Dubai, UAE, 22 April 2019: The ASHRAE Falcon Chapter is set to celebrate the 15^th anniversary of its establishment on April 30 in Dubai, said Dr Ahmed Ala’a Eldin Mohamed, Director & Regional Chair, Region at Large, ASHRAE. The event, he said, will give due recognition to stakeholders that have significantly contributed to the growth of the organisation. It will be attended by ASHRAE President Sheila J Hayter, he added.

Dr Ahmed Ala’a Eldin Mohamed

Liju Thomas, President, ASHRAE Falcon Chapter, emphasised that over the years, the organisation has gone from “strength to strength”. The chapter has 520 members, facilitating regular technical seminars and meetings, he said. Hassan Younes, Member and President-Elect, ASHRAE Falcon Chapter and Director, Griffin Consultants, is set to take over as President, effective July 1, he added.

Liju Thomas

Providing an update on the organisation’s recent activities, Dr Mohamed said that following the translation of ASHRAE 62.1 and ASHRAE 55 into Arabic, the special committee is working on translating ASHRAE Standard 90.1. The work will be completed in a few months from now, he said.

Hassan Younes

The translation of ASHRAE standards into Spanish and Portuguese are available, he said, and pointed out that the Arabic translations were the result of earnestness. The translation initiative, he highlighted, is spearheaded by volunteers, working for free with an earnest desire to help stakeholders operating in countries in the region, where there are particular language barriers.  The grassroots approach, he said, is the strength of the organisation. “Our pyramid is upside down,” Dr Mohamed explained. “The grassroots are the main [people], and the leaders, like the board of directors, are at the bottom. We are serving the members, and the members are volunteering, free of charge, driven by passion and love.”

Following the anniversary event, Dr Mohamed said, the team will travel to Jordan for the inauguration of a new ASHRAE chapter in Amman, underscoring the organisation’s growing engagement across the region.

Hannah Jo Uy is Assistant Editor at Climate Control Middle East magazine. She may be contacted at hannah@cpi-industry.com