Niche technology providers benefiting from Qatar promise on sustainable technologies

Providers of sustainable technologies are already feeling the positive business effects of the 2022 World Cup, whose bid featured numerous sustainable initiatives.

Charles Constantin addresses the gathering

With key projects, such as transport and logistics hubs, being accelerated as the clock ticks towards Qatar 2022, Doha hosted Geze Supreme Building Technology 2011 late last month.

Speaking from the event, Charles Constantin, managing director, Geze Middle East, noted: “Innovation and sustainability go together, and we are seeing new demand for innovative technologies that meet high safety and efficiency standards.”

Predicting that control and monitoring systems to handle the opening status of windows in the event of fire, and for daily ventilation purposes, will become standard in a few years, Constantin explained: “Fast adoption of technologies would be expected in the GCC region, particularly in countries such as Qatar that have demonstrated the will and desire to seek environmentally sustainable solutions, as evidenced in the recent Qatar 2022 bid proposals.”

Of the event, Constantin said: “We have connected with existing and potential partners, including contractors, architects and other industry stakeholders who contribute by driving the adoption of such niche technologies in projects. We have recently retooled our operations in the region and are focusing on transferring technologies that deliver just that.”

Dalkia and Arcapita JV awarded 29-year concession, responsible for one of the region’s largest cooling operations

Abu Dhabi tourism, cultural and residential projects master developer, TDIC has awarded a public private partnership (PPP) concession to Dalkia and Arcapita JV partnership.

The deal is the first of its kind on Saadiyat and incorporates design, build, finance, operation and maintenance of three plants over 29 years. It is said to be one of the Middle East’s largest DC operations, pumping out 50,000TR over an area of 27km2.

Andrew Seymour, director of infrastructure, TDIC, said of the move, “The awarding of contracts for the cooling plants is an important step forward in the infrastructure development of Saadiyat, as we prepare for the opening of the island’s first hotels later this year, and look forward to further projects coming online in the near future.”

The objective was to develop a strategy to provide cost-effective, efficient cooling services across the 1.6 million m2 built-up area. The environmental impact was a major consideration, Seymour pointed out, “In-line with our sustainable objectives and targets, managing the issues of water conservation and environmental output continue to lead our agenda.”

Two of the three cooling plants on Saadiyat will be completed by 2012, with the third at Saadiyat Beach District to be completed in 2016 as further projects come on stream.

During the concession period, Arcapita will provide project finance, while Dalkia will perform engineering works, manage plant construction and operation.

The King & Spalding legal team advising TDIC was led by global transactions partner, Tim Burbury. “We are very pleased with the result and are proud to be associated with this groundbreaking deal, Burbury said. “We congratulate TDIC on its success.”

When completed in 2020, Saadiyat is expected to be home to 145,000 residents with leisure and tourism facilities. It is being touted as the world’s largest single concentration of cultural institutions, including the Zayed National Museum, the Louvre Abu Dhabi and the Guggenheim Abu Dhabi.

B Surendar

Saudi Arabia, according to a recent Reuters report, at more than 260 billion barrels, has a fifth of the world’s stock of recoverable crude oil, and when viewed from that perspective, has the wherewithal to meet its power needs. However, the Kingdom is confronted with soaring domestic energy use. In 2010, it consumed 40 gigawatts of power; that figure, according to the report, is expected to triple by 2032.

That kind of expansion, the report says, could see the country consume all of the roughly eight million barrels per day that it produces. Right now, out of the eight million barrels a day, over three million are consumed domestically, mainly for generating power. That figure is growing eight per cent per annum, the report said.

The writing on the wall is clear. Higher domestic consumption of crude oil means fewer barrels to sell.

From that perspective, Saudi Arabia is highly motivated in its search for renewable sources of power, especially solar. The kingdom enjoys bright sunshine for a large part of the year and is ideally poised to exploit this natural feature, but first it – and for that matter, the world – needs to address the several technological challenges involved in the harnessing of energy from the sun. There is no clear indication how long it will take for the world to benefit from solar at attractive efficiencies.

In the meanwhile, there is always energy efficiency. During IDEA’s centennial Annual Conference & Trade Show, in Washington DC, I was privileged to listen to Olivier Barbaroux, the Chairman and CEO of Veolia Energy, who made a telling comment on how the world could do a better job on focusing on energy efficiency, a market worth $50 billion, in his estimate. Later at the event, Gary Locke, the US Secretary of State famously described energy efficiency “as the fifth fuel”. The drivers for energy efficiency could be the very same industry that consumes 70% of a building’s total power consumption – air conditioning. District cooling, with a proper engineering approach, could be it. Cogen could be it. With an integrated approach in place, Saudi Arabia can well be on its way to reduce the number of power plants on the drawing board.

This calls for detailed discussion. And hopefully, the Climate Control Summit, on March 28 and 29, will provide some answers, which we would be delighted to share with you in subsequent issues.

Next month, we will be discussing another equally important issue – food safety from refrigeration and air filtration perspectives. And as a precursor, we bring to you in this issue our bi-annual supplement, called Food Chain. I hope you enjoy this issue. As usual, we crave your feedback (to surendar@cpi-industry.com).

A core component in the construction and real estate sector, the air conditioning market in the UAE has been dented due to the economic downturn. Though it is showing signs of recovery, the picture that emerges after toting up the positive and negative columns appears far from clear. We bring you an analysis…

THE BACKGROUND

Air conditioning is a necessity in the UAE, given its geography and climate. Air conditioners, therefore, will continue to be in demand in the country, in one form or the other, for the foreseeable future. Despite this, the market for packaged and split air conditioners has witnessed a dip over the last three years, though the nature of air conditioning itself has evolved.

The reasons for the sluggish air conditioning market are not difficult to ascertain. According to the IMF, the UAE’s GDP as a whole shrunk by 0.7% in 2009. The global economic slowdown, shutting down of capital markets, the fallout from Dubai’s property crash and the impact of the announcement concerning deferment of debt, could be enumerated as the main causes for the contracted GDP. This has obviously had a direct impact on Dubai’s packaged air conditioning sector, in particular, and the UAE’s in general.

In Dubai and the Northern Emirates, the rate of change of the GDP registered in 2009 was -1.3%, with predictions of further shrink by another 1.3% in 2010. In comparison, Abu Dhabi had a better economic report card. In 2009, the change in its GDP was -0.1%. It improved by 2.9% in 2010. Spurred by government’s fiscal stimulus, its economic activity remained on an even keel. However, it is predicted that it will be negatively impacted by a slowdown in government spending.

After oil and trade, the building and construction sector is the third largest sector in the UAE, constituting $23 billion or about 6% of GDP. But over 52% of construction projects were reportedly suspended, due to the economic crisis. Despite this, paradoxically, the construction and property market in the UAE is still by far the largest in the Gulf.

According to MEED, in August 2009, projects worth USD923 billion were still planned or under way in the country. Business Monitor International (BMI) forecasts that the contribution of construction to the economy will return to levels of over 10% of GDP in 2011. These facts, evidently give out mixed signals to the country’s air conditioning sector.

BLOWING HOT AND COLD

A perceivable decline in the air conditioning market began in 2009 and registered a further decline in 2010. Although a large number of projects were put on hold as the global economic crisis began to impact the region and the country in late 2008, interestingly, sales of air conditioners did not reflect a corresponding dip, as the market was kept afloat by a backlog of orders. However, predictably, the slim order books in 2009 affected sales figures in 2010. The market reportedly saw a gradual rise in order levels in 2010. The sale of air conditioning is expected to pick up slightly in 2011 and a further recovery is indicated by 2012.

The good news is that the UAE government’s fiscal stimulus, such as it is, is aimed at infrastructure, including its nuclear power plant, oil and gas facilities. The public sector has also injected money in renovating schools and police stations. All this will, perhaps, translate into healthier sales figures for the air conditioning sector in the coming months.

Masdar City in Abu Dhabi is a major on-going project. Touted to be the first zero-carbon city in the country, the project includes residential buildings, offices, hotels and retail areas. This, again, holds promise.

But despite positive signs, the pattern that is emerging is an ambivalent one for the air conditioning sector. While the construction sector’s shift in focus from Dubai to Abu Dhabi in itself is not a bad thing, a cause for worry for the sector is the fact that a large number of projects in the capital are mega infrastructure undertakings in roads, rail, airports and ports. On the other hand, private sector investments in residential and commercial construction are declining, particularly in Dubai. However, this decrease is not as pronounced in Abu Dhabi as it is in Dubai, as it reportedly has a shortage of accommodation.

An important reason that can be attributed to a lot of residential developments in Dubai being put on hold, is Dubai is mainly a foreign investment market, and is consequently hit by the economic crisis, whereas Abu Dhabi is driven by local investment and government projects. Due to the market shifting to Abu Dhabi, manufacturers who have had a stronger presence in the capital have shown more resilience to the downturn. This has, undoubtedly, helped the country’s economy as a whole, but Dubai’s recovery has been slow, as the emirate has forged itself as a separate business entity. The general global perception, too, has nurtured this image. While this is a useful perception when the economy is on the upswing, it is not exactly helpful during a downturn, such as the recent one.

The picture becomes even more confusing in the light of the fact that though many projects have been put on hold, the number of new hotels in the UAE continues to grow. In Abu Dhabi, construction is well under way to develop hotels on Saadiyat lsland.

AIR CONDITIONING – PROS AND CONS

Thanks to the low customs tax of five per cent, the UAE has a large re-export business. Air conditioning products are imported to the country via ports in Dubai, Abu Dhabi and Sharjah. According to the latest statistics published by the Abu Dhabi government, re-export jumped 43.4% during the first quarter of 2010 in Abu Dhabi. Bahrain, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait and the Sultanate of Oman are the major destinations for the Abu Dhabi re-export market.

Under packaged and split air conditioners, the important products in the UAE are high wall mounted single split, ducted single split, window and rooftop single packaged air conditioners. While multi-split air conditioners are not found to be popular in the country, inverter and heat pump functions are not applicable, given the country’s climate.

Though a big wedge of the packaged air conditioning market pie is claimed by imports from China, Bahrain, Saudi Arabia, Thailand and South Korea, there are several local manufacturers with a product line-up for the UAE and its export markets – mainly other Middle Eastern and African countries.

Despite the fact that there is no ground-breaking change in the construction practice in the country, end-users and design consultants are now more aware of environmental and energy issues.

Reflecting the global mantra of sustainability, the UAE government has thrown its weight behind energy efficient air conditioning products in recent years. As an upshot of this, the Federal UAE Emirates Authority for Standardisation & Metrology (ESMA) is working on a project on air conditioner energy performance standard. ESMA initiated a preliminary survey and data collection project in the first half of 2010, involving brands like O General (Fujitsu General), Super General, LG, Westpoint, Mitsubishi Electric, Carrier, Supra, Aftron and Samsung. The products on ESMA’s radar are window, ductless split, portable, multi-split and packaged air conditioners.

Since environmental concern has entered the equation, in the long run, air conditioners that are environment friendly and reduce energy bills are likely to survive and prevail, be they innovations from established brands or new entrants in the market which can deliver on these two counts.

WILL VRFS MAKE INROADS?

Though the concept of VRF is still new to the UAE market, it showed promise of growth in 2010 due to aggressive marketing of its products by Daikin in the last quarter of 2009. Daikin continues to actively promote its VRV (Daikin’s trade name for its VRF system) application to design consultants and end-users. The other main players in the VRF segment are LG and Mitsubishi Electric.

Given a choice, end-users would probably prefer VRF systems, as they are considered more environmental friendly and consume lower energy. The fact that VRF units are finding greater acceptance among buyers is, perhaps, a courteous nod to sustainability.

TRENDS AND FEATURES

The following are the broad discernable market trends:

The market is highly competitive with 64 brands vying for market share. Most of them are manufactured by OEMs.

Window units, high wall single split and ducted split are preferred air conditioners for residential applications.

Single high wall split units remain the most preferred type for the residential air conditioner range, and are also used to replace old window units due to their lower noise levels, better performance and a small price difference between the two.

The market for window air conditioners has shrunk. They are being used only in low-cost or temporary developments. Trends indicate that they could gradually be phased out.

Single duct split units were introduced about a decade ago, and are still an on-going trend in new developments.

Demand for high wall single split air conditioner is expected to grow in the next few years. BSRIA estimates that in 2013, the other commercially used split air conditioner market.

BSRIA predicts that the other commercially used split air conditioner market will continue to shrink. The reason being, it is heavily reliant on new construction market conditions and, therefore, a pre-recession peak would be difficult to achieve, given the present economic and real estate scenario. BSRIA forecasts that it will gradually pick up from 2012 onwards, but with a caveat: a large percentage of ducted splits were installed in high-rise apartments in Dubai, and most of these projects were foreign investment projects. It will, therefore, be difficult to recreate the same level of foreign investment projects post economic crisis. This is also one of the reasons why BSRIA expects to see a slower recovery in the single split commercial air conditioner market.

The market for rooftop packaged units registered a sharp drop in 2009 and 2010 due to the decline in new projects. Though a few residential villas installed units, demand decreased during recession due to their higher cost and lack of a strong selling point. It can be concluded that indoor rooftop packaged units do not constitute a big chunk of the market in the country. They are now mainly used in mosques, schools, warehouses and shopping centres. However, a niche market for customised rooftop products in the infrastructure sector has evolved in the last two years. The demand can be attributed to the government injecting money to build nuclear, oil and gas plants during the recession.

Brand has been found to be a key criterion in the decision-making process among buyers.

There is no domestic market for moveable air conditioners. However, they do have a re-export market.

CONCLUSION

When all the positive and negative aspects influencing the air conditioning sector are factored in, it becomes evident that predicting market trends with any degree of certainty will only lead us to the realm of supposition.

Since oil prices may continue to rise due to political upheaval in a number of oil producing countries, it is thought this will inject new life into the real estate and construction sector in the UAE, not only increasing its overall GDP growth, but also giving impetus to the air conditioning market in the coming months. 

Air conditioning units with blocked or poorly maintained condensate drain lines damage property and affect indoor air quality. Installing traps, overflow switches and switches with integral pumps, coupled with a regular maintenance regimen will prove economical in the long run, says Gerry Spanger.

Some building maintenance departments do not realise the importance of air conditioning unit condensate maintenance until it is too late, and the property they are supposed to be maintaining incurs thousands of dollars worth of water damage or, worse yet, significant mould or mildew problems.

All air conditioning systems condense humidity from the airstream which gets collected in the drain pan. When a blockage prevents a drain pan from properly draining, it overflows into its surrounding area. While property damage is visually evident, the hidden danger of mould, mildew and other indoor air quality problems can lurk for months in air conditioning systems with blocked, partially blocked or poorly maintained condensate drain lines.

All this can cause substantial damage. However, many maintenance departments overlook the potential of overflowing external units on rooftops because they think the roof pitch will drain away the condensate. Unfortunately, many air conditioning units sit on a kerb and use bottom air discharge, a design where condensate can overflow the drain pan and drop into the building.

In my opinion, all air conditioners should include an adequately sized and pitched drain line to transport the condensate away from the unit. Drain lines are a necessity. However, biological or inorganic particulate matter in the unit’s airstream invariably washes down into the condensate, and eventually clogs the drain line. Units in high pollen areas are the most susceptible to biological growth. Therefore, air conditioner condensate drain lines should be checked by maintenance departments a minimum of every three months or simultaneously, when air filters are checked and changed.

Luckily, technology has developed solutions such as cleanable and transparent P-traps, overflow switches, overflow switches with integral evacuation pumps and other air conditioner condensate overflow prevention devices to minimise these problems.

BASIC P-TRAPS

Condensate traps are available in many varieties, but the best maintenance solutions are the transparent and cleanable models. The see-through feature allows easy blockage detection. The cleanable aspect offers up to three accessible cleaning ports on the trap for a brush, which is not included with most trap brands.

Generally, condensate traps are mandated by the International Mechanical Code and the Uniform Mechanical Code, as well as the air conditioner manufacturers. However, this does not necessarily mean the installer of an air conditioning unit has actually complied with, or was aware of, these code requirements.

Traps are easy to install and should be fitted to every unit, regardless of size, or whether the unit is under positive or negative pressure.

Good practice dictates that the first fitting off the drain pan should always be a capped cross, which provides permanent access into the drain line or trap. This also permits access into the drain pan itself without the necessity of opening the unit or removing access panels.

The mechanical codes mandate the use of rigid pipe, which may be PVC, CPVC, abs, copper or other metals. Coiled pipe is specifically prohibited, because it can develop sags which create secondary traps and inhibit water flow. The pitch of the condensate drain pipe is also mandated by mechanical codes and must not be less than ¼ inch per foot.

To check an air conditioning unit’s draining integrity, water is poured into the condensate pan to ensure proper drainage.

Condensate traps also offer an IAQ benefit that is not always appreciated. In negative pressure systems, the trap prevents the introduction of unconditioned ambient air into the airstream, which reduces efficiency as well as prevents dirty air, insects and small rodents from entering occupied spaces through the drain line and air handler.

In positive pressure systems, the trap prevents energy loss by eliminating an open drain line from which conditioned air can escape.

Another anti-microbial strategy is condensate tablets that dissolve in the drain pan over the course of several months. However, this method introduces unnecessary chemicals into the environment and, therefore, should be used only in locations with histories of extreme biological growths.

SIZING TRAPS

Maintenance departments planning a trap installation should know that there are different trap sizes and specifications to consider:

Diameter: The standard diameter is 3/4-inch for up to 15 tonnes; one inch for approximately up to 25 tonnes, and can vary from 1/¼ inch to two inches for larger tonnage units

Depth: Trap depth is critical as it is a direct function of negative or positive pressure in the unit usually expressed in inches of water (wg). Rule of thumb is that trap depth must be at least equal to inches of water plus 30% margin of error to allow for surges in pressure in the AC unit

WG capacity: Traps come in pre-engineered ratings ranging from ½ inch to six inches wg to match the static pressure of the AC unit

It is, therefore, important to choose the right trap as per the air conditioning unit manufacturer’s specifications. It is equally important to see that the unit is sufficiently elevated to a minimum height of six inches to insure there is room for a trap and adequate pitch in the drain line.

WATERLESS TRAPS

Conventional P-traps depend on residual water level for a seal. This usually dries up when the cooling season is over, creating what is known as ‘dry trap’. A dry trap will allow insect ingress and air infiltration, retard drainage on a negative pressure system and increase energy costs on a positive pressure system. A good solution to these problems is a waterless trap, which relies on a float (which may be spring-loaded) to act as a check valve and create a seal. Waterless traps are freeze-resistant, require no priming, do not allow air to flow in either direction and permit the free flow of water at all times. Waterless traps are available in ¾, 1 and 1¼-inch diameters.

OVERFLOW CUT-OFF SWITCHES

An overflow float switch is useful because it deactivates the unit during an overflow event. The switch is typically mounted to the top of the cross fitting above the trap. During a trap blockage, water rises up into the cross and lifts the switch’s mechanical float, which cuts power to the 24-volt circuit that is wired in-line with the air conditioning unit. While there are many overflow switches on the market, it is important to note that switches with a capacity of less than four amps may not perform properly on many units, because they may not be able to handle the higher currents associated with modern air conditioning systems.

Overflow switches are invaluable, but not a cure. They should not be used as a substitute for the regular maintenance of traps and/or drain lines. An overflow switch is a second line of defense that only treats the symptoms of a blockage by cutting power to the unit. Once the water recedes, as in the case of a partial blockage, the unit activates and the cycle perpetuates until the drain line blockage is physically removed. There are many varieties of switches, of which some have visual or audible warning alarms.

While an overflow cut-off switch prevents the unit from operating during blockages, there is one disadvantage. Iced evaporator coils will continue to thaw and feed the slow receding or blocked drain pan even though the unit is deactivated.

OVERFLOW SWITCH WITH A SELF-EVACUATING PUMP

For units up to five tonnes of capacity, the ultimate in overflow protection is an overflow switch with a self-evacuating pump. Regardless of thawing ice, which may form on evaporator coils, the pump will continue to pump out the drain pan and prevent an overflow, even through the switch has deactivated the air conditioning unit. Blocked drain pans are evacuated in under three minutes by the integral pump.

As previously mentioned, a simple overflow switch only momentarily deactivates the air conditioning unit in situations of partially blocked drains. Conversely, a combination switch and pump uses stainless steel electronic probes to sense rising condensate levels. It deactivates the unit while the integral mini-pump evacuates the excess condensate into a ¼-inch vinyl tubing drain line. The pump remains live, while the unit stays deactivated until maintenance removes the blockage and manually presses the integral pump’s reset button.

Traps, overflow switches and switches with integral pumps are inexpensive to purchase and install in-house when compared to the costs of replacing damaged property. These devices are invaluable when applied along with a periodic maintenance schedule. A maintenance crew well-versed in controlling condensate will save tenants and building managers a significant amount of money long-term, while also improving indoor air quality.

The author is Vice President of  Airtec Products, Fall River, Massachusetts, USA. He can be reached at gspanger@airtecproducts.com.

This is the second in a multi-part series on air filtration [read the first part here].

Clean air is not only a right but also a necessity. Absolute air filtration is the main channel through which clean air can be obtained. But it cannot be achieved without making a conscious effort to understand, and put in place, the equipment and the necessary process involved.

The complexity of the process highlights the factors that affect its performance. Earlier, though this aspect had not been given the importance and the attention it deserved, fortunately, there is a recent shift in emphasis towards air filtration. There is, at last, a realisation that indoor clean air is critically important to the well-being of human beings, gas turbine air intakes, and HVAC equipment.

TYPES OF FILTRATION PROCESSES

The first step in the general understanding of the air filtration process is distinguishing between the two types of filtration processes, namely depth, and surface filtration. Fabric and membrane filters are considered surface filters, while fibrous and granular filters fall under the depth filtration category.

Surface filtration:

In surface filtration, large particles are expected to get deposited on the surface of the filtration medium by a sieving mechanism so as to form the so-called dust cake. Thus, surface filters rely on the formation of the dust cake to do most of the filtration action, and therefore, have high pressure drop. (Pressure drop is the measure of airflow resistance through a filter.) In this process, the dust cake layer itself becomes the main filtration segment of the entire filtration process. A detailed knowledge of the properties of the local atmospheric dust is needed to better evaluate the surface filtration process. Pulse filters are a good example of surface filters, and are generally used in gas turbines.

Depth filtration:

Depth filtration relies on capturing the particles within the filter medium. This method of non-cake filtration requires an understanding of the media properties. Depth filtration process allows fibrous filters to have the same or better degree of purification and minimal resistance as that of surface filters.

In this process, glass fibre media is used extensively due to its low pressure drop and better performance at high temperatures. The structure of fibre glass media is delicate, and may not be regenerated either by washing with water and/or through the use of compressed air. Attempting to regenerate a fibrous filter by ejecting the dust out of it will lead to the destruction of the structure of the media, and the dust particles may not be removed completely.

The structure of fibrous filters is illustrated in Figure 1. The porosity of fibrous filters is around 90%, which indicates that the sieving mechanism plays no significant role in the process. This type of filtration is widely used in the HVAC industry.

OPERATING CHARACTERISTICS

When evaluating any of type of air filter, there are three main performance characteristics that should be of primary interest: efficiency, the ability of the cleaner to remove particulates from the airstream and pressure drop. Pressure drop is dependent upon fluid properties, filtration media properties, and the properties of the collected dust. In fact, pressure drop across an air filter varies with its thickness, fibre radius and filter packing density, air velocity and viscosity. The third performance characteristic is the filter life time, which depends upon pressure drop and efficiency.

LEARNING LESSONS FROM DISASTERS

Though air filters are necessary, it appears that we always need an unpleasant event to remind us of the critical role they play. To cite examples from the recent past, the impact of SARS, Anthrax, and H1N1 are engraved in our collective memories, and we are not likely to forget the 2010 volcanic eruptions of Eyjafjallajökull at Eyjafjöll in Iceland. The catastrophic eruption caused massive disruption of air travel across Europe. However, the great lesson learnt from it was that suspended high particle concentrations in the atmosphere affect nearly all human and industrial activities. Had appropriate filter selection been made and proper maintenance measures exercised throughout the year to the required professional degree, air filters would have played a pivotal role in particle removal in protecting human beings and industrial applications during the havoc caused by the volcanic ash.

Frequent sand storms in the Arabian Peninsula are another example of high dust concentration, where they can negatively influence air conditioning equipment and gas turbine performance. Figure 2 illustrates how dust particles settled on the cooling coils of air handling units can reduce their effectiveness.

AIR CONTAMINANTS

The two major classes of air contaminants are particulate and gaseous. The particulate class covers a wide range of particle sizes from dust, which are large enough to be seen by the naked eye, to the sub-microscopic particles that escape most filters. These particulates may originate from natural processes, such as wind erosion, sea spray evaporation, volcanic eruption and metabolism or decay of organic matter.

Figure 3 shows various contaminants that may exist in the atmospheric air. A filter’s effectiveness in removing different sizes of particulates depends upon its filter class.

In the case of power generation, the prime function of air filters is to provide clean air to gas turbines. This can be done by means of high-efficiency filters installed at the air intake. Obviously, the problem begins when particles collide with the turbine blades and cause impediments like corrosion, fouling, and erosion, which are responsible for altering the performance of gas turbines. Erosion, for example, occurs when a particle strikes the blades at a high velocity. This causes a change in the blades’ mass, leading to rotation imbalance in the turbine assembly.

The presence of salt in the air is another factor to be taken into consideration, as it not only corrodes the turbine blade but also the particles settled on the cooling perforations will lead to overheating. Clearly, in such instances, a strong case can be made for installing air filters. They defend gas turbine assembly and help minimise annual shut times for maintenance and, thus, reduce loss in energy output.

It is evident from the examples cited that fine filters are necessary to remove particles from the air stream and lower their concentrations. However, what is really needed is the use of High Efficiency Particulate Air (HEPA) as a final stage of filtration to guard against air contamination. Although there is a great push in the gas turbine market for this, and the industry is aiming to use HEPA class filtration on the air intake of gas turbines, designers might still be reluctant to use them due to concerns about the pressure drop and associated loss in energy output. However, with the launch of the latest intelligent designs of new ultra-low pressure drop HEPA filters, the use of absolute filtration is gaining momentum, as it can provide the higher efficiency desired, at the required pressure drop.

NEED FOR APPROACH RE-ALIGNMENT

It is indeed ironic that a great deal of money is invested in purchasing the most efficient HVAC equipment, but the same degree of emphasis is not placed on investing in high-efficiency filters. There are a few serious questions that need to be asked and answered: Do HVAC designers pay equal attention to the filtration stage of AHUs as they do to the rest of the components? What stops us from installing the highest efficiency of filtration at home, at work and for industrial applications? The climate is changing; shouldn’t our approach to it?

The writer is Regional Director, Middle East, and International Consultant, EMW Filtertechnik, Germany. He can be contacted at iyad.al-attar@emw.de

The two-day Kuwait District Cooling Summit, held on January 25 and 26, had a sense of urgency and purpose to it. Organised by the Ministry of Electricity and Water, under the patronage of H.E. Dr Bader Al-Shuraiaan, Minister of Electricity and Water, the event was indicative of the fact that district cooling was high on the country’s energy-conservation agenda.

The oft-repeated statistics is now common knowledge: Kuwait holds around 10% of global oil reserves but faces domestic power concerns. It has one of the world’s highest per capita consumption rates of electricity. Official figures estimate that around 70% of energy is consumed by air conditioning units, placing a heavy burden on the country’s electricity supply. The country is planning five mega cities to accommodate a growing population, which will make further demands on energy.

The rationale behind the event, therefore, was not difficult to ascertain. Apparently, Kuwait is now ready to place its faith in district cooling, which at least theoretically, comes with a list of advantages: lower cost, lower maintenance, enhanced efficiency and reliability, space saving, flexibility of air conditioning load and longer plant life.

Though Kuwait pioneered water-cooled chillers in the 1960s, it is a relatively new and a late entrant to the DC club in the region. Therefore, though the country has a strategic plan to invest in district cooling in a big way, it has been experiencing teething trouble. As both the cause and effect of it, the sector is still unregulated, and needs a well-defined structure and legislation in place before ushering in a regime of district cooling as a viable investment model. Raising awareness among decision makers and end-users are other main challenges.

It was under the shadow of these challenges that the Kuwait District Cooling Summit was held. However, it was evident from the papers presented that the Summit had inscribed for itself a wider arc. Its scope extended beyond Kuwait’s district cooling sector and its challenges, and included the region and the world, as it also sought to learn from global case studies. As events like these generally tend to be, it was also a forum for senior-level decision makers, engineers, project managers and regional and international experts to discuss the latest technologies, best practices and cost and sustainability dividends of district cooling.

Though the dividing line was blurred, the presentations roughly fell under two rubrics: conceptual/ideological and technical, one overlapping the other. Benefits and challenges of the sector were the recurrent undercurrents of the presentations.

This was reflected in the presentation by Abdulhamid Al Mansour, CEO, Saudi Tabreed. It was titled, ‘Challenges facing the district cooling industry in the Arabian Gulf countries’. Mansour compared the generation of electricity in the six GCC countries and enumerated the following concerns, which were, by and large, echoed by other presenters:

• Meeting air conditioning demand
• Escalated electricity peak demand – summer/winter power fluctuation
• Low electricity tariff
• Cooling water shortage
• Environmental concerns
• Lack of air conditioning legislations
• Poor management of existing systems
• New civic structure expansions
• Increasing local fuel demand

At the crux of Al Mansour’s presentation was the question: How can district cooling mitigate these challenges? His gaze was also on optimisation of benefits of district cooling – increasing energy efficiency and reducing environmental emissions, including air pollution, greenhouse gas (GHG), carbon dioxide (CO2) and ozone‐destroying refrigerants.

He highlighted the fact that most Middle Eastern governments are parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change. With most countries in the region having extremely high GHG emissions per capita, he argued that the issue would become increasingly important in the context of government policy making. Affirming that district cooling could reduce annual CO2 emissions by about one tonne for every tonne of district cooling refrigeration demand served, he listed a few of the provider responsibilities:

• Investment in capital to build plant and infrastructure
• Managing design construction of facilities
• Looking into customers’ requirements
• Providing specialised operators and technicians to monitor and maintain equipment and ensuring 24-hour service
• Back‐up system that allows uninterrupted routine upkeep and repair
• Assuming all risks
• Illustrating a proven track record

To sum up, Al Mansour’s presentation explained why district cooling was environmentally friendly and how its benefits could be optimised.

In his presentation, titled ‘Prospective of district cooling for residential sector in Kuwait’, Prof Abdullatif Ben-Nakhi, Department of Power and Refrigeration, College of Technological Studies, Kuwait, focused on the current status of district cooling in Kuwait. Apart from highlighting the benefits of district cooling, his presentation touched upon the HVAC market for residential buildings in Kuwait. But the main thrust of his argument was the need for district cooling in residential suburbs in Kuwait (RSK). He examined its feasibility, barriers in implementing it and suggestions to overcome them.

Ben-Nakhi pointed out that no district cooling system had been installed as a public utility system in Kuwait. This was because it required community support and political backup. Saying that those involved in district cooling could be grouped into building owners, the municipality, and the society at large, he cited resistance and ignorance as the main obstacles for implementing it on a large scale. He listed other barriers under the following categories:

Barriers related to non-governmental district cooling investors for RSK:

• Starting district cooling for RSK is risky
• Long payback period – exceeding 10 years
• No political support
• No legislation for the district cooling market (for example, protecting the investor)
• Overall billing and collection of several and different types of customers
• Requires access to municipal property
• Resistance from unitary AC (installation and maintenance) companies

Barriers related to the government:

• Absence of political support
• No formal district cooling -related strategy
• No policy supporting the district cooling industry

Barriers related to the community:

• Fear of inefficiency due to misuse by other linked users
• Lack of trust in the charging and billing processes
• Ignorance of service quality control mechanisms
• Fear of monopoly in an essential service sector

Ben-Nakhi suggested the following solutions:

The government should initiate:

• District cooling boost in RSK
• District cooling-supportive policies
• Incentives for district cooling users
• Reduced financing costs for district cooling investors
• Cheap rental for district cooling plant rooms
• Introduction of off-peak electricity rates
• Legislate the district cooling market:
• Protect participants
• Control cost and quality
• Design and build district cooling piping network and infrastructure free for the community
• Sponsor further application-oriented studies

Ben-Nakhi’s final appeal was, “Let’s take this chance! Let’s start now!”

Anand K Rohatgi of Synergy Consulting, in his presentation, ‘Why district cooling under BOT/BOO structure may not be for private sector off-takers: learning from Dhahran district cooling project (a case study)’, examined the subject from a financial angle.

Delineating on the economic motivational factors of a district cooling scheme, he listed the following:

• Highly profitable from a national economy perspective
• Lower initial and recurrent operating costs for the district cooling plant operator
• Smart energy technology and economically efficient utility service
• Reliability in excess of 99.7%
• Improvement in carbon footprint for the economy
• Smooth load distribution – lower cumulative capacity requirements
• Presents attractive value propositions to building owners in terms of space
• Lower cooling costs to end-users

Rohatgi identified bankable transaction as the key factor for the success of a district cooling project. He believed that it provided a sense of comfort to lenders that debt obligations would be met within schedule, and ensured balanced recovery of all project costs, appropriate equity returns and proper risk allocation.

Rohatgi argued that district cooling was a viable solution in the long run due to better efficiency, which could be observed by comparing consumption charges and also the fact that its viability would increase with the availability of longer-term debt.

Fadhel Al Kazemi, CEO, Kazema Global Holding’s presentation went into both the generalities of the GCC context and the specifics of the ground reality in Kuwait. Titled ‘GCC countries or state-by-state draft district cooling utility acts and regulations setting fair business relations among the state, customers, developers and utility providers’, it stressed that the technicalities of district cooling as a concept needed to be co-opted by and subsumed into the larger ideological concept of Kuwait’s avowed “National Destiny and Purpose”, which would ultimately reflect the shared aspirations of the GCC countries. He believed that creating a “National Will” through a national-level initiative was important in order to implement district cooling, as part of the larger agenda.

Under the header of National Destiny and Purpose set by the leaders of the GCC countries, Al Kazemi listed some of its salient objectives:

• To reduce electrical power demand
• To reduce CO2 emission and domestic fossil fuel consumption
• To increase use of alternative renewable energy in both demand side and supply side
• To effect mass transit through trains and underground transportation to reduce the use of private vehicles
• To transform the GCC region into one of the world’s financial centres and global hub for passenger airlines, freight airlines and marine logistics

With the above as the unified ambition, and a reminder that all GCC countries have ratified the Kyoto Protocol and signed the Montreal and Copenhagen Protocols, Al Kazemi believed that a common agenda agreed upon by ministries within each GCC state would make district cooling a more viable proposition.

Mohammad Abusaa of ADC Energy Systems made a presentation on behalf of Fadi Hashem, Engineering Manager and Co-founder, DC PRO Engineering, on the topic, ‘District cooling in Kuwait – environmental footprint comparison (IEA)’, which highlighted the electric power stations and power demand data in Kuwait vis-à-vis the impact of district cooling on overall government infrastructure costs, on carbon emissions and elaborated on the benefits of implementing district cooling in Kuwait.

Reiterating that the GCC countries have one of the highest environmental footprints per capita in the world in terms of peak electric load/capita, carbon emissions/capita and annual power consumption/capita, Abusaa said that with the global move to reduce carbon emissions and preserve the environment, and with the power failures and crises in Kuwait occurring since the summer of 2006, it was essential to adopt energy-efficient and environmentally friendly solutions, like district cooling, to meet the future expected growth in the country.

Emphasising on the fact that 60 to 70% of building peak electricity load and over 50% of the building annual energy in the GCC is consumed by air conditioning equipment, Abusaa, articulating Hashem’s presentation, said that district cooling, along with better building designs, could play a vital role in curbing power consumption related to air conditioning, and could offer numerous technical, commercial and environmental benefits to the government and end-users.

Armed with key data about district cooling and sustainability in the GCC countries and in Kuwait, he claimed that switching to district cooling would give Kuwait an additional estimated peak cooling load growth of 1,200,000 TR in the next three years, with an estimated actual load of ~890,000 tonnes. Highlighting the advantage of Thermal Energy Storage (TES), he stressed that the electric demand for 1,200,000 TR was 919 MW for district cooling with TES tank, as compared to 2,233 MW with traditional air-cooled systems. The inference, Abusaa said, was that district cooling and thermal storage would yield rich dividends in the long run.

Georges Hoeterickx of Evapco Europe, in his technical paper, ‘Cooling towers for district cooling design considerations’, looked at the issue of cooling tower size versus approach, the difference between cooling tower water outlet temperature and design entering wet bulb temperature and the difference between cooling tower water inlet and cooling tower outlet temperature. He advised against recirculation, as the bypass of warm discharge air into the cooling tower air inlet would cause capacity losses.

Taking the issue further, Jeevan Joy from Spig and Hisham Hajaj, Project Principal, Stanley Consultant Group, examined the implications of using sea water for cooling towers. Joy’s presentation was titled, ‘Application of field-erected cooling towers in district cooling’, while Hajaj spoke about utilising sea water cooling towers for district cooling.

Joy argued that using sea water in cooling towers was technically and economically feasible, and cited its merits:

• Sea water cooling towers can satisfy cooling needs of petrochemical industries
• No significant O&M complications with seawater cooling towers have been reported
• Economics are favourable compared with the once-through system

Hajaj cited other added advantages: Durability, easy maintenance and control, energy conservation, obviating scarcity of water resources, heat rejection from industries dissipating back into the sea, plume forming far away from the ground level, low emissions in case of salt water, no restrictions for tower sitting within the site, unbiased to wind direction, thus no issue of tower orientation, and less piping, as there is a short distance to the process plant.

That it was suitable only for low-rise buildings, had limitations of geographical location and delivery system and issue of discharge seawater temperature were the disadvantages Hajaj listed. His presentation concluded with the case study of sea water cooling towers of Jubail Industrial City, Saudi Arabia.

Jarmo J Heikkinen, General Manager, Kamstrup Middle East, in his presentation, ‘Cooling energy (BTU) metering’, made a case for individual metering. Despite resistance to it in some pockets of the sector, he believed that the following merits overrode the concerns:

• Saves money and energy – 30% less energy consumption, according to experience in Europe
• Enables effective meter reading with minimum personnel
• Enables fair billing
• Exact monthly reading provides accurate statistics
• Detects failures in the cooling system – leakages of water, energy or low delta T indication

Based on studies in the UAE of end-users, Heikkinen claimed that they preferred individual metering, as it increased consumer confidence. Also, actual consumption data would provide valuable feedback, which could be used for design recommendations.

Magdi Rashad, General Manager, S&T Cool (Sorouh & Tabreed District Cooling Company), gave Tabreed’s perspective on district cooling in his presentation and touched upon challenges facing Kuwait and how to overcome them, reiterating points raised by others.

While Roger Baroudi of SSHI, in his presentation, ‘District cooling designing for life power and cost saving’, dealt mainly with case studies like the Kuwait University Cooling Towers, Soren Kjaer of Perma Pipe focused on understanding international standards for pre-insulated piping for district cooling piping networks.

Tim Burbury, Partner, King & Spalding LLP, in his presentation, drew attention to an area that has not received much attention: ‘District cooling projects: legal and commercial issues and their solutions’. Asking what legal structures were being used in the sector, he looked at commercial and legal issues, like regulation, stakeholder concerns, billing and collection, project phasing – phasing of capacity and temporary chilling/heating construction, reticulation network/centralised plant interconnection, O&M, bankability, water source, end-user demand and off-take guarantees.

It was Yaqoub Almatouq, Head of Refrigeration Team, Ministry of Social Affairs & Labour, Kuwait, who finally gave a comprehensive perspective on the subject, viewed through a technical, environmental and ideological prism, in his presentation: ‘District cooling: environmentally strategic option’. He not only outlined the advantages and potential role of district cooling, but also squarely addressed implementation-related concerns, such as:

• Costs: initial and running
• Durability: longevity components compared to conventional AC systems
• Reliability: capability to provide the required cooling capacity
• Serviceability: repair period in case of malfunctions
• Expandability: cost of more cooling due to building expansion – for example, plant and piping network, capacity improvement
• Technical support: professionalism of district cooling operators and technicians
• Validity of design: sizing, selection, integration of the components with the buildings they will serve
• Monopoly of district cooling service: can the end-user select/change between different providers of district cooling?
• How and who will control the cost of service?

Despite all the misgivings, quoting Alan Kay, Almatouq concluded: “The only way you can predict the future is to build it.” This, perhaps, signalled that the time had come for Kuwait and the region to sidestep interminable debates and discussions about the pros and cons of district cooling, and give it a fair chance. However, who will bear the moral onus and cost, if it does not live up to its promise, is not exactly a rhetoric question.

Peddling of counterfeit refrigerant is nothing new, but following a high profile case in the Middle East, Honeywell continues to raise awareness of the dangers of fake coolant. Paul Collett talks to Paul Sanders, MD, Honeywell Fluorine Products.

The trade in counterfeit goods is an on-going battle to raise awareness with buyers and end-users as to the public health and environmental dangers. In the refrigerants’ sector, the impact of non-regulated replacement products finding their way into air conditioning, chiller and plant cooling systems can be, literally, poisonous.

To counter the trade, Honeywell has been waging an on-going campaign to prevent infringement on its intellectual property portfolio for a number of years. Unlicensed products at trade shows have been seized and, notably, in the Middle East a warehouse was raided in Deira, Dubai, last November.

In the following question and answer, Climate Control Middle East brings you the lowdown on counterfeit refrigerant.

Which products specifically should the HVACR sector be on the lookout for?

HVCAR professionals will be well aware of our Genetron 134(a) refrigerant cylinders, used throughout fridge systems as well as air conditioning. This product is a single component HFC refrigerant that replaced CFC-12 in many cooling applications. Refrigerant R-134a holds an A1 ASHRAE safety classification, and can be used to replace CFC-12 in existing HVAC systems, or to service R-134a systems.

Honeywell also invented and patented R-410A and its use in air conditioning and other applications. This technological innovation has since become the globally accepted standard for use in new residential and light-commercial air conditioning systems.

In addition to R-410A, Honeywell has patents relating to the following refrigerants: R-404A, R-408A, R-507, R-236fa and 245fa.

So what’s in the counterfeit products, and what’s the health and environmental upshot?

Generally, substandard components are used which have not been tested or certificated. This means performance is below par – very damaging for chillers and refrigeration plants and, of course, industrial, domestic and tower air conditioning systems.

We breath the air these systems pump out, and facility and operations managers can be looking at costly repair or replacement as the gases are not fit for purpose and, in some cases, highly flammable and toxic. You, then, have to factor in downtime, costs and the potential for spoiled goods. Not forgetting the impact on the environment from CFCs and their negative impact. The major issues really are safety, performance and the environment.

How do you differentiate between counterfeit and genuine products?

We carry out tests in two stages: the first is to check the cylinders themselves in terms of packaging, the cylinder and security markings; the second is to test the chemical contents at our laboratory.

Counterfeit goods carrying the Honeywell brand can’t be good for business…

Honeywell quite rightly wants to protect its trading name. We have invested substantial resources to develop and commercialise our refrigerant technology. We have demonstrated we will take the necessary action to ensure that others respect our intellectual property, and we’ll continue to do so.

How does Honeywell take the fight to the fakers?

Working closely with our distributors, partners and representatives we gain market intelligence and engage with relevant local authorities. In partnership, we identify the target and arrange a sting operation. This takes time and costs money, but we enjoy strong cooperation with local enforcement agencies, which is critical to successful operations.

What is the future of counterfeit busting?

Counterfeiters are becoming more sophisticated all the time. But we have the resources and the desire to continue our fight, take the goods off the streets and out of harm’s way. We also have the experience, intelligence and support of the authorities, and are confident we can keep up the pressure on the fakers. In fact, that is our mission.

9-10 May 2011, Dubai, UAE

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Being organised by Climate Control Middle East, Food Chain (the event) is a natural extension of a bi-annual supplement on food safety by the same name. Food Chain will examine key issues involving food safety from farm to fork. The emphasis will clearly be on the end-users of refrigeration, filtration, insulation and other equipment and refrigerated transport services (logistics) in the food business, be they supermarkets, hypermarkets, cold storage facilities, dairy farms, restaurants, hotels or hospitals. Issues for discussion include installation practices, O&M and training.

The seminar will include a round-table, with end-users as participants. Key issues for discussion include reliability and energy efficiency. Manufacturers, suppliers and service providers will, then, have an opportunity to present their side of the business.

The event will be of interest and relevance to farming cooperative societies, supermarket and hypermarket chains, hotels, restaurants, hospitals, supply chain and logistics providers, equipment manufacturers, suppliers, service providers (including O&M companies), government regulators on food safety issues and policy makers.

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Contact: B Surendar
Editorial Director & Associate Publisher
CPI Industry
T: +971 4 375 68 31
M: +971 50 509 2457
E: surendar@cpi-industry.com

Salah Nezar, a sustainability design specialist, is Sustainability Services Leader for Qatar Project Management (QPM). With a wide range of experience in designing and managing projects involving cutting-edge green technologies and forward looking design practices, he dreams of designing high performance buildings at the frontier of zero energy in the region, and finding solutions to solar cooling related challenges.

MY BACKGROUND

With Theodore Monod

I am almost 47. I was born in Batna, in Eastern Algeria. After obtaining my Baccalaureate degree, I learnt Italian and was about to join the Carlos Scarpa School in Italy and become an architect. It didn’t work, so I moved to building services, instead. I earned a degree in Genie Climatique from the University of Constantine, one of the few schools in the world of its kind, devoted to a five-year degree course on HVAC and refrigeration.

The course was, therefore, in a very narrow discipline, with a focus on air conditioning and building services. What I mean is, 90% of the people in the HVAC industry study the subject as part of their Mechanical Engineering degree, but we were capable of offering a wide array of choices in computing HVAC load calculations by the end of the third year of the curriculum.

I completed my degree in 1989 and went on to graduate school while working as an HVAC engineer for a local engineering office. I got a Master’s degree in Bioclimatique – a combination of passive design and intelligent active AC systems. It was specific for hot and arid areas. The research topic was sponsored by the Government of Algeria, in collaboration with the EU. I had to undergo a number of very specialised training programmes with ADEME (L’Agence de l’Environnement et de la Maîtrise de l’Energie) and l’Université Catholique de Louvain. They have one of the most advanced labs for Bioclimatique research.

During this phase, I had the chance to meet a number of top-notch sustainability specialists at the University of La Rochelle, and L’ecole des Mine de Paris. My discussions with the scholar, Theodore Monod are engraved in my memories on how to embrace sustainability as a mode of life and not as a buzzword.

At the end of the research work, I wrote a technical paper, which was selected by the World Energy Council in 1998 as the best of its kind, proving a rethinking approach in integrating passive and active energy conservation strategies in a single thermal model. I didn’t expect it to, but the paper changed my career and my life.

The year was 1998. I took the paper to the United States for a presentation in Texas. My plan was to be in the US for a few days, but I stayed on for years!

Subsequent to the presentation, in Texas, the University of New Orleans contacted me to join their energy conservation programme. I was in charge of the energy simulation lab and taught students numerical tools to conduct energy simulation and energy auditing, and discussed real case studies with them on intelligence buildings. It was a 4,000 level course.

FROM COLLEGE CAMPUS TO RETROFITTING

In 2001, I moved from the world of academics to the world of industry – to Dome Tech Engineering, in New Jersey. The firm specialised in commissioning and retrofitting, with a focus on pharmaceutical and medical facilities in hospitals. During my time there, I completed assignments for Pfizer, Johnson & Johnson, Merck, Baxter, in addition to a number of hospitals in the New York metro area, like NYU, Mount Sinai and Winthrop. It was an enriching experience, as the level of cleanliness involved was very high, and the designs had to be very stringent and specific. The assignment also involved trouble-shooting.

Speaking of trouble-shooting, let me cite an interesting anecdote from this period. In the pharmaceutical business, each product has a production line. One of these lines was serving a branded and well known medicine. From its starting day, generally, in summer, every year, the production line would go down, owing to humidity and high temperature.

The system, therefore, had to be shut down. This obviously had cost implications.

Speaking at a sustainability event in Dubai

Pfizer, in New York, called several companies to solve the problem. They all thought it had to do with air-balancing. But it was fortuitous that I looked at the data and decided to do water and air tests. When I looked at the test results, I noticed a shortage of chilled water. But that was not the crux of the matter. I asked for as-built drawings, and after doing some mathematical calculations, I concluded that the problem could be in the cooling coil. When we opened the AHU, we found that the coil was facing the reverse direction. Once it was flipped to the right direction, the system was able to achieve the design conditions despite a slight shortage in chilled water flow.

After Dome Tech, I moved to Kallen & Lemelson, in New York City. During this period, the firm bagged a contract from New York State Energy Research Development Authority (NYSERDA). I was fortunate enough to be in charge of managing the energy and sustainability segment of iconic projects in New York State. In all, I was in charge of 20 projects to recommend energy conservation measures and ensure their implementation in the design document in order to be eligible for the state incentives. The amount of incentives depends on the level of energy saved, generally quantified through a full year energy model.

My job was to run the energy conservation side of the projects, from the kick-off meeting to the completion of the design document.

I had to come up with forward looking ideas for energy conservation and generation. The measures concerned finding ways of using smart integrated systems for high performance buildings, using VAV instead of constant volume, use of advance controls in optimising the efficiency of the air delivery system such as demand ventilation control and static pressure reset, and finding ways to have smart chilled water delivery system, including the cooling plant sequencing optimisation. This gave me a lot of experience, because I was dealing with top engineering firms not only in New York but also worldwide, such as, JB&B, Cosentini, and Flack & Kurtz We worked on iconic hospitals, schools and green residential towers.

Besides the NYSERDA contract, I was heavily involved in the project of renovating the 100 year old lion shouse for the Bronx Zoo. It was the first landmark building in New York City to obtain the LEED Gold rating from the USGBC.

You see, the challenge in a landmark building project is that you can’t change the outside and you have to work around it. The zoo project was complex, because it posed other unique challenges. For example, in the exhibition area housing the Nile Crocodiles, Lemurs and other animals from Madagascar, we had to create a specific environment for the animals and plants. We used advanced techniques in providing optimal indoor environment, like dynamic skylight composed of three layers to optimise daylight harvesting and minimise sun load in summer. It was the first time in the US that dynamic skylights were deployed.

At the plant level, we succeeded in integrating the existing zoo cogeneration system and absorption chiller with a new 200 KW fuel cell unit, and a skid of ground source heat pumps. The amount of energy saved was just outstanding for a historical building.

It was soon time to move again, as I got an offer from Syska Hennessey in New York, for the post of Supervisor Engineer. It was a whirlwind time.

While there, one of the first projects was designing the cooling system for a data centre in downtown New York. It was a challenge, because in New York City, space is at a premium, and there was no space to add new cooling towers. To overcome the problem, we took part of a floor and removed the window frames. This allowed for the air recirculation for the purpose of heat rejection. All the units had to be custom made.

During my tenure with Syska, I worked on retrofit projects and many LEED buildings. I was also involved in the commissioning of 1, Bryant Park, which is the Bank of America building. It was the first LEED Platinum high-rise building in the United States. So, straddling between a zoo and a high-rise building was quite an experience.

I was also involved in the retrofitting of the headquarters of the Bank of America building in Charlotte, North Carolina. The proposed design, to achieve a LEED Gold rating, needed a smart air delivery system using passive chilled beams, combined with an underfloor air distribution (UFAD) system. But we ended up with smart VAV systems! The construction cost of the smart system of the first system was $42/square feet, while the classic VAV system was $17/square feet. The difference was quite large, and the bank decided to go for the second solution.

For Vachovia, again in North Carolina, I worked on all the preliminary LEED scoring sheets and recommended a strategy based on a variety of solutions to get LEED Gold for the entire complex. We worked with an engineering firm in Georgia and helped them develop an execution plan for the sustainability strategy.

FROM THE BIG APPLE TO GUANGZHOU

John & me, Bryant Park, NYC

After the Vachovia project, SOM in Chicago contacted me. They had just got a project to design the first zero energy, high rise building in the world – the Pearl River Tower, in Guangzhou. It was designated to be the most energy efficient, super tall structure in the world. I accepted the challenge, because it was one of the most complex projects I have undertaken in my life. It had all the advanced technology and design practices for high- performance buildings (HPBs). There were four cavities in the building structure to house vertical wind turbines. This integration allows the turbine to generate electricity 18 times higher than if they were installed at the ground level. The top of the building was covered with PV cells to generate electricity and reduce the cooling loads. A double-skin (ventilated façade) was used to minimise the space-cooling loads. Blinds within the cavity were covered with PV cells to energise the shading control system. Daylighting harvesting was optimised with the use of efficient lighting to reduce electrical consumption.

Understanding the building loads and using psychometrics encouraged us to opt for a separation between sensible and latent loads. We used chilled ceiling with an underfloor air system for the interior spaces. The load with the perimeter zones was high to a point we had to use passive chilled beams instead of chilled ceiling.

The main challenge was defining a common understanding about the design intent within the design team and lay down a platform able to integrate successfully a set of energy conservation measures, acting at different systems level, and energy generation opportunities from sun and wind. There were moments where we felt lost between divergent inputs from the parties involved in the project. During the closing phase, the stress was at the apogee for the entire team, particularly for me as the lead HVAC engineer.

The project was a huge success. More important, it succeeded in convincing the international panel, which was doing the design review.

Another prestigious project was the assignment involving the new international terminal at Mumbai’s Chhatrapati Shivaji International Airport – a 2.5-million square foot project. It was 12 times the size of a football field. The challenge was to design the new one in phases and integrate it with the existing one. All this had to be done in 20 weeks. We updated cooling load calculation 15 times during those 20 weeks. We had to take into account constant architectural modification, interior design adaptations, life safety, IT and security concerns. We aimed for a high-efficiency building. The clients were pushing for reliable and efficient systems that could also achieve LEED rating.

To suit the air delivery path, as imposed by the architectural team, we had to provide design a special air column. We designed it in-house and sent it to the manufacturer to make it to suit the load requirements of the airport. The project gave me a great sense of satisfaction, as the architectural team (based in New York) and the client were very happy with our work.

UAE-BOUND

After the airport project was completed, I joined KEO International Consultants, Abu Dhabi, as Head of the Mechanical Department. I had to start the department from scratch. I worked on numerous project, like the design of the Dar Al Dhabi in Abu Dhabi.

As a team leader and manager, the big challenge was in understating the energy flow of a team and act as a regulating point to keep the flow going, regardless of the situation. In the beginning, the mechanical team had a heterogeneous pattern in providing engineering solutions. Our design document did clearly reflect this issue, and we worked extremely hard to make our deliverables consistent, useful and in-line with the international norms. I was successful in involving every member of the team in the process of updating CAD standards, several standards and specification without disturbing the production or missing any deadlines.

During my stint in the UAE, I also became the Vice President of ASHRAE’s Falcon Chapter, and the Chair of its Sustainability Committee, where we were involved in a number of activities with Masdar and Estidama. I made some contributions to the work involving the Pearl rating system with the pioneering team, right from the initial stages.

QATAR BECKONS …

From Abu Dhabi, I moved to Qatar. The peninsula needed experts in elevating the level of design and management to help in design reviews and value engineering. Today, my assignment involves activities similar to the ones I was involved in while in New York.

In my opinion, the leadership in QPM has the vision to create a worldwide leading project management firm. The strategic business models are under continuous change to meet the market transformation. Helping host the 2022 games is one of the challenges we are taking very seriously, indeed, at QPM. I’m happy that I’m providing the leadership needed to actualise the company goals. I believe I’m bringing something unique to the initiative. Here, I’m not talking about sustainability in marketing terms but about specific, defined, measurable goals in sustainability.

THE HUMAN ELEMENT

Pearl River Tower under construction

The question often asked is, why should we focus on IEQ and human productivity? The answer is, because it brings thermal comfort, acoustic comfort, visual comfort, olfactory comfort and, not to forget, the ergonomic aspect. If, by putting these together, you get optimal IEQ, you will enhance productivity by five per cent. Do consider $2 per square feet on energy, $3 per square feet on rent, $500/year per square feet on wages, $2/square feet in taxes in midtown New York. So, if you can save just five per cent of that, imagine how much you are saving! This will automatically change the owner/tenant equation. Instead of high rent, the tenant will pay a lower rent. But the owner will get 35% of benefits from the tenant – base rent plus incremental rent.

A case in point is 1, Bryant Park. The Durst Organisation gave it at $120/square feet rental. But at the end of the day, they got $150, because people now want to move away from sick building syndrome and dark spaces. They are looking for connectivity with Nature and green.

I BELIEVE …

I believe that we should focus on energy efficiency and energy generation. It starts with cooling load optimisation. And in this region, 65% is earmarked for HVAC. Therefore, the best way to have sustainable design is to figure out how to reduce cooling load. My experience is that there are different tiers in energy conservation. Let me explain:

Tier 1: Optimisation of building envelope – reduce glazing, shading, orientation and ventilated façade.

Tier 2: Reduce the internal load – lighting load and plug loads–

Tier 3: Smart buildings or advanced control systems

Tier 4: Efficient or enhanced commissioning to match the intent of design with construction practices – you can design the best system but end up having a bad system, depending on the quality of construction. Avoid “You get what we give you” from the project vocabulary.

Tiers 5: Solar cooling to shade half of the electrical load.

Tier 6: Ensure enhanced IEQ – human beings should feel this is the right place to be in. Being comfortable doesn’t mean depleting extra natural resources that we should be saving for future generation

HOW I WANT TO CONTRIBUTE TO THE REGION

I would like to contribute to the growth and development of the region by offering my experience to the service of management firms and helping them in achieving high-performance buildings (HPBs) in various ways, be it by way of optimising energy and water consumption or by reducing carbon emissions. I think I can do this by suggesting the best different approaches.

One of my key aims is to contribute to finding solutions for solar-cooling challenges. If we can hit upon a viable solution, we can really reduce specific load by 40%, at least, at the plant level. The focus is on how to find smart alternatives to produce chilled water. We have the highest solar density in the world, and we need to benefit from it. Paradoxically, we also need a lot of water (for the absorption chillers), and we need to find a way to cool the condensing water going to the chiller. I am working on this. Maybe we will find a way to create a prototype in producing the system.

I think I can also help in putting a high efficiency approach in place in building services – some people deploy VFD, but it does not work efficiently, either because the sensors are put in the wrong place or the wrong valves are selected. So, valve authority calculation is important. I think that’s the only way we can know that the system is working in part load. If a building has 40% load, the plant should mimic and have 40% operation. Realistically speaking, if you pay for a system with part load control capability, but your chiller does not see it, what is the use?

MY MENTORS IN LIFE

My mom was my first mentor. She never went to big school, but she had a strong personality and sense for a sustainable way of living. My father encouraged me to have a good education and a passion for work. His words did light my path during critical moments in my life.

Apart from my parents, I had a number of other mentors in Algeria. Every one of them nurtured my talents. In New York, Al Dechiara was my mentor. He had spent 52 years with Syska Hennessy, and was still working at 75. He was a walking reference book. John Maglaiano, the then CEO of Syska, was another mentor. He gave me access to opportunities.

In a way, I consider even the young guys who work with me as my mentors, because I learn something from them when they come asking, “Why do this?”

Theodore Monod, the French environmentalist and scholar and Rafat Girgis, are people I have learnt from. I remember Prof Boudemine Belkhouche of the Tulane University, New Orleans, Michael Thoresen, Rob Bolin and James Regan at Syska Hennessy, as people who have helped me.

I’m particularly grateful to Dr Edwin Russu, Dr Carsie Hall and Belgacem Hizoum at the University of New Orleans, for taking me under their wings. I couldn’t speak English when I went to the United States. I was in Downtown New Orleans with $20 in my pocket and no home or friends. It was a turning point in my life. The question in my mind at the time was, should I go back or stay? I stayed back, because I found friends and the strength to continue. Russo, Hall and Belgacem were there to help and will remain as friends for ever.

Though I had a brief stint at SOM, I consider my experience with them as a very enriching one. People there respected you and your experience. The support provided by Roger Frechette, Russell Gilchrist, Phil Enquist and William Baker have had a considerable impact on my productivity. Unfortunately, I had to move from there, owing to family reasons.

MY FAMILY

My wife’s name is Nadia. She loves trees and green spaces. I have a three-year-old son. His name is Abdel Aziz Sultan.

For us, it’s not about talking sustainability and driving an SUV. We have a social responsibility in our personal life.

MY INTERESTS

I was a university-level soccer player in Algeria. We won the Algerian cup in 1986. I was goalie. My father was a part-time soccer coach in Batna. So I grew up on the soccer field.

I play the game sometimes now. For regular exercise, I go on long walks. For me, walking is a hobby. I think when I walk.

I like reading. Alchemist by Paolo Coelho has had a profound influence on my life.

I also like writing. In fact, I was a part-time journalist and wrote for newspapers like El Massa, Al Atlas and Al Mountakheb in Algeria. I used to write on sports and on environment, since I liked these subjects. I can write in English, French and Arabic. I also participated in a couple of television shows in the early 1990s. I took classes in technical writing. I attended Université de Paris-8 for technical expression.

I also like films and was lucky to be involved in them from the point of view of my profession. I was among the few engineers who previewed the movie, An Inconvenient Truth and met Al Gore personally. I was called in as a preview expert for Chris Paine’s ’s film, Who Killed the Electrical Car? Michael Moore led the Q&A panel, and we had a very long debate that night on real sustainability issue involving a number of celebrities and journalist living in New York Media. I count these among important experiences of my life.

MY PHILOSOPHY

I think we have to give. Life is about giving without expecting. “Don’t create boundaries” is my guiding principle. Every person has a positive side, regardless of roots or religion. I have nurtured my philosophy from those who have been kind to me.

I believe that there should be a spiritual aspect to our life. We need it to balance stress.