Aslan Al-Barazi takes a close look at different types of cooling tower separators and filtration equipment to demonstrate how to maximise the efficacy and efficiency of cooling systems.

INTRODUCTION: TOWERS AS AIR WASHERS

“Air wash” technology in humidity control systems is little more than a modified cooling tower. As such, cooling towers clean all the dirt in the air going through the system, leaving the discharge air upwards from the tower pure and clean. Therefore, in addition to providing efficient heat removal through evaporation, a cooling tower doubles, often unintentionally, as an effective air washer.

Airborne particles such as pollen, mould spores, sediments, sand and dust are absorbed or trapped by the water droplets falling through the cooling tower. The particle-laden droplets merge with the bulk water supply and are carried into the piping and through the chiller condenser heat exchanger before circulating repeatedly as part of the bulk water flow. The heaviest particles – those with a specific gravity greater than that of water – tend to settle in low-flow areas of the system, such as in the cooling tower basin. Other particles are trapped on the tower fill, and still others are bound to heat transfer surfaces through the formation of scale and “biofilim”, when water is not adequately treated.

HAZARDS OF DIRTY WATER

Particles that are lighter than water, such as pollen, add to the biological loading of a cooling system. Organic matter becomes food for colonies of bacteria, leading to a degradation of water quality. If left in the water system, such organic matter contributes to masses of bacteria, in what is termed “biofilm” – a slimy layer of bacteria colonies excreting enzymes that feel “slick” to the touch. A layer of biofilm as thick as a human hair can reduce system heat transfer efficiency by upwards of 20%.

To make matters worse, heavier sediments that settle in cooling tower basins are also prime breeding ground for bacteria and underdeposit corrosion, which can shorten the lifespan of capital equipment. Biofilm on both heat transfer surfaces and beneath tower deposits tend to resist corrosive biocide chemical shocks, as only the surface colonies are killed before the rest of the colony regenerates. In fact, many waterborne bacteria populations double every 20 minutes in prime, warm water conditions found in cooling towers. Thus, organic loading severely degrades water quality and system performance.

The location of a cooling towers and the prevailing season are, of course, two significant factors in total particulate loading of a system. Pollen-producing trees and shrubs, sandstorms, and even nearby local construction with concrete cutting, can all pose major challenges for cooling towers, which will ultimately scrub the nearby air.

The origin of particles found in some towers has been traced to locations more than five miles from the site of the tower, as prevailing air currents carry airborne matter. If not properly treated, over time, the cooling tower’s sensitive areas such as the cooling tower PVC fill, internal water piping distribution system, chiller condenser heat exchanger, and especially pump seals, experience abnormal wear and tear. Small, dense particles, such as sand, can act like abrasive sandpaper on system components.

Larger particles, such as leaves and scale chips, can clog intake screens, obstruct water paths, and begin to reduce heat transfer efficiency and capital equipment lifespan, leading to increase-related maintenance costs, operational costs, downtime maintenance cost, and ultimately the Life Cycle Costing (LCC) analysis. Indeed, even concentrated minerals in makeup water, such as calcium carbonate and silica will naturally conglomerate and settle down over time, based on spikes to total water conductivity, water PH, alkalinity, and changes to other significant water quality parameters.

Particulate matter in system water becomes a bigger issue than a chemical service provider is often able to tackle. So, what is an owner/ operator to do?

While chemical treatment is helpful in controlling the increased concentration of dissolved solids in the water, and can be an effective deterrent for biological growth, such treatment does nothing to handle the undissolved solids running through the system. For the above-mentioned reasons, it is especially important to remove from the bulk water supply particles visible to the naked eye – about 40 microns in size and larger.

More expensive micro filtration used to remove particles below five microns, while advantageous to overall system cleanliness, is often cost-prohibitive. As such, inexpensive water filtration, in the form of sand filters or centrifugal separator systems are designed with larger particles in mind, and are particularly helpful in controlling total particulate loading on a tower, without excessive additional energy cost.

Ironically, while most customers ensure they filter the air flowing through their air handling systems, many of them neglect to filter the water through their more capitalintensive cooling systems.

More to the point, the subject under discussion here is the different approach or design a client may opt for when considering the use of either a cooling tower separator or sand filter system. Full stream separators, side stream separators, basin sweeper system and sand filters are the primary options. What customers need to consider are cost-effective solutions to enhance heat transfer efficiency and reduce liability to waterborne diseases such as Legionella. There are, of course, advantages and disadvantages that come with each option.

These options are explained:

CETRIFUGAL SEPARATORS AND SEPARATOR SYSTEMS

Full stream separators rely on a separator located after the condenser pump which filters 100% of the water flow and separates up to 97% of particles sized 40 microns and higher in a single pass. Separators succeed through their use of centrifugal velocity, baffles, and solids capture systems in a selfcontained and fairly simple design. Utilising an automated blow down through timed purge valve, takes the guesswork out of purge frequency.

The downside of this design is the extra head loss (between 5 to 9 psi), which needs to be accounted for on the frontend in engineering design calculations. The tradeoff for the use of slightly more pump is a significantly cleaner and safer system, and a preservation of capital equipment. Customer payback on filtration systems is typically less than 24 months, when all factors, including maintenance, energy savings, and water savings of the overall tower and cooling system are considered.

Side stream separators are the most popular filtration systems in the industry. Normally, designers incorporate eight to 25% side stream of the total cooling tower flow rate. For example, a design flow rate of 2000gpm through a common header would enable the customer to downsize the total filtration skid package to, say, a 400gpm unit, with its own pump and automated solids purge system.

An effective side stream filtration system includes a well-designed basin sweeper system to properly agitate settled solids in low-flow areas of the system, such as the cooling tower basin. From a cost comparison standpoint, it is interesting to note that full stream filtration can be significantly more expensive than side stream filtration systems, when comparing direct capital cost. But when added energy input for side stream pump operation is factored into the equation, the energy input required to run the small side stream pump makes the side stream slightly more expensive than it might first appear.

Another factor to consider when deciding between full flow separators and side stream separators is the role of blow down. Options exist for zero bleed where continuous purge through a bag filter returns the clean, filtered water to the tower. A recovery tank necessitates manual cleaning of the bag filter but ultimately saves water. This type of solid capture system can be particularly effective with closed-loop, nonevaporative systems.

It should be noted that whether a customer uses full stream or side stream separators, the bulk water supply will effectively be treated, leading to a reduction in overall system fouling. However, many heavy particles will settle quickly in low-flow areas of the system, such as in the cooling tower basin. Unless those particles are carried to the suction header, they will build up over time, increase biofouling and the likelihood of underdeposit corrosion, and potentially set like concrete, if the natural minerals which settle out from the water are left to adhere.

A pragmatic approach to cleaning tower sumps, therefore, is to use a specialised cooling tower aquatic vacuum cleaner, which is an inexpensive device. Regular manual cleaning, however, can significantly add to the overall operational cost of a system, when tower basins are particularly large.

THE PROS AND CONS OF BASIN SWEEPER SYSTEMS

A more effective alternative to aquatic vacuum is a welldesigned basin sweeper system. In the same way as ozone systems were enthusiastically implemented on cooling towers in the 1990s, and then, subsequently, created significant corrosive tower breaches and failures, basin sweeper systems have also been viewed by many in the industry through a “love it” or “hate it” lens. The reason for the wide sway in opinion comes down to application: in the same way that ozone systems work well if the design is accurately balanced, so too, do well-designed sweeper systems – they effectively remove tower sediment. When correctly applied, they lend themselves to a tremendous simplification in operation.

Geographical considerations, total exposure to fouling, and prevailing weather conditions give credence to the notion that design of an effective basin sweeper system becomes even more important. This is especially true for towers located in the UAE. Consider the following:

A) Given the aggressive sand, dust and haze conditions in the UAE, 10% side stream (for the sweeper system), as most designers incorporate for their local systems, is generally insufficient for effective sediment removal. Griswold & IMEC have confirmed that a higher treatment ratio – often beyond 20% side stream – leads to successful filtration.

B) In a competitive market requiring cooling towers to be “low in height” (low profile), to reduce visual disturbance for people living in the vicinity, this would also mean that the tower basin heights would normally be correspondingly shallow. Likewise, basin water level is also often low. Thus, there is a need to take special care when considering the issues confronting the condenser pump operating at minimum static height levels such as NPSH of the pump, vortexing, and any extra air going through the pump, where cavitations is a risk. A properly designed sweeper system will churn the water slightly, to literally “sweep” the particles towards the tower suction header/s for separator removal. Thus, appropriate caution and necessary design parameters must be used in selecting effective head pressure and system layout.

C) Hydraulic design responsibility of basin: concrete cooling tower basin common in district cooling plants are not normally in the scope of the cooling tower manufacturer, because they are normally built by the civil contractor. Design responsibility needs to be decided in advance during the design stage. The question is, will the consultant, civil contractor, MEP contractor or cooling tower manufacturer handle the design scope responsibility? The design scope needs to be accounted for and addressed during the design stage of the project, so that no confusion arises later on about who is doing what is in terms of related scope.

Basin sweeper systems may make this design responsibility burdensome for those who might prefer a simpler and a more pragmatic approach (like a side stream separator with aquatic vacuum cleaners, for example), while others would prefer a more sophisticated maintenance-free approach, like a sweeper system.

D) Basins range in shape and design between crossflow to counter-flow towers, for example to concrete basins in industrial applications (with different shapes and designs, as well). It is, therefore, highly recommended that the design be based on a specific cooling tower basin configuration, such that the nozzles and eductors can be accurately situated to create sufficient solids being flushed. In cases of extremely large basins, switching valves can be used to modulate flow from one set of sweeper nozzles to the next, effectively creating a wave, which forces particles towards the suction header.

E) At the time of finalisation of procurement, it is also recommended that the cooling tower and separator manufactures review and approve the basin configuration drawings to ensure proper harmony between the cooling tower manufacturers and the separators manufacturers.

If the above considerations are put in place, then the sweeper system is an excellent option for those clients looking for a significantly less maintenance-intensive operation for effective water filtration.

SAND FILTERS

Sand filters are another option for effective removal of solids. The challenge with sand filters, however, is that in our aggressive environment, with significant particulate loading, sand filters need to be constantly maintained to ensure the media bed is properly fluidised. Undersized systems can foul quickly, and leave little tolerance for heavy sand storms. Without proper maintenance, sand filter beds can become impacted, resulting in the loss of media and significant downtime.

While sand filters can be more effective in removing smaller particles (down to 5 microns, for example) their larger size can make placement cumbersome.

Some sand filter manufactures use fibreglass or composite materials to provide a less expensive product to customers. But some of these materials are not UV-resistant. More to the point, fibreglass sand filters are subject to cracking on impact.

Even more significantly, backwash of between 60 and 180 seconds (or more) can result in significant water loss during automated purge cycles, whereas, an automated separator purge system that drains to sewer will blow down up to 95% less water. This implies that sand filters would need to be replaced or cleaned on a very high level basis, due to the high particulates loading off the environment in this region from aggressive factors like, sand, dust and other natural contaminants.

CONCLUSION

Elegant and simple solutions are effective in controlling biological and particulate loading of cooling tower systems. Their cost, as only a portion of the total cooling system is a relatively small price to pay for extending the life of capital equipment, reducing system fouling, and maintaining heat transfer efficiency. For a pragmatic and simple approach in optimising water system effectiveness, and for one that contributes to maximising effective, costefficient water and energy use, side stream or full stream separators, combined with a properly designed basin sweeper system or manual aquatic vacuum cleaners can create a reasonably short return-on-investment and reduce the headaches of systems operators everywhere.

A workshop, titled Profitability through Sustainability, jointly organised and hosted by ENPARK and CPI Industry, not only provided a theoretical basis to participants but also equipped them with practical tools to implement sustainability programmes in their professional spheres.

Sougata Nandi, TECOM

Scientists are, by nature, questioners and doubters. So, when you see most scientists agreeing on something, it is time to take note. With this as the warning bell, and Albert Einstein’s dictum that “We can’t solve problems by using the same kind of thinking we used when we created them”, the resource person, Sougata Nandi, Director of Sustainability at TECOM and ENPARK, conducted a two-day workshop, titled, ‘Profitability through Sustainability’. It was held on May 5 and 6 at Knowledge Village, Dubai. The participants included employees of Dubai Municipality, DEWA, Dubai Chamber of Commerce, RTA, KHDA, the Royal Estate of the Sultanate of Oman, Trane, Siemens, EMAL and Dubai Police.

Nandi employed a combination of case studies and demonstration of frameworks to drive home the issues.

MODULE 1 – INTRODUCTION

Starting with what appeared to be simple, even simplistic definitions, Nandi took the delegates through the paces to the more complex and axiomatic issues of global warming and climate change. He cited statistical data to support his point regarding urgent need for action:

The Earth is warmer now than in the past 1,000 years. The average surface temperature has risen from 0.6°C in the past century to 0.75°C, since pre-industrial times, thanks to greenhouse gases and pollutants like carbon dioxide. We are releasing more and more CO2 over time – 1,000 years of CO2 and global temperature change has increased the level in the atmosphere by more than 35%, since the Industrial Revolution. (National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration 2006). The 1990s were the warmest decades since 1861, when thermometer records began. The year, 2006 was the warmest year on record. The temperature increase in the 20th century was the largest of any century in the last 1,000 years. The 10 hottest years since the beginning of the last millennium have all occurred since 1983.

A few of the many signs of climate change Nandi listed were:

• Melting Polar ice
• Melting glaciers
• Increased hurricane activity – in 2005, most Category Five hurricanes occurred in the Atlantic Ocean
• Heat Waves – the 2003 heatwave killed at least 35,000 people in Europe
• Rise in sea level – 100 million people live within 100 centimetres above the sea level

Warning that owing to global warming, at least a two- to three-foot further rise of sea levels was anticipated by 2100, Nandi made a case for global responsibility, corporate action and sustainable development policies in the region.

Following were a few of the examples cited of sustainable policies in the region, backed by corporate will:

• Dow Chemical reduced energy per unit of production by 21% since 1994, saving $3 billion.
• 3M reduced emissions by about 37% between 1990 and 2004, by reducing energy consumption by 4% per year.
• BP reduced emissions by 14% between 1998 and 2004, gaining $650 million.
• TECOM Investments reduced electricity and water cost by US$7 million in 33 months and CO2 emissions by 38,000 tonnes.

WHY BUILDINGS?

The spotlight on buildings as environmental culprits yielded the following facts: If we take the United States, as an example, buildings are responsible for:

• 12% water use
• 30% greenhouse gas emissions
• 65% waste output
• 70% electricity consumption

(Source: USGBC)

It was noted that in Dubai, commercial and residential buildings currently consume 85.5% of the Emirate’s water and 73.8% of its electricity.

(Source: DEWA)

Buildings, therefore, have a huge impact on the environment.

SUMMING UP – MODULE 1

The session concluded on a sombre note: It is evident that climate change is a reality, though the extent of its impact may be subject to debate. Immediate action, therefore, needs to be taken to mitigate its impact. Since buildings are one of the major contributors to climate change, effective action needs to be taken in this sector.

Corporate houses, globally and locally, have already initiated significant action.

MODULE 2 – COMPONENTS OF SUSTAINABILITY

Under the rubrics of components of sustainable development, Nandi said that sustainable development can add commercial value to a building, but in order to implement it effectively, consistently and sustainably, one needs to have a clear understanding of two diverse paradigms: projects hierarchy and the traditional design and construction process.

A sustainable collaboration work model was presented with a view to minimise environmental impact caused by development, while sustaining lifestyles within the carrying capacity of the planet. They included: education and training; advice and consultancy; finance partnerships; business building and research and policy.

Taking stock of the current situation, Nandi analysed the key areas for consideration and their implications as:

1. Explosive economic growth: Implication – strain on energy infrastructure and financial burden
2. Burden on energy resources to multiply in the years to come, in some cases by three times: Implication – bigger resource-saving opportunity
3. Many cities/countries in the region lack representation at national and international level on sustainability-related areas: Implication – lack of profile
4. Several regional visions address sustainability: Implication – need professional implementation
5. Random initiatives on SD by multiple parties: Implication – lack of cohesion Conclusion : Streamlined thrust on sustainable development required at all levels. A two-pronged strategy was recommended at both the high level and the macro level:

• Support sustainable community and building development
• Support with LEED certification for construction of new community developments

POSSIBLE KEY INITIATIVES:

1. Increasing public awareness
2. Supporting government initiatives
3. Facilitating business building and networking
4. Developing green awareness through education curriculum for schools
5. Supporting with policy development and recommendation of policy initiatives
6. Hosting business forums on select renewable energy/ sustainable commercial development topics

Nandi concluded that a holistic understanding was the key to individual stakeholders contributing effectively to the cause.

POLICY COMPONENTS

While a sustainable development policy is a must, in all probability it will vary from organisation to organisation. Factors that are likely to dictate the key elements of a sustainable development policy are:

• Nature of the business
• Areas of focus CSR component
• Level of top management commitment

How aggressive the organisation is

• Where the biggest impact will be
• Industry commitment

SUMMING UP – MODULE 2

Nandi summed up the module by concluding that sustainable development means different things to different people. It is, therefore, necessary to identify what is important for people and their organisations, and pursue their goals systematically and sustainably.

MODULE 3 – ENERGY AND WATER CONSERVATION

With the dictum, “Begin with the end in mind”, Nandi discussed the following issues in this module:

• Identification of energy saving measures
• Performance contracting
• Measurement and verification
• Benchmarking energy consumptions
• Sources of inefficiency/ wastage
• Inefficiency/wastage is one of:
  • over-designing
  • lack of controls
  • inappropriate use (what should be used where)
  • old technology
  • human error and insensitivity

Nandi was concluded that all these factors can be identified and redeemed.

SUMMING UP – MODULE 3

Nandi summed up the module with the following observations:

• Water-conservation techniques are the most easy to implement
• Payback periods are faster than electrical measures
• The best way to save water is by appealing to commonsense and raising awareness
• Reducing potable water consumption and recycling waste water

The goals, Nandi said, could be achieved through a clear objective, the right approach, a thorough understanding of the system, and by involving all the parties concerned.

MODULE 4 – BUILDING GREEN

Under this header, Nandi listed a few pre-conceived notions about green buildings and helped dispel them:

1. Building green costs extra money
2. LEED is only for the United States
3. Project timelines too tight
4. We have other priorities Nandi posed the question: Why build green?

He, then, enumerated with supporting authentication, what a green building can help reduce:

1. Energy use by 24%-50%
2. Water use by 40%
3. CO2 emissions by 33%-40%
4. Solid waste by 70%

He also listed the perceived business benefits of building green:

1. A 7.5% increase in the building value
2. A 6.5% improvement in investment returns
3. A 3.5% increase in occupancy ratio
4. A three per cent rent ratio increase
5. A 8-9% decrease in operating costs

In this context, a look at a Dubai factsheet revealed that buildings in Dubai consume 72% of electrical energy and 83% of water generated, which in itself is a cause for concern.

In the following sessions, aided by case studies from LEED projects in Dubai, Nandi informed participants about green features, how to certify green buildings on the basis of mandatory prerequisites and credits and about how LEED works.

Nandi emphasised that the key factor for any successful LEED project was instilling an integrated project team, right from the conceptual stage of the project. He familiarised the participants with the key ingredients:

• Integrated project team
• Early involvement in contract negotiations
• PMP approach
• Fit-out guidelines
• Senior management support
• Personal commitment

The session also looked at an oft-neglected green feature – light pollution reduction. The avowed intention, said Nandi, was to minimise light trespass from the building and site, and reduce sky glow to increase night sky access.

Moving on to the issue of achieving water efficiency, the participants took a look at ways to minimise water demand.

• Ultra-low flow fixtures
• Ultra-efficient flush tanks
• Sensor controls
• Utilising free water
• AC condensate

It was concluded that the goal should be to maximise water efficiency within tenant spaces, and to reduce the burden on municipal water supply and wastewater systems. Nandi noted that as part of TECOM’s ongoing energy- and waterconservation programmes, since April 2007, cost-effective conservation measures have been implemented. Even before the LEED certification process had started, Nandi said, all buildings were fitted out with water restrictors, which helped reduce TECOM’s overall water consumption by 26,232 million gallons, between January and December 2008.

In the session, Energy and Atmosphere, Nandi asked the trainees to take a closer look at prerequisites and credits:

• Prereq 1: Fundamental commissioning of the building energy systems
• Prereq 2: Minimum energy performance
• Prereq 3: Fundamental refrigerant management
• Credit 1: Optimise energy performance
• Credit 2: On-site renewable energy
• Credit 3: Enhanced commissioning
• Credit 4: Enhanced refrigerant management
• Credit 5.1: Measurement and verification – base building
• Credit 5.2: Measurement and verification, tenant submetering
• Credit 6: Green Power – one per cent

In the final session, Nandi familiarised the participants with the finer points of green features:

• Lighting power
• Measurement and verification – tenant submetering
• Energy modelling
• Energy efficiency
• Materials reuse
• Use of recycled content and regional materials
• Indoor environment quality
• Low-emitting materials
• Innovation in design
• Facility for education
• Exemplary performance

SUMMING UP – MODULE 4

Nandi summed up the session with the following observations:

• LEED is just one of the many frameworks to be utilised as a tool to make your building green
• LEED works very well in the GCC – there are many examples of successful LEED projects
• There are many different ways to make a building green – prioritise and see what is important
• Do not set LEED Platinum as a target – it is neither necessary nor relevant
• Building green helps all stakeholders, including infrastructure service providers

After going through the rigours of training, the workshop was perceived to be useful by all the delegates, as they got an opportunity to arm themselves with tools to implement sustainability programmes in their own departments/agencies.

On a slightly tangential, but relevant note, the Dubai Chamber of Commerce and Industry achieved LEED certification for its building in Deira. The real benefit of this, is, of course, power and water saving. TECOM through its water- and energyconservation drives has been able to achieve $7 million in savings in 33 months. This is an audited figure, and is a positive sign of the shape of things to come in the country and the region. It will not, perhaps, be too unwise to hope that nudged by both responsibility towards the environment and financial benefits, the construction sector will channelise green into the mainstream

Snapshots

Tamim Al Haj, Dubai Police

Why should our buildings be so obese? asks Sarfraz Dairkee, adding that it is important to address issues that give rise to retrofit opportunities.

Sarfraz Dairkee

To drive home his point about the retrofit market in the UAE, Sarfraz H Dairkee, General Manager – Corporate Development and Engineering, MAHY Khoory, likes to quote Dr-Ing M Norbert Fisch, Institute of Energy Design, Building and Solar Technology (IGS), Technical University Braunschweig, who observed that proper retrofitting of buildings in the UAE can achieve the benefits equivalent of a nuclear power plant, at a fraction of the costs. Dr Fisch made this observation at a conference organised by AHK (The German Emirati Joint Council for Industry & Commerce) in Abu Dhabi, last month.

Likening the extremely high energy footprint of existing buildings to obesity, Dairkee says that retrofitting them would be akin to putting them through dieting and exercise to cut the “excess flab”.

Dairkee blames the “excess flab” in buildings on the market’s penchant for selling products instead of solutions. The product-centric selling approach that rules the market today is akin to “the fast food culture”, which is marked by instant gratification and an easy-way-out mentality, resulting in people becoming obese and unhealthy; in the same way, we have “obese” structures. The need of the hour, in the case of building design, is a solutions-based approach, where a pump supplier, instead of blindly selling the pump, will question if a pump is needed in the first place. “Such a change will happen only if the market is willing,” Dairkee says.

Solution development is increasingly an interdisciplinary affair; hence, all the engineering disciplines involved need to interact more closely with one another, which brings us to the concept of building commissioning. Dairkee points out that commissioning starts by asking the right questions. “A design charrette can be organised to bring together all the stakeholders for exchange of views,” he says. “When all the stakeholders are involved, there is ownership of ideas. As a result, the building project becomes something more than mere drawings and papers.”

In fact, one of the biggest factors behind the overdesigning of buildings is poor communication and interaction between the stakeholders and the specialist disciplines involved, right from concept to occupancy. It is the physical attribute rather than the subtle quality that gets all the attention. Often, the means for measuring and verifying quality and performance are not available, so the same gets attributed to certain brands or points of origin. “In the end, you limit yourself to the small picture,” Dairkee says.

Also, asking questions can help owners define their project requirements, understand quality better and ensure smooth communication with other stakeholders. The objective is to move beyond the gross in order to get to the subtle. “Defining your requirements in terms of ‘a beautiful glass building’ or ‘so many square feet area’ are examples of the gross or the superficial. Instead, you must probe deeper and find out why you need so much square feet or why you need glass?” said Dairkee.

Also, asking questions can help owners better define their project understand quality better and ensure smooth communication with other stakeholders. The objective is to move beyond the gross in order to get to the subtle. “Defining your requirements in terms of ‘a beautiful glass building’ or ‘so many square feet of area’ are examples of the gross or the superficial,” Dairkee says. “Instead, you must probe deeper and find out why you need so many square feet or why you need glass.”

A clear method of benchmarking, too, needs to be adopted; the classic example of a benchmarking tool is the ‘Building Energy Passport’, used widely throughout Europe. Under an EC Directive, all buildings being constructed, rented or sold must have a valid energy performance certificate, known as an ‘energy passport’, which contains detailed information about the building’s energy consumption. Moreover, in many EU member countries, an energy passport is required before any new project can get a building permit.

Dairkee says: “What you get is a measurable and verifiable document, which can be used for benchmarking. We can have something similar in this region, too. The data it provides can serve as a navigation tool by telling us where we stand today, so that we can decide where we want to go. My past stint in the Merchant Navy taught me that if we didn’t have such markers, we are not going to reach our destination, no matter how hard we pushed the engine.”

Can local standards be a panacea where the challenge of over-design is concerned? To the extent, they truly incorporate local environmental conditions, local standards can be beneficial. “Unfortunately, the prevalent idea is to control the environment, instead of working with it,” Dairkee rues. He likens the difference between the two to hitting the bull’s eye using a machine gun versus using a rifle armed with a single bullet. The ‘machine gun’ approach results in everybody designing and piling on safety factors, which ultimately culminates in an ‘obese’ design. “Design factor is ignorance factor,” Dairkee says. “Larger the design factor, higher the ignorance.”

The way out of this ignorance, he continues, is “learning to unlearn” and “getting out of conditioned thinking, which computers are more adept at”. He suggests Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance by Robert Pirsig and Small is Beautiful by E F Schumacher as must-read books for today’s engineers, who more often than not, have to work at the interfaces of different disciplines. “What these books teach you is get out of the arrogance of knowing,” Dairkee says. “There is always something new to learn; there is always a better way of doing things, even if they were done well the first time around. The answers don’t reveal themselves easily, but if you are determined, they can be found.”

The newly expanded Johnson Controls global headquarters at Glendale, Wisconsin, demonstrates the benefits of a three-pronged approach to sustainability.

A growing number of companies increasingly measure their performance using the triple bottom line indicators of economic, social and environmental impact. Johnson Controls Inc, set out to incorporate these values in the construction and expansion of its headquarters campus in Glendale, Wisconsin.

The company began demolition of parts of the old structure in Fall 2007, and had a grand opening of its new facility in Fall 2009. It will submit an application to the US Green Building Council to receive Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) Platinum certification for its new campus, which includes four buildings and the surrounding grounds. The company hopes to receive this recognition.

The 33-acre complex includes 306,359 square feet of new and completely renovated office space. Two existing buildings with a combined 160,000 square feet area were renovated for the corporate headquarters, and three new buildings were constructed – a 114,599-squarefoot headquarters for its Power Solutions business; a 31,700-square-foot building that includes a cafeteria, meeting rooms and fitness centre and a new four-level parking structure for more than 400 vehicles, including space for plug-in hybrids.

BACKED BY EXPERIENCE

No newcomer to the green concept, Johnson Controls was aided in its expansion project by over a century of experience in making buildings energy efficient. A decade ago, its Brengel Technology Center was one of the first LEEDcertified buildings in the world. It also was the very first building in the world to be re-certified LEED Gold- Existing Buildings.

This translated into the new corporate campus incorporating geothermal heat pumps, photovoltaic energy, underfloor heating and cooling, skylights and bigger windows to increase the use of natural light to reduce dependence on artificial illumination. Collecting rainwater and using it to flush toilets, a parking lot surfaced with permeable pavers to allow rain and snowmelt to filter through were other measures adopted. A diverse workforce trained in sustainable construction, helped execute these concepts in a cost-effective way.

GETTING THE TEAM ON BOARD

To make any green project work, it’s vital to get the entire project team on board from the beginning. LEED, therefore, encouraged everyone to be involved in the process from an early stage, as there was going to be a lot of interconnection between the different environmental credits.

Early planning was especially important in this case, because of the use of Building Information Modelling (BIM), which involves three-dimensional, building modelling software to provide exact design and construction measurements that are shared by all project members. Using BIM made it a more cost-effective project, because it helped avoid costly mistakes that can happen in conventional construction.

TECHNICAL INNOVATION

Debbie Vander Heiden, the Johnson Controls on-site project manager, says that other planning technologies were crucial to one particular innovative environmental element of the project – geothermal heat pumps.

The geothermal system relies on the constant temperature of the Earth to help heat or cool the buildings. Some 272 wells were drilled to accommodate a closed-loop system that supplies the heat pumps in the building.

“The heat pumps reduce winter heating costs by about 29%, versus current natural gas boilers. We’re using geothermal to remove condenser heat in summer and reduce chiller operating costs by 23%,” elaborates Vander Heiden.

By using global positioning system navigation, the team could determine every geothermal well site along with measurements for all the pipes. That meant the 180,000 feet of piping could be manufactured to precise specifications – a simpler and more cost-effective process than fabricating each one by hand.

LONG-TERM ENERGY COSTS HOLDS THE KEY

Concerns are sometimes voiced about the upfront cost of green projects. This, however, can be obviated by the long-term financial benefits. This project is no exception, as it will enhance sustainability value. While overall campus space will almost double, the company expects a minimal increase in energy costs.

Solar generation supplements electricity needs while reducing greenhouse gas emissions by 1.1 million pounds per year for the campus. A 1,330-square-foot solar thermal installation on the roof annually saves 2,837 therms of energy.

Skylights and increased window space reduce the use of energy for indoor lighting. A 30,000-gallon cistern captures rainwater from roof surfaces on new buildings for reuse, reducing potable water consumption for new bathroom fixtures by 77% or 595,000 gallons.

A number of on-site recycling strategies are already saving money and resources, as almost 90% of new construction waste and more than 75% of demolition waste from existing buildings have been recycled.

SUPPLIER DIVERSITY

The project includes contracts with 35 diverse businesses in an effort to help the suppliers create green jobs, build expertise in sustainability, and develop the capacity to handle other major green contracts. The $18.5 million in expenditures exceeded the company’s goal of spending at least 20% of its budget with firms that were owned, operated or controlled by minorities or women and certified either by the National Minority Supplier Development Council (NMSDC) or the Women’s Business Enterprise National Council (WBENC).

The diverse suppliers provided products and services such as:
– Site electrical services – Green landscape services – Low-voltage cable installation – Aluminium glazing – Deck installation – Steel fabrication – Liner installation and stone for previous lots
The project also provided economic development by using locally harvested and manufactured materials for more than 25% of project materials, including the raise floor, concrete, steel and limestone.

Commenting on training a green workforce, Ward Komorowski, Johnson Controls Director of Facilities and Building Services says: “The contractors and sub contractors on the job were trained in sustainability practices that they can use with other LEED jobs. We’re creating the green collar workforce of tommorow.

We’ve learned the best practices for developing green projects, making the best use of contractors, and managing the process. These are lessons we’re sharing with our partners on this project – and down the line, our customers and many others will benefit from our experience.”

SECURITY MANAGEMENT

The security features at the headquarters were developed with energy savings in mind. The Johnson Controls P2000 security management system and Digital Vision Network provide protection throughout the headquarters campus. It is, thus, designed to use energy efficiently by integrating access control with lighting and HVAC systems.

Additionally, digital closed circuit TV cameras across the campus take advantage of advanced analytics to notify facilities operators of abnormal events, plus some 150 card access and biometric readers provide a high level of protection. A Johnson Controls Intelligent Fire Control system features full analogue reporting from smoke detectors, along with digital voice evacuation functionality. Infrared camera technology is used at the solar array field to create an ‘electronic fence’.

BUILDING AUTOMATION

Every month, we profile a key personality that is driving retrofitting initiatives in the region In a move to integrate the campus under a single system, everything is tied together, using the Johnson Controls Metasys building management system to coordinate all activities across the facilities and provide a single point of access to performance indicators – the information required for optimising building efficiency, comfort and safety.

“The integration of the building systems and the information technology infrastructure into one intelligent network is an important part of our strategy for sustainability,” notes Komorowski, who leads the facilities management team. “Our Metasys Sustainability Manager provides a dashboard that delivers information , including greenhouse gas emissions estimations, to our management team, who can make informed decisions that save energy and money and help the environment.”

A SUSTAINABLE STATEMENT

Johnson Controls is preparing for thousands of people to visit this site in the coming years, to see how innovation and sustainable technology can be combined to yield positive results. Calling it a showplace displaying a congenial work environment, energy efficiency and facility management initiatives, Komorowski says, “It will be easier for our own customers to see value in this approach, when we can show how well we’re putting it into effect here at home – and how we’re doing it cost effectively.”

According to Johnson Controls, the campus reflects its three global businesses – automotive experience, building efficiency and power solutions – in its drive towards creating a more comfortable, safe and sustainable world. 

Munawar Shariff elaborates on the current market situation for compressors in the Middle East.

One would think that, with summer here, the compressor market would be booming, but given the lingering downturn, the market, as per many industry insiders, is not as good as in 2008 but is steadily becoming positive. “The situation is different for each market, says Uday Mahadeokar, Marketing Manager, Emerson Climate Technologies. “The UAE is recovering slowly, what with the slowdown in new constructions. Abu Dhabi is still strong. Dubai is making a very slow recovery. Other parts of the Middle East are still strong and haven’t slowed down as much as the UAE. Kuwait, Jordan, Bahrain are all recovering slowly. Of course, volumes of trade will never reach 2008 levels when every economy and market was growing, but it’s positive as compared to a few months ago.”

It’s not surprising, then, that the mass reduction in spending has led to a completely different set of needs. In district cooling, for example, the two drivers are new constructions and existing machines. Since there is a major drop in new constructions, businesses are concentrating on maintenance of existing machines. District cooling exclusively used centrifugal compressors, for their ability to provide operational economy and reliability, especially for large building complexes. Now the emphasis is on small-sized compressors, with a big focus on efficiency on the kilowatt per tonne, as centrifugal compressors are known to be very efficient.

Screw compressors, which are widely used in Europe and Japan, are called Variable Flow Refrigerant (VFR) systems. These are attractive currently, as they are the latest products, technology-wise, and are environmentally friendly. The refrigerant, R410A reportedly has high efficiency at partload operations. For most of its life, it runs at 40 to 80% capacity and, then, switches from full capacity to partial load. Modulating from using the most electricity at highest loads to pumping less and using less electricity when the need for cooling reduces, this enables the refrigerant to have a lower carbon footprint and not use full power continuously.

However these refrigerants are currently not being used in the Middle East. The most common refrigerant in the region is the R22 refrigerant, which is known to be ozone depleting, whereas the R410A does not deplete the ozone layer. Awareness of the qualities of the R22 refrigerant is widespread, but that hasn’t stopped companies from using them. “This is because the region comes under the category of developing countries, and the use of this refrigerant is allowed in developing countries till 2030,” Mahadeokar says. “Developed countries cannot use this refrigerant, and so they are using the R410A.”

R22 refrigerants are hydrochlorofluorocarbons (HCFCs), and R410A refrigerants are hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs). The latter are crucial in the non-damaging elimination of use of the former refrigerants. HFCs aid in conserving more energy and provide quicker cooling. Having said that, an R410A machine requires stricter installation procedures by certified technicians, a small detail which can be overlooked.

To get value for money from existing investments, developers are placing huge emphasis on energy efficiency and on reducing the carbon footprint. Says Liju Thomas, General Manager of Al Arif: “More efficient use of energy is the way forward. There is an increasing demand for water-cooled chillers now because of their energy efficiency, and people are very meticulous about getting value for money.”

Says Mahadeokar: “Our main focus these days lies in two areas, one is energy conservation. And the other is trying to engage different bodies in trying to promote environmentally friendly refrigerants.”

Energy conservation is an important factor which needs to be established with regulatory authorities like the Emirates Authority for Standardisation and Metrology (ESMA) and Saudi Arabian Standards Organisation (SASO). These are the main regulatory bodies that ensure efficiency in air conditioning standards are put in place in the region. Emerson also works with the international regulatory body, the Air Conditioning Heating and Refrigeration Institute (AHRI), as a neutral player. They are taking the initiative to bring the original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) and regulatory bodies together by preparing presentations with these bodies and presenting them to Dubai Municipality in order to establish energyefficiency standards. Says Mahadeokar: “We have seen success. SASO announced a standard, last month. ESMA has announced a plan to have standards in place by the end of the year, with implementation by mid 2011.

Other Middle Eastern countries are also quick to be on par. Kuwait has upgraded from January of this year and is focusing on energy saving and technology production. Every country is actively starting to adhere to standards and upgrading them every two to three years; reflecting this trend are the OEMs. They have new product ranges with ecofriendly refrigerants, and it can easily be predicted that in the next three to five years, there is going to be a 50 to 60% rise in the use of these energy-efficient and ecofriendly refrigerants in the region.

A most important trend today is the VRF modulated technology. Says Mahadeokar: “Modulated technology depends on how long the air conditioning is running. Normally, we don’t want the unit to run continuously, hence the modulated compressor, depending on the load. This technology is getting very popular today. The percentage share of VRF will definitely increase in the near future.”

The VRF Modular compressor trend goes hand in hand with Dubai Municipality’s green initiative, which is calling for individual metering. In such a regimen, consumers are able to track their individual meters and have a direct impact on their consumption levels and the bills they pay each month so they can get the benefits of using less. The current system has less incentives for reducing bills as, usually, a building complex has three big chillers, and every house or office does not have the ability to track their usage.

What about the business end of things? Issues being faced by larger compressor companies and smaller companies in the market differ in a big way. Eapen says: “For our company, Al Arif, business has not decreased; in fact, it has increased. But the biggest problem in the market right now is receiving payments. So although there are plenty of jobs out there, we’re not committing ourselves, unless payments have been secured.”

Eapen says he follows his gut when it comes to finalising contracts with clients. “We have experience in the market,” he says. “It’s not difficult to gather intelligence. This is a small market place, and word gets around if a certain company is defaulting on payments. All then stay clear of the company. If we don’t get a 50% advance payment, we don’t go ahead with the contract, because the initial 50% covers our material cost. A loss in labour cost can be absorbed, but a loss in material cost cannot be absorbed. But there have even been occasions where we have received the LPO and no payments have materialised.”

Not only is receiving payments a big issue currently but also the availability of only a few contracts and a lot of companies quoting for them. Says Eapen: “We’ve been in the business for six years. There have always been plenty of companies and jobs, with the possibility of acquiring projects much higher before the recession. Now there are few jobs and a large number of companies, including direct suppliers, vying for projects. Recently, there was a project for Dubai College where they had a need for chiller and package units. Fifteen companies quoted for them, including direct suppliers.”

But Eapen is leaving no stone unturned to retain his share of the market. “Now we have to knock on more doors than we did in the past. We are establishing our client base on credibility, keeping a balance of sales and expenses. It’s not the right time to think about doubling the size of the company. It’s enough that we’re running on profits and not losses. We’ve always been in the maintenance market. Today, our work is 50% new installations and 50% maintenance of existing units. Exploring new markets is not on our agenda, as we are a very small company of only 25 employees. So we are focusing on the local market.”

In an interview with Climate Control Middle East, Phil Barnett, Property Manager at Grand Hyatt Dubai, gives an insight into the various initiatives the hotel has taken to make it environmentally sustainable. The article also brings to light the fact that engineers are often the unsung heroes in the battle of conservation.

Phil Barnett

A hotel is a microcosm. Running it is akin to running a small community of diverse people with varying needs and demands. And to run it efficiently and economically is a challenge. Add the dimension of making it an environmentally sustainable undertaking, and it becomes a balancing act. Phil Barnett should know. He, as the Property Manager of Grand Hyatt Dubai, is familiar with its inner workings. He knows that behind all the glitz and glamour, a luxury hotel needs to have a welloiled and complex machinery that keeps the establishment running. As a longtime resident of Dubai, with his relevant and rich experience at Hyatt Regency Deira, he has brought to the table innovative measures that are helping make Grand Hyatt Dubai environmentally sustainable.

THE POWER OF AN IDEA

During his time at Hyatt Regency, Barnett was instrumental in installing a condensate reclamation system in the hotel. Thanks to the system, Barnett and his team were able to capture cold water runoff from chilled water coils, which they collected and piped to cooling towers as make-up water for the cooling towers. “The best part of the unique measure was that the condensate water was very cold,” Barnett says. “That, in itself, was a step forward in terms of savings, as it cut down on refrigeration plant power consumption. So, on partially humid days, we got 25 gallons a day of the water. Since cold water is being sent into a system that is already producing cold water, the reclamation system not only saves water, but also, the power is absolutely free, except for the power consumption, in the form of pump costs. Apart from that, there are no running costs.”

THE BACKROOM BOYS

Engineers are often the unsung heroes in the cause of energy saving. Barnett echoes this sentiment when he says: “As engineers, we continually look at new ways of power conservation.” A cost-cutting initiative Barnett introduced in the hotel exemplifies this: changing the electricity steam boilers into gas-fired boilers. “I thus reduced electricity consumption and cost,” says Barnett. “In those days, we did not have the concept of Green Buildings. Such buildings did not exist. But that’s what these initiatives amounted to – water and power savings. We were looking at energy conservation.”

Barnett also introduced the regimen of a yearly thermograph survey, which helped in identifying air leaks. “Through the initiative, we stopped air conditioned air from escaping from the building,” says Barnett. “It identified installation failures and air conditioning losses.” As a remedy, Barnett and his men installed air curtains and brought costs down.

EVERY ‘PHIL’ COUNTS

There was a time in Dubai, when people and businesses used power indiscriminately. There seemed to be a perennial supply of it, and not many were interested in counting the costs – both economic and environmental. But everyone was made to sit up and pause for thought when costs began to pinch.

“Early in the 1990s – in 1992, in fact – the price of city’s power increased from 7.50 fils/KW to 15 fils/KW,” recalls Barnett. “It was a 100% increase! It caused people to press the panic buttons, and everybody got onto the energy-conservation bandwagon. Today, it is 33 fils!”

SCREAMING IT FROM ROOFTOPS

In 2003, Grand Hyatt opened, and Barnett executed a couple of innovative concepts there. One of them was a solar hot water project. Barnett elaborates: “It was an idea I had to use the cinema (Grand Cineplex) roof space, which was wide open, and which gets sunlight all day long. And it is adjacent to the hotel’s dieselfired hot water plant. So, by installing solar panels, I was able to produce hot water that was heated by solar energy.”

This is how the system worked, and still does: In conjunction with storage facility, the water was heated during the day and well into the evening, at which point, the diesel-fired boiler took over. “I’m achieving a high temperature, and I need 70ºC to satisfy the internal requirements of the building,” Barnett says. “I have been saving diesel fuel consumption by 33% every year. That’s a heck of a lot of carbon – a gallon of diesel equals 2.7 kilogrammes of carbon dioxide. So, it’s savings in hundreds of thousands of gallons. It is not only a saving on diesel costs, but also a reduction in carbon emissions.”

SPRINGING A SURPRISE

Apart from introducing innovative ideas, troubleshooting is another of Barnett’s specialities. The trouble, in this case, sprung in the form of mildew and fungus in the residential building of the Grand Hyatt. “In summer, we received hot and humid air, and we were not able to cool it enough to get the moisture out,” recounts Barnett. “The dehumidification system would have cost us 175KW/ hour in electrical reheating, to dehumidify the necessary fresh air. I overcame this by installing two coils in each fresh air unit.”

The problem, Barnett figured out, was humidity entering the apartment – an inability to cool the outside air below its dew point. Thus, humidity was being carried indoors, as a result of which, mildew and fungus sprouted.

Design consultants offered conventional dehumidification solutions, including duct re-heating and/or desiccant wheels. Both solutions would have meant consumption of very large amounts of electricity. Calculations showed the estimates at 175KW/hour.

Barnett hit upon a simple plan: “My solution was a thin coil placed on the fresh air stream before the chilled water coil, and connecting it to a similar coil after the chilled water coil. A closed loop circulated with a fractional horsepower pump through each coil. This carried outside air temperature – which can reach 45ºC – to the inner coil, when the air passing through it is reheated from 12ºC to 17ºC. This allowed us to cool the incoming air below its dew point, thus expelling all humidity, and then reheating this air using a heat transfer. This achieved a temperature of 5ºC and solved the problem, with no electrical consumption. I did this four years ago, and have not had a problem since then.”

GOING DOWN THE DRAIN

Barnett’s next project at the Grand Hyatt was to install an effluent treatment plant. “Firstly, I got the city of Dubai to give me a second effluent connection,” Barnett explains. “The Director of Drainage agreed to help supply the effluent to cooling tower make-up water. The effluent has lot of suspended solids and has minerals in it. I installed a treatment plant to filter the particulates suspended in the water. Secondly, I installed an RO section to remove some of the dissolved minerals by mixing these two waters together. I produced make-up water that was similar in consistency to Dubai mains water.”

The entire exercise had interesting and far-reaching implications. It translated into environmental and economic sustainability. For one, the city supplies effluent water at a fraction of the cost of mains water. This means that in summer, the hotel is able to save 100,000 gallons of drinking water a day.

Installing automatic taps and flow restrictors in guest rooms was yet another measure the hotel adopted. Albeit a minor, low-cost initiative, it is still a laudable one.

INNOVATION IS THE KEY

The hybrid transformer from South Korea

Barnett, in keeping with hotel’s policy, is always on the lookout for new ways to cut costs and energy consumption. So, when he was recently introduced to a hybrid transformer made in South Korea, he put it to good use. “The South Korean company said that it would save 8-10% of power consumption,” Barnett says. “They offered to install it on a trial basis, at no cost to me. Today, I am happy to say, I have had it running since mid-November 2009, and I get 13-14% average savings in my power consumption every month. I’m happy with the machine. It will pay for itself in one and a half years. After that, it is a case of clear profits.”

The device, Barnett explains, has no moving parts, and is, therefore, maintenance free: “The way it works is that it sits next to the DEWA transformer and balances your power and removes all harmonics. In big buildings with VFDs, harmonics is a big problem in increasing your power consumption. In power, you have a nice, smooth wave. When you are supplying a non-linear load, another wave comes backwards and causes interference. And to overcome the back wave, you consume more power. This device cleans up the back wave.”

Barnett has taken this innovative experiment a step further: “I showed this device to the DEWA people and told them, ‘This is the future’. It is expensive, but the net result is that you use less power.”

Grand Hyatt Dubai currently has 28 transformers, each 1,500 kVA, but only one of the transformers has been fitted with the device. Barnett is studying the loads of the other transformers so that he can take a call on expanding the use of the device in future installations. “I want to save money and power,” says Barnett.

LIGHT MINUS HEAT

To replace the MR16 halogen spotlights in the hotel is another initiative that Barnett wants to undertake. “They look nice, but cost money,” he says. “They use 50W of electricity. Over 90% of the electricity is dissipated as heat. LED has replaced the MR16. It is similar in colour and intensity, but uses only 7W of electricity, and burns absolutely cool. So no heat is generated.”

This implies that there is less heat load on the building, which in turn, means the air conditioning does not need to be notched up higher to cool the interiors. In the final analysis, not only is there savings in terms of bringing down the energy use from 50W to 7W but there is also a reduction in the heat load.

Barnett is, therefore, understandably in a hurry to get rid of the halogen lamps in the hotel. He says with palpable enthusiasm: “I have 2,500 halogen lamps to be replaced with LED. 50W down to 7W, and no heat! So electricity load and air conditioning load will come down. Also, the bulbs will have 25,000 hours as opposed to 3,000 hours’ lifetime. They are expensive, but the payback is six months. Definitely, LED is the way to go. We are looking at installing them this year.”

WATER – GREY AREAS

Another initiative Grand Hyatt Dubai is considering is to install a system to conserve rinse water generated by the laundry system. The rinse water has relatively less soap and no dirt. The good news is, it can be captured and processed through a filtration system and into a tank.

“After that, it is a matter of delivering the water to the machines as wash water – reusing the water many, many times,” explains Barnett. “The rinse water comes back to the machine as wash water. There is currently fresh water coming in. So that would be 50% savings on consumption of fresh water.”

The hotel also has its sights set on using the building’s grey water – capturing it and passing it through a small treatment plant for coloration purposes and cleaning it. It can be subsequently used to flush toilets. Currently, fresh water is being used for this purpose. Barnett, with one eye on water conservation and another on cost cutting, exclaims, “What a waste of this fresh water! Grey water will save us money and 30,000 gallons a day!”

Barnett believes that the project can easily be implemented, as the hotel building already has a twopipe system in place.

CORPORATE COMMITMENT TOWARDS CONSERVATION

Barnet’s personal commitment to safeguard the environment and to cut costs is aligned to that of Hyatt Hotels, which wants to be recognised for its CSR policy, vis-à-vis the environment. The powers that be would like every Hyatt hotel the world over to reduce water and electricity usage by 15% by 2015. “To achieve this, you have to do the kind of things I am doing,” Barnett says. “These initiatives cost money.”

The Wasl Corp, which owns the hotel is aware of the virtues of retrofitting and embracing new ideas to make the establishment more comfortable, efficient and environmentally friendly. Barnett endorses this: “I made a presentation to the owning company. They listened to me and accepted the savings potential. They also appreciated the environmental impact reductions. They were pleased that we were leaning in this direction.”

The corporate support has nudged Barnett to push his agenda forward: “Initially, it is a challenge to persuade the owners of any facility, but it depends on how the plan and the vision are presented. It has to be presented properly, and not just the commercial perspective, because in some cases, the ROI period could be long. But the impact on environment is equally important. We are looking at solar lighting technologies.” But Barnett adds with cautious enthusiasm: “We are investigating; I don’t want to rush. I believe in stringent tests of the technologies, and if satisfied, will go in that direction. If they give lights for only four hours, that is not good enough for me.”

GRAND PLANS

With all the groundwork that Grand Hyatt has done under the guidance of Barnett, LEED certification would, perhaps, be the logical step forward. Barnett concedes this and adds: “Hyatt is one of the founding members of the Emirates Green Building Council (EGBC). I am still in contact with Dr Sadek Owainati (EGBC co-founder) – he was the lead consultant for this building, and so he has a soft spot. He is in dialogue with me to turn this into a certified green building. We have to look what it is going to cost us. It is a goal. Certain things we are stuck with, considering it is an already constructed building.”

Saying that condensate traps are recommended by the International Mechanical Code to eliminate conditioned air from inefficiently escaping through condensate drain lines in both residential and commercial HVAC units, Airtec has introduced EZ Trap as an addition to its series.

EZ Trap Model EXT-626

Airtec, manufacturers of air diffusion, condensate management and lineset ducting products, claim that the new product is the HVAC industry’s only cleanable solution that prevents microbial-laced ambient air infiltration entering into commercial, residential and mini-split air conditioning airstreams through the drain line and air handler. They add that the product also reduces air conditioning efficiency in negative pressure systems and also prevents energy loss due to conditioned air being expelled through the drain line on positive pressure systems. Thus, it addresses both health and green concerns.

Salient features of EZ Trap are:

• It comes with a line of condensate traps, condensate overflow cutoff switches and other accessories.
• Transparent condensate traps that help “see the problem”.
• Easily cleanable PVC trap in both standard “P” trap configuration and configurations for all air conditioning systems brands and models.
• “Waterless” configurations that provide the benefits of a trap without the presence of standing water that can be used for conventional split systems, commercial rooftop units and minisplit units that feature a mechanical trapping method.
• The traps automatically drain bacteria-generating standing water and eliminate the danger of clogs, dry trap or freeze damage, while providing all of the benefits of a standard trap.
• Comply with the International Mechanical Code that mandates a condensate drain line trap.

Other features in the line are:

• The EZ Trap 100 and 200 Series feature adaptable Schedule 40 1-inch and 3/4-inch-diameter crosses, tees and other fittings to accommodate field installation challenges.
•  The 200 Series of SmartTrap kits come with integral float switch overflow protection mounted in the trap, which can be field-installed to activate a visual or audible warning alarm.
•  The 220 Series has microswitch overflow cut-off switches.
•  The 300 Series UltraSwitch is a selfevacuating electronic overflow switch with an integral mini pump that evacuates the drain pan, cutting power to the unit and continuously pumps the melting evaporator coil ice from the condensate pan and requires activating a manual reset to restart the unit after troubleshooting.
• The 600 Series of kits provide a trap for the primary drain pan outlet to prevent infiltration of unconditioned air and a cut-off switch for the secondary drain pan outlet to provide overflow protection

Claiming that it is the industry’s only dehumidifier offering engineers and contractors a choice of three environmentally friendly refrigerants – R-134a, R-407C and R-410A, Dectron Inc, manufacturer of indoor air quality equipment, has introduced the Dry-O-Tron DSV Series, dehumidifier, designed for light commercial and residential indoor pool and spa areas.

According to Dectron Inc, besides the regular features of heat recovery for free pool water heating, the DSV Series includes green features such as a variable frequency drive (VFD)-controlled plenum fans, optional electronically commutated (EC) motors, micro channel condensing coils and energy-saving microprocessor-based controller and diagnostics monitor, Supervisaire. The Supervisaire continually reviews 28 sensing points, which Dectron Inc says, is the most in the industry, thus optimising energy savings with quick response time.

The manufacturers enumerate the following advantages of the product:

• Combination of ECM or VFD with direct drive plenum fans are 12 to 14% more efficient than fans using conventional belt-driven drives
• An optional micro channel outdoor condenser that requires 60% less refrigerant along with night setback and load shedding demandcontrolling features
•  Space-saving vertical configuration with a 60% smaller footprint requirement than horizontal counterparts, offering up to 10 field-selectable air discharge locations
• Mirror image options for optimum field installation flexibility
• Residential sizes that fit through 32-inch-wide doors

Other features include:

• Optional space air conditioning along with optional space electric, hot water or steam heating
• Available in two-tonne to 16-tonne sizes
• Chloraguard, indoor air purification system option that removes harmful chloramines and other airborne gaseous contaminants commonly found in indoor pool spaces
• Chloraguard’s aftermarket service, supported by the Circul-aire’s team of scientists and the Tech-Chek preventative maintenance programme and testing laboratory
• Water Smart offers space conditioning without water flow
• Heavy gauge epoxy-painted metal cabinet and corrosionresistant HyPoxy-coated coils
• Scroll compressors Dectron Inc, with Dectron Internationale as its parent company, add that every unit is factory tested under each application’s simulated operating parameters and that extended warranty plans are available.

Speakers elucidate on ‘Role of Insulation in Environment Sustainability’

The ASHRAE-Oryx, the Qatar chapter, in association with The Jersey Group; Kuwait Insulation Material Manufacturing Company (KIMMCO) and Daikin McQuay Middle East, organised a technical seminar on May 22 at the college of North Atlantic, Qatar.

The programme details were …

Dr Kailash Chandra is a Senior Technical Manager with KIMMCO, a subsidiary of Alghanim Industries. He is a PhD in Chemistry from India. He has over 27 years of experience in mineral wool (glass wool and rock wool) insulation. He has worked in India for 16 years and has 11 years of experience in the GCC, across various departments such as, quality assurance, product development and technical support.

Manhal Jaweesh is the Regional Sales Manager with KIMMCO, a subsidiary of Alghanim Industries. He has a BSc degree in Applied Chemistry and has more than 14 years of relevant work experience in fibre glass insulation, in both production and sales, for eight and six years respectively.

Alessio Gusman, who joined McQuay in 2002 as an Electrical Engineer, is the Area Sales Manager based in McQuay’s Italy factory since 2007, and provides technical and marketing support to several European countries and the Middle East.

For details regarding future seminars, contact: Seenu Pillai, LEED AP, Secretary (2009-2010) Member of Chapter Newsletter Committee, ASHRAE, Qatar Oryx Chapter Phone: +974 422 7436 Mobile: +974 562 6509

Solar-powered refrigeration container to be unveiled at Intersolar Europe trade fair

Phaesun will reportedly display their latest solutions for the off-grid operation of refrigeration containers at their booth at the Intersolar Europe, a trade fair for solar technology, being held in Munich from June 9 to 11.

To be used in hospitals, medical supply depots and food storage centres in regions with insecure or unavailable energy supply, the new solar refrigeration container is claimed to have a storage capacity for a reserve of three consecutive days without noteworthy solar irradiation.

Designed by ILK Dresden, for whom Phaesun distributes the container solutions, the system has a modular structure, including integrated solar modules with a capacity of 1.7 or 3.6 kilowatts, depending on the respective design. The larger system consists of a single cooling chamber for the storage of up to 400 kilogrammes of meat or vegetables at a temperature of 0ºC to 10ºC. The smaller container includes three separate chambers for the storage of drugs at temperatures from 0ºC to 8ºC, 10ºC to 15ºC and 22ºC to 25ºC. The maximum ambient temperature amounts to 52ºC. The containers being flexible, they can be adjusted to customer requirements.

According to Phaesun, the standard container can be easily transported by truck, train, or helicopter and is, therefore, suitable both for stationary applications and for use in different locations. The company issues a 10-year guarantee on the main components.

In addition to the refrigeration container, Phaesun will display a solar module with integrated lithium-iron battery, produced by the Chinese manufacturer, Build Your Dreams (BYD), for the supply of a streetlamp. Lithium-iron batteries are believed to be many times lighter than gel batteries, while providing the same capacity. “Moreover, their energy density is by far higher,” said Tobias Zwirner, Managing Director, Phaesun GmbH, explaining the advantages of the battery technology. By comparison, a gel battery with a capacity of 150 ampere hours weighs approximately 50 kilogrammes, depending on the manufacturer, while a lithium-iron battery weighs only 28 kilogrammes. Moreover, the number of cycles of a lithium-iron battery is up to four times higher than the number of cycles of a lithium-iron battery, and up to six times higher than those of a gel battery.

Solar water pump and cleansing systems, as well as a hybrid system and a wind power station are also among the other offgrid solutions to be presented at the Phaesun GmbH fair booth. Since being founded in 2001, Phaesun GmbH, headquartered in Memmingen, Germany, specialises in the sales, service and installation of off-grid photovoltaics and wind energy systems. It also offers solutions for energy supply and telecommunication