CCME - October 2022

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Why are we still accepting leaky ductwork?

NE of the advantages of running a magazine for long is the vast volume of historical data available. In 2016, we ran a cover story on perhaps one of the most significant interventions in improving not only energy efficiency and Indoor Air Quality but also in preserving equipment health – plugging leaky ductwork. The basis of the story was that billions of dollars are lost through allowing valuable thermal energy to escape through leaky ductwork.

One of the persons we interviewed then was Max Sherman, Senior Scientist at Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, in the United States, who said leaky ductwork is an energy-hog that is hidden from view. Speaking of California, where he undertook substantial research on the subject, he said that ducting systems typically leak 20-40% of the state’s heating and cooling energy. State-wide, he said, the potential savings from improving ducts is between one and two gigawatts (GW) of electricity alone. Imagine that!

The cover story we carried in 2016 had inputs from Asia, Australia and Europe, and the percentage of leak was as bad, if not worse. In the Middle East, shockingly enough, the energy loss was peaking at up to 60-70% for buildings 15 years and older.

What is even more damning is that the problem has not disappeared from our midst, simply because the challenge remains – it is not easy to tear down existing ductwork – unless of course, if one were to explore options that do not require disruptions.

Climatologists are wringing their hands in frustration, as are policymakers, over runaway greenhouse gas emissions. It is laudable that manufacturers of HVACR equipment are pushing various solutions through, but very little effort is being taken to plug the leak. It can be argued that it is easier to achieve energy savings through air curtains, thermal energy storage – high capex notwithstanding – and VFDs, but what’s stopping us from fully exploring and implementing what we can to close the leak?

It is time we became serious about tackling the energy-hog to the ground, considering that the leak percentage only increases with the ageing of the building. And it is an altogether different – and tragic – story that the issue manifests itself in New Construction, as well, which raises questions galore about modern-day construction and commissioning practices. Oh, well… that’s another issue for discussion in another issue of the magazine!

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SAVING THE CLIMATE AT THE SPEED OF LIGHT’

N THE words of the COP26 The Glasgow Climate Pact, “…1.5 degrees C remains in sight, but it will only be achieved if every country delivers on what they have pledged.” Nation after nation is instilling net-zero targets, with policies and strategies to achieve these targets, and embarking on ambitious clean-technology projects to reduce and, ultimately, negate the current levels of carbon emissions. So much so that net-zero targets and commitments cover over 90% of the world’s GDP today. And nations can only deliver on these commitments with the active participation of private-sector corporations.

Climate change does not discriminate between those who reduce greenhouse gas emissions and those who do not. The negative, and often fatal, repercussions of climate change impact everyone agnostically. Climate change-triggered natural calamities – like rampant forest fires, cloudbursts, rising sea levels, and unbearable temperature highs and lows – will have the same impact on the greenhouse gas emitters as on net-zero ones. As is wont with the human race, there will always be the naysayers and the laggards, who even today are either ignorant of, or are barely taking any action to reduce their own impact on climate change. Therefore, it becomes incumbent on the leaders and the front-runners to take even more action than they currently intend to.

By and large, corporations are major contributors to greenhouse gas emissions by virtue of not only their own utility and resource consumptions but also the influence they have on their supply chain and the contributions made by their employees. Therefore, irrespective of the industry that a corporation is involved in, it will invariably have a carbon footprint. More often than not, it is possible for the corporation to quantify its carbon footprint, at least of that arising directly from its daily operations. Once its carbon footprint has been quantified, the journey to decarbonise could be strategised and implemented. However, in most cases, a corporation may not be aware of how to plan and implement a sustainable and structured journey that will allow it to transition from being a carbon emitter to a decarbonised corporation.

So, how should a corporation navigate the journey from being a net-carbon emitter to at least a near-zero-carbon emitter? A corporation would be well advised to

understand that while reaching nearzero-carbon emission may be a concrete milestone, maintaining such a status is a dynamic process, especially with business functions evolving perpetually.

To begin with, every corporation desirous of such a journey needs to instil a “corporation specific Sustainable Development Policy”. Such a policy needs to identify the corporation-specific material aspects that are the root causes of the carbon footprint, set SMART goals for their mitigation, assign ownerships of this initiative, identify stakeholders, define KPIs and, most important, support this policy with a robust and flexible “Implementation Plan”. Truth be told, a corporation’s sustainable development journey needs appropriate and constant stewardship with sincere support from the top management. De-carbonisation of a corporation is not simply a set of ad hoc projects put together but rather is an ongoing programme. This is where the time-tested governance framework becomes essential, effective and efficacious for any type of corporation in order to ensure successful pre-determined outcomes of this journey.

Recognising that de-carbonisation is not necessarily a zero-cost programme, the COP26 placed special emphasis on mobilising trillions of US Dollars in financing. To quote, “private financial institutions and central banks are moving to realign trillions towards global netzero”. The cost – Capex and Opex –component of de-carbonisation makes the necessity of a corporation-specific sustainable development strategy even more imperative. While some corporations may be cash surplus due to the nature of their business, others may not have the funds readily available in-house for the decarbonisation programme. In both cases, it is really up to the corporation to develop a sustainable strategy for financing. With several funding options being available for “green projects/services”, corporations may be well advised to look outside for the source of such funds.

Of course, conservative corporations may be equally interested in the “virtual cycle of energy conservation” to create a perpetual motion machine of inhouse funding, where the entire sustainable development programme may operate on a positive cash flow basis from an early

stage of this journey. In this framework, a corporation initiates the de-carbonising programme with a reasonable seed capital, inhouse, and reaches positive cash flow quickly, wherein the surplus cash can be further injected into the programme in order to scale up the positive cash flow and the de-carbonisation process. This is made possible because in most cases, a decarbonisation process is also associated with operating cost reductions through initiatives like energy conservation, water conservation and solar PV.

A corporation’s sustainable development strategy would also involve a new set of supply chains specialising in “green products/ services”. This automatically implies a unique procurement process as well as unique service contracts, including potentially Power Purchase Agreements. Different skillsets of both Procurement and Legal are essential for procuring such products or services and managing such contracts. Such issues also require to be addressed within the framework of the sustainable development strategy.

Above all, de-carbonisation is a transition from business-as-usual for a corporation. Such transitions need skilled change management strategies. Stakeholder engagement and empowerment become crucial elements for the short- and long-term success of such a strategy. All of these cannot be coordinated or managed by the usual organisation structures and require different skillsets and specialisations. Thus, at the apex of the sustainable development strategy sits the stewardship of the programme.

It is, therefore, vital for corporations to appreciate the need for a professional sustainable development strategy with the right foundational blocks, in order to deliver the long-term goals of net-zero or near-zero operations.

Sougata Nandi is the Founder & CEO of 3e Advisory; author of the book, Energy Management in Real Estate: The Secrets

Success; and the Chairman of the Climate Control

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CPI

LICENCE TO CHILL

AUTOMATION IS NOT NECESSARILY OPTIMISATION

It is high time plant owners and operators wise up to reality

ACK in 2018, I wrote an article explaining how an automated chilled water plant is not necessarily a fully optimised one. Well, I believe this needs to be addressed again.

I visit many plants throughout the GCC region and the United States, and plant owners and operators make such statements as: “Our plant is fully optimised. We have a remote monitoring service, we have a command-and-control centre, we have a SCADA system, etc., etc., etc.” When you dig deeper, what you find is that data is being collected and analysed, alarms are being generated, but no true real-time optimisation is taking place at these plants.

My team and I at US Chiller Services were recently involved in a project where a plant was being constructed and the owners said they had a robust SCADA system but wanted to optimise the plant with a chiller management program. These CMS systems are also not true optimisation programs and still fall short of “Chiller Plant Optimisation”. BMS, CMS, SCADA as well as most so-called chilled water plant management systems, chiller plant energy saving programs and plant flow control systems are not truly optimisation-enabling systems. These systems are designed to respond to written sequences that measure an input, make a decision and then instruct the output to be implemented. Each sequence for a control loop is focused on one or two variables and the one output. What’s being employed in much of the industry is packaged software and VFDs, which fall woefully short of a fully optimised chilled water plant. For example, if the chilled water plant demand exceeds 90%

of the operating chiller’s capacity or the chilled water supply temperature exceeds setpoint for five minutes, the next standby chiller shall be started. This is exactly how most energy or BMS/CMS and SCADA systems are programed.

In this example, the control system monitors two variables: chilled water system demand and supply temperatures. The control system compares the current values to the maximum operating capacity and chilled water temperature setpoints. Then, if either condition is true, the BMS initiates one output – start the next chiller. For example, a control system is programed to maintain a cooling tower to a fixed 78 degrees F. Chillers are sequenced on, once they reach full capacity, and chilled water set point is adjusted based on a fixed time-ofday schedule and chilled water pumps operated to maintain a fixed pressure.

Strategies, such as the aforementioned example, have been proven to consume as much as 75% or more energy at part load, when compared to a true CPECS (fully optimised) plant system.

There are many other control loops operating simultaneously in the control system that are monitoring and controlling the chilled water pumps, the condenser water pumps, cooling tower fans, valve positions, water temperature setpoints and the pressure differentials across piping, but these are all based on the same design to respond to a written sequence that measures an input, makes a decision and then instructs the output to be implemented. In other words, these sequences are static. A chilled water plant comprises many parts that make the whole plant, and to look at independent

pieces of equipment/loops and not the system as a whole makes these systems not effective in optimising the plant performance.

Now, let’s look at a true optimisation system. A CPECS (optimised) software system has complete knowledge of compressor, tower and pump performance characteristics, which it uses in real time to modulate control levels to all VFDs and provide the maximum level of system performance while respecting chiller flow, temperature limits and occupant comfort. The result is a chilled water central plant that operates in synchrony to deliver the highest possible total performance. Unlike other static optimisation strategies, as I explained previously, CPECS has the ability to self-correct chiller, tower and pump performance maps such that regardless of wear and tear, inaccuracies in manufacturer’s data or off-design conditions, the chilled water plant will always run at peak efficiency. A CPECS system goes past the central plant and out to the heat exchangers or AHUs, continuously scanning specific data points in order to balance central plant performance with air side performance without sacrificing occupant comfort. Anytime a variable speed chiller plant operates at a capacity less than its maximum there exists a huge opportunity for optimisation of set points and flows without compromising occupant comfort or process temperatures. ASHRAE studies

conclude that air conditioning applications operate at part load over 96% of the time. The CPECS web interface displays actual plant performance in real time to the operator, placing maximum focus on efficiency. All CPECS control systems have the ability to remotely warn of equipment failures or poor efficiency through a built-in email server. Each installation deploys with a full enterprise SQL database that resides on the site – all data owned and under control of the plant owner. Performance is directly related to cooling tower temperature and flow rate. An increase of 1 degree F (0.56 degree C) in condenser water inlet temperature may impact chiller performance by as much as 2.8%. Accurate cooling tower control and an optimised total system energy approach is essential in an efficient chiller plant.

Typical cooling tower control neglects tradeoff between fan energy and chiller energy at part load. A CPECS system takes complete system-wide view of the chilled water system. It not only monitors all of the various control loops for each particular device or piece of equipment as the BAS/SCADA does, but it also has the capability to understand how the various loops affect each other and can make adjustments to the control loops, based on that understanding. This capability to make changes automatically to control loops – to make a control sequence “dynamic” – is what differentiates a chiller energy optimisation system from a BMS/CMS, SCADA or other so-called optimisation systems.

I was recently at a District Cooling conference in June and was surprised to see that many companies involved in the construction and/or engineering of District Cooling plants are attempting to design and build their own optimisation programs. They stated they are doing

this, because they found most control companies do not offer very good “optimisation programs”. This statement

I agree with 100%. The problem is when these people were explaining their system architecture, it was also based on responses to written sequences, so their solution is nothing more than the same old, same old. It’s obvious the industry

simulation engine uses inputs of actual cooling capacity measured by a BTU meter, installed in the chilled water supply lines, supply chilled water temperature setpoint and outside air wet bulb temperature. With the installation of power meters on all plant equipment for real-time Kw data collection, the CPECS can monitor the individual power consumption for every separate

These results far exceed today’s energy efficiency code requirements and defy conventional thinking. Each plant is installed with its own flow, electrical and temperature metering, which enables the plant owner to view plant efficiency in real-time

understands there is a dire need for chilled water plant optimisation and that almost everything available falls well short of this goal. That is, except CPECS.

CPECS achieves optimisation through:

• Optimised cooling tower control and sequencing

• Chiller sequencing that seeks lowest kW for the capacity

• Variable speed, variable set point chilled water pumping

• Optimised VFD condenser water pump control

• Optimised pump sequencing

• Chilled water reset based on actual HEX or AHU demand

The CPECS simulation engine contains chiller performance models, cooling tower performance maps created from full- and part-load design conditions, pump curve design information, and heat exchanger thermal models. The

piece of equipment and can attempt to trim the power used for a specific piece of equipment. The total amount of kW used by all the plant equipment is the sum of the simultaneous demands of all the plant equipment – the overall chiller plant kW/ton. This is the purpose of a CPECS, overall chiller plant kW/ton reduction in real time. The CPECS engine iterates through each available chiller sequence, tower combination, operational mode, condenser water flow and cooling tower setpoint to find the combination that results in the lowest instantaneous plant power/kW demand.

The CPECS also has Machine learning/AI capabilities, and thus the system “learns” about the installed plant system and then uses that data to select the most energy-efficient combination of equipment and settings. The CPECS uses predictive methods at first to determine equipment operation, observes the resulting energy usage and then adapts to fine tune the settings.

LICENCE TO CHILL

The CPECS’ features include:

• Energy report generation and condition monitoring

• Seven years onsite and offsite historical data storage

• Internet remote monitoring and control

• Chilled water flow monitoring as standard

• Open programming language and open protocol

• Easy integration into existing BAS/ CPM/SCADA network

• Carbon usage reporting

It’s a strong statement but a very true one – a CPECS system just has better technology and greater savings versus anything available in the chilled water industry. CPECS optimisation systems have achieved annual total plant operating efficiencies of 0.48kW/Ton (7.3 COP) and better. These results far exceed today’s energy efficiency code requirements and defy conventional thinking. Each plant is

installed with its own flow, electrical and temperature metering, which enables the plant owner to view plant efficiency in real-time. In addition to electrical savings, reductions of up to 10% in tower water consumption can be realised. CPECS plants have connectivity to Modbus RTU, Modbus TCP/IP or BacNet.

MEASURABLE RESULTS

CPECS optimisation allows immediate evaluation of savings through the use of a real-time baseline calculation. Baseline performance can be programmed as a 90.1 code-compliant plant or a custom baseline that evaluates actual performance against a pre-retrofit value. The CPECS web interface, unlike any other chiller optimisation software, delivers to the end user actual performance baseline and, most important, target performance indicators. Other “optimisation” providers and programs cannot deliver a realtime performance target; as a result,

performance shortcomings are not realised until too late. CPECS optimisation graphical interfaces are user friendly and can be viewed from anywhere through the Internet.

A CPECS virtual panel can also be installed in any chilled water plant and overlaid on the existing BMS/CMS or SCADA system; and the CPECS system will operate for three months and allow you to see what your savings would be with CPECS software operating the chilled water plant versus the current system. In other words, the predicted savings can be proven and a determination can be made based on the savings to have a fully optimised CPECS system installed in the plant before even having it installed.

If the goal is true chiller plant optimisation, then the way to achieve that today is with a CPECS. I have seen many systems and have done extensive research, and no programs were able to save as much Energy/kW/ton as a CPECS.

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Confetti and cake

The pomp and ceremony of the 3rd CIBSE UAE Annual Awards coincides with the 125th anniversary of the parent body, Chartered Institution of Building Services Engineers

IBSE UAE hosted its Annual Awards ceremony on August 8 at Armani Hotel in Dubai’s Burj Khalifa – an evening that coincided with the 125th anniversary of its parent association.

Given the special nature of the occasion, Kevin Mitchell, CIBSE President, and Ruth Carter, CIBSE Chief Executive, travelled to the UAE to participate in the event, attended by an eclectic mix of individuals and organisations invested in building services engineering in the UAE.

Farah Naz, CIBSE UAE Chair, welcomed Mitchell, Carter and the vast number of guests, including those shortlisted to win awards in

five categories. Carter, who has a strong track record of creating successful collegiate communities within publishing and exhibitions, and highlighting the opportunity for supporting a strong sense of identity across a diverse international CIBSE membership, addressed the audience, as did Mitchell, who Naz described as a “Global Practice Leader, who launched five challenges to encourage action, communication and collaboration, inspiring those who are new to our industry, as well as raising our profile more widely and inspiring people to join us from a wide range of backgrounds

to ensure our industry reflects the communities we serve”.

Mitchell, in his address, spoke of two goals CIBSE holds dear to its heart. The first goal, he said, is to pay forward the support received, to the next generation. The second goal is to share how building services engineers are key in the transition to net-zero and in fighting climate change.

The elements of the second goal underpinned the objective of the Awards exercise – of recognising and honouring outstanding performances by individuals and businesses directly and indirectly associated with the building services industry, including the work being carried

ANNUAL

out to lower the emission of greenhouse gases to mitigate climate change. Sarah Cocker, the MC, verbalised the importance of the event when she said the Awards are part of CIBSE’s motto of promoting careers in building services by rewarding exemplary performance. “At a time of great dynamism in building services, CIBSE’s impact in enabling collaborations and transnational knowledge flows, recognising and rewarding high achievers, and mobilising global stakeholders for sustainable transformation has been profound,” Cocker said. “In the Middle East, where new buildings are being constructed in great numbers and existing stock is yearning for technology-led optimisation, CIBSE UAE’s ambitious regional road map is a cause for celebration.”

To ensure, the most deserving walked away with top honours, CIBSE UAE enlisted the services of a panel of judges, including Amruta Kshemkalyani, Founder & Managing Director, Sustainability Tribe; Farhan Juratli, Associate Director at Nakheel, Judicial Expert with the UAE

At a time of great dynamism in building services, CIBSE’s impact in enabling collaborations and transnational knowledge flows, recognising and rewarding high achievers, and mobilising global stakeholders for sustainable transformation has been profound

Ministry of Justice (MOJ); Huda Shaka, Advisor, Department of Municipalities and Transport, Abu Dhabi; Rana Kaakour, Associate Director - Diriyah Gate Development Authority (DGDA) and Rushdy Ahamed, Project Manager - Diriyah Gate Development Authority (DGDA). The jury had the backing of Ella Summer and CIBSE headquarters as the third-party auditing presence of the process of selecting the winners.

The giving away of the trophies had all the hallmarks of an Awards ceremony – moments of suspense, followed by exhilaration for those that climbed the stage to receive the ‘Highly Recommended’, ‘Runner-

up’ and ‘Winner’ honours. Trosten won the ‘Highly Recommended’ trophy in the MEP Manufacturer of the Year category, whereas Grundfos walked away with the Winner’s trophy. And WSP won the ‘Highly Recommended’ trophy in the MEP Consultancy of the Year category, whereas Cundall walked away with the Winner’s trophy (see opposite page full list of winners).

The Deluxe Sponsors of the Awards ceremony were Polypipe, Central Ventilation Systems (CVS), Thermobreak, Leminar and System Kan Therm. The Gold Sponsors were De Montfort University and Hisense HVAC.

CPI Industry, publishers of Climate Control Middle East, managed the event, on behalf of CIBSE UAE.

CIBSE UAE ANNUAL AWARDS

‘Thrilled to bits’

Here’s what some of the winners said…

Munis Hameed, Black & White Engineering:

Being the ‘Young Engineer of the Year’ is a recognition of the hard work and contribution to the building services industry. This award represents not only my abilities and achievements but also the opportunities and platform provided by Black and White Engineering over the last two years, which has helped in expressing myself as an engineer and applying my skills in design engineering as a young engineer.

Having experienced engineering in projects such as museums, urban living complexes, hotels and data centres, I have had the opportunity to apply my engineering and learn a sustainable design approach, which I will continue practicing in my career and develop energy efficient and sustainable buildings. This trophy is not just the recognition of engineering achievements but also the appreciation of the contribution to the building services industry. I have been an active contributor to CIBSE and ASHRAE over the course of my career, and this award represents the recognition of my contribution to the building services industry as a young engineer.

selected and receive this honour. Such recognition from the CIBSE fraternity has motivated the entire team of Trosten, and it shall ensure the consistency in delivering highest level of contributions from every employee towards the organisation’s growth. We take this opportunity to express our sincere gratitude to the CIBSE UAE team.

We have engineered an innovative HVAC equipment, called Heat Recovery Package unit (HRP). The HRP unit has been designed with an aim of providing thermal comfort indoors with increased energy efficiency. The HRP unit removes the same amount of total load with less energy, compared to a conventional fresh-air-handling unit with heat recovery connected to an air-cooled condensing unit.

The HRP is featured with higher COP, compared to a conventional unit, and it gives lower energy bills for the end user and a smaller footprint, and it does not necessitate field piping and refrigerant charging. It increases the life of the compressor, as the system is delivered factory-charged. It has a low installation cost, and there is no extra cost for laying the copper pipe and the power cables for the condensing unit. It is a plugand-play device that reduces the commissioning period.

Suvarna Kumar, Buro Happold:

As a recent graduate, winning the ‘CIBSE Graduate Engineer of the Year’ award makes me feel rewarded for all my efforts during my university phase. Additionally, the recognition has helped me expand my network and boost my confidence within the industry.

The award also shows me that I am on the right path toward my aspiration of contributing to the betterment of the built environment through my role at Buro Happold Middle East. As a Graduate Sustainability Engineer, the award pushes me to explore the field of sustainable engineering through energy modelling, energy-efficient design and rating systems and to dive deeper into areas like carbon, water, and health and wellbeing, along with incorporating innovations.

Lubna Shaikh, Trosten Industries Company: It’s an incredible moment for us to receive the ‘Highly Recommended’ recognition in the ‘MEP Manufacturer of the year’ category. We are tremendously pleased to be

The HRP is an outcome of our R&D over the years, and the trophy is a recognition towards our contribution to the air conditioning industry, especially on energy efficiency and Indoor Air Quality.

Scott McKeever, Cundall: Winning the ‘CIBSE MEP Consultancy of the Year’ award means a tremendous amount to Cundall. Being recognised by a leading industry institution, and selected as winners by such a diverse, accomplished and talented panel of judges means that we are doing something right. We are extremely proud to win this award, as it represents our engineering achievements, judged on engineering merit, by people that understand engineering.

Winning this award represents an endorsement of all of the hard work

that our MEP team have put in over the last few years. It shows that our company-wide global initiatives are paying dividends and our technical knowledge sharing and continuous technical improvement are shaping the future of our industry. At Cundall, we always strive to push the boundaries of the built environment and have committed to achieving net-zerocarbon design on all our projects by 2030. We’re on a journey towards zero carbon, and we invite everyone in the wider industry to join us in making zerocarbon design a reality.

Gaurav Kapoor, Grundfos:

CIBSE, as an organisation, is very critical for best building services engineering, and to get an award from them as the ‘Manufacturer of the Year’ makes us believe that we are succeeding in our efforts to innovate and deliver solutions for buildings that make them more sustainable and energy efficient.

For this award, we submitted details of the Grundfos Hydro MPC booster, which has many smart features, like Power Optimal Pump Sequencing (POPS), which does pump cascading with an algorithm, which calculates power consumption with one additional

ANNUAL AWARDS 2022

pump in operation and with one pump less in operation, thus determining the operation condition that is most energy efficient, offering extra protection from NRV failure, and the proportional pressure that can help the customer save up to 33% energy. Winning the trophy for this submission reflects our industry as becoming very much focused on sustainability and energy efficiency, and we all should work together to make this world a better place to live for our upcoming generations.

BALANCING EFFICIENCY

The HVAC valve market in the region is experiencing a continuous cycle of innovation that addresses energy savings and cost optimisation, but installation inefficiencies remain a challenge

HE increasing focus on sustainable construction and the tightening of environmental regulation are expected to shift priorities in regional projects towards energy efficiency and a low carbon footprint. This is essentially triggering material innovation in every sub-sector, including valves and hydronic systems. As residential and commercial projects gain momentum, HVAC valve manufacturers are introducing new products and other strategies to strengthen their position as an enabler for easy and fast dynamic balancing of hydronic systems and to help installers manage systems and solve the Low Delta T Syndrome.

Speaking about the market demand and project types driving HVAC valve sales, Arun Nair, Gulf Specification Manager, Conex Banninger - Gulf Business Unit, says that the total market for valves in the region, including industrial and oil and gas applications, is about USD 4 billion per year, while the building services market is about USD 1 billion, with HVAC applications accounting for about 40% of this. “In the UAE, a relatively mature market for District Cooling, we are seeing increasing demand for valves for individual CHW cooling towers in new projects, while retrofit projects in older buildings and existing District Cooling

plants are seeing slow but significant growth,” he adds.

While providing a breakdown of project types, Biren Patel, Head - MEA (Middle East, Asia & Australia) region, IMI Hydronic Engineering, says that about 80% of demand for valves for HVAC applications comes from new projects, and 20% of demand comes from buildingretrofit projects specifically aimed at enhancing cooling efficiency and energy performance.

Rennie Sequeira, General Manager, DC Serve, explains that with the increasing demand for villas, townhouses and low-cost housing, there has been a decline in use of larger valves in upcoming projects, except for larger infrastructure works, which are few. “Interestingly, with energy saving being the priority for most stakeholders, adoption of dynamic balancing valves for low-rise building and fit-out projects has picked up, which was not the case earlier,” Sequeira says. “Meanwhile, refurbishment and performance improvement of old standalone and District Cooling plants are also on the rise in the UAE. For example, we recently completed a major retrofit of the entire condenser network of an 8,000 RT cooling plant, including the replacement of at least 80 large-size isolation valves.”

In terms of GCC region countries that are driving the demand for District Cooling, post-pandemic, Saudi Arabia, with its large public projects, like townships, hospitals and others – like security and medical complexes – remains the top market, Nair explains.

Nair opines that what has furthered not just valve demand but also material innovation and design has been the continuing focus on making buildings more efficient. “Today, automatic control valves, when correctly installed, make the hydronics design more effective, improving cooling and water retention,” he says. “They also are capable of regulating spills by almost 25-30%, decreasing project energy bills and reducing carbon footprint.”

Valve manufacturers are also constantly pushing for cutting-edge technologies in the HVAC segment. They are today designed to be more compact and robust, with additional features such as remote monitoring, scalable IoT platforms, and actuators with Bluetooth interface. Sequeira says that these solutions are also collecting valuable data, making real-time decisions and improving performance and efficiencies.

Giving out the several benefits of smart control valves and why their demand is on the rise, Patel explains how IMI developed

smart balancing and control valves that offer measuring and connectivity capabilities to offer continuous measurement of key circuit parameters: Flow rate and DT. They power available smartphones and tablets, remotely offering transparent insights on how that part of the system is really operating. “Technologies like smart valves and automatic actuators fulfil measurement and energy monitoring requirements from green certification labels without the need to install additional components such as LEED, BREAM and HQE,” Patel says. “The features of our valves help in balancing and decrease energy consumption by 1020% while improving indoor comfort and optimising building performance.

The role of efficient valves in optimising building performance is being increasingly recognised by all stakeholders; however, efficient installation remains a concern. Sequeira thinks that any balancing and control valve that provides immediate and substantial system optimisation should be considered instead of a onesolution-fits-all approach. “Considering that variable flow systems are commonly used nowadays, maintaining constant differential pressure in various circuits of the cooling system is paramount in minimising pumping energy costs,” Sequeira says. “In this case, pressureindependent balancing and control valves can prevent coil overflows and ensure stable and accurate room temperature control even at part-load conditions.”

In chilled water systems, both individual and as a part of a District Cooling plant, the failure in efficiently handling, installing and commissioning hydronics systems, even with the best quality equipment, usually compromises the operations of valves and their controls. Sequeira explains: “There is discord in how handling, installation and commissioning of hydronics are performed. There is a need for proactive involvement from all suppliers and installers to ensure manufacturers’ installation guidelines are followed. In practice, even the most sophisticated controls will not always provide efficient control.” In addition to quality standardisation, if best industry practices are strictly followed and valves are handled effectively during installation, there is a strong possibility of longevity and a reduction in overall operating expenditures, he says.

Even as valves keep evolving, hydronic balancing cannot be completely overlooked. Indeed, common inefficiencies in the current hydronic balancing of HVAC systems can cause much energy wastage and would require a complete revamp to resolve the situation. Sequeira says: “MEP consultants need to enlist expert valves and hydronic partners to help automate, install and commission complete valve solutions. The ownership of carrying out hydronic balancing needs to be transferred to a prequalified hydronic specialist with in-depth knowledge of

HVAC controls and system integration with prior experience in system Delta T management.”

Inefficiencies in HVAC systems can cause almost 40% of excess energy usage in buildings, which calls for a hydronic balancing of dynamically changing systems to get more attention. These inefficiencies could translate to recurring unplanned plant shutdowns and lost productivity at District Cooling plants. “Today, technology has provided us with the advantage of deploying advanced balancing and measuring devices that record the measured data and can provide fool-proof commissioning and handing over the guidelines to the operators,” Sequeira says. “Beyond the installation and maintenance game, facility managers should be taken on board to witness the hydronic balancing, as they are the ones to implement any changes in the setpoints once the landlord occupies the facility.”

In Nair’s opinion, the market suffers from miscommunication among manufacturers, designers and installers, which results in inefficiencies and the need for addressing Low Delta T issues. Tackling Low Delta T Syndrome firstly requires efficient installation and then consistent monitoring. Concurring on the importance of quality of work in terms of installation and commissioning, Patel says, “There were several instances where we saw the valves were not pre-set –fully open or calibrated; too much force was used to install the valve, eventually

damaging it physically; and wrong adapters were used for actuators.” To address this, he says, IMI launched smart valves that are pre-calibrated to provide improved accuracy even at Low Delta T. So have many leading manufacturers in the sector.

There are no two ways about the benefits that smart valves and remote monitoring offer, hence there has been a quick adoption across the sector, but to achieve a good system Delta T and avoid Low Delta T syndrome, it is widely recommended to ensure proper selection, installation and commissioning of HVAC equipment, such as chillers, pumps, terminal unit coils, valves and controls. “In my experience, in District Cooling and hydronic balancing, I believe there is no particular valve – that is, PIBCV or energy valve – that can guarantee system Delta T on its own,” Sequeira clarifies. “Chilled water system performance and return water temperatures are affected by many other factors connected to the HVAC network.”

Citing DC Serve’s experience retrofitting a five-star hotel, Sequeira explains that such projects are really comprehensive. The five-star hotel project went through several phases, including analysing the cooling system, heat exchanger performance evaluation and rectification, optimisation of pumps operation, retrofitting the system with PIBCVs, retrocommissioning, rebalancing, redefining the control philosophy and all the way to reprogramming the existing BMS and integrating the ETS room with District Cooling PLC.

Despite the advancements in technology and material, the most important piece of the puzzle is

contractors, who often compromise on quality in the name of value engineering. Nair says: “Contractors, under the guise of value engineering, are trying to add even more inferior mass to the system, which means that the running costs will be very high in the long run, not to mention the maintenance costs. Settling for technically accepted but cheaper, low-quality valves may reduce your initial costs, but the total operational costs, over time, will be much higher.”

The current global and regional economic situation seem to be putting pressure on HVAC players to compromise on quality. This could mean being flexible on specifications and supplier lists and accepting cheaper options in the market. Needless to say, if stakeholders take such an approach, new-build projects will have to be retrofitted immediately after handover. This costs the builder more than he can potentially save. Patel stresses the need for knowledge-sharing from manufacturers to consultants, and to contractors. He says: “We expect reputable manufacturers to communicate their know-how to planners and builders and to prove the return on investment. Furthermore, a value-added solution approach would justify the choice of high-quality products that clearly offer lower operating costs and optimal energy savings. Overall, all stakeholders benefit both technically and commercially from this perspective.”

Meanwhile, Sequeira sheds light on another challenge that hinders bringing better quality products to the market: “Over time, developers and HVAC companies have developed a very good understanding of how to source equipment and valves at an affordable price that’s nowhere near what a

reputable manufacturer with their R&D, production costs, etc., could afford to sell at. This, coupled with mushrooming OEM manufacturers entering the region, hampering the market consideration for better quality valves, has made it challenging for many established manufacturers. I hope that at some point, consultants will insist on third-party testing and certification before accepting a low-quality, low-priced valve brand for a project.”

WHAT TO EXPECT

In the GCC region, Saudi Arabia will remain the top market for HVAC valves by demand, Nair says, adding that he is optimistic that it is going to grow further. The UAE, he says, is not too far behind with medium-size real estate projects; however, the country is witnessing many building efficiency management projects that are driving demand for valves. Looking optimistic about building efficiency projects, Sequeira says: “As a huge percentage of buildings in the region are getting older, there is an opportunity to save energy by retro-commissioning, operational optimisation, and retrofitting the system with smart balancing and control valves. Currently, we are working on operational malls and hotels, where investors have allocated a budget for audits and deep retrofits. Moving forward, we expect a lot more projects to be retrofitted with energy-efficient solutions and smart valves, in particular. Meanwhile, in Saudi Arabia, we see a huge demand for large-size static and dynamic valves for new District Cooling plants and buildings connected to District Cooling. However, unlike the UAE, demand for retrofitting is yet to gain impetus in other GCC region countries.”

‘Let’s reimagine’

The Eurovent Middle East 5 Years Anniversary Congress, in Dubai, becomes an occasion for collective expression of determination to iron out tough creases on the building industry landscape. Surendar Balakrishnan, Editor, Climate Control Middle East, has the story…

HALED KLALY, Montreal Protocol Regional coordinator, West Asia, could not have been blunter when he said the world is still heading for a temperature rise in excess of 3 degrees C this century, far beyond the Paris Agreement goals of well below 2 degrees C. It didn’t stop there – he spoke of how Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs), in the context of the Paris Agreement, are still woefully adequate, and of how the level of global ambitions, in relation to the Paris Agreement, must be three times what it is for a 2 degrees C pathway and five time what it is for a 1.5 degree C pathway.

Khaled Klaly was speaking on September 13 at the Eurovent Middle East 5 Years Anniversary Congress,

an event that saw speakers and delegates from Middle Eastern and international government agencies, multilateral implementation bodies and private-sector firms. The event was also the occasion for the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between Eurovent and the GCC Standardization Organization (GSO) to foster cooperation between the two organisations – an imperative need, amongst other measures, if Klaly’s stark statements were anything to go by.

Klaly pointed out to other shortfalls, including how the number of countries committing to a net-zero regime is not enough and how, given the fact that the equivalent of Paris is being added in floor space every five days, the world would be able to meet its sustainable

building targets only if it urgently and decisively adopts net-zero measures. He said that considering that cooling is the fastest growing use of energy in buildings and that it continues to drive peak electricity demand, especially in hot countries, the world is left with no choice but to invest in more efficient air conditioning systems to cut emission of greenhouse gases. In that context, he added, the role of RAC associations, which promote the use of climatefriendly air conditioning systems, is a vital one, indeed.

Markus Lattner, Managing Director, Eurovent Middle East, presenting later in the day, touched on the role of RAC associations whilst speaking broadly on energy efficiency in the Middle East. Lattner highlighted the technological

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progress in the industry, in the forms of variable-frequency drives and VRFs, amongst others. He also spoke of the firmer entrenchment of cooling based on seasonal demand, and of BMSes and smart controls, which allow cooling at almost half the energy cost than before. He pointed to the arrival of better technology for free cooling to meet the specific needs of the IT industry and the reality of CO2 systems being feasible for supermarket refrigeration in hot and humid climates. Lattner noted with satisfaction that regulatory frameworks are adjusting to market and environmental needs, highlighting SEER regulation, MEPS and the upcoming regulation in ventilation segment. And yet, he spoke of the long and arduous road ahead that needs to be traversed.

Speaking from an energy efficiency point of view, he said the problem has to do with consumers not buying the most efficient air conditioning systems.

The price paradox – CAPEX vs OPEX – exists, he said. From a total cost of ownership (TCO) point of view, though, he added, it is important to understand that “cheap is always more expensive”. The world is still beset with challenges, he said. The world needs to provide answers for how to improve design by 40%, installation by 15%, operation by +20% and maintenance by 25%. One possible answer, he said, would be to invest in education and training. That is why, he said, Eurovent Middle East is taking the initiative of setting up the HVACR Leadership Academy, expected to become functional in the next half year.

Speaking from an Indoor Air Quality (IAQ) perspective, Lattner said it is important to establish a mandatory

building inspection system. He added that Eurovent would offer a Position Paper on the subject, which would seek to answer questions relating to proper maintenance of HVACR systems, ensuring fresh air supply, the regular replacement of air filters, the refrigerants coursing through the air conditioning systems and the bacterial sampling of air ducts. He said it is important to conduct a proper assessment of maintenance and operation guidelines and of documentation procedures. All these, he added, are indispensable to providing better IAQ to the population, reducing respiratory illnesses, and easing allergies and other serious diseases.

Speaking on a broader range of solutions, Lattner spoke on regulatory development and improvements, building codes and the need to mandate qualification for certain critical operations relating to building performance. Perhaps the icing on the cake would be to establish an HVAC Ministry, he said. “We have Ministry of Health, Public Works and Infrastructure, which are all related,” he said. “But we need a more central organisation, so that we are working on a higher governmental level.”

Lattner also called for greater regional cooperation, considering that countries in the Middle East face similar conditions, which demands greater collaboration. Specifically, he pointed to the need for harmonisation of standards. “Eurovent Middle East has been founded to foster collaboration and cooperation, so work with us, so that no cooled air is lost,” he said.

Speaking prior to Lattner, Tariq Al Ghussein, President, Eurovent Middle East, had, as well, spoken on the need to curb power consumption through properly operating air conditioning systems. “Today, we can cool, ventilate or refrigerate any space,” he had said. “Lowering the impact that cooling has on warming the world is an important

role. How can we flatten the curve on energy demand?” A pertinent question that many sought to answer during the event through different expressions.

One of the highlights of the event – and one that could hold the answer for greater collaboration, as desired by Lattner, and for flattening the curve, as raised by Al Ghussein – was the signing of the MoU between Eurovent and (GSO). Eurovent characterised the signing as heralding a partnership

The more we pollute, the more we have to filter. With six stages of air filtration, who will listen, so let’s reduce pollution

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between the two organisations, expected to bring closer cooperation on standardisation and capacity building and to facilitate exchange of expertise between the two organisations. H.E. Saud Al-Khusaibi, President, GSO, and Raul Corredera Haener, President, Eurovent, the signatories of the MoU, spoke extensively on the implications of the document for the region. AlKhusaibi said: “There is an increasing recognition of the important role of the private sector in enhancing the standardisation activities contributing to economic growth and protecting the consumer, environment and public health. On the other hand, GSO has a central place in supporting efforts in fostering a regulatory environment that enables the private sector to flourish and fulfil its role as the main engine of growth.” Haener said: “The formalisation of our long-standing cooperation by this Memorandum of Understanding is the best evidence of our commitment to the Middle East. For more than five years, our chapter, Eurovent Middle East has been taking up the role of a stakeholder for the industry in the region, and with this MoU we now ensure that the combined expertise of the European industry is at disposal to the GSO.”

H.E. Al-Khusaibi used the occasion the event provided to elaborate on the work GSO is engaged in. He spoke of how GSO, in 2021, approved the Stakeholder Engagement Guide, to encourage participation in standards and to ensure fruitful contribution. “GSO has prepared necessary infrastructure and policies, and from this perspective,

GSO organises annual meetings to open discussion platform between regulators and economic participants, leading to establishing good regulation practices, which can only support GSO initiatives of integration and establish GCC common market, he said. “GSO, since its establishment in 2001, has helped the GCC region countries to achieve the objectives set for in the charter and GCC economic agreement by standardising activities and compliance with standard bodies in GCC region member states.”

Haener, speaking on stage after H.E. Al Khusaibi, and giving a Eurovent perspective, highlighted the increasing importance of ventilation and IAQ in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic. He said that energy efficiency and sustainable products have never been more important. “Energy use is more relevant than ever,” he said. “HVACR plays an essential role in tackling tomorrow’s challenges. We as an industry also require support for the widespread application of technology for supporting IAQ and energy efficiency.”

Dr Iyad Al-Attar, independent air filtration expert, spoke at length on IAQ. Presenting a granular scientific view of the health-related challenges confronting humanity, Dr Al-Attar said IAQ has been overlooked, ignored and misunderstood. Zeroing in on his area of speciality, he said filtration is the common denominator for any indoor space humanity find itself in, be it an airport, kindergarten or shopping mall.

Dr Al-Attar spoke of how, for many

years, air filtration has been demanding a seat on the HVAC table and yet has been denied the attention. In FM meetings, for instance, the priorities for discussion include energy, thermal comfort and cutting costs, he said wistfully.

He said the underlying reason for many respiratory-tract diseases is humanity’s tendency to excessively pollute the atmosphere. Pointing to how air pollution can mess with the DNA in humans, he said: “The more we pollute, the more we have to filter. With six stages of air filtration, who will listen, so let’s reduce pollution.”

That said, he highlighted how air filtration is an indispensable aspect in efforts taken to improve human health. That’s why the old school of FM of keeping things afloat deserve to be questioned, he said. Pointing to the malaise gripping building industry stakeholders, he said: “We have obstructed air quality enhancements, we have thwarted air filter upgrades, and we have embraced the theology of washable filters.”

He said it is high time building industry stakeholders agree to a regimen that includes quantifying pollutants, specifying filter requirements, employing appropriate filtration and seeking professional advice from filtration experts. “Let’s reimagine air quality,” he said. “We need to reject all maintenance tricks and short cuts.” All regional governments, he said, should facilitate proper maintenance, based on quantifying, reporting, regulating and rewarding.

PANEL DISCUSSION

Europe proposes adopting the EU model Middle East responds to the call

The Eurovent Middle East 5 Years Anniversary Congress hosted panel discussions on multiple topics. One of them focused on refrigerants and IAQ. Excerpts…

Moderator: Markus Lattner, Managing Director, Eurovent Middle East Participants: Dr Iyad Al-Attar, independent air filtration consultant Dani Elamana, Technical Director, Camfil Middle East Yaqoub Al-Matouq, National Ozone & Climate Change Committee, Environment Public Authority, Kuwait Srinivasan Rangan, Director of Marketing and Product Management, Rheem MEA

Francesco Scuderi, Secretary General, Eurovent

Francesco Scuderi: What we have done in EU is better than the Montreal Protocol. There is no reason why EU model cannot be applied in the GCC region. It is sustainable, and GCC should follow the same path as F-Gas.

Markus Lattner: Yaqoub, your thoughts?

Yaqoub Al-Matouq: I was listening very carefully to Scuderi (a presentation made prior to the panel discussion). That the GCC should follow the EU model. In 2016, Kuwait and Bahrain, we copied the EU model, and within the same frame EU does, this region cannot follow. You have to separate equipment and technology. You have everything, you can do it.

Under the Montreal Protocol, 10

countries get exemption from cutting the gases. Of the 148 countries that could support us with AC technologies, we visit Japan and China, and we visit Europe. Could you supply 55 degrees C? No, only 48 degrees C. So, we have to go beyond. And in the refrigeration sector, everything has been changed to hydrocarbons. We have to be very careful in our approach, because the culture of people of the GCC is different. When it comes to AC, nobody will use this technology if it is not safe and comfortable. It has to be safe, economical and with good aftersales support. As for F-Gas, EU has reviewed it twice, and they updated. We are ready, whenever the technology is there.

Lattner: Rangan, could you give us a manufacturers’ perspective?

Rangan: We have to see how the refrigerant is performing in high-ambient conditions? We have to rate products in the GCC region up to 52, up to 55 degrees C. We have to ask ourselves: What goals are we trying to achieve? Are we trying to aim for 150 GWP? That would give a clear pathway. And then, is there availability of key components and compressors? We have to ensure the full supply chain is there, because it is about continuity of sales. Then, we would look at the quality of refrigerants: flammability, toxicity, system pressure. We have R32 and R454B, which are perhaps potential drop-in refrigerants to replace 410a. Now, R454 has much lower GWP than 410, so there is a good refrigerant replacement available.

Then, we have to look at compliance codes that we have and at ASHRAE and AHRI. Then, we have to look at

training the operators, subsequent maintenance and at the logistics of storing the refrigerants and, then, recycling them. So, the industry is not only about manufacturers but is also about component suppliers and users, and it is a journey that we all have to take together.

Lattner: Yaqoub, is that clear indication we need to invest more in capability building?

Al-Matouq: It is about the economy of the country. Engineering is there, but affordability? Do all of you think the GCC is the most important region for AC supply? Just imagine, by July 2019, the total Middle East consumed 11 million units. The local market in China consumed 181 million. So, we are not priority for any manufacturers. When you use a technological and political mechanism and change from R22 to R410a, we changed in 2007; and in 2009, we have to stop R410a. Huh? That is the reality.

As for climate change, what is the percentage of AC contribution to climate change? Two per cent. What about the focus on the rest? Could you drive a car in the GCC without AC. So, AC is a necessity for us. So, as end-users, the element of thinking is that we don’t want GWP and climate change, we want comfort. What we say is, let’s cooperate and keep an open mind. We have meetings, etc. Whatever initiative you have, we will do it. Iyad says air filtration, I am supporting air filtration, because if it is clean, it will save energy.

Scuderi: What Yaqoub is expressing is lack of components and skills. We had

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same problems, earlier, of not having components, and that is why we have Eurovent Middle East to support the region. We can make use of Europe and work together jointly.

Lattner: Eurovent Middle East is one of the supporting bodies to make Middle East one of the partners in the global table. Dr Iyad, you spoke of air filtration. You asked during your presentation, “When was the last time we told the public about IAQ?’ How can we increase awareness? Why does it need a pandemic that we are talking of it now?”

Dr Iyad Al-Attar: I agree with Yaqoub. Let’s go back to the basics. Every time IAQ initiatives have been put on the table, most of us leave the conversation than lead. As for the topic of pandemic, we rendered our cities smart but unfit to occupy. So, did we not do our air filtration homework? Mr FM, is this what you are asking us to have? Why can’t we have enough filtration budget allocated from the start? If you give me two choices, I would go with thermal comfort, but I will not accept silica dust and hydrogen sulphide, etc. So, let’s quantify, measure and report and take IAQ to the next level. Pre-COVID, people said, ‘I don’t have budget’, but sorry, pandemic had health and economic disruption.

Lattner: Dani, is the HVAC industry invisible to the general public? How can we make it more visible? Dani Elamana: I have been in the industry for 10 years, and people listen to you, and then, it is the same old story after the meeting. The general awareness of maintaining filters is, unfortunately, not there. There are lot of unconventional practices in the GCC region, of washing the filters and drying them. We can have good specs, but then to maintain air filters and implement them is what I see as a challenge.

Al-Matouq: Do you think any of the end users would reject if we put the best of

filters forward? Ask the manufacturers what filters they put. If you put good quality filters and increase the price, I may not take it. The industry can change that thinking. If a mobile phone, if they put two cameras now, I will buy it. Does my industry have a filter? Where is it?

Rangan: We have to take the best from various industries. If mandated in Europe or the United States, then everybody falls in line, so that is key influence. Secondly, from suppliers themselves, they have to differentiate, but offer better energy efficiency product. There is very important part of commercial liability: If we connect the dots, we have CFCs, HCFCs and HFCs, the economies of producing those products. If whole world is going towards R454, be it China or the United States, etc., GCC is much small scale, and the transition will happen sooner, as we come closer to 2028. It will happen. So, if you buy now, you have lifetime of 10-15 years. But if we move closer to the Kigali date, the transition will happen. But, can we expedite faster than the set dates? That is the key question.

Lattner: It is about qualifying people. How can we mandate certain qualifications before we let people handle things, be they refrigerants or air filters?

Dr Al-Attar: We have been doing the same thing over and over and expecting different results. These people should be very well paid. Secondly, it is about creating value. When you buy a car, you ask everything but never about the tyres. It is the same about the HVAC system. You don’t ask about air filters. If someone says, I have aerosol reports and my areas suffers from PM1, etc., so I want to facilitate change, retrofit, then yes. In universities, they should provide R&D, and Camfil are doing a lot of good research, but what is the point if the specification of filter and price needs to be resolved? We need to close the gap. This MoU you signed today has to be about reimagining the HVAC system. I don’t want to go back to lockdown, and I want to do everything to make a difference.

• Lattner: Is the industry investing in R&D?

• Elamana: Air pollution kills seven million people every year. In COVID, in two years, six million people died, and yet we are reluctant to address air pollution. I have been getting enquiries to instal HEPA in FCUs during COVID.

My point of view is that I would like everyone to understand that we need government bodies to bring regulation, etc. And only then will we achieve our goal. Whatever we are doing right now will have implication in the next generation.

Observations,

In Europe, it is not possible to sell any system without a heat recovery system. We have lot of possibilities to make difference. Lifecycle cost is main focus, and we started in 2016, improved in 2018, we now sell only with heat recovery.

– Thomas Richter, Chairman, Eurovent Product Group for Energy Recovery

EPBD (Energy Performance of Buildings Directive) is a good example. Europe got earlier in energy efficiency implementation than the Middle East. In Europe, we had energy crisis in the 1980s, hence the energy focus. We can transfer some of that knowledge, and EPBD is one of the ways.

The GCC region might consider aiming at the current EU F-Gas approach. F-Gas has already paid back in terms of HFC reduction. It is sustainable, it can be done.

– Francesco Scuderi, Secretary General, Eurovent Ensure fair competition. It is about having a level playing field that everybody offers similar specs to customers.

– Basem Salameh, Senior Technical Regulation Specialist, GCC Standardization Organization (on market surveillance)

Self-declaration offers the worst confidence level, and the minimum of protection.

– Sylvain Courtey, President, Eurovent Certita Certification

Regulators are trying to improve energy efficiency, and they establish MEPS, which is very good, but if you do not have surveillance programme, then regulation is only ink on paper. We can give examples in the US, when they started in the 1970s. The government did surveillance, and they discovered it is not their cup of tea, and so they gave to a third party. Sixty-five per cent of products they tested were not in compliance. So, the solution is definitely working with a third party. Government cannot be expert in everything – VRFs, chillers, etc.

We offer robust testing. This comes from support of lot of documentation we have and audits we do. The International Confederation of Inspections were comparing self-declaration and thirdparty certification. Forty per cent were faulty, and 75% dangerously faulty with self-declaration.

Harmonising the standards is one step towards having good market surveillance.

– Basem Salameh, Senior Technical Regulation Specialist, GCC Standardization Organization

Ensuring processes are put in place is important for market surveillance. We should leverage technology, real-timebasis market surveillance should be done. It is not just the product that fails but the whole infrastructure behind the products that is hassled. So, there is bigger responsibility for all stakeholders.

– Srinivasan Rangan, Director of Marketing and Product Management, Rheem MEA

to emerge from the Congress… VOICES

We need to believe in independent labs. At times, we don’t have capacity for larger units, and we have to rely on others. So yes, we will try to introduce more labs in the future to be close to the market, especially in the Middle East. Independent laboratories have value in the process to ensure trust level, and that manufacturers also believe in that. It is a neutral body to perform the tests.

– Sylvain Courtey, President, Eurovent Certita Certification

We are leading by example as a government entity. We have building-retrofit pilot projects, and we did several ECMs, and we are saving 30-35% electricity. We want to review, enhance MEPS enforcement.

– Carlos Amaya, Abu Dhabi Department of Energy

Seventy per cent of all buildings in operation today were built before the current energy codes, and only a few have been upgraded. Forty-five per cent of all GHGs in our cities comes from buildings. On average, 50% of a building’s operational carbon footprint is from heating and cooling systems. But if we tear down the building and build new, it typically takes 30 years to pay back the carbon debt from construction to a net-zero building.

– Frank Taaning Grundholm, Vice President, Global HVACR Sales, ABB

If someone else pays the bills, FMs do not need to invest in energy savings. Property owners are motivated by tenant retention and lease renewal, not by energy savings. Most sustainable solutions often have a higher upfront investment, so incentives are needed. We really need to look at TCO.

– Frank Taaning Grundholm, Vice President, Global HVACR Sales, ABB

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We need to see how we can legislatively manage the challenge and how we incentivise contractors to do the right thing.

Energy and IAQ labelling of all buildings:

If there is no visibility of energy or IAQ performance, then we need that and then tenants will start asking we want good IAQ.

– Frank Taaning Grundholm, Vice President, Global HVACR Sales, ABB

The level of inefficiency is high, so savings are high. Usually, the payback is around two years or less. For us, the point is to aggregate as many items as we can in one single retrofit project. Ours is a continuous journey to take one kilowatt hour out of the equation in every building. So, we need to remember that it is not one atomic action but continuous journey.

– Henrique Pereira, Chief Executive Office, Taka Solutions

I wish for energy efficiency not to be an option but something that is mandatory that everybody needs to abide by. We should not allow any Existing Building not to undergo feasibility for retrofit. And if the need is there, it should be mandated to undertake in a specified period of time. It is a positive for building owners, because it will improve their building performance, it is a positive for industry and a positive for country.

– Henrique Pereira, Chief Executive Office, Taka Solutions

Ras Al Khaimah Ruler H.H. Sheikh Saud bin Saqr Al Qasimi opens the inaugural RAK Energy Summit

The two-day event brings together high-profile attendees from the UAE and around the world

NDER the patronage and in the presence of H.H. Sheikh Saud bin Saqr Al Qasimi, UAE Supreme Council Member and Ruler of Ras Al Khaimah, the inaugural RAK Energy Summit took place on October 4 and 5 at Al Hamra International Exhibition & Conference Center in Ras Al Khaimah, with high-profile attendees from theUAE and around the world.

H.H. Sheikh Saud bin Saqr Al Qasimi opened the Summit with a keynote speech. “I am happy to inaugurate the first RAK Energy Summit, which serves as a platform to shape our thinking and steer dialogue in terms of the global approach to climate change and the future of the energy sector,” His Highness said. “The Emirate of Ras Al Khaimah is an active and influential partner in the UAE’s energy plans and our vision, through the Energy Efficiency and Renewables Strategy 2040, is to support national as well as global efforts to find

innovative, high-tech solutions to the most pressing of challenges. Sustainability, preserving the environment, and making meaningful contributions to combat climate change are the essence of Ras Al Khaimah’s approach to comprehensive development.”

Speaking after him, H.E. Sharif Al Olama, Undersecretary for Energy and Petroleum Affairs, said in a speech delivered on behalf of H.E. Suhail bin Mohammed Al Mazrouei, Minister of Energy and Infrastructure: “The UAE is one of the leading countries in developing the clean energy sector and a pioneer of modern methods to enhance the efficiency of the energy sector. Climate action in the UAE is based on three main axes: finance, technology and the environment. Hosting COP 28 represents an important and defining moment in the UAE’s climate diplomacy, by organizing a comprehensive and exceptional conference that can fully mobilize for

international climate action.”

Earlier, H.E. Munther Mohammed bin Shekar, Director General of Ras Al Khaimah Municipality, the host of the Summit, in his Welcome Address, said: “We envision a Ras Al Khaimah where suppliers of efficient products and services find consumers looking to benefit from energy efficiency, where our youth develops and executes innovative solutions and where society is aware of its sustainability responsibilities. We have taken some important steps towards this in the Summit, including the launch of our home energy services, the launch of an industrial energy audit initiative, and the launch of the SME edition of RAK Energy Innovation Competition, along with several other program announcements. We are grateful to our leadership, sponsors, partners and guests for making this first day a success.”

A highlight of the first day was the presentation of the UAE Energy

Management Leadership Awards for 2022 by the UAE Ministry of Energy and Infrastructure. Ras Al Khaimah Municipality received top honours, whereas ADNOC Onshore and ADNOC Offshore were awarded second and third places, respectively. The award is based on an assessment conducted by the UAE Ministry of Energy and Infrastructure and the Clean Energy Ministerial (CEM) and recognises implementation of best practices in energy management.

Held under the theme, “Creating and contributing to the energy efficiency and renewable energy goals of the future”, the Summit supported the RAK Energy

“We are pleased to be a part of this event that brings together leaders from government and companies to discuss energy efficiency and renewable energy as a driver for the competitiveness and sustainability of Ras Al Khaimah’s economy,” said Franco Atassi, CEO, Siemens Smart Infrastructure in the Middle East. “Siemens is committed to developing technology that intelligently connects energy systems, buildings and industries, enhances the way we live and work, and protects our planet.”

Venkat Raman, M.D., Luceco Middle East, another participating company, said: “Luceco Group has adopted the

The two-day summit was supported by the UAE Ministry of Energy and Infrastructure, the UAE Ministry of Climate Change and Environment, the International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA), the United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO), Masdar and more than 10 government entities in Ras Al Khaimah.

Other key dignitaries and speakers at the opening day of the summit included H.E. Yousif Ahmed Al Ali, Assistant Undersecretary for Water, Electricity & Future Energy Affairs, UAE Ministry of Energy and

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KPMG Report: Riyadh real estate show positive growth in H1 2022

“Riyadh Real Estate Market Overview” – covering residential, retail, office and hospitality – highlights indicative investment opportunities, market trends for H1 2022

PMG released its first ever interactive and advanced “Riyadh Real Estate Market Overview”, highlighting the indicative investment opportunities, market trends and market performance for the first half of 2022, covering four core real estate sectors: residential, retail, office and hospitality.

Making the announcement through a Press release, KPMG said the overview comes in an insightful, easy to navigate and interactive dashboard, which allows sorting in three dimensions by selecting sectors, sub-sectors and zones of the capital city of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. Users can select multiple sub-sectors and zones to witness a customised result in terms of market performance and indicative investment opportunities, KPMG said. Furthermore, the dashboard illustrates indicative locations that can be considered for future developments in the respective sector and sub-sector, it added.

KPMG said it found that demand for housing units, particularly in the affordable segment, is continuously increasing, despite the recent slowdown – mainly driven by a large and growing population, coupled with growing urbanisation, declining household size and government measures. In line with Saudi Vision 2030, the government is continuously working on the provision of affordable housing units for Saudi nationals to increase home ownership, which stands at just above

62%, as per the latest published statistics, KPMG said.

“The residential market remained resilient during the pandemic, which can be attributed to strong demand fundamentals and has witnessed a positive trend in KPIs in the first of 2022,” said Rani Majzoub, Head of Real Estate Advisory, KPMG Professional Services. He observed that the demand for apartments and/or smaller units is soaring at a relatively higher pace, mainly due to affordability, an influx of expatriates and increasing market acceptance for these types of units, particularly among Saudi households.

As the largest market in the GCC region – and characterised by a strong consumer base with high disposable income – Saudi Arabia’s retail market has managed to bounce back from the effects of the pandemic, KPMG said. Retail sales are expected to grow at a CAGR of approximately five per cent between 2022 and 2025, which is likely to have a positive impact on the intake of retail space in the Kingdom, KPMG said.

After witnessing a subdued performance in 2020-21 due to the pandemic, the retail market has shown signs of stability in the first half of 2022, KPMG said. However, it will take some time to be back on the growing pace mainly due to increasing competitiveness in the market, which is exerting pressure on rental rates, KPMG said.

“Mixing up retail with other complementing real estate components, such as entertainment, hotel, office or residential could be a commendable idea to generate a certain footfall,” Majzoub said. “As Riyadh is positioning itself as a prime tourism destination, an influx of inbound and domestic tourists can be expected. Hence, future developments should focus on the needs of both residents and tourists.”

According to KPMG, Riyadh’s hospitality sector continues to show signs of improvement owing to a robust increase in demand generated by tourists during post-COVID recovery period. Despite the dwindling performance in 2020 and 2021 due to the closure of borders and tourist attractions, the market is witnessing an upsurge in occupancy rates, KPMG said. The long-term market outlook is likely to be positive, backed by the government’s initiatives to increase the industry’s contribution to the economy, KPMG added.

KPMG said it expects healthy performance of budget hotels – three star and four star – in the upcoming years, owing to the current market dynamics. Hence, it added, it is an investment opportunity that can be explored further with gradual recovery and an expected increase in the number of tourists.

According to KPMG, Riyadh, as the capital and commercial hub, benefits from overall commercial activities in the region. The primary demand drivers, including macro-economic indicators, population and workforce, are expected to remain affirmative, hence a positive outlook for office space demand is anticipated, it said.

According to KPMG, contrary to its historical performance, the Riyadh office market has witnessed a healthy upsurge of in the rental rates of both Grade A and Grade B segments in the first half of 2022. The market is anticipated to witness the same positive trend, particularly in the Grade A segment, during the medium term, as international companies working in Saudi Arabia would move their headquarters in the Kingdom by 2024 under Regional Headquarters Program (RHQ), hence additional uptake of office space is foreseen, KPMG said.

“The ongoing economic recovery, coupled with improving demand drivers of various sectors,” Majzoub said, “is likely to have a positive impact on the overall real estate market of the capital city.”

GSO, Eurovent sign MoU

HE Gulf Standardization Organization (GSO) and Eurovent signed a Memorandum of Understanding during the Five Years Anniversary Congress of Eurovent’s Middle East chapter, on September 13 and 14 in Dubai. The partnership will bring closer cooperation on standardisation and capacity building and facilitate exchange of expertise between the two organisations, Eurovent said.

H.E. Saud Al-Khusaibi, President, GSO, emphasised the importance of the GSO-Eurovent partnership. “There is an increasing recognition of the important role of the private sector in enhancing the standardisation activities contributing to economic growth and protecting the consumer, environment and public health,” he said. “On the other hand, GSO has a central place in supporting efforts in fostering a regulatory environment that enables the private sector to flourish and fulfil its role as the main engine of growth.”

Al-Khusaibi congratulated both organisations on this great achievement towards enhancing their communication, cooperation and joint efforts for building a long-term and strategic partnership. He added that signing the MoU with Eurovent would mark and draw fruitful collaboration and mutual understanding

that would result in strengthening cooperation between the two sides in the areas of standards, technical regulations, capacity-building programmes, mutual recognition, and exchange of information and experts, towards supporting and enhancing regional and international standardisation for a better life.

Raul Corredera Haener, President, Eurovent, highlighting the importance of the MoU, said: “The formalisation of our long-standing cooperation by this Memorandum of Understanding is the best evidence of our commitment to the Middle East. For more than five years, our chapter, Eurovent Middle East has been taking up the role of a stakeholder for the industry in the region, and with this MoU we now ensure that the combined expertise of the European industry is at disposal to the GSO.”

Tariq Al Ghussein, President, Eurovent Middle East, said: “We express our sincerest gratitude to H.E. Mr Saud Al-Khusaibi and his team from the Gulf Standardization Organization for the partnership and cooperation over the past years and their commitment to further strengthen the fruitful exchange on standardisation issues for the region. The MoU is a great recognition for our work and a wonderful gift for our five years anniversary.”

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The partnership intends to enhance cooperation on standardisation and capacity building, Eurovent says

Central Ventilation Systems, Novenco sign partnership

AE-HEADQUARTERED Central Ventilation Systems (CVS) and Novenco Building & Industry A/S have signed a partnership, whereby CVS will exclusively distribute Novenco’s complete range of fire-rated fans and air movers in the GCC region.

Making the announcement through a Press release, CVS said Karim Badruddin, Managing Director, CVS, and Ewout Van Lambaart, Sales Manager, Novenco, signed the official agreement at CVS’ headquarters, in Sharjah. Bo Nielson, Partner Manager, Novenco; Mehwish Hilal, Regional Director, CVS; Noman Qamar, Technical Director, CVS and Atam Hayat, Senior Manager - Sales & Business Development, CVS, attended the signing ceremony.

Speaking on the occasion, Von Lambaart said: “I am very pleased to welcome Central Ventilation Systems Co. L.L.C. to our continuously expanding network of global distributors and look

very much forward to our collaboration. UAE market has matured and is now ready to execute on sustainability. The energy and passion that these guys bring to the partnership will definitely secure many exciting project references in near future. The team from Central Ventilation Systems is highly dedicated, professional and, foremost, loyal, respectful and transparent, which is exactly the right foundation for a ‘Novenco’ distributor partnership. We can´t wait to launch this new companionship and will do our very best to support them in all aspects of “the game”, because the “game is now on” in UAE.”

Badruddin said: “We are extremely happy to collaborate with Novenco to jointly cater to the needs of the market through Novenco’s extensive range of futuristic air movement solutions to the customers.”

Hilal said: “CVS is ever proud to be partnering with Novenco, who

have done many landmark projects of the world, including supply of the basement and carpark fans of the Burj Khalifa. The distributorship agreement will enable CVS to provide premium air movement solutions for our customers for more such momentous projects.

Qamar said: “We are excited to partner with Novenco fans. It is a strategic move through which we now have completed our Passive Fire Protection system range by adding the fire-rated fans from Novenco. We are now able to propose solutions for different applications, such as corridor smoke extraction, staircase pressurisation, carpark ventilation and tunnel ventilation, etc.”

Hayat said: “CVS’ partnership with Novenco will allow us to offer the most efficient, innovative and sustainable air movement solutions to the customers. Backed by continuous ‘Novenco’ support with 75 years’ experience in the ventilation industry, we ensure that Central Ventilation Systems will meet customer demands on

all residential, commercial and industrial projects with most efficient (92%) and sustainable solution, which will also be in line with Emirates sustainability agenda.

“The Partnership with Novenco was finalised after scrutinising several fan brands across the globe who were all

offering similar solutions, until we were convinced with Novenco air movement products’ for having exceptional proposition in terms of patented design, efficiency and sustainability aspects.

We look forward to replicating the success story we had in our Passive Fire

Protection solutions arena for Novenco air movement product segment, as well. The agreement will enhance CVS’ ability to meet the growing requirements of the HVAC industry while offering seamless one-stop-shop solution to our customers.”

FOUNDED TO LEAD

Allied has grown into one of the leading Engineering and Project Management firms in the Middle East, boasting offices in 3 major Countries in the Middle East (Egypt, United Arab Emirates, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia).

Allied offers full range of Engineering and Project Management services provided by nearly 140 dedicated professionals distributed among Egypt, UAE and KSA.

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

ASHRAE, Grundfos host seminar on distributed pumping in CHW systems

New ASHRAE Falcon Chapter board members announced

HE ASHRAE Falcon Chapter partnered with Grundfos to host a seminar on distributed pumping in chilled water systems, with the purpose of evaluating the system’s energy efficiency and self-balancing capabilities. “The use of distributed pumping in chilled water systems bifurcates the primary and secondary circuits, reducing the load on the main pump,” said Gururaja Rao Ganga Prasad, Director - Regional Sales Development, Commercial Building Services, IMEA (India, Middle East & Africa), Grundfos, by way of introducing the topic. “Having individual pumps for each network taking a partial load, brings in a paradigm shift in energy conservation.”

Rohit Tiwari, Design Manager, Grundfos, said that although it is not a universal solution, the distributed pumping system could achieve more than 28% energy savings in a year. He said he believes the system solves one of the biggest challenges of District Cooling –hydraulic balancing – as it is self-balancing and eliminates the need for many control valves.

Many in the audience questioned the capital cost, maintenance costs involved and the additional wattage energy to run multiple pumps. Responding to the questions, Ganga Prasad said there is ongoing research into the feasibility of the system. Srinivasa Rajkumar, Head of Marketing - IMEA, Grundfos, added that the use of the pumps has already resulted in significant energy savings in past projects.

Tiwari said the distributed pump solution replaces conventional balancing and control valves with smart pumps. This, he added, can improve Delta T and reduce the energy consumption of pumps in commercial buildings.

Speaking on the occasion of the seminar – and broadly about ASHRAE’s contribution to the industry, in terms of organising technical seminars to effectively train industry professionals to adopt

the latest trends and developments, as per local HVAC Industry requirements – Moiz Ashraf, President, ASHRAE Falcon Chapter, said, “We will continue to hold such technical events focusing on sustainability, energy efficiency and innovative technologies through ASHRAE’s platform and invite all stakeholders in the HVAC industry to collaborate with us.”

Mohamad Sakallah, Chair, Technology Transfer Committee, who is in charge of technical events, added, “It was a great opportunity organizing this seminar with GRUNDFOS, as we aim to keep the engineering society up to date with the latest HVAC&R technology events under ASHRAE to participate in.”

Atam Hayat, Chair, Refrigeration Committee, said, “ASHRAE technical seminars train HVAC professionals to adopt, and adapt to, the latest innovations in the HVAC industry, enabling them to provide more efficient and quality products and services to end users.”

The event also saw the oath-taking ceremony of the new ASHRAE Falcon Chapter board. According to ASHRAE, the elected officers are:

• Chapter President: Moiz Ashraf, AIRFLOW Middle East

• Chapter President-Elect: Amr Adel, Siemens

• Vice President: Liju Thomas, LAADS CONTRACTING LLC

• Secretary: Menna Ahmed, Mechanical Engineer

• Treasurer: Mohammed Altayeb Ibrahim, DC Pro Engineering

• BOG Member: Ahmed Alaa El Din, Gate Holding Group

• Chapter Vice President: Osama Khayata, Masterise Homes

• Chapter Vice President: Hassan Younes, GRFN

• Chair, Technology Transfer Committee: Mohamed Sakallah

• Chair, Government Affairs Committee: Abdelmoneim Eid Mohammed, UAE Ministry of Energy and Infrastructure

• Chair, Research Promotion Committee: Abdallah Mahmoud, Siemens

• Chair, Refrigeration Committee: Atam Hayat, CVS

• Chair, Membership Promotion Committee: Mohamed Daoud

• Chair, Young Engineers Association (YEA): Mohammed Murtaza

• Chair, Communication Committee: Mehiar Asfari

• Chair, Student Activities: Sampath Salins

Johnson Controls wins Emirates Energy Award 2022

Company says it received the honour for achieving guaranteed savings of 11.9 GWh for Dubai Airports

OHNSON Controls (JCI) said it has been recognised at the 4th Emirates Energy Award 2022 for achieving significant energy savings for Dubai Airports.

Organised under the patronage of His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, the Emirates Energy Award (EEA) is a regional prize that is awarded to encourage the rationalised use of energy and resources, JCI said through a Press release. The award aims to highlight the best practices and pioneering work in energy efficiency, alternative energy, sustainability and protecting the environment, the company added.

“We are honored to receive the 4th Emirates Energy Award 2022 from the Dubai Supreme Council of Energy,” said Mohammad Khalid, Vice President and General Manager, JCI, Middle East and Africa. “Johnson Controls has always been committed to sustainability, which is in line with the Dubai Clean Energy Strategic vision to transform the Emirate into a global clean energy center by 2050. This prestigious award is a testament to our contribution towards the region’s netzero goals and recognizes our leadership in providing our customers with clean and efficient digital technologies.”

JCI said it carried out an in-depth energy audit and analysis in selected areas of operation in Central Utility Complexes at Dubai Airports. The audit

resulted in an energy performance contract involving retrofitting the chillers with Medium Voltage variable-speed drives to boost chiller efficiency, the company said. Furthermore, it included retrofit on the auxiliary equipment, the company said. In addition, the project involved installing a customised chiller plant manager application to operate the chiller plant at better efficiencies based on the dynamic airport operations, it added.

According to JCI, the baseline energy consumption of the plant at Dubai Airports was close to 40.989 GWh per annum. The guaranteed savings achieved was 11.9 GWh, which will help reduce the annual CO2 footprint by 5,240 tons, JCI said.

Omar Bin Adai, Senior Vice President of Engineering Services, Dubai Airports,

said: “We congratulate Johnson Controls on receiving this prestigious and welldeserved award. While Dubai Airports has always been deeply involved in energy management and efforts to reduce carbon footprint, we appreciate Johnson Controls’ expertise and role in implementing this energy conservation measure towards achieving Dubai’s and UAE’s clean energy goals.”

Ahmad Abuothman, General Manager, Building Technologies GCC, JCI, said: “We would like to extend our appreciation to Dubai Airports for choosing us for this project. We are glad that our relentless efforts in energy efficiency have led us to be acknowledged with such a significant award. This honor motivates us to continue on our mission as we lead the change towards a green economy.”

Johnson Controls signs energy performance contract with Etihad ESCO

Company says it will be deploying energy-saving measures across Dubai Municipality facilities, which will offer an estimated annual savings worth 16.6 million kWh in electricity consumption and 9.3 million gallons in water consumption

OHNSON Controls (JCI) signed a strategic agreement with Etihad ESCO to deploy various energy-saving measures across Dubai Municipality facilities in the Emirate of Dubai. Etihad ESCO is Dubai’s Super ESCO, tasked to develop and implement energy efficiency and solar projects.

Making the announcement through a Press release, JCI said the energy performance contract project will offer Dubai Municipality an estimated annual savings of 16.6 million kWh in electricity consumption and 9.3 million gallons in water consumption. Moreover, it will contribute to the Dubai Demand Side Management Strategy (DSM), developed by the Dubai Supreme Council of Energy (DSCE), to make the Emirate of Dubai a leader in sustainability with an ambitious target of 30% reduction in electricity and water consumption by 2030, JCI said.

Mohammad Khalid, Vice President

& General Manager, JCI, Middle East and Africa; Ahmad Abuothman, General Manager, Building Technologies GCC, JCI, Middle East and Africa; and Dr Waleed Alnuaimi, Acting CEO, Etihad ESCO, were the signatories of the agreement, JCI said, adding that the signing ceremony took place on the sidelines of WETEX 2022 at the Dubai World Trade Centre.

Khalid said: “Johnson Controls and Etihad ESCO share common objectives for energy efficiency. We are excited to support this ambitious project to reduce carbon emissions in the UAE leveraging our extensive experience in digital solutions. We are confident our combined expertise with Etihad ESCO will yield positive results in enabling Dubai Municipality to efficiently achieve its energy savings targets.”

Alnuaimi said: “Etihad ESCO is committed to serve the strategic goal of the UAE in pursuing a green

economy for sustainable development by making Dubai a global model of green economy transition through leadership, partnership and adoption of energy efficiency technologies. Our collaboration with Johnson Controls reflects the importance of our continuous strive to remain committed to executing solutions that meet market demands and drive sustainability goals.”

Abuothman said: “It is an honor to join hands with Etihad ESCO on this ambitious project. Johnson Controls has always been at the forefront of bringing low-carbon technologies to the market in energy-intensive industries, and we aim to reduce around 7,304 tons of CO2 annually as part of this project for Dubai Municipality. Etihad ESCO’s trust in Johnson Controls is a testimony of our proficiency, and we will remain committed to driving comprehensive decarbonisation with our suite of best-in-class solutions.”

Condair launches JetSpray Compact

ONDAIR has launched the JetSpray Compact, which the company described as a new low-capacity direct room spray humidifier, which uses compressed air to create very fine aerosols from two nozzles, which can deliver up to 30 kilograms of humidity every hour to a room’s atmosphere.

Making the announcement through a Press release, Condair said the wallmounted system is ideal for use in industries such as printing, textile and food production, where a local process or small room might need accurate and reliable low-energy humidification. To provide 30 kilograms of humidification, an electric steam humidifier would consume

around 22kW, whereas the JetSpray Compact would only need around 2.5kW, Condair claimed, adding that this equates to approximately 90% less electrical consumption.

According to Condair, spray humidifiers also offer the additional benefit of evaporative cooling. When a coldwater humidifier introduces 30 kilograms of moisture to an atmosphere, around 20kW of cooling is generated. For any process that benefits from additional cooling, this could significantly reduce air conditioning costs, or simply make a warm environment much more pleasant, the company said.

The JetSpray Compact can operate on mains or RO water and will control an environment to around +/-4%RH, Condair

said. It incorporates automated flush and drain cycles to combat microbial growth and ensure hygienic humidification, the company said, adding that an optional PureFlo antimicrobial water filter is also available to treat the incoming water supply.

According to Condair, the humidifier is supplied fully assembled and just needs to be wall-mounted, then connected to power, water and drain. As no installation of additional nozzles or associated pipework is required, it is a very easy system to install, the company added.

User control is through a remotely located humidistat with a digital display, Condair said, adding that the user can set the desired humidity level, and the humidistat will monitor the atmosphere and control the output of the humidifier, accordingly.

New low-capacity direct room spray humidifier uses compressed air to create very fine aerosols from two nozzles, which can deliver up to 30 kilograms of humidity every hour to a room’s atmosphere, company says

Thailand Deputy PM opens Bangkok

RHVAC 2022, Bangkok E&E 2022

Events attract numerous overseas buyers, with over 8,500 million Baht sales in the first three days, organisers say

.E. JURIN LAKSANAWISIT,

Deputy Prime Minister of Thailand and Minister of Commerce, presided over the “Thai Industry’s Export Achievement Ceremony” to announce the achievement of Thailand’s air conditioning, refrigeration, electric and electronics industries at Bangkok RHVAC 2022 and Bangkok E&E 2022, at the area in front of Hall 103, BITEC, Bangkok, the organisers said through a Press release.

H.E. Laksanawisit revealed that the air conditioning and refrigeration as well as the electric and electronics industries are significant to Thailand’s economy, as they generate more than 640,000 local jobs and average annual export incomes of over two trillion baht. In the first seven months of 2022, the export value of electric and electronics products reached 1.4 trillion baht.

Thailand is one of the world’s most important production bases of electric and electronics products, ranked the second largest exporter of air conditioners and

the sixth largest exporter of refrigerators, chillers and cooling system, H.E. Laksanawisit said. This is due to the fact that Thai manufacturers have strength in upstream to downstream production with innovation, he said. This year, Bangkok RHVAC 2022 and Bangkok E&E 2022 have returned after three years, under the theme, ‘One Stop Solutions – New Innovations for New Global Challenges’, he said, adding that they feature a complete range of products and are successful with more than 100 exhibitors in 400 booths.

The events also featured a ceremony of THE BEST OF RHVAC AND E&E PRODUCT AWARD 2022, organised to develop and maintain leadership of Thai industries in the global market.”

According to the Department of International Trade Promotion (DITP), winners of THE BEST OF RHVAC AND E&E PRODUCT AWARD were in five categories:

1) V-MER Smart Vibration Analyzer from

Equity Services and Solutions Co., Ltd. for “New Innovation Product Award”

2) IXL FR Panel from IXL Co., Ltd. for “Environmentally Friendly Product Award”

3) Solar Cell Air-conditioner from Star (Thailand) Co., Ltd. for “Energy Saving Product Award”

4) Filtreat Filtration Unit from 3V Engineering Solution Co., Ltd. for “New Normal Product Award”

5) WindFree Premium Plus from Thai Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd. for “IoT System Product Award”

Phusit Ratanakul Sereroengrit, Director-General of the DITP; Vice Chairman of Federation of Thai Industries; Chairperson and Committee of Airconditioning and Refrigeration Industry Club; and Chairman and Committee of Electrical and Electronics Industry Club also participated in THE BEST OF RHVAC AND E&E PRODUCT AWARD ceremony.

ENGIE Refrigeration launches SPECTRUM Water chiller

Company says the system, for process cooling applications, will be available from early October

NGIE Refrigeration said it is expanding its product portfolio and that its new SPECTRUM Water chiller will hit the global markets on October 10, 2022. Making the announcement through a September 2022 Press release, ENGIE said the oil-free, high-lift turbo compressor; the sustainable refrigerant R-1234ze; and a rated refrigeration capacity of 170-1,100 kilowatts, with chilled medium outlet temperatures reaching -10 degrees C, make this water-cooled brine cooler unique in its capacity range. ENGIE said the system will be available for viewing at the Chillventa

trade fair, from October 11 to 13, in Nuremberg, Germany.

ENGIE said it is following a tradition of the launching of innovative products, adding that it redesigned its QUANTUM Water chiller in June 2021, launched its innovative SPECTRUM Water heat pump in March 2022, and will now release its innovative SPECTRUM Water chiller in October 2022. Jochen Hornung, CEO, ENGIE Refrigeration, said: ‘We at ENGIE Refrigeration want to offer our customers cooling and heating solutions that are ahead of their time. This is reflected in our

product portfolio, which meets the highest economic and ecological requirements and prepares users for the future. The new SPECTRUM Water chiller is a perfect addition to this portfolio. With its oil-free high-lift turbo compressor, the product is unique in its performance class.”

ENGIE said the system’s specific product properties is ideal for use in the food and drink industry and in the pharmaceutical and chemical industries. The system, ENGIE added, can also be used for climate chambers used in scientific environmental simulations, and for ice rink technology.

AAF India wins Clean Air Solution Provider Award

Company receives award at the 12th edition of Prestigious Brands of India and Brand of the Decade 2022 Awards ceremony; earns another in the ‘Marketing Meister’ category.

AF India won the ‘Clean Air Solution Provider Awards during the 12th edition of Prestigious Brands of India and Brand of the Decade 2022 awards ceremony, in early September, in Mumbai. Making the announcement through a Press release, AAF India said Shailesh Nigam, COOEEMEA CIS & SAARC, AAF, received the award on behalf of the company.

According to AAF India, the event, organised by Herald Group, has the

objective of highlighting notable brands they have redefined the benchmarks in their respective business fields through innovation, legacy and sustainability in the Asian market.

AAF India said it operates on the motto, ‘Bringing Clean Air To Life’, under which it has served sectors such as pharmaceuticals, healthcare, food & beverages, micro-electronics, data centres and wastewater treatment. The company said it is offering its clean

air solutions at airports and commercial complexes and has gas-phase products in its portfolio for combatting gaseous contaminants, like VOCs, and corrosive and toxic agents.

AAF India said it also won in the ‘Marketing Meister’ category, given to foster creativity and effectiveness, recognise hard-working teams, and to drive more business while celebrating great work. Pooja Mukherjee – Regional Marketing, AAF India, received the award on behalf of the company.

ASHRAE, IBPSA-USA wrap up Building Performance Analysis Conference

Dennis Knight of ASHRAE says delegates benefited from collective expertise of presenters and from the focus on ‘better buildings, less carbon’, which is at the core of how to proactively tackle the challenges of achieving sustainability and establish climate-friendly, integrated building systems to serve all people

UILDING better buildings while pursing low-carbon strategies was the focus of the 2022 Building Performance Analysis Conference and SimBuild, from September 14 to 16 in Chicago, in the US state of Illinois.

Making the announcement through a Press release, ASHRAE said the event, co-organised by ASHRAE and IBPSAUSA, included keynotes, paper sessions, seminars, vendor demonstrations, panel discussions and debates from more than 100 presenters. According to ASHRAE, the conference drew 265 building industry professionals, in addition to a strong virtual audience.

“The transition to low-carbon building solutions is presenting our industry with a significant opportunity to share practical outcomes of modeling and simulation strategies that come out of the Building Performance Analysis Conference on a wider scale,” said 2022-23 ASHRAE Treasurer Dennis Knight. “We all benefited from the collective expertise of this year’s conference presenters, and the focus on ‘better buildings, less carbon’ is at the core of how to proactively tackle the challenges of achieving sustainability and establish climate-friendly, integrated building systems to serves all people.”

According to ASHRAE, keynote sessions featured presentations from Luke Leung, P.E. and Amber Mahone

Johnson

on whole life carbon and integrated energy systems.

The top in-person sessions were:

• Seminar 2: Modelling Existing Buildings

• Panel 2: Fishbowl Session

• Paper Session 9: Lifecycle Carbon Assessment

The top livestreamed sessions were:

• Seminar 16: Advances in Modelling Tools, Approaches and Workflows III

• Seminar 10: Approaches to Modelling Future Weather, Climate and Extreme Events II

• Paper Session 9: Lifecycle Carbon Assessment

According to ASHRAE, for the first time, three interactive programmes were offered to encourage attendee participation. Participants discussed modelling-related issues, such as carbon, renewables, weather data and risk assessment/uncertainty, ASHRAE said.

ASHRAE said the LowDown Showdown modelling team competition took place in conjunction with the conference. The competition is designed to engage architects, engineers,

designers and energy modellers by working on integrated teams in the creation of outstanding designs that solve in real-world building efficiency challenges.

According to ASHRAE, this year’s competition asked teams to design a K-5 school in Albuquerque, in the US state of New Mexico, to serve 450 students in an educational setting that provides appropriate spaces for elementary education as well as community uses –and can be adapted to future challenges and changes.

The first place was awarded to team “Zero Heroes”, ASHRAE said, adding that the team’s complete project overview can be viewed on the 2022 ASHRAE LowDown Showdown Modelling Challenge webpage.

According to ASHRAE, the 2023 Building Performance Analysis Conference will take place in Fall 2023.

announces quarterly dividend

26. Making the announcement through a Press release, JCI said it has paid a consecutive dividend since 1887.

Belimo releases new press fit valve assembly series

Belimo Americas introduces QCV (pressure dependent) and PIQCV (pressure independent) ZoneTight zone valves with new press fit connections

ELIMO Americas announced the release of QCV (pressure dependent) and PIQCV (pressure independent) ZoneTight zone valves with new press fit connections, for what is described as fast, consistent and reliable installation. Making the announcement through a Press release, Belimo said zonevalve assemblies are designed and engineered for maximum efficiency in tight spaces and are suited for commercial buildings, where higher close-off and adaptable flow are desired.

According to Belimo, assemblies accommodate chilled or hot water, 60% glycol and a body pressure rating of 250 psi. A zero-leakage ball valve design eliminates energy losses and is resistant to clogging, the company said. The device ensures lower power

consumption – up to 95% less than conventional zone valves, the company said, adding that the device lends itself for field-adjustable flow to meet specific design requirements.

Russ Brown, Product Manager, Belimo Americas, said: “For OEMs and contractors, these new zone valve assemblies with press fit connection provide a fast installation and energy-efficient solution. Unlike any other zone valve on the market today, the valves are field adjustable, allowing you to adjust the pressure to suit your needs.”

According to Belimo, typical applications include unit ventilators, fan-coil units, VAV reheat coils, fin tubes and radiant panels. In addition to fitting into space-restricted areas, the QCV and PIQCV are easy to assemble, Belimo said.

eurammon to host technical lecture at Chillventa

Direct expansion systems, ammonia heat pumps and District Heating will feature in the lecture programme, natural refrigerants association says

urammon said it will be conducting a lecture, titled ‘Brunch for Friends of Natural Refrigerants’ on October 12 during Chillventa, in Nuremberg, Germany. Chillventa will run from October 11 to 13. The eurammon event will take place from 10am to Noon, in Hall 9, Forum 9-550, the natural refrigerants association said through a Press release.

According to eurammon, members from different Technical Committees will present the technical work of eurammon as well as the latest developments in taking the benefits of natural refrigerants to new levels. The presentations will be

given in English, eurammon said.

According to eurammon, Michael Freiherr, eurammon chairman, will kick off the proceedings with a welcome address, following which Tommy Angback, Chair, eurammon Technical Committee – Energy Efficiency, and from Alfa Laval Lund, will give an update on eurammon Technical Committee Energy Efficiency. Alexander C Pachai, Chair, eurammon Technical Committee – Industrial Heat Pumps, and from Johnson Controls Denmark, will then report on the developments related to the committee. Subsequently, Michael Rabenstein, eurammon Steering Committee, and with EVAPCO Europe, will speak on the topic, ‘Why to

use NH3 in these times as evaporative/ with adiabatic precooled condenser’. Franz Sperl, of the eurammon Technical Committee – Industrial Heat Pumps, and with Güntner GmbH & Company, will then speak on the topic, ‘Direct expansion (DX) or flooded operation of NH3 air cooler and their energy efficiency advantages’. Lastly, Rainer Brinkmann, eurammon Technical Committee – Industrial Heat Pumps, and with Johnson Controls Systems & Service, will speak on the topic, ‘District Heating with ammonia heat pumps using river water’.

After, the technical programme, eurammon said, visitors will head to Hall 9, Booth 312 for brunch.

CAREL to showcase centralised systems solution at Chillventa

Company says the focus is on improving refrigeration performance with system that meets the load requirements of every refrigeration unit while adapting to specific daily and seasonal variability

AREL said it will be presenting innovative solutions for increasing the energy efficiency and improving the performance of refrigeration systems at the upcoming Chillventa, from October 11 and 13 in Nuremberg, Germany.

Making the announcement through a Press release, CAREL said the events that have shaped the last two years have brought about changes in many aspects of our daily life, directly and indirectly accelerating the trend of greater awareness of the key role that food quality, cost saving, environmental impact and the value of time have in people’s lives. In refrigeration systems, more aware technological choices can have a significant impact on energy consumption and food storage and, therefore, become a positive factor for change in this crucial sector, CAREL pointed out.

In order to support the drive to reduce energy consumption, guaranteeing complete management of refrigeration systems with the focus on energy efficiency and performance optimisation, CAREL said it has developed a centralised systems solution, which is based on DC technology applied to both condensing units (Hecu solution) and units with rotary compressors (Multi DC solution). Synchronised operation of the variablespeed BLDC compressor with the inverter and the electronic valve allows continuous modulation of performance, meeting the load requirements of every refrigeration unit while adapting to specific daily and seasonal variability, CAREL said.

According to CAREL, for commercial refrigeration applications, complete unit management is ensured by the MPX and Heos solutions – electronic controllers developed to guarantee stable unit

control temperature and integrated operation of modulating devices. All these controllers offer a high level of certification, making them suitable for incorporation into units that use flammable refrigerants (A3), CAREL said. Embedded NFC and Bluetooth connectivity respond to the need for extended and simplified usability, through the use of apps developed specifically for interaction with the unit, it added.

CAREL said connectivity revolutionises the way that technical personnel and users interact with refrigeration units, and all the functions used by the control system to manage a reliable and efficient compressor rack also need to be available remotely. CAREL said it has developed the uRack controller to meet all these needs of compressor racks, facilitating operation and improving performance through interaction with the APPLICA mobile app and connection to CAREL supervisory systems, for remote monitoring and performance optimisation throughout the system life cycle.

According to CAREL, installation,

commissioning and maintenance are crucial links in the “cold chain”, operations that need to be managed effectively and often urgently. CAREL said it aims to revolutionise the traditional approach that involves difficult, costly and timeconsuming procedures for installers, by making troubleshooting and configuration in the field extremely simple, fast and, above all, connected. The new iJW refrigeration controller, combined with the APPLICA app, CAREL claimed, ensures smart and intuitive commissioning for the main commercial refrigeration applications.

CAREL said it will be in Hall 5, Stand 5-306 & 308, at Chillventa.

Embraco gears up for Chillventa 2022

EFRIGERATION technology

provider, Embraco, speaking of its upcoming participation in Chillventa 2022, from October 11 to 13, said it will be showcasing its portfolio of products that aims to address the market’s most pressing issues – sustainability, energy efficiency, and technological solutions to solve current and future challenges. For that reason, Embraco said, its booth at the exhibition – at Hall 7 - Stand 130 – will have product launches side by side with the current portfolio’s main products, in order to give visibility to its complete range of solutions, for all segments in commercial refrigeration, such as merchandisers, food retail, food service and medical applications.

“For being the world’s leading exhibition for refrigeration technology, we see Chillventa as the perfect opportunity to show the comprehensiveness and versatility of our portfolio for commercial applications, and highlight some of Embraco brand’s main attributes, such as innovation leadership and the highest levels of energy efficiency in the market,” said Daniel Campos, Vice President for Commercial Applications at Nidec Global Appliance, a platform of Nidec Corporation, which owns Embraco.

According to Embraco, Chillventa will be the stage for visitors to have a taste of its future variable-speed reciprocating compressor for large applications. The VNEX will be capable of serving 3-4-door

commercial freezers and refrigerators, with high levels of energy efficiency, Embraco claimed.

According to Embraco, its other compressor launches are the new Scrolls, now in R290 and variable-speed options. Embraco said it launched its scroll portfolio in 2017, to expand its solutions offer beyond 2 HP, extending it up to 6 HP for low back pressure and 13 HP at medium-high back pressure. The new models, Embraco said, add to the portfolio a more environmentally friendly option through the use of the ultra-low global warming potential refrigerant, R-290, and extra energy efficiency, through variablespeed technology.

“Variable speed is the premium level solution for achieving great performances and being one step ahead of the future market needs,” said Gilmar Pirovano, EMEA Sales Director for Commercial Applications, Nidec Global Appliance. That is why Embraco’s booth at Chillventa will have the brand’s main variable-speed reciprocating compressors in the current portfolio for commercial applications, all running on natural refrigerants (R-600a or R-290), the company said. They are positioned among the highest levels of energy efficiency in the market, from small to large sizes: FMS, FMX, FMF, VES, VEM, VEH and VNEX, it added.

According to Embraco, among the product launches to be displayed will be the two new versions of Bioma, a

condensing unit line-up designed for low noise and easy access to components. This solution for cold rooms and outdoor applications can deliver 50% of noise reduction versus the next best alternatives, Embraco claimed.

One of the new models is the Bioma 5HP, powered by a variable-speed scroll compressor, adding this option to the existing portfolio up to 10kW of cooling capacity. The other new Bioma will come with two scroll compressors: a variablespeed (inverter) one and a fixed-speed one, the company said. The pair extends the cooling capacity of this product line from 10kW (5 HP) to 20 kW (10HP), making the installation process simpler for larger applications that used to demand two units, Embraco said, adding that both launches are also more resistant to rust, which makes them ideal for outdoor units.

According to Embraco, visitors will have the chance as well to see the new range of indoor R-290 condensing units for Europe, for use in applications such as under-counters, blast chillers and cold rooms. The models come with a set of new features and are available in variablespeed and fixed options to deliver the energy efficiency the application demands, Embraco said. “Condensing units,” Pirovano said, “have the advantage of being a complete cooling circuit, reducing the refrigeration equipment manufacturer’s effort in the product design phase and installation.”

Company says it will be showcasing products from its portfolio for commercial refrigeration

Camfil introduces Chief Airgonomics Officer Initiative

Role calls on organisations across the globe to take 100% accountability over the indoor air people breathe

AMFIL introduced the Chief Airgonomics Officer initiative (CAO), which calls on organisations across the globe to take 100% accountability over the indoor air people breathe. Making the announcement through a Press release, Camfil said the brand-new initiative prompts organisations to act by appointing Chief Airgonomics Officers (CAOs), who will be The Voice of Clean Air at their workspace. Inspired by the study of ergonomics, the newly coined term, Airgonomics refers to the burgeoning discipline that seeks to maximise the benefits of healthy air for the protection of people, processes and the planet, Camfil said.

In light of the recent adoption by the UN General Assembly of a resolution declaring “access to a clean, healthy and sustainable environment a universal human right” on July 28, 2022, the CAO initiative seeks to put into practice those actions that need to be taken to ensure that workplaces everywhere ensure access to clean, healthy and sustainable environments through the improvement of indoor air quality (IAQ).

On July 28, the UN General Assembly

adopted a resolution declaring “access to a clean, healthy and sustainable environment a universal human right”. In parallel, the 2021 publication of updated World Health Organization (WHO) Global Air Quality Guidelines concluded that “…the burden of disease attributable to air pollution is now estimated to be on a par with other major global health risks, such as unhealthy diet and tobacco smoking, and air pollution is now recognised as the single biggest environmental threat to human health”. The CAO initiative shares the vision of realising universal access to clean, healthy and sustainable environments and is taking its first steps to bring this to life by first tackling IAQ at workplaces, Camfil said. The initiative has a long-term vision of forging a global movement to ensure access to clean indoor air everywhere, Camfil added.

Nearly every facet of operating a company has a person in charge – from the HR director, who drives the talent strategy to the CEO, who provides the overall direction of business operations, Camfil said. Yet, despite the direct

impact of air on people’s health, well-being and productivity, IAQ continues to be treated as an afterthought, Camfil said.

According to Camfil, a 2022 survey it carried out confirms this showing that six in 10 either do not know who is in charge of IAQ at their workplace, or their organisation does not have anyone accountable over this invisible issue. Camfil said it is leading the way, having appointed the world’s first global CAO to ensure all Camfil locations worldwide have clean indoor air.

Mark Simmons, CEO, Camfil, said: “With Chief Airgonomics Officers, we will create healthier and happier workplaces by ensuring accountability is taken by qualified individuals with the authority to make real change happen. That’s why I am thrilled that Camfil has its own CAO to ensure that clean indoor air gets the attention it deserves everywhere we operate and also to demonstrate leadership when it comes to creating healthy work environments.

“I strongly encourage every organisation to pay attention to the indoor air quality in their premises. By participating in the CAO initiative, your organisation can ensure that the quality of your indoor air is never overlooked again – for the health and wellbeing of your people.”

Belimo establishes Climate Foundation to reduce CO2 emissions from buildings

Initiative raises awareness of the great leverage that building renovations have in achieving climate targets, company says

ITH the establishment of the Belimo Climate Foundation, Belimo is supporting nonprofit institutions and non-governmental organisations in reducing CO2 emissions from their buildings. Making the announcement through a Press release, Belimo said the initiative raises awareness of the great leverage that building renovations have in achieving climate targets.

Belimo said it has set itself the goal of further reducing its emissions. It said its field devices already offset the CO2 emissions generated during production and operation 24 times over through savings in their application. In addition, it said, it continuously invests in projects to reduce its own emissions. To offset the remaining emissions – according to the GHG Protocol: Scope 1, Scope 2 and air travel – Belimo said it has established the Belimo Climate Foundation. The purpose of the Foundation is to contribute to the reduction of CO2 emissions from buildings and to make society aware of the great leverage that building renovations have with regard to achieving climate targets, the company said.

By establishing the Foundation, Belimo said, it is consistently pursuing its path to

increase energy efficiency and to reduce CO2 emissions from buildings. “Through projects financed by the Foundation, we can optimize buildings in the area of heating, ventilation and air conditioning technology and, thereby, reduce the CO2 footprint of the global real estate portfolio,” said Reto Wälchli, Managing Director of the Foundation. “Most people are not aware of the huge leverage the real estate sector has in achieving climate targets, and unfortunately, it has been addressed far too little to date. We want to change this with the Belimo Climate Foundation.”

According to Belimo, the Foundation identifies projects for increasing energy efficiency in buildings of non-profit institutions and non-governmental organisations in the fields of education, training and health, and supports these both financially and in an advisory capacity during implementation. The focus is on the optimisation of existing heating,

ventilation and air conditioning systems, the company said. By implementing such projects and strongly involving Belimo employees, the aim is not only to reduce CO2 emissions but also to transfer knowledge and raise awareness of the poten-tial for energy reduction in buildings, the company added.

In addition to annual donations by Belimo Automation AG, the Linsi Foundation, the anchor share-holder of Belimo Holding AG, will provide substantial support to the Foundation, the company said. The Foundation, the company said, is non-profit by nature and is politically and denominationally neutral. It neither intends to make profits nor to pursue profit-making or self-interest purposes, it said. In accordance with the principle of additionality, it said, only projects that could not be real-ised without support from the Foundation and that serve the common good will be supported.

KAMRAN BIRJEES

TREMENDOUS POTENTIAL IN AN OUTSIDE-IN APPROACH’

A traveller, poetry lover and pace bowler, Kamran Birjees Khan, CEO of NIA, leads a colourful life. Standing at the helm of NIA’s new brand identity, he firmly believes that anybody with a clarity of vision will find support from the universe in achieving it. Here, he talks about his life and business philosophy…

EARLY LIFE AND EDUCATION

I come from a family of large landlords. We owned acres and acres of mango orchards and wheat farms in a small place called Khurja, in the Bulandshahr district of Uttar Pradesh, in India.

Khurja is a small city but is known worldwide for its ceramic art, a tradition established when the Mughals came to India. It has been a significant market for ceramic art products over the last 400 years.

My siblings and I – five in number –grew up in a house, which in my estimate, must be over a hundred years old. I have two older sisters, who are based in North America. I am the eldest son. My two brothers took the traditional path and are involved in pottery and also look after our mango orchards.

Whilst growing up, as part of a close-knit community of 100 families, we followed the tradition of celebrating the Persian New Year, “Nowroz”, by exchanging mangoes. I enjoyed the minimalist life in the villages, where we would pick mangoes in the summer, bundle them in sacks and sink them in the river, which was our refrigerator to cool the fruit to a pleasant temperature. This ethos of simplicity is so ingrained in me that I follow it in everything.

After completing school, I joined Aligarh Muslim University, which was my home from 1977 to 1984, during which I earned a bachelor’s and master’s degree in Commerce. Aligarh was a transformative experience. It was there that I became an independent young man and also developed a love for cricket – I was a fast bowler. It was there that I met people from different regions and different backgrounds. University days changed my outlook on life – for the better. And for this, I am thankful to my mother, Fakhra Hameed, who was the first to motivate me to pursue a university education, as opposed to following the family occupation.

You see, in our family, most people would take up art or enter politics, because there is no dearth of wealth. My mother had other ideas for me. She inspired me to break away from the traditional feudal mindset and find my own way. She was the daughter of a policeman and was very disciplined. She decided that I needed an education.

She passed away when I was still in

During a trip

university. My father, Birjees Khan, stood like a rock by my side after her death. He pushed me to study further and take up a profession of my choice. My parents collectively inspired and encouraged me to chase the urge to prove myself and think commercially.

On attaining my master’s degree, I started my professional journey, and my first assignment was as a sales and marketing professional in the fashion industry. I worked at American Export House and was based out of Kathmandu, in Nepal.

TRAVELLING TO DUBAI

In 1989, I travelled to Dubai. I was young and ambitious and wanted to see a new part of the world. In Dubai, I joined Al Futtaim and eventually started working in the Panasonic business of the company from 1991.

We in India consider Panasonic to be a well-known electronics brand under the name, National Electronics. So, there was a certain history and affinity to working towards promoting the Panasonic brand.

In 1996, Panasonic Gulf established a regional sales office in the Gulf. I was part of the first team and worked as a sales manager with an extensive portfolio. Our job was to create the blueprint for the company’s growth in the region and in Africa. We had to build distribution networks, operations, sales channels and HR policies for the region. We worked with a certain zeal, knowing that Panasonic was quite a global leader in brown and

white goods, be they air conditioners or home appliances.

At the time of setting up in the region, Panasonic wanted us to submit a business plan to them. I submitted a proposal that included a sales target that I would have been proud to work towards. Our team in Dubai and at headquarters, in Japan, thought the target figure was an exorbitant amount. But I had a vision, and I believed in it. My team and I left no stone unturned in our quest for the so-called elusive target. We followed the philosophy that Panasonic’s roots, just like Nia’s, is in uplifting people with solutions that improve their lives. This vision, and commitment to it, helped us achieve our target.

In 1996, when Panasonic decided to open “Panasonic Gulf FZE” in Jebel Ali, I had the privilege of becoming one of the few non-Japanese members of Panasonic’s leadership team and was appointed as VP for Panasonic’s operation in the MENA region. I also met Mr Matsushita, when he visited Dubai in the same year. The Matsushita I am referring to is the grandson of the founder of Panasonic.

My team and I welcomed the move of the regional headquarters and began working without any fuss whatsoever, even though our initial workplace comprised four porta-cabins – a feature that astonished the senior leadership no end. It is a matter of great pride to me that our team succeeded in our mission of expected business growth, even before opening the first Panasonic regional headquarter for the MENA region, called Panasonic Marketing Middle East and Africa (PMMAF), in 2001. We succeeded because we had a vast network of customers from all over the region and Africa.

MANTRA FOR SUCCESS

It is important to have a macro-level vision of where you want to go. And it is even more important to share that vision with your team. We saw the importance of having a vision and of relentlessly working towards it when we had to deliver results for Panasonic.

It was an arduous journey. I was putting in 13-14 hours of work a day. Till then, I had no exposure to disciplines

I believe the time of transactional relationships is long gone. Today, we need to create mutual value for our partners and colleagues. If you have a great product but are not treating people well, I don’t think you and your company will be respected.

END-POINT

such as finance, logistics and HR. But then, there were situations where you would have to get things done.

The per capita contribution of the 27 team members – at the time – was enormous. We shocked everyone by achieving double-digit growth. This was only possible because the people who worked on the assignment could identify with the vision.

THE ROUTE TO NIA

I joined NIA in 2020 as CMO. In my esteem, NIA is a company passionately devoted to bringing solutions that promote wellbeing and sustainability. Today, it represents a growing list of some of the most exciting and industry-leading brands in the region.

In 2021, I was appointed CEO. The longevity and impact of NIA are testament to the things that make us special, including our team spirit, our culture of service and our pride in what we do. From unveiling our new identity, manifested by the logo of the company, to our new product portfolios and business structures, it has been the most incredible journey so far, and we are excited to continue pushing the envelope further.

TRANSITION TO HVAC

Growing up in India, I had never seen an air conditioning unit. Once in Dubai, I noticed that air conditioners are an integral part of life. And today, they are more than just cooling devices – they are part of sustainability and safety narratives. Today, we are talking about air filtration technologies, how air quality has become so important after the pandemic and how air conditioning improves lifestyles.

KAMRAN BIRJEES KHAN, CEO, NIA

Till my coming to NIA, I didn’t deal exclusively with HVAC solutions but with a broad product portfolio of solutions, of which HVAC was only one part. Panasonic, at that time, was more involved with decorative air conditioning. But joining NIA changed all this. I started working with Gree in 2020. NIA has been a partner of Gree, the largest manufacturer in the world of HVAC solutions.

I was fascinated by Brand Gree – its ethos of innovation, its global projects and its zero-defect policy. So, it was only natural that HVAC became my focus. Today, we have added HVAC as a central vertical in our focus on sustainability and wellbeing.

Along the way, we added Blueair to our offering, purely because of its philosophy towards preserving a sustainable future while creating the most beautiful products of the highest quality.

We also feel responsible to encourage start-up companies that bring innovative products. We introduced the world’s first air conditioned helmet, manufactured by Jarsh Safety. The helmet increases productivity across industries. Today, I work with HVAC brands to understand how HVAC innovations can contribute to sustainability and provide comfort.

Regarding HVAC innovations, I consider energy efficiency and air filtration to be the most critical areas. However, I believe that no matter the technology, if it is not affordable and accessible to the masses, it fatally damages its utility and effectiveness. So, the main goal is to provide value to the end user. That’s why I believe in Gree as a brand. We believe so much in Gree as a brand that we offer a

10-year warranty on air conditioners, which is unmatched in the region.

SPEARHEADING NIA’S NEW JOURNEY

As I mentioned earlier, we have launched a new identity for NIA, which is driven by our commitment to customer focus and wellbeing, while aligning with Dubai’s sustainability initiatives. We operate in three areas – home appliances, HVAC, and safety and wellbeing products. We want to evolve from a company that moves boxes to being a solution provider that supports the need for clean water, energy and security.

Nowadays, customers are aware and concerned about their health and the impact on Nature. My travels to expand and explore markets in Africa for over 15 years made me realise how important it is to provide solutions that customers want. That’s why I believe in immersive marketing that focuses on affordability and enables a better life. Innovation always attracts attention, which is why we also work with start-ups that develop innovative solutions, and give them a platform in Dubai, which you know always performs the best in ensuring sustainability.

If you are aligned with the SDGs, if you are aligned with the government initiatives and if you’re offering quality products to the customers, then you are a trustworthy brand. That is what our new identity stands for.

LEADERSHIP PHILOSOPHY

There is a Japanese concept, “Sunao Mind”, which means “listening mind”. I am impressed by how simply it expresses how businesses should work. So, I follow this concept and use the “outside-in approach”, instead of the usual “inside-out approach”. In the “outside-in approach”, you listen

and take in what’s happening, you listen to your customers and partners and co-create solutions. This humbles you. I believe the time of transactional relationships is long gone. Today, we need to create mutual value for our partners and colleagues. If you have a great product but are not treating people well, I don’t think you and your company will be respected.

I always tell my colleagues that you should never have a preconceived notion of what a customer wants. Instead, you should listen, adapt and align. If you approach people with humility and solve their problems, you are a good businessperson. The currency of today is good relationships.

This philosophy is profoundly also embodied in NIA. We are humble, despite our 40-year heritage. Another pillar of our ethos is to be grateful and have a sense of abundance. By abundance, I mean happiness. I want everyone in the company to find meaning in their lives and be purposeful. That is my mission.

We as a company have a collaborative team, and I don’t call the rewards as incentives or salaries but as dividends. That brings the team members closer to the goals of NIA as partners. Our business core must be to grow together as a community. Everyone, whether it’s me or the person at the store counter, is a leader in our own capacity.

CONTRIBUTING TO THE UAE’S SDGs

As a leader in our sector, I believe that our most important contribution to the community is our products, be they home appliances or HVAC solutions. Our ESG initiatives focus on contributing to the GDP by increasing our imports and exports and meeting the SDGs adopted by the government.

Another aspect is to improve the quality of work and to create jobs. That is why we support the Taqdeer Awards. We are committed to keeping any new initiative launched by the country’s leadership to improve employees’ quality of life and work environment. If we can deliver quality products to the healthcare, education and other sectors that benefit the community, we’re a responsible company.

MENTORS IN LIFE

I will say this much – life itself has been my greatest mentor. My life, from a young age with my parents, then university as a young man and travelling for my job… every single aspect has influenced me. You don’t necessarily need a physical form of a guru or teacher. But yes, there were a lot of people who influenced and motivated me.

I met Robin Sharma – who is famous for authoring the book, The Monk Who Sold His Ferrari – at a workshop in 2016, and I think he’s a great mentor. I follow all his mantras in my life.

I had the opportunity of travelling to Africa in the 1990s and the 2000s, when the continent was on the cusp of change. Those travels influenced me a lot. I visited villages in Gambia, Nairobi, Nigeria, South Africa and other countries. The travels made me realise that no matter how rich you are, you must remain humble.

I strongly believe in the power of now. I love to see the beauty of the moment. If you have a clear vision and are very committed, the universe will support you in achieving your goal.

MY FAMILY

I always encouraged my children to be educated and find their own way in life. I have a son and two daughters.

My son, Shahbaz, earned his master’s degree in the United Kingdom and is a sports enthusiast. He was a fencer and a team captain at the University of Surrey. He was also part of the university’s rowing team and competed in the Royal Regatta. He did his bachelor’s degree in biomedical sciences.

He may also have a bit of the family’s tradition in him and is doing his master’s in Political Science. But his focus is on post-war trauma rehabilitation in war-torn countries. He worked on a rehabilitation project in Bosnia.

My middle child, Shahtaj has completed her education at Middlesex University and also completed a master’s degree from the Indian Institute of Management (IIM), Indore. She’s got terrific business and marketing acumen alongside her real-world experience. She got married during COVID and now lives in Qatar, which thankfully, is only a short flight away, as we all miss her dearly.

My youngest daughter, Zara – short

In the streets of Dubai in 1991

for Zartaj – is studying architecture at the American University of Sharjah. She’s doing very well, knows so much about design and is interested in pottery. She wants to be a young entrepreneur who designs fashion and studies architecture simultaneously.

My wife, Hina Khanum is a homemaker and the architect behind all our efforts. She’s spent her time bringing up our wonderful children and instilling the best values in them, and I’m sure I speak for every other member of the family when I say unequivocally that none of us could have accomplished anything had it not been for her.

I love to journal and read poetry, and I am an avid reader of books and poems by legendary poets in Urdu. Among my favourites, whose words guide my life are Ahmed Faraz, Allama Iqbal, Mirza Ghalib and Rumi. Sometimes, on the unrelenting insistence of my kids, I record these poems in my own voice. I believe it’s important for them to appreciate the nuances and perspectives on life. I also love the poems of Jaun Elia.

I’m always looking for initiatives to improve people’s lives in my homeland. There’s so much potential in the country’s youth; at the same time, the cost of education is rising. I want to share my knowledge and contribute to their journey.

(As told to Surendar Balakrishnan and Nafeesa Mohammed)

{Quoteyard}

We bring you a collection of some of the most interesting quotes, extracted from articles in this issue. In case you missed reading, we recommend you flip back to take full advantage of the insights and remarks, in the context in which they have been presented.

De-carbonisation is a transition from business-as-usual for a corporation. Such transitions need skilled change management strategies. Stakeholder engagement and empowerment become crucial elements for the short- and long-term success of such a strategy.

The HRP unit removes the same amount of total load with less energy, compared to a conventional fresh-air-handling unit with heat recovery connected to an air-cooled condensing unit.

The world needs to provide answers for how to improve design by 40%, installation by 15%, operation by +20% and maintenance by 25%.

MEP consultants need to enlist expert valves and hydronic partners to help automate, install and commission complete valve solutions. The ownership of carrying out hydronic balancing needs to be transferred to a prequalified hydronic specialist with indepth knowledge of HVAC controls and system integration with prior experience in system Delta T management.

We have obstructed air quality enhancements, we have thwarted air filter upgrades, and we have embraced the theology of washable filters.

Despite the advancements in technology and material, the most important piece of the puzzle is contractors, who often compromise on quality in the name of value engineering. Contractors, under the guise of value engineering, are trying to add even more inferior mass to the system, which means that the running costs will be very high in the long run, not to mention the maintenance costs.

Just imagine, by July 2019, the total Middle East consumed 11 million units. The local market in China consumed 181 million. So, we are not priority for any manufacturers. When you use a technological and political mechanism and change from R22 to R410a, we changed in 2007; and in 2009, we have to stop R410a. Huh?

Castel is always on hand, and your needs are a priority: your plans become our plans, and we are there every step of the way to build together systems that are increasingly efficient, reliable and long-lasting.