Dubai will play host to the 7th edition of the World IEQ Forum.

The Forum has five clear-cut goals:

To foster a fresh wave of thinking on Indoor Environmental Quality to further inform, shape or strengthen policy, legislation, regulation and enforcement measures

• To encourage world-class and pathbreaking design and construction strategies and approaches
• To usher in effective, implementable, scalable and cost-efficient technological solutions
• To promote a culture of good O&M practices, with a view to sustaining the IEQ aspects of the built-environment
• To raise awareness on the need for good IEQ among the population to hitherto unscaled levels and, thereby, persuade transformation in public behaviour and culture

The realisation of the five goals, it is hoped, will offer the UAE, the GCC region and, indeed, the rest of the globe profound protection from the scourge of pandemics, frequent sandstorms and wildfires, dust, chemical contaminants, excessive humidity and high temperatures, and help humankind enjoy unprecedented good health, wellbeing and productivity.

The unprecedented heavy rainfall on April 16, 2024 and the extent of its impact on some parts of the GCC region have demanded analysis and conscious effort towards arriving at strategies and solutions to prevent a repeat or, at the very least, to minimise the damage.

As Saeed Al Abbar, CEO, AESG, puts it, “Building resilience in cities is essential to not only make populations and infrastructure less susceptible to damage and loss but to also make them more agile to the unpredictable nature of climate change impacts. The urgency of climate change demands more than incremental change – it demands a revolution in how we approach infrastructure, where resilience is not just an aspiration; it’s an inherent feature of our infrastructure.

By integrating cutting-edge technology and appropriate sustainable architectural design and engineering considerations, we can develop infrastructure that stands the test of time.”

Such was the magnitude of the event that it calls on policymakers; urban planners; climate adapters; and civil, structural and MEP engineers to work together to provide long-standing solutions that are practical and within cost frameworks.

The Rain Resilience Conference is a coming together of multiple disciplines with an agenda of being able to bolster infrastructure and buildings and, thus, contribute to safe cities and business continuity.

The 12th edition of Food Chain is an opportunity to hear from FSQA and cold chain-related engineering teams at food production, food processing and food supply (wholesale and retail) organisations in the GCC region. Presenting in tandem, they bring a unique synthesis of food safety and refrigeration best practices in their respective organisations and map out further areas of possible improvement, which is an opportunity for the cold chain industry to respond through a granular presentation of technological solutions that enable greater reliability, and energy efficiency – for reducing Total Cost of Ownership (TCO) and indirect greenhouse gas emissions.

Food Chain remains the only events in the GCC region that connects the food industry with the cold chain industry. Produced by CPI Industry, publishers of Climate Control Middle East magazine on the air conditioning and refrigeration industry for 20 years, the food industry-dedicated conference fosters discussions on policy, regulation, enforcement, business and technology (hardware as well as software – digitalisation), and provides a precious opportunistic platform for focused and dedicated buyer-seller interaction relating to critical food-specific cold chain infrastructure.

Digital cold chain

The digital transformation of the food cold chain, including retail aspects, is one of the key talking points of the 12th edition of Food Chain. Digital technologies are blowing significant changes into all aspects of the cold chain, and the benefits, in the form of improvements in food safety & quality assurance (FSQA) and food security, are palpable. From optimising cold chain-related operations to predictive maintenance, digitalisation has an increasingly significant role to play, drawing on such tools as IoT, blockchain and AI/ML.

Food Chain is a coming together of all food and agri-cold chain disciplines, including post-harvest, 3PL cold storage warehousing companies, dedicated warehouses (large, medium and small), transport refrigeration (body-building, condensing unit and fleet management) experts, government regulators, contractors, consultants, technology solutions providers, supermarkets, hypermarkets and other sectoral end-users for macro- and micro-discussions.

The role of District Cooling in decarbonising entire cities came into the limelight some years ago. Then, COP28 happened, and a key outcome relevant to the HVAC industry was the Global Cooling Pledge, a powerful context for all involved in District Cooling to give a thrust to improving the overall ecosystem of District Cooling and to iron out nagging issues. What has been achieved so far?

Are the fundamentals strong? Has regulation achieved a level of sophistication needed to play a pivotal role in setting the legal and operational framework for District Cooling networks. Indeed, with increasing emphasis on carbon neutrality, energy efficiency and digital transformation, the sector faces the need for significant policy shifts that impact developers, utilities and end users.

An equally engaging topic is the evolving nature of buildings underpinned by growing expectations of building owners. The age of autonomous buildings has arrived. How is District Cooling responding to the winds of change? The 11th Edition of DC Dialogue is a riveting platform for discussions provoked by the demands of a rapidly changing landscape.

Please visit: climatecontrolawards.com/uae

Please visit: climatecontrolawards.com

The 9th Edition of the Middle East Variable Refrigerant Flow (VRF) Conference, will shine a spotlight on VRF technology as a cornerstone in achieving sustainable and energy-efficient building strategies in Saudi Arabia. This year, the conference explores two pivotal themes: The integration of VRF systems in autonomous buildings and the regulatory advancements shaping the industry.

VRF systems in autonomous buildings

Autonomous buildings represent a bold step toward redefining urban living and working spaces, integrating advanced technologies to optimise energy use, comfort and operational efficiency. At the heart of this revolution lies VRF technology, seamlessly paired with IoT-enabled devices and AI-driven building management systems to deliver reportedly strong zone-based cooling, real-time diagnostics and predictive maintenance.

The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, with its groundbreaking projects, such as NEOM, The Red Sea Development and Qiddiya, serves as a global pioneer in adopting these forward-looking solutions. At the conference, experts will delve into:

• How VRF systems enhance energy efficiency in smart building environments
• The synergy between VRF and renewable energy sources, such as solar integration, to meet Saudi Vision 2030’s sustainability benchmarks.
• Case studies of VRF deployment in autonomous building projects in Saudi Arabia, highlighting best practices, lessons learnt and the technology’s adaptability to various building typologies.

The regulatory landscape: Driving innovation and compliance The HVAC industry in Saudi Arabia is experiencing a transformation, spurred by initiatives under the Saudi Energy Efficiency Program (SEEP) and standards established by the Saudi Standards, Metrology, and Quality Organization (SASO).

With cooling accounting for over 50% of electricity consumption in the building sector, regulatory frameworks are becoming increasingly critical to promoting energy-efficient technologies, such as VRF.

Key regulatory highlights include:

Seasonal Efficiency Standards: The adoption of Seasonal Energy Efficiency Ratio (SEER) and Cooling Seasonal Performance Factor (CSPF) metrics to evaluate VRF performance. These measures enable stakeholders to prioritise efficiency and lifecycle benefits over initial costs.

Low-GWP Refrigerants: Regulatory encouragement for the use ofenvironmentally friendly refrigerants, aligning with global climate goals underthe Kigali Amendment.

Performance Testing: Calls for the regional adaptation of global performance testing standards to account for high-ambient conditions and local challenges, such as sandstorms and dust accumulation.

Conference sessions will explore how these regulatory advancements create opportunities for manufacturers, consultants and contractors to innovate while ensuring compliance, ultimately fostering a more sustainable HVAC ecosystem in the region.