Dubai, UAE, 14 October 2018: The UAE HVACR industry is growing steadily and its outlook for the upcoming years remains positive, said Josine Heijmans, Portfolio Director for The Big 5, HVAC R Expo, the Urban Design & Landscaping Expo, dmg events, who added that the HVACR market is expected to increase by 10% by 2019, reaching a value of USD 1.45 billion. “Favourable market drivers are boosting this growth,” she said, “notably supported by Dubai’s urban construction activities, which make up approximately 81% of all development projects in the city.”

Josine Heijmans

Heijmans added that the development of new infrastructure in the education, in the commercial and healthcare sectors in particular, which require specific HVAC systems, are also pushing up the demand for energy efficient and high-quality products and solutions. “The retrofitting of existing buildings is also contributing to the sector’s growth,” she said, “with energy-saving solutions that meet the new sustainability standards and regulations being increasingly required.”

Owing to these positive forecasts and market drivers, Heijmans said the company saw a gap for an HVACR dedicated event part of The Big 5, where manufacturers could meet with consultants and specifiers. HVACR has always been a prominent sector within MEP at The Big 5, she said, adding that the Expo “effectively combines the benefits of a niche event with the large regional and international audience the Middle East’s largest construction show attracts every year”.

Providing an overview of what visitors can expect from the event, Heijmans said that the Expo will gather key stakeholders, including governmental authorities, manufacturers, distributors, specifiers, buyers and industry experts, under one roof. The Expo, she said will provide participants with a chance to network, address industry challenges and learn about the latest HVACR innovative solutions.

Heijmans said that with sustainable development at the core of the UAE Government’s mission, there is a clear call to reduce the environmental footprint, while promoting economic and social development, and with HVACR accounting for approximately 70% of energy usage in buildings, Heijmans stressed how energy-efficient HVACR products and solutions, therefore, play a crucial role in achieving the UAE Vision. “For this reason, at HVAC R Expo the education agenda will heavily focus on viable solutions to improve energy efficiency, air quality and well-being of residents, while reducing the buildings’ environmental footprint,” she said.”

Heijmans said that the upcoming HVAC R Talks will touch on regulations, initiatives and emerging trends in the industry, with the aim of developing solutions for compelling issues. “Industry experts will present the latest findings and share best practices on a wide range of topics, from innovative technologies to air quality and wellbeing in the indoor environment, from Big Data and IoT to District Cooling and integrated building energy solutions,” she said. “The workshops will also show attendees how to reduce pollutants and conserve energy, while exploring the new regulations driving the HVAC industry forward.”

More than helping the industry “go Green”, Heijmans said, the HVAC R Talks will also shed light on the growing importance of human wellbeing, “as we see a shift from LEED to WELL Building Standards that take into consideration the building’s impact on human health and wellbeing too”.

Heijmans said that visitors attending the HVAC R Talks will receive CPD (Continuing Professional Development) points. “A Certificate of Attendance from ASHRAE will also be provided on selected workshops,” she said, “which may be applied toward the maintenance of LEED professional credentials as well.”