth one-third of the total construction industry, with 188,000 companies, 760,000 employees and USD 114 billion in production value. Putting the data into analysis, Pierini says, “Now, let’s take a look at the future scenario for the HVAC industry. Considering that in 2014 revenues overcame USD 70 billion, a forecast by Frost & Sullivan reveals that almost USD 100 billion are expected to be generated by 2020.”

Speaking specifically about the sector of aeraulic components, which includes all plant components for ambient climatic comfort, Michele Paccagnella, Country Manager at Lindab and MP3, says, “A recent analysis conducted in our company Lindab/MP3 produced an image of a market worth USD 220 million capable of reaching USD 300 million by 2020.” He, however, thinks that the HVACR market share is scattered due to several segments within the industry, such as ducting, filtration, ventilation and air diffusion. So what drives the market? As is with the case in the GCC region, in Italy, too, it is the construction sector which is the prime mover, say experts. “It goes without saying that all installation products are doubly linked to the world of construction – a sector that has experienced a rather significant period of contraction, leading to a similar effect on companies in our market,” says Paccagnella. He goes on to explain this at length: “It is interesting to note how a recent enquiry by Euroconstruct has highlighted a substantial anticyclical behaviour in the world of construction, compared to the general economic trend and the GDP situation. This phenomenon is partially explainable with the long-breathing period implying long-term planning, like those linked particularly to large projects. In fact, in the non-residential sector, the data appears to show a timid growth, especially in the health and school sectors. For residential constructions and subsequent installations, the dynamics are different, often linked to the economic possibilities of very small customers, for whom government incentives play a big role, and which, evidently, represent an important means of business for companies.” In Pierini’s opinion, a few of the main drivers for growth for the HVACR sector in Italy are the requalification of the Italian housing market, the new regulations for NZEB (Nearly Zero Energy Buildings) and the recent incentive plan approved by the Italian government for those who decide

COUNTRY REPORT

ITALY

All roads lead to

Mostra Convegno Expocomfort (MCE), which is purportedly one of the world’s leading HVACR exhibitions, will be a four-day event this year, and will be held from March 15 to 18 in Milan, Italy. Massimiliano Pierini, Managing Director of Reed Exhibitions Italia, the exhibition organisers, believes that excellence is a concept that is intrinsically related to research and innovation, and this is the key to Italy’s development. “In this respect,” he claims, “MCE 2016 will present itself as an important business platform and a privileged meeting place for demand and supply at an international level, facilitating new relations and strategies.” He gives details to support his claims, “Just to give a few figures, the last edition registered 155,987 qualified professionals from all over the world, 774 registered journalists, 144 workshops and 24 partner conferences promoted by associations and partners.” Stressing that energy efficiency and innovation were, and will be the cornerstones of the show, he says: “The intensive conference programme would consist of technical seminars on HVACR innovation systems dedicated to designers from all over the world.” MCE readies itself to take up the challenges driven by market requirements in a state of continuous change. Michele Paccagnella, Country Manager at Lindab and MP3, says that MCE is a widely awaited biennial event, where companies represent themselves at their best. “Today, given the size of our company,” says Paccagnella, “the commercial presence in many countries and the direct relation established with the biggest customers, MCE represents for us an important time to personally meet and interact with our main references. It represents an occasion to place our new products and, in particular, present new strategies; we are pushing the company even more in the spotlight and ahead of the competition.” For others, innovation is of fundamental importance at the event.

Quote me!

“The Italian HVACR [sector] is dynamic, innovation-driven and export-oriented. This is proven by the fact that only in a few other markets, such a broad range of HVACR corrosion protection solutions are readily available. They primarily focus on protecting the heat exchangers, the core of the unit, which is subject to wear, and limiting its deterioration is vital to maintain units. In addition, complementary solutions for structures, grids, casing, piping and vents have been developed to prevent corrosion even in harsh environments, identified as C5 by ISO 12944. Accurate definition of adequate corrosion protection systems results from scenario evaluation, environmental analysis and, if necessary, ad hoc salt spray tests to replicate the atmosphere, where units will operate. Increased care to maintenance protocols will enhance equipment durability.” – Luca Donelli, HVAC/R Corrosion Protection Specialist at Donelli - Heresite Applicator and Licensee of Sakaphen, Blygold and Thermoguard technologies.

to remodel their homes and properties. He says, “The structural crisis of the housing market highlighted the necessity of a change, of a new paradigm for the sector development, such as the ‘re-use’ of spaces, which includes an array of different trends – from the process of making private housing more energy efficient to the requalification of whole urban areas, to the remodelling of singlehousing units.” Pierini also points out that there has been a cultural and economic change that now considers a building as an ensemble of HVAC systems surrounded by bricks, instead of just walls and bricks. “This means that attention is being diverted from the envelope to the importance of HVAC products,” stresses Pierini. Admitting that it’s the HVAC systems which determine the real energy-efficiency levels of homes, offices and factories, he says: “Let’s go from macro to micro: Single products, such as HVAC plants, valves, pumps, and so on, are subject to constant new evolutions and new law regulations, such as ‘Energy Labelling’ and ‘Ecodesign’, and, therefore, our technologies are often at the highest rankings at an international level. So this is a fundamental driver for this growth!” Pierini succinctly summarises, “Research and innovation, the gradual increasing attention to energy efficiency as a distinguishing factor, and the fact that HVAC products are considered as strategically important for new buildings, have all contributed to be fundamental drivers for growth.” Scuderi adds to this by saying that a long-standing tradition of R&D projects and success in innovation being witnessed is due to the cooperation of leading industrialists, which has led to high-performing energy-efficient products. “The Italian HVAC industry is strong and advanced enough to face the global challenges,” concludes Scuderi. Fine-tuning the Middle East ethos Apart from the knowledge-base from which to learn, there are several practices and strategies that can be adopted from the Italian manufacturing ethos by their Middle East counterparts, especially in the GCC region. “In my opinion, one of the most important methods to do business in the UAE is to take advantage of our style,” explains Claudio Poli of Tecnoventil. “The Italian style is always much appreciated in the world. Creating efficient components with an interesting

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Innovation holds the key We asked: What is the culture of innovation and R&D for the HVACR market? And they answered… Michele Paccagnella, Country Manager at Lindab and MP3: “Innovation in the HVACR sector is absolutely fundamental in guaranteeing a future for businesses. Only by innovating can one be competitive in a market. The alternative is to plummet in a price spiral, which surely represents a dangerous road for structured production entities like ourselves. Nevertheless, companies must be able to approach innovation in a wide spectrum, thinking differently and without remaining fixed in the area of technical, technological and product developments. “Innovation must also concern production and company processes, to a point where it brings change in the way organisational and business models are thought about. Today, the product itself is not enough. Companies must be structured in relation to services, customer care, vicinity to increasing international customers and marketing.” Francesco Scuderi, Technical and Regulatory Affairs Manager and Team Leader (Process Cooling and Food Cold Chain), at Eurovent: “There is no future without innovation. Without innovation it is not possible to face the new market’s challenges and development. This is something very clear for the Italian HVACR industry. “Just to give some figures: Patents – In 2015, around 5,500 patents covering the HVACR fields have been published, and more than two per cent of these patents have been developed by Italian companies. “Investment in R&D – The Italian HVACR companies invest around five to eight per cent of their turnover in R&D. Taking into account that the Italian companies are, for the major part, small and medium enterprises, both figures represent a very high level of commitment in innovation.”

design is an important combination to do business in the Middle East.” Indicating that it’s a two-way street, Scuderi says: “The manufacturers are firstly trying to understand the cultural and climatic conditions in the UAE. It is important to understand the people, so one can grow the business. Knowing the climatic conditions will help the industry to provide equipment suited to the local needs. Here, the industry relies on the good relations of its embassies and consulates in the region. This is where R&D and adaptations of equipment to suit markets play a role.” Pointing to another aspect, he adds: “The HVACR industry relies very much on international ISO standards that provide great help when discussing technical aspects of projects. There is an ever-increasing interest in the lifecycle costs pushing clients to think more long-term beyond the initial investment.” Talking about addressing the needs of the people in the GCC region in terms of operations, maintenance, backup and support, Scuderi says that the very fact that within Europe, product legislation is often accompanied by requirements for technicians to be trained and certified, itself provides a sound rationale to extend the approach to the GCC region. Highlighting one of the work ethics worth emulating, he adds, “Also, Italian technicians are known to support and respond at a very short notice when a problem should arise. This quality is very much appreciated.” Paccagnella reveals that Lindab/MP3 currently has its own commercial and technical establishment in the UAE. He says, “For us, the [UAE] region remains strategic, the objective is to consolidate and grow this presence by aiming to establish local production units.” In the final analysis, Paccagnella believes that it is the quality of products and companies, together with ethics, which make a successful business. It’s an ecosystem which could well be recreated and nurtured in the Middle East region.

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

Oil in Chilled Waters Saying that Non-Destructive Testing is absolutely necessary for proper maintenance of chillers and chilled water plants’ ancillary equipment, Dan Mizesko initiates a series on the subject, beginning with oil analysis, as part of predictive maintenance.

or the next couple of months I have decided to focus on NonDestructive Testing (NDT) for the HVAC sector. It’s the perfect season to implement a full NDT programme. I will, therefore, highlight one predictive technology each month. Predictive maintenance attempts to detect the onset of a degradation mechanism with the goal of correcting the degradation before significant deterioration occurs in the component or equipment. The diagnostic capabilities of predictive maintenance technologies have increased in recent years, with advances made in sensor technologies. These advancements, breakthroughs in component sensitivities, size reductions and, most importantly, cost, have opened up an entirely new area of diagnostics to the O&M practitioner. As with the introduction of any new technology, proper application and training is of critical importance. This need is particularly true in the field of predictive maintenance technology, which has become increasingly sophisticated and technology-driven. Most industry experts would agree (as well as most reputable equipment vendors) that equipment for testing should not be purchased for in-house use, if there is no serious commitment to proper implementation, operator training and equipment monitoring and repair. If such a commitment cannot be made, a site is welladvised to seek other methods of programme implementation. A preferable option may be to

Oil condition is most easily determined by measuring viscosity, acid number and base number contract for these services with an outside specialist chiller services company that offers NDT by certified chiller and HVAC specialists, and rely on their equipment and expertise. This month I will discuss oil analysis.

Oil analysis – a diagnostic tool

One of the oldest predictive maintenance technologies still in use today is that of oil analysis. Oil analysis is used to define three basic machine conditions related to the

machine’s lubrication or lubrication system. First is the condition of the oil. That is, will its current condition lubricate per design? Testing is performed to determine lubricant viscosity, acidity, etc., as well as other chemical analyses, to quantify the condition of oil additives like corrosion inhibitors. Second is the lubrication system condition. That is, have any physical boundaries been violated, causing lubricant contamination? By testing for water content, silicon, or other contaminants (depending on the system design), lubrication system integrity can be evaluated. Third is the machine condition itself. By analysing the wear particles existing in the lubricant, machine wear can be evaluated and quantified. In addition to system degradation, oil analysis performed and trended over time, can provide indication of improperly performed maintenance or operational practices. Introduction of contamination during lubricant changeout, improper system flush-out afterrepairs, addition of improper lubricant and improper equipment operation, are all conditions that have been found by the trending and evaluation of oil analysis data. Several companies provide oil analysis services. These services are relatively inexpensive, and some analysis laboratories can provide analysis results within 24 hours. Some services are currently using the Internet to provide quick and easy access to the analysis reports.

Increases in specific wear metals can mean a particular part is wearing or wear is taking place in a particular part of the machine Analysis equipment is also available, should a facility wish to establish its own oil analysis laboratory. Regardless of whether the analysis is performed by an independent laboratory or by an in-house team, accurate results require proper sampling techniques. For this reason, samples should be taken from an active, low-pressure line, ahead

C2_A5_147x107_EN.indd 1

of any filtration devices. For consistent results and accurate trending, samples should be taken from the same place in the system each time. Using a permanently installed sample valve is highly recommended. Most independent laboratories supply sample containers, labels and mailing cartons. If the oil analysis is to be done by a laboratory, all that is required is taking the sample, filling in information, such as the machine number, machine type and sample date, and sending it to the laboratory. If the analysis is to be done on-site, analytical equipment must be purchased, installed and standardised. Sample containers must be purchased and a sample information form created and printed. The most common oil analysis tests are used to determine the condition of the lubricant, excessive wearing of oil-wetted parts and the presence of contamination. Oil condition is most

easily determined by measuring viscosity, acid number and base number. Additional tests can determine the presence and/or effectiveness of oil additives, such as anti-wear additives, antioxidants, corrosion inhibitors and anti-foam agents. Component wear can be determined by measuring the amount of wear metals, such as iron, copper, chromium, aluminum, lead, tin and nickel. Increases in specific wear metals can mean a particular part is wearing or wear is taking place in a particular part of the machine. Contamination is determined by measuring water content, specific gravity and the level of silicon. Often, changes in specific gravity mean that the fluid or lubricant has been contaminated with another type of oil or fuel. The presence of silicon â&#x20AC;&#x201C; usually from sand â&#x20AC;&#x201C; is an indication of contamination from dirt.

19/02/16 11:37

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

TEST TYPES: Karl Fischer Water Test

The Karl Fischer Water Test quantifies the amount of water in the lubricant. Significance: Water seriously damages the lubricating properties of oil and promotes component corrosion. Increased water concentrations indicate possible condensation, coolant leaks, or process leaks around the seals.

ICP spectroscopy

This measures the concentration of wear metals, contaminant metals and additive metals in a lubricant. Significance: It measures and quantifies the elements associated with wear, contamination and additives. This information assists in determining the oil and machine condition.

Particle count

This measures the size and quantity of particles in a lubricant. Significance: Shows oil cleanliness and performance. An increase in particle size and gravity is an indication of a need for oil service.

Viscosity test

This measures a lubricant’s resistance to flow at a specific temperature. Significance: Viscosity is the most important physical property of oil. Viscosity determination provides a specific number to compare to the recommended oil in service. An abnormal viscosity (±15%) is usually indicative that lubricant replacement is required.

Fourier transform (FT)-IR spectroscopy

This test measures the chemical composition of a lubricant. Significance: Molecular analysis of lubricants and hydraulic fluids by FT-IR spectroscopy produces direct information on molecular species of interest, including additives, fluid breakdown products and external contamination.

Direct read ferrography

This measures the relative amount of ferrous wear in a lubricant. Significance: The direct read gives a direct measure of the amount of ferrous wear metals of different sizes present in a sample. If trending of this information reveals

changes in the wear mode of the system, then action is required.

Analytical ferrography

This allows analysts to visually examine wear particles present in a sample. Significance: A trained analyst visually determines the type and severity of wear deposited on to the substrate by using a high-magnification microscope. The particles are readily identified and classified according to size, shape and metallurgy.

Total acid number

This measures the acidity of a lubricant. Description: Organic acids, a by-product of oil oxidation, degrade oil properties and lead to corrosion of the internal components. High acid levels are typically caused by oil oxidation. Although independent laboratories generally perform oil analysis, some vendors do provide analysis equipment that can be used on-site to characterise oil condition, wear particles and contamination. These devices are generally composed of several different types of test equipment and standards, including viscometers, spectrometers,

oil analysers, particle counters and microscopes. On-site testing can provide quick verification of a suspected oil problem associated with critical components, such as water contamination. It can also provide a means to quickly define lubricant condition to determine when to change the lubricant medium. For the most part, detailed analysis will still require the services of an independent laboratory. All equipment with motors 7.5 hp or larger, and critical or high-cost chillers and built-up unitary equipment should be evaluated for routine lubricating oil analysis from quarterly to annually, depending on test results. All hydraulic systems should be analysed on a quarterly basis. Typical equipment applications include: •Chillers (centrifugal, screw, recip) •Boiler feed pumps •Electrohydraulic Control (EHC) systems •Pumps •Gearboxes (cooling towers) •Any system where oil cleanliness is directly related to longer lubricant life, decreased equipment wear or improved equipment performance

For facilities utilising a large number of rotating machines that employ circulating lubricant, or for facilities with high-dollar equipment using circulating lubricant, few predictive maintenance technologies can offer the opportunity of such a highreturn for dollars spent. Analysis for a single sample can run from USD 15 to USD 100, depending on the level of analysis requested. Samples are typically sent through courier service to the testing centre. Given the high equipment replacement cost, labour cost and downtime cost involved with a bearing or gearbox failure, a single failure prevented by the performance of oil analysis can easily pay for a programme for several years. Training for lubricant and wear particle analysis typically takes place via vendors.

Because the analysis is usually conducted by outside vendors at their location, training consists of proper sampling techniques (location and frequency), as well as requisite sample handling guidance. I would discourage using a time-based method and recommend a conditionbased method, especially in this region. I feel that a condition-based oil analysis programme could save you money on unnecessary oil changes, and allow you to know the condition of your equipment before a costly breakdown occurs.

A single failure prevented by the performance of oil analysis can easily pay for a programme for several years

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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REGIONAL

DEWA gears up for Dubai Expo 2020 Introduces array of initiatives to enhance energy and water infrastructure

s part of its preparation for Dubai Expo 2020, Dubai Electricity and Water Authority (DEWA) has announced launching a wide range of initiatives, including the allocation of over AED 2.6 billion to boost electricity, water and renewable energy projects. This, the announcement said, was in support of the Expo's theme of “Connecting Minds, Creating the Future” and its three sub-themes of sustainability, mobility and opportunity. Giving details of the initiatives undertaken, DEWA said that it had assigned a large part of the budget to cleanenergy-related projects in support of the Dubai Clean Energy Strategy 2050, launched by His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai. According to DEWA, the Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum Solar Park project, touted to be one of the largest single-site renewable energy projects in the world, would have a capacity of 1,000 MW by 2020 and 5,000 MW by

2030, and would provide a dedicated supply of 100 MW to Expo 2020. Complementing this, the Shams Dubai project would reportedly generate electricity from solar arrays installed on Expo 2020 buildings. DEWA revealed that as part of its Smart Applications and Smart Meters initiative, it was building a smart grid, which it claimed would be the first network in the world to cover generation, transmission and distribution systems to customers. It added that its Hassyan Clean Coal Power Plant would have a production capacity of 1,200 MW, with the first phase becoming operational by 2020. DEWA also informed that it had signed a contract with Siemens to expand its M-Station electricity and water desalination plant. “DEWA,” said, H.E. Saeed Mohammed Al Tayer, MD and CEO of DEWA, “is a leading, world-class utility service provider that has several drivers to make it an active contributor to organising the best World Expo in Dubai.” For the full story, visit: www.climatecontrolme.com H.E. Saeed Mohammed Al Tayer

UNIKAI reports AED 13.5 million net profit for 2015 Says focus now on improving distribution channels, expanding geographical reach

n the sidelines of its participation in Gulfood 2016, United Kaipara Dairies (UNIKAI) Foods revealed in an announcement that it had recorded a net profit of AED 13.5 million for 2015. The company, the announcement said, would be looking to expand its operations in areas like quality, packaging, distribution, customer service, corporate governance, risk mitigation, talent acquisition and local capacities. In this context, Mana Mohammed Saeed Al Mulla, Chairman of UNIKAI, revealing that the company had devised a string of business initiatives for 2016, said: “The key focus will help improve our distribution channels, expand our geographical reach and further boost our quality measures and brand exposure.” Neeraj Vohra, CEO at UNIKAI, said that the company was working “towards developing sustainable business through understanding market needs and developing tailor-made products”. He added that the UAE’s food imports were expected to rise from USD 100 billion in 2014 to USD 400 billion in the coming 10 years, according to the UAE Ministry of Economy, and that UNIKAI was looking to be an integral catalyst in the national growth.

Empower announces net profit of AED 516 million

Chillers

LENNOX SINCE 1895 COMMERCIAL HEATING AND COOLING

Split Units Ductded & Packaged Units

ubai-headquartered District Cooling services provider Empower has announced a net profit of AED 516 million for the fiscal year ending December 31, 2015, representing a 27% increase over 2014, with the total revenue for the year reaching AED 1.66 billion, a 12% increase year on year (YoY). Sharing this information at a press conference held on February 23 at Jumeirah Beach Hotel in Dubai, Empower revealed that it had signed several contracts in 2015, one of which was to build Business Bay District Cooling Plant 3 (BB – 3) project. The plant, said Empower, will be operational in the second quarter of 2016. The utility provider also informed that it had won a strategic contract with Bluewaters, the subsidiary of the developer Meraas Holding, to provide the Bluewaters flagship project in Dubai with 25,000 refrigeration tonnes (RT) of District Cooling services. In addition, Empower was reportedly awarded a contract to build a chilledwater pipe network across Madinat Jumeirah Phase 4, to facilitate it with District Cooling systems. “Empower achieved an annual increase of 6.7% in its cooling capacity, to pass it over 1,115,000 refrigeration tonnes (RT) in 2015. Moreover, the company boosted its production and commissioned new plants,” said Ahmad Bin Shafar, CEO of Empower.

AHU & FCU

District Cooling company says its 2015 revenues reached AED 1.66 billion

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REGIONAL

UAE DC sector to grow by 18% in five years: Emicool Company plans to develop 500,000 TR by 2020, says report

he UAE’s District Cooling market is set to grow by 18% in the next five years, according to Emirates District Cooling (Emicool), as per a DBDH report sourced from IDEA. According to Emicool, UAE firms would play a greater role in the growth of the industry, with an increased focus on the Middle East and Africa regions, the report said, and added that about 40% of overall demand from a market that is expected to be worth USD 29 billion by 2019 would be generated from the region, largely due to rapid growth in construction, as well as greater demand for both power and cooling. The company, said the report, experienced a 21% increase in consumption last year and was in the process of increasing capacity at its main plant at Dubai Investments Park from 115,000 tonnes of refrigeration (TR) capacity to 250,000 tonnes. This is reportedly a part of Emicool’s long-term plan to develop 500,000 TR by 2020, as it seeks to increase its share of the UAE market from 12% of the total to 20%.

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Resolution prohibits catching and selling of Emperor Fish and Rabbitfish during breeding season

he Ministry of Environment and Water (MoEW) has announced that H.E. Engineer Saif Mohammed Al-Shara, the Ministry’s Assistant Undersecretary for External Audit Sector, has met the Abu Dhabi Food Control Authority to discuss Ministerial Resolution No. (501) for 2015, which prohibits the catching and selling of Emperor Fish and Rabbitfish during their breeding season from March 1 to April 30 of every year. The meeting, the announcement added, was aimed at establishing a mechanism for ensuring the resolution’s effective implementation. “The Ministry has issued the resolution to promote food safety and sustainability of local production as well as save the marine environment, in line with its strategic goal of protecting the country’s water resources, a fundamental element of UAE Vision 2021,” H.E. Al-Shara said. “The ministerial resolution specifically aims to protect Rabbitfish (Sheri) and Emperor Fish (Safi), two important local species endangered by fishing during the breeding period, which leads to premature loss of eggs and consequently lowers reproduction rates. It also aims to support the fishing profession and promote food security.”

REGIONAL

KPMG releases report on Dubai’s residential real estate market Identifies internal and external factors affecting the sector

PMG has announced releasing the “Building Confidence” report – a review of Dubai’s residential real estate market – which reportedly predicts that while 2016 may be a challenging year for Dubai’s residential real estate sector in the short term due to a number of internal and external factors, the market should see an upturn in 2017. The report, the company said, outlines five key trends that would impact residential real estate sector in 2016 and beyond. The company also revealed that based on the statistics from the Dubai Land Department, there was a decline in the number of residential units sold between January 2014 and November 2015. According to the report, while certain areas were more affected than others in terms of declining prices for residential real estate properties, the overall magnitude of the decline had been tempered. Kaushal Dayal, Director of KPMG’s Management Consulting practice, attributed the stability in the market to regulations that were put in place after 2008. He said, “The Real Estate Regulatory Agency (RERA), the introduction of mortgage caps and the establishment of the Al Etihad Credit Bureau have mitigated a lot of uncertainty in the market – even in the face of economic pressure from falling oil prices, currency fluctuations and geo-political uncertainty.”

Intertek awarded at International Customs Day Company receives Certificate of Merit and Customs Knight honour

ntertek, an industry quality solutions provider, has announced receiving dual recognition from the World Customs Organisation and Saudi Customs, during the International Customs Day held in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. The event, the announcement said, was organised to discuss the topic, “Digital Customs: Progressive Engagement”. Giving details of the awards, Intertek said that it was awarded the Certificate of Merit for its services to the international customs community, and received the Customs

Al-Futtaim Engineering launches Control and Life Safety division Will offer expertise in design, installation and maintenance of fire protection and detection systems

l-Futtaim Engineering has announced introducing the Control and Life Safety division. The new division, said the announcement, will carry out design, engineering, supply, installation, commissioning, operation and maintenance of firefighting, emergency lighting services, gas-fire suppression system, fire alarm, BMS, lighting and access control and CCTV system, along with protection and detection systems for commercial, residential, industrial, retail, hospitality and infrastructure projects. According to Al-Futtaim, the division has been approved by the Dubai Civil Defence, and complies with major international fire and safety codes and standards, including National Fire Protection Association (NFPA), the UAE fire code and Loss Prevention Certification Board (LPCB). “With the launch of this new division, Al-Futtaim Engineering is now able to provide complete 360-degree solutions to our clients,” said Dawood Bin Ozair, Senior Managing Director at Al-Futtaim Engineering and Technologies. “With an experienced leadership team, supported by qualified and experienced engineers and technicians, the Control and Life Safety division can handle the most demanding fire protection and building management system projects, and maintenance requirements to deliver high-quality work on time.”

Knight award for its Government and Trade services and for efforts in supporting, integrating and developing the digital customs vision. The vision, the company said, was aimed at driving easier, faster and more transparent customs clearance, and comprised digitisation of conformity certifications, inspection reports and has a single-window data integration system. On receiving the award from H.E. Saleh MS Al-Khaliwi, Director General of Saudi Customs, and H.E. Sulaiman Al Twijri, Deputy Director of Customs Affairs, Husny Saeed, General Manager, Governments & Trade Services Middle East at Intertek, said that the company was “honoured” to receive the dual recognition, and added: “Intertek supports Saudi Arabia’s strong commitment to quality and safety across all industries. We have worked with the Saudi Customs in its ongoing efforts to increase efficiencies and lower trade costs for the benefit of Saudi businesses.” For the full story, visit: www.climatecontrolme.com

REGIONAL

Modern Water signs agreement with Bilfinger Deutsche Babcock ME

Will jointly develop and commercialise Modern Water’s Forward Osmosis technology in MENA region

odern Water, dealing in water and wastewater treatment and monitoring of water quality, has announced signing an agreement with Bilfinger Deutsche Babcock Middle East, a service provider for construction, maintenance, rehabilitation, O&M and lifecycle services. The agreement, the announcement said, covers the joint development and commercialisation of Modern Water’s proprietary Forward Osmosis technology, in conjunction with multi-stage flash (MSF) desalination plants across the Middle East and Northern Africa. According to of Modern Water, following a detailed successful assessment of the combined process, the parties

are now developing their product offering for deployment at an operational desalination plant. During the initial pilot phase, the plant will reportedly develop and demonstrate the effectiveness of Forward Osmosis to osmotically dilute and soften the recirculating brine of the desalination plant, allowing an increase in top brine temperature (TBT), which is said to reduce both the thermal and electrical energy consumption, whilst maintaining the same output. “Our new strategy is to focus on industrial applications of our cutting-edge proprietary technologies, and this agreement with Bilfinger Deutsche Babcock Middle East is a significant endorsement of this new focus,” said Simon Humphrey, CEO of Modern Water. Hakan Yapici, CEO, Bilfinger Deutsche Babcock Middle East, added, “The installed fleet of MSF desalination plants is considerable, and energy saving is becoming more and more a priority to our customers.”

DCCE launches State of Sustainability Report: UAE 2016 Seeks to identify key factors to fulfil sustainable development in the country

nder the leadership of the UAE Ministry of International Cooperation and Development, and in partnership with the UAE Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Federal Competitiveness and Statistics Authority, Dubai Carbon Centre of Excellence (DCCE) has announced launching the State of Sustainability Report: UAE 2016, at the World Government Summit. The report, the announcement said, was the first in a series of annual publications to serve as a tool for analysis and communication with stakeholders and partners, and sought to identify key factors to fulfil sustainable development in the United Arab Emirates. The DCCE said that it expected the report to become a platform to highlight progress, solutions and success stories in the fields of economic, social and environmental sustainable development on a national and international setting. The publication, it added, also highlighted the progress made by the public and private sectors in the state, in terms of achieving the 17 goals of sustainable development that were adopted by the United Nations during the World Summit on Sustainable Development. H.H. Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan, UAE Minister of Foreign Affairs said: “This report reflects the ongoing efforts of the government towards sustainable development in achieving a greener economy. The UAE Government remains committed and will continue to support the larger objective as outlined by the United Nations (UN) to protect and create an environment for sustainable development.” Echoing these sentiments, H.E. Sheikha Lubna Al Qasimi, UAE Minister of Cooperation and Development, added, “The UAE is fully committed to fulfilling the 2030 agenda, and we are rapidly progressing towards attaining the sustainable development goals set by the agenda.” Waleed Salman, Chairman of Dubai Carbon, calling the report an important milestone in accomplishing sustainable development, said that it provides an in-depth analysis of eco-efficient measures being implemented in the country.

Properties of Gloria Hotels and Resorts win Green Globe Certification Reduce utility bills by over AED four million in 2015

AE-based Gloria Hotel and Yassat Gloria Hotel & Apartments have been awarded a Green Globe Certification (GGC), for saving AED 4.16 million on their respective electricity and water bills, according to an official communique. Both Gloria Hotel and Yassat Gloria Hotel & Apartments received scores of 73% and 75% respectively after an audit carried out by UAE-based FARNEK, Green Globe’s partner in the Middle East, the communique said, and claimed that besides a reduction in water and electricity consumption, the two properties witnessed improvements in a number of other indicators, including carbon footprint per occupied room and food and waste reduction through the modification of their recycling programmes. “Saving AED 4 million is clearly substantial, and underscores the correlation between sustainability and cost-efficiency,” said Freddy Farid, Area General Manager of Gloria Hotels and Resorts. “The Green Globe Certification process has systemised our commitment towards sustainability.” Terming the achievement, “just a beginning” and an “on-going improvement”, Farid explained: “Nevertheless, initial key milestones have been achieved, including energy savings of more than 8,580 megawatt hours (MWh) and 54,000 cubic metres (m3) of water, which is the equivalent of 22 Olympic-sized swimming pools. We also reduced our carbon emissions by 4,400 tonnes, which is the same as flying to London and back four times.” He added that by improving the segregation of recycling materials and implementing a waste reduction campaign, the properties also managed to save 123 tonnes of waste, which would have otherwise ended up in landfill. Sandrine Le Biavant, Director of Consultancy at FARNEK, lauding the effort, said that the results were achieved through passion, dedication and teamwork.

Exterior Shot of Yassat Gloria Hotel and Apartments

Freddy Farid, of Gloria Hotel & Resorts, and Jo-ella Moore, Hotel Manager of Yassat Gloria Hotels & Apartments

GLOBAL

WORLD ENERGY COUNCIL Releases Report

Unconventional gas structurally changing global gas markets, says study

he growth of unconventional gas is spreading across the world with major implications over many years for markets and prices, according to a new World Energy Council study, titled “Unconventional gas, a global phenomenon”, which looks at where and how fast the revolution is taking place. Sharing this information through an official communique, the World Energy Council said that the study – developed with project partner Accenture Strategy – reveals that despite an uncertain price environment, the magnitude and speed of change is not only influencing the United States market but also other markets, including countries such as China, Argentina and Algeria, which have similar potential as the United States in shale gas production. Countries like Mexico, Saudi Arabia, South Africa, Poland and Turkey are also identified as having significant potential for shale gas development. The study, said the Council, identifies three emerging global trends: shifting portfolio allocations, international growth of unconventional gas operators and interconnected markets. According to the report, lower oil prices and weakened Asian demand have resulted in the virtual disappearance of the price spread between the Japanese LNG and the UK markets in 2016, as US prices remain depressed due to the continued build-up of domestic supplies. The study also points out that there are societal and environmental concerns, which national oil companies are best placed to address and, thereby, puts them in a prime positon to take advantage of growth opportunities. “Unconventional gas is causing a shift in the dynamics of the natural gas market, which will be felt for many decades to come,” said Christoph Frei, Secretary General of World Energy Council. Saying that he believed that the rapid growth in unconventional gas has already significantly disrupted global trade flows, Frei predicted that unconventional gas will continue to be a key factor in how the world energy market develops.

Chillventa and China Refrigeration to collaborate Will work under common theme of “Connecting Experts”

he organisers of Chillventa, exhibition for refrigeration, air conditioning, ventilation and heat pumps, and China Refrigeration, HVACR event held in China, have agreed to work more closely from this year. Sharing this information through an official communique, Chillventa said that the aim was to develop common trade fair themes internationally. The idea for the initiative, the communique said, was prompted by the long-standing business relationship between the two parties, with the concept for the partnership focused on “Connecting Experts”. “We are delighted to have agreed on this marketing collaboration with China Refrigeration, which will be conducted in a spirit of partnership to be expedient and fruitful for both parties,” said Alexander Stein, Executive Director Chillventa. “NürnbergMesse has been operating successfully in the Chinese market for many years. This was one of the main reasons for establishing NürnbergMesse China eight years ago. We are confident that this joint venture will be a success for both parties and are looking forward to working closely with the Chinese Association of Refrigeration (CAR), the China Refrigeration and Air-conditioning Industry Association (CRAA), China Council for the Promotion of International Trade, Beijing Sub-council (CCPIT Beijing) and their successful China Refrigeration.” Jin Jiawei, Secretary General of CAR, added, “In order to push forward Chinese HVAC&R product and technology towards the world’s market and improve the influence of Chinese manufacturing, CAR and China Refrigeration are obliged to choose an excellent international public platform and promote the Chinese enterprises’ effective participation in activities, such as the academic communication as well the exhibition.” Chillventa informed that China Refrigeration will take place in Beijing from April 7 to 9, and Chillventa will be held in Nuremberg from October 11 to 13.

Bitzer inaugurates international training centre

Academy to offer applied instruction under real-system conditions

ollowing a year-long construction period, Bitzer has announced inaugurating a new 1,500-square-metre international training centre in Rottenburg-Ergenzingen, named Schaufler Academy, in honour of Senator h. c. Peter Schaufler, the long-standing owner of the firm who passed away recently. Listing the challenges faced by the refrigeration and air conditioning industry, such as new refrigerants, the use of intelligent electronics in system components, increased energyefficiency requirements for refrigeration and air conditioning systems, stricter regulations, new system concepts and clientspecific solutions, Bitzer said that solid training had now

become crucial. This, it said, necessitated specialist personnel to receive further training. In light of this, the Schaufler Academy was set to make a significant impact with its needs-based programme of seminars, giving the participants – including planners, system manufacturers, and service staff and operators – the necessary skills to deal with the demands of their day-to-day tasks, the company claimed. “Thanks to our training, participants will be prepared for the challenges that they will face, and they will be able to practise working with new refrigerants and technology,” said Rainer Große-Kracht, Chief Technology Officer of Bitzer, in his speech at the official inauguration of the academy.

ASSOCIATIONS & SOCIETIES

ASHRAE offers new course on VRF systems One of 11 online courses to be conducted by ASHRAE Learning Institute

SHRAE has announced that it will be offering a new course, “Variable Refrigerant Flow System Design & Application”, one of 11 offerings in ASHRAE’s Spring Online Course series. According to ASHRAE, the course, which will take place on May 16, provides non-manufacturer specific concepts of how to apply variable refrigerant flow (VRF) systems to buildings, and will supplement the fundamental technology introduction presented in the 2012 ASHRAE Handbook – HVAC Systems and Equipment, offering the consulting engineers who already have a basic knowledge of VRF technology. Highlighting the need for the course, ASHRAE said that VRF systems were now being applied in a range of building types across North America, with benefits, including, zoning applications, variable capacity, distributed control, low operating sound, simultaneous heating and cooling, effective energy usage, quick installation, low-ambient operation and low maintenance costs. ASHRAE added that the 11 online professional development seminars being offered this Autumn by the ASHRAE Learning Institute (ALI), will focus on commissioning, environmental quality, energy efficiency,

HVAC applications and standards and guidelines. Participants, informed ASHRAE, can access these instructor-led courses from anywhere, with an Internet connection, and earn continuing education units/professional development hours for each course completed. For the full story visit: www.climatecontrolme.com

Need Kitchen Exhaust Treatment?

A technique used to decrease the pollution content in the flue gases??

Electrostatic Precipitator is the SOLUTION!

Euro-Asia (Taiwan) Based in Taiwan, Euro-Asia is a manufacturer of electrostatic precipitators (ESP) or else known as electrostatic air cleaners (EAC). Euro-Asia has supplied and installed various ESP’s in applications such as: ● Kitchen exhaust treatment for commercial restaurants. ● Dust and oil mist control for factories. ● Tobacco smoke and dust control for hotels, oﬃces, casinos and etc. ● Clean indoor air (aached to air handling units) for buildings and hotels. ● Smoking lounge . ● Industrial - CNC, Paper Processing, Screw Tapping Facilies and many more…

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● EAN-Series (without fan). ● HF Series (with fan). ● Capacity per unit: 2,000 up to 6,000 CFM. ● Can be used in mulples for bigger capacies up to 30,000 CFM.

Please visit Euro-Asia website (www.euroasia.tw) for more information U.A.E. Contact Detail: OMAN Contact Detail:

MIDDLE EAST SOLE REPRESENTATIVE:

Cheqpoint Tech Trading LLC

P.O. Box 25236 - Dubai, U.A.E.

Tel: +971 4 3209310, Fax: +971 4 3925582 E-mail: info@cheqpoint.com

Blue Diamond Development Projects

Office # 209, Al Jus House, South Mawale, Muscat - Oman

Tel: +968 24522283, Fax: +968 24522284 E-mail: info@bluediamondoman.com

Website: www.cheqpoint.com Website: www.bluediamondoman.com Contact Person: Mr. Harminder Singh (G.M.) & Mr. Jay Deliwala (Technical and Sales Manager)

(Cheqpoint Certifications: ISO 9001:2008, ISO 14001:2004, OHSAS 18001:2007 & USGBC Member)

HIRING NOW! SALES MANAGER For Chiller Manufacturer based in Dubai Candidate Criteria: Mechanical Engineer & Minimum of 7 years’ sales experience in the UAE (market mainly Dubai) with great contacts with Contractors & consultants’

APPLICATION MANAGER Cooling Tower Job Description: • Responsible for the promotion of the company’s products and applications within the MENA region • Getting in contact with key stakeholders and expanding relationships with different parties will be your main focus. (e.g.: architects, consultants, engineering offices, key end-users, …) Especially towards consultants you go the extra mile to create awareness and get the company’s specified • Advise, inform and educate (technical) consultants, company’s sales representatives and corporate account customers in formal and informal settings with regard to company’s products and applications • Through active presence in the market, you

generate leads, new prospects and detect new projects. You introduce our salesmen to the decision makers and assist them in the strategic sales planning process • Thanks to a strong follow-up of planned and ongoing projects, you ensure the realization of specified company’s products in the project design phase

Candidate Criteria: Strong knowledge of cooling technology and relationship builder • This Preferably you combine a Master or Bachelor in Industrial Engineering with several years of sales or customer focused experience in a similar environment. And • An interest or experience in cooling technology and HVAC in particular is desirable.is a regional role in our Dubai office which requires regular travelling around the ME region. (mainly GCC) plying for. st you are ap po ch hi w ify Please spec

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MARKETPLACE

Bitzer Ecostar LHV5E and LHV7E series

laiming that they provide “intelligent cooling”, Bitzer has announced launching the LHV5E series to complement its Ecostar range of air-cooled condensing units.

The manufacturer lists the following product features and benefits: • The new condensing units already fulfill the efficiency requirements of the EU Ecodesign Regulation 2015/1095, which comes into application in July. • They come in three model versions of the LHV5E and eight, instead of the previous six of the LHV7E. • Both condensing units have an improved mini-channel condenser and require less refrigerant charge. • They have energy-efficient EC fans with the latest generation of active PFC monitoring.

• Users can infinitely adjust their capacity and that of the internal Ecoline Varispeed compressor. • Users can adjust the characteristics for unusual applications via Bluetooth with the Bitzer Electronics Service Tool (BEST). They can also monitor them remotely via an Ethernet LAN connection for networks or via the Internet and a Modbus RTU. Manual control and monitoring is also possible via the internal LCD display. • Depending on the model, the units are suitable for use with the refrigerants R134a, R404A, R507A, R407A, R407C and R407F, allowing a wide application range. Additional low-GWP refrigerants, for example, R448A, R449A, R450A and R513A, are already stored in the firmware and are available upon request for the time being.

Hormann Middle East APU 67 Thermo industrial sectional door

laiming that it is engineered to meet the demand for improved thermal insulation, Hormann Middle East has launched APU 67 Thermo industrial sectional door.

The manufacturer lists the following product features and benefits: • APU 67 Thermo provides excellent thermal insulation with a U-value of up to 1.5 W/(m²·K) for a door size of 5×5 m, thanks to its glazing beads and steel-bottom sections with thermal break. • Scratch-resistant, Duratec triple-glazed panels are standard. However, quadruple Duratec glazing and twin pane climatic glass are options, depending upon the level of insulation required. • It is ideal for vehicle workshops as it allows natural light. • For workshops, the company provides matching glazing division

for doors with and without wicket doors. • Easy and safe passage of pedestrians is guaranteed with the wicket door with trip-free threshold. For commercial buildings and warehouses, the PU-foamed bottom section can be serviced easily if damaged. • It comes with protection bollards to safeguard it from damage when used outside. When used inside, it protects the door tracks from collision damage. • The 750-mm-high bottom section is optionally available in Stucco or Micrograin surface finish without surcharge.

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READ IT BEFORE IT MELTS! From a mixture of snow and honey emperors enjoyed in palaces to ice lollies sold at street corners, and from homemade concoctions to mass-produced slabs, ice cream has had a delectable journey, picking up many ingredients, textures and flavours on the way. By Pratibha Umashankar | Associate Editor

et’s begin with a disclaimer: No one person invented the ice cream; it evolved and is still evolving. The Chinese are credited with the earliest form of refrigeration for preserving foods. They did so even after winter, in well-insulated underground cellars by harnessing ice, as far back as 1000 BC, with parallels in other ancient civilisations a little later. For example, ancient Greeks and Romans used pits to store snow. Hunter-gatherers in the extreme Northern hemisphere were also known to have used natural caves of ice for food storage and preservation. When it comes to frozen desserts, it all began with the Chinese slurping flavoured ices around 3000 BC. They doused closed containers of syrup with ice and salt, or saltpeter, to lower the freezing point, to produce sweetened chunks of ice and cold beverages. But it was a delicacy only meant for kings. Its inaccessibility made ice a luxury. King T’ang of the Shang dynasty (1675-1646 BC) employed “ice men” to lug ice from the mountains to his palace kitchen to pamper his taste buds with iced tea, flavoured ice and the rudiments of ice cream itself – made of cold milk and flour. Legend has it that Roman Emperor Nero (AD 54-68), too, sent slaves to the mountains to bring snow, which was served to him with fruit juices and honey. But then, many a decadent myth has been associated with Nero, and thus must be ingested with a pinch of salt, which incidentally, as stated earlier, prolongs the life of ice. Culinary history chronicles Egyptian royalty getting ice shipped from Lebanon. It not only found its way into drinks or was served as fruit-encrusted delicacies, but was also carved into exquisite sculptures to adorn banquet tables. In fact, the earliest “icehouses” were to be found in Mesopotamia, around what’s now mainly Iraq and Syria. Though they were initially built to harness ice, they soon turned into cold stores. Alexander got trenches dug and filled them with snow in Petra in Jordan, so that his invading army kept its cool with drinks in the sweltering heat. Thus, ice was not the preserve of only those in cold climes. Wealthy Arabs and Persians enjoyed thick chilled milk topped with rosewater, dried fruits and

nuts and vermicelli, to create an early avatar of ice cream. They also concocted cool sherbet – a chilled fruit drink embellished with sugar and honey – which we now know as the frozen dessert, sorbet – a non-dairy variety of ice cream. An aside: Sherbet comes from the Turkish and Persian serbet, derived from shabah/seriba, meaning a drink in Arabic. In Italian, it became sorbetto and in French sorbet, a term used widely in restaurant menus. However, it took several centuries before these delicacies reached the West. Around the 13th century, Italian merchanttraveller, Marco Polo discovered iced desserts during his famed visits to the Far East, and brought back the recipes and techniques with him, which Italian chefs improved. They went on to become masters at chilling and freezing, and turned Italy into a nation of iced dessert aficionados. Italian noblewoman, Catherine de Medici, when she married Henry II of France in 1533, took chefs and confectioners as part of her entourage, who introduced frozen confectionery to their French counterparts. England seems to have discovered these culinary delights around the same time. The Head Chef of Charles I is said to have rustled up “Cream Ice” – which would later become ice cream – whose recipe was a closely guarded secret. However, official history is rather fuzzy about the dessert route – from China to Italy, and from there to France and England, and we are on rather thin ice here.

Ice cream by any other name…

The definition of ice cream varies all over the world. While some countries use the term

loosely for all frozen desserts, some others

like the United States have strict categories, like frozen custard, frozen yoghurt, sorbet

and gelato, and distinguish them from milk/ cream-based varieties.

Patent Number 3254 to Johnson in September 1843. However, following the cold trail further, Francesco Procopio William Young improved upon it and patented his device Dei Coltelli, a Sicilian restaurateur, introduced a recipe blending in May 1848, but called it the “Johnson Patent Ice Cream cold milk, cream, butter and eggs at Café Le Procope in Paris in Freezer”, in a nod of acknowledgement to the lady. 1660, thus making ice cream available to the general public and the From here, commercial production of ice cream was rest of Europe. This opened the floodgates for experimentation with but a step away, and in 1851, Jacob Fussell, a Baltimore endless mouth-watering flavours and ingredients and imaginative milk dealer, started manufacturing them, and is regarded names. Housewives started making ice cream at home, and as the father of the American ice cream industry. recipes began to be published and exchanged in Italy and Over the years, aided by technological France in the 17th century and in England by the 18th innovations like electricity, refrigeration, century. new methods of freezing and sophisticated It was only when European settlers went equipment – like homogenisers and to America did frozen desserts travel with packing machines – it has turned into a them there, as did lemonades and iced highly lucrative business. tea – erroneously thought to be New World Sale of harnessed ice from frozen inventions. However, America embraced and waterbodies itself was big business. But popularised the entire array of frozen sweets by the 1890s, pollution and dumping and ice cream, so much so that in 1813, Dolley began to pose health concerns. Madison, wife of US President James Madison, Mechanical refrigeration solved the served ice cream at her husband’s Inaugural problem. Ball. While grocery store freezers made ice Through all this, the basic method of Marco Polo cream easily accessible, delivery vehicles making them remained the same: Various (Italian merchant-traveller) with freezers took them to households. ingredients were mixed thoroughly, poured into The bell-ringing, brightly painted ice cream a pot with a tightly closed lid and placed snugly vans at parks, beaches, fairgrounds and into a pail filled with ice and salt on a bed of neighbourhoods sold them to children straw. This was kept in a cellar for about four on hot summer afternoons. That which had once pleased hours and allowed to set, before being taken out and tipped on to a royal palates could now be had for a few cents. Ice cream bowl for serving. soda appeared on the scene in 1874, and the profession The first major breakthrough in its making was achieved by of the “soda jerk” entered urban lore. Dating couples Nancy Johnson of New Jersey, who invented the hand-cranked thronged soda fountains at air conditioned movie theatres freezer in 1846, a device still in use. It consisted of a tub, a cylinder during intermissions or hung out at ice cream parlours with close-fitting lid and a removable dasher or a paddle. Turning dotting the country’s landscape, making ice cream part of it agitated a container of ice cream mix in the cylinder in a bed of the American youth subculture and a way of life. salt and ice, until the mix was frozen. The US Patent Office issued

Winning war the cool way Ice cream is a mood-enhancer, and tubs of them were served to the American troops during World War II in an attempt to boost their morale. In 1945, the first “floating ice cream parlour” was

set up for sailors serving in the Western Pacific zone. Americans

celebrated V-Day by gorging on dollops of ice cream. If statistics

Jacob Fussell

(Father of the American ice cream industry)

were to be believed, the nation consumed over 20 quarts of ice cream per person in 1946 in post-war euphoria!

References https://pafoodways.omeka.net/exhibits/show/pennsylvania-historical-marker/marking-time/birthplace-commercial-icecream http://www.foodtimeline.org/foodicecream.html http://www.idfa.org/news-views/media-kits/ice-cream/the-history-of-ice-cream https://www.uoguelph.ca/foodscience/book-page/ice-cream-history-and-folklore https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ice_cream We welcome your views on the article. Write to Watch this space for more ice cream-lore and cold facts in Part II. editor@cpi-industry.com

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