Ribbon-cutting ceremony of ASHRAE Global Training Centre in Dubai

ASHRAE celebrated the grand opening of its new Global Training Centre for Building Excellence in Dubai on September 19, with a ribbon-cutting ceremony that drew representatives and stakeholders from companies within the HVACR industry.

At the event, ASHRAE President, Bjarne Olesen said the centre will empower members in the Middle East with the knowledge they need to serve the needs of their local communities better.

“Dubai was an intentional and obvious location to establish the ASHRAE Global Training Centre,” Olesen said. “In doing so, we hope to ensure the technical guidance we produce for all members continues to strengthen through global diversity.”

Additionally, Dr Ahmed Alaa Eldin Mohamed, ASHRAE’s Assistant Regional Chair, told Climate Control Middle East that Dubai was the preferred location, owing to its strategic position as a business hub. The courses organised by the ASHRAE Learning Institute (ALI) in the past have received a positive response and attracted people from all over the world, Dr Alaa said.

Highlighting the importance of having a training centre in Dubai, Liju Thomas Eapen, President of the ASHRAE Falcon Chapter, said, “We have three distinguished lecturers here, who understand the region well, and their main focus will be on imparting practical knowledge on HVAC.”

ASHRAE instructor, Hassan Younes told Climate Control Middle East that the centre aims to merge global knowledge with the nuances of the Middle East market. “We will focus on the standard set by the municipalities in the UAE,” he said.

Younes added that the centre currently offers eight courses with the mission to share the knowledge and experiences of ASHRAE members and the engineering community, in general.

Leading HVACR manufacturers shared their opinion of ASHRAE’s new venture during a reception, held to mark the launch of the centre. Ashraf Abdalla, Vice President of Chiller Solutions Global Line of Business & Ductless Products, Johnson Controls, described the new centre as a tremendous step for the region, as there is a huge demand for professional HVAC training.

Muzamil Shaikhani, Managing Director, Rubberworld, said the training centre will help consultants and contractors who need guidance during the design phase, and will give a boost to the UAE’s HVAC community.

Yuji Miyata, Chairman of Daikin Middle East and Africa, said, “It’s great to have this training centre, as the HVAC industry in the region was in a great need for professional training.”

Ghassan Freiwat, Director, Trane Middle East & Africa, said the new centre will help all the stakeholders in the industry. “The courses they are offering look interesting to me,” he said. “However, they need to expand their courses in the future and make room for suppliers, manufacturers and contractors to share their expertise.”