Introducing a new line of energy-efficient potable water recirculator pumps, Bell & Gossett say that the use of a revolutionary technology helps achieve significant energy savings while delivering instant hot water to every faucet.

According the manufacturers, featuring ECM (Electronically Commutated Motor) technology and a patented spherical motor design, eliminates the need for a conventional shaft, seal and bearing assembly. The rotor/impeller is the only moving part in the entire pump and it is magnetically balanced on a stationery ceramic bearing inside the pump housing to provide silent, long-lasting operation.

This design allows the ecocirc to use 68% less energy than most standard pumps and can save an average family of four more than 12,000 gallons of water a year by eliminating the need to wait for hot water to reach the plumbing fixture, claim Bell & Gossett. Using only 10 watts of power, the equivalent of a small nightlight, the ecocirc can save a home owner hundreds of dollars in energy costs a year, they add.

Other special features include:

• Maintenance-free, long-lasting operation
• Seal-less and leak-free
• Resistant to scale build-up, ensuring optimal flow
• Only self-realigning bearing in the small pump market
• Self-lubricating and automatically cooled by pump media
• Resin-encompassed stators eliminate corrosion
• Energy savings pay back the cost of the pump within months
• The magnetically centred rotor can tilt to avoid small particles
• Built-in temperature sensor automatically adjusts frequency and voltage
• Built-in 24 hour timer
• Motor is separated from wetted parts by a stainless steel partition
• Superior starting torque
• Easy to install

The recirculator pump is also available with a timer module that adapts to all ecocirc circulators. The plug-in timer design makes it possible to convert the pump to a timer- controlled unit for greater energy savings.

According to Bell & Gossett, it acquired the technology in 2009 when ITT purchased German pump manufacturer Laing GmbH – a producer of energyefficient circulator pumps used in residential and commercial plumbing and HVAC systems.

Driven by government regulations, the European market has more stringent energy standards that require more technologically advanced pumps.

“The ecocirc demonstrates ITT’s ongoing commitment to more energyefficient products for plumbing and HVAC systems,” said Monica Levy, Director of Communications at ITT’s Residential and Commercial business.

“We are excited about expanding this platform of products going forward.”

A fledgling recovery in the US market fuels a healthy attendance at the AHR Expo

2010 AHR Expo

Signs of a recovering economy was a key view from many interviewed as to the main reason for the attendees at the 2010 AHR Expo, from January 25 to 27, at the Orange County Convention Center, Orlando, Florida. According to the organisers, nearly 45,000 attendees and exhibitors filled the aisles during the Expo. They came from 120 different countries to see hundreds innovative products on display from 1,823 exhibiting companies. More than 200 companies were first-time exhibitors at the AHR Expo. According to the organisers, the 28,582 registered visitors, a nearly 8% increase from the 2005 AHR Expo in Orlando, set a new record for Southeast HVAC/R shows.

Clay Stevens, president of International Exposition Company, which produces and manages the AHR Expo, attributed much of the show’s success to an improving economy and the huge amount of valuable information offered at the event. “There is great interest and demand for ‘green’/ sustainable products and technologies,” Stevens said.

“Hundreds of exhibitors were featuring energy-efficient solutions and we offered a variety of educational sessions built around these interests.” The following were the show highlights:

• Several ‘Green’ features and educational sessions

• The International Energy Agency sponsored, for the first time a workshop on Solar Air-Conditioning and Refrigeration

• LEED half-day workshops, presented by the US Green Building Council provided practical knowledge on how to be an essential and knowledgeable part of a LEED team and how to manage a LEED project from the first client meeting to final certification

• Energy Star Your Customer’s Path to Green, Sustainable Buildings, presented by the US EPA’s Energy Star Programme

• PM Live: Hydronic Design for Solar & Geothermal Heat Pump Systems, John Siegenthaler, Hydronics Editor of PM Magazine discussed the essentials of successful solar combisystem design

• The presentation of the AHR Expo Innovation Awards. Nine category-winners received the first place honour, while 32 companies were awarded Honourable Mention. Danfoss won the AHR Expo Product of the Year Award for their Performer VSD, a variable speed compressor for residential use.

• Nearly $11,000 in entry fees from the 2010 AHR Expo Innovation Awards Competition was given to the Jacksonville Police Athletic League (JAXPAL) to help install a new HVAC control system

• Powering the Smart Grid with the LonWorks Technology and RF Wireless Technology, presented by LonMark Americas

• Introduction to Cloud Services for Buildings, presented by Ken Sinclair, Editor/Owner of www. automatedbuildings.com According to the organisers, the 2011 AHR Expo will be held in Las Vegas, from January 31 to February 2, 2011.
What they said:

“We are very happy with the traffic. It was more than we expected, given the current economy. There has been a lot of interest in our new high-efficiency commercial product.”
– April Johnson, Marketing Director, Weil McClain

“We got tonnes of good leads, and the traffic was great. This show has the best ROI of any show we do in this industry.”
– Martin Dingman, Product Manager, Siemens

“Traffic was heavy from the very beginning. The quality was great. We saw a lot of engineers.”
– Mark Adams, Channel Development Manager for Florida Schneider Electric

“A lot of interest in new products, and we saw a lot of manufacturer reps.”
– Tom Petersen, VP Sales & Marketing, Mars Air Systems

“It was absolutely fantastic! We couldn’t have been happier. There was tonnes of interest in our new software.”
– Jackie Catalano, Marketing Communications Manager, Emerson

“It started off with a bang and stayed steady all show long. We’re as happy as can be with the traffic we saw. We introduced a new product and received more leads than we did all of last year – and last year was a good show.”
– Lou Laroche, National Sales Manager, Airtec

“The aisles were flooded. There was a steady flow of people, and we got quality leads.”
– Gene Ziegler, Regional Manager, Daikin AC

“We were impressed! We were a bit pessimistic, but the first-day traffic was steady, and there seems to have been a lot of international visitors.”
Steven Junge, President, – Lattner Boiler Manufacturing Company

“It was a good first day. We saw a good mixture of engineers and contractors. There is a lot of interest in our new energy-efficient products.”
– Mark Handzel, National Sales, ITT R&CW

“We were seeing people from a variety of places and diverse industry sectors. People visiting our booth really liked all our options. They saw what we had and got excited about how to use it in their own business. It’s obvious attendance was much higher at this year’s Expo. We’re busy nonstop, which is just the way we like it!”
– Todd Strem, Sales & Marketing Manager, WoodMaster

“The diversity in attendance at the Show was exceptional, especially the number of international visitors. We saw the buying behaviour improve from a lot of kicking the tyres last year to a much more significant resource commitment here in Orlando, which was critical to the success with the introduction of our new RIGIDconnect online business tool. We were extremely pleased!”
Steve Dyer, Director of Marketing, RIDGID

“The Show was great. We saw a lot more foot traffic in our booth, especially local contractors and applied distributors. Our broad product displays and minivignettes really helped us tell the complete story of LG’s offerings.”
– Kelly Cutchins, VP Commercial Air Conditioning, LG Electronics

“We heard from many attendees in our booth that our variable speed compressors are the “wave of the future”, and that to see the wave of the future you need to attend the AHR Expo. It’s the Show you want to have your products at, if you want to be positioned for meeting the needs of the industry, now and going forward.”
– Steve Hamlin, Sales Group Manager, Panasonic

“As a first-time exhibitor, this was incredible for us. As a new company looking to meet customers, AHR Expo brings the largest and most knowledgeable crowds. This was a perfect fit.”
– Ben Pierce, Customer Service Manager, Clean Alert

“We saw a lot of interest in renewable and comfort systems from all areas, and good engineering contacts, who have an appreciation for quality, and proven, truly sustainable systems. People who came to the booth understand the importance of the ‘whole systems’ approach to sustainable building, and are eager to work with us on making it happen.”
– Bill Johansen, Business Unit Manager, Building Technology, REHAU

“We were very pleased with the show this year. Visitors to our booth were very interested in retrofitting old buildings to enable energy savings. The consumer is searching for low-cost and minimal-disruption solutions, and we heard that over and over. It’s these timely topics and offerings that attendees hear about and see at the AHR Expo.”
– Harry Sim, CEO, Cypress Envirosystems

“We chose AHR to introduce the Premier VS-VH high efficiency heating system because the Expo is recognised as North America’s most significant HVAC/R show. We consider this to be our best show yet!”
– Susan Samson, Marketing Manager with Superior Radiant Products

ASHRAE EFC meeting focuses on sustainability by casting the spotlight on building codes and on CHP systems.

The ASHRAE Emirates Falcon Chapter on February 17 reiterated the importance that sustainability deserves by hosting a presentation on building codes, followed by a presentation on CHP systems. The Chapter meeting took place at the Arjaan Rotana, Dubai.

Matthew Plumbridge

It was Matthew Plumbridge, Consultant (Environmental and Sustainability Planning) from the Department of Municipal Affairs, Abu Dhabi, who spoke on building codes. In his presentation, Plumbridge spoke of the International Energy Conservation Code, be it from the point of view of mechanical systems or in terms of lighting. In the case of mechanical systems, Plumbridge said, it was important to consider such factors as right-sizing the plant and equipment, energy recovery, set point and controls. And in the case of lighting, Plumbridge said, it was important to look at daylighting zones and lighting density for external and internal features.

In view of the fact that local conditions were different, Plumbridge said that the Abu Dhabi body was looking to develop the codes further. “In the local context, for instance,” Plumbridge said, “it is important to consider district cooling demand management.” District cooling, he said, was less efficient, owing to unknown demand. In that context, he spoke of establishing supply water temperature at 4ºC to manage risk and 50 square metres per tonne of refrigeration as a benchmark that could be achieved.

He further said that while with the subject of chilled water, it would be sensible to wonder whether or not we could engage in energy recovery from condensate water. “It is 13ºC water,” Plumbridge said, asking, “Instead of just using the water, why not use energy (chilled), as well?

In his presentation, Plumbridge spoke of a code for improving IAQ and for reducing carbon emissions. While drawing the code, he said, it would be useful to consider such factors as natural ventilation, ventilation rate, outdoor air percentage and TES.

Ainul Abedin, Principal Consultant at Ainul Abedin Consulting, who spoke next, conducted a masterclass on CHP/cogen systems, in the process sharing his decades long experience.

In his presentation, Abedin said that CHP feasibility and design depended on magnitude, duration, and electrical and thermal loads. Matching a CHP plant’s heat/ power ratio with that of building or process load, he said, was required for optimum economic benefit. That, he added, was a major challenge for HVAC engineers.

Getting into the nittygritty, Abedin said that the form and quality of the required thermal energy was important. If more highpressure steam was required, a reciprocating engine was less attractive as a thermal source than a combustion engine.

Ainul Abedin

Saying that CHP/cogen power plants were rated against incremental heat rates (fuel input) by comparing incremental fuel requirements with base case energy needs of a particular site, and that fuel consumption was the greatest contributor to operating costs, Abedin went into an elaborate description of reciprocating engines.

All recip engines, Abedin said, required clean and cool air for optimum performance. In that context, he added, it was crucial to avoid heated air, because power output dropped with a rise in engine temperature.

Quoting from experience, Abedin said that reciprocating engines had special requirements. For instance, he said, installing a separate exhaust for each engine reduced the possibility of condensation in the engine that was not running. Equally important, he said, was to allow for thermal expansion in exhaust piping (about 0.09 inches per foot). Further, he said, it would help to slope the exhaust away from the engine to prevent condensate back flow.

Speaking, then, on combustion turbines, Abedin said that they had been developed for stationary use as prime movers. Advantages of combustion turbine design, he said, included dual-fuel design; ability to meet stringent pollution standards; lack of necessity of cooling water; clean, dry exhaust; and lesser lubricating oil consumption.

On the flip side, a key disadvantage, he said, included a possible lower efficiency. “Also each 18F rise in inlet temperature decreases power output by nine per cent,” he said.

With the stage set, Abedin lapsed into a discussion on combustion turbine inlet air cooling (CTIAC) systems, which he said, increased the capacity and the efficiency of the turbine by increasing air density. Speaking of the importance of a CTIAC system, Abedin said, “When you need maximum power in summer, it derates by 30-40%; CTIAC helps to prevent this.”

Speaking, then, on the economics of CHP, Abedin said it was based on cost of equipment, installation, and operations and maintenance. For a CHP project assessment, Abedin highlighted the importance of a preliminary screening analysis, for simple payback, and a feasibility analysis, which consisted of energy analysis, conceptual development and financial analysis.

Nearly $11,000 entry fee presented to the Jacksonville Police Athletic League (JAXPAL) to help install a new HVAC control system.

Danfoss’ Performer VSD, a variable speed compressor for residential use, was selected as the AHR Expo Product of the Year Award. The award ceremony was held during the 62nd AHR Expo, that took place from January 25 to 27, at the Orange County Convention Center, Orlando, Florida.

The Performer VSD was chosen from among the nine category-winners of the 2010 AHR Expo Innovation Awards – an industry-wide competition designed to promote and encourage product innovation. Danfoss won the award in the Green Building category, and then was selected from among the nine winners to earn the final award. Thirty-two products received honourable mentions.

“We are proud to receive this award because it is welcome proof of the continuing Danfoss commitment to energy efficiency achieved through engineering innovation,” said Stephen Gugliotta, Director of Sales for Danfoss Air Conditioning.

The 2010 AHR Expo Innovation Award entry fees totalling nearly $11,000, was presented to the Jacksonville Police Athletic League (JAXPAL) to help install a new HVAC control system.

Since 2004, more than $45,000 has been donated to vocational schools and humanitarian projects for communities in states where the show is held.

“The AHR Expo Innovation Awards programme provides a unique opportunity to honour companies for their commitment to innovation, while also providing funds to organisations dedicated to helping others,” said Clay Stevens, President of International Exposition Company (IEC), the organiser of the AHR Expo.

The Innovation Awards are jointly sponsored by the American Society of Heating, Refrigerating and Air-Conditioning Engineers (ASHRAE); the Air- Conditioning, Heating and Refrigeration Institute (AHRI); and IEC.

It showcased new applications for PE-RT Resins at the international exhibition.

Dow Europe took part in the international exhibition AQUATHERM Moscow 2010. The exhibition was held from February 2 to 5 at the Crocus Expo. Dow showcased advances in its portfolio of hot and cold water pipe resins. In addition, Sergey Druzhinin, Dow Basic Plastics Application Technology Engineer hosted a presentation titled, ‘PE-RT – New Applications for PE at Elevated Temperatures’, at the Engineering Systems Problems and Solutions, part of the Technologies Conference Programme, on February 3.

Speaking of the company’s 25 years of experience in the European pipe industry, in Russia and CIS, Dragan Visekruna, Dow’s Market Manager for Pipe Applications in Europe, Middle East, India and Africa, said, “Our technical expertise and experience is especially large in industrial pipes, and we foster close relationships with local producers of machine and equipment for multilayer pipes production.”

“Dow’s family of DOWLEX PE-RT Resins has a proven track record of almost 30 years for delivering excellent performance in hot and cold pipe applications, with over one million kilometers of DOWLEX pipe already produced.”

The international division’s success attributed to major Middle East projects.

DuctSox, US-based manufacturer of fabric duct air dispersion products, named DuctSox-MENA, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, as DuctSox Manufacturer’s Representative Number One International Sales – 2009, on January 25, at the AHR Expo, 2010, in Orlando, Florida.

From left to right: Cary Pinkalla, Tawfiq Attari and John Lipscomb

Tawfiq Attari, DuctSox MENA’s Global Sales and Technical Director, accepted the award from Cary Pinkalla, President, and John Lipscomb, International Sales Manager, DuctSox.

Attari attributed the DuctSox international division’s success last year, to several major Middle East projects – a 200,000-squarefoot aircraft hangar in Qatar featuring DuctSox’s brand, Sedona-Xm, an antimicrobial treated permeable fabric ductwork with High-Throw SG Diffusers, which helped the facility owner save thousands of dollars in HVAC air distribution labour/ materials.

According to DuctSox, another project, a complex of pharmaceutical warehouses in Saudi Arabia, featured 1,000 linear metres of Sedona-Xm Comfort-Flow for maintaining strict temperature tolerances and product quality control.

This is the third project the company has won in the first quarter of 2010.

Drake & Scull International Abu Dhabi, a subsidiary of Drake & Scull International (DSI), announced that it has been awarded a contract for mechanical, electrical and plumbing (MEP) works for a prominent hotel in Abu Dhabi. The contract has been awarded by Arabian Construction Company (ACC) and is valued at Dh187 million.

This is the third project DSI has won in the first quarter of 2010, bringing the total value of projects won in the same period to Dh369 million.

“We are very pleased to be able to contribute to the growing market for construction and property development in Abu Dhabi,” said Khaldoun Tabari, Vice Chairman and CEO of Drake & Scull International.

According to DSI Abu Dhabi, since the company was established in 1966, it has also worked on projects, such as, Baynunah Tower the Shangri La Hotel Qaryat Al Beri, for which it won MEP Medium Project of the Year Award at the Middle East MEP awards in 2008, and the Yas Island Rotana Resort and Centro by Rotana Hotel.

Polyurethane foam systems supplied by BaySystems Pearl used for insulating cold stores in Burj Khalifa and Dubai Mall.

To guarantee that the cold stores in the world’s tallest building work efficiently, sandwich panels, consisting of polyurethane systems from BaySystems, have been used by the contractors, revealed BaySystems Pearl, Dubai.

BaySystems is the global umbrella brand for the polyurethane systems business of Bayer MaterialScience. The company´s joint venture system house BaySystems Pearl in Dubai supplied TSSC for the production of insulating panels. TSSC, in turn, supplied 4,000 square metres of the panels to the Burj complex, including several outlets in Dubai Mall and the Armani Hotel in the Burj Khalifa.

According to the manufacturers, the insulation material is a rigid polyurethane foam system which offers insulation with state-of-the-art fire protection. Thus, cold losses are significantly reduced even at low-wall thickness.

“The close cooperation between BaySystems Pearl and TSSC is typical for the intensive customer focus of our systems business, which Bayer MaterialScience has been operating globally since 2007 under the umbrella brand of BaySystems,” said Stephan Rosenthal, Senior Country Representative, Middle East, Bayer MaterialScience.

“The long-standing, close cooperation with BaySystems Pearl enables us to provide high-performance, tailormade products for the region’s iconic projects,” added Pasquale Dellapenna, Director of TSSC.

Feroz Saleem, Managing Director of BaySystems Pearl, seconding this view, said, “TSSC has been one of our oldest partners in the region and one of the market leaders in the field of cold stores. We are very pleased to be part of another landmark project with them in the region.”

According to Bayer MaterialScience, based on this success, BaySystem Pearls’s Baymer products have been approved for use in other projects headed by Emaar Properties.

The event will be held concurrently with the fifth gulfBID exhibition.

A high-level forum to discuss environment related challenges and issues facing the world through the eyes of the construction industry will be convened on May 5 in Bahrain.

The first Green Building Forum to be held at the Bahrain International Exhibition Centre (BIEC), it is the first of its kind in the Gulf. The event will feature debate and discussion among local, regional and international business leaders, environmental pioneers and entrepreneurs, on the role of the construction and housing sectors in developing green buildings and a cleaner environment, under the theme, Innovating to Protect the Environment.

Topics under the spotlight will include: The Copenhagen Treaty and its relevance to the Gulf; Government Regulations and Green Codes of Conduct; Green Building in the Gulf; Environmentallysympathetic Design and Construction; Challenges for the Construction Industry and Sustainable Building Materials; Smart Buildings; Renewable Energy Powering the Home; Carbon Trading or Zero Emissions; Innovation in Building; Recycling Waste; and Green Building Training and Education.

The Green Building Forum is organised by Bahrainbased Hilal Conferences & Exhibitions (HCE), in association with international event consultancy, North Star Associates. HCE and North Star also co-organised the Gulf Industry Forum in Bahrain in January.

Jubran Abdulrahman, Managing Director, HCE said: “The Green Building Forum is enormously relevant to the construction industry and the wider world. The Gulf’s construction sector is now looking to address environmental challenges and harness new opportunities and the Forum provides the intellectual platform for a high level exchange of information and opinions from regional and international experts.”

Ahmed Suleiman, Managing Director, North Star Associates, said: “The Forum is a demonstration of Bahrain’s potential as a base for intellectual exchange on a number of key issues that are important to the future of the environment, wherever we are. The Green Building Forum is a debating chamber relating not only to construction, but also energy usage, waste recycling, sustainable building materials and design.

“Moreover, the Forum will highlight education as a key component to changing our perceptions. That the power to make a difference is within the hands of everyone is the message that we hope delegates will take from the Forum.”

The Green Building Forum will be held concurrently with the fifth gulfBID exhibition – the exhibition for the construction and interiors industry in the Northern Gulf, which will be held from May 4 to 6 at the BIEC.

The organisers advise early registration, as seats at the Forum are limited.

The real estate company announces that 84 villas of Sahara Living will be ready for handover by October 2010, as scheduled.

Dubai-based Almasah International Real Estate Company has announced that construction work on Sahara Living, an 18,116-squaremetre residential development, consisting of 84 villas, is nearing completion, and would be handed over by October 2010, as promised.

“Sahara Living sold-out because of the great design, landscaping and community-feel,” said Almasah Chairman, Abou Taleb Talebi. “We have an obligation to deliver to the investors that believed in this project, and we would never let them down.”

Located in Dubai Industrial City, valued at Dh100 million and targeted towards middle-income investors and families, each of the three-bedroom villas includes a small garden, with villa clusters grouped around community pools, BBQ areas and playgrounds, surrounded by greenery.

Reem Dubai Contracting was appointed for the main construction project and began work in April 2009. Since then, say the developers, the project has made steady progress, despite many other projects coming to a halt in Dubai.

When asked how Almasah was able to continue work on schedule, despite the troubles facing most developers in Dubai, Talebi explained: “Our projects are well-planned, and we have firm backing; otherwise we would not be here. We hope that the completion of our projects helps encourage more investments in Dubai, because we are confident in the vision of the city, and of the UAE as a whole.”

Almasah presently has a total of 19 projects under construction, with a total value of Dh3.2 billion, including Chess Tower, valued at Dh200 million, in Dubai Sports City, Nathalie Tower, Blue Moon Tower and Noah’s Arc Tower, jointly valued at Dh800 million on Palm Jebel Ali, and 14 projects, all located in Jumeirah Village South, valued at Dh 2.1 billion.