MEP Middle East by ITP Business Publishing

MIDDLE EAST

LOCAL NEWS p5 HVAC MARKET p65 LEGAL ISSUES p69 BUSINESS LEADS p71 METAL MONITOR p73

Essential information for mechanical, electrical and plumbing professionals

BUILDINGS CAN BREATHE EASY WITH THE RIGHT VENTILATION MAINTENANCE THAT MATTERS FOR MEP SYSTEMS

The

BIG Trade show takes centre stage as the construction industry gathers in Dubai

An ITP Business Publication • November 2008 Vol 3. Issue 11

NOVEMBER 2008 VOLUME 4 ISSUE 11

CONTENTS

3 COMMENT 5-15 UPDATE 20 THE BIG INTERVIEW Peter Ward speaks to CML International’s Kevin Day on the role of commissioning in the MEP sector and future growth in the market.

28 FM ANSWERS

57 MEP SOLUTIONS

How does the facilities management industry provide answers to MEP related problems? Peter Ward investigates.

32 ON SITE

Manoher Raghavan reveals the benefits in cost efficiency, worker safety and productivity that can be gained through choosing the right products and solutions for the local working environment.

Greg Whitaker visits Motor City to report on the district cooling plants currently under construction there.

61 PRESSURE STEP DE-GASSERS

77 TENDERS

Flamco’s Jim Martin looks in detail at the role of pressure step de-gassers in removing air from a closed, chilled or heated water system, to help avoid noise or cavitation.

79 APPOINTMENTS

PHOTOS: JOHN POCOCK/ITP

25 VENTILATION How does ventilation affect indoor air quality? What more can be done in this region to achieve better results? Peter Ward reports on industry developments.

www.arabianbusiness.com/construction

39 THE BIG 5 PREVIEW MEP Middle East provides a preview of some of the companies exhibiting at the upcoming construction bonanza, The Big 5.

65 HVAC MARKET UPDATE 69 LEGAL 71 BUSINESS LEADS 73 METAL MONITOR

80 A MINUTE OF YOUR TIME Ramzi Nassif of Leviton discusses the company’s potential.

November 2008 - MEP Middle East 1

Everybody is talking "going green". We have the right solar and renewable energy solutions for you. The Viessmann Group, whose head office is located in Germany, is an internationally leading manufacturer of heating system technology. With its current product range, Viessmann offers heating equipment in three distinct categories with output ranging from 1.5 kW to 20 MW. On offer are freestanding and wall mounted boilers for oil and gas, DHW calorifiers, as well as systems utilising renewables, such as heat pumps, solar heating systems and boilers for sustainable fuels. The product range is rounded off with control technology and data communication equipment. Viessmann represents quality made in Germany. Check us out at www.viessmann.com.

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COMMENT MIDDLE EAST

Registered at Dubai Media City PO Box 500024, Dubai, UAE Tel: 00 971 4 210 8000 Fax: 00 971 4 210 8080 Web: www.itp.com Offices in Dubai & London ITP Business Publishing CEO Walid Akawi Managing Director Neil Davies Deputy Managing Director Matthew Southwell Editorial Director David Ingham Publishing Director Jason Bowman EDITORIAL Senior Group Editor Stuart Matthews Tel: +971 4 435 6293 email: stuart.matthews@itp.com Assistant Editor Peter Ward Tel: +971 4 210 8585 email: peter.ward@itp.com Contributing Editor Alison Luke ADVERTISING Commercial director Jude Slann Tel: +971 4 435 6348 email: judith.slann@itp.com Sales manager Atif Majid Tel: +971 4 435 6328 email: atif.majid@itp.com Key account executive Phil Morris Tel: +971 4 435 6383 email: phil.morris@itp.com STUDIO Group Art Editor Dan Prescott Senior Designer Michel Al Asmar PHOTOGRAPHY Director of Photography Sevag Davidian Chief Photographer Nemanja Seslija Senior Photographer Valeriano Handumon Staff Photographers Dmitry Dolzhanskiy, Francisco Fernandez, Khatuna Khutsishvili PRODUCTION & DISTRIBUTION Group Production Manager Kyle Smith Production Manager Eleanor Zwanepoel Production Coordinator DevaprakashV A Managing Picture Editor Patrick Littlejohn Image Retoucher Emmalyn Robles Distribution Manager Karima Ashwell Distribution Executive Nada Al Alami

Progress report It is always interesting to see what’s going on in your industry. Colleagues, competitors and other industry peers can be a useful source of information, offering new insights into an industry you all know well. If you are lucky they may also tip you off on some new business. It is this prospect of finding a new contract or a new customer that keeps people coming back to events like the Big 5, which takes place at the end of November. An event of this size is a crucial opportunity for the industry as a whole to get together, share ideas and push progress in important areas such as sustainability, green building and regulations. These are areas where change in this region happen quickly. Touching base with industry figures from around the GCC provides an opportunity to get a progress report on just how things are changing. While the Big 5 is a headline grabber, smaller events need to be in the diary too. The opportunity to build a network and get time with important players is often greater at more intimate events. October’s IDEA conference is a good example of this. With district cooling still being a relatively new sector for the industry as a whole – one still learning and growing – there’s a significant benefit to be had when everyone gets together. The ex-

change of information is essential for the development of regional best practice. “There is nothing like talking to someone who understands the problems you have,” said Rob Thornton, president, IDEA. “Bringing people together at events such as this is the best way to solve problems.” This is why organisations such as IDEA, CIBSE and ASHRAE are so vital. Their existence and activity help to ensure a community spirit within industries and help people learn. “Through networking and also participating in activities, you can improve your technical skills and you can get ideas from others as well as give your ideas to others,” said Yousef Alshaer, president of ASHRAE. As organisations like this grow in the region and are increasingly recognised by their respective industries, the amount of information sharing can only improve. Not only that, regular interaction will also help industry sectors mature, develop a distinct identity and a clear voice. In the case of the MEP industry, some of that voice will be heard on December 3. That’s the date of the MEP Middle East Conference and also of the second annual MEP Awards. Both events will provide an opportunity to meet and share ideas. We hope to see you there. Stuart Matthews Senior Group Editor

POWER GENERATION CAPACITY REDUCTION

CIRCULATION Head of Circulation & Database Gaurav Gulati MARKETING Head of Marketing Daniel Fewtrell Marketing Executive Masood Ahmad ITP DIGITAL Director Peter Conmy Sales Manager Richard O’Sullivan ITP GROUP Chairman Andrew Neil Managing Director Robert Serafin Finance Director Toby Jay Spencer-Davies Board of Directors K.M. Jamieson, Mike Bayman,Walid Akawi, Neil Davies, Rob Corder, Mary Serafin Circulation Customer Service Tel: +971 4 286 8559 Subscribe online at www.itp.com/subscriptions Certain images in this issue are available for purchase. Please contact: itpimages@itp.com for further details www.itpimages.com Printed by Atlas Printing Press L.L.C. Dubai Scanning by Color Lines The publishers regret that they cannot accept liability for error or omissions contained in this publication, however caused. The opinions and views contained in this publication are not necessarily those of the publishers. Readers are advised to seek specialist advice before acting on information contained in this publication which is provided for general use and may not be appropriate for the reader’s particular circumstances. The ownership of trademarks is acknowledged. No part of this publication or any part of the contents thereof may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system or transmitted in any form without the permission of the publishers in writing. An exemption is hereby granted for extracts used for the purpose of fair review.

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COMMENTS Do you have any comments about the MEP industry in the Middle East? Please email any letters to: alison.luke@itp.com or post to: MEP Middle East, ITP, Garhoud Road, PO Box 500024, Dubai, UAE.

October 2008 - MEP Middle East 3

UPDATE

Rotating tower puts services in a spin A new division of Atkins has designed the structure and services for a tower for Dubai, which if completed on time, is set to be the world’s ﬁrst block that can move through 360 degrees. Engineering group MG Bennett’s Associates, which became part of Atkins in October, designed the tower, named 55ºTimeDubai, to move at a stately 1.4cm per hour, taking a week to complete a whole revolution. Despite the apparent complexity, the project will draw on a mix of long-proven

technologies. Nick Cooper, MD, Atkins Bennett said: “The secret to designing complex structures is not to come up with a unique one off solution what can be different, we look at what is around that works, so using existing technology” The building will use a modular ﬂoating bearing system, claimed by the designer to supersede any other rotational technology seen in the past. “We had to design a machine that was energy efﬁcient, with precision engineering

Rubber World bags contract for the Traders Hotel

Process automation integration

Rubber World Industries has won a contract worth US $113,000 (AED418,000) to supply rubber insulation products to the Traders Hotel project in Abu Dhabi. Al Jabber LEGT Engineering and Contracting, the main MEP contractor on the project, also selected the company to provide insulation tapes and adhesive to the heating, ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC) systems in the site as well as the Gulf-O-Flex rubber installation products. The hotel will feature 240 rooms and is to be located in the Umm Al Nar area. Design of the hotel has been completed by KEO International Consultants. Rubber World Industries managing director Abu Baker Shaikhani has revealed the emphasis the firm is putting on ensuring efficient and sustainable products are used: “We recognise the important role our products have in the overall efficiency and sustainability of a structure, and this is our motivation for discovering more breakthrough features, which will benefit the developers, contractors, hotel industry players and end-users.” www.arabianbusiness.com/construction

in mind, but also make sure that it would be serviceable to move the building for the life of the superstructure,” Cooper said. Built on a steel frame, the services will all run through a central core. Drawing on experience of building oil rigs, the engineer has speciﬁed couplings similar to those used for docking tankers on to offshore platforms. In turn, power will be supplied by electrical pick-ups similar to railway pantographs. The services are all arranged so maintenance

3 DECEMBER ‘08 The date of the gala dinner for the MEP Middle East Awards 2008 For details see www.itp.net/events/mepawards

can be carried out without disruption to the residents. Despite the high construction costs and relative complexity of the project, developer Tav Sing insisted that there is a market for revolving towers. “It’s no longer about just living in the city, it’s now about living with the whole city in a moving masterpiece that enables you to experience a new sunrise, a new day, a new dusk and a new night every 24 hours,” he said while speaking at the Cityscape exhibition.

ABB has released a new product for integrated process and electrical automation. The Extended Automation System 800xA is designed to provides a platform for operations to increase productivity and power reliability for process manufacturing. By integrating these systems on the common 800xA platform, ABB claims customers will be able to realise reductions in maintenance, engineering and overall lifecycle costs. In addition to overall operational advantages, AB is conﬁdent the initial investment costs for an integrated system can be 20% less than the cost of two non-integrated systems. The system’s information integration and visualisation capabilities make it possible to connect the electrical power control system, so operators can view and control both systems in one user interface. Integrated process and electrical systems makes it possible to run power management applications in the process automation system, providing a power control system that reduces the possibility of power interruptions or blackouts, while optimising all operations and assets, including the ones of the electrical part of the plant. November 2008 - MEP Middle East 5

LG_MultiV MEP-FP_AD.ai 4/2/08 11:25:36 AM LG_MultiV MEP-FP_AD.ai 4/2/08 11:25:36 AM

UPDATE

Sunland launches Atrium

VALVE WORLD 2008 4-6 November, Maastricht, Netherlands Aimed at flow control professionals, Valve World 2008 will be attended by exhibitors from across the globe and will run for three days. Web: www.valve-world.net

The Sunland Group has launched a new US$1.6 billion (AED6 billion) mixed use development in Madinat Al Arab. The Atrium will feature two rising towers that will join together at the 47th level. Details of the MEP contracts are to be released shortly for the project, which is scheduled to be completed in 2013. The Sunland Group are aiming to achieve the gold LEED standard for the development, which will front onto Marine Beach Park. Leisure and business facilities will be available in the building, which will include swimming pools and a golf simulator. Sunland Group founder and managing director Soheil Abedian commented on the location of the tower in the Waterfront masterplan: “We wanted to create an iconic residential building that complements the masterplan and that people will notice and will speak about for years to come.”

CW CONFERENCE 5 November, Dubai The annual conference will feature speakers covering topics such as health and safety, utilities and plant, machinery and vehicles. A roundtable discussion will be held on the challenges facing the MEP industry. Web: www.itp.net/events/ cwconference

MEP Awards sponsors revealed Trane has been announced as the latest sponsor for the MEP Middle East Awards, where it will endorse the Sustainable Designer of the Year category. Leminar is a gold sponsor of the Awards, which will be held in the Mina A’Salam, Dubai on 3 December. Trane general manager Michel Farah expressed his pride in the

company sponsoring this category in particular: “Sponsoring the Sustainable Designer of the Year award matches the positioning of our company. The products we design and produce are designed to be energy efﬁcient and to contribute to lowering greenhouse gasses and CO2.” Leminar will sponsor the Major MEP Project Manager of the Year

and MEP Project Manager of the Year awards. Platinum sponsors Drake & Scull will support the Young Engineer of the Year and MEP Consultancy of the Year categories, Ducab will endorse the MEP contractor of the year gong, while Faisal Al Jassim is sponsoring the Major MEP Project and Innovation of the Year.

Elevator contracts awarded for towers Shanghai & Arabian Electromechanical is to install elevators into the Champions Tower 1 and Cambridge Business Centre in a deal worth US $300,000 (AED1.1 million). The contract, awarded by developer Memon Investments, includes three high-speed elevators for Champions Tower 1 and a serwww.arabianbusiness.com/construction

EVENTS

vice elevator and two passenger elevators for the Cambridge Business Centre. The firm will also offer 18 months of servicing on the elevators. Champions Tower 1 is located in the Dubai Sports City, while Cambridge Business Centre is in Dubai Silicon Oasis. Installation is scheduled to be completed within six months of

materials arriving on site, a hoistway being constructed and the provision of an uninterrupted power supply. The elevators will include technologies such as the Advanced Group Control with Artificial Intelligence and Fuzz Logic and will aim to reduce power consumption through efficient handling of car allocation.

CONSTRUCTION WEEK AWARDS 2008 5 November, Dubai Celebrating innovation and excellence in the construction industry, categories of awards include MEP contractor of the year, project of the year and developer of the year. They will be held at the Westin in Dubai. Web: www.itp.net/events/ cwawards WORKING BUILDINGS MIDDLE EAST 17-18 November, Abu Dhabi Held at Abu Dhabi National Exhibition Centre, exhibitions, conferences and presentations on research into the fields of building and facilities management will be offered. Web: www. workingbuildingsme.com THE BIG 5 23-27 November, Dubai This year the Big 5 will focus on sustainability. The Big 5 technical conference, The Big Green Trail and green building awards will run during the show with the aim of improving green building awareness. Big 5 PMV will run alongside the event at the same location, Dubai International Exhibition Centre. Web: www.thebig5exhibition. com

October 2008 - MEP Middle East 7

UPDATE

SNC Lavalin announce Saudi growth SNC Lavalin is to open a subsidiary ofﬁce in Saudi Arabia, as the ﬁrm looks to capitalise on the widespread use of district cooling in the country. Speaking at the IDEA conference, SNC Lavalin managing director Paul Beaudry revealed: “On the district cooling side of or company right now we are in the UAE, Bahrain and we are opening a subsidiary in Saudi Arabia, its in the process of being done.”

He added: “We see Saudi Arabia as being a major player in this area. It’s going to be a full company there and we are bidding on a certain amount of projects. Saudi Arabia is one of those countries where everything there is huge, so you can rapidly get gigantic there.” Saudi Arabia is one of the countries in the Middle East that currently employs a day night tariff system for electricity. This is

DSI restarts work on the Infinity Tower project

Palm Monorail begins testing

Drake and Scull International has announced that work on Infinity Tower has restarted and is scheduled to be completed in 2011. The firm was awarded the contract, worth US$39 million (AED145 million), in 2006 to supply, install, test and commission the complete MEP works on the project. The MEP works includes air conditioning, ventilation, a building management system and a lighting control system, among other technology and systems. The main contractor appointed for the construction of the tower, which is to be 330 metres high, is Arabtec. The building is created in the shape of a helix, with each floor rotated by 1.2o to achieve a full 90o spiral and was designed by Skidmore, Owings & Merill. Drake and Scull International CEO Khaldoun Tabari announced the firm is “delighted” that work has restarted on the project. He added that the company is proud to be involved with the project. The tower is set to include a health spa, gymnasium, conference centre and outdoor tennis court, the developer of the project is Cayan Investments. www.arabianbusiness.com/construction

Site testing has begun on the monorail trains on Palm Jumeirah, after the trains arrived from Japan this weekend. Two of the trains, supplied by Hitachi, were raised onto the track of the Nakheel development and have begun making test journeys

seen as an advantage for district cooling as plants can use systems, such as thermal storage, to further save on power consumption. Beaudry commented: “The day night rates there are very good. Day night rates are something that is very good for the district energy industry and it would favour all kinds of options such as the thermal storage tanks and ice storage. These are things that work very well and it

with the RTA and railway operators SMRTE monitoring their progress. The Palm Monorail is a fully automatic, driverless system that is scheduled to carry up to 2,400 passengers every hour and will connect up with the Dubai Metro when both projects are

is something we feel will be very beneﬁcial.” Although Saudi Arabia is seen as one of the most inﬂuential countries for district cooling, the UAE accounts for the largest portion of plants in the Middle East, with 64% located in the country. Beadury also praised the level of district energy in this region, stating that the concept works best in extreme temperatures, making this area perfect.

completed. The Palm Monrail will have stops at the Gateway station, Atlantis, The Palm, Trump International Hotel and Tower and the Palm Mall. The monorail is expected to open in April next year with testing being carried out for the next six months. November 2008 - MEP Middle East 9

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UPDATE

See health and safety as ‘investment’ An industry expert has stressed that construction related companies in the Middle East should see healthy and safety as an investment rather than a cost. Dutco Balfour Beatty general manager Grahame McCaig commented: “I am a complete advocate that implementing a health and safety management system is an investment. We have to get away from this connotation of safety meaning cost. You can get medium and short term returns as well as long term.” McCaig also praised the improvement of health and safety in this region over the last ﬁve years and said that self regulation in the best way for companies to improve further.

“My philosophy has always been that the only way to improve the health and safety within a company is for the guy who runs the organisation to be totally committed and totally focused. Health and safety has got to be driven from the top. That is why I’m a huge exponent of self regulation.” He added that there is up to 5,000 projects currently being developed in Dubai alone right now and it is extremely difﬁcult for them all to be regulated. “People who run these companies have to look inwardly and assess if they operating within Dubai Municipality standards and any standards they think are applicable and if they are not then that individual has to make sure his company comes into line.”

TRAINING CENTRE Dutco Balfour Beatty has opened a training and health and safety centre in Jebel Ali, with the aim of better educating its staff on safety issues. The facility will offer basic construction skills training to labourers looking to move into skilled professions, as well as the health and safety programme that will be used by all parts of the company, including BK Gulf. The centre has been certified by the UK’s CITB ConstructionSkills Authority and the Institute of Occupational Safety and Health (IOSH). McCaig described the dual certification as an honour and revealed that participants on the courses offer receive certificates from the relevant bodies certifying the courses.

ICC to develop new Abu Dhabi building codes to improve safety

The International Code Council and Abu Dhabi’s DMA have agreed to develop building codes.

The International Code Council (ICC) has signed an agreement with the Department of Municipal Affairs (DMA) in Abu Dhabi to develop new building codes in the Emirate. The DMA will adopt the International Building Code as a part of the agreement and the foundations for the Abu Dhabi

www.arabianbusiness.com/construction

International Building Code will be established. The aim of the deal is to improve safety and standards on construction projects in Abu Dhabi. HE Dr Ju’an Salem Al Dhaheri, chairman of Department of Municipal Affairs commented: “There is a great need to provide clear and effective regulatory codes and

guidelines that address the specific requirements of all sectors within the construction industry. We are confident that through the new codes we will achieve a stateof-the-art regulatory structure that will boost the public safety and building longevity.” Once the codes have been fully developed they will be enforced through an inspection programme throughout all construction projects in the Emirate. The two organisations also agreed to hold a joint regional conference and establish professional certification programmes in construction related fields. Other targets set in the agreement included the promotion of technologies, research and services, establishing training programmes in various fields for Municipality employees and collaboration on education.

Cooling contract announced for Jumeirah Village Palm Utilities is to supply 200,000TR to Jumeirah Village South in a deal that includes the construction of six district cooling facilities for the development. Work is underway on three of the facilities, including one for the Jumeirah Village South Circle which will supply 150,000TR. A separate facility is to deliver 50,000TR to Jumeirah Village South Triangle. The firm has also announced plans to set up field offices in Abu Dhabi, where ADWEA recently indicated a 43% increase in the demand for water over the next five years. Chairman of Palm Utilities Ahmed Butti explained. “The number of projects being commissioned has increased considerably as developers and master planners acknowledge the long-term impact in terms of sustainability, efficiency and pricing.”

November 2008 - MEP Middle East 11

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UPDATE

Nakheel launches super-tall tower Nakheel’s latest development, which features a tower reaching more than 1km high, will use a design team consisting of over 20 specialist consultants including MEP, it has been revealed. The entire Nakheel Harbour and Tower project will feature more than 40 towers, ranging from 20-90 floors. Details of contracts for the project will be announced shortly and Nakheel are hoping to achieve the highest level of LEED certification possible for a building the size of the main tower. Although figures are unavailable at this time, Nakheel says the tower will have enough cooling capacity to service over 14,000 modern homes and 14 luxury resort hotels. Among the 150 lifts in the building will be high speed shuttles.

Nakheel Tower includes four separate elements inside one structure, giving the building more rigidity. Due to the height of the building, the atmosphere at the top will be 10oC lower than at the bottom. In total, approximately 30,000 workers will be used on the development. The total project, currently valued at US $38.12 billion will also include the world’s ﬁrst man made inland city harbour. Nakheel’s chief executive Chris O’Donnell has said the project is expected to take more than 10 years to complete and that preliminary foundation works had already begun. The development, located at the intersection of Sheikh Zayed Road and the US $11 billion Arabian Canal currently under construction, will cover an area of more than 2.7 million m2.

A concept image of Nakheel’s proposed tower.

Dubai Ice Rink detail unveiled

Thin layers of water are frozen on to a concrete platform to create the ice rink.

Dubai Ice Rink at the Dubai Mall is to have a 38mm thick ice bed in order to cope with the level of multiactivity skating expected there, it has been revealed. The rink will use refrigeration www.arabianbusiness.com/construction

plant technology involving a layering process, with thin layers of water frozen directly onto the concrete platform and then the rink itself. A network of pipes and coils is embedded in the platform and gly-

col is then pushed through them to provide refrigeration. Dubai Ice Rink operations manager Richard Rowlands commented: “The advanced technology used at the Dubai Ice Rink ensures that the consistency of the ice bed is maintained at all times. By incorporating the refrigerator technology of pushing in glycol through a network of pipes, and monitoring the cooling over a period of ﬁve to six days, the 38mm ice bed is tailored to withstand multiple activities in a safe environment.” A built-in thermostat will automatically adjust the cooling system to ensure the ice stays frozen on the Olympic-sized rink. The ice will be cleaned and resurfaced regularly in order to maintain quality at the facility, which has capacity for up to 1,000 skaters on the rink and 350 spectators.

Sector needs steady growth An industry expert has called on the MEP industry to focus on sustainable growth in the sector rather than “ups and downs”. Trane general manager Michel Farah explained: “For the manufacturers the MEP industry is a very important market, especially if we see some infrastructure and development which will mean everyone working towards more sustainable growth in the future.” Farah also commented on the firm’s aims to become more energy efficient in the future: “The products we design and produce are designed to be energy efficient and to contribute to lowering greenhouse gasses and CO2 emissions. This is something we have had as a policy for our own offices. Next year we have a target to reduce our energy use by 15%.” November 2008 - MEP Middle East 13

UPDATE

Solar standards wanted

IN BRIEF RSS AND SHOAIBI AGREE JV

Stephen Treado has called for standardisation.

An expert on solar energy in building design has called for global standardisation of solar technology

R&M celebrates tenth year working in the Middle East Swiss cabling company R&M recently celebrated its tenth anniversary operating in the Middle East and has predicted further growth in the region. In a celebratory dinner in Dubai, the firm announced sales of US$21 million (AED77 million) for 2007 and expects that figure to reach US$32 million (AED120 million) for 2008. R&M CEO Martin Reichle commented: “The past ten years have been an exciting journey for R&M in the Middle East; a unique region known for its rapid growth and huge market potential as well as its prolific rise to becoming one of the leading business hubs of the world.” He added: “Last year we closed on AED77 million, representing an increase of 119% from the previous year and outlook for this year is to reach AED120 million by end of the year.”

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in order to maximize its use in future projects. Dr Stephen Treado, associate coordinator on the White House task force on energy, believes an international bank of information on solar related products would make it easier for designers and contractors to integrate them into buildings. Dr Treado said: “What can international standards do? I think they would allow us to characterise performance of things like solar deﬂectors and photovoltaic panels so we can assess their performance. We can also provide some assurances through rating and labeling that particular products will be able to meet expectations.” Speaking at an ISO conference, Dr Treado also spoke on the factors preventing the use of photo-

voltaic technology: “Lifecycle costs are the number one barrier. In the US, the payback period is still many decades. Bringing the cost down is very important and maybe standardisation can do that because when you make a product easier to install and remove the fear factor you can achieve more.” Other barriers to the use of PV technology in buildings include a lack of standardised gird protocols, no uniform regulations and not enough qualiﬁed system designers and installers, reported Dr Treado. He added: “With PV systems they are sold on the basis of dollars per hour so the initial power rating is very important – it’s critical. If you have uncertainty in the power rating then you can cause a variation of many thousands of dollars.”

Palm Jumeirah boiler installation under way Viessmann has begun installation of steam and condensing boilers at the Ottoman Palace development on the Palm Jumeirah. The ﬁrm is to supply three Vitocrossal 300 systems and two steam generators for the project. Weishaupt modulating burners with low emissions are used with the boilers for the SNG gas, which is supplied to the Palm. The boilers have been delivered and installation is scheduled to be completed before the end of the year. The project is being developed by Zabeel Properties and ZSML has been appointed as the MEP contractor. “The system is divided into a steam circuit where only the steam consumers like the laundry and kitchen is connected and a hot water circuit, which delivers the energy for all hot water

circuits and the pool heating,” Viessmann General Manager Murat Aydemir explained. “The hot water circuit is fed by the condensing boilers and this has the advantage that the condensing boilers have an efﬁciency of up to 109% and are almost maintenance free,” he said. “Their losses are very low and compared to a conventional steam systems, you can save up to 30% on the fuel.” The development is a ﬁve star hotel with 38 villas and is scheduled for completion at the end of this year. The system being installed by Viessmann is compatible with SNG gas as well as solar energy, should the operators of the building choose to make use of solar thermal energy options at any point in the future.

Rental Solutions and Services has signed a joint venture with the Shoaibi Group to supply temporary cooling and power services within Saudi Arabia. The Shoaibi Group will offer resources and knowledge of the local market while RSS will offer its technical capabilities. GRAPHISOFT’S MEP MODELER Graphisoft has made its MEP modeler product available on Windows and Macintosh platforms. The software enables users to create and coordinate MEP systems using the ArchiCAD Virtual Building programme. Users can create, import and edit 3D MEP networks, helping to minimise overruns during the design and construction process. ASHRAE AND IFMA SIGN DEAL The American Society of Heating, Refrigeration and Air Conditioning Engineers (ASHRAE) has signed an agreement with the International Facilities Management Association to increase cooperation between the two groups. The organisations will collaborate on projects, publications, research and educational offerings. ASHRAE and IFMA will also work on legislative and regulatory issues. CIBSE ENDORSES NES CIBSE is to promote the National Engineering Specification (NES) alongside the Amtech group. Under the agreement signed by CIBSE and Amtech, CIBSE will exclusively endorse the NES software, training and associated customer services. DEWALT MOVES HEADQUARTERS Dewalt has moved its headquarters to a larger location in Jebel Ali Free Zone in order to cope with growth in the region. The new base includes a health and safety training facility which provides guidance on how tool supplied by Dewalt should be used in 250 different job-site applications. The firm has also invested in a team of product and application specialists.

November 2008 - MEP Middle East 15

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INTERNATIONAL UPDATE USA:

UK:

GERMANY:

EMCOR’s Tucker Mechanical unit has been awarded contracts to install mechanical and fire protection systems for projects at Mohegan Sun Resort and Casino in the state of Connecticut. The company will be responsible for the installation of a 2000-ton chiller and associated primary and secondary pumps for the expansion of the resort’s central utility plant, as well as the electrical upgrades required to support an additional chiller at the central utility plant. Tucker is also responsible for the installation of the fire protection, plumbing, and HVAC systems in a new five-story, 165,000 square foot Mohegan Tribal Government and Community Center that includes tribal offices, a courtroom, library, gymnasium, arts and crafts center, and cafeteria.

An energy research centre has been launched at Baglan Energy Park, in the UK. The new £2.2m Hydrogen Centre, developed by the University of Glamorgan, will demonstrate the viability and safety of producing hydrogen from renewable resources in Wales. The centre is intending to bring the use of hydrogen as a renewable fuel source one step closer. Professor Dennis Hawkes, who is leading the project, said: “Rather than an isolated one-off demonstration, this centre provides the basis for a range of hydrogen energy and transport activities. The project puts Wales at the forefront of European efforts to develop hydrogen communities.”

With plastic increasingly being used as a construction material, which poses the problem of joining dissimilar material classes, an efficient and practical solution. A new laser-assisted joining process, LIFTEC, developed at the Fraunhofer Institute for Laser Technology ILT offers an answer. The newly developed process (patent pending) works by heating a component, or a part of it, by laser radiation, which passes through the plastic joining partner. The component is pressed onto the plastic part under mechanical pressure, then heated, and finally pushed into the plastic by further mechanical pressure.

AUSTRALIA:

USA: Design Master Software has released two new products for the MEP sector: Design Master Electrical Contractor and Design Master Plumbing. Design Master Electrical Contractor is a new version of Design Master Electrical that includes additional features for the design/build contractor. It includes integrated drafting and calculation features, plus quantity takeoffs that extend the electrical building model into the estimating phase of the project. Design Master Plumbing is a new building information modeling (BIM) program that is built specifically for plumbing designers. The focus on plumbing-specific BIM allows plumbing designers to collaborate with others using BIM.

www.arabianbusiness.com/construction

UK: CIBSE has endorsed NES Specification Expert as the recommended software for use in the building services industry. The organisation has backed the AMTECH Group in its promotion of the National Engineering Specification (NES) software packages; Specification Expert and O&M. Under the new agreement, CIBSE will exclusively endorse the National Engineering Specification (NES) software, training and associated customer services, and now recommends the products and services for use by building specialists.

SOUTH AFRICA: South Africa’s state power utility Eskom has announced plans to almost double its generation capacity by 2026, as it seeks to ease power shortages that have dented economic growth. In part this expansion will be achieved through the development of new electricity generating plants and expand the transmission lines. “Eskom will double its capacity to 80,000 megawatts by 2026,” from the current level of 43,037 megawatts, the company said in a statement.

In an engineering operation lasting several hours, six massive 22 tonne diesel power generators were lifted five floors by crane and installed into the purpose built Polaris Data Centre in Queensland, as part of the state’s new data centre, one of the largest and costliest in Australia.. The data centre, dubbed Polaris 1, is a joint venture between insurer Suncorp and the Springfield Land Corporation. Polaris 1 uses environmentally-conscious resources and technology, including non-potable water for cooling, saving a potential 650,000 litres a day, trigeneration power feeds, and rotary Uninterruptible Power Supplies (UPSs) which do away with a fleet of lead-acid batteries.

November 2008 - MEP Middle East 17

VALERIANO HANDUMON/ITP

THE BIG INTERVIEW

COMMISSIONING

CONTROL

Commissioning management is forming an increasing part of building management before and after a buildings handover. Peter Ward talks to Kevin Day and Kevin Savage on the commissioning process and what future they see for their company,

Kevin Day and Kevin Savage: Up close and personal KEVIN DAY Born in the UK, Day moved to Dubai in 1997 and is a partner of the company. • He worked in testing and balancing in the UK before undertaking training in commissioning management with CML. • His first job in the Middle East was Wafi Pyramids Health Club. • Day enjoys wakeboarding in his spare time. His favourite things about Dubai are the cosmopolitan lifestyle, cheap petrol, no tax and nice cars.

20 MEP Middle East - November 2008

KEVIN SAVAGE • Savage joined CML in 1985 and has gradually worked his way up in the company, moving to Dubai in 1995. • He is now general manager in the Middle East and a partner. • His background is in testing and balancing engineering. • He enjoys playing golf and running in his spare time. • Savage’s first job in the Middle East with CML was on Zabeel Palace

www.arabianbusiness.com/construction

THE BIG INTERVIEW The most technical aspects of a building are found in the MEP plant and with all such things, the more technical something is the more prone it is to complications. Facilities mangers will tell of the problems a building can have during its lifetime, this makes it even more crucial for the construction to be in the best shape it can be prior to its handover. Commissioning managers offer an independent adjudication on developments to ensure just this. CML International is one of the major MEP commissioners in the Middle East and the firm describes its trade as “the practice that ensures clients receive fully integrated, safe and economical buildings.” The company was set up in the UK in 1983 and moved out to Dubai in 1994 and has been enjoying success for many years now. Partner of the company Kevin Day explains: “In the mid 90s we saw the need for our services in this part of the world and decided to set up in Dubai which was a good choice. We went through a few years of lean times but with the boom in the market it really picked up.” Day arrived in Dubai three years after CML had been set up here by his father Terry Day. Originally in testing and balancing, he moved into commissioning management after taking in-house training with CML in the UK. Day describes the job that the firm is doing in the region: “Commissioning management was known in the UK but out here no one understood why it was required. Commissioning management basically fills the gaps between the contractor, the consultant and the project managers. We make sure the building is closed out and what the client buys is what they get, we hand over to the client a fully integrated safe building.”

MIDDLE EAST MOVE Kevin Savage is also a partner at CML and general manager or the company in the Middle East. He arrived in Dubai with CML in 1995 after working for the ﬁrm back in the UK since 1985. He describes how CML works with MEP professionals: “We work very closely with the MEP contractors and consultants, we are a third party independent organisation and as such we are there to make sure the job is done. We don’t own any part of it, we didn’t design any part of it so we just come in and try and make sure that all the contractors and consultants gel. We have no hidden agenda. We are there in the middle and on the ground as these projects are built.” Although the dynamic of the relationship between commissioners and MEP contractors would suggest that there could be friction, Day reveals that there are rarely clashes: “We do have a good relationship with the MEP contractors and consultants, more so now www.arabianbusiness.com/construction

Kevin Day of CML International.

that we are being brought in at the beginning of jobs because we now write commissioning plans, which is basically a speciﬁcation of what contractors need to do at the end of the job. On occasions we have been bought in at the end of the job when they are trying to get it over the line and we say know you’re doing that wrong and this wrong and we butt heads. But usually we come out friendly with the contractors.” One of the most important aspects of the work of a commissioning manager is ensuring all safety equipment is working properly before a building is handed over. It is a real danger that systems such as ﬁre alarms could be installed incorrectly and from the day the end user moves in they can be in danger. Day comments: “We will get the contractors or

“We work very closely with the MEP contractors and consultants.”

November 2008 - MEP Middle East 21

THE BIG INTERVIEW

Day: “We will go in at an early stage.”

specialists to test 100% of these systems and make sure the building interfacing between all the systems is done correctly. The biggest problem people have over here is they have all these expensive systems but they don’t work because they are not ever tested or integrated properly.”

FOLLOWING LEED One factor that has helped CML become more successful is the stipulation in LEED ratings that every project must have a client-appointed commissioning manager involved from an early stage. Savage states: “More of our work now is directly with clients rather than the MEP contractors, we’ve moved away from them and we’ve become more and more independent as we’ve moved up the ladder. So now we are working for a client or a project manager. With the LEED jobs we have to be client appointed and we are actually getting on board prior to the contractors being appointed.” Day states: “Although LEED is a new system here, commissioning management is not. The USGBC simply understands that having an independent specialist party on a project leads to a better commissioned therefore more economical building.” Since moving out to Dubai, the company has been involved in some of the biggest projects in the Middle East, including Burj Dubai, the Bahrain World Trade Centre and the Burj Al 22 MEP Middle East - November 2008

Arab, although the time here has presented the firm with some obstacles. Day explains: “The main challenges are getting the contractors to understand that we are not living ten years ago in Dubai, when you just put everything together and turned it on. You’ll probably find a lot of buildings in this region that haven’t even been commissioned but you’ll find that those buildings are the least economical and prone to failure.” He adds that another challenge is in cable testing in this region, with some contractors failing to understand that the cables need to be tested under cold conditions as well as when they are live. Day and Savage both agree on the MEP plant which presents the biggest frustration to them in their jobs; electrical systems and chemical treatment flushing. Day states: “The biggest problems are the electrical systems, getting people to test their panels and electrical systems properly is difficult,” states Day. “Flushing is a huge problem, chemical treatment flushing. Not least because getting the water in and out of sites is difficult. People need to change to flushing using filter-based because you use a tenth of the amount of water. That also fits in with LEED and you are saving energy throughout your construction.” Another part of the work in commissioning is to provide contractors, specialists and subcontractors with method statements, as Day explains: “We will go in at an early stage and give them a template. We’ll give it to the relevant contractors, specialists, sub contractors etc on the project, they will then write a method statement and we will sit with them and make sure it is up to the right standard. Then when it comes to the time to commission that piece of kit, we will have our engineers go out on site and making sure that they are following those methods and they are being commissioned correctly.” Commissioning managers in the UAE must be adaptable due to the lack of an overruling set of regulations for building work. Projects use regulations from Europe, the US and from the Middle East but there is no one set of rules for the commissioners to work to. Day reports: “JAFZA are now coming out with a book of what is required which is very thick. We’ve always worked with the international standards though so we can only work to what the specifications say. We make sure the specifications are followed.” There is now a healthy market for commissioning management in this region and it has created competition for CML, which Savage is happy to welcome: “There are several other companies carrying out commissioning man-

agement and it is such a big market we don’t begrudge that but we certainly aren’t threatened by it. There is enough work for all of us; there is plenty of work.”

FACILITIES MANAGEMENT As well as MEP professionals the firm also works with the facilities management sector. After the handover of the building CML also provide training and manuals to ensure the building that has been tested can be properly looked after while it is in use. “We have a sub division where we produce our own manuals. We have a team of technical authors, document managers and we basically produce fully interactive web based manuals. That obviously helps the facilities managers because in some cases they get 60 files in different formats what we do is every one will be in the same format and it’ll be easy to use,” Day reports. “Then the FM company or whoever runs the building afterwards will be able to search for what they need. At the end of our commissioning management role we are also involved in the training.” The firm also schedules training sessions and put together handbooks for each building service. After liaising with the facilities management company over the training schedule, a specialist is then brought in to ensure the training is handled correctly. With the construction boom continuing in this region and projects being largely left unaffected by the global credit crunch, Day and Savage can now be optimistic about the future. Day explains: “We are quite a big entity now. Dubai is going to continue to grow and the waterfront is throwing us jobs every other day. With JAFZA requiring LEED on every job we’re got so many enquiries coming through.” It is these enquiries that are prompting the firm to grow beyond Dubai and into other parts of the Middle East. Day reveals that the firm is working on securing one big project in Abu Dhabi and a satellite office will be set up there as soon as that deal is done. Other countries that CML is looking to expand into include Egypt, Qatar and Oman or as Day explains: “basically anywhere in the Middle East where anyone requires our service.” Despite carrying out a vital service for the industry, it is possible for commissioners to slip under the radar. However, organisations such as the US Green Building Council and JAFZA rate them highly enough to make their participation in projects mandatory and it is certain that they have an important role to play in the MEP and construction industries for a long time to come. www.arabianbusiness.com/construction

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VENTILATION

HYPER VENTILATION Indoor air quality is becoming an increasingly important issue in the Middle East. Peter Ward asks how much of an impact ventilation has and what obstacles are to be found in the way of progress? reports: “The objective with ventilation is to dilute the build-up of indoor contaminants using clean outdoor air and to provide make-up air to replace air that is exhausted.” With this in mind it is vital to control the level of ventilation in a building through scheduled ventilation, CO2 based demand controlled ventilation and a ventilation reset control. Blanchflower adds: “The ability to measure and control the supply of outdoor air is the key.” Svensson believes many of these issues can be addressed through the use of chilled beam systems: “These challenges can be overcome by using the alternative AC solution to fancoils and using chilled beam sysClean and dirty: the difference a spotlesss system can make is clear in the comparison of these vents. tems instead. Chilled beams secure the fresh air flow, consume less energy and produce no building in the Middle East withMiddle East as getting fresh air to people in- condensation.” poor ventilation is destined for prob- doors, establishing clean air in a building and Energy International general manager lems sooner than anywhere else in taking moisture and material emissions out Wissam Fawaz reveals that some hindrance to progress has come through competition the world. The extreme heat and re- of buildings. Circulation is a major part of ventilation, in the market: “The main issue is that we are liance on air conditioning in the area means that not only will the operational aspect of as Johnson Controls regional marketing facing a lot of competition that is bringing a the building suffer, but also the health of the manager Kilian Kelly explains: “When you lower quality to the market. Competition with people inhabiting it. Ventilation is essential are taking air from the outside you have to cheap material is bringing down the quality to achieving a good indoor air quality, a seri- make sure that you aren’t placing the fresh in entire market.” He adds that on the bigous matter not just for people suffering from air plants next to a toilet extract or something ger projects checks are made to ensure the asthma or respiratory problems, but also for like that which in some cases can be thematerials used for ventilation systems are of case. Replacing your main intake can be just a high quality but in some smaller developthe public in general. Trane marketing manager Peter Blanch- as important as the equipment you install in ments poorer quality materials are used. Kelly stresses that some frustration can flower reveals the main issues with ventila- the building.” tion in this region: “Generally speaking, not come in persuading consultants to adopt new technologies in ventilation: “A lot of the time enough attention is being paid to adequate ventilation and the consequences are be-VENTILATION CHALLENGES we fi nd that some consultants have their facoming evident and, in some cases, serious. The main challenges with ventilation arevourite way of doing things, it might not necMany buildings, even some new and suppos- achieving a good level of indoor air quality essarily be the right way, but they’ll say this edly high-quality facilities, have insufficient while ensuring low energy consumption, a what they have done for years and they are ventilation, which can and often does lead to minimal amount of noise and no draughts in adverse to change. That’s the biggest chalthe room being ventilated. A low amount of lenge we face at the moment.” He adds that the spread of mould.” Swegon regional manager Gunnar Sven- required maintenance and a fresh air flow is one of the major reasons for this is due to a sson lists the major tasks of ventilation in the also required from the systems. Blanchflower lot of standards being introduced into the

www.arabianbusiness.com/construction

November 2008 - MEP Middle East 25

VENTILATION region without there being one set of regulations for the Middle East as a whole. “Depending on where the consultant is from they will usually adopt the standard from their country. That can pose a big challenge in trying to convince people because at the end of the day they don’t know which one to trust,” states Kelly.

CLIMATE COMPLICATIONS The climate in the Middle East is a big issue for air conditioning and any other system that relies on a good level of ventilation. The high temperatures and humidity means there is no chance of opening a window or door in order to achieve a good amount of fresh air. Also a dusty and seldom clear sky in places such as Dubai means the air quality outdoors is lower than normal. Blanchflower reports: “People here frequently spend over 90% of their time indoors and humidity control has generally been ignored. Energy efficient motives are starting to drive tighter buildings and this causes reduced ventilation levels.” He adds that there have been reduced budgets for building maintenance in the region and this has caused a further drop in the quality of indoor air. “I think in some cases the infi ltration into Clean air inside can start on the outside, with well maintained equipment. the buildings can be an issue when they build these beautiful buildings, how tight are they? VARYING VENTILATIONS commissioning and installation and operaIf you are supplying nice quality air into the Ventilation is not the sole reason why good tion and maintenance. It is aimed at designA and builders and is indicative of the high room, is that being mixed with the hot humid indoor air quality is or isn’t achieved. ers air that is coming through cracks in the win- building or room needs contaminant source level of importance currently being placed on dows and doors not closing properly,” Kelly control, in order to guard against gaseous, ventilation and indoor air quality. reveals. “Its certainly going to reduce sick- microbiological or particulate germs, which While these guidelines are a massive help ness in the building certainly times of high can enter a building from the outdoors or can for the understanding construction indushumidity and you have a lot of people getting be generated indoors. An American Society try, Kelly also believes a closer relationship of Heating, Refrigerating and Air Condition- between manufacturers and consultants sick during the hot and humid months.” When trying to achieve a good indoor air ing Engineers (ASHR AE) paper written in is needed: “Over time when you build up quality, Svensson describes ventilation asMay 2005 also pointed out the need to man- a good relationship with a big consultancy “the most important part”. He also points out age humidity correctly: “Due to the prolifera- fi rm where a decision maker can see you are the importance of a relation between supply tion of mould in buildings, sound moisture doing a good job then it the task becomes and exhaustion of clean air in order to achieve management should take precedence over much easier.” an air balance. Kelly explains its role in green energy cost savings”. Filtration is also an If a high standard of indoor air quality is building designs: “In this climate you are al- important factor in achieving a good quality to be achieved in the Middle East then more ways going to have to have some form of air of air indoors and it is crucial to ensure it is focus is needed on ventilation issues. There conditioning and ventilation and in ordermaintained properly. However despite these is no doubt that the climate in this part of to produce green buildings we are going to factors, Svensson stresses the significance the world is worsening the problem. Now need to start using new technology. People of proper ventilation: “Ventilation is the most manufacturers, consultants and contractors will need to be prepared to pay the price to important part to achieve clean air.” He also all need to step up to the challenge to ensure install this at a higher capital cost.” Kellypoints to building tightness as a feature not that people in the area can enjoy cleaner goes on to explain the upside of this initial to be ignored. air, and ultimately a clean bill of health, investment, as savings can be made on elecASHR AE has recently released a guide- while indoors in the future. Guidelines such tricity bills. In commercial buildings, there is line on residential indoor air quality andas ASHR AE’s and the forward thinking a decreased amount of downtime from staff ventilation, which gives information on the of some fi rms in this region suggest that in well-ventilated buildings due to less illness ASHR AE Standard 62.2-2007 and offers ad- the quality of air is soon to be rising in the vice on system design, material selection, Middle East. and cleaner air. 26 MEP Middle East - November 2008

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MAINTENANCE

MAINTAINING MEP MEP Middle East assistant editor Peter Ward reports on FM solutions to the problems of maintaining MEP systems project on the Palm Jumeirah is worth nearly US $3 million (AED11 million) a year. Another potential problem is highlighted by Imdaad executive director Ali Alsuwaidi: “The main issue for MEP maintenance is the lack of information about these systems. You don’t have the history of the equipment like the testing, commissioning and installation drawings.” Bahwan Engineering’s senior manager Ramesh Babu puts some of this blame at the feet of the contractors: “Contractors are at times ignorant of the manufacturer’s speciﬁc requirements and follow general procedures which can cause equipment failures.”

EARLY INVOLVEMENT

hen looking at the different components of a building, it is fair to say that the mechanical, electrical and plumbing (MEP) systems are among the hardest to maintain. This raises the question of how FM professionals should go about the task of keeping the working parts of the building doing exactly that. Maintaining an MEP component brings with it a host of difﬁculties that the FM industry has to overcome. Some of the typical challenges faced on the average building include a lack communication between contractors and manufacturers; lack proper access to MEP systems; and a shortage in hardware, software and personnel. The rising cost of MEP equipment is also a major hurdle for FM professionals. EC Harris director Mike Cairney explains: “Many of the tenders that are coming through for new buildings are astronomically high in the MEP factors. For instance, we are often asked to value manage the design solution to try and get it nearer the budget.” But together with these rises, the value of contracts for FM ﬁrms on the bigger developments has also increased. For example, BK Gulf’s contract to maintain Atlantis, The Palm 28 MEP Middle East - November 2008

One simple solution could go a long way to solving all of these problems: ensuring that FM consultants are present as early as possible in the design stage. However this answer is proving difﬁcult to get across in the Middle East. Cairney puts it simply: “If you actually get a good modern thinking engineer on the design you can generally make quite a big difference.” Through early involvement and better communication between the different groups involved in the design and construction process, energy and cost savings can be made. In a presentation at the 2008 FM Expo, Dr Sadek Owainati, chairman and co-founder, Emirates Green Building Council, suggested that savings of up to 50% could be made on energy through better collaboration at the early stages of construction. Air conditioning is the main area where it is possible to save power followed by lighting and proper insulation. MEP maintenance can be made easier through more involvement at the design stage as well, Mick Dalton, Emaar senior director of asset management, explains: “Traditionally MEP consultants are designing off a board and they aren’t really practical when it comes to seeing what is needed at the handover stage and in properly maintaining the building. If there is more engagement with [MEP consultants] then we would get a better product.” According to Dalton, lists having proper access to components, enough space for maintenance and having building management systems that are totally automated and tested

when handed over are among the biggest problems faced. In some cases this early involvement is not possible and work must be done after building completion to make it easier to maintain. Babu explains what must be done: “A competent group of facilities engineers needs to audit the systems and recommend necessary changes or modiﬁcations.”

REACTIVE VS. PROACTIVE REACTIVE MAINTENANCE PROS Immediate savings through short-term fixes For some MEP systems it is more cost-efficient and timely to only fix items such as CCTV cameras and sensors when they break down. A smaller workforce is required. CONS By waiting for a part to break before fixing it, the root of the problem may never be determined. There are liability issues with allowing something to break before maintenance Customer response is often negative with instances of broken equipment

PROACTIVE MAINTENANCE PROS Long-term savings from fewer breakdowns over the course of a contract. Fewer unplanned repairs necessary. Energy costs are lower because of improved efficiency of equipment. CONS Can be expensive initially and is sometimes seen as unnecessary outlay. There are liability issues with allowing something to break before maintenance Equipment costs for FM companies can also be high, especially for processes such as thermographic testing of electrical installations. www.arabianbusiness.com/construction

MAINTENANCE

Even this is not always possible as Alsuwaidi reveals: “It depends on the client commitment. With air conditioning some clients say: ‘let me think about it’, then when winter starts they forget about it.” Attitudes of developers in the Middle East can also be a bone of contention for FM professionals due to the ‘everything now’ mentality that surrounds construction projects. Babu says: “Clients at times do not realise the importance in having their equipment maintained. This is also a very important aspect in terms of energy usage.” Cairney reveals the impact of LEED assessments on buildings could make the life of an FM professional easier: “It is becoming compulsory to LEED assess your buildings and this requires a full set of commissioning records at completion of the building and 12 months later a further set of re-commissioning data.” The advantage gained by this is it forces some “proper thought” to go into the commissioning process, reports Cairney. www.arabianbusiness.com/construction

ACTIVE THINKING Like the majority of the facilities in a building, MEP systems can be maintained either reactively or proactively. (See Proactive vs. Reactive) Reactive maintenance, waiting for something to break before it is ﬁxed, involves less short-term cost and can be useful for systems that operate without any work needed on them. Proactive maintenance, on the other hand, involves creating and following a plan to regularly maintain systems and machinery in an attempt to prevent breakdowns. Cairney describes proactive maintenance as: “actually going to oil and grease the wheels on a planned regular basis. And when things do break down you analyse the root cause of the problem and seek a ﬁx that will have a proper lasting effect.” Unfortunately, the trend in the Middle East is to use reactive maintenance. However, the tide seems to be changing towards preventative maintenance on MEP systems and it is not just FM companies who are looking to en-

“Contractors are at times ignorant of the manufacturer’s specific requirements and follow general procedures which can cause equipment failures.” – Ramesh Babu, Bahwan Engineering

November 2008 - MEP Middle East 29

MAINTENANCE courage this shift. Alsuwaidi says: “I think the government is pushing for more preventative maintenance. It’s coming and its improving and this is why there are more facilities management companies now operating rather than just maintenance companies or service providers.” Alsuwaidi also highlights a more important reason to shift towards proactive maintenance techniques: “I’m sorry to say that in some cases safety equipment that is not service-tied is still not fixed. If the air conditioning breaks in the summer everybody will complain, so they will do reactive and preventive maintenance to avoid this.” Alsuwidi continues: “But there are other devices like fire alarms that if they fail, [some firms and/or building owners] don’t even bother to do preventive maintenance until the whole tower fails.” Cairney sees the move towards proactive maintenance as both inevitable and rapid: “There is a rapid move towards proactive maintenance, particularly in more sophisticated buildings. I think reaction is still inherent in villas and houses, but proactive is much more prevalent now in the big developments.” There are new technologies in the industry not being widely used in the Middle East as Dalton explains: “If I go back to the UK its quite commonplace that when you are installing a building management system you put in extra

30 MEP Middle East - November 2008

sensors so you can monitor the chiller and you can monitor the air in a more predictive way. Instead of changing ﬁlters every few months you can actually leave it a little bit longer.” MEP systems present a range of challenges for FM professionals. However these are challenges that can be overcome through design stage involvement and a stronger shift towards proactive maintenance. The FM industry seems to have a grasp on this and it is only a matter of time before the developers and building owners do as well.

“If there is more engagement with [MEP consultants] then we would get a better product.” – Mick Dalton, Emaar

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SITE VISIT

COOL

MOTORVATION otor City…The name has a soulful ring to it, suggesting bluecollar production lines, unionised masses and people talking about the car wash. However this is Dubai not Detroit, and the Motor City development by Union Properties is in fact a vast development near Emirates Road comprising houses, shops and ofﬁces – and this being Dubai, a race track and an F1 ‘theme park’ to boot. The idea of a city of motors may sound like every environmentalist’s worst nightmare, but the truth is that the whole project has been designed to have as little impact on society as possible. This is evident in the design of the district cooling plants. DC Pro was awarded the con-

32 MEP Middle East - November 2008

tract by Emicool to design and undertake the construction, management and supervision of two district cooling plants. In addition DC Pro are also managing the process of laying a total of some 50 kilometers of pipework underground. While the total capacity is some 46,000 tonnes, the technology being used to squeeze every last drop of efﬁciency is impressive, not least from a perspective of scale.

be required by the time everybody moves in. The first phase of the cooling plant should be ready when the first houses are handed over in the first months of 2009, with the total capacity for this first part being 26,000 tonnes, though the exact consumption will depend on how the tenants use the system.

WATER RATES

Large-scale cooling plants require a lot of water. Originally the plant was designed to use OVERVIEW potable water. Even if it was available, the Motor City will have ﬁve key areas, namely the amount of treated water required would be Dubai Autodrome, Formula One Theme Park, prohibitively expensive. the commercial area called Business Park MoWarrick Gibbens, projects manager, DC Pro tor City, as well as the residential area that said: “We can’t use potable water any more. includes Uptown Motor City and the Green What we use now is treated sewage efﬂuent Community. That will mean a lot of cooling will (TSE).” In less polite terms, this is semi-treatwww.arabianbusiness.com/construction

SITE VISIT

Works on the district cooling facilities at Uptown Motor City are under way. The plants will use treated sewage effluent instead of potable water.

ed sewage water. However, from an engineering point of view this is not ideal as the water is not of such good quality. If you can bear to think of it, there is more un-dissolved solids in the liquid. It is a lot cheaper though, which is useful as the consumption of cooling towers this size is likely to be huge.” At the moment, the plant still has the potable water design, and it will switch over within 18 months. However, the TSE conversion works have been put out to tender. “It is quite a big job. With TSE water, the grade is not as good, so to say it simplistically, you need more of the water to do the same job.” Gibbens said. “You have to upsize the pumps to do the same job too.” While switching to TSE doesn’t affect existing installation in terms of distributing the wawww.arabianbusiness.com/construction

ter, it does affect bringing it to the plant in the ﬁrst place. Gibbens said: “We are bringing the water in now from Emirates Road.” He added: “There is a lot of abortive works, it is now sizing the pumps to accommodate the extra capacity of water. We have to go between the roads and go between the existing services that are already laid. So from a coordination point of view, it is gong to be a little bit tricky. It is a simple thing; it is just a matter of getting it to the plant, and returning it from the plant to discharge.”

DISCHARGE For the time being, removing large quantities of spent water will represent something of an issue. A certain amount can be pumped into a nearby sewage treatment facility, though this

will have to stop when all the tenants move in. The water is also clean enough to be pumped into a nearby lake. Longer term though, there are better solutions, as Gibbens explained: “In 2011 there will be a storm water line. If you look at DM irrigation specs, they have a whole list of what the grades should be, though there will be a lot of components [in the water] that will be above those parameters.” He explained that the waste can be cleaned to acceptable levels. “We can dilute slightly with potable water, and we can add chemicals. If you are using TSE as a supply you are not going to get irrigation spec.” He added that the main problems relating to sewerage and pollution have been resolved, which bodes well, considering the volume of spent water that will need to pass out of the system. November 2008 - MEP Middle East 33

SITE VISIT

The Uptown Motor City site will include about 55 kilometres of piping to supply and circulate the cooling water. Extensive hydraulic analysis was required to design the system.

POWER

PIPING

There are 132kv substations next to each cooling plant, plus a third for use for non-cooling requirements in Motor City. Currently both of the plants are allocated fifteen feeders each. Capacity for each plant is just short of forty megawatts – that’s a lot of power to find. From the feeders and ring main units, the power will go in through a switch and through 11kv switchgear and into circuit breakers. From the circuit breakers there are direct on-line feeders to the chillers. Also, there are some 11kv feeders, which feed the transformers. For better control on the distribution side there are VSDs, which control the master flow going out to the customers themselves.

There is a lot of pipework involved with a project this size. Gibbens explained: “We have approximately 55 kilometres of piping, roughly 27-28 kilometres of carbon steel, and about 27 kilometres of HDPE (high density polyethylene) piping.” “You have to do hydraulic analysis and you have to do stress analysis, but with bends in the pipes, the further down you go, the pressure losses will increase. That exercise has to be done by a third party and there is a software programme to do it,” he went on. “When you distribute the two from the two plants we actually go into an ETS (energy transfer station) room. There is a further exchange of water. We’ve got a closed network

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where the water is distributed to heat exchangers which are inside the ETS rooms and the water will go through the heat exchanger and back into the plant. “So our design does not touch the building water system. In the buildings themselves, you might ﬁnd that one ETS room would feed four or ﬁve buildings. So through the heat exchanger, they would have pumps on their side, also VSDs to control their demand. “They’ve also got control through PLC the parameters for monitoring. We’ve got an electrical room in the ETS room, which includes PLC all the viewing parameters you can see on this. This is all looped with a redundant switch, so you can control anything through the control room. At the moment, because of

November 2008 - MEP Middle East 35

SITE VISIT

As well as pumps and pipes, the project features 22 ETS rooms spread throughout the development.

contractual obligations, the control will be on the building site for the ﬁrst year, but after that it will be in the plant room, so [the user] will have full automated control” he said. The project features 22 ETS rooms, covering the majority of Motor City. As the project is still under way many plots are still empty, so in the meantime capped-off pipes have been run past. There are around 500 dwellings on the piped network, being villas, townhouses, bungalows and the like.

TEMPORARY DISTRICT COOLING Before the villas are handed over and the main plant is switched on, there is a temporary district cooling installation, courtesy of Dubaibased RSS. Gibbens said: “We have a [temporary DC] farm, through RSS and we supply 36 MEP Middle East - November 2008

3000 tonnes which supply the wild air needs, as we are required to do.” On the subject of temporary district cooling, he added. “However well a project is planned and implemented; there will always be delays, be they from suppliers or the municipality permissions or whatever. You have to make provision, and this is the way to do it.” The plant, although large in capacity and with a lot of pipework, employs a similar design to smaller installations. On the nature of its speciﬁcation, Gibbens concludes: “Whether you have a 20,000 tonne plant, or a 40,000 tonne plant, you still need all the same things, primary plant, secondary plant, cooling towers, chillers. It is just on a bigger scale.” Let’s hope he can keep those lines of cooling machines humming for years to come.

THE PROJECT Brief; Supply district cooling for Motor City via two plants. Capacity: 46,000 tonnes Contractor: Drake and Skull Consultants: DC Pro Client: Emicool for Union Properties ETS station construction: Coolrich Special notes: Plants feature large tanks 23m dia, 18m height. Design alterations have been required to allow the use of treated sewage effluent (TSE) water.

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THE BIG 5

BIG55 BIG PREVIEW The Big 5 Index 40 40 41 41 43 43 44 44 47 47 48 51 51 51 52 55 55 -

Gates Consulting Engineers Fitem Clivet Grand Fibreglass Gulf Dura Industries Concrete Technology MTS Group – Ariston Knauf Drywall Systems Scheuten Solar Berg Tectool Amancorp Acelia Water & Power Engineering Leminar Air Conditioning American Breeze CME Sanitary Systems Peri

The construction industry’s monster trade show, The Big 5, is just around the corner. Running from November 23-27, at the Dubai International Convention and Exhibition Centre, the show has a reputation for gathering everyone from the industry together. The epic scale of the event makes planning an essential part of any visit. To help you get the most from your time at the show, MEP Middle East has proﬁled a few of the companies who’ll be using it as an opportunity to market themselves. www.arabianbusiness.com/construction

November 2008 - MEP Middle East 39

THE BIG 5

GAITES CONSULTING ENGINEERS Stand number: ZG53 Email: Philip.cleary@gates.ie Website: www.gaites.ie The company: Gaites Engineering Consultancy was established in September 2003. Our company offers a client focused engineering consultancy service. Our practice is led by experienced, practical professionals, who have a wealth of experience in the industry. The company offers services such as MEP design, facilities management, utility design and vertical transport.

us the opportunity to look at the wider market, we are targeting a developing market in Dubai

and we hope that the Big 5 show will help us achieve that.

What new services and products are you offering at the Big 5? Gaites Consulting Engineers has recently acquired a Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design accreditation (LEED) and also a Sustainability Energy Ireland (SEI) accreditation. We are also a member of the USGBC (United States Green Building Council). What market trends have you seen developing in your field over the last 18 months and what direction will these take through 2009? The whole issue of sustainability has been developing rapidly over the last 18 months. Gaites Consulting Engineers takes a practical and pragmatic approach to sustainability. We analyse all our buildings to establish the heat gain/loss, to optimise the structure with regard to energy conservation. Through our design we would endeavour to recover as much energy as possible. It is our policy to use as much natural ventilation, sun screening as possible in all our designs. We analyse our projects on a thermal basis to reduce energy wastage and expand overall building efficiency. Sustainable buildings produce better quality environments, last longer and save energy. What challenges are you currently facing in this region? Our domestic market at present, like all domestic markets, is in decline. Having said that Gaites Consulting Engineers is operating very well within that market. What are your specific hopes for the Big 5? Gaites Consulting Engineers feel that the Big 5 show is a good form of advertising, where you get to meet people on the ground. It also gives 40 MEP Middle East - November 2008

FITEM Stand number: A301 Email: estero@fitem.com Website: www.fitem.com The company: FITEM is a manufacturer of tubular motors and control devices for the automatic operation of all kinds of rolling shutters and awnings. Since its foundation, in 1963, Fitem has chosen to create high quality, safe products focusing on the research and innovation and, above all, developing exceptional levels of know-how. What new services and products are you offering at the Big 5? Gearmotors with a built-in radio receiver, gearmotors with an electronic limit switch unit and weather devices. What are your specific hopes for the Big 5? Increase our business in the Middle East market

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THE BIG 5

CLIVET What challenges are you currently facing in this region? Identifying good talent on the recruitment front, erratic currency fluctuation (especially in light of AED peg to the USD), and dealing with an The company: The firm specialises in tech- climate control systems that are efficient and reli- extremely competitive environment are some nologically advanced air conditioning and air able, while also easy to install and maintain, will of the main challenges. Efforts to implement a treatment systems for large applications. The strive to bring this to the Middle East building prudent and adaptable approach/strategy to deal systems combine extreme efficiency with re- services base. with this and other impacts owing to current glosponsible use of energy and consideration for bal economic downturn are a current aim. the environment. Clivet manufacturing and What market trends have you seen developsales capability covers widest range of coming in your field over the last 18 months What are your specific hopes for the Big 5? mercial, industrial, institutional and residential and what direction will these take through The Big 5 should continue its success as the bigair conditioning products and offers. gest regional event of its kind, despite current 2009? The big push towards district cooling that uti- abrupt gloom on the international economic situWhat new services and products are you of- lises large capacity centrifugal chillers compels ation. We will look to attend sessions on LEED fering at the Big 5? companies such as Clivet to re-define their prod- Certification for the building services segment, Clivet, known in Europe for design of integrated uct offering. specific to HVAC equipment. Stand number: 1H12 Email: info@clivetme.com Website: www.clivet.com

GRAND FIBREGLASS Stand number: F487 Email: grandco@vip.163.com Website: www.fibreglassmesh.com The company: Grand Fiberglass is one of the largest manufacturers that specialises in producing fiberglass mesh, drywall joint tape and FRP products in China. We have over 250 staff and export about 50 - 60 containers of fiberglass mesh and tape and FRP products to more than 50 countries all over the world each month. Through over ten years experience of working with foreign buyers, we pay the utmost attention to maintaining quality standards. What new ser vices and products are you offering at the Big 5? We will develop more new products this year and our service is speedy at any time. We will develop more markets in South America, North America and the Middle East. What challenges are you currently facing in this region? Exchange rate dropping, labour cost increasing and tax refund decreased. We have to lower costs or increase prices accordingly. What are your specific hopes for the Big 5? Get more customers and make our company known all over the world.

www.arabianbusiness.com/construction

November 2008 - MEP Middle East 41

THE BIG 5

CONCRETE TECHNOLOGY Stand number: E411 Email: plastbau@concretec.ae Website: www.concretec.ae

GULF DURA INDUSTRIES Stand number: H13, German Pavilion Email: info@gulfdura.com Website: www.gulfdura.com

The company: Concrete Tech is dedicated to the growth of the pre-cast concrete industry in the UAE. As an industry representative, it educates speciﬁers and end-users about its advantages as well as the proper utilisation of its products and systems.

The company: Our company specialises in manufacturing and supplying materials and engineering solutions for plumbing systems, with a factory in Ras Al-Khaimah and an administration and sales ofﬁce in Dubai.

What new services and products are you offering at the Big 5? We are introducing a new product in the market which is a three meter sectional water tank panels which will be the ﬁrst of its kind in the Middle East beside our existing system PLASTBAU with some additional techniques.

What new services and products are you offering at the Big 5? Thermo Concept PP-R pipes and fittings, Thermo Concept PEX pipes and fittings, Concept silent Drainage system and the Concept electrical conduit system. What market trends have you seen developing in your field over the last 18 months and what direction will these take through 2009? Recently demand for plumbing materials is getting higher and higher, and at Gulf Dura Industries, using our latest manufacturing technologies, we are meeting and exceeding the market requirements, in terms of demand and high quality materials. How would you describe demand for your service / product in the current regional climate, and how do you expect this to develop through the coming year? We believe that the GCC countries in general and UAE especially are economically growing in the construction and real estate development sectors, which will maintain the high demand for building materials. What are your specific hopes for the Big 5? We hope the Big 5 will be the place where we can meet our customers.

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What market trends have you seen developing in your ﬁeld over the last 18 months and what direction will these take through 2009? The demand is very high as our product is serving the construction industry which is booming, we are expecting that the demand will be more than double next year.

3800 The number of active construction projects in the region being monitored by The Big 5 research partner, Proleads, and worth around US $3.5 trillion

What challenges are you currently facing in this region? The main challenge is to convince clients of the value of new products, so we are using all our facilities such as method statements, technical sheets, our history, approval and certificates that we have. Another problem is the increase in raw material costs, which is affecting our profit margin, so we are always trying to source new suppliers, but still with good quality raw materials. What are your specific hopes for the Big 5? We will use it to show a cross section of our products and showcase new products.

November 2008 - MEP Middle East 43

THE BIG 5

MTS GROUP – ARISTON Stand number: 6A240 Email: ariston.me@it.mtsgroup.com Website: www.mtsgroup.com The company: MTS Group is an international company focused on manufacturing and delivering a complete range of heating and water heating systems and services. MTS Group aims to improve the quality of comfort by offering high technology, high quality and high efﬁciency products. Over the last 20 years the group has accelerated its presence in the heating industry and has greatly expanded its activities to become the most global player in the sector. What new services and products are you offering at the Big 5? Big attention is being paid to environmental respect, with products that can save energy while giving the same performances. Solar systems will be highly advertised. What market trends have you seen developing in your ﬁeld over the last 18 months and what direction will these take through 2009? Constant growth of 6-8%, which is also foreseen for the coming year.

KNAUF DRYWALL SYSTEMS Stand number: Zabeel Hall T21 Email: info@knauf.ae Website: www.knauf.ae The company: Established in 1932, with its headquarters located in Iphofen, Germany; Knauf is a manufacturer of drywall building materials such as gypsum boards, metal proﬁles, joint compounds and insulation materials. With a workforce of 22,000, Knauf manufactures its products in 50 countries from 150 plants, in Europe, Middle East, Asia, USA and Latin America. Recently, Knauf established the ground for the new gypsum board plant, in Ras Al Khaimah, and the production plant is expected to be completed in Q3 of 2009 and have a production capacity of 40 million m² of gypsum boards per year. The factory will also produce plasters and additional components of the drywall systems such as metal studs, channels, joint compounds and drywall accessories.

What challenges are you currently facing in this region? The Euro versus US$ exchange rate, together with the increase of transport costs is penalising the European manufacturers. An increase of raw material costs has had a big impact on proﬁtability.

What new services and products are you offering at the Big 5? Knauf Cleaneo Acoustic boards will be introduced during Big 5 exhibition. Knauf Cleaneo Acoustic boards are perforated gypsum boards, which actually reduce the indoor air pollution. This proven air cleaning effect is now possible with the addition of Zeolite to the core of the boards. Zeolite is a natural water-containing rock of volcanic origin. We will also be introducing Aquapanel Cement Board Systems. Developed by Knauf USG systems, Aquapanel is the “next generation” cement board of choice for construction professionals in Europe and Knauf is now introducing to the GCC market. There are two types of Aquapanel boards available depending on the application type.

What are your speciﬁc hopes for the Big 5? To meet new potential clients and to reinforce the Ariston image in the region.

What are your speciﬁc hopes for the Big 5? As Knauf LLC, we have been exhibiting for the past ﬁve years. It is a unique opportunity to meet all levels of the construction industry under one roof.

44 MEP Middle East - November 2008

www.arabianbusiness.com/construction

THE BIG 5

SCHEUTEN SOLAR Stand number: Zabeel P13 Email: tkroef@scheuten.com Website: www.scheuten.com The company: Scheuten Solar has a solar cell manufacturing unit and an ultra-modern factory for the manufacture of Multisol modules and Optisol special modules. In 2006 Scheuten decided, together with a German solar product manufacturer, to build its own silicon factory. Scheuten aims to operate across the whole quality spectrum, from the silicon to the energetics stage. The company is investing heavily in the future. Many millions are being invested in the solar cell business on the basis of revolutionary new thin ﬁlm technology. Manufacture of this thin ﬁlm system is due to commence at a new factory in late 2008. In initial stage Scheuten will focus on the Building Integrated PV [BIPV] activity, especially for larger scale iconic buildings in prestigious projects. In second stage we develop the market for PV Modules for a wide range

of applications vary from small-scale off-grid solutions up to multi-MW solar farms.

in the global market. The UAE / Middle East market will have to follow shortly.

What new services and products are you offering at the Big 5? BIPV already exists but our product is now being launched for the UAE market.

What challenges are you currently facing in this region? Poor awareness and acceptance of use of BIPV but educating the market on solar energy will create demand.

What market trends have you seen developing in your ﬁeld over the last 18 months and what direction will these take through 2009? There has been an explosive growth of solar use

What are your speciﬁc hopes for the Big 5? Our objective is to generate 5-10 serious leads from project developers who express the need for adopting BIPV in new buildings.

US $330 BILLION Value the civil construction boom across the Arabian Gulf will reach by the end of 2008.

BERG TECTOOL Stand number: Zabeel Hall, M21 Email: bt@bergtectool.com Website: www.bergtectool.com The company: Berg Tectool is a German company, which since 1972 has been manufacturing a wide range of products including electronic power mixers, tile cutters, insulation cutting machines and electronic disc grinders. What new services and products are you offering at the Big 5? We are happy to be able to announce our new sales agent on site who will distribute our products in the UAE. Due to the distance and continuously increasing costs for freight and transportation, we are glad to be able to offer customer-friendly services located nearby. What market trends have you seen developing in your field over the last 18 months and what direction will these take through 2009? The market trend has shown a change in purchasing habits from high quality products towards products of inferior quality and cheap price. It is our belief that you cannot substitute quality and durability for price. We therefore aim to offer our clients products that will last a long time and match everyone’s specific needs. What challenges are you currently facing in this region? It is our goal not to participate in the ongoing price war, but to face the challenge and continue offering high quality products and considerable after sales services to satisfy our customers. By offering products that meet our customers’ expectations in quality and price we are sure to provide an attractive and adequate solution for their projects. Berg Tectool stands for quality and customised solutions. What are your specific hopes for the Big 5? Our hope for The Big 5 is to attract visitors to our stand and give them the opportunity to get their own impressions of our products, our services and our company. The only way to stand out from the crowd is to make a visible and sustainable difference.

www.arabianbusiness.com/construction

November 2008 - MEP Middle East 47

THE BIG 5

AMANCORP Stand number: StandC24 concourse area Email: airfree@amancorp.net Website: www.airfree.com The company: Amancorp are the exclusive GCC distributors of the Airfree range of air purifiers, which are patented worldwide. We are based in Dubai and work with the entire GCC, as well as in India. Our purifiers use heat sterilisation to destroy airborne allergens such as bacteria, viruses, mould, dust mites, fungi spores, smoke and odours from the air, and depending upon which unit is installed, cover an area of between 120400m3 (typically rooms of 40-133m2). What new services and products are you offering at the Big 5? We can now offer an entirely built in option of air purification to constructors. The concept of improved indoor air quality, constantly being purified in-situ is relatively new too. Though there are measures taken within HVAC units themselves – changing filters, cleaning and maintenance of ducts etc to reduce contaminants in the air, it is still not possible for AC units to effectively filter out or remove micro-biological matter from the air. And even if it were possible, it would still be necessary to maintain air quality at room level as there are all sorts of ways for micro-biological contaminants to be present in the air unrelated to the ventilation supply.

oping in your field over the last 18 months and what direction will these take through 2009? In Dubai, our regional base, HH Sheikh Mohammed announced last year ‘The Dubai Strategic Plan 2015’ which identifies health as a key concern for residents and the government. As a result, the Dubai Municipality is actively pursuing a policy to monitor and improve indoor air quality (IAQ) in the city’s offices, hospitals, hotels, schools and shopping malls. Similarly, the GCC business climate is increasingly waking up to green issues. For instance, DEWA has implemented a new pricing tariff which effectively encourages businesses to conserve energy by charging higher rates for higher usage.

ness all over the GCC. Other than these, there are no other issues pertaining to our products as they are simple to install, require no maintenance and are made entirely in Europe. Indeed, the strength of the UAE Dirham against the Euro makes our products more cost-effective at present. What are your speciﬁc hopes for the Big 5? To increase awareness of IAQ as an issue of concern for developers and building owners given the additional stimulus/pressure from the government, to get our products noticed as a costeffective solution for poor IAQ and to develop contacts with key decision-makers in terms of developers in the region.

What challenges are you currently facing in this region? Recruitment of competent staff is an issue, as is the logistics of doing busi-

What market trends have you seen devel-

48 MEP Middle East - November 2008

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Armacell AD.ai

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THE BIG 5

ACELIA Stand number: Email: Website: www.acelia.eu

LEMINAR AIR CONDITIONING Stand number: 1B21 Email: pramodh@leminar.ae Website: www.leminar.net

The company: Acelia, working in building automation with LonWorks Technology, brings cost effective solutions to ensure an optimal energy management and user comfort in buildings Our products are designed and manufactured in France, by our factory Comtec Technologie, producing 170 000 products per year, marketed in France and in Europe. For HVAC control, our Karno products - room controllers, universal controllers, sensors and actuators - allow a system to be built in a modular way, adapted to up-to-date room air conditioning systems. For lighting and sunblind control, our Dalilon products - controllers, sensors and remote control devices - allow the presence of natural light and its intensity to optimise and automate light levels. What new services and products are you offering at the Big 5? We will present new products in Dalilon and Karno ranges: new controllers (CTR) for lighting and sunblind management; new terminal and configurable HVAC controller (SRC20); and a new integrated room controller (IRC) for a ‘multi-jobs’ solution. What market trends have you seen developing in your field over the last 18 months and what direction will these take through 2009? People are more and more interesting in energy savings, environmental standards and also users comfort in buildings. We think there is a real potential in the Middle East and all over the world to develop our business. The trend is to combine energy management and user comfort, thanks to cost saving products. What are your specific hopes for the Big 5? We would really like to develop our business with new distributors and perhaps with one partner specifically.

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WATER & POWER ENGINEERING Stand number: UK Pavilion 2F60 Email: gm@gm-global.org Website: www.gm-global.org The company: The main services offered include dewatering contractors, sale of dewatering and general purpose pumps, sale and hire of generators. The ﬁrm has branches in the UAE, India, Saudi Arabia, Qatar and Bahrain.

What new services and products are you offering at the Big 5? The ﬁrm is offering diesel generators and geotechnical services. How would you describe demand for your service / product in the current regional climate, and how do you expect this to develop through the coming year? Our regional market is now US $0.5 billion and growing at 20%, our net target is a 10% market share. What are your speciﬁc hopes for The Big 5? We are expecting orders booked with a minimum value of US $10 million.

The company: Leminar Air Conditioning was created in the 1992 with the idea of providing air conditioning contractors with a level of services far greater than the industry standards. With offices and showrooms across the United Arab Emirates, Leminar has a vast distribution. Leminar’s focus on its customers is evidenced by its ISO 9001:2001 certification. What new services and products are you offering at the Big 5? This year we would like to throw light on two of the key segments in the air conditioning industry, one being the ventilation systems in commercial and residential areas. The products we would like to focus on are Twin City from USA and Casals from Spain. The other area where we would be focusing is on the cleaning and flushing products for the facilities management segment. The product would be advanced engineering from the United Kingdom. What market trends have you seen developing in your field over the last 18 months and what direction will these take through 2009? What challenges are you currently facing in this region? Growing markets yield to growing problems. The need to acquire good workmanship along with project and contract delays doesn’t assist us in the industry to meet and provide to the challenges of the market and the industry. What are your specific hopes for The Big 5? We hope to meet our clients & contractors at this auspicious event and renew our existing relationship. Also we would be looking into new avenues to which our organization can challenge ourselves.

November 2008 - MEP Middle East 51

THE BIG 5 AMERICAN BREEZE Stand number:1A41 Email: salesexec@americanbreeze.com Website:www.americanbreeze.com The company: American Breeze is a global supplier of air conditioning system solutions with ofﬁces in USA, Europe and the Middle East. Our reputation is founded upon exceptional performance in extreme temperatures, extensive use of reliable components and uncompromising quality. We have been awarded the following international quality marques for our products: TUV, Eurovent, Green Building Council, TUV ISO 9001:2000. What new services and products are you

52 MEP Middle East - November 2008

offering at the Big 5? Beyond the existing quality certification which we have from TUV, American Breeze is proud to announce that we have also achieved certification by Eurovent since the last show. Some new products are being promoted and these are advanced software, double-skinned fan coil unit, tangential fan coil unit and the provision of a stainless steel drain pan. What market trends have you seen developing in your field over the last 18 months and what direction will these take through 2009? A market trend that we have noticed is that the size of projects is increasing, but delivery deadlines are not adjusting accordingly. Precise construction schedules demand superior inventory management from suppliers for them to practice

just-in-time delivery and optimise project space. What challenges are you currently facing in this region? As the company has grown so rapidly the key challenge for American Breeze has always been to find new staff who are of a suitable calibre. We have retained most core members of our team for several years and view them as a valuable asset. Through talent management, succession planning and a strong emphasis on teamwork we have been able to achieve the enviable position of becoming an employer of choice. What are your specific hopes for The Big 5? Our specific hopes for Big5 are an enjoyable and busy exhibition which will do credit to our industry.

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THE BIG 5 CME SANITARY SYSTEMS The company: We are a manufacturer of sanitary products including ﬂushing systems, brassware, toilet seats and Ecoplay micro grey-water recycling system. Our business head ofﬁce is Doncaster, UK. We have three manufacturing sites – two in the UK and one in the Far East. We are active in UK, Europe and targeting UAE and Middle East Markets. What new services and products are you offering at the Big 5? Ecoplay, which is an innovative, micro grey-wa-

PERI Stand number: Zabeel Hall, T31 Email: perillc@perime.com Website: www.perime.com The company: For almost 40 years, PERI has been considered the competent partner of construction companies for all applications in the area of formwork and scaffolding technology. With 45 subsidiaries and 100 efﬁciently-run logistical centres, we serve in the meantime over 65 national markets around the world. We always focus on providing the best possible solution for every building project. What new services and products are you offering at the Big 5? One impressive example which accelerates construction process, makes the work easier as well as guaranteeing safety on site is Peri Skydeck. We will introduce this lightweight aluminium

www.arabianbusiness.com/construction

ter management system that re-cycles bath and shower water and re-uses it for toilet flushing. In the UK this product recently won the building services green product of the year award. What market trends have you seen developing in your field over the last 18 months? We are continuing to target new markets and expand our range offering to our customer base. What are your specific hopes for The Big 5? To raise awareness of the new Ecoplay system amongst exhibitors to help penetrate the UAE and Middles East markets with this system.

slab formwork which is a proven system for slab thicknesses up to 950 mm to the market on this year’s BIG 5 exhibition. No individual component exceeds 15 kg. The system is easy to clean and needs fewer props: For a 3.45 m² field, only one prop is used with a 400 mm slab thickness. What market trends have you seen developing in your field over the last 18 months and what direction will these take through 2009? As the personnel costs rise, there is a change in the needs of our customers. A lot of the construction workers are able to find good jobs in their home countries by now as the economy in a lot of countries is rising. Therefore it is hard to recruit workers. On the other hand the inflation in the UAE increases and the accommodation, transport and catering costs for the workers are getting higher for the construction companies. As a result of this, our customers need formwork

systems that have a good quality, are easy to assemble and to dismantle and can be handled by only few manpower. What challenges are you currently facing in this region? To find high qualified employees is hard in this country we are trying to solve this problem by having a fixed recruitment procedure. The payment behaviour is most of the times really slow and it’s taking a lot of effort to chase the money. What are your specific hopes for The Big 5? Our goal is the successful introduction of our product Skydeck into the UAE market. We want to give our customers the opportunity to visit us at the exhibition and experience the product and it’s advantages. Obviously we would also like to attract prospective new customers.

November 2008 - MEP Middle East 55

INDUSTRY VIEW

SOLUTION SEARCH Manoher Raghavan looks at how choosing the right solutions can maximise productivity, cost efficiency and ensure worker safety in the MEP sector espite MEP playing one of the most fundamental roles in construction, the industry faces a number of challenges in fulfilling MEP requirements accurately in the Middle East region. While a number of these challenges range from tight project timelines to completing multiple tasks and delivering results without compromising on either safety or productivity, the major problem for professionals in the industry is finding the right mix of products and solutions that cater efficiently to the sector’s needs. It faces a challenge in finding products like abrasives, which should do more than improve the cut and finish on metal surfaces, to solutions for electrical splicing and terminating, and from passive fire protection products to personal safety and protection solutions for the workplace. What’s more, the selected solutions need to be both safe and efficient: especially for meeting the standards expected of construction projects across the Middle East.

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FIRE SAFETY With the increase in incidents related to fires, fire prevention and protection is the number one concern for the region’s construction industry – especially with workers using equipment that runs on high electrical voltage and that includes potentially dangerous parts. This has given rise to greater awareness on the need for fire protection and accordingly, appropriate fire codes for buildings have been put into place in projects throughout the region. The industry also needs to select a number of specific, passive fire protection products for fire containment, including those that can fire-stop through penetrations, perimeter joints, structural steel, emergency circuitry and air ducts. Recently developed passive fire protection products for through penetration including sealants, caulks, wraps, pillows, composite sheets, mortars, sprays, coatings and cast in-situ accessories, approved under the UL, FM systems and other international codes,

are among the most efﬁcient ﬁre safety solutions for major international airport projects and substations, oil and gas facilities and high-rise hospitality and tourism projects around the Middle East, and some of which have been used to save lives and equipment in the region for several years.

WORKPLACE SAFETY The personal safety of workers is a top priority in any workplace, and those employed in the construction industry require a diverse range of safety equipment for a variety of different situations. Construction sites can be particularly challenging working environments, with a number of potential problems to worker safety, including prolonged exposure to noisepolluted areas, excessive heat and humid working conditions, dangers against ﬂying particles from metal cutting, sweeping, sanding and welding processes and a host of airborne particles and mist onsite. Health and safety industry personnel November 2008 - MEP Middle East 57

INDUSTRY VIEW should always ensure to keep safety solutions across the entire spectrum on site everything from respirators, eye protection wear, face protection wear, head protection, hearing protection and welding shields and helmets. For added beneﬁts, they should choose products that meet applicable international Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) regulations, and that are designed to ensure worker comfort. Workplace safety is of equal importance to ensure safe and incident-free surroundings for multi-tasking employees, who may work under risky conditions and put in long hours to keep pace with time frames of fast-track projects in the region. The importance of workplace safety signage and warning tapes for fast and effective ways to guide and control passage in restricted and hazardous areas should also never be understated; while anti-slip tapes and threads for better traction and improved slip and fall resistance in greasy, oily and wet areas; room air puriﬁers for total clean air solutions and work area matting that helps improve the safety, can all help to ensure the comfort and productivity of employees – especially those who spend an extensive amount of time on their feet.

PERFORMANCE, EFFICIENCY AND PRODUCTIVITY IN METALWORKING Performance, efficiency and productivity are critical factors in metalworking – one of the central elements in construction. Using abrasive technology with advanced synthetic formulation provides industry players with an even greater scope to improve productivity, operational efficiency and workforce welfare, enabling end users to benefit from more advanced end results. Setting new standards for grinding, refining and finishing metal components; products that are capable of delivering excellence in abrasive performance will help the industry to deliver the required competitive edge. Designed for cross-over compatibility with every type of application, the technologies incorporated into modern abrasive discs, brushes, wheels and belts are designed for all types of metals. Because the surfaces on these modern abrasive devices – like those developed by 3M – last several times longer than conventional abrasives, there are a range of cost-saving benefits to be enjoyed. These include fewer operations in the finishing process, reduced downtime from fewer belt changes, a smaller number 58 MEP Middle East - November 2008

Manoher Raghavan sees finding the right products and solutions as essential to the success of those working in MEP.

of rejects, less pressure required leading to reduced operator fatigue and time saved on subsequent polishing, cleaning and plating operations. 3M also offers innovative and differentiated electrical solutions for saving time and money on splicing and terminating cable and wire in construction projects. This includes solutions to identify, label, connect, seal and splice a wide array of low to high voltage wire and cable, and because 3M products re-

duce variability in installation, it equates to an increase in safety and an overall reduction of installation time. Manoher Raghavan is business development manager for 3M Construction Markets Middle East & Africa Region. As an extension to total solutions for the MEP industry, 3M also provides a range of services for customers in the Gulf construction sector through the 3M Construction market initiative team. www.arabianbusiness.com/construction

TECHNICAL FEATURE

PRESSURE STEP

DE-GASSERS

Jim Martin looks at the role of pressure step de-gassers in the removal of air from a closed chilled or heated water system. ir that is present in a closed, chilled or heated water systems can cause numerous problems such as noise, cavitation at the pump impellor, corrosion when ferrous components are present as well as circulation and thermal inefficiency. It is for this reason that for a closed system to work efficiently, air should be removed not only during the initial filling stage, but on a continual basis throughout the operating life of such a system. The reason for continual deaeration is that air can enter a system either through leaks or by the addition of make up water, which is typically saturated with air. Air, which is largely made up of oxygen and nitrogen, is present in three forms, free air, micro-bubbles and dissolved air. The

concentration of air in water can be determined using Henry’s Law. To summarise this law the amount of air that can dissolve in water decreases with temperature and increases with pressure. Conversely air will be released from solution in conditions of reduced pressure or increased temperature. Therefore for an air separator to be most efﬁcient is should be situated accordingly. In a chilled water system a typical tangential air separator is ideally situated on the return line to the chiller/heat exchanger and on the suction side of the pump. Although the use of tangential air separators is common within the Middle East region there are more efﬁcient solutions available including micro-bubble pall ring de-aerators such as the in-line Flamco Flamcovent which

uses pall rings to attract and remove microbubbles as small as 18µm. This method also applies equally to dirt removal with up to 99% of particles >63µm being removed. However Pressure Step Degassers are now gaining region wide acceptance even though they have been in use in European markets for many years. Cost, space and efﬁciency are just some of the reasons that ENA’s are becoming more attractive. By applying Henry’s Law and reducing the water pressure air is allowed to come out of solution and be removed effectively from the system. As an ENA is installed on a branch and not in-line as with a tangential air separator the issue of pressure drop is reduced dramatically. The method of operation is relatively simple. A programmable

1-DEAERATION TANK 2-PUMP/PUMPS 3-CONTROL 4-FLOW LIMITER 5-PRESSURE SENSOR 6-FLOAT-OPERATED SWITCH 7-FLOAT-OPERATED VENT 8- DEAERATION PREVENTER 9-PRESSURE GAUGE 10-CHECK VALVE 11-SOLENOID VELVE 12-FILTER 13-BALL VALVE 14-CHECK VALVE 15-SELENOID VELVE 16-VACUUM PRESSURE SWITCH

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November 2008 - MEP Middle East 61

TECHNICAL FEATURE

micro-processor controlled is set to remove a quantity of water from the system during each cycle. This water is then fed through to a vacuum column and then pumped back into the system. However as the in-flow rate via flow restrictors is lower than the out-flow a vacuum is produced in the vacuum column allowing air to be released under the lowpressure conditions. This is further assisted by pall rings in the base of the vacuum column. The released air is then forced out of the column through an automatic air vent situated at the top of the column by the next incoming charge of water. The cycle frequency can be adjusted so that continuous deaeration cycles are programmed during the early life of the system and reduced to a maintenance level when the majority of the air has been removed. Furthermore, certain models also incorporate a make-up water facility that can be controlled on-board or by a compressor expansion control automat. The pumps are also used to maintain system pressure. Pressure Step Degassers are compact units with a footprint of only 710 mm x 540 mm. Multi-language real time system status and diagnostics are displayed on a clear LCD screen. Programming is achieved through four push buttons on the controller. A common alarm volt-free is included for remote indication of a fault. Installation is extremely simple requiring only two ¾” connections and a 230V 50Hz 1ph electricity supply. By installing a valve in the main line between the two PSD connections deaeration may also continue even when the circulation is switched off. While there is no theoretical maximum system volume that can be deaerated by a single ENA for practical purposes each unit is recommended for a system volume of 100m³. For larger systems the number of ENA’s can be increased accordingly. Costs are similar to that for a DN 300 tangential air separator. However with the added functionality of an ENA such as pressurization and make-up supply the two pieces of equipment should not be compared directly.

Figure 1 depicts the inﬂow of water from the system whilst the pump is returning the previous charge back to the system after de-gassing. A vacuum is created in the vacuum column.

In Figure 2 the pump is switched off and the vacuum column is reﬁlled with the next water charge. The incoming charge forces the released air from the column through the automatic ﬂoat vent.

Figure 3 shows make-up water being introduced to the system to replenish volume lost through air removal and water lost through leaks. It is signiﬁcant that the make-up water is also de-gassed before being allowed into the system.

Figure 4 highlights the position of the pall rings that remove micro-bubbles through the effect of coalescence.

Jim Martin works with Flamco Middle East in Dubai jim.martin@ﬂamco-gulf.com, www.ﬂamco-gulf.com

62 MEP Middle East - November 2008

www.arabianbusiness.com/construction

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Rhino-Hide Connectors and Receptacles deliver up to 1,135 Amp under the most extreme conditions with cable sizes ranging from 313 MCM to 777 MCM. Designed to mate with other manufacturer’s single pole connectors, Rhino-Hide devices can be used for both new and existing silicon-controlled rectifiers (SCR’s) and generator stations. For more details or to request a Rhino-Hide brochure, call: 718-229-4040 (outside U.S.) or 1-800-345-8903 (U.S.) or email: industrial@leviton.com

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HVAC MARKET UPDATE

Danfoss acquires Italian controls company Danfoss Refrigeration has taken over the Italian ﬁrm Necos. Necos is an established manufacturer of a range of electronic controls for the heating, ventilation, air conditioning and refrigeration (HVACR) sector. The news was announced during a recent press conference

at Chillventa, an air conditioning trade fair held in Germany. The company had previously bought up 25% of Necos shares last June and has now completed the full purchase of the company. The deal has been developed by Danfoss with the hope of

expanding its product range of electronic controls in an already crowded HVACR controls market. Danfoss senior vice president Kjeld Kückelhahn said: “The MCX product platform will enable Danfoss to enter the commercial air conditioning market,

supporting Danfoss’ proﬁle of being a leading provider of compressor solutions and control solutions.” The current managing director of Necos, Mauro Sordini, will continue on in a leadership role by heading the new Danfoss company in Italy.

HVCA backs a new campaign against carbon monoxide

Rob Thornton, president of the International District Energy Association, spoke at the recent conference held in Dubai.

IDEA releases Best Practice Guide The IDEA District Cooling Best Practice Guide has been unveiled at the third IDEA International District Cooling Conference and Trade Show in Dubai. The event attracted more than 400 visitors and featured expert speakers from within the industr y. IDEA president Rob Thornton commented: “We focus on the issues for this industr y and events such as this bring together the best minds. There is a lot to be said for the internet but there is nothing like talking to someone who understands the problems you have. Bringing people together at events such www.arabianbusiness.com/construction

as this is the best way to solve problems.” The conference featured presentations on subjects such as sustainability, environmental challenges and essential infrastructure as well as the launch of the best practice guide. Dany Saﬁ, special adviser to the board of directors at Tabreed, was the man responsible for the idea behind the guidebook. Saﬁ stated: “I had this idea to create a best practice book providing guidance to the players of this industr y to understand what to do and how to do it. There was an agreement on the IDEA board and we went

ahead and produced the book, this was back in 2002 and it took a lot of work and a lot of effort. It is a result of a lot of research, experiences from different parties and different angles.” Thornton added: “It’s not a technical standard it’s not a design speciﬁcation. It’s not a book that will have you select pipe diameter, or valve conﬁguration or ratings. All of those ser vices are done ver y well by other organisations. It’s more of a compilation of what are the best practices in designing plants and what people have learned over the years. We are pleased to offer it.”

HVCA, the British trade association for the heating, ventilation, air conditioning and refrigeration (HVACR) industr y, has joined a campaign aimed at raising awareness among consumers of the dangers of carbon monoxide. The campaign has been launched by the Carbon Monoxide Consumer Awareness Alliance (COCAA) will alert householders and landlords to the risk of CO poisoning and will highlight the need to check household appliances regularly. Head of technical safety at HVCA Bob Towse commented: “There are around 30 confirmed deaths ever y year from CO poisoning, but the real figure could be much higher as the early symptoms are similar to those of illnesses such as influenza.” He added that many of those fatalities could e avoided if appliances in the household were checked annually by qualified installers. The COCAA group is administrated by the gas safety watchdog Corgi and was established in response to a government report entitled Shouting about a silent killer: raising carbon monoxide awareness. October 2008 - MEP Middle East 65

HVAC MARKET UPDATE

Winter sports facilities warned on refrigerants There are changes ahead for sports venues that rely on refrigerants now considered damaging to the atmosphere. Viable alternative will have to be found.

Indoor winter sports facilities will have to change refrigerants.

SKI DUBAI- UAE • Stretches over 22,500m and is covered with more than 6,000 tonnes of snow. • Energy-efficient cooling of the snow is provided by an ammonia refrigerating machine with a capacity of 2,600 kW. • The snow is cooled by a glycol circuit which is connected to the refrigerant circulation of the machine by two Alfa Laval plate heat exchangers. • A total of 29 air coolers in the ceiling of the building keep the temperature in the snow park at a level of -1 to -2°C during opening hours. • Old snow is put into a melting pit at night and the cold water is then used for the air conditioning in the shopping centre adjoined.

66 MEP Middle East - October 2008

rom 2010, EU regulation will ban the use of substances that cause degradation to the ozone layer and only reconditioned HCFCs can be used in refrigeration and air conditioning systems. An industry expert claims that owners of indoor winter sports facilties should now turn to ammonia and carbon dioxide instead. Eurammon chairwoman Monika Witt stresses: “This is forcing the branch to act. One possible solution for modernising the systems consists of natural refrigerants, such as ammonia, carbon dioxide or hydrocarbons, with convincing properties such as sustainability and economic efficiency.” Ski Dubai is one location that uses an ammonia refrigerating system. The facility uses energy efficient cooling with an ammonia refrigerating machine with a capacity of 2,600 kW. Witt reports: “Ammonia is acknowledged to be the most efficient refrigerant, as reflected in the low operating costs for users. In addition, ammo-

CURL ABERDEEN – SCOTLAND

TINGVALLA ICE STADIUM – SWEDEN

• Used for the Scottish sport of curling and is also a public ice rink • The ice rink has a total ice surface of around 1,350 square metres • Uses a critical charged refrigeration plant with 80 kg of ammonia and a glycol circuit which is connected to the refrigerant circuit by means of an evaporator. • A desuperheater on the highpressure side makes thermal use of the compression heat of the refrigerant. The energy recovered in this way is used for the underfloor heating of the remaining facilities apart from the ice rink itself.

• An open air stadium with an ice rink measuring 65 x 180m. • The stadium’s refrigerating system has been completely renewed to safeguard the refrigeration concept for the years to come. • It features a cascade system using 1.3 tonnes of ammonia as refrigerant and 16 tonnes of carbon dioxide as secondary refrigerant with partial evaporation. • The carbon dioxide is stored in four accumulators which are connected with the ammonia system by heat exchangers

nia systems relieve the pressure on the environment, as the refrigerant does not make any contribution to the greenhouse effect.” The snow in Ski Dubai is cooled by a glycol circuit, which is connected to the refrigeration circulation of the machine by two Alfa Laval plate heat exchangers. The refrigeration also benefits the Mall of the Emirates which is attached, the old snow in the park is recycled overnight in a melting pit. The cold water is then used for air conditioning in the shopping centre and irrigation in the gardens. “In the context of climate change and increasing energy prices, operators are finding it increasingly important to have environment-friendly refrigerating systems that make efficient use of energy,” Witt concludes. “This is why we encourage system operators to opt for natural refrigerants, in view of the HCFC phase-out. Natural refrigerants constitute a viable future solution in refrigerating technology which puts operators on the safe side.”

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LEGAL

VALERIANO HANDUMON/ITP

Employer obligations Dennis Brand looks at the legal obligations of an employer with regard to health and safety.

t was recently reported that each year some 2.3 Million people worldwide die in occupational accidents or from work related diseases and approximately 60,000 of these deaths are in the construction industry. In the Emirate of Dubai 249 accidents on construction sites were recorded in 2007, 47.8% of which involved labourers falling from heights. Other types of accidents included collapses at work sites, crane and other machinery accidents, and incidents involving fires and electric shocks. The issue of health and safety in the work place was again highlighted recently when the Dubai Municipality published a new manual for contractors covering health and safety regulations for those working in the construction and engineering industry. The Building Department Inspection Section of Dubai Municipality makes regular visits to construction sites enforcing site safety regulations. Minor violations are dealt with by way of a fine, but more serious violations can result in a site being closed. Notwithstanding the health and safety regulations of Dubai Municipality, it is said that the rapid development of Dubai has prompted a number of government departments to issue legislation, rules and guidelines for projects within their jurisdiction. This is said to have resulted in some confusion, which a single unified code would remove. While there may be some sympathy for contractors and subcontractors in not having a unified code to apply or single set of health and safety regulations to work with, Federal Law No. 8 for www.arabianbusiness.com/construction

1980 on Regulation of Labour Relation (the “Labour Law”) is very clear as to an employer’s obligations with regard to the protection it must afford its employees in the work place. While the lack of a single uniﬁed code may cause some confusion as to which authority’s regulations are applicable or otherwise, this in no way detracts from the

clear obligations which the Labour Law places on the employer to provide what amounts to protection of employees and a safe system of work. Perhaps those of us who prepare construction and engineering contracts can assist in raising the proﬁle of health and safety issues by including speciﬁc obligations in such contracts with termination as

the ultimate sanction for those contractors who do not comply with their obligations.

Dennis Brand is senior legal advisor with HBJ Gateley Wareing. Email: Dbrand@hbj-gw.com Tel: +971 4 321 9999

OBLIGATIONS 101 Worker’s Safety, Protection, Health and Social Care covers various obligations on the part of the employer and on the employee in articles 91-101. Article 91 – Every employer shall provide his employees with adequate means of protection against injury, occupational diseases, fire and hazards, which may result from the use of machinery and other equipment in the work place. The employee however must use the protective equipment and clothing supplied to him for this purpose and must also comply with instructions given by the employer to protect the employee against hazards, and not take any action liable to hamper compliance with such instructions. Article 92 – Every employer shall display detailed instructions in a conspicuous position in the work place indicating the measures to be taken to prevent fire and protect the employees against hazards which they may be exposed to in performing their work. These instructions shall be in Arabic and if necessary in other languages understood by the employees. Article 93 - Every employer shall make available first aid boxes or kits (one per 100 employees) containing medicines, bandages and other first aid materials as ordered by the Ministry.

Article 94 – Every employer shall ensure that the work place is kept clean and ventilated and has provided adequate lighting, drinking water and toilets. Article 95 - An employer shall assign one or more medical practitioners to examine, at regular intervals of not more than six months, those of his employees who are exposed to the possibility of contracting one of the occupational diseases specified in the Schedule attached (to the Labour Law). The findings of such examinations shall be recorded on the employee’s personal file. Article 96 – The employer shall provide his employees with medical facilities to the standard determined by the Ministry of Labour in consultation with the Ministry of Health. Article 97 - The Ministry of Labour after consulting with the Ministry of Health may issue resolutions prescribing the general precautions and health related safety measures in relation to lighting, ventilation, dining rooms, supply of water for drinking and washing, elimination of dust and smoke pollution, and precautions to be taken against fire and electricity hazards. Article 98 – The employer or his deputy shall inform the employee of the dangers of his job and the means pro-

tection that he must take. The employer shall also display detailed written safety instructions in this respect at the work places. Article 99 – No employer, deputy or any other person with authority over the employees shall bring or allow others to bring any kind of alcoholic drinks for consumption on work premises. The employer shall also prohibit any person to enter or remain in the establishment while in the state of drunkenness. Article 100- Each worker shall comply with the orders and instructions related to industrial security and safety precautions and shall use the appropriate protective devices and treat such devices in his possession with due care. No worker shall commit any act leading to non-compliance with such instructions, or to misuse, damage or destruction of the equipment provided for protecting the health and safety of the workers. Article 101- Every employer employing workers in areas remote from towns and not connected with them by any normal means of transport shall provide the workers with the following services: adequate means of transport; suitable living accommodation; drinking water; considerable and adequate food supplies; first aid facilities and recreation and sports facilities.

November 2008 - MEP Middle East 69

TENDERS

CONTRACT ALERT MEP Middle East wants to keep you in business. These pages are intended to provide you with good business leads. If you spot a contract that you are interested in, contact the issuer. You can have your contracts and tenders published in these columns free of charge. Please send us the name of the issuer; the tender number; a brief description; value of the project; bid bond, if any; fees, if any; the dates for closing of subscription; the opening of the tender; and a contact phone/ fax number or email address. You can also announce the prequaliﬁers/winners of the tender free of charge in these pages. All information should be sent to contractscw@itp.com or faxed to the Editor, MEP Middle East: +971 4 210 8080. MEP Middle East: Helping you build your business.

BAHRAIN Issuer: Civil Avaition Affairs Tender No: 2/EMD/9P309B Description: Proposed FIC expansion at Bahrain International Airport. Closes: 12 November Fees: BHD15 Bond: BHD500 Contact: Tender Board’s Office at Al Moayyed Tower, Seef Area, 7th floor, Kingdom of Bahrain

EGYPT

Issuer: Ministry of Water Resources and Irrigation, the Mechenical and Electrical Dept., The Stores Dept. Description: Construction, supply and erection of a main irrigation pumping station at Qastal and Adendan Zone for a project involving the reclamation and development of 5,000 feddans land in Qastal Zone at Abu Simbil tourist city executed by the High Dam Lake Development Authority in cooperation with GARPAD. Closes: 22 Decemeber Fees: EGP1500 Bond: EGP900,000 Contact: Tafteesh El Ray St, Shoubra El Mezallat, CairoTel: 02 22069294/5/6 Fax: 02 22069270

Closes: 3 November Fees: RO1000 Contact: www.tenderboard.gov.om

Wa at Taiyyin. Closes: 24 November Fees: RO300 Contact: www.tenderboard.gov.om

Issuer: Ministry of Regional Municipalities and Water Resources Tender No: 229/2008 Description: Construction of sewerage network, upgrading of existing treatment plant for Barka south, Al Batinah. Closes: 10 November Fees: RO1500 Contact: www.tenderboard.gov.om

QATAR

Issuer: Ministry of Housing Tender No: 231/2008 Description: Construction of 12 housing units, majlis and mosque at Al Dhahir in Wilayat Bahila, Al Dakhiliya region. Closes: 17 November Fees: RO248 Contact: www.tenderboard.gov.om

Issuer: Qatar Petroleum Tender No: GT08112500 Description: To maintain uninterrupted flow of sweet lean gas to consumers in Dukahn, Ummab. Closes: 2 November Fees: QAR500 Bond: QAR5,000,000 Contact: Central Tenders Committee, PO Box 3213, Doha, Qatar Tel: (+974) 4402000 Fax: (+971) 4831125

Issuer: Majan Electricity Company (SAOC) Tender No: 232/2008 Description: Construction, of 33kv overhead lines and underground cables from propsed 132/33kv Saham grid substation to connect with existing 33kv lines in Saham area - North Batinah region. Closes: 17 November Fees: RO1000 Contact: www.tenderboard.gov.om

Issuer: Qatar Petroleum Tender No: GT08111700 Description: This project scope of work is the EPIC of electrical and telecom system facilities for West End Extension, Ras Laffan to achieve the following. Power transmission network consists of 132kv and 33kv System with 132/33kv and 33/11kv substations, 132kv and 33 kv cable feeders and PMS network for the West End Area of Raslaffan. Closes: 2 November Fees: QAR500 Bond: QAR9,000,000 Contact: Contracts Dept. - Engineering Division, Qatar Petroleum, PO Box 3212, Doha

Issuer: Ministry of Transport and Communication Tender No: 235/2008 Description: Consultancy services for design and supervision for asphalt road from Wilayat Al Amrt to Wilayat Dima

Issuer: Qatar Petroleum Tender No: LT08109000 Description: This is a one time construction contract for miscellaneous paving works at various QP Gas Distribution System locations.

OMAN Issuer: Ministry of Transport and Communication Tender No: 222/2008 Description: Consultancy services for the design and supervision of the construction of Batinah Expressway (international).

www.arabianbusiness.com/construction

Closes: 3 November Fees: QAR200 Bond: QAR30,000 Contact: Contracts Dept. - Operations Division, Qatar Petroleum, PO Box 3212, Royal Plaza, G Wing, 4th Floor Room G13, Dohan

Issuer: Ministry of Municipal Affairs and Agriculture Tender No: 132/2008-2009 Description: Consultancy works nad quantity survey for Alwakrah public park. Closes: 6 November Bond: QAR13500 Contact: Central Tenders Committee, PO Box 3213, Doha, Qatar Tel: (+974) 4402000 Fax: (+971) 4831125 Issuer: Ministry of Municipal Affairs and Agriculture Tender No: 130/2008-2009 Description: Supply of water for Aljamiliah Park at Rayyan Municipality for three years. Closes: 6 November Bond: QAR22500 Contact: Central Tenders Committee, PO Box 3213, Doha, Qatar Tel: (+974) 4402000 Fax: (+971) 4831125 Issuer: Qatar Petroleum Tender No: GTC081112700 Description: EPICfore football and cricket stadiums upgrade at Dukhan. Closes: 9 November Fees: QAR500 Bond: QAR500,000

Contact: Contracts Dept. Operations Division, Qatar Petroleum, PO Box 3212, Royal Plaza, G Wing, 4th Floor Room G13, Doha

November 2008 - MEP Middle East 71

• CO M M E R C I A L • R E TA I L • L E I S U R E • R E S I D E N T I A L

17 – 18 November 2008

International trade exhibition for the final stages of construction

Abu Dhabi National Exhibition Centre, UAE www.fitoutme.com

Over 200 hosted VIP buyers from 6 countries Three focused industry platforms

Running alongside:

The regional event for architectural landscaping and outdoor design

The exhibition & conference for building services and facilities management

For information on exhibiting, telephone Jon Berry, Sales Director on +971 (0) 2 4064471 or email jberry@cmpi.biz Supported by:

Media partners:

METAL MONITOR

METALS PRICE TRACKER SEPTEMBER THE LONDON METAL EXCHANGE LIMITED AVERAGE OFFICIAL AND SETTLEMENT PRICES US$/TONNE Primary Aluminium (dollars)

Aluminium Alloy (dollars)

Copper

Lead

Nickel

NASAAC

(dollars)

Cash Buyer

2,525.14

2,238.68

6,988.43

1,867.00

17,782.50

2,252.50

Cash Seller & Settlement

2,525.82

2,246.41

6,990.86

1,868.36

17,794.55

2,260.36

Cash Mean

2,525.48

2,242.55

6,989.65

1,867.68

17,788.52

2,256.43

3-months Buyer

2,576.20

2,280.34

6,954.52

1,878.61

17,957.95

2,293.59

3-months Seller

2,577.00

2,288.95

6,957.75

1,881.66

17,981.59

2,301.41

3-months Mean

2,576.60

2,284.65

6,956.14

1,880.14

17,969.77

2,297.50

15-months Buyer

2,738.41

2,426.36

6,844.55

1,868.95

18,205.45

2,435.68

15-months Seller

2,743.41

2,436.36

6,854.55

1,873.95

18,305.45

2,445.68

15-months Mean

2,740.91

2,431.36

6,849.55

1,871.45

18,255.45

2,440.68

27-months Buyer

2,855.59

2,550.45

6,711.14

18,259.09

2,550.91

27-months Seller

2,860.59

2,560.45

6,721.14

18,359.09

27-months Mean

2,858.09

2,555.45

6,716.14

18,309.09

$6,847 Copper 3-months seller

LME AVERAGE SETTLEMENT PRICES IN EURO Metal

Euro Settlement Conversion Rate

2,560.91

Primary Aluminium

1,758.75

2,555.91

Aluminium Alloy

1564.15

Copper

4,866.52

Lead

1300.25

THE FOLLOWING STERLING EQUIVALENTS HAVE BEEN CALCULATED, ON THE BASIS OF DAILY CONVERSIONS: Settlement Conversion Copper Cash Seller & Settlement:

£3,890.00

Nickel

12,392.50

Copper 3-months Seller:

£3,891.91

Stg/$

1.798

Tin

12,791.94

Lead Cash Seller & Settlement:

£1,039.18

$/JY

106.600

SHG Zinc

1,208.11

Lead 3-months Seller:

£1,052.00

Euro

1.437

Nasaac

1,573.88

Exchange Rates

AUGUST

$7595

THE LONDON METAL EXCHANGE LIMITED AVERAGE OFFICIAL AND SETTLEMENT PRICES US$/TONNE Primary Aluminium (dollars)

Aluminium Alloy (dollars)

Copper

Lead

Nickel

NASAAC

(dollars)

Cash Buyer

2,763.55

2,451.13

7,632.93

1,921.63

18,905.75

2,478.30

Cash Seller & Settlement

2,764.38

2,457.18

7,634.70

1,923.58

18,927.75

2,486.40

Cash Mean

2,763.96

2,454.15

7,633.81

1,922.60

18,916.75

2,482.35

3-months Buyer

2,816.35

2,491.25

7,536.85

1,912.23

18,977.00

2,521.00

3-months Seller

2,817.35

2,500.00

7,540.85

1,915.70

18,997.25

2,531.55

3-months Mean

2,816.85

2,495.63

7,538.85

1,913.96

18,987.13

2,526.28

15-months Buyer

2,962.85

2,628.50

7,306.00

1,879.60

18,911.50

2,651.50

15-months Seller

2,967.85

2,638.50

7,316.00

1,884.60

19,011.50

2,661.50

15-months Mean

2,965.35

2,633.50

7,311.00

1,882.10

18,961.50

2,656.50

27-months Buyer

3,062.75

2,748.50

7,079.50

18,462.75

2,726.50

27-months Seller

3,067.75

2,758.50

7,089.50

18,562.75

2,736.25

27-months Mean

3,065.25

2,753.50

7,084.50

18,512.75

2,731.38

THE FOLLOWING STERLING EQUIVALENTS HAVE BEEN CALCULATED, ON THE BASIS OF DAILY CONVERSIONS:

Copper 3-months seller

LME AVERAGE SETTLEMENT PRICES IN EURO Metal

Euro Settlement Conversion Rate

Primary Aluminium

1,844.36

Aluminium Alloy

1639.81

Copper

5,094.07

Lead

1282.66

Settlement Conversion

Nickel

12,644.25

Tin

13,362.20

SHG Zinc

1,149.91

Copper Cash Seller & Settlement:

£4,038.55

Exchange Rates

Lead Cash Seller & Settlement:

£1,016.72

$/JY

109.2415

Neither the LME nor any of its directors, officers or employees shall, except in the case of fraud or wilful neglect, be under any liability whatsoever either in contract or in tort in respect of any act or omission (including negligence) in relation to the preparation or publication of the data contained in the report. Market Operations

www.arabianbusiness.com/construction

November 2008 - MEP Middle East 73

METAL MONITOR

JULY THE LONDON METAL EXCHANGE LIMITED AVERAGE OFFICIAL AND SETTLEMENT PRICES US$/TONNE Primary Aluminium (dollars)

Aluminium Alloy (dollars)

Copper (dollars)

(dollars)

Cash Buyer

3,070.13

2,600.43

8,412.35

1,943.41

20,151.96

2,671.22

Cash Seller & Settlement

3,071.24

2,608.87

8,414.04

1,944.91

20,160.22

2,678.13

Cash Mean

3,070.68

2,604.65

8,413.20

1,944.16

20,156.09

2,674.67

3-months Buyer

3,121.43

2,640.83

8,220.67

1,945.87

20,328.91

2,715.22

3-months Seller

3,122.35

2,647.13

8,222.93

1,947.11

20,347.39

2,725.43

3-months Mean

3,121.89

2,643.98

8,221.80

1,946.49

20,338.15

2,720.33

15-months Buyer

3,234.70

2,770.43

7,807.39

1,934.17

20,248.26

2,856.52

15-months Seller

3,239.70

2,780.43

7,817.39

1,939.17

20,348.26

2,866.52

15-months Mean

3,237.20

2,775.43

7,812.39

1,936.67

20,298.26

2,861.52

27-months Buyer

3,294.09

2,887.39

7,431.09

19,629.57

2,935.22

27-months Seller

3,299.09

2,897.39

7,441.09

19,729.57

2,945.22

27-months Mean

3,296.59

2,892.39

7,436.09

19,679.57

2,940.22

Lead

Nickel

NASAAC

$8280 Copper 3-months seller

THE FOLLOWING STERLING EQUIVALENTS HAVE BEEN CALCULATED, ON THE BASIS OF DAILY CONVERSIONS: Settlement Conversion Copper Cash Seller & Settlement:

£4,230.94

Exchange Rates

Lead Cash Seller & Settlement:

£977.76

$/JY

106.8096

LME AVERAGE SETTLEMENT PRICES IN EURO Metal

Euro Settlement Conversion Rate

Primary Aluminium

1,946.98

Aluminium Alloy

1,653.92

Copper

5,334.17

Lead

1,233.13

Nickel

12,779.37

Tin

14,668.86

SHG Zinc

1,174.36

JUNE

$8165

THE LONDON METAL EXCHANGE LIMITED AVERAGE OFFICIAL AND SETTLEMENT PRICES US$/TONNE Primary Aluminium (dollars)

Aluminium Alloy (dollars)

Copper

Lead

Nickel

NASAAC

(dollars)

Cash Buyer

2,957.07

2,623.24

8,259.43

1,861.62

22,529.05

2,662.76

Cash Seller & Settlement

2,957.86

2,628.05

8,260.60

1,863.05

22,549.05

2,668.52

Cash Mean

2,957.46

2,625.62

8,260.01

1,862.33

22,539.05

2,665.64

3-months Buyer

3,004.76

2,658.57

8,106.40

1,880.24

22,653.81

2,699.24

3-months Seller

3,005.52

2,668.57

8,108.38

1,881.86

22,681.90

2,708.86

3-months Mean

3,005.14

2,663.57

8,107.39

1,881.05

22,667.86

2,704.05

15-months Buyer

3,108.38

2,770.00

7,782.86

1,897.38

22,357.86

2,833.33

15-months Seller

3,113.38

2,780.00

7,792.86

1,902.38

22,457.86

2,843.33

15-months Mean

3,110.88

2,775.00

7,787.86

1,899.88

22,407.86

2,838.33

27-months Buyer

3,158.71

2,866.19

7,491.67

21,630.24

2,918.57

27-months Seller

3,163.71

2,876.19

7,501.67

21,730.24

2,928.57

27-months Mean

3,161.21

2,871.19

7,496.67

21,680.24

2,923.57

THE FOLLOWING STERLING EQUIVALENTS HAVE BEEN CALCULATED, ON THE BASIS OF DAILY CONVERSIONS:

Copper 3-months seller

LME AVERAGE SETTLEMENT PRICES IN EURO Metal

Euro Settlement Conversion Rate

Primary Aluminium

1,901.69

Aluminium Alloy

1,689.84

Copper

5,310.73

Lead

1197.97 14,501.91

Settlement Conversion

Nickel

Copper Cash Seller & Settlement:

£4,203.83

Exchange Rates

Tin

14,291.03

Lead Cash Seller & Settlement:

£948.34

$/JY

SHG Zinc

1,218.07

106.9152

74 MEP Middle East - November 2008

www.arabianbusiness.com/construction

Pumps Valves Systems

Visit us at The Big 5 exhibition in Dubai, 23 to 27 November, 2008.

Right wherever you need us. KSB is a global player in hydraulic systems with more than 30 manufacturing sites, subsidiaries and offices in over 100 countries around the world. In the Middle East, KSB provides innovative high quality pumps, valves and systems to the Water, Waste Water, Building Services, Industry, Energy and Mining segments. Our experts are available on call at our various Service Centres to ensure that your site runs effectively and efficiently. For more information, please visit: www.ksb.com

Muscat

Dubai Abu Dhabi Doha Riyadh

BUSINESS LEADS

MEP PROJECT TRACKER MEP Middle East and Ventures Middle East have got together to provide you with essential project information. Each month we will list current projects in the region that are under design or construction so that you can see what is going on where and enabling you to spot opportunities to do business. OMAN PROJECTS DATABASE - BUILDING PROJECTS FOCUS Project Title

Client

Consultant

Main Contractor

MEP Contractor

Buraimi University College Building

Buraimi University College

Gulf Engineering Consultancy

Not Appointed

Renovation of Intercontinental Hotel in Muscat

Omran Office

Pentago Spowers International

Not Appointed

Dhofar University in Salalah - Pack 1

Dhofar University

National Engineering Office

National Diabetic Centre

Ministry of Health

Oncology Wards and Day Care Centre at Royal Hospital

Project Status

Project type

31 - 100

project under design

Educational Facilities

Not Appointed

16 - 30

project under design

Hotel

Al-Hashemi & Al-Rawas Company

In House

project under construction

Educational Facilities

Gulf Engineering Consultancy

Premier International Project

Not Appointed

project under construction

Hospital

Ministry of Health

Gulf Engineering Consultancy

Premier International Project

Not Appointed

project under construction

Hospital

Sports Hall at Nizwa Sports Complex

Ministry of Sports Affairs

Bisan Engineering

Saif Salim Issa AlHarrasi & Company

In House

project under construction

Sports Facilities

Court Complex in Sohar

Ministry of Justice

National Engineering Office

Not Appointed

16 - 30

award awaited for the construction contract

Others

City Centre in Qurum District

Majid al-Futtaim Investments

Cowi & Partners

Carillion Alawi

Bahwan Engineering Co.

project under construction

Shopping Centre

Showroom Facility at Liwa

Saud Bahwan Group

Kadri Consultants

Galfar Engineering & Contracting

In House

project under construction

Commercial Buildings

Psychiatric Hospital at Amerat

Ministry of Health

Khatib and Alami

Bahwan Contracting Company

Bahwan Engineering Co.

107

project under construction

Hospital

Ibis Hotel at Al Khuwair

ction Real Estate Company

Consolidated Consultant

Al Rawahi International Company

Genetco

2.5 - 15

project under construction

Hotel

New Television Studio Complex

Ministry of Information

Austro Consult

Bahwan Contracting Company

Bahwan Engineering Co.

project under construction

Mixed Use

Office Building at Al Khuwair

Ministry of Housing Electricity & Water

Al- Hatmy Engineering Consultant

Burj Oman

In House

2.5 - 15

project under construction

Commercial Buildings

Extension of Health Centre at Ibra

Ministry of Health

Gulf Engineering Consultancy

Civil Contracting Company

In House

project under construction

Hospital

Dar Al Maha Residential Building - Phase 1

Sohar International Development & Investment

Engineering Innovation Design

Al Hajiri Trading

Durat Al Shail

16 - 30

project under construction

Residential Buildings

International Maritime College Oman

Ministry of Manpower

Gulf Engineering Consultancy

Al Qasim Trading & Contracting

Not Appointed

project under construction

Educational Facilities

Housing Complex at Sohar

Mr. Abdulla Moosa

Al Hatmy Engineering Consultancy

Iskan Contracting Company

In House

project under construction

Residential Development

www.arabianbusiness.com/construction

Value (US$. Mn)

October 2008 - MEP Middle East 77

HEAT

TRANSFER

TECHNOLOGY

Visit us in Dubai BIG 5 Show 2008 Hall 3 Booth 3B 111

TURN-KEY HOT WATER SYSTEMS www.ecotherm.com

ELECTRIC

BOILER

STEAM

SOLAR

Complete turn-key systems Energy & space saving

Skid mounted units Hygienic hot water

Specification support Compact design

Leading-edge construction Stainless steel quality

GRAND HYATT HOTEL, DOHA

SHORELINE APARTMENTS, DUBAI

• 249 rooms & 93 villas 39,000 litres/h hygienic hot water at 60°C • 3 Steam boilers 4,000 kg/h – 11 bar • 4 Stainless steel high capacity water heaters 450 kW – 5,000 litres

• 6 buildings, each with 156 apartments 10,000 litres/h hygienic hot water at 60°C • Solar gain 80 % • 200 m2 solar panel area • 2 Gas condensing boilers • 3 Stainless steel caloriﬁers 3,000 litres

MESSILAH BEACH HOTEL, KUWAIT

BURJ DUBAI

• 350 rooms & 100 serviced apartments 27,000 litres/h hygienic hot water at 60°C • 2 Stainless steel electric water heaters • 4 Pool heaters & coolers • 2 City water coolers

• Armani Hotel, Residences, Ofﬁces 71,000 litres/h hygienic hot water at 60°C • 11 Gas condensing boilers 300 kW • 11 Skid mounted heat exchanger packages each 300 kW

APPOINTMENTS

Reaching New Heights Building Services opportunities in the Middle East Atkins is a multinational engineering and design consultancy and one of the world’s largest design firms with over 17,000 professionals. We deliver multidisciplinary services and innovative solutions to complex challenges across the built and natural environment. We encompass an international community of engineers who share a passion for delivering excellence in sustainable design on some truly innovative projects such as the Bahrain World Trade Center; DIFC Lighthouse Tower and the Trump International Hotel & Tower, The Palm Jumeirah. Our engineering teams across eight regional locations are also at the forefront of pioneering projects such as the Dubai Metro detailed design and programme management and the Durrat Al Bahrain islands infrastructure.

• Senior Mechanical Design Engineers • Senior Electrical Design Engineers • Public Health Engineers • Fire Engineering Consultants • Building Physicists • Vertical Transport Engineers • Acoustic Consultants

To find out more about Atkins and our career opportunities, simply visit us at:

www.atkins-me.com/mep

Plan Design Enable

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www.arabianbusiness.com

November 2008 - MEP Middle East 79

THE LAST WORD

A minute of your time... Networking solutions and energy management are key areas for Leviton. Ramzi Nassif discusses the company’s potential in the region.

MEP: What products and services does Leviton offer to the international market? In the US today, Leviton is the leading brand of structured cabling and home networking solutions for the building market. The company manufactures over 25,000 products and is a leading producer of electrical and electronic products. The state-of-the-art Networking Solutions division creates the next-generation products and manufacturing technologies that will bring the benefits of high-speed communications connectivity within reach of every potential commercial end-user. Lighting Management Systems develops innovative solutions applied to energy management initiatives for large scale and small-scale commercial customers. Leviton Integrated Networks and Controls (LINC) offers a technological upgrade path to the future through the industry’s most comprehensive selection of residential structured cabling and home control products. MEP: In which countries does the firm currently have operations? Leviton’s headquarters is in Millville, NY with offices in many other US locations. It also operates in Canada, Mexico, China and now the Middle East region, having opened its new office in Dubai, in the United Arab Emirates. It also has an extensive network of sales representatives and distributors in all the continents with a major presence in South America, Korea and New Zealand.

80 MEP Middle East - November 2008

MEP: What projects and plans has the firm got on in the Middle East currently? Leviton has just opened an office in Jebel Ali to serve the Middle East region. The office will focus on the commercial networking and structured cabling industry including data centre solutions. It will also be supplying lighting management and residential products. MEP: What plans for expansion does Leviton have for the region? The plans for expansion have already taken place with the new office in Jebel Ali. Leviton will be employing personnel in UAE, KSA, Kuwait, and Qatar to cover the whole Middle East region in sales and technical support. Through participation in events in the Middle East like BICSI, MECOM, Gitex, ADIPEC, DataCentre

MEP: What contribution will Leviton be able to make to the region’s growing emphasis on energy management? Leviton is one of the only global companies that offer a complete range of lighting management products for both residential and commercial applications. Leviton’s products are designed to reduce energy consumption and protect natural resources and save substantial energy costs over the use of traditional non-energy savings products. The pro-environment energy management products from Leviton do not cost more than the alternative products. Leviton’s Energy Management division offers products that consist of a wide range of occupancy sensors, lighting control relay systems, stateof-the-art intelligent dimming systems and controls and the Centura daylight harvesting systems for commercial

“The pro-environment energy products from Leviton do not cost more than the alternatives. ” Dynamics, Middle East Electricity and BIG 5, it will create brand recognition as well as educate customers about it’s solutions. MEP: Of the sectors the company covers what does it see as having the most potential for growth in the region? Networking solutions has the most potential with ready and available products to serve the Middle East market. Networking products are universal and can be used anywhere in the world with no conversion needed.

enterprises. All these products address the need for energy management and many of them are LEED certified. MEP: How does Leviton go about developing new technology? Many new technologies start in the Leviton R&D and technology management department headed by expert design engineers and scientists. Leviton employs industry leading electrical, mechanical, and automation engineers committed to the development of very high performance, category rated, environmentally

responsible connector systems in close collaboration with customer requirements and industry partners. The technologies are typically an answer to many customer needs and desires. This technology follows a stage/gate process to take it from inception to commercialisation. MEP: Will it be investing in technology specific to the region, or adapting existing products? Leviton will mainly adapt existing products like data centre solutions, fiber and shielded solutions. However Leviton will be investing in converting existing US standard products to universal standards used in the Middle East region. MEP: Anything to add? Leviton is excited about this new office opening and looks forward to serving the region. Today, the Middle East market is an important and growing market that has demonstrated high demand for Leviton’s Network Solutions products. From this key market area, Leviton products can be positioned to reach many new customers in the area that have heard of Leviton’s history and technologies but have never installed them due to lack of local availability. Many of Leviton’s US based customers are starting business in the Middle East and asking for Leviton product presence in the area so they may utilize the same high quality products they have worked with before and installed in their North American based facilities.

www.arabianbusiness.com/construction

ID_Ducab MEP FP 27.5 x 20.5 Handshake.ai 10/23/2008 4:04:07 PM

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