Pan-Asian HVACR industry competition expands to include Middle East; invites nominations

The Emerson Cup, an annual event organised by Emerson Climate Technologies, will take place in October 2011 in New Delhi, India. According to Emerson, the event recognises outstanding designs and innovation in the HVACR industry.

The Emerson Cup, held in China for the last eight years, is now in its fourth consecutive year in Asia and continues to expand. For 2011, the event has been extended to cover the Middle East, in addition to India and South East Asia.

The Emerson Cup 2011 has a distinguished panel of judges from across Asia and the Middle East. It consists of industry experts in the fields of Green Building, energy efficiency, engineering, HVACR design and architecture. The competition will accept nominations for innovative projects across the field in HVACR technologies. A separate category has been introduced for projects with Emerson technologies. Participation is open to engineers, architects, consultants, developers, end-users and students.

Award Categories for The Emerson Cup 2011 are:

1. New Buildings – With Emerson Technology
2. New Buildings – With Any Technology
3. Retrofit – With Emerson Technology
4. Retrofit – With Any Technology
5. Commercial Refrigeration
6. Students (Architects and Engineering)

The first five categories have a Winner (Excellence Award) and Runner-Up (Honorary Award). Excellence Awards carry a prize money of $3,000 whereas the Honorary Awards carry a prize money of $1,000. Students have the opportunity to win an Excellence Award, which comes with a prize of $1,000. There will be an award each for Architecture students and Engineering students.

Emerson will soon announce the opening of nominations. For more details, visit http://www.digitalscroll.com/emersoncup.

Combination of innovation and technology yields 60% energy reduction, claims Dew-Kylsystem

At a seminar organised in Dubai on February 23 by Dew-Kylsystem, a Swedish-based HVAC company with a presence in the region, revealed that using solar tubes rather than solar panels for harnessing the sun’s energy can considerably reduce the total installed capacity of an air conditioning plant compared to a conventional air conditioning system.

Briefing project developers and designers in the GCC during the event, the company introduced energy-saving devices – ClimaDeck hollow-core slab system and ClimateWell solar air conditioning system. The ClimateWell solar chillers work on Kingspan Thermomax Solar Evacuated Tube, developed by Kingspan Solar, an Ireland-based sustainable technology leader. Dew-Kylsystem is the GCC distributor for ClimateWell’s solar cooling products.

Dew- Kylsystem claimed that using non-porous glass tubes had proved to be more efficient than flat solar panels, by up to 21.7%. Also, dust and accumulated sand could be blown away more easily than on panels, whose efficiency is hampered by the climate in the UAE.

Making a presentation on the products and how the technology works, Lars-Olof Johansson, Director of Dew- Kylsystem, said: “Combined with thermal storage, the solar panels run solar chillers. It is the first time the two have been put together, and it makes it a little bit unique. The system can store energy for up to three hours, but overnight a conventional chiller can be used if needed.”

The presentation pointed out that the system was different because it was integrated with the heavy structure of a building. The last part of the ductwork system for the supply air consisted of hollow core concrete slabs instead of traditional steel ducts, it said. Since ClimaDeck used the thermal storage capacity of the building’s structural mass to regulate the internal temperatures, the effectiveness of the building’s thermal mass was enhanced by passing supply air through the slab before it entered the room, the presentation elucidated. The slabs worked as heat exchangers between the supply air and the rooms. It added that ClimaDeck could be combined with all types of air conditioning systems/AHUs.

According to Dew-Kylsystem, the ClimateWell chiller can store energy for three to four hours after sunset, which a normal chiller cannot. It runs at night, and in the daytime, the solar power kicks in, making it an energy-efficient solution.

The concept, which was originally developed in Europe for use in heating systems, has now been adapted to suit solar-powered chillers, Johansson said, and added that 70% of an estimated 56.6 terawatts of power consumed by the UAE was used to cool and light buildings. Dew-Kylsystem believed that using the sun to power air conditioning units could see a huge reduction in the energy consumption in the UAE.

More recently, speaking to CCME, Johansson said: “We have installed the system at ESAB, in Jebel Ali. The facility is the regional head office for ESAB, catering to 14 countries in the Middle East. The facility has been designed using the ClimaDeck hollow-core slab system, coupled with the ClimateWell solar air conditioning system. Six solar air conditioning units, each with a cooling capacity of 10kW, have been installed in the building. With the use of hollow core design concept, the, the total installed capacity of air conditioning plant was halved, when compared to a conventional air conditioning system requirement. The energy savings in this project is between 50% and 60% when compared to a building with a conventional HVAC design. The sound level in the conditioned space is below 35 db without investing in any additional costs for sound attenuation.”

Johansson claimed that the air conditioning solution was instrumental in getting ESAB the LEED Platinum rating from the US Green Building Council and also helped the project to be selected as one of the best green buildings in the Middle East.

Claim the move heralds new engineering advantage in HVAC efficiency

TA Hydronics, a newly formed entity, has announced the formalisation of an agreement between three HVAC companies: Pneumatex, a company dealing in pressurisation and water quality; TA, involved in hydronic balancing solutions and Heimeier, manufacturer of thermostatic controls. The three have come together to create a single ‘super brand’, operating under the new name, TA Hydronics, the announcement said, and added that the formal integration of the three companies would raise the standard in HVAC system optimisation. With the best brains and products in the industry united under one banner, TA Hydronics claimed that it reinforced its position as the global expert in hydronic distribution systems.

The company revealed that wasted energy in the HVAC sector had inspired the three entities to join hands, and elaborated that each year, a staggering amount of energy was wasted in buildings through HVAC systems throughout the world, and that despite technology and innovation offering more solutions than ever before, a majority of today’s buildings were less energy efficient than they should be.

According to TA Hydronics, it offers knowledge, system solutions and collaboration in three areas: pressurisation and water quality; balancing and control and thermostatic control.

Jet fans might help ease the situation when smoke is trapped in a closed car park, claims the presentation

Paul Mason, Business Development Manager, Solar & Palau, in May made a presentation in Dubai on the topic: ‘Ventilation of enclosed car parks with jet fans’.

Apart from raising awareness on hazards caused by smoke in closed car parks during a fire, Mason introduced fan products that he claimed would help mitigate the hazard. The presentation discussed the subject under the following rubrics:

• Pollution /fume extraction
• Emergency fire smoke extraction
• Fire smoke clearance
• Fire smoke control

Mason, delineating on the subject of safety in the event of fire, spoke on the importance of emergency smoke removal from occupied space for safe evacuation of occupants and for easier fire fighter access, either by natural ventilation or through powered ventilation. He stressed that protection of emergency escape routes was essential, and enumerated the following steps to be taken:

• Create positive pressure to resist smoke entry to escape route
• Use of pressure relief to atmosphere to balance door openings
• Provide sufficient airflow through door openings and gaps to resist smoke flow
• Provide positive smoke control in the protected escape routes

Mason explained that in a fire-smoke emergency, air has to be both supplied and extracted in a controlled, judicious and selective manner to deal with the situation. He pointed out that traditionally, ducted ventilation is used in many car parks, wherein, air is extracted through ducts. He said that this method came with a caveat: the air supply would be uncontrolled and an increase in fan pressure could conflict with other services, for example, lighting and pipework. Besides, ducts take up space, Mason said.

Elucidating the point, he said that a ducted system with extracts at high and low level would extract only hot smoke at a high level extract point. Thus, the amount of smoke extracted would be reduced. On the other hand, the jet fan system operated at a high level and induced hot smoke to move towards the extract point.

Highlighting the features of the jet fan system, Mason explained that the main extract fans provided controlled airflow, so that the required air rate was supplied to the parking space, and that the air was drawn in via ramps, louvres and shafts or supplied by fans.

Mason listed the advantages jet fan ventilation had over ducted ventilation:

• No ducting in the parking area, reducing fan pressure, kW, SFP
• More space for parking, improved visibility and appearance
• May reduce height of parking space, saving building cost

On the other hand:

• Ducting is prone to damage and obstructs other services
• Needs cleaning and maintenance

Driving home the point with the help of illustrative images, graphs and tables, Mason claimed that the jet fan system not only helped reduce the smoke density and temperature during a fire by a conducive and acceptable air movement, but also assisted fire-fighters by providing ventilation to allow speedier clearance of smoke, once the fire had been extinguished.

Going into the finer points of how the system worked, the presenter explained that a CO detection system would be used to monitor CO levels within the car park. With pollution detection in place, the ventilation system would run on demand, he said.

H.H. Sheikh Ahmed stresses importance of participating in the private sector

According to an official announcement, H.H. Shaikh Ahmed bin Saeed Al Maktoum, Chairman of the Supreme Council of Energy in Dubai, received members of the Regulation and Supervision Bureau for the Water and Electricity Sector in the Emirate of Dubai, led by H.E. Ali bin Abdulla Al Owais, President of the Bureau and Members: Ahmed Butti Mehairi, Qossai Mohammed Al Shared, Riyad Mohammed Belhoul and Mustapha Moussa Habib Al Yousef, and in the presence of H.E. Saeed Mohamed Al Tayer, Vice Chairman of the Supreme Council of Energy in Dubai and Members of the Supreme Council of Energy.

H.H. Sheikh Ahmed reportedly stressed that the Government of Dubai was focused on improving transparency through the establishment of the Regulation and Supervision Bureau for the Water and Electricity Sector in Dubai, which will operate under the auspices of the Supreme Council of Energy in the emirate.

The announcement said that His Highness directed the Bureau board members on the importance of participating in the private sector in the production of electricity and water in Dubai, in line with the strategy of the Government of Dubai to enhance sustainable economic development in the Emirate and to build and establish strong partnerships with the private sector.

The announcement highlighted that the Regulation and Supervision Bureau for the Water and Electricity Sector in Dubai would report on the economic, technical and safety standards that utilities must have in place to be eligible for licenses to produce power and water. It added that the reports would be submitted to the Supreme Council of Energy, and the bureau would also monitor the agencies to ensure they continually adhere to the standards.

The Dubai Supreme Council of Energy has been formed as the governing body to seek out and develop such fruitful partnerships, the announcement pointed out. It claimed that Dubai has an approved efficient and proactive regulatory framework in place, paving the way for more Public-Private Partnerships investment between the public and private sectors. Reportedly, studies have proved that added values are created as a result of the growing involvement of the private sector in economic activities.

According to an announcement, Environment and Water Minister, Dr Rashid Ahmed bin Fahd has officially launched Emirates Energy-Efficient Scheme for the domestic air conditioning sector.

Bin Fahd, who is also Chairman of the Emirates Authority for Standardisation and Metrology (ESMA), reportedly said that the move was in line with the international practices for rationalising power consumption by formulating appropriate legislations and standards for air conditioning systems. He cited recent studies as proving that 70% of power supply in the UAE was consumed by the HVAC sector. He also revealed that the UAE imported over 400,000 air conditioners in 2010.

“Alarmed by these numbers, ESMA started a programme to encourage the use of highly efficient home appliances,” the minister said. “The first phase of the programme will see it implemented on air conditioners. Other phases will witness the programme implementation on refrigerators and freezers in 2012 and washing machines in 2013.”

He added that a new “Energy Efficiency Rating” label would be placed on air conditioners, using the one to five stars rating. He explained that the higher the number of stars, the more efficient an air conditioner was deemed to be, and that air conditioners which did not comply with the new requirements would not be allowed into the country.

Electricity subsidies might hinder energy conservation efforts, says DEWA senior executive

Amal Koshak, DEWA Senior Manager, Demand & Tariff Management, said in an interview conducted on the occasion of DEWA “Conservation Award – For a Better Tomorrow, 2010-2011” that the Government should look at reviewing electricity subsidies regulations.

“Electricity is very important, particularly in this country, where air conditioning accounts for 60% of the total electrical consumption,” she said, and added, “However, reviewing electricity subsidies is a government’s decision. DEWA is not here to enforce, but I think it’s definitely something the government should look at.”

Commenting on the awards instituted by DEWA, Koshak said that that DEWA conservation award was only one of the over 35 environmental initiatives launched by the authority. The others included a number of conservation schemes for government buildings, retailers, hotels and shopping malls.

Asked on why DEWA had not yet introduced a similar initiative targeting private companies, she said: “Retrofitting requires significant investments. Furthermore, the payback period is not very attractive. The financial crisis has also made companies across the region more conservative in their spending patterns. But we are definitely looking into that.”

Koshak said that she was confident that the Green Buildings Regulation, which, has already been approved by Dubai’s Energy Council, would be enforced after a three-year grace period. She said she believed it would play a major role in improving buildings’ energy conservation rates.

First in the series held in Abu Dhabi, in collaboration with HCT

Carrier Corp, a unit of United Technologies, has announced the commencement of its Distinguished Sustainability Lecture Series, a collaborative initiative with the Higher Colleges of Technology (HCT). The first lecture, entitled “Zero carbon developments: alternative approaches in a resource rich environment,” was held at the Centre for Excellence in Research & Technology (CERT) in Abu Dhabi on April 13, and was attended by students, senior members of the faculty and professionals from hospitality, government, technology and design industries, the announcement added.

Delivered by Valentine Lehr, Founder and Principal of Lehr Consultants International, a mechanical engineering consulting firm, the lecture focused on the benefits and limitations of utilising traditional natural resources, increasing the useful life of petroleum resources, and economic analysis, amongst other topics, and was reportedly well received

Left to right: John Mandyck, Nick Nunnington, Valentine Lehr and Philippe Delpech

According to Carrier, a total of four international experts in the field of green building and sustainability will deliver lectures throughout the year, as part of the series, providing insights and identifying trends to students, faculty and business leaders in the UAE. The next lecture will be in October.

Speaking about the maiden lecture in the series, Philippe Delpech, President, Carrier EMEA, said: “We are delighted to have received such positive feedback from the first lecture, and we hope the Distinguished Sustainability Lecture Series will continue to advance knowledge and stimulate a dialogue for a greener future.”

Dr Tayeb Kamali, Vice Chancellor of the Higher Colleges of Technology, said that the HCT was pleased to collaborate with Carrier to bring renowned sustainability experts to the country to discuss current and relevant principles and practices.

John Mandyck, Carrier Vice President for Sustainability & Environmental Strategies, added, “For over 100 years, Carrier has been a leading education provider for the building industry. Solutions to today’s environmental challenges require new thinking that the Higher Colleges of Technology can deliver through its sustainability curriculum and partnerships like those with Carrier. We are proud to join with HCT in advancing education and sustainability through the Distinguished Sustainability Lecture Series.”

Says its products are at par with international brands

Napco, a UK-based adhesives, coatings and sealants company, having a manufacturing unit in Sharjah since 1995, has called for a merit-based evaluation of products rather than rely on perceptions.

Speaking to Climate Control Middle East, the company’s chairman, Dr Mumraiz K Awan, said: “The Middle East is a bit late in bringing up or meeting environment-related issues. But in our case, owing to our European approach, we are a step ahead. We are the only company manufacturing according to UL and Green Seal. And we are always trying to improve. In 2002, we got ISO 9001 certification, and then we worked hard to get UL certification, which is a long procedure. In 2010, we became a UL listed company.”

Nabil Awan, Dr Mumraiz K Awan and Ajit Abraham

Dr Awan bemoaned the fact that a lot of companies which had mushroomed in the UAE were trying to create inferior clones, and warned that certain standards needed to be maintained. “For instance, these products need to have fire-retardant properties and anti-fungal properties, weathering and be UV-resistant,” he said. He believed that by using cheap raw materials, a few companies short-changed not only the customers but also endangered the health of their employees. “Toulene is carcinogenic, and you cannot use it in foundations,” he said. “Here in some companies, the workers do not use any protective masks. Our main competitor is in Europe and the US, and so we strive to be European in our approach.”

Dr Awan, pointing out the flip side of having a local unit, said it was difficult to erase the perception that specifications of locally manufactured products were not up to American or British standards. Calling it a mental block, he said, “There is a resistance in the region, because some of the consultants have been using European products for a long time.” He asserted that Napco’s products were at par with those in Europe, as it used raw materials from Europe. These being expensive, it impacted the price tag, as compared to the ones using sub-standard material.

“Unfortunately, price is the driver when it comes to people selecting products,” said Nabil Awan, Managing Director, Napco Middle East, explaining the market trend.

Napco’s product range includes protective coating for thermal insulation, anti-fungus protective coating for thermal insulation, insulation adhesives, protective vapour barrier coating, anti-fungus vapour barrier coating, anti-fungus asbestos-free sealant, close-cell insulation adhesives, said that its R&D department was researching new products.

Dr Awan revealed that the company was working with the Ministry of Defence. “We are working on fire-retardant sealants. In the event of a fire, the sealant will swell up and starve the oxygen, so the fire will not progress further,” he explained.

Leminar, Napco’s, distributor in the region, claimed that the products were specially made to suit the climatic conditions of the region.

The company, which established its base to cater to the UAE, India, Pakistan and Iran markets, said that it now exports its products to 25 countries, including the GCC states. “In the UAE, we were working on the Saadiyat Island projects and we are extensively involved in the St Regis project,” Dr Awan said. “Sahara Centre in Sharjah was one of our biggest projects.”

Talking of expansion, Dr Awan said that Napco had 70% of the market share in Qatar and supplied to Barwa City, Doha Land, Lusial and Pearl Qatar projects.

Ajit Abraham of Leminar added that it had opened an office in Qatar, and Napco would be part of it. “Our partnership with Napco is very healthy and it is one of our key brands. The UL classification has added value,” he said.

Says chilled water business drives revenue growth

National Central Cooling Company PJSC, Tabreed, has released its first quarter consolidated financial results, the first to be announced since the completion of its recapitalisation programme on April 1, which it said demonstrated the company’s strong operating performance driven by continued growth in its core business of chilled water.

The company claimed that for the three months ended March 31, the total revenue increased by 23% to Dh245.6 million and that operating profit increased by 55% to Dh64.4 million over the same period in 2010. It however, added that the net profit fell by 25% to Dh32.8 million due to higher finance costs.

Tabreed revealed the following financial highlights:

Total revenue increased by 23% to Dh245.6 million, compared to Dh199.7 million in the same period in 2010

Gross profit increased by 21% to Dh101.9 million, compared to Dh84.4 million in the same period in 2010

Net profit decreased by 25% to Dh32.8 million, compared to Dh43.8 million in the same period in 2010

Chilled water revenue for the period was Dh183.6 million, a 32% increase over the same period in 2010

Basic and diluted earnings per share of Dh0.08 per share

Tabreed elaborated that its core business of chilled water produced revenues of Dh183.6 million, compared to Dh139.1 million in the same period in 2010, driven by additional connections. Its gross profit increased to Dh 86.7 million from Dh50.9 million in the same period the year before. No plants were added in Q1, but work continued on 13 plants under construction, including eight plants for the Dubai Metro Green Line, Tabreed added. The Company’s total installed cooling capacity remained to 541,525 (gross) TR across 49 plants, it said. 

Against the backdrop of the announcement, Khaled Al Qubaisi, Tabreed’s Managing Director, said: “With the completion of the recapitalisation programme, Tabreed has established the foundations of a strong utility business.  Tabreed delivers value, efficiency and dependability to its institutional customers and is positioned to build long-term returns for its stakeholders.  These results demonstrate the continuing improvements made by the management team, and we look forward to a successful year ahead as Tabreed meets the strong demand for cooling infrastructure in the region.”