CIBSE held a technical seminar on how to address design, installation and commissioning challenges in tall buildings in the GCC region, on November 1, in Dubai. The seminar featured international speakers, who provided a holistic perspective on building design. Hywel Davies, Technical Director, CIBSE, speaking to Climate Control Middle East by way of supplementing his presentation on sustainability for tall buildings, shared his thoughts on ideal HVAC systems for tall buildings. “A good HVAC system is well-designed, of the right size, properly installed and commissioned, and the people running it know what they’ve got and know how to run it,” he said. “In many ways, I think that’s a much more important set of criteria than who made it or what particular technology [went into it]. Yes, some technologies are a bit better [for such developments], but you can swamp the advantages of a slightly better technology, if it’s not properly done, so getting it right and operating it properly is much more important.”

Providing another dimension to the discussion, Notis Iliopulos, Manager, Cyber Security Consulting Services, at WSP, spoke on the importance of making buildings more energy efficient, secure and responsive to changing conditions by implementing data security measures. Underlining the inevitable cost that comes with not having proper security in place, in case of breaches, Iliopulos said cybersecurity can secure HVAC access controls and BMS, which is crucial for large-scale developments, such as hotels that hold potentially sensitive information. Impact and consequences, he said, can include shut down and manipulation of HVAC systems and physical damage to equipment or infrastructure. In data centres, he pointed out, breaches could cause thermal overloads. Iliopulos added that incidents should be managed from a central point, as breaches might be interrelated.

The conference included panel discussions and addresses on other issues related to building design. Raef Hammoudeh, Director – MEP Engineering, KEO International Consultants and Chair of CIBSE UAE Region, said that the event was organised as part of the CIBSE Week, which kicked off on November 29, following the arrival of international delegates. “It’s been a very good week,” he said. “Bear in mind, we have only been in existence for about a year and a half. It’s nice to see so many people and other organisations here. The whole purpose is really to bring technical discussions and interact with people.”

Hammoudeh emphasised that CIBSE offers a wealth of knowledge and that the organisation remains committed towards the training and development of emerging engineers. “The more members the better for us, and also those members can become chartered engineers that are extremely professional,” he said. “It makes them into better, more confident people so the performance of the industry, as a whole, will improve and their lives will improve.” Hammoudeh added that stakeholders in the local chapter of CIBSE hold regular technical seminars and meetings throughout the year.