CCME June 2016

country report: australia

Down Under eyes top spot with new efficiency-rating tools and growing retrofit sector

June 2016

INTERVIEWS ‘We’ve seen some crazy things in terms of counterfeit refrigerants’

Michael Jorde, Harp International ‘Top management wants to apply the Turkey blueprint to the whole region’

Levent Taskın, Danfoss

MARKET FEATURE

Should you

TRUST

COOLING TOWERS

Water-cooled vs. aircooled – which has a better market?

the

MARK?

Industry reacts to reports of third-party certifications being falsified or misused

SUPPLEMENT

CHILL

Qatar Cool’s Mohannad Khader talks submetering challenges and opportunities

Marafeq Qatar’s Robert Miller shares his insights on the country’s DC sector

DC PRO’s George Berbari assesses the progress of CCHP in the GCC region

Griffin Consultants' Omnia Halawani offers solutions to low ΔT syndrome

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4th Edition

10-11 October, 2016 | Diamond Ballroom The Address Dubai Mall, UAE

Theme:

“Supporting the transformation to a sophisticated IEQ regime across multiple sectors; analysing and understanding the enabling mechanisms needed to implement broad-based IEQ strategies and specific solutions.”

Overview

The 4th edition of the World IEQ Forum will aim to build on the positive momentum achieved at the last edition. The only dedicated conference that looks at IEQ through the prism of the HVAC industry, the Forum will extensively spotlight the residential, commercial, hospitality, healthcare and education sectors. While the various vision statements by regional governments have driven home the need for continuous efforts towards achieving socio-economic development and a happy society, the additional motivation for the conference comes from the nearness of the two mega-events – the Dubai EXPO 2020 and the FIFA World Cup in 2022 in Qatar – and the associated construction projects on the anvil.

Key topics • Dubai EXPO 2020 and the FIFA World Cup 2022 as key drivers for growth, and strategies to ensure complete IEQ compliance for healthy visitor experience • IEQ compliance in the inventory of existing buildings and new construction (NC) across the GCC region • Balancing IEQ with energy efficiency, as opposed to viewing the two as conflicting with each other. Looking at the minimum number of fresh air changes, heat recovery, etc.

• Aligning IEQ measures to energy-efficiency retrofitting initiatives • Performance management contracting in IEQ • Supporting mechanisms from government (policies, regulation, enforcement) • Other enabling mechanisms: Financial models for successful IEQ planning and implementation strategies

• Return on Investment on standalone IEQ projects • Innovative solutions in air treatment and air movement, and cost-effective strategies for marquee and affordable projects (residential, commercial) • Addressing thermal comfort through holistic design, installation, operation and maintenance strategies; innovations in technology • Scientific approach to measuring benefits of good IEQ and reporting structure • IEQ in the commercial sector • IEQ in the residential sector • IEQ in the education sector • IEQ in the healthcare sector • IEQ in the hospitality sector

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www.worldieqforum.com June 2016

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contents vol. 11 no. 6  JUNE 2016

page

10 COVER STORY

THE TRUTH ABOUT

CERTIFICATIONS

Industry stakeholders shed light on reports that third-party testing and certification marks are either being misrepresented or falsified, as well as offer possible courses of action that can be taken to curb the practice.

page

25 page

page

18

4

EDITORIAL CAMPAIGN

30

‘Some companies may be trying to dump substandard products here in the region’

‘One of the biggest challenges in this region is technical expertise’

Michael Jorde of Harp International and Prakash Chablani of Unigulf Development share their insights on a variety of refrigerantrelated topics, including counterfeiting, standards and regulations, the phase-out of HCFCs and alternative refrigerants.

Levent Taşkın of Danfoss discusses the company’s plans to replicate its performance in the Turkey market through an improved customer service system and unified business units.

June 2016

‘Radiant panels create lower temperature differential and are not as affected by air currents’ Hideo Sawada of Japan’s Henn-na Hotel, the world’s first robot-staffed hotel, talks about the different measures in place that helps the hotel offer its guests “comfort that lies beyond the ordinary”.

page

33

page

66

PHOTO FEature

market feature New tech to keep heat at bay From misting drones to solar-powered coolers, the outdoor cooling sector looks to technological innovations to sustain market growth and demand.

SAFETY Conference page

70

page

37

AUSTRALIA Down Under eyes top spot

TRACKING THE DISTRICT COOLING INDUSTRY IN THE MIDDLE EAST

each, Dubai, UAE

Sub-metering in District Cooling – well worth the effort?

ALSO INSIDE interview:

page

Guest columns: Glenn Dobbs, VAF Filtration Systems

Robert Miller, Marafeq Qatar

George Berbari, DC PRO Engineering Omnia Halawani, Griffin Consultants

June 2016

page

64

licenCe to chill

Australia introduces new efficiency-rating tools and a stringent regulatory framework as it looks to improve its retrofit sector.

63

Market feature:

Cooling Towers

37

country report

book review

Rick Fedrizzi’s Green Think: How Profit can Save the Planet

REGULARS

Ed's note 08 Can you smell the gas?

Dan Mizesko discusses eddy current testing in the fourth part of the series on predictive maintenance technology.

NEWS 74 77 79 81 82

Regional Global Associations & Societies Comings & Goings Marketplace

June 2016

5

6

June 2016

June 2016

7

Can you smell the

I

B Surendar Editor @BSurendar_HVACR

country report: australia

Down Under eyes top spot with new efficiency-rating tools and growing retrofit sector

June 2016

INTERVIEWS ‘We’ve seen some crazy things in terms of counterfeit refrigerants’

Michael Jorde, Harp International ‘Top management wants to apply the Turkey blueprint to the whole region’

Levent Taskın, Danfoss

MARKET FEATURE

Should you

TRUST the

COOLING TOWERS

Water-cooled vs. aircooled – which has a better market?

MARK?

Get the next issue of Climate Control Middle East early!

Industry reacts to reports of third-party certifications being falsified or misused

SUPPLEMENT

CHILL

Qatar Cool’s Mohannad Khader talks submetering challenges and opportunities

Marafeq Qatar’s Robert Miller shares his insights on the country’s DC sector

DC PRO’s George Berbari assesses the progress of CCHP in the GCC region

Griffin Consultants' Omnia Halawani offers solutions to low ΔT syndrome

PUBLICATION LICENSED BY IMPZ

US$15

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

Events & Marketing Manager

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June 2016

GAS?

n mid-April, a young motorist in Dubai died of carbon monoxide (CO) inhalation. According to a newspaper report, the man had remained seated in a parked car for almost four hours with the engine running. The non-combustion of fuel in a normal manner caused a build-up of the poisonous gas in the car.

The unfortunate incident is a reminder of the perils of CO build-up in confined spaces, such as underground car parks, and the urgent need for addressing the problem by adequately deploying and regularly maintaining CO monitoring systems in them.

Carbon monoxide is one of the most dangerous gases known to humankind.

The symptoms of its toxicity include headache, dizziness, nausea, loss of muscular control, unconsciousness and death, when CO levels exceed 1,500 parts per million (ppm).

The gas is particularly dangerous because it is odourless, colourless and tasteless, which makes it impossible to detect with the sensory perception that humans are capable of. And that is precisely why CO monitoring systems are indispensable. And that is why it is imperative to discuss them in the GCC context.

The first and foremost issue is the need for adequate number of sensors in buildings across the GCC region. UAE-based sensor-calibration expert, Syed Taqi Hasan, talks of how every building needs to have CO monitoring systems in place.

Anything less than 100% is unacceptable, he adds.

The second issue concerns the proper selection of fans and sensors and their proper installation. The need for fans to be located with precision, as per the results of CFD studies, cannot be overemphasised. Equally, it is important to space sensors properly, keeping in mind the radius or area of coverage. For instance, if CO gas does not migrate from the source location to the sensor location, the sensor would not be able to detect the gas and, in turn, trigger the fan operating at low speed to operate at a high speed, to expel the gas from the immediate environment.

The third issue relates to maintenance. Modern-day sensors, which are based on the electro-chemical principle, are highly accurate, but the gas they are intended to detect, tends to react with them, impairing their ability to give an accurate reading.

It, thus, becomes imperative to periodically calibrate them.

The overall picture that emerges highlights the sheer complexity, and the vital nature, of FM-related work in building spaces. While cleaning and security functions are important, the need for FM specialisations for driving more energy efficiency and water conservation measures and for ensuring human health and safety cannot be overstated.

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June 2016

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Should you trust the

MARK?

With standards on performance, energy efficiency and safety regulations growing more stringent, HVAC industry insiders are reporting an increase in market interest in third-party testing. There are, however, allegations that some manufacturers and suppliers are either faking or misrepresenting certifications. In light of such claims, we ask: How reliable are third-party certification marks? How can the issue of spurious certification be tackled? And what can be done to stop their misuse?

By Fatima de la Cerna | Assistant Editor

A

hmed Eldidi, like nearly everyone else in the industry, has Dubai Expo 2020 on his mind. Seeing as the mega event is only four years away, this is not surprising.

Unlike most, though, his thoughts of the Expo are not centred on the amount of business and the number of projects it may bring, not only into the emirate but also into the UAE as a whole, and the rest of the Middle East. He is, in fact, not so much wondering about the coming years, as he is reflecting on the past.

“Did you know that UL was established in 1894?” Eldidi, who is the Regional Development Manager for the Middle East at UL, an independent safety certification company, asks before adding: “But, really, I guess you could say

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June 2016

that we started at the Chicago World’s Fair or the 1893 World Expo – the same one we’re having in Dubai in 2020.”

His supposition is not without basis, as historical accounts show that William Henry Merrill was employed at the fair to check the safety of its Palace of Electricity. The year after the Chicago event, the electrical engineer founded UL. Eldidi maintains that the connection between Merrill’s work at the fair and his founding of the safety organisation cannot be denied. He further supports his claim by sharing the information that a group of insurance companies were behind Merrill’s appointment at the fair, hence the name Underwriters Laboratories, or UL. Interesting piece of trivia about the company,

UL certifies dampers according to specific sizes, but we’ve seen some in the industry put the stickers on the wrong sizes

Ahmed Eldidi

Felix Van Eyken

Morten Schmelzer

for sure, but why the trip to the past?

By way of explanation, Eldidi says: “We have been in business for over 120 years, and we are a three-billion-dollar company. But we are a service provider, not a product manufacturer. Our brand is our most valuable – if not our only – asset. If we lose the essence and the integrity of the UL brand, then we lose our business. So we take it seriously. It’s not a joke to us.”

Rumours or facts?

By “it”, Eldidi means the allegation that some manufacturers or suppliers are misusing third-party certification marks – an issue that was brought to the attention of Climate Control Middle East at last year’s The Big 5 Dubai by top executives from a European manufacturing company. It was, of course, not the first time the magazine was hearing about the practice. Rumours of certifications being misused or even downright falsified have been circulating around the industry for years. The rumours, it seems, are not unfounded.

Asked if he has noticed the practice being carried out in the region, Majed Almejmaj, Senior Fire Engineer at BuroHappold Engineering, answers with

an emphatic “yes”, before elaborating: “Are products with fake labels available in the market? Absolutely.”

Saad Ali, meanwhile, says that “counterfeiting of labels has been rife since 2009 or 2010”. The VP and Group General Manager of Ruskin Titus Gulf points out, however, that the issue is not limited to counterfeits. “There are manufactures or OEMs who deliberately mislead the customers,” Ali says. When pressed for details, he cites the sizing of dampers as an example. “UL certifies dampers according to specific sizes, but we’ve seen some in the industry put the stickers on the wrong sizes. That happens a lot, but customers are not aware of it.”

Gaurav Bhatnagar

Saad Ali

Keeping watch The customers may be unaware, but Eldidi wants to make it clear that UL certainly knows what’s happening and that it has taken steps to address the problem. “UL has three groups that address different points,” he says. “We have our global security and brand protection division, which looks specifically into counterfeits. They deal with manufacturers who do not have any relationship with UL, be it testing

June 2016

Majed Almejmaj

Sriram CMP

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Because authorities are introducing tougher standards on performance and safety, non-certified manufacturers are having a harder time competing in the market or certification, but still use the UL mark on their products. In other instances though, we have manufacturers who do have a relationship with UL, but only for a particular product or model, and yet they use the UL mark across multiple models that have not been tested or certified.”

Cases belonging to the latter, Eldidi reveals, are handled by the company’s market surveillance group. “The group goes into the market and looks at products on the shelf,” he says. “And because those involved are already our customers, we notify them immediately that they can only use the UL mark on the model that has been tested, and they are issued a warning letter. If we continue to see that particular behaviour, we blacklist them and remove their listing even on the certified products. It all goes through the legal route.”

Moving on to the last of the three groups, Eldidi says that a UL follow-up services group conducts factory visits and inspections to ensure consistency in the production line and compliance not only with UL’s guidelines but also with regulations. Describing the group’s role as being, perhaps, the most difficult, he explains: “It’s about existing customers who have listing for products that need to comply with regulations. For instance, there might be a particular rating or safety requirement for the model that they have a listing for, but they might do something different during production, like develop a larger model for the same range that we’ve certified. We want to make sure that the labels issued by our labelling centre are used on products that meet not just our testing and certification guidelines but also the regulations that have been set by authorities.”

One way that UL is reportedly doing this is by working with regulators and seeing to it that they understand the UL system and the certification and testing requirements. Sharing details, Eldidi adds: “We have a very close relationship with most of our stakeholders, especially the authorities who are responsible

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June 2016

for approving the products we certify. For HVAC in the UAE, it would be ESMA. We have full-time staff based out of ESMA. We are closely working with them on all those three programmes, and when a UL manufacturer comes to us about their listed products, we go to ESMA and explain what exactly has been certified and what is not. We also work with the UAE Civil Defence and the Abu Dhabi Quality and Conformity Council, as well as SASO (Saudi Standards, Quality and Metrology Organization) and CPA (Consumer Protection Association) in Saudi Arabia, among other regulatory bodies in the Middle East.”

On record Like UL, Eurovent is also all too familiar with the issue of certification misuse, with reports often coming to them from existing clients. “What usually happens is that legitimate participants of our certifications programmes come to us with the information that there are false claims being made by companies not listed on our website,” says Felix Van Eyken, Secretary General of Eurovent. “Once verified, the information about the company that has been cheating is then published and [the information] made public.”

Adding to Van Eyken’s statement, Morten Schmelzer, the company’s Director for Business Development and Strategic Relations, says that Eurovent-certified players in the region “keep their eyes on who’s offering what”. He adds, “If someone is offering something that is actually not Eurovent-certified, they notify us.”

The weak spots UL and Eurovent may be aware of the issue of certification abuse and have various measures in place that look into it, but industry insiders stress that the problem is bigger than it may seem, as it has taken on different forms over the years. To give an example, Almejmaj relates how in one of the projects he’s worked on, he and the rest of the team found out that the certification of their supply of fire dampers had long expired. But how did it get past them in the first place? Is it normal practice in the industry to accept certification labels at face value?

While he acknowledges that it is common, Almejmaj expresses hesitation to accept it as normal practice, saying: “You have to make sure that the certificate is valid and that the product the supplier is providing is the exact same product that was certified – same materials, same construction methods, same size, etc. If there were changes, then it needs to be recertified. And if recertification is required, then you need to make sure that it has been done by checking the certificates. In our case, when we requested for the certificate, we saw that it had an expiration date, and when we asked them for the recertification document, they claimed that nothing was changed and so they had chosen not to recertify.”

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While he clarifies that he did not mean that “the fire dampers would not have worked as they were”, he maintains that those involved in the project chose to err on the side of caution, for there was nothing to guarantee that the products they’d been given were of the same quality as the original mentioned in the certificate. He says that in the end, the situation created quite a big issue and pushed the supplier to go through recertification.

The rent-a-certificate dealers and fly-by-night operators

We always try to target consultants, because we understand that they are the soldiers on the ground. They, in a way, drive the enforcement of regulations 14

June 2016

Identifying another variation on the problem, Sriram CMP, Director of Betec Cad Industries, reveals that there are instances of certifications being “rented out”. He elaborates: “There are copycat companies who are only interested in making money for a short period of time. What they do is instead of investing in their own R&D, they enter into an arrangement with certified manufacturers, whereby these copycat parties ‘lease’ the certification for a particular product.”

Describing the practice as “quite complicated”, Sriram claims that the “copycat” companies are supported by the original manufacturers. The latter allegedly provide the former with the raw materials and anything else that is needed to manufacture the certified product.

Despite the original manufacturer taking responsibility for the “copycat” operations, Sriram insists that the situation is not as harmless as it appears to be. “Unqualified companies should not be allowed to manufacture critical products, because even the most seemingly minor part of the manufacturing process could play a major role in the product’s performance, such as how it performs in high temperatures or during a fire,” he says. He further points out that since HVAC systems are intended for long-term use in buildings, and not items meant to be discarded after just a year or two, people should think twice before buying from companies that “will manufacture for a few months or years, while there is a boom in demand, but who will then close their companies and get out once the boom is over”.

A matter of ethics Going by the scenarios painted by Sriram and Almejmaj, it would seem that the

problem has certainly become more complex, but what is driving the misuse of certifications? Is it money?

Saying that money is, indeed, a big factor, Eldidi refers to counterfeiting as “one of the most profitable” businesses in the world, before expounding: “It’s a new trend in international crime, because in terms of punishment and legislation, it’s not as big a risk for felons as other illegal activities. With commercial crimes like counterfeiting, they’ll probably just end up with a very small fine to pay. Now, compare that with the risks they’re taking when they go into the business of drugs or human trafficking. Like I said, counterfeiting is relatively low risk and also very profitable.”

Still on the topic of profits, Eldidi also cites market competition as another factor behind the practice. “Because authorities are introducing tougher standards on performance and safety, non-certified manufacturers are having a harder time competing in the market,” he says. “And since they regard certification as a cost that will eat into their margins, they just go and say, ‘Okay, we’ll slap a mark on it; counterfeit a piece of paper and hope that no one finds out’. But those same standards and legislations that are making it hard for them to compete, will eventually make it also difficult for them to falsify certifications.”

While he agrees with Eldidi that competition and profit-making are factors behind certification misuse, Gaurav Bhatnagar offers a slightly different perspective. “It’s all about ethics,” says the Regional Marketing Manager of Armacell. “If everyone in the industry were ethically responsible, this issue will not be this bad. But you have clients putting the pressure on the contractors to value engineer – to cut corners in order to cut costs – and the contractors in turn, put the pressure on manufacturers. So what do some manufacturers do?”

Rather than wait for a response, Bhatnagar gives the answer himself: They find ways to circumvent the proper testing and certification process but still get the commercial benefits.

Possible solutions Considering the complexity and size of the problem, is there anything more that can be done, other than what UL, Eurovent and other stakeholders are already doing? “It’s impossible; they won’t be able to do that,” Almejmaj says, when asked if he thinks certification bodies should be made responsible to monitor the market 24/7.

“This is an issue that has to involve everyone in the community. It can’t just be UL or the Civil Defence or the UAE government, or even just the

June 2016

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The app will tell you which damper that certification code belongs to; what its brand, model and size are consultants or contractors alone. Everyone needs to get on board and commit to using appropriate equipment and to verifying claims made by manufacturers.”

Bhatnagar and Sriram, too, think that every stakeholder must get involved in the process of curbing the misuse of certification marks.

Bhatnagar, however, suggests that certification bodies conduct project-site inspections and “take stricter action in terms of blacklisting” erring manufacturers. Sriram, on the other hand, is of the opinion that consultants, in particular, should be more responsible when it comes to sourcing certified products.

Sriram is not the only one who thinks consultants should be alert. Eldidi, talking about measures that UL has in place to combat counterfeiters, reveals: “UL conducts regular educational seminars, and we always try to target consultants, because we understand that they are the soldiers on the ground. They, in a way, drive the enforcement of regulations. The government can enforce up to a certain level, but what happens in construction sites is really up to the consultants.”

Apart from stressing the role of consultants, Eldidi adds that the seminars UL conducts are free for all interested stakeholders, and that the company is always open to the industry. “In fact, they don’t have to wait for a seminar to come to us,” he says. “Whenever they have a question about a guideline or a product, they can contact UL any time, and we’ll be more than happy to coach or advise or train them.”

This professed open-door policy towards the industry is shared by Eurovent, who, as per Schmelzer, has long made it their policy to engage with their customers. “But we’ve also made it very easy for them to verify on their own if a product is certified or not,” he says. “They just need to go to our website. If the product is not listed on our website, then it’s not certified. And the listing is available for everyone.”

The same is true for UL-listed products. “All the information is on our website,” says Eldidi.

how to go about checking certifications or what exactly they’re about. So there’s a need for certification bodies to educate the industry.”

Education and awareness are particularly important, considering how the problem has birthed a host of other issues, Ali says, adding: “Like I said, it’s not only about counterfeiting or falsifying marks or labels.

There’s miscommunication and the deliberate misleading of customers. All of those have to stop, and that will only happen if we have a strong presence here of AMCA, AHRI, UL and all those bodies that control or oversee the HVAC industry. They all have to put their heads together and come up with effective ways to spread awareness and, at the same time, correct wrong information or debunk myths about certifications.”

Prodded to suggest one such effective way, Ali voices his support for the idea of holding seminars and meetings that will be attended by different HVAC stakeholders. “This subject is too big for an interview,” he says. “This needs to involve a discussion panel. In fact, this is probably going to be a three-day seminar.” He goes on to explain that it has to be three days, because there are “too many loopholes” that need to be closed – something that he doesn’t believe can be managed in just one day.

Apart from his firm belief that a discussion on the issue must be prioritised, Ali does have another suggestion on what the industry can do to address the problem: “I think an app that can screen any product, anywhere in the world – an app that can easily subject any product bearing a certification mark to a test would be really useful. The certification sticker or label could have some kind of bar code, and that code could then be run through the app, which would tell you the complete details about the certified product. For example, if it’s a damper, it will tell you which damper that certification code belongs to; what its brand, model and size are.”

Admitting that developing the kind of app that he’s thinking about is an investment that somebody has to make, he says: “Who that is I don’t know, but I think with the number of products that people look at and the amount of construction that’s happening in the Middle East, it’s a small investment to ensure that people are protected from possible harm that could come from being misled into using uncertified and untested products.”

Plugging the gaps For Ali, however, making the list of certified products and manufacturers available online does not automatically ease the burden on the customers. “It can be a time-consuming thing that customers have to go through,” he says. “It can even be painful for customers who don’t know

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June 2016

HAVE YOUR SAY!

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

June 2016

17

INTERVIEW

‘We’ve seen

some crazy things in terms of counterfeit refrigerants’ Michael Jorde and Prakash Chablani, International Marketing Manager of Harp International and Managing Director of Unigulf Development, respectively, discuss the reasons behind the continued prevalence of counterfeiting in the refrigerant sector, the safety hazards it poses to the end-users and the different measures the public and private sectors can take to curb the practice.

Prakash Chablani

Michael Jorde

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Interview by B Surendar, Editor, Climate Control Middle East, and Fatima de la Cerna, Assistant Editor, Climate Control Middle East

June 2016

19

INTERVIEW

W

hat initiatives is Harp taking against counterfeit refrigerants? And how big a problem is counterfeiting?

Michael Jorde: Counterfeit refrigerants are a big problem in our industry. In 2011, there were deaths attributed to the contamination of refrigerated containers or reefers, and that pushed counterfeiting of refrigerants into the global spotlight and changed the landscape of the industry.

When the issue was investigated, it was discovered that, globally, around 10-15% of all refrigerated containers or reefers were contaminated with a product called R-40, which is hazardous. What this product basically does is attack the aluminium in the refrigeration system, which can cause explosions.

Like I said, that incident really brought counterfeit refrigerants into focus – an important development for brands like Harp, because our priority has always been the quality and integrity of the product. We take pride in the fact that we fill our own products.

A lot of our competitors don’t. Instead, what they do is have a third party fill the product on their behalf. At Harp, however, we religiously analyse the product at every single stage – before filling, during filling, at batch level, etc.

– to ensure quality all the way through.

We’ve seen some crazy things in terms of counterfeit refrigerants. We’ve seen not only counterfeit gas within the cylinders but also cylinders that are dangerous and not fit for the purpose being used. We’ve seen cylinders with fake pressure-relief devices inside them. We’ve seen R-134A cans flying across warehouses as a result of the pressure building up owing to high-ambient temperatures. If there’s high-ambient temperature and the pressurerelease valve device is only cosmetic and does not perform any function, you can have explosions.

It’s a big and important issue across the industry, and it seems to have gotten worse in the last few years, mainly because there’s a lot of money to be made in substituting a relatively high-priced product with a cheaper alternative. Often, the cheaper alternative will perform the same functions and will have the potential to be used as a refrigerant, but these replacements are usually flammable. So what you have is a flammable product being used in a system that is not designed

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Around 10-15% of all refrigerated containers or reefers were contaminated with a product called R-40, which is hazardous to handle flammable refrigerants. Needless to say, this can cause all kinds of problems for the user.

What kind of response are you getting from the market in the UAE? We ask, because the UAE is often described as a very price-driven market. The price is reportedly king, and one of the reasons behind the prevalence of counterfeiting – not only of refrigerants but also of a variety of products.

Jorde: The end-users will have to decide. But we have noticed that our customers in the Middle East, when they try to substitute our products with others, realise that alternative products are not desirable or have problems and, could, maybe even damage their reputation. Generally, those customers end up going back to using our products.

Prakash Chablani: When you want to bring in controls or regulations of any nature, all stakeholders must be responsible. Of course, you have to first make it clear who the stakeholders are; only then can they be given the responsibility.

Take China, for instance. Its export of HCFCs is now very well-regulated. You can’t just take a shipment of HCFCs out of China. There have been different legal actions in the country, including jail terms. Then we have the local scene here. In the past, anybody and everybody could import, but then came a quota system. Of course, we have to give credit to the authorities. They are changing with the times. They now have much better controls on imports, not just at the federal level through the UAE Ministry of Climate Change and Environment but at the municipality levels, as well. And I heard recently that they’re regulating imports even at the customs level, with everything under this class open to inspection.

I know in some countries, customs have equipment that can test refrigerants. You might, for example, mark your product as R-134A but inside you have R-22; so they’ve got equipment to test that. They could ask you to open a container as part of random testing.

Water is our element: www.belimo.ae

June 2016

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INTERVIEW

And so control levels are improving. It is important to remember, however, that we have an open market. The government will never, for instance, take a singular action for or against a brand. But to comply with global regulations over HCFCs or ozone-depleting substances, I think the government should implement an ad valorem tax, because it’s all commercial. In the end, it’s all commercial, so just make them more expensive.

So price them out?

Chablani: Yes, price HCFCs out.

Today, we don’t look at ODP only but also GWP. And the way Europe is doing it is fantastic, because they have an index to go after. They won’t tell you what is right or not right. And everybody – all stakeholders – have to work towards that. It will, of course, take time for that to be adopted here; but for now, make them commercially unviable.

I am an importer. I have a quota and I think it is fantastic, because we are also one of the largest importers of alternative refrigerants. We want more alternative products here, because they are the future.

What do you think is the longterm alternative? R-410A? Chablani: There are plenty of options, but this has to be driven by OEMs. They invest a lot in research and development with the manufacturers. They are the eventual solution-providers. Refrigerant is just a medium, so they have to drive that, while the government looks at the GWP index. That’s what’s happening in Europe.

Jorde: That is what’s happening in Europe. A quota has been fixed – in GWP terms, not in absolute kilo terms – so that each importer is allocated a quota. They are free to choose whichever mix of refrigerants based on the overall GWP allowance, but the idea has helped authorities to put the focus on the industry, while trying to dictate which solutions are better.

They say, ‘This is your total allowance in terms of GWP. Pick and choose whichever products you want to use.’

And there’s a periodic phase-down, until we’re left with only a fraction of the original quota. So the industry has to come up with inventive ways to reduce GWP. For instance, two high-value products are R-507 and R-404A. R-404A is the most popular, so that’s the focus of the industry’s efforts to find substitutes. A lot of work has been done on alternatives to R-404A.

In the past few years, the industry has seen a number of refrigerant-

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related conferences attended by OEMs, refrigerant manufacturers and even regulators; yet, no clear picture has emerged. We’ve, in fact, spoken with some stakeholders who have expressed frustration, saying that conferences turn out to be nothing but lobbying sessions, with participants pushing their own agenda and interests.

Chablani: In a democratic situation, you cannot have clarity at first instance. You have to go through this; this is part of the evolution.

In the last – I think – 15 years, we’ve gone through three generations. The important thing here is that there has been such activity levels that we’ve gone through three generations of refrigerants. R-22 has been in existence for 50-plus years. The situation has even changed conceptually. There’s no more ODP; it’s now GWP. And if you really think about it, that’s right; that’s the way it should be. Why should one alternative be the solution? This should be all based on research and development. Huge money goes into OEMs, and at the end of the day, the OEMs are the biggest stakeholders in this. No medium, no alternative.

With the deadline of the phase-out approaching, do you see the market taking proactive measures? Do you see, for example, end-users going for equipment that would move away from R-22?

Jorde: With any phase-out, it’s always government-driven, either via incentives, taxes or by an actual ban. That is typically how it works in the industry, so you have to have regulations or a government system in place to promote the phase-down or phase-out. It’s very difficult to pursue something that is industry-driven.

If you look at the other nations or trading blocs that have phased out R-22... Europe phased out R-22 a while ago; the US is a lot farther down the path; the UAE, by international standards, is a very advanced economy, but in terms of the HCFC phase-out, it seems to be behind other nations.

I think, to answer your question, you’ll definitely need government intervention. Europe has the HCFC quota, and people are looking into alternatives. The focus is very much on reducing the GWP, but that never would have happened without government intervention.

What is Harp doing in terms of reclaiming refrigerants?

Jorde: In the UK, we have – and have had for many years – a successful reclaim operation.

Generally, through our network in the UK, we only use refillable cylinders in Europe. No disposables to speak of. When refillable cylinders are sent out to

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INTERVIEW

customers, we receive waste refrigerant back from the distribution network in the UK. And we have a reclaim plant.

The reclaim plant can take contaminated refrigerants and bring them back to well within the required specifications.

So you reclaim, clean and pump it back?

Jorde: We reclaim, clean, analyse, reanalyse, make sure that it’s within the AHRI 700 specification requirements, and then we pump it back into the storage tanks.

Waste contaminants that have been recovered go to incineration. We incinerate them, and we actually incentivise the customer to return the waste refrigerant.

They’re given a credit for the returns, and we recover and bring the refrigerant back to specification and back in circulation. We’ve invested a lot of money in this technology and improved it several times and perfected it.

There have been accusations flying here that the Middle East, the GCC region in particular, is being used as a dumping ground for products that no longer meet the stringent regulations coming into the European market. What kind of standards or values have you adopted to make sure that what you supply to Europe is the same as what you supply here?

With any phaseout, it’s always governmentdriven, either via incentives, taxes or by an actual ban…. It’s very difficult to pursue something that is is industrydriven 24

June 2016

Jorde: The products that we supply to the UAE or anywhere in the Middle East are no different from the products that we supply in Europe. They’re 100% exactly the same. The quality standards that we apply as a company apply everywhere that we sell. Our refrigerants are all guaranteed to meet Harp specifications and the Harp product guarantee, and they actually come from the same tanks. The only difference is the fact that we’re allowed to ship in disposable cylinders here but not in Europe. The package is different, but the product itself is exactly the same.

Chablani: In fact, the same Harp products that come here go to the United States.

Jorde: Some companies may be trying to dump substandard products here in the region.

That’s true. Other players in the market have certain higher-priced products that go to certain regions, and then they have lowerpriced products with different cylinders or lower-quality cylinders.

As I mentioned earlier, one of our benefits as a company is that we actually fill our own products. Some of our competitors, they buy cylinders in China that are sold as generic

products. Those companies selling the cylinders will allow you to put your own branding on the cylinder and sell it with a European address. So the reality is, it’s a low-priced cylinder but with a different label, maybe a nicer box, a more attractive design, but it is the same generic product. And people buy those products under the assumption that they have passed all European standards, but they haven’t. I mean, the people selling them can’t guarantee for sure what’s inside, because they didn’t fill them.

Chablani: It may seem minor, but it takes every drop to make the quality thing work. The cylinders should be DOT 39 cylinders, because alternative cylinders could just add impurities to even the best gas. There are no controls around them.

DOT 39 is the standard. It’s available everywhere, but if you talk to the Chinese, for example, they have a different price. When you have a different price, it means you are diluting; and if you are diluting, you are not maintaining the integrity of the product that’s in there. DOT 39, if I’m not mistaken, even has testing done on the cylinder for the purity level.

Jorde: Yes, there is testing. It’s a US standard, with DOT being the Department of Transport.

It was originally a road safety classification, but now, the cylinders that we use are all DOT39-approved. Another problem is that you can get fake cylinders that have the DOT 39 label and the manufacturing code on the cylinders themselves.

Chablani: You should try opening a DOT 39 cylinder once. Empty it out and cut it up. And do the same thing with a Chinese cylinder, and you’d see rust, if you want to call it that.

Doesn’t that add to the impurity?

Jorde: And it’s not just the rust – the thickness is inconsistent. You might get the correct thickness in some parts, but the walls may vary. With a high-pressure gas like R-410A, for instance, its cylinder is heavier than that of R-134A because of the thickness of the steel. It has to be thicker to cope with the higher pressure. And one of the main weaknesses of a cylinder is the seam.

The seams are welded together, but they often leak in counterfeit cylinders. If you’ve got highpressure gas in there, you’ll have a problem.

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June 2016

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INTERVIEW

IN

The world’s first

-staffed

hotel makes a cool choice Hideo Sawada, Chairman of H.I.S. Co and CEO of HUIS TEN BOSCH Co, shares with Fatima de la Cerna of Climate Control Middle East, the reason behind the decision to open a hotel run almost entirely by robots. He also talks about radiant panel air conditioning system and how using it helps Japan’s Hennna Hotel achieve what he calls the “ultimate in efficiency” while offering its guests “comfort that lies beyond the ordinary”.

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June 2016

Could you give us a brief background on Henn-na Hotel? How long has it been in operation?

This hotel started from the concept of ‘overturning common sense’ or going beyond the ordinary. For any hotel, cutting costs, especially in relation to wages and energy bills, is a serious problem. So we thought that we can overcome the problem by using robots instead of hiring human staff and by using renewable energy.

Moreover, it has become difficult in Japan to find and retain human resources for the service industry because of low birth rate and an ageing society. Using robots instead of people is an alternative – a new way of hotel management.

There is a shortage of hotels not only in Japan but also in the world. The way we saw it, if we could build them within a short period of time at a low cost, we would be able to provide hotel rooms at a reasonable price.

We started this project with the

intention of building hotels outside the city, where basic infrastructure has not been constructed. The hotel opened in July 2015. The name Henn-na Hotel reflects our commitment to evolution, because one of the meanings of ‘Henn’ is ‘to change’.

We believe in using the latest technologies, and technology is always changing.

What are the pros and cons of having robots attend to your guests? What kind of feedback have you received from your guests since you opened?

Hospitality is a little poorer with robots than with human staff, but the ability to give the same quality of service is a strong point. And guests who do not need personalised service express a preference for ‘robot’ service. Usually, guests who stay at our hotel are those who are interested in the experience of communicating with robots. So when they come, they tend to have a look of wonder and excitement.

Since it is the first robot hotel in the world,

Radiant panel conducts heat from material to material without influencing the surrounding air our guests are able to enjoy the ‘nearfuture’.

I understand that Henn-na Hotel is different from other hotels, not only because of the robots but also because of its cooling technology.

Could you share details about your use of radiant panel air conditioning system? What made you decide to use it?

Radiant panel conducts heat from material to material without influencing the surrounding air. This air conditioning system

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INTERVIEW

IN

Images courtesy HUIS TEN BOSCH Co

Radiant technology allows us to reduce our energy consumption and CO2 emissions because it only requires water 28

June 2016

draws heat away from the human body, making him or her feel cool when it is hot. When it’s cold, it keeps the person warm by preventing body heat from escaping.

Compared to conventional air conditioning systems, radiant panels create lower temperature differential and are not as affected by air currents, thus creating a comfortable environment, regardless of the season. Guests can stay in the room very comfortably, because the system keeps the room temperature from 23 to 26 degrees C the whole year.

They are also quieter, again adding to guest comfort. Furthermore, radiant technology allows us to reduce our energy consumption and CO2 emissions, because it only requires water.

In terms of initial investment cost, it is more expensive than conventional air conditioners, but its running cost is only a third of the cost of conventional systems. In the long term, radiant panel technology is cheaper and more ecofriendly. It is also easier to maintain, because it does not have filters. It just needs to be wiped a couple of times a month.

Though it’s not technically possible for guests to change the temperature itself, they can change the amount of water that runs in the system. If they feel hot, they can increase the amount of water to make them feel cooler.

If they feel cold, they can reduce the amount of water.

What other energy-saving features can be found in the hotel? What other measures do you have in place to make sure that the hotel’s indoor environment is healthy and comfortable for the guests?

We have [Toshiba’s] H2One, which is a hydrogen

energy system. The hotel generates its own electricity through solar power. The H2One stores the solar energy generated in battery cells, and uses it to produce hydrogen. In times of bad weather or in winter, when hours of daylight are short, the system generates energy with the stored hydrogen. Self-sufficiency of energy is, therefore, realised.

The hotel is also equipped with motion sensors. When guests exit the room, the sensor automatically turns off the lights, reducing energy wastage. And since guests do not have to turn the lights on or off, it’s one less thing they have to worry about.

What are your plans for the hotel?

What changes or upgrades can guests expect from Henn-na Hotel in the future?

As a company, we will challenge ourselves more when it comes to introducing robots into hotels and achieving more cost cutting. We also aim to build hotels in areas that suffer from a shortage of hotels, and we hope to build our hotels all over the world.

For Henn-na Hotel, our more pressing need is to improve our use of robotics for room cleaning. We think we would be able to build the most efficient hotel in the world by developing robots that can make beds and clean toilets and showers.

HAVE YOUR SAY!

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

June 2016

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INTERVIEW

‘Top management wants to apply the Turkey blueprint to the whole region’

Levent Taşkın, former General Manager of Danfoss Turkey and the company’s new Regional President for Turkey, Middle East and Africa, in conversation with Fatima de la Cerna of Climate Control Middle East to discuss his plans for the region, including replicating the company’s performance in the Turkey market through an improved customer service system and unified business units.

W

hat are your plans for Danfoss Turkey, Middle East and Africa (TMA), with you as the Regional President?

Just to give you a bit of background, two and a half years ago, Danfoss decided to reorganise all of its Turkey facilities to take advantage of the country’s improving economic conditions and to better prepare the company’s future. At the time, I met with Danfoss and told them that I could do it.

The first thing I did was to visit all our customers and get their expectations and evaluation of the company. I asked them who they believed were our biggest competitors and what we could do differently from those competitors. When I completed the visits, I took with me all kinds of feedback and reached a few realisations, one being that our customers only knew one segment of Danfoss. They also only thought of the company as a product producer, though we wanted them to think of us as a system solutions provider.

Now, in Turkey, we had three areas that we focused on – heating, cooling and drives. They were managed separately, like they were different companies, instead of being operated under one umbrella. The teams had different targets, different

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strategies, different services and different working styles.

Having realised all that, I put several ideas on the table, based on which we could develop our strategies. These ideas included changing employees’ mindset so everyone would work together as one team, and developing a centralised system to create awareness among our customers of the different segments of Danfoss, as well as make the market aware that the company is more than just a product supplier.

With the Board approving the strategies we came up with, we reorganised all structures into one company. We built a customer service centre that handled all concerns from all customers of all segments. The idea behind the centre was to make sure that support was given to customers within a 24-hour period. We also reviewed our logistics, improved our after-sales and e-learning facilities, looked into new software programs that would allow us to follow up customer visits and worked closer with our dealers.

All of those made us unique in the market, and as a result, in two years, we saw 40% turnover growth in Turkey.

Based on reports, it would seem that Turkey itself as a market saw growth in the last couple of years.

Yes, but Turkey is only one part of the region, and as the TMA President, I want to continue the success we’ve achieved in Turkey. The improvement in that market was in fact so dramatic that top management wants to apply the Turkey blueprint to the whole region, which is composed of three sub-regions. One is the Turkey sub-region, which covers Turkey, Afghanistan, Pakistan, Iran and Azerbaijan. The second is MENA; and then there’s the South African and SubSaharan sub-region.

One of the biggest challenges in the region is that it’s a large territory of 68 countries, with over a billion people.

Having witnessed our success in Turkey, our challenge now is to unify the different business units of the company. We want to have a unified team, to become one company with one voice, despite coming from different cultures.

So, like what I did in Turkey, I prepared a visit programme to meet our customers across the region and get their perception of Danfoss. And like in Turkey, we’re going to implement a customer service centre

and e-learning facilities, and look into improving awareness of us as a system solutions provider.

Another strategy that I’ve proposed, considering the size of the territory and considering that it’s a growing region, is that we select a few markets to focus on, instead of going everywhere – just select the most important and well-performing markets. We’ve mapped out seven of them. They are the UAE, Saudi Arabia, Iran, Egypt, Turkey, Nigeria and Maghreb – particularly Morocco, Tunisia and Algeria.

How do you intend to maximise your presence in those markets?

Around 70% of the food produced in Nigeria is wasted, because there is no cold chain

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INTERVIEW

There are three subsets to our strategy. The first is, as has been mentioned, identifying focus countries. The second is to identify the hotspots of those countries, because some, for instance, require cooling, but then, we go deeper and determine which kind of cooling is needed. Is it refrigeration? After all, Danfoss has four growth areas, namely, infrastructure, energy, food and beverage and climate. After identifying the hotspots, the third subset to the strategy is to determine how we can cover the countries’ specific hotspots. To achieve all that, having an effective customer service system in place is very important. There has to be a 24-hour communication channel with the customers.

Once all the systems are in place, we will proceed to extract key takeaways from the experience and apply them to the other countries in the territory.

Speaking of food and beverage, what opportunities are there in the region’s refrigeration sector?

Let’s take Nigeria as an example. It is among the richest countries in Africa. It has immense potential, but the cold chain is completely broken. Around 70% of the food produced in the country is wasted, because there is no cold chain. Millions of people there are going hungry, and the same thing can be observed in the other parts of Africa. That’s where Danfoss can come in – be part of the cold chain.

We are also lobbying with different governments and ministers, asking them to introduce new regulations.

What kind of regulations?

One of the biggest challenges in this region is technical expertise

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One of them is to improve subsidies or incentives that support energy-efficient products and solutions. That’s very important.

In Europe, they have really tight regulations on energy efficiency, with governments providing support through incentives. They need to provide those incentives, because without them, nobody would think about using energy-efficient products.

Historically, the Middle East has been the least concerned about energy. The utility bills are low, so nobody has been looking into it. But the world is changing, and our goal should be to do more with less. We need to use energyefficient products to reduce our spending. This kind of thinking has to catch on, especially in the MENA region, where around 90% of the economy is dependent on oil & gas. MENA countries have to do this, and they need to decide as quickly as possible, because being

energy efficient will benefit them in two ways: It’ll give them savings, and since they’re not using as much energy for their daily use, they’ll be able to sell more.

Other than the size of the territory and the energy-efficiency issue, what are the biggest challenges in the industry?

One of the biggest challenges in this region is technical expertise. We’re not there yet, but that doesn’t mean we need to reinvent the wheel.

We already have technologies we can use. To address this challenge, we have decided to take it as one of our missions to provide a kind of practical support.

Of course, we need to reach people first, but how can we reach everyone at the same time? We thought of that, thought of how we could reach them and help them gain more knowledge. And that is the reason why we implemented – last year in Turkey and now in the Middle East – an e-learning programme.

Today, we have more than 3,000 e-lessons, starting from beginner courses up to system solutions. And mind you, this learning platform has nothing to do with the commercial aspect of Danfoss. It’s all about the technologies that we use and the solutions that we need, like cold rooms and how to build or design them.

Are the e-lessons available for everyone?

Yes. Those interested just need to go to our website. We are also going to be taking the lessons to students through a project involving 64 technical universities, or around 1.2 million students, in the TMA region. The project, which will start in September, aims to help students learn real-time engineering, because there’s often a gap in what is being studied in school and what is being practised or used in the workplace.

There is a test after a lesson, and if you pass the test, you’ll get a certificate from Danfoss, which you can print. In the region, we already have close to 4,000 users, with the majority coming from South Africa and Pakistan. But we want to promote the e-learning platform more.

We’re especially looking at countries that have a high number of engineers, like Saudi Arabia, Iran and Jordan.

HAVE YOUR SAY!

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PHOTO FEATURE

SAFETY Conference

9 May 2016 | Andalus Ballroom Habtoor Grand Beach Resort & Spa Jumeirah Beach, Dubai, UAE PRODUCED BY

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Focusing on a burning issue The first-ever Annual Middle East HVAC Fire Safety Conference, produced by CPI Industry, the publishers of Climate Control Middle East, and held on May 9 in Dubai, UAE, was a converging point for manufacturers, consultants, contractors and other stakeholders in the HVAC and fire safety sectors. The avowed objective of the conference was to address key fire safety issues, with a strong HVAC slant. Moderated by Shamim RashidSumar, the President of the UAE International Chapter of the Society of Fire Protection Engineers (SFPE) and the Director of Business Development for the Middle East & Project Manager at Jensen Hughes, the conference saw participants and delegates engage in informative and insightful discussions and debates on a variety of topics, including fire safety codes and standards, as well as new and existing fire protection equipment and technologies. We bring you the highlights in images...

Rahul Zutshi, BETEC CAD

Dipak Bhadra, Leminar

Vilas Bakshi, Armacell

Monazir Ansari, Ruskin Titus gulf

Shamim Rashid-Sumar, SFPE

June 2016

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SAFETY Conference

PHOTO FEATURE

L-R: Frédéric Paillé, CPI Industry; Gaurav Bhatnagar, Armacell; Quresh Motiwala, Leminar; Dipak Bhadra; Sriram CMP, betec cad; Monazir Ansari

L-R: Sriram CMP, Vilas Bakshi, Dipak Bhadra, Monazir Ansari

L-R: Alexander Castellanos, WSP | Parsons Brinckerhoff; Peter Van Gorp, Tebodin Middle East; Majed Almejmaj, Burohappold Engineering; Aaron Vanney, Jensen Hughes

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June 2016

PRODUCED BY

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9 May, 2016 | Andalus Ballroom Habtoor Grand Beach Resort & Spa Jumeirah Beach, Dubai, UAE

June 2016

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June 2016

STRATEGIC HVACR RECRUITMENT PARTNER

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TRACKING THE DISTRICT COOLING INDUSTRY IN THE MIDDLE EAST

Sub-metering in District Cooling – well worth the effort?

ALSO INSIDE interview:

Market feature:

Cooling Towers

Guest columns: Glenn Dobbs, VAF Filtration Systems

Robert Miller, Marafeq Qatar

George Berbari, DC PRO Engineering Omnia Halawani, Griffin Consultants

June 2016

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ARKET

EATURE

COOLING TOWERS

Which really has a better market – a water-cooled system or an air-cooled one? How much do regulations affect the industry, vis-à-vis the local manufacturers and end-users? Has the economic downturn influenced preferences of consultants in the cooling tower sector?

Mohammed Abdul Hai investigates…

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June 2016

TRACKING THE DC INDUSTRY IN THE MIDDLE EAST

Cooling tower manufacturers based here need to be prepared to outdo their competitors

Abdul Aziz

Raphael Khlat

Jeevan Joy

“W

ater-cooled systems will not be able to reach everyone, so there is plenty of work for air-cooled systems,” says Raphael Khlat, Managing Director of Faisal Jassim Trading Company, setting the tone for a discussion on the two systems. Abdul Aziz, Sales Engineer at Dar Al Riyadh, adds, “Market for water-cooled system, has always been good, considering the pace of the market,” lending it another perspective.

Air v/s water According to market insiders, water-cooled systems have enjoyed a swift growth in the HVAC industry, but that hasn’t slowed down the market for air-cooled systems. Energy efficiency, cost management and a conducive market are what drive both the commercial and industrial sectors of these systems in the mainstream projects.

They estimate that air-cooled systems consume 1.4 kW/T compared to water-cooled systems, which offer better efficiency with 0.9 kW/T of energy consumption.

Drawing attention to the cooling tower market in general, Aziz, highlights: “Cooling towers have a comparatively higher margin in the market. However, a huge turnover can be expected for both the systems in the coming months. The market is sleeping right now, but it is a controllable issue.” Citing both economic and political reasons for the slow market, he adds: “There are still many opportunities for air-cooled systems to do well. We must not forget that different manufacturers are working diligently to improve the energy efficiency of air-cooled systems. And their comparatively lower prices, and low maintenance will always keep them in the race.” Agreeing with Aziz, Khlat thinks this is a healthy sign for the industry.

Jeevan Joy, Managing Director at SPIG, says, “The market is favourable for District Cooling Plants (DCPs) now, with new projects in and across the GCC region, and the demand in the region for water-cooled DCP systems is more than ever.” He reveals: “Several new tenders are flowing in towards the DCP market, and it seems like the market is re-emerging. These tenders are flowing for all major DCP companies, and we are very confident that these projects will turn into reality.” Sharing Joy’s opinion, and commenting on the market in general, Aziz adds: “Cooling systems are gaining momentum in this region, so the market always has the need for it. We are expecting a growth of 10-20% in the next couple of quarters, but that entirely depends on the market again.” Aziz attributes customer interest in the cooling tower sector for the green shoots being seen in the market, which he thinks “has paved way for our success in the GCC region”.

“There are a lot of commercial players in the market, exhibiting strong manufacturer and distributor relationship, says Khlat, reinforcing Aziz’s view. “The local market is much spread, almost parallel with the economic terms of the region.”

He believes that there is always potential for new cooling tower manufacturers, but adds a caveat: “However, pre-qualifying yourselves with the region is mandatory. Dubai will soon be saturated with cooling tower distributors, and it’s the right time investors and manufacturers should look to expand outside of Dubai.” Reflecting these thoughts, Joy says, “Industrial sector mostly works on the ‘knockdown’ condition, where the imported equipment are brought to the site and assembled.” Succinctly summing up the challenges cooling tower manufacturers face, he says, “Cooling tower manufacturers based here will have a lot of work to do, and need to be prepared to outdo their competitors,

June 2016

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ARKET

EATURE

COOLING TOWERS

TRACKING THE DC INDUSTRY IN THE MIDDLE EAST

which is a tough job in itself.”

Fine-tuning the system

Dubai will soon be saturated with cooling tower distributors, and it’s the right time investors and manufacturers should look to expand outside of Dubai

Manufacturers are constantly working to make cooling towers more appealing to customers, points out Aziz, and adds that improvement in design could prove to be the pivotal factor, with a focus on increased efficiency, while reducing the size of the equipment. He enumerates the key points manufacturers generally consider while producing the equipment: energy efficiency, cost of maintenance and capacity of cooling area.

Echoing this opinion, Joy adds, “On an industrial level, the catchword now is optimisation.” He believes that the key to efficiency lies with the manufacturer. However, he emphasises that monitoring is equally important to increase the efficiency of the plant, highlighting, “Since the DCP takes more load than it used to before, it makes the monitoring even more necessary.” He also underlines how important the design of the plant is, suggesting, “If the plant is capable of taking more load, this will be a benefit to the end-user, as it saves them money.”

In the opinion of industry insiders, there are two grey areas that could use a revamp, or at least a considerable amount of work: Use of TSE (Treated Sewage Effluent) water for better efficiency and awareness against Legionella bacteria for safety reasons. Experts underline that these areas generally tend to slip below the radar and, therefore, need more attention. “TSE water could prove to be the solution for energy efficiency that we desire,” says Joy. “If the plant is close to the sea, usage of seawater is also considerable.”

Selecting the right material for equipment manufacturing is very crucial, suggests, Khlat.

“Solutions are available but they are expensive,” he adds. “In terms of efficiency, it is gradually increasing, which is a job well done on the manufacturer’s part.” He, however, voices his concern regarding the current manufacturing facilities in the region, when he says: “There must be more encouragement towards setting up local manufacturing sites of the equipment, instead of shipping them from across the globe.

By doing this, the developers and the consumers

would save a lot of the money.”

The possibility of cutting costs is available, but the government needs to step up and take charge, Khlat believes. “Government needs to promote and encourage the idea of producing or manufacturing the equipment locally,” he reiterates. “There is a pressing need for them to set up standards, regulations and testing labs.”

Strongly endorsing this idea, he adds, “There is a lot of potential for the developers and the endusers to save money.”

Innovations are certain to bring about the much-needed transformation in the market.

The introduction of a better product or cost management of any scale, could very well be the catalytic force to drive the consumers, suggests Khlat. Focusing on the role manufacturers play in the general scheme of things, Aziz emphasises: “Manufacturers work constantly to improve the efficiency of the cooling towers.

Reducing the size of the equipment, making it more eco-friendly and, of course, meeting the consumer demand.”

Middle East’s date with dates Gazing forward at the upcoming EXPO 2020 in Dubai and the FIFA World Cup 2022 in Qatar, experts acknowledge that although the market is slow, there are new projects being announced. Aziz is one of them, who believes that the two mega-events will spur a boom in the market. “We have seen an increase in upcoming projects,” he says, which he thinks will help “cooling system manufacturers and their products to an even greater extent.”

HAVE YOUR SAY!

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

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Glenn Dobbs is President, VAF Filtration Systems. He can be contacted at gdobbs@vafusa.com.

ERSPECTIVE

Combating

Legionella

Poorly maintained cooling towers could be a breeding ground for Legionella, posing a serious health hazard to those exposed to it. Glenn Dobbs discusses ways to prevent Legionella growth, while achieving energy savings, using cooling tower water filtration systems and basin agitation.

L

egionella prevention has become an important topic in the cooling tower industry. Several class action lawsuits have been filed in recent years holding community officials, designers and cooling tower owners financially accountable for the publics’ safety, with the prevention of Legionella in their cooling water systems.1 Australia has already implemented the most stringent laws in monitoring cooling tower water quality for the prevention of Legionella.

This was a direct result of a Legionella outbreak at a Melbourne aquarium in 2000 that infected more than 125 people, of which more than 76% were hospitalised and four died.2 Australia’s laws include cooling tower registration, Risk Management Plan reviews and audits, as well as mandatory maintenance procedures. Other countries will soon follow.

Legionella bacteria are spread exclusively by the inhalation of aerosolised water contaminated with it. Legionella symptoms are very similar to severe flu symptoms. Most people exposed are not infected, however those that are infected must be admitted to a hospital and treated for Legionella infection immediately. It could prove fatal for 10-30% of those infected, with legionella infections occurring in hospitals having higher fatality rates.1 In many countries, Legionella infection may be misdiagnosed as pneumonia or flu, resulting in underreported occurrences, although it is known that Legionella occurs in most cooling water systems worldwide, especially in those not well maintained.

This article discusses how to prevent Legionella habitat and nutrient source buildup with proper cooling tower water filtration systems, and how this prevention will also result in significant, measurable savings in energy, maintenance, and chemical use as compared to systems without filtration.

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Preventing Legionella with basin agitation and water filtration It has been shown that the habitat and nutrient source for Legionella occur in the cooling tower basin sedimentation and within the fouled surfaces of the cooling water system.3,4 (Refer to Image 1)

in cooling towers.3,4,5 The sediment that settles in the cooling tower basin provides this nutrient source, which also harbours the bacteria from the chemicals applied to kill it. Unfiltered cooling tower water systems provide the perfect environment for Legionella to thrive, even with proper chemical treatment.

Continual removal of sediment from the cooling tower basin is best achieved through basin agitation. This lifts the sediment off the bottom of the basin for removal by an appropriate automatic filtration technology.

Eductor nozzles are used for this agitation, and are spaced throughout the basin floor, as shown in the following:

Filtration with Eductor Nozzles Image 1: Legionella habitat and food source

Corrosion inhibitors require clean surfaces to form passivation of metal.

Microbiological control agents in biocides incorporating bio-dispersants are limited in penetrating sediment and surface debris.

(Refer to image 2).

Image 2: Organic and microbial fouling in a

cooling tower

Legionella occur where water temperatures range from 20 degrees to 45 degrees C (68 degrees to 113 degrees F), and where nutrients are available. Ideal nutrients for Legionella consist of organics, algae, silts and iron oxide that occur

A filtration system placed near the basin pulls water from the basin that is pumped through a filter. The filtered water is then sent back to the basin through the eductor nozzles at the proper pressure, usually 1 bar (15 psi) for agitation. Proper eductor nozzle layouts typically result in a 350-tonne tower basin volume of water being filtered about once every hour, and will typically result in 3,500-tonne and larger cooling tower basin water volumes being filtered two or more times per day. This has been found to be adequate for Legionella habitat and nutrient buildup prevention.

Filtration technologies

Automatic selfcleaning screen filtration systems can filter all types of particulate down to 10 microns

The type of filtration technology to be selected is determined by its ability to remove suspended solids that include lowdensity organic particles that provide the habitat and nutrient source for Legionella.

An ASHRAE publication in 2000 states, “Filtration systems that remove low-density organic particles must be used since these particles provide habitat and nutrients that stimulate bacterial growth including Legionella. Centrifugal separators do not remove very small or low-density particles, and therefore are not appropriate for this

purpose.”5 An appropriate filtration technology must provide a “barrier” to all particulate, including the lower density organics upon which Legionella thrive. It has been shown that centrifugal separators cannot perform this function.5,6 Appropriate filtration technologies that provide barriers to all particulate, including low-density organics, include high-efficiency sand media filters, automatic disc filters and automatic selfcleaning screen filters. Each have their own unique operating characteristics, maintenance requirements and initial costs, as described below.

High-efficiency sand media systems are stated to have the advantage of removing particulate down to 0.5 to 1 micron in size. These systems are known to have significantly higher water usage for the automatic backwashing of the media. A 225 m3/hr (1,000 gpm) highefficiency media system typically uses more than 4,500 litres (1,200 gallons) for each cleaning cycle. The filtration process is taken off line for backwashing of the media. The backwash water waste is sent to the drain, along with the chemical treatment in it. Also, the media in these systems require periodic replacement and must be purchased from the media system manufacturer to meet performance expectations. The cost of a high-efficiency media system is two to three times higher than an equivalent

In a nutshell

A cooling tower basin agitation and water filtration system: 1. Removes and prevents the buildup of the habitat and nutrient source for Legionella and allows the chemical treatment to penetrate these areas to kill Legionella.

2. Reduces fouling of the heat transfer surfaces, which enhances scale and corrosion inhibitor treatment, and is known to likely reduce energy consumption more than 10% when compared to systems without filtration.

3. Reduces chemical costs of water treatment by 14%.

4. Reduces maintenance labour costs required to clean the cooling tower, basin and chiller by 80%.

5. Does not increase water consumption of system, since the backwash usage simply extends cycles of concentration.10

June 2016

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ERSPECTIVE

Proper eductor nozzle layouts typically result in a 350-tonne tower basin volume of water being filtered about once every hour 44

June 2016

automatic disc or automatic screen filter system with the same flow rate.

Automatic disc and screen filtration systems can remove all particulate down to 10 microns.

So the additional particulate a media filter can remove is from one to 10 microns in size, which consists of about three per cent of the total volume. This has been shown by obtaining particle size distribution by volume of several cooling water systems and measuring the total volume between one micron and 10 micron particle sizes. The result is, high-efficiency media will remove about three per cent additional particulate by volume for two to three times the capital cost of disc or screen filtration.

Automatic disc filtration systems have the same particle removal capacity of screen filtration systems. Disc filters require backwashing in the same way as described herein for media filtration, but at much higher pressures and, therefore, have a relatively high energy and water waste requirement for backwash. Disc filtration systems cost about the same as automatic screen filtration systems, but have higher maintenance costs and become more expensive as the required filtering flow rate increases.

Automatic self-cleaning screen filtration systems can filter all types of particulate down to 10 microns. They require a smaller footprint and the flush waste is the least. A 225 m3/hr (1,000 gpm) system will require about 55 litres (15 gallons) of water for each screen cleaning cycle. The filtration process is uninterrupted while cleaning the screen. There are fewer parts and, therefore, less maintenance is required than with disc filters.

A large entertainment complex in Australia tried several filtration technologies before ending up with automatic screen filtration systems. The maintenance engineers determined that automatic screen filtration resulted in improving cooling tower cleanliness, heat transfer efficiencies and chemical treatment effectiveness, as well as reducing backflush water loss and maintenance costs associated with the other filtration technologies.6

fouling, deposition, nutrient and restricting air flow.

• Fouled drift eliminators restricts air flow, which further reduces the cooling capability of the cooling tower.

Images 3 and 4: Fouled cooling tower fill

Scale, solids and bio-fouling restrict air and water passages reducing cooliing performance.

A cooling tower’s cooling efficiency is known by measuring its approach temperature (difference of the cooled water exiting the tower and ambient wet bulb temperatures). Most cooling tower manufacturers have a design approach temperature that ranges from three degrees C to 4.5 degrees C (5.4 degrees to eight degrees F). In Asia, it has been found that a new cooling tower after six months of operation will have an approach temperature of seven to eight degrees C (12.6 degrees to 14.4 degrees F), resulting in about 14% energy loss In the heat exchanger/chiller, the heat transfer surfaces are fouled without the use of filtration.

It is known that only 0.25 mm of surface fouling on heat transfer surfaces reduces heat transfer efficiency by as much as 10%.7 A chiller’s heat transfer efficiency is known by measuring its approach temperature (difference between the chiller’s exiting water and its saturated refrigerant temperatures). A clean efficient chiller will typically have an approach temperature ranging from two to four degrees C (3.6 degrees to 7.2 degrees F).

It has been shown that chiller energy increases

Energy savings Cooling tower water filtration maintains efficient cooling tower performance and keeps chiller tubes clean to maintain high heat transfer efficiencies.

In the cooling tower, the following fouling that occurs without filtration reduces cooling efficiencies: • Fouled water distribution nozzles prevent the even flow of water to be cooled over the fill pack.

• Fouled fill pack causes water channelling, which prevents even water flow and reduces surface water exposure for cooling.

• Water channelling allows dissolved hardness salts and suspended solids to build up in the dry areas of the fill. This compounds the problem of

Image 5: Fouled heat exchangers 3.6% for every one degree C (1.8 degrees F) increase in condenser approach temperature.7 This increase in condenser approach temperature may be caused by both an increase in cooling tower exit water temperature and the fouling of the heat transfer surfaces in the chiller.

It is easy to show how a filtration system can

TRACKING THE DC INDUSTRY IN THE MIDDLE EAST

improve energy efficiencies by 10% or more, by keeping both the cooling tower and the heat exchanger/chiller clean.8

Other savings attained with cooling tower water filtration Legionella habitat and nutrient buildup prevention with filtration as described herein results in other benefits. The US Department of Energy conducted a test comparing the performances of two cooling towers sitting side-by-side, one with filtration and the other without filtration.9 They demonstrated that the cooling tower with water filtration: • Reduced chemical costs by 14% • Reduced labour to clean the cooling towers and chillers by 80%

Summary It is evident that cooling tower water filtration systems with basin agitation, help in the prevention of Legionella bacteria habitat and nutrient buildup in the cooling water system. Eliminating the food source and habitat where Legionella hide and

thrive will allow the water treatment programme to kill the bacteria. All cooling tower systems differ, and are exposed to different environments. Maintenance programmes and system ages vary. The numbers given herein estimating savings are provided to give a sense of the magnitude of what is possible.

References 1. A Legal Perspective on Legionella, by Andy Jones, ESQ., Spring 2015, American Association for Justice 2. An Outbreak of Legionnaires’ Disease at the Melbourne Aquarium April 2000: investigation and case–control studies, by Jane E Greig, John A Carnie, Graham F Tallis, Bernard Zwolak, William G Hart, Charles S Guest, Norbert J Ryan, Jennie A Leydon, Agnes G Tan and Ian R Gordon, The Medical Journal of Australia, Volume 180, 7 June 2004 3. Legionella: Human Health Criteria Document, EPA822-R-99-01 November 1999, Office of Science and Technology Office of Water, Washington DC 4. OSHA Technical Manual, Section III: Chapter 7 5. “Filtration systems that remove low-density organic particles must be used since these particles provide habitat and nutrients that stimulate bacterial

growth including Legionella. Centrifugal separators do not remove very small or low-density particles, and therefore are not appropriate for this purpose.”

Controlling Legionella in Cooling Towers, ASHRAE IAQ Applications Technical Feature Spring 2000 by Craig Meyer.

6. Largest Entertainment Complex in the Southern Hemisphere Improves Cooling Tower Filtration Reduces Maintenance and Treatment Costs, by Glenn Dobbs, VAF Filtration Systems, USA, and Roy McDougall, Hydrochem Water Treatment Systems, Australia 2014 7. Cooling Tower Operation and Maintenance for Improved Energy Efficiency. Presented at the AHR show by Kavita Anuje, Trevor Hegg and Paul Lindahl, January 2004.

8. Side Stream Filtration for Cooling Towers, U.S. Department of Energy Federal Energy Management Program, October 2012.

9. Evaluation of Side Stream Filtration Technology at Oak Ridge National Laboratory, U.S. Department of Energy, September 2014 10. The ROR of Cooling Tower Water Filtration, by Glenn Dobbs, VAF Filtration Systems, USA, and Roy McDougall, Hydrochem Water Treatment Systems, Australia 2015

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.

Thinking in Orange

June 2016

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INTERVIEW

‘District Cooling

doesn't have to be different to be better’ From a new entrant in the arena to a viable option, District Cooling has come a long way in Qatar, with many players vying for a bigger share of the country’s mega-project pie, while remaining cost- and energy-efficient. B Surendar speaks to Robert Miller, Technical Specialist District Cooling, Design Department, Marafeq Qatar, on a wide range of issues emanating from this scenario.

I

s Marafeq positioning itself for providing utility management and infrastructure designing support for any of the 2022 FIFA World Cup-related facilities, including stadiums?

Marafeq Qatar has submitted proposals to the Supreme Committee for Delivery and Legacy for several stadiums. A very promising proposal is to supply the Lusail stadium from our District Cooling network. The Supreme Committee can take cooling for the years they need it, and after that, the capacity will be used by the greater network as the city develops.

There is lot of Natural Gas in Qatar. Are you pushing to get Natural Gas to do any tri-gen schemes?

The country’s priority is to export Natural Gas internationally, and to use gas locally in power plants and large energy-intensive industries, so Natural Gas will not be available anytime soon for use

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TRACKING THE DC INDUSTRY IN THE MIDDLE EAST

Although plant and network design gets most of the press, it is O&M that sustains the business through the years in District Cooling plants. However, Marafeq Qatar knows full well the benefits of cogeneration and tri-generation, and has lectured about this in District Cooling summits. We understand the relationships between power generation and heating and cooling, and will seize opportunities that make sense.

Broadly, what initiatives are you taking to reduce grid dependence? Could you please describe your Renewable Energy profile?

Generally speaking, the cost of chilled water services is still being seen as an obstacle in the pathway to greater acceptance of District Cooling in the region. Have you introduced any financial innovations that will enable a more end user-friendly (end-user-friendly?) tariff structure?

Many studies have demonstrated the cost of District Cooling is comparable with self-generation, if the total lifecycle costs are included.

The problem facing District Cooling is the appearance of pricing.

End-users incorrectly compare raw costs of self-generation (electricity) to the manufactured cost of chilled water, so from the start, they fail to see the capital cost of self-generation which is built into the rent. The end-user typically does not see the cost of maintenance – it is also built into the rent, but the building owner does. Mini-splits are checked and components are replaced repeatedly when they fail, which is always at some inconvenience to the end-user. Operation and maintenance costs for District Cooling are typically in the tariff, so the end-user sees them every month.

The Qatari government benefits from the large power reduction offered by District Cooling, which opens the door to sharing those savings with District Cooling customers, and thus diminish the perceived cost differential between District Cooling and self-generation.

Marafeq is open to, and interested in, creating tariffs that will be better received by District Cooling end-users. One element could be to transfer

In real estate developments, opportunities are limited to use power other than from the grid. Unlike industrial developments, constructing power generation facilities next to the District Cooling plant would not be palatable to the developers, office workers, and residents, with respect to space, appearance, smoke stacks, noise, etc.

Having said that, to minimise the impact on the electrical system grid, our District Cooling projects will use Thermal Energy Storage (TES) to shift demand from the peak period to off-peak periods. Although the primary benefit of TES is peak shaving, using TES benefits efficiency, because chillers can operate more often near full load, where the chillers are more efficient, and can operate more often in the evening (off-peak period) when temperatures may be lower and, thus, the entering condenser water temperature can be lower, and the chiller efficiency higher. Reducing demand at peak periods, therefore, reduces grid dependence by reducing the amount of energy needed during peak periods.

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INTERVIEW

some cost from the District Cooling provider to either the developer or the government. For example, a portion of the network could be paid by the government, based on savings on electrical infrastructure. The rest, if any, could be paid by the developer and the costs passed on to the land cost through the sub-developer and, eventually, to the end-user via rental or purchase cost.

Another element is the tariff design itself.

A large portion of the District Cooling cost is fixed costs related to plants and energy transfer stations. These fixed costs are similar to the bricks and mortar in the building, and could very well be combined with the building cost. The building construction costs commonly are financed over time, resulting in monthly mortgage payments. District Cooling costs are also financed, and results in a similar mortgage payment, so the two payments could be combined and recovered through the mechanisms currently used to recover the building mortgage.

If the fixed costs are recovered in the rent or, in the case of the network, paid for or subsidised by the government, then the costs remaining in the tariff would be consumables (water, electricity, etc.) and fixed costs for O&M and administration. With this structure, the ‘manufactured’ cost of District Cooling would become more similar to the raw cost of selfgeneration.

Don’t misunderstand; the District Cooling system cost doesn’t evaporate; it is only packaged in a rational way to be more palatable to the end-user.

What is the average cost of your District Cooling plant? Till a few years ago, it was QR 4,000-6,000/ TR. And the cost of a chilled water network was QR 1,000-2,500/TR. Have you been able to optimise costs?

A very promising proposal is to supply the Lusail stadium from our District Cooling network 48

June 2016

Prices need to be taken in the correct context.

In 2007/2008, small District Cooling plants in the UAE (around 10,000 TR) cost almost 10,000 AED/TR. In the same period, a large plant (50,000 TR) cost around 7,300 AED/ TR. Those prices were from a time when construction was enthusiastic and prices were high. Our experience today is the cost of a small plant is about QAR 8,600/TR and a large plant is about QAR 6,300. Under current economic conditions, the market could be softening and prices could remain attractive.

Could you please share your views and experiences with regard to submetering?

Studies have shown sub-metering results in less energy consumption, because customers

The problem facing District Cooling is the appearance of pricing can see firsthand that changing the thermostat can save money. Lusail City is promoted as a ‘smart’ city, and there is interest in promoting sub-metering. Marafeq is participating with submetering projects, but currently sub-metering is optional, so at this moment, not every building is going down this road.

Some people ask how you will get paid if the building is owned by multiple tenants. Well, how is the building cost recovered? Use the same mechanism. The District Cooling bill can be based on the building bulk meter and distributed to the tenants based on area or flow/energy (sub-meters) or any other metric that is acceptable to the tenants. The cooling cost of common areas would have to be prorated like any other common area cost. The entity responsible for paying the building mortgage would also be responsible for paying the District Cooling costs.

Yet another cause of concern is the reliability of cooling in some District Cooling schemes. What innovations have you wrought to ensure a fail-proof hydraulic balancing regime?

In 1998, IDEA surveyed 20 District Cooling schemes and found the median reliability was 99.98%, so if some District Cooling projects are concerned about reliability, they should look at the root causes.

When planning plant production, Marafeq Qatar assured the design was well-thought out, incorporated redundant elements in order to maintain chilled water availability, and with design lives of 25 years for electrical and mechanical equipment, and 50 to 60 years for civil works and pipelines.

Marafeq Qatar designed a distribution network with strategically placed loops and isolation valves.

To assure high quality, Marafeq Qatar selected an all-welded pre-insulated steel piping system with integrated leak detection system – all certified in accordance with the EN 253 family of standards.

The key to EN 253 is the pipe is fixed in place by transmitting strain energy from thermal contraction to the ground through the insulation. If the bond between the insulation and the pipe or casing fails, then the pipe slips, and strain energy is transferred to pipe bends or valve bodies. Marafeq Qatar also discouraged flanges, except in special cases. Extensive industry practice in Europe has demonstrated flanged valves installed in chambers

TRACKING THE DC INDUSTRY IN THE MIDDLE EAST

are weak links in the distribution system, and the European trend is to use an allwelded system.

What is the update on the availability of adequate TSE for your projects?

For Lusail City, the TSE network is installed or under construction, and one source of water will be the development’s sewage, but that may not be available in the quantities we need by the time we need it. Ashghal has other TSE available, and we expect adequate quantities will be available for our plants.

Generally speaking, current District Cooling technology is quite outdated. We are seeing that a small VSD chiller in a hotel can outperform District Cooling without piping losses. Standalone water-cooled systems are using VSDs, and are using grey water.

That way, they are getting even

lower costs than District Cooling.

Of course, there is no denying that District Cooling has better operators and specialised expertise 24x7. What more are you doing that is different to give a USP to clients? What innovations are you introducing?

District cooling is tried and true and not outdated. Although your premise that individual water-cooled chillers can be more efficient than District Cooling is true, it misses some key points. First, are individual watercooled chillers really the alternative to District Cooling? I remember looking at the model of the Bahrain World Trade Center, and asking what that huge structure was at the side of the towers. Air-cooled chillers, I was told.

The model didn’t show them as chillers, but then again, one would like the model to be as attractive as possible. The point is, the designers chose air-cooled chillers rather than water-cooled chillers, and why was that? In the US, water-cooled chillers are relatively common. Water is available and discharging to the sanitary sewer is allowed. In Qatar,

Kahramaa issued an edict stating potable water was forbidden in District Cooling plants. So if the 560,000 TR customers in Lusail City were to use individual watercooled chillers, how would Kahramaa feel about that? Would the buildings be allowed to use potable water for cooling (because they are not District Cooling), or would they, too, be forbidden? If potable water is forbidden, then the buildings would have to use in-house grey water or TSE. In Minnesota, the building codes forbid using grey water. It’s not an option.

Are you saying using grey water is allowed in Qatar or only that it would be a good thing to look into?

The reasons to choose District Cooling over self-generation are numerous. You mentioned 24/7 O&M by dedicated professional staff, but look at any building in Lusail City, and imagine where you are going to put the cooling tower. There’s no room on the ground, so the towers have to go on top of the 12- to 30-storey building.

Wouldn’t it be more valuable to put a pool

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The company is a multidisciplinary consulting firm and has a track record and specialization in Buildings, Industrial Works and District Cooling and Power Generation Plants.

June 2016

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INTERVIEW

The District Cooling system cost doesn’t evaporate; it is only packaged in a rational way to be more palatable to the end-user 50

June 2016

and social area up there? We struggle when a crane is needed to remove a fan gear box so the bearing can be replaced. Now, do this from the top of a tower – or replace the tower in 15 years!

District Cooling doesn’t have to be different to be better. Need some more reasons?

• The capital expense for producing chilled water is transferred from the building developer to the end-user via the District Cooling provider’s tariff.

• District Cooling requires less capacity due to load diversity and reduced standby capacity. Individual buildings must design for the instantaneous peak (usually with a safety margin), and with standby production units for redundancy and reliability.

• Since production is centralised, utility networks for TSE water, electricity and sewer are less.

• Compared to air-cooled chillers, greater efficiency means lower peak and annual power consumption, which translates into lower investment in generation, transmission and distribution facilities.

• Lower power consumption means lower emissions of air pollutants for the full lifecycle.

• District Cooling production equipment is more likely to maintain its level of efficiency than is expected for individual buildings.

• Facility managers purchase a manufactured product (chilled water) rather than raw materials (chillers, structures, power, water, etc.) and produce their own product. Building owners can focus on their core business (real estate) rather than to venture into the utility business. Over the building lifecycle, facility management costs will be lower compared to self-generation.

• Noise levels are greatly reduced compared to site-located outdoor units or air-cooled condensers.

It takes up to four litres of water to produce 1 kW of energy, and it takes nine litres to produce 1 TR. So if we can give 0.25kW/TR as opposed to 1.25kW/TR, we save on power, so less kW needs to be produced, so less water. Would you agree?

I will take you at your word that power uses 4 litres/kWh. The metric would depend on the type and mix of generation assets. A simple cycle gas turbine would use essentially no water. A combined cycle would use water to reject heat from the steam, Rankine cycle, so it would use water. But your premise is interesting. The annual average power consumption for an air-cooled chiller is 1.60 kW/TR (for mini-splits it is 1.80 kW/TR). For District Cooling, the annual average power consumption is 0.90 or even 0.85 kW/TR. Using your values, water consumption for each would be:

TRACKING THE DC INDUSTRY IN THE MIDDLE EAST

• Air cooled: 1.60 x 4 = 6.4 l/hr per TR • District Cooling: 0.90 x 9 = 8.10 l/hr per TR So yes, District Cooling uses more water, which only serves to show not to draw conclusions from only one perspective.

Are you undertaking any initiatives related to Net Zero Energy Buildings?

As a utility provider, we do not actively participate in building design other than we carefully watch trends so we can better prepare for the future. District Cooling providers suffer a natural contradiction. On the one hand, as good neighbours and stewards of Qatar, we want energy to be fully used and not wasted. On the other hand, we make money selling energy (cold water).

In the context of COP 21, what is Marafeq’s stand on refrigerants?

Have you identified a low-GWP alternative for high-ambient conditions that you would like to go ahead with in all your projects?

Marafeq Qatar is a consumer of refrigerants. We are not researchers or policy-makers; however, we certainly follow trends and developments, and we will always comply with national laws.

There are new developments in refrigerants, and Marafeq Qatar embraces them as long as the vendors can demonstrate the equipment is reliable.

And what are you doing to proactively address refrigerant leakage issues, if any, in your projects. The global refrigerant leakage is an alarming 132 kilotonnes/annum, hence the question.

Chillers that use low-pressure refrigerants don’t leak refrigerant out; they leak air in. Chillers that use high-pressure refrigerants can leak out refrigerant, and open-drive chillers probably leak more than hermetically or semi-hermetically sealed compressors. The chiller is our key ingredient for making money. If refrigerant leaks out, chiller performance degrades, and we will take corrective action right away.

Here again, I highlight that our plants are run 24/7 by dedicated professional staff. Our core business is energy, and not real estate or making widgets.

HAVE YOUR SAY!

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

TRACKING THE DC INDUSTRY IN THE MIDDLE EAST

June 2016

51

Mohannad Khader is Director, Business Development Department, Qatar Cool. He can be contacted at mkhader@qatarcool.com.

ERSPECTIVE

TRACKING THE DC INDUSTRY IN THE MIDDLE EAST

Sub-metering in District Cooling – well worth the effort Individual metering to rationalise billing has been a prickly issue that has plagued the District Cooling sector ever since it has made inroads into the Middle East. Mohannad Khader discusses the challenges and opportunities that come with it.

I

n any utility business, the consumption bill is the document that facilitates continuous interaction between the utility provider and the end-user. In the District Cooling sector, the provider tends to keep it simple and bill the building owner based on a bulk meter installed in the energy transfer station. The owner of the building usually takes the responsibility to distribute the charges to the end-users of the tower, be it residents or offices.

In freehold developments, the developers of towers are primarily motivated to complete the project, so that they can sell the units – apartments, townhouses or villas – to individuals. After selling all the units, and the contracted cooling capacity is assigned to the individual owners, the District Cooling provider assigns the rights and obligations of the building to the co-owners’ association.

Planning ahead

Since there are no chillers in the buildings, the plethora of charges are paid by the individual unit owners, which leads to the misconception that District Cooling is expensive 52

June 2016

It is always important to start planning for individual billing from the design stage of a project. This is because, at a later stage, it becomes an extremely complicated process to start individual billing for buildings that were not planned either technically or commercially to generate them.

The developers will have to comply with certain technical requirements, such as installing sub-meters to each unit, and providing physical accessibility to the installed meter. Furthermore, these meters have to be remotely accessible for regular meter reading and monitoring. Commercially, the sales and purchase agreement (SPA) between the developer and the individual unit owner should clearly state the District Cooling obligations. Attaching the cooling service agreement along with the SPA is highly recommended. Besides that, the developer should be prepared to explain the technical and commercial requirements to the buyers.

Ideally, the process starts at the handover stage, where the individual unit owners take over their unit from the developer. The District Cooling agreement should always be part of the handover process – that is, the individual unit owner should sign the cooling-service agreement during the handover stage. This process requires intensive coordination between the District Cooling provider and the developer.

Dispelling misconceptions One of the challenges that the District Cooling industry faces is the misconception of the capacity fees (the fixed fees). Unlike other subsidised utilities, District Cooling providers

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TRACKING THE DC INDUSTRY IN THE MIDDLE EAST

ERSPECTIVE

charge the customers a fixed amount, based on the cooling capacity required to cool the unit.

In developments using conventional cooling, the capacity fees is the counterpart of the fees related to operation, maintenance of the cooling equipment, facility management fees, the overheads and replacement and upgrade costs, not to mention the huge electricity bill to cover the common areas, including the chillers.

These expenses are usually recovered by the developer or the co-owners’ association for the conventionally cooled buildings. In the case of District Cooling, since there are no chillers in the buildings, the plethora of charges are paid by the individual unit owners, which leads to the misconception that District Cooling is expensive, while in reality, it is not. It is all about how the expenses of the buildings are structured and who is paying for it.

In any challenging task, such as sub-metering, where the risk seems to be obvious, there are always opportunities. For one, sub-metering provides an opportunity for a utility provider to deal directly with end-users. In fact, it is beneficial to do so, as this helps avoid any miscommunication and misunderstanding conveyed to them by middlemen.

Reach the industry leaders in the Arabic HVAC market

Another benefit of sub-metering is data gathering. Individual billing generates a huge amount of data that could be analysed in many aspects. For example, it was found that during summer, the common area energy consumption, including the fresh air-handling units, represented more than 50% of the energy consumption of a tower.

Sub-metering – the way forward Forward-thinking District Cooling providers typically offer residents and building owners a fully integrated billing platform and web portal, which allows automation of data in an easy-to-use and simplified format. This cannot be achieved without having a proper customer service platform that captures the customers’ payments, bills, enquiries and complaints.

Individual billing or sub-metering is not an easy task to achieve. However, once the necessary setup is in place, the process takes care of itself, and is worth the effort that has gone into the process.

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.

١٠ ‫مجلس التعاون الخليجي صفحة‬

‫للمنشآت والخدمات الجديدة في دول‬

‫التشغيل والوضع بالخدمة التجارية‬

‫ م‬2014 ‫ملحق الربع الرابع لعام‬

‫فحوصات ما قبل التشغيل ثم بدء‬

‫لمجلة كاليمت كنترول الشرق االوسط‬

‫تحليل دقيق لثقافة‬

‫ملحق ربع سنوي‬

‫تحليـلدقيـق‬

‫صفحة‬

١٠

‫حوصات ما قبل التشغيل ثم بدء التشغيل‬ ‫لثقافة ف‬ ‫بالخدمة التجارية للمنشآت والخدمات‬ ‫والوضع‬ ‫الجديدة في دول مجلس التعاون الخليجي‬

‫صفحة‬

‫ م‬٢٠١٥ ‫لعام‬

‫ليلة توزيع الجوائز للفائزين‬

‫ملحق الربع األول‬ ‫صفحة‬

‫لشرق االوسط‬ ‫ترول ا‬

٣٢

‫لمجلة كاليمت كن‬

‫ملحـق إضافـي‬

‫ملحق ربع سنوي‬

‫ـق إضافـي‬

‫ملح‬

‫في المدارس‬

:‫أهم األولويات‬

ARABIC SUPPLEMENT

‫لبيئة الداخلية‬

‫جودة ا‬ ‫منطقة الخليج من‬ ‫حملة التعليم في‬ ‫في المدارس‬ ‫البيئة الداخلية‬ ‫جودة‬ ‫بالمملكة‬

‫نظام التبريد‬ ‫أكبر في سوق‬ ‫لمناطق حصة‬ ‫يحصد نظام تبريد ا‬ ‫يعني مساهمة‬ ‫سعودية مما‬ ‫مملكة العربية ال‬ .‫في نمو األمة‬ ‫ال‬ ‫تبريد المناطق‬ ‫أكبر لصناعة‬ ‫موائع التبريد‬

‫ لغز‬:‫قرير‬

‫الت‬ ‫ستنباط حل طويل‬ ‫اقتربنا من ا‬ ‫عالية الحرارة؟‬ ‫هل للدول ذات األجواء‬ ‫المدى‬

‫يا االتصاالت‬

‫تنقية الهواء‬

‫كالم في‬

‫غسيل امر مطلق ؟‬ .‫سيب الملوثات‬ ‫هل ال‬ ‫مركبة لمقاومة تر‬ ‫نظرة‬

‫ولوج‬

‫تكن ستغــاثــة‬ ‫لال‬

.‫حنات المبردة‬

‫غذاء في الشا‬

‫االنتباه لنقل ال‬ ‫ذب‬

‫ودة وفعالة لج‬ ‫كنولوجيا موج‬ ‫الت‬ ‫متها المنطقة؟‬ ‫ذلك هل استخد‬ ‫ومع‬

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June 2016

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

From the CEO and Co-founder of the US Green Building Council comes…

TRACKING THE DC INDUSTRY IN THE MIDDLE EAST

Green Think is available at Amazon.com.

All proceeds from the sale of the book will go to USGBC’s Center for Green Schools and Project Haiti initiatives.

June 2016

55

George Berbari is the CEO of DC PRO Engineering.

He can be contacted at gberbari@dcproeng.com.

CCHP -a backward

ERSPECTIVE

glance and a forward gaze

Taking stock of the progress CCHP and decentralised power generation have made in the GCC region, George Berbari stresses that it can help governments achieve their energy-saving and sustainability goals.

C

ombined cooling, heating and power (CCHP), or tri-generation, and decentralised power generation began to make inroads into the GCC region in the 1970s.

The road traversed and the signposts ahead The UAE: In the UAE, gas engine-driven centrifugal compressors debuted in 1999 (4,000 tonnes of refrigeration (TR) in Zayed Military City) and was followed by several gas engine generators synchronised with grid power (50,000 TR in Zayed Military City between 2000 and 2007; 20,000 TR in Al Dhafra Air Base in 2004 and 15,000 TR in ICAD in 2003). After these projects took shape, due to a shortage in the supply of natural gas, and the lack of a well-established distribution system, the District Cooling industry shifted to electric-powered centrifugal chillers, with installation

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June 2016

TRACKING THE DC INDUSTRY IN THE MIDDLE EAST

reaching close to 2.5 million TR. However, the momentum in the UAE slowed down for want of a more rigorous push, which created an opportunity for pioneering efforts from other entities, which saved 40% primary energy for decentralised power generation, as compared to electric gridpowered District Cooling.

The existing natural gas-powered installation is now being upgraded and maintained but without any major upgrade, such as adding exhaust and jacket heat recovery.

The only addition in the UAE has been a natural gas engine operating with methane gas in Abu Dhabi, established around 2012, and another in Dubai around 2013, where steam generated from the gas turbine exhaust heat recovery boiler is used to power a 200 TR double-effect absorption chiller.

Will CCHP pickup in the UAE again? The price of natural gas and its availability are key drivers to sustain CCHP. The price is currently quite competitive in Abu Dhabi, at AED 8/million BTU, while in Dubai and the Northern Emirates, it varies between AED 4 and 30/million BTU. The availability of natural gas is limited to a few locations in the UAE, with only one distribution network in Sharjah, and with a planned

distribution network in Abu Dhabi.

Given the situation of natural gas, it is difficult to see a comeback of CCHP in the UAE. However, that may change with bio fuels, biomass and change of policy towards the prioritisation of natural gas for CCHP with minimum efficiencyof 80%.

Saudi Arabia: In Saudi Arabia, one of the first installations using gas turbine exhaust heat recovery system to generate steam and power double-effect absorption chiller parallel with 6x5,000 TR electric centrifugal chillers was in King Saud University in

CCHP still holds promise in Saudi Arabia, as diesel is available at competitive rates

June 2016

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TRACKING THE DC INDUSTRY IN THE MIDDLE EAST

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Riyadh; the project was commissioned in 1978. It was followed by a decentralised power generation of 14 MW using diesel, dedicated for a 13,000 TR District Cooling project for Al Rashid Mall.

Al Bustan Residential Complex, which comprises more than 800 villas and amenities, took CCHP to a different level, where the six engines of 1.65 MW each were used with jacket and exhaust heat recovery to power a single-effect absorption chiller of 660 TR capacity and double-effect absorption chillers (2x 1,000 TR capacity) in series with 5 x 1,000 TR electric centrifugal chillers in series with stratified chilled water thermal storage. The overall generating efficiency exceeded 75%, and resulted in a reduction of 60% of primary energy used, and emissions compared to electric District Cooling.

Distributed generation is extensively used in the Kingdom, as remote villages are powered by standalone remote diesel generators. National Tri-Generation and Al Aman have several operating CCHP plants.

CCHP still holds promise in Saudi Arabia, as diesel is available at competitive rates of 45 Ha/litre, which can comfortably compete with grid power of 30 Ha/ kWh. Furthermore, there are plans to distribute natural gas in a few locations in the country, which will further strengthen the future use of CCHP.

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Oman distributes natural gas to a few locations, and Innovation Park, adjacent to Sultan Qaboos University, is planned for ultraefficient tri-generation with generating efficiency exceeding 87%. As it is synchronised with 1 MW PV solar carports, it will result in 75% reduction in primary energy and emissions.

Oman is planning to import large quantities of natural gas from Iran, which will enhance its availability, and encourage CCHP in the long term.

Qatar, the world’s largest exporter of LNG, does not have natural gas networks, except in the industrial city. The prospect of CCHP in Qatar is directly linked to when the government intends to establish a natural gas distribution network.

Kuwait and Bahrain still need to traverse some distance towards achieving CCHP generation, but sporadic opportunities exist, and that might change things with master planning.

Why not CCHP? That said, the falling price of diesel fuel is opening new doors for CCHP in the GCC region and elsewhere in the world, particularly on remote islands and far-flung areas.

When we planned for District Cooling, 20 years ago, it was because it had the potential to reduce 40% electricity and emission compared to traditional air conditioning. And that created a six million TR industry in the GCC region, with more than USD 15 billion in investment.

Tri-generation can reduce primary energy usage by 60%.

If it is synchronised with competitive solar PV, it will reduce primary energy usage by 75%. Don’t you think that alone will lead to a bright future, particularly in the wake of COP 21 and the reduction or elimination of utility and fuel subsidies in most GCC countries?

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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June 2016

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Omnia Halawani is co-founder and Managing Partner, Griffin Consultants. She can be contacted at omnia@griffin-consultants.com.

ERSPECTIVE

‘It would be a

MAJOR AID

TO THE MARKET TO have a MORE

TRANSPARENT INDUSTRY The spotlight is once again trained on District Cooling, thanks to various government initiatives promoting it, bringing to fore challenges utility providers and end-users have to combat.

Omnia Halawani analyses them and offers solutions, while making a plea for a streamlined sector.

T

here is no doubt that District Cooling can be an integral part of cities aiming to achieve sustainable development. In Abu Dhabi, the new utility rates by Abu Dhabi Distribution Company (ADDC) are regarded to be in favour of District Cooling and central cooling systems. In Dubai, the Dubai Supreme Council of Energy has positioned District Cooling as the third pillar in its governance framework to rationalise energy use in the emirate of Dubai, known as the Demand Side Management (DSM) Strategy. The strategy looks into means of increasing the penetration of District Cooling in the market to 40% through new schemes and Existing Buildings retrofits.

One of the outcomes of a study that was concluded by Griffin

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TRACKING THE DC INDUSTRY IN THE MIDDLE EAST

Consultants and AESG for the Dubai Regulatory and Supervision Bureau (RSB) calculated the current District Cooling penetration in Dubai at 17.7%. The study was commissioned out of an understanding that “any strategy intended to raise energy efficiency will have to tackle cooling – both efficiency in its supply and in its use”.1

The low ΔT syndrome

The ultimate goal of any District Cooling utility is to minimise the total energy and equipment costs, while keeping end-users comfortable. Perhaps the lingering and most common issue facing District Cooling is low chilled water temperature differential (low ΔT), which takes its toll on lost cooling capacities, increased energy consumption, added costs and system complexities.

Incentive-based chilled water rates that are lowered with higher ΔT have been adopted by some global District Energy schemes.

Locally, some District Cooling providers have

taken the step to enforce low ΔT penalties on end-users failing to return chilled water at the required minimum temperature. The go-to solution by many DCPs to combat ΔT is reducing the flow on the network, which can simply shift issues from the DCP to the buildings themselves.

We have been approached on multiple occasions by both District Cooling providers and customers, for advice on solutions to combat the low ΔT syndrome. On most cases, we have found that the root cause (and solution) to low ΔT lie in the selection of building cooling coils and the performance of control valves. Both issues entail high retrofit costs (more prevalent in the case of wrong cooling coil selections), unfeasible payback periods and prolonged implementation durations.

Another contributor to the ΔT syndrome is the oversizing of buildings’ cooling load requirements, which also takes its toll in the form of increased charges, as

It is a fact that a majority of the buildings’ cooling capacities here are oversized

June 2016

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TRACKING THE DC INDUSTRY IN THE MIDDLE EAST

ERSPECTIVE will be discussed in the next section. All of these emphasise the importance of sound engineering design and adopting integrated design strategies that bring all stakeholders to the table at the design stages.

Bloated capacities and costs The other issue, which becomes more prevalent with the public and end-users, is the general consensus that District Cooling costs more than other conventional cooling systems. District cooling is generally perceived as being artificially expensive. And this flatters the conventional cooling techniques. A lot of the hype targets the District Cooling providers themselves. While this perception might hold true in some aspects, it is often overseen that in-building cooling capital is factored into purchase price or rental payments. DCP involves recurrent capacity charges + metered usage, which is a continuous reminder to the end-user of the costs incurred.

It is true that the District Cooling industry is yet to see the benefits of reduced electricity rates (in Abu Dhabi, for example) and lowered costs associated with the use of treated sewage effluent (TSE) water passed on to the end-users. However, placing the entire solution/ blame in the court of the District Cooling providers alone is improper. It is a fact that a majority of the buildings’ cooling capacities here are oversized. Chronologically speaking, the number one solution stems out of this fact.

If building owners were more conscious in this aspect, requiring their consultants to ditch the unrealistic safety factors, which I like to call “ignorance” factors, when calculating cooling loads, they can save thousands in District Cooling capacity charges.

Capacity charges are normally within the range of AED 750-900 per tonne enforced through a contract that typically extends up to 20 years. A mere oversizing of 500 tonnes, which is not uncommon, will cost the building’s owner, and eventually the building’s occupants, up to AED 450,000 a year, translating into AED 9,000,000 over the course of 20 years.

We have been faced with incidents where our clients were reluctant to approve our cooling load calculations, as the load was significantly lower than their previously designed similar buildings. It would be a major aid to the market to have a more transparent industry, where actual buildings’ peak loads are published by the District Cooling providers.

It would help tune the expectations of the developers and building owners of the adequate square metre per tonne for their

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A more transparent District Cooling industry with published actual peak loads would aid the drive towards a more sustainable construction industry as a whole buildings, and will also exert the much-needed pressure on consultants to improve their performance and design approaches.

In conclusion…

To sum up, governmental efforts have started to move in favour of District Cooling and more efficient cooling systems. This move has to be welcomed with relayed costs reduction to the end-customers. The construction design industry needs an overhaul to abide by best practices and sound engineering design approaches. A lot of the issues facing building owners, like penalties and high District Cooling charges, are issues that can be taken into their own hands by raising their expectations of the design consultants. Finally, a more transparent District Cooling industry with published actual peak loads would aid the drive towards a more sustainable construction industry as a whole.

Reference: 1. As published by RSB on http://www.rsbdubai.gov.ae/ dubai-cooling-study/

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.

From greenbacks to a green planet Standing on its head the long-held notion that the private sector and sustainability are, in principle, two binaries which can never meet, CEO and Founding Chair of the U.S. Green Building Council, Rick Fedrizzi, in his book Green Think: How Profit Can Save the Planet argues that when businesses and environmentalists join hands, not only can the planet be saved, but the endeavour could also prove profitable. The book, since its publication late last year, has become a manifesto of sorts for businessbacked sustainability. George Berbari gives glimpses of the author and the book…

R

ick Fedrizzi was my colleague when I was working for Carrier in the early 1990s, where he introduced the sticker labels that covered refrigerants, energy efficiency, etc. for Carrier air conditioners. In 1993, through co-founding U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC), Fedrizzi led the transformation of architectural and real estate practices, and spearheaded the most important and far-reaching sustainability movement of our time.

Fedrizzi oversaw the creation of LEED. Since then, the USGBC has accredited over 200,000 LEED professionals, 4.5 billion ft2 of institutional and commercial buildings, and almost 200,000 residential units. Its third-party certification organisation, GBCI, now certifies to new initiatives, such as Sustainable Sites and development, PEER (Performance Excellence in Electricity Renewal), EDGE (Excellence in Design for Greater Efficiencies) and WELL (overall health and wellness).

USGBC is growing at a fast pace and certifying 1.85 million ft2 of building space daily, and possibly half of new commercial buildings built in the United States will be LEED certified or follow part or all of their construction standard.

The intention of this preamble is to place Fedrizzi’s 2015 book Green Think: How Profit Can Save the Planet in perspective.

The book comprises eight chapters that capture Fedrizzi’s epic journey, and the organisations and people he has encountered along the way. But the most compelling argument he offers is that capitalism and profit-making do not contradict environmental concerns. On the contrary, he firmly believes that companies and individuals alike have saved billions of dollars in material and

energy consumption, and that it is one of the key success pillars of USGBC. In Chapter 8 – Environmentalism 2.0 – Fedrizzi brings to culmination his philosophy in the following statement: “Don’t distrust the profit motive – leverage it Don’t fear the private sector – partner with it Don’t ignore the marketplace – embrace it And, more than anything else… don’t waste the opportunity.”

With the Foreword by actor and environmentalist Leonardo DiCaprio, the book is endorsed by Art Gensler, founder of Gensler Architecture; Paul Scialla, founder of Delios Living; and Gail Vittori, Co-Director of Maximum Potential Building Systems.

Apart from its central theme, what one could take home from the book are ‘Report and Review’ – two ‘R’s introduced in Chapter 7 – added to the established three pillars of sustainability – ‘Reduce, Reuse and Recycle’.

The book, published to wide acclaim, can best be summed up by the words, “You will recognise them by their fruits”, which reflects both Fedrizzi’s work and his book. And what a refreshing fruit it is to our planet!

It is my great pleasure to introduce Fedrizzi and his book to the readers of Climate Control Middle East, most of whom have undoubtedly heard of him, and wholeheartedly embraced the Green Building movement he initiated.

Green Think: How Profit Can Save the Planet is sold via Amazon, and Fedrizzi has allocated all proceeds to USGBC’s Center for Green Schools and Project Haiti initiatives.

The reviewer is the CEO of DC PRO Engineering. He can be contacted at gberbari@dcproeng.com.

Note: The July issue of Climate Control Middle East will feature an exclusive interview with Rick Fedrizzi.

“Al Baraha may be among the oldest hospitals in the UAE Ministry of Health’s stock of healthcare facilities, but we have JCI accreditation, and work very hard to make the hospital safe for everyone – the patients, the staff and the visitors. In fact, as the hospital’s Deputy Director and the Chairperson of FM and safety, it’s my vision for Al Baraha to become an HRO, or a high-reliability organisation.

High reliability means no harm – zero harm in all our operations. A big part of the no-harm vision is fire safety, which is why we have established a department of fire marshals. Our fire marshals undergo regular and comprehensive training, and they, in turn, train all our staff and contractors. All, because when it comes to fire safety, even having just one person left out of the training will create problems with accreditation. And so everyone goes through the training and the drills, from the CEO to the porters – all for our vision of safety: Always safety.”

Dr Sharifa Al Ammadi, Deputy Director for Financial Affairs and Administration Affairs, UAE Ministry of Health – Al Baraha Hospital, Dubai

June 2016

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

'

'

Continuing with the theme of Non-Destructive Testing for proper maintenance of chillers and chilled water plants’ ancillary equipment for the HVAC sector, visà-vis predictive maintenance technology, Dan Mizesko discusses eddy current testing in the fourth part of the series.

I

n the series on Non-Destructive Testing (NDT) for the HVAC sector, I have so far highlighted oil analysis, followed by vibration analysis and infrared thermography.

This time, let’s look at eddy current testing.

The what and how of it Introduced in the 1950s, eddy current tube analysis has become the dominant NDT used globally to inspect nonferrous shell and tube heat exchangers used throughout the military, nuclear, heavy equipment, comfort cooling, cogeneration/power, pulp/paper mill, process and the HVAC chiller industries.

The science of eddy current tube testing is known as Electromagnetic Inductance. The test instrument controls the frequency (F) fed into the eddy current probe. As the probe passes through the tube, eddy current flow is induced on both ID/OD surfaces/subsurfaces. Any change in tube wall thickness and/or metallurgical microstructure disrupt the steady electromagnetic eddy current flow, causing an impedance change that results in instantaneous impulses (flying dot/lissajous signals) on the instrument monitor.

Phase manipulation and amplitude (gain) are used to process the impulses. Along with F, these test parameters are controlled by the field technician/analyst. This demands that the on-site individual possess the necessary expertise to properly calibrate and actively interpret the signals as they are manifested on the screen.

Benefits and applications Eddy current inspection offers: • Quantitative/qualitative surface/subsurface analysis of defects on both ID and OD (Outer diametre and inner diametre) orientations • Identification of alloy composition, hardness, specification, wall thickness and geometrical changes, and can help indicate tube cleanliness • A way to easily overcome in-service conditions typical to chillers

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• Accurate, reliable, reproducible results due to calibrated and certified test procedures • Portable, efficient, and cost-effective analysis These attributes have driven eddy current testing’s value and popularity, and need to be consistently used as a part of predictive/preventative maintenance (P/PM), warranties, service agreements, annuals, conversions/retrofits, insurance protocols, quality control, due diligence, litigation, commissioning, and even, water treatment programmes.

Eddy current analysis has been endorsed and actively utilised by chiller manufacturers, controls groups, independent service, mechanical contractors, engineering firms, property management groups and insurance providers worldwide.

Training and expertise for testing Personnel who are engaged in testing are certified to Level I (trainee), Level II (technician), or Level III (analyst), depending on their individual company’s definition standards, and based on the individual’s knowledge, education, background, training and experience.

The American Society for Nondestructive Testing (ASNT) utilises the governing document SNT-TC-1A Recommended Practice, allowing firms providing NDT services to define, train, educate and certify their personnel to Level I, II or III standards. As such, certification records of test personnel are always available to the client to verify credibility, reputation, longevity and expertise.

In the Gulf region, I recommend EC testing and analysis annually on chiller condenser tubes, due to harsh atmospheric conditions in the region Recommendations In the Gulf region, I recommend EC testing and analysis annually on chiller condenser tubes, due to harsh atmospheric conditions in the region. I also recommend that when purchasing new water-cooled chillers, an EC analysis is performed at the factory on the evaporator and condenser tubes and, subsequently, during chiller start-up and commissioning. This could help: • Save the chiller owner substantial amount of money • Assign accountability, should the tubes be damaged during flushing or improper flushing of the chilled water and condenser water loops, as proof that chiller

tubes were in good condition at the factory, and that improper start-up was performed • Prove that defective tubes were installed at the factory I encourage readers of this column to submit any questions on chiller maintenance or troubleshooting problems.

I would be happy to address them in future columns.

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.

Eddy current analysis has been endorsed and actively utilised by chiller manufacturers, controls groups, independent service providers, mechanical contractors, engineering firms, property management groups and insurance providers worldwide June 2016

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OUTDOOR COOLING

Clearing the mist over

outdoor cooling

While rough economic conditions may have slowed down some sectors in the region, the outdoor cooling industry looks to new markets, like affordable housing, and innovations in evaporative cooling and misting technologies to keep demand strong and achieve growth.

By Fatima de la Cerna | Assistant Editor

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Bob Mangiaforte

Jean-Paul Logiotatos

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ver since oil prices started dropping, there have been rumblings in the HVACR industry and its related sectors of business slowing down, of fewer projects in the pipeline and payments being late. But if it were up to Bob Mangiaforte, people in the Middle East would adopt a more optimistic outlook, instead of letting glum speculations about the economy bring them down, because he thinks the situation is not as dire as it may seem.

“It was pretty negative coming into this year,” says Mangiaforte, Vice President for Sales at Portacool, a Texas-headquartered manufacturer of portable evaporative coolers. “The overall mentality of the customers and the media has just been negative in the last 10 months or so. And I find that negativity is one of the biggest challenges in the market at present, since there is much going on in the region.”

To support his claim, he shares the information that Portacool had a strong 2015 and is so far enjoying a busy 2016.

“The outdoor cooling industry is growing overall, with all the GCC [region] markets showing a lot of economic activity. Our position, therefore, is that this is going to be a good year,” he says, explaining that the activity is primarily spurred by construction projects and the growing attention being given to worker safety and productivity.

“Companies are realising that comfort counts and that there’s a need to keep heat at bay. They understand that they have to look after the well-being of their workers, if they want their projects completed,” says Mangiaforte.

Of the projects that his company is

currently working on, Mangiaforte cites infrastructure developments like railway systems (metros) and airports in countries like Qatar, Oman and the UAE as among their biggest, adding that more should crop up as Dubai Expo 2020 and the Qatar 2022 FIFA World Cup draw nearer – an expectation that is shared by Jean-Paul Logiotatos, CEO of HydroCool. However, it’s just not one that is uppermost on his mind.

“We haven’t really focused on Dubai Expo 2020 yet,” he says, “but I know what’s going to happen. By next year, we’ll start getting bombarded with requests. As for the World Cup, that’s still a while away, because right now their priority is building the stadiums. Any cooling-related conversation now will be centred on air conditioners and indoor cooling.”

Despite his last statement, Logiotatos clarifies that he does not mean to imply that air conditioners have no role in outdoor cooling. “There are events like exhibitions that require air conditioners, and we do supply them,” he says. He discloses, however, that demand for air conditioners is not what makes the bulk of HydroCool’s business, saying: “Generally speaking, no one really uses outdoor air conditioners here in the region, because they’re just too expensive.

They’re not at all practical, and they require a lot of maintenance.”

What continue to be popular are evaporative cooling and misting technologies, observes Logiotatos, who – like Mangiaforte – thinks the market is doing quite well. “Last year was good for us,” he says. “We had very strong results. In fact, we were able to triple our turnover in 2014.

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The new trend is sky drones or misting drones that spin from the ceiling 68

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OUTDOOR COOLING

For this year, we haven’t dropped our turnover targets, since we’re still reaching them every month and every quarter.”

On what’s helping the UAE-based HydroCool ride out what many industry insiders are describing as a subdued market, Logiotatos identifies a variety of factors, including having an “efficient after-sales service” and “solid relationships with a loyal customer-base in the hospitality sector”. But more than any other factor, he points to new products and extra offerings as being mainly responsible for his company’s robust performance.

Elaborating, he says: “We do a lot of R&D, and we scour European tradeshows and exhibitions to find breakthrough products in outdoor cooling. For now, the new trend is sky drones or misting drones that spin from the ceiling. They come in various sizes, for various applications. They’re becoming quite popular, as are hydro showers, and for obvious reasons.

Both are an appealing mix of aesthetics and function.”

As per Logiotatos, a potential client for the hydro showers is one of the UAE’s biggest malls, which has expressed interest in installing the showers around its fountain. Emirates Park Zoo, meanwhile, has reportedly shown preference for the drones. “We do the entire zoo,” he says.

"We’ve already installed wall-mounted misting fans there, and now we’re in the process of installing misting drones.”

Though Mangiaforte also cites new products as among the strengths of Portacool – they’ve released five new models this year, he claims – he credits the company’s local presence for enabling wider market reach. “We have a warehouse facility in the UAE,” he says, “which means we have people on the ground, and this has given us the ability to be flexible, to respond faster.”

He adds that it also helps that evaporative cooling is recognised as a cost-effective and ecofriendly technology. “Evaporative coolers only need water and an electrical connection. There’s no installation cost, and they’re portable.

They’re cooling you can take wherever you need.

Moreover, they’re a Green product, because they don’t require refrigerants,” Mangiaforte says, before stressing that the technology will only become more efficient over time. He explains, “We’re always looking into providing solutions, and we spend time and effort to find ways to increase cooling efficiency.”

Sharing his own views on the benefits of evaporative coolers, Logiotatos speaks on their power consumption: “They consume less power than a hair dryer or a toaster. As for misting systems, the smaller the nozzles and the higher the pressure of the mist, the less water they use. Evaporative cooling and misting are the most economical forms of outdoor cooling.” And

HydroCool is said to be looking for ways to make them even more economical.

“We feel that there’s an opportunity to install fully customised misting systems in villas in the UAE,” says Logiotatos. “It will have to be at a package price, at an affordable price, so every single villa would have a misting system installed during or after completion of the build. So we’re working on a price that would be substantially lower than those we offer hotels, for example.”

Estimating the total package to come under AED 15,000, he continues: “And that would include everything – pumps, stainless steel piping, etc.

Because every household, every villa needs to have something for the outdoors.”

Giving reasons why such package is not yet being offered, he says: “We still have to use quality products, and we still have to offer two- to five-year warranties, which means we still have to source from our factories in the United States and in Europe. Let me put it this way: A typical industrial misting installation can go up to AED 250,000. But we want to bring that down to between AED 10,000 and 15,000 for households, and we want to give them accessible payment plans.”

In addition to tapping into the affordable housing segment, Logiotatos cites technology development as an area of opportunity for the industry, which his company is also exploring. “We are developing power technologies,” he says. “For example, right now, we have a machine that is battery-operated. All you have to do is charge the battery, and you can use it for three hours. We’re also looking into solar technology. What we really need to do now is to compact the technology even further, because you can’t place a full PV panel on top of the cooling equipment. So the PV panels have to be reduced in size.”

While Logiotatos admits that it might take some time before their work will yield the kind of technology that they have in mind, Logiotatos expresses his confidence in their success, saying: “It’s still years away before we can put a battery and solar panel on an evaporative cooler, which can last up to eight hours or draw from the sun and power right through the evening. But we’ve got our team in Singapore working on it, and there’s a company in Brazil that we’re engaged with that is developing a new product. Yes, it’s going to take time, and it’s all in the infancy stage.

But the way I see it, by 2020, we should have a solar-powered evaporative cooling system.”

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June 2016

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country report

AUSTRALIA

Down Under eyes top spot

Australia has been making news in the HVACR industry for all the right reasons, from new efficiency-rating tools to a stringent regulatory framework, especially to improve the retrofit sector – a model worth replicating in the Middle East region. Australia’s success lies in its desire to create an environmentally friendly and energy-efficient society.

By Mohammed Abdul Hai | Features Writer

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ustralia has been a strong contender among countries to reach its green targets via energy efficiency for quite some time now, vying to prove its prowess in innovation, regulation and general awareness. This is also because of a necessity becoming a virtue – energy requirements are very high in Australia. Fulfilling it entails focus on energy efficiency, design sustainability and the reduction of greenhouse gases, which, in turn, requires the HVACR industry to necessarily stay within the country’s stringent guidelines.

Rules rule According to the Department of Industry, Innovations and Sciences, Australian Government, the aim of continuously improving the HVAC efficiency can only be brought about through strict regulations and implementing environmentally friendly and energy-efficient products.1 Echoing this, Gregory Picker says, “The refrigeration and air conditioning industry is caught by different sets of legislation and policy.” Picker is Technical and Policy Advisor for AREMA (Air-Conditioning and Refrigeration Equipment Manufacturers Association), an Australian body that looks after both importers and manufacturers of refrigeration and air conditioning equipment. (For details on safety regulations see Box: Iron-clad rules) The Australian government has also been working towards achieving the zero ozone depleting potential (ODP) refrigerants. Although the country’s present demand

The import of HCFCs has reportedly seen a decline, from 70 ODP tonnes in 2010-2011 to 10 ODP tonnes in 2014-2015

for power is high, manufacturers are constantly made aware of the new zero ODP refrigerants, say industry insiders. The phasing out of all substances that deplete the ozone layer appears to be an ongoing and active process in the industry.

Marcus Bradson, Technical Manager at New South Wales, Australia-based Trilogy Services, explains: “Australia has been the frontrunner for the phasing out of the most ODP refrigerants in the past decade. In the past decade, complying with The Montreal Protocol and The Ozone Protection and Synthetic Greenhouse Gas Management Act, 1989, the industries, and cooperative partnership between the community and all levels of government, have all contributed the same towards achieving this goal.”

Stats don’t lie Australia has evidently made a strong statement in its commitment towards environmental protection with its efforts in reducing the ODP refrigerants.

According to a recent report released by the Department of Environment, Australian Government, the country has met or even exceeded all of its phase-out obligations. The report goes on to share the information that use and import of hydrochlorofluorocarbons (HCFCs) has seen a major decline, and that by 2016, HCFCs will be largely phased out – almost four years ahead of the schedule required under the Montreal Protocol. The import of HCFCs has reportedly seen a decline, from 70 ODP tonnes in 2010-2011 to 10 ODP tonnes in 2014-2015.

Speaking about the use of an alternative to R-22 refrigerant, Bradson says: “The industry is already transitioning away from R-22, since the phasing out of this refrigerant is imminent in the near future. The HVAC industries, especially, are opting for other alternatives.” Reflecting what is stated in the Department of Environment report, Bradson adds, “The remainder of the R-22 systems will rely on recycled or reclaimed refrigerants, since other refrigerants with lesser ODPs are becoming more available.” One can surmise that the Australian government, with its stringent policies and co-operative network, is hoping to create a green ethos in the R segment of the HVACR sector.

Australia has witnessed an upswing in the construction market, which is supposed to grow from 0.9% in 2014 to a more dynamic performance during 2015-2016, with the non-residential building sector expected to profit more. The burgeoning construction market has witnessed a parallel growth in the HVAC

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Iron-clad rules sector. As per the Euroconstruct Report, 2013, all segments of the HVAC sector will see growth, given that there is a stable economic framework.

Underlining this and drawing attention to the IBIS World report, Bradson says, “The recent IBIS report has confirmed that there is a substantial growth in the HVAC market from 8.9% to an estimated 11.3% in the past five years.” IBIS is an organisation that provides industrial growth insights.

Vying for the HVAC pie With such growth potential, the HVAC market has become extremely competitive, leading to mounting pressure on manufacturers to provide customers with effective equipment design at a faster rate. Innovation is a crucial strategy deployed in this race to out-do competitors, say market observers. It is not surprising, therefore, that low installation cost, high efficiency, high output, fan power, low noise and low energy cost are on top of the manufacturers’ checklist.

Pointing towards cheap imports entering a competitive landscape and their effect on the overall industry revenue, Bradson reveals, “There has been a high and steady competition from imports over the years, which has led to even outsourcing production to Asian and Middle East Countries.”

Is retrofitting the way forward?

Australia made headlines, when, under the authority of HVAC HESS (High Efficiency Systems Strategy), an organisation concerned with improving the HVAC efficiency, a commercial building in 4 Mort Street, Canberra, was retrofitted.

The results of the endeavour were staggeringly impressive, and highlighted the importance of retrofit projects vis-à-vis the HVAC industry. The results included: • Improvement from 2.4 to 4 NABERS (National Australian Built Environment Rating System) stars • Improved system monitoring through installation of BMS (Building Management System) • Annual cost saving of USD 120,000 • Increase in asset value, estimated at USD 1.4 million • 70% reduction in annual greenhouse gas emissions equal to 786 tonnes of CO2 emissions Given the copious energy consumption levels in Australia, the gains in energy efficiency and cost management that can be achieved via retrofitting

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Gregory Picker, Technical and Policy Advisor for AREMA (Air-Conditioning and Refrigeration Equipment Manufacturers Association), throws light on regulations governing refrigerant safety in Australia…

“The Department of the Environment focuses on refrigerants, particularly HFCs, whereas, the Department of Industry focuses on energy efficiency.

Issues of safety – both for workers and consumers – are left to the states. Perhaps, the best bit of the Australian system is that to buy, sell or use HCFC or HFC refrigerants, you need to have a licence.

The licence is only given if the person has the right training and the necessary gear to maintain systems.

The Australian Refrigeration Council – created and owned by the industry – is responsible for the licencing. The other absolutely essential element is that Australia has banned disposable cylinders.

“We [AREMA] spend most of our time working with governments on policy/regulatory issues (energy efficiency, refrigerants, ozone, climate change, etc.) and industry bodies looking after technical issues (standards, codes, training needs, etc.).

“Our minimum efficiency standards vary from product type to product type, but roughly speaking, they are similar to those in Europe or the United States, just with a short delay.”

A-Gas launches new Australian website A-Gas, dealing in the supply and full lifecycle management of speciality chemicals and range of gases, including to the refrigeration and air conditioning market in returnable cylinders, has announced launching a new website for its Australian customers. Calling it mobile friendly, the company said that at the touch of a button, users can have easy access to information about the range of products and services from A-Gas, as well as the latest industry information.

“The new website will offer customers the ability to find their nearest wholesale branch supplying A-Gas products,” said Anush Martins, Customer Service and Marketing Manager at A-Gas Australia, in a news release. “There is a wealth of technical information available, including the Resource Centre, which has safety data sheets, pressure temperature charts and guides on fumigants’ best practice.”

The new website also reportedly explains about the company’s product analysis and laboratory services and provides access to information on A-Gas Rural.

What’s new?

Australia has developed the world’s first HVAC efficiency rating tool, which is expected to have a profound impact on the reduction of energy use in Australia. “It is a great initiative, which not only encourages manufacturers but also makes the consumers aware that there is a problem out there, and we need to act accordingly,” says Marcus Bradson, Technical Manager at Trilogy Services. The tool purportedly aims to provide a dynamic assessment to rate and reward and, most importantly, encourage best practices in HVAC systems.

A little-known link in the cold chain James Harrison, an Australian of Scottish descent, considered a pioneer in the refrigeration industry, is said to have provided a breakthrough in the air conditioning world, by inventing the first mechanical ice-making machine in 1851. Using a compressor on the refrigerant gas, and allowing the compressed gas to pass through a condenser which was liquefied, he cooled the surrounding system. Employing this technique, frozen meat started sailing across different continents.

efficient HVACR equipment. The clamour is for new system design and cost-effective solutions. And Australia, with its long experience in and knowledge of the District Energy infrastructure systems and HVACR equipment, has a competitive edge, and has found favour with distributors, contractors and system builders beyond Australia.

An added advantage is that almost all products from Australia fulfil the GCC requirements and specifications.

In the final analysis, there is, of course, always room for improvement. Conceding that there are some grey areas that need to be sorted out in the industry, Bradson says, “There is still a lot to learn and even more to do.”

References: 1. http://www.industry.gov.au/Energy/EnergyEfficiency/Non-residentialBuildings/ HVAC/Pages/Measures.aspx 2. http://www.industry.gov.au/Energy/EnergyEfficiency/Non-residentialBuildings/ HVAC/FactSheets/Pages/RetrofitMortStreetCaseStudy.aspx

HAVE YOUR SAY!

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

of HVAC systems are dramatic. “In any given building, HVAC represents an average 52% of the total energy consumed by that building,” says Peter Bush, CEO of Aeris Environmental. Bush believes that the upgrading of air conditioners and refrigeration systems provides the single biggest opportunity for Australia to achieve large-scale reductions in carbon emissions. Bush adds, “The retrofitting of HVAC and refrigeration systems can not only dramatically reduce energy consumption and related utility bills but also improve the indoor air quality.” While the 4 Mort Street project admittedly entailed major overhauls, Bush believes that even simple retrofits of existing air conditioning and refrigeration equipment can yield considerable benefits.

Although green retrofits have been focusing on high efficiency and cost management, Bush points out to the reality that there is a long way to go, with a staggering 42.26 megatonnes of greenhouse gas emissions. Admittedly, the GWP (Global Warming Potential) is still very high. However, there is a definite push to phase out such substances in the coming years.

Net profit Highlighting the role Net Zero Energy Building (nZEB) could play, Bradson says: “The upcoming trend in both commercial and residential sectors are the nZEB. The government needs to consider this option and develop policies around it.”

To conclude…

According to the Department of Industry, Australian Government, “The contribution of electricity to total residential energy consumption is predicted to increase from 46% in 1990 to 53% in 2020. Natural gas consumption is also expected to increase from 30% of total energy consumption in 1990 to 37% in 2020.”2 In light of this, stringent government regulations backed by public awareness and, consequently, a rise in demand for energy-efficient products has been the key driving force spurring manufacturers to come up with specialised technology for more

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Solar energy in Dubai: Sun is our limit H.E. Saeed Mohammed Al Tayer, MD and CEO of DEWA, in an article written against the backdrop of announcing Dubai Solar Show, to be held from October 4 to 6, has underscored the potential of solar energy. We bring you a summary...

Dubai Solar Show will be held in conjunction with the 18th Water, Energy, Technology, and Environment Exhibition (WETEX) 2016, from October 4 to 6 at the Dubai International Convention and Exhibition Centre, under the directives of H.H. Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, and under the patronage of H.H. Sheikh Hamdan bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Deputy Ruler of Dubai, Minister of Finance and President of DEWA.

“F

ollowing immense natural resources consumption on Earth, mankind has finally set a new ambitious goal to get his energy needs through renewable resources,” said H.E. Saeed Mohammed Al Tayer, MD & CEO of DEWA. This idea, he said, “seemed difficult several decades ago, but it has formed a framework for an integrated industrial sector driven by the needs of survival and preserving a secure future for generations to come”.

Pointing to the dichotomy between fossil fuels and solar energy, Al Tayer said that more the demand for fossil fuels, the higher the price, whilst the more the demand for solar energy, the cheaper the cost. Reaffirming his faith in solar energy, he reiterated that the sun is “an ideal replacement for fossil fuels resources”, and believed that this would be a “visionary smart investment in the long run”.

Pointing out that today, mankind has overcome the technical challenges to fulfill energy requirements through renewable energy resource, Al Tayer underscored that “once again, the Middle East stands out within the globe’s new energy district – the sun,” and added, “Despite the difficulty of shifting reliance from oil to solar energy, the region is still within the ‘belts’ of both oil and sun.”

Asserting that the UAE, as always, was one of the first countries to come up with initiatives, thanks to the vision of its leaders, he said: “The country put huge investments in solar energy, and supported these investments with a series of fully fledged initiatives. These efforts were crowned

by H.H. Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, the launch

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of the Dubai Clean Energy Strategy 2050 to provide 75% of the Emirate’s energy from clean energy by 2050. Dubai and the UAE’s location within the Sunbelt increases the success chances to have significant reliance on renewable energy in the UAE.” Al Tayer highlighted: “The UAE, under the directives of our government, has taken an early start to bid farewell to the last drop of oil. Dubai Electricity and Water Authority (DEWA) took the responsibility to contribute to this promising goal by announcing The Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum Solar Park, the largest single-site strategic renewable energy project of its kind in the world, [which] is based on the IPP model.

The 13 MW first phase became operational in 2013. The 200 MW second phase of the Solar Park will be operational by 2017, and its capacity will reach 1,000 MW by 2020 and 5,000 MW by 2030.” The project, said Al Tayer, will help achieve a reduction of approximately 6.5 million tonnes of carbon emissions annually, supporting Dubai Government’s Green Initiatives and programmes.

Under the directives of Sheikh Mohammed, DEWA leads ambitious initiatives to increase dependability on solar power, Al Tayer said in his article, and gave the example of Shams Dubai, whose avowed objective, among others, is to install solar panels in buildings to produce power and connect it to DEWA’s grid. Al Tayer explained that installation of solar panels on rooftops of buildings and houses through Shams Dubai is a long-term investment, contributing to reducing electricity bills and increasing property values, decreasing the carbon footprint and protecting the environment and its resources for the present and future generations.

Speaking about the Dubai Solar Show, he said: “As the renewable energy industry continues to rapidly grow, DEWA is organising the first Dubai Solar Show, which will be the largest of its kind in the region.

It will highlight the latest innovations in the solar energy field, through offering a unique platform to forge partnerships between public and private sectors to develop innovative solutions.”

Al Tayer, enumerating the other salient objectives of the event, added: “Dubai Solar Show will be a key platform for the public and private sectors to make deals, build partnerships, review the latest solar-energy technologies, learn about current and future projects in the region and market needs and explore opportunities to take part in solar-energy projects and programmes.”

Organising the show in conjunction with WETEX and the World Green Economy Summit, he said, was a chance to reach thousands of exhibitors, participants, officials, and decision-makers in the UAE, the Arabian Gulf, and the Middle East as a whole.

Extending his invitation to companies and organisations working in solar technologies to take part in the show and explore the various investment opportunities offered by what he termed a “promising sector”, Al Tayer added: “I also invite all segments of the society to visit the exhibition to learn more about the latest solar technologies which aim to achieve our objective of shifting consumers of energy to producers, and maintaining a fine balance between development and environment to preserve the rights of the generations to come to live in a clean, healthy, and safe environment, and to maintain a sustainable future for us, and for generations to come.”

Etihad ESCO and DIFC sign energy performance contract Move to cut energy use by 72%

World’s first air conditioned stadium to be built in Dubai Estimated to cost AED 3 billion, the sports facility will be built in compliance with FIFA standards

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H

.E. Saeed Mohammed Al Tayer, Vice-Chairman of the Dubai Supreme Council of Energy and Chairman of Etihad Energy Service Company (ESCO) has announced signing an Energy Performance Contract with H.E. Essa Kazim, Governor of Dubai International Financial Centre (DIFC), to replace 28,500 of DIFC’s traditional light bulbs with LED lights, to help increase and improve energy efficiency and sustainability. According to the contract, DIFC said that the move would achieve 72% in annual energy savings over six years.

This, according to ESCO and DIFC, supports the UAE Vision 2021 to increase the use of clean energy, and implementing the UAE Green Growth Strategy to enhance sustainable development, as also the Dubai Plan 2021.

DIFC is reportedly the first financial free zone in the UAE to conduct such a major transformation of lighting system infrastructure.

The signing, said the announcement, was attended

by Arif Amiri, CEO of Dubai International Financial Centre Authority; Saleh Al Akrabi, CEO of DIFC Property Management; Waleed Salman, Vice Chairman of Etihad Esco; Stephane Le Gentil, CEO of Etihad ESCO and Ali Al Jassim, COO of Etihad ESCO. “The signing of the contract supports the directives of our wise leaders to increase the use of clean and renewable energy, and the Dubai Clean Energy Strategy 2050 to diversify the Emirate’s energy resources, and increase dependence on clean and renewable energy,” said Al Tayer.

Kazim added: “DIFC is a major part of Dubai’s economic environment. To adhere to the Emirate’s objectives to adopt green energy solutions, our cooperation with Etihad ESCO aims to improve lighting infrastructure, making it more sustainable and efficient with energy consumption. This reflects our commitment to the Growth Strategy 2024 to ensure an advanced and updated infrastructure through the use of sustainable energy solutions.”

is Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, on May 4 reviewed the designs of what will purportedly be the world’s first fully air conditioned and raised-off-the-ground stadium, according to a WAM news report.

To be called Mohammed bin Rashid Stadium, the sports arena will be built in Al Aweer area in Dubai, at an estimated cost of AED 3 billion, with a seating capacity of 60,000, the report revealed, and added that it will include a training hall, a 5,000-capacity car park, a sports museum and conference halls. The stadium design is said to be in compliance with FIFA’s standards.

Dar Al Handasah has been reportedly selected as consultant, while Perkins+Will is the main contractor for the project.

Briefed by Matar Al Tayer, Deputy Chairman of Dubai Sport Council, H.H. Sheikh Mohammed, the report said, applauded the design and ordered execution of the project according to the scheduled timeline.

Source: http://www.wam.ae/en/news/emirates/1395295119135.html

Clima Uno’s AHU awarded higher rating under Eurovent Certification Programme Acoustic insulation, mechanical strength of casing and casing air leakage, among areas assessed

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taly-based Clima Uno, manufacturer of air-handling units (AHUs) and fan-coil units (FCUs), and a fully owned subsidiary of Al Shirawi Group, has announced that its AHU was awarded higher ratings of Thermal Transmittance (T2) and Thermal Bridging of the casing (TB3), following the latest round of testing by Eurovent Certification.

The facets of robustness assessed during the testing, the announcement revealed, included acoustic insulation, mechanical strength of the casing (D1), casing air leakage (L1) and filter bypass leakage (F9).

The new ratings are applicable to the company’s recirculating AHUs, fresh air- handling units (FAHUs) and energy recovery ventilators, Clima Uno said, and claimed that the improved ratings implied that they can deliver superior performance even in the region’s harsh climate.

“As a responsible HVAC manufacturer, we believe in constantly upgrading our products to cater to the needs of the market,” said Tarek Maleh, Operations & Technical Manager at Clima Uno Air Conditioning Industries. “By delivering reliable, cost-effective and energy-efficient products, we continue to be at the cutting edge of air conditioning technology.”

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Kingspan PalDuct Hydro uses zero-ODP and low-GWP blowing agent Can now be specified for projects required to comply with stringent regulations like Estidama

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ingspan Insulation has announced that its Kingspan PalDuct Hydro System of pre-insulated ducting will be manufactured using a blowing agent, which has low Global Warming Potential (GWP) and zero Ozone Depleting Potential (ODP) as standard.

Kingspan Insulation’s Dubai manufacturing facility, the announcement added, has altered its manufacturing process by installing a pentane tank, primarily for the manufacturing of Kingspan

Thermobreak insulation receives DCL approval

Sekisui claims it is first flexible insulation material to achieve System 5 DGBR

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ekisui Foam International has announced that Thermobreak, the physically crosslinked polyolefin insulation material manufactured by the company, has become the first flexible closed-cell insulation product to be awarded Dubai’s Green Building Regulation (DGBR) System 5 mark of approval.

The factory audit, said the announcement, was completed in Nov 2015, and System 5 awarded in Feb 2016, after third-party tests by TUV on BS 476 (Class 0) and thermal conductivity and vapour permeability tests by DCL. Sekisui claimed that it uses the DCL System 5 approval – a third-party supervision system – to ensure product integrity and reassurance, and that Thermobreak has also achieved a Certificate of Compliance from Dubai Civil Defence and the UAE Civil Defence. It added that it is currently the only polyolefin to have this compliance.

PalDuct Hydro panels.

Giving details, Kingspan said that its panels, used for the fabrication of the Kingspan PalDuct Hydro System, comprise a fibre-free polyisocyanturate (PIR) insulation core, faced on either side with an aluminium foil. Unlike traditional sheet metal ducting, which needs to be lagged with insulation as a second operation, Kingspan PalDuct Systems provide a single fix installation with no lagging required.

Kingspan PalDuct Hydro, the manufacturer claimed, can now be specified by engineers for projects required to comply with increasingly stringent ODP and GWP regulations, such as Estidama in Abu Dhabi. Within the Esitdama Rating Systems under the Stewarding Materials section, the company added, one credit point is available, providing all thermal insulation used has an ODP of zero and a GWP of less than five.

SKM Air Conditioning joins Eurovent Move expected to further strengthen association’s footprint in the GCC region

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KM Air Conditioning, headquartered in Sharjah, has announced joining the Eurovent association as Corresponding Member, following a formal approval by the Eurovent Board.

As winner of the 2015 Climate Control Awards, and a manufacturer of products that hold the ‘Eurovent Certified Performance’ mark, the company claimed that it has a sales network reaching across the EMEA region.

“Joining the Eurovent Association is exactly in line with SKM’s mission to grow internationally with high-efficiency products and competent employees, to provide consistent quality and customer satisfaction,” said Abdul Karim Al Saleh, COO of SKM. “With a strong growth of air conditioning equipment sales in GCC countries, we need to put indoor air quality as a key priority on the environmental agenda. Eurovent is playing a major role in this respect.”

Leminar expands showroom in Kuwait

Move aimed to meet country’s growing HVAC demands

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eminar Air Conditioning Company has announced expanding its showroom in Al Rai area of Kuwait City. The expansion, the company said, was in response to the increasing demand for its products from Kuwait’s growing construction sector, and comes close on the heels of a distribution agreement signed by the company with Swiss corporation Georg Fischer for the supply of its piping systems in the country. Sweden’s Alfa Haval Heat Exchangers were also reportedly recently added to Leminar’s product portfolio in the

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Kuwaiti market.

The revamped showroom is three times larger and occupies a prime spot at the Al Fouzan Commercial complex, Leminar informed, and added that the company has also leased a warehouse in Doha Industrial Area to store additional supplies.

According to Leminar, the investments are in line with its growth strategy for Kuwait, which, it says, has a burgeoning construction sector driven by government initiatives to boost infrastructure development.

“We have a very clear-cut and long-term

vision for Kuwait,” said Navin Valrani, CEO of Leminar Air Conditioning Company. “With a robust forecast of construction spending, we expect rising demand for increasingly efficient HVAC systems. And, we want to make sure that we are wellequipped to meet this demand.”

Pramodh Idicheria, General Manager of the company, added, “Our business partners trust Leminar’s ability to deliver results and further their global footprint.”

More News Stories

Empower commences operations in DC plant in Business Bay

DSCE approves Energy Intensity Mapping for Dubai

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Tabreed’s Q1 2016 net profit increases by four per cent

Built on LEED standards and using TSE, the plant has a capacity of 45,000 TR mpower has announced commencing operations in its third Business Bay District Cooling plant, covering commercial and residential buildings. With this, the announcement said, Empower currently provides 135,000 TR to the entire Business Bay area.

Apart from the third plant, which took around a year to be completed, through an AED 186 million deal signed in April 2015, it operates two other cooling plants in Business Bay, Empower said, and added that the first was declared number one in following Dubai Executive Council’s directives on environmental sustainability, while the second was the first in the Middle East to earn the gold rating of the v2009 system in LEED, which is purportedly the most recent rating classification employed by the US Green Building Council (USGBC).

Ahmad Bin Shafar, CEO of Empower, revealing that the third plant followed the strict LEED standards, and also uses Treated Sewage Effluent (TSE), said: “The new plant is a world-class model in District Cooling industry. It reflects our commitment in adhering to highest sustainability standards and ensuring availability and efficiency.”

Data gathered expected to find method of analysing and monitoring energy consumption levels

UNEP lauds Empower’s ‘Global District Energy in Cities Initiative’ Recognition follows UAE signing Paris Agreement on Climate Change

Claims saving 168 million kilowatt hours

Reem Mall awarded Estidama 2 Pearl Design Rating Recognised by Abu Dhabi Urban Planning Council for sustainable design efforts

EmiratesGBC announces MENA winners of 2016 awards Honours them for setting new standards in sustainability

Swiss expert outlines vision of energy-efficient FM at DEWA event Farnek CEO highlights how Dubai’s 2021 environmental goals could yield savings

Visit www.climatecontrolme.com to read the stories

NEWS GLOBAL

ISK-SODEX Istanbul 2016 attracts exhibitors from 46 countries Companies from Saudi Arabia, Bahrain and Estonia participate for the first time

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SK-SODEX Istanbul 2016, the HVACR exhibition of the Eurasia region, held from May 4 to 7 at the CNR Expo Fair Center, Istanbul, hosted 1,293 companies from 46 countries and attracted 83.764 visitors from 107 countries, the event organiser Hannover-Messe Sodeks Fuarcilik has announced.

The event, said the announcement, focused on HVACR, insulation, pumps, valves, fittings and water treatment sectors, and was opened with the participation of Fikri Işık, the Minister of Science, Industry and Technology, Turkey.

Co-organised with Natural Gas Devices Industrialists and Businessmen’s Association (DOSİDER); Air-Conditioning and Refrigeration Manufacturers’ Association (İSKİD); Turkish Society of HVAC and Sanitary Engineers (TTMD); Temperature, Water, Noise and Fire Insulators’ Association (İZODER) and Foundation for Heating, Cooling and Air-Conditioning Research and Education (İSKAV), the exhibition was spread across a net stand area of 50.558 square metres, said the organisers.

The event reportedly saw participation for the first time from exhibitor companies from Saudi Arabia, Bahrain and Estonia.

Different sectors came together and achieved significant cooperation to make ISK-SODEX Istanbul 2016 a success, claimed the organisers.

BACnet releases Reference Catalogue 2016 Represents wide range of projects like Hotel Atlantis – The Palm in Dubai and Frankfurt Airport

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he BACnet Interest Group Europe (BIG-EU) has announced releasing Reference Catalogue 2016, presenting 199 projects from various regions, whose building automation solutions have been achieved on the basis of the open BACnet standard.

The list of buildings represented, the announcement said, includes a wide spectrum of projects, from Hotel Atlantis – The Palm in Dubai to the summit station atop the Zugspitze, and from the Frankfurt Airport to office and commercial buildings, exhibition halls, sport and recreational facilities and hospitals. Nearly all 125 members of BIG-EU, the announcement added are represented in the catalogue.

The characteristics of these projects, BIG-EU claimed, show the multifaceted ways in which BACnet can be implemented for efficient and sustainable building operation.

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NEWS GLOBAL

Siemens launches Denmark’s largest energy performance contracting project Will reduce Danish hospital’s energy consumption by a third and heat consumption by 41%

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iemens has announced creating a comprehensive energy-efficiency upgrade package for a hospital near the Danish capital of Copenhagen. The energy performance contracting (EPC) project for Hvidovre Hospital, the announcement said, includes optimising the technical plants and expanding the hospital’s own renewable energy sources.

Giving details, Siemens said that its experts analysed the 245,000 m2 hospital in detail, and identified measures capable of reducing energy consumption and CO2 emissions. The measures to be implemented at Hvidovre Hospital reportedly include expanding the photovoltaic system, installing geothermal storage systems and wind turbines, and modernising the building management system.

The hospital will be able to reduce heat consumption by 41% and electricity consumption by 23%, Siemens revealed, and added that on average, this will result in energy savings of 33%.

Valued at EUR 23 million, the EPC project is the largest of its kind in Denmark, Siemens claimed, and added that it will finance the costs in advance, and Hvidovre Hospital will pay them back over 10 years from the energy savings achieved.

“This project will help us make real progress towards our environmental goals within a short period of time,” said Anders Agger, Hospital Director at Hvidovre Hospital.

CxEnergy 2017 to be held in Orlando

Will showcase products and services in the field of commissioning and energy management

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xEnergy 2017 will be held from April 24 to 27, 2017, in Orlando, Florida, at the Osceola Convention Center of the Omni Orlando Resort at ChampionsGate, the event organisers have announced.

The conference and expo dedicated to building commissioning and energy management, the announcement said, will be presented by the Associated Air Balance Council (AABC) Commissioning Group (ACG) and Energy Management Association (EMA).

Giving details, the event organisers said that the expo will showcase companies in the field of commissioning and energy management, with their products and services, and will also include a technical programme covering key topic areas like building envelope/enclosure commissioning, technology and innovation, energy management, commissioning speciality systems, policy and financial issues, lighting, water management and energy storage.

AIA Continuing Education Credits will be available for the technical sessions, the organisers said, and added that CxEnergy will offer pre-conference certification workshops and seminars for the Certified Commissioning authority (CxA) and Energy Management Professional (EMP). The event will also reportedly feature several networking events to help connect commissioning and energy management personnel, engineers, building owners and facility managers with manufacturers and energy services providers.

Daikin to acquire Zanotti Merger with Italian commercial refrigeration manufacturer to help expand cold chain business in Europe

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aikin Industries has announced its decision to acquire, through its subsidiary, Daikin Europe NV, Zanotti, an Italian manufacturer of commercial-use refrigerators and freezers. The acquisition price, said the announcement, is EUR 98 million, for which Daikin will obtain all company shares from the asset management company owned by Zanotti executive officers.

Finalisation of the transaction, said Daikin, is scheduled for the end of June, after completion of all the necessary procedures.

According to Daikin, it intends to utilise the merger to expand its refrigerator and freezer business in Europe, with Zanotti’s wide range of products for the entire cold chain, from those used in food production and transportation (overland shipping) to those found at retailers, leveraging Zanotti’s sales and service networks across Europe.

With this acquisition, Daikin said that it can now provide a diverse product line for all aspects of the cold chain in the European market for low temperature and refrigeration equipment. Also, by applying the technologies that it has cultivated in air conditioning to Zanotti products, Daikin claimed it would be able to provide products to help energy savings.

Beginning with Europe, Daikin will advance forward in enlarging its refrigerator and freezer business in Asia, the United States and China, Daikin revealed, where it said significant market growth is anticipated.

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ASSOCIATIONS & SOCIETIES

AHRI creates two new product sections for controls Controls Product Section split into Electronic Controls and Gas Controls divisions

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he Air-Conditioning, Heating, and Refrigeration Institute (AHRI) has announced that its Controls Product Section will be divided into two new sections – Air Conditioning & Refrigeration (ACR) Electronic Controls and Gas Controls.

Contextualising the latest development, AHRI gave the following details leading up to the creation of the new sections: When the Air-Conditioning and Refrigeration Institute (ARI) and the Gas Appliance Manufacturers Association (GAMA) merged to form AHRI in 2008, sections from each association combined to form the Controls Product Section. While it encompassed all types of control products, in recent years, it has focused more on gas control issues. At the AHRI Spring Meeting earlier this month, AHRI’s Board of Directors approved a plan to divide the section into two discrete sections.

The ACR Electronic Controls Section will encompass controllers and auxiliary control devices, which are primarily designed to aid in the unattended operation, energy efficiency, electric utility demand reduction, cloud connectivity, fault detection and diagnosis, cyber security, or safe operation of components of comfort conditioning equipment and commercial and industrial refrigeration equipment covered by its other product sections, AHRI informed.

The Gas Controls Section, AHRI added, will encompass controls, including components and accessories for use on gas-fired utilisation equipment (including, but not limited to, combination gas controls, manual gas valves, gas appliance pressure regulators, automatic gas valves, automatic gas ignition systems, flame sensors, monitors and programmers, gas filters and sediment traps, thermostatic system components, automatic flue and vent dampers, oxygen depletion sensing devices, pressure sensors and switches, and line pressure regulators).

ASHRAE participates in White House conference on resilient building codes Event highlights critical role of building codes in helping structures withstand natural disasters

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SHRAE has announced taking part in the White House Conference on Resilient Building Codes held on May 10, where it offered its technical knowledge on how to help buildings and their systems withstand and recover from natural disasters, and also made a commitment to be part of the US Administration’s efforts in this direction.

The White House hosted the event to highlight the critical role of building codes in furthering community resilience and the importance of incorporating resilience and the future impacts of climate change in the codes and standards development process, ASHRAE elaborated, and added that ASHRAE Director-at-Large, Mick Schwedler, who took part in the conference, served on a panel focused on codes and standards.

Others on the panel reportedly represented the National Institute of Building Sciences, the International Code council, the National Fire Protection Association and the American Society of Civil Engineers.

As part of the effort, ASHRAE has reportedly committed to: Utilising member research funding to support research related to resilience in buildings and building systems; developing, maintaining or revising standards to reduce building loads and their subsequent impact on utilities; working with numerous global partners to encourage adoption of these changes into codes; providing instructional and application tools to implement these improvements and educating the affected stakeholders.

During the event, said ASHRAE, the Resilience Building Coalition released a report on progress made on the resilience front, as well as a set of guiding principles to help the building industry adopt resilient design and policies.

“The built-environment industry strives to design, construct and operate buildings to withstand both natural disasters and man-made hazards,” said ASHRAE President David Underwood. “We must use the knowledge gleaned from disasters like the recent earthquake in Kumamoto, Japan; Superstorm Sandy, flooding in India, and others, as well as predictions of the effects of climate change, to our advantage to save lives and infrastructure in the future.”

looking for REFRIGERATION products?

www.refrigbuyers guide.com

June 2016

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ASSOCIATIONS & SOCIETIES

Seminar on existing building energy efficiency to be featured at ASHRAE 2016 Annual Conference One of 108 sessions in the Technical Programme

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SHRAE has announced that this year’s Annual Conference will take place from June 25 to 29 at Marriott St Louis Grand Hotel and America’s Center Convention Complex.

One of the topics of focus will be existing building energy efficiency, the announcement said.

Contextualising this, ASHRAE said that in 2015, along with the Illuminating Engineering Society, it had published ANSI/ASHRAE/IES Standard 100, Energy Efficiency in Existing Buildings, which goes beyond energy efficiency minimums, in that it requires energy management and operation and maintenance plans.

“By requiring energy audits and providing for lifecycle cost analysis of potential energy efficiency measures, the standard gives building owners the tools and opportunity for even higher performance,” Gordon Holness, who helped write the standard, said.

Holness is a speaker at a seminar at the ‘Conference, Standard 100-2015 Overview and the Potential of Its High-Performance Existing Building Metrics’, which takes place on June 29, ASHRAE informed.

The seminar is one of 108 sessions in the Technical Program section, which is organised into eight tracks featuring over 400 speakers.

“The technical sessions offer an excellent opportunity to learn the results of cutting-edge research and the latest standards that affect the built environment,” Thomas Kuehn, Conference Program Chair, said. “Topics include nearly every technology used in HVAC&R, including alternative refrigerants, fire and smoke control, smart control systems and sources and efficient utilisation of renewable energy.”

Good news for #HVACR. The global #refrigeration equipment market is expected to reach $41.5 billion by 2022.

AHR EXPO 2017 dates announced

Will feature over 100 free and paid educational sessions, ASHRAE Learning Institute courses and certification exams

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he 69th International Air-Conditioning, Heating, Refrigerating Exposition (AHR Expo) will be held from January 30 to February 1, 2017, at the Las Vegas Convention Center, event organiser, International Exposition Company, has announced. The announcement added that co-sponsored by ASHRAE and AHRI, the Expo will be held concurrently with ASHRAE’s Winter Conference.

Purportedly the largest trade show of its kind, spread across about 485,000 net square feet of exhibit space, the event typically attracts 60,000 HVACR professionals serving commercial, industrial, residential and institutional markets, said the organisers, and added that it showcases equipment and components of nearly 2,000 exhibiting companies of all sizes, from 35 countries. Event details and registration information, the organisers said, is available at info@ahrexpo.com.

The 2017 version of the Expo, is expected to feature over 100 free and paid educational sessions, ASHRAE Learning Institute courses, certification exams, presentations and PM live seminars. Other special features reportedly include, Building Automation and Control Showcase, Software Center, New Product and Technology Theater presentations and a newly formatted AHR Expo Innovation Awards Ceremony.

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COMINGS & GOINGS

Mott MacDonald appoints Christopher Seymour regional Development Director

Stuart Engel Joins Fresh-Aire UV as International Business Development Manager Sanuvox co-founder and contributor to ASHRAE

Handbook’s UV disinfection standards will lead MENA and European market penetration

Has track record of delivering major projects in the Middle East, says consultancy firm

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resh-Aire UV, division of Triatomic Environmental, has announced naming UV industry expert Stuart Engel as its International Business Development Manager.

Engel, said the announcement, will help Fresh-Aire UV penetrate the European and MENA HVAC industry, and also help the company further develop its US commercial business and expand its specification manufacturer's representative Stuart Engel network domestically.

Engel is the co-founder and former Vice President of UV equipment manufacturer Sanuvox Technologies, where his experiences spanned virtually every industry facet, from design/engineering and sales/ marketing to mission planning, financial budgeting and cost management, said Fresh-Aire UV. Prior to Sanuvox, Engel was also reportedly instrumental in bringing UV manufacturer, Second Wind Air Purifier, to market in the early 1990s.

Engel, a former Chair of the ISO and a contributor to the ASHRAE Handbook’s UV technology chapters, was also a driving force behind ASHRAE’s UV technology acceptance, the company revealed.

“Stuart Engel is one the most recognisable names within the UV manufacturing industry, and his 20-plus years of experience will help us navigate through the market penetration challenges of international markets outside of North America,” said Ron Saunders, Vice President, Fresh-Aire UV.

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ott MacDonald, a management, engineering and development firm, has announced Christopher Seymour appointing Christopher Seymour Development Director for the Middle East and South Asia region. Christopher, the announcement said, will be responsible for coordinating business planning and development activities across these regions, and succeeds Tim Evans, who retired after 20 years with the consultancy.

Seymour, Mott MacDonald said, brings with him over 25 years’ experience in project and programme management, public private partnership (PPP) technical advice, project finance, procurement and risk management.

On Seymour’s appointment, David Cox, Mott MacDonald’s Managing Director for Middle East and South Asia, said: “Christopher has a strong track record of delivering major projects in the Middle East, working in just about every major city in the region. His broad experience and customer-focused approach will be a huge benefit to Mott MacDonald and the many sectors we operate in.”

SNIPPETs Smart wallpapers that capture heat and light

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ccording to a study published in the journal, Science Advances, researchers from the University of Surrey in UK, taking inspiration from moths, have developed ultrathin graphene sheets, which they say can be used in ‘smart wallpapers’ that could generate electricity from waste light or heat, and power a range of applications at home. Additionally, using a technique known as nanotexturing, the study said, sheets are designed to more effectively capture light. The team has reportedly used nano-patterning to localise light into narrow spaces between the textured surface, enhancing the amount of light absorbed by the material by about 90%.

Climate change makes transatlantic flights longer

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t is well-known that flights contribute to climate change. But in an ironic reversal of roles, climate change is set to worsen flight times, according to new research reported in The Guardian. Faster jet stream winds – which pilots harness to get from the United States to Europe more quickly, but brave on the return journey – the research said, will delay transatlantic flights, adding thousands of hours a year to journey times and millions of dollars to airline fuel bills.

Another impact of rising temperatures on aviation are bumpier, more turbulent flights, according to earlier research.

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This section contains updates on regional and international products.

MARKETPLACE

E+E Elektronik Modular CO2 transmitter EE870

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laiming that it offers extended measuring range, E+E Elektronik has announced introducing modular CO2 transmitter EE870.

The manufacturer lists the following product features and benefits: • The EE870 now measures CO2 concentration up to five per cent CO2 (50,000 ppm).

• It is available on the analogue current or voltage output and on the Modbus RTU interface of the conversion board. An optional kit facilitates easy configuration and adjustment of the EE871 probe.

• The extended measuring range, consisting of a CO2 probe, conversion board and connection cable, makes the transmitter

even more versatile.

• The interchangeable CO2 probe EE871 with auto-calibration uses an infrared measuring principle (dual wavelength NDIR operation principle) that is particularly resistant to pollution. Additionally, the IP65 probe enclosure with interchangeable PTFE filter offers further protection, resulting in stability and longevity, making it ideal for demanding applications. An optional radiation shield is available for outdoor applications.

• The multi-point CO2 and temperature adjustment ensures high accuracy over the entire temperature working range of -40-60 degrees C (-40-140 degrees F).

• The compact design, the M12 connector and the optional mounting flange allow for fast installation or replacement of the CO2 probe.

Victaulic

Trane

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outing that it uses the most efficient heat exchangers available on the market, along with additional energysaving options, such as partial and total free cooling, Trane has announced introducing in Europe, eXcellent, a new model range within the Sintesis family of air-cooled chillers, and part of the Ingersoll Rand EcoWise portfolio of products.

The manufacturer lists the following product features and benefits: • The eXcellent model uses next generation refrigerant Honeywell Solstice ze (R1234ze), which has a GWP value of less than one, when used in this design.

• It exceeds current F-Gas legislation requirements and helps customers reduce their CO2 emissions through the combination of the extreme efficiencies reaching Net ESEER values of 5.71 and Net EER values of 3.88.

• It uses less refrigerant than traditional tube/fin and flooded heat exchanger technology, due to the micro-channel condenser coil and the compact, high-performance, integrated, low charge (CHIL) evaporator design of the Trane Sintesis family.

• With capacities from 500 kW to 1260 kW, the new range is suited for critical environments like data centres, hospitals, large office buildings and industrial process applications.

StrengThin 100 system grooved pipe-joining system

laiming that it is the first and only grooved pipe-joining system of its kind, Victaulic has announced introducing StrengThin 100, designed for jobs utilising thin-wall stainless steel pipes.

The manufacturer lists the following product features and benefits: • The stainless steel system consists of a galvanised rigid coupling rated up to 16 bar, and suitable for temperatures ranging from –34 degrees C to +121 degrees C. • The rest of the system includes a full line of stainless steel lightweight fittings and valves, in addition to making use of a new pipe groove profile, which creates coupling engagement without the risk of pipe flare.

• It is particularly suited for chilled-water and potable-water systems, as also for air and cooling systems.

• It comes with Victaulic propriety installation-ready technology, thus increasing efficiency of on-site handling of material and lowering installation costs.

• It is initially available in sizes ranging from DN50 to DN150 for 2-mm wall 304/316 pipe, while sizes ranging from DN200 to DN300 for 3-mm wall pipe will become available later in the year.

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Sintesis eXcellent air-cooled chillers

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AWARDS 2016 21 NOVEMBER AL YASAT BALLROOM, AL MUROOJ ROTANA, DUBAI, UAE

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