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.

System installed at the hotel, in Liwa Oasis, in 18 days, says manufacturer

Nearly 200 SAV MonoLink Modules have been supplied to the Hotel Caravanserai project at Liwa in southern Abu Dhabi, announced SAV Systems, adding that commissioning is a major factor in the design and installation of air conditioning systems in the UAE, where application of US LEED Green Building Ratings requires employment of a Commissioning Authority.

SAV Systems, provider of building services solutions, has patented the MonoLink design, which incorporates a single casting for the cross-over/bypass section requiring fewer joints that might be disturbed during installation or maintenance.

The MonoLink concept is fully assembled and tested off site and delivered complete with 500mm braided stainless steel hoses that are impervious to dust, says SAV Systems. The product, therefore, offers specifiers the option of an ultra compact connection system for fan coils that can drastically reduce installation and commissioning time. The prepackaged assembly combines all the components required for flushing and commissioning the system into a single, compact unit that will fit in the tightest corners. Thanks to the FitraCim combined ball valve and strainer fitted on the flow side, it is possible to clear out debris without having to drain down the fan coil.

According to SAV Systems, the time taken to meet the contract from initial contact to delivery ready for installation at the hotel was 18 days.

Hotel Caravanserai, located in the Liwa Oasis, is considered to be the gateway to the Rub al Khali desert – the legendary Empty Quarter – 780,000 kilometres of rolling dunes and one of the world’s largest continuous deserts.

The new hotel has been built on a fast track programme aimed at opening in time for the next meeting in the 10-year camel racing cycle.

Seven pieces of AerFresco patio cooler/ heater ordered for the first hotel at CDC’s Pearl development.

The outdoor dining area of the Pearl Hotel, Doha showing four of the seven, AerFresco CP7 units, each fitted with LE D lighting, infrared heaters and programmable misting.

SpaceBreeze said it has received an order, via its Qatar Distributor, the Al Emadi Group, for seven of its AerFresco CP7 patio cooler/heaters for the Construction Development Company (CDC), headquartered in Doha, Qatar. The brief was to provide a year-round customer comfort for the outdoor dining area of the first hotel to be constructed and finished at CDC’s Pearl development.

Richard Ellicott, MD, SpaceBreeze, visited the customer in Doha to discuss the project. Subsequently, an order for seven pieces of AerFresco CP7 was placed, which, says SpaceBreeze, have now been installed and running successfully for several months. It added that CDC intends to purchase and install additional AerFresco units prior to the opening of its next hotel. It also reports that it is close to finalising a number of other sales in Dubai, Abu Dhabi and Bahrain.

The standard AerFresco CP7 has over 7kW of cooling and can transform the immediate area under the parasol or sunshade extension into an area of comfort for diners or those who want to socialise outdoors, without suffering from the harmful effects of the sun.

Advance air systems fitted at all 29 Red Line Metro stations

Trane has announced that it has fitted Dubai Metro’s Red Line, comprising 29 stations, with 305 Trane air-handling units and 1,120 fan coil units. The Red Line boasts 24 elevated, four underground and one ground-level stations. The company added that all Trane CLCPEuro units are designed to be energy efficient and provide a sustainable and reliable air-system.

“It is imperative for us to meet the highest standards of safety and customer satisfaction for Dubai commuters,” said Ahmed Mohammed Sharif, Electromechanical Systems Manager, Construction Dept, Rail Agency, RTA. “By working with Trane and using its systems, we adhered to the standards and desired quality regulation needed.”

Aaid Ghassan Freiwat, Acquisition Director, Middle East, India and Africa: “Energy optimised CLCPEuro will save energy and reduce the carbon footprint of this mega project. The lower energy consumption of the system will contribute to a lower total cost of ownership for RTA, while exercising environmental responsibility. In addition the excellent indoor air quality will ensure the comfort and well-being of the commuters.”

Industry leaders will analyse trends, opportunities and effective policies

MEED, the region’s business intelligence provider announced that the second Arabian Power and Water Summit will take place on March 30 and 31 at the Fairmont Bab Al Bahr, Abu Dhabi, under the patronage of the Abu Dhabi Water & Electricity Authority (ADWEA). H.E. Abdulla Saif Al Nuaimi, Director of Privatisation Directorate of ADWEA, will deliver the keynote address.

The event is expected to provide key intelligence on the industry with a comprehensive analysis of the current projects in the regional power and water market, with facts, figures and forecasting. Angus Hindley, Research Editor, MEED, will update delegates on the progress of power and water restructuring programmes of key countries.

The Summit will be preceded by the Alternative Energy Forum, which will be held on March 29 at the same venue, and will also provide critical information and insights into trends within the GCC and discuss the possible implications of the Copenhagen Climate Change Conference for the region. Also under discussion will be the creation of effective and workable energy conservation policies in addition to identifying the ideal portfolio for the future generation of GCC.

According to MEED, the region’s power and water industry faces increasing pressure to generate increasing energy and water supply due to its rapid population growth in the last few years, nudging key clients and developers to act and prepare for future demand expectations. MEED estimates that new power capacity requirement up to 2015 is 7,500MW and new desalination requirement up to 2015 is 310 million gallons per day, which calls for substantial investment.

“The power and water industry is vital to ensuring the economic success of the region. So it is of critical importance that companies and individuals have their fingers firmly on the pulse of industry developments and the opportunities within it,” said Edmund O’Sullivan, MEED Events Chairman.

“Our second Arabian Power and Water Summit will host an unprecedented gathering of industry leaders and encompass prime intelligence and real facts.

Ahmed Gumatti, General Desalination Corporation, Libya, will speak on the ambitious power and water plans inhis country. Kamel Sid from Sonelgaz will provide an update about developments in Algeria. Senior representatives from Mubadala Development Company and International Power are expected to join the programme. Wartsilla, a lifecycle power solutions provider for the marine and energy markets, is the gold sponsor.

Rise in demand in Dubai attributed to increase in awareness about district cooling as an alternative to conventional AC systems.

Empower has announced expansion plans to meet the rising demand for district cooling. The plans include bidding for more projects which want to benefit from the advantages offered by district cooling, including its environment-friendly features.

Ahmad Al Shafar, CEO of Empower

According to Empower, the announcement comes at a time when the total square footage committed to district cooling provided by it has reached 40 million square feet, covering 80 buildings in 2009, as the demand for district cooling has increased rapidly in the last decade.

In this context, Ahmad Al Shafar, CEO of Empower, said: “We succeeded in building world-class district cooling infrastructure that is considered an ideal economic and environmental solution for residential and commercial units, offices and hotels.

In Dubai, residential units are becoming increasingly aware of the importance of using district cooling system as an alternative to conventional AC systems, leading to energy saving and environment conservation, as well as lower operations and maintenance costs. This is in sharp contrast to lower awareness of its importance in other parts of the Middle East.”

Zamil Industrial signs Murabaha facility with NCB for one of its subsidiaries

Eastern District Cooling Company, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Zamil Industrial Investment Company (Zamil Industrial), has signed with The National Commercial Bank (NCB) the first non-recourse project financing done in the region for a district cooling project.

Zamil Industrial had signed in November 2007 a 22-year energy performance contract with Saudi Basic Industries Corporation (SABIC) for the complete outsourcing of process and comfort cooling including the building of a central cooling plant to supply 20,000 TR within the premises of Saudi Iron & Steel Company (Hadeed) in Jubail Industrial City.

The total project size is valued at approximately SR 300 million and is expected to go on stream during 2010. NCB acted as Sole Mandated Lead Arranger for a 13.5-year Murabaha facility for an amount of SR 206 million. The sponsors will bring the remaining amount as equity. The project is being developed by Energy Central Company, and advised by Gulf International Bank (GIB).

The loan agreement was signed in Dammam on January 27, 2010 by Abdulla Al Zamil, Chief Executive Officer of Zamil Industrial, and Mansoor Durrani, Head of Project Finance, NCB, in the presence of Khalil Issa, CEO of Energy Central, and other representatives from Zamil Industrial, NCB and GIB.

Al Zamil stated: “We are delighted to achieve this major milestone towards the completion of this very challenging project. The strong teamwork of advisors and financiers supporting our project developer is greatly appreciated.”

Durrani added: “We are privileged to be a part of this wellstructured Islamic project finance deal. We anticipate that there will be a number of similar district cooling projects to be financed with similar structures in the GCC, and are pleased that Zamil is the first Saudi entity to close such a transaction.”

Drake & Scull International, together with Zamil Industrial, are building the project. Zamil Cool Care will be the Operator of the various facilities.

Baker & McKenzie acted as Lender’s legal counsel, CJR Consulting as the borrower’s counsel and FVB Energy as the Technical Consultant.

Saudi Tabreed has signed an agreement with Saudi Aramco to develop and operate a district cooling system to cool all the buildings of Saudi Aramco in the Dhahran area. Under the agreement, Saudi Tabreed shall design, construct, finance, own, operate and maintain a centralised cooling plant and a network to supply chilled water to the Saudi Aramco buildings with a cooling capacity of 27,000 TR. The agreement is for a 23-year term.

Commenting on the occasion, Mohammed bin Abdullah Abunayyan, Chairman of the Board of Directors of Saudi Tabreed, said: “This project reflects the keenness of Saudi Aramco to maintain the environment by using a district cooling system, which consumes half the electrical energy consumption as compared to that for traditional methods of cooling.

Abunayyan said that it was a matter of immense pride for Saudi Tabreed to be working on developing the project for an internationally acclaimed company such as Saudi Aramco. The representatives of Saudi Aramco showed immense professionalism during the discussions and finalisation of the project, he added. This, he further said, reflected the keenness of Saudi Aramco towards the participation of the private sector in the development of current and future projects planned by the company.

During the occasion, Nabeel Abdullah Al-Jama, Executive Director for Community Services, Saudi Aramco, said that the deal emphasises Saudi Aramco’s concern with regard to energy conservation as well as to giving a chance to the private sector to invest and work in Saudi Aramco projects, which will reflect positively on the national economy.

The mind goes back to the Summer of 2006, when we launched Chill, the bi-annual supplement for the district cooling sector. Little did we anticipate at the time that the supplement would come to enjoy the goodwill and faith of the HVAC sector, in particular. And for that we are grateful.

With this issue, we are launching another supplement, called Retrofit News and Chronicle. A monthly, the supplement will track the retrofit activities in the region, including in its scope the HVACR, power and water industries.

As the name suggests, the supplement will contain news relating to ongoing retrofit projects in the region, the people involved and the products and services infrastructure available. In addition, it will feature case studies of marquee projects in the region and elsewhere and chronicle the evolutionary stages of ongoing projects. This may be a case of stating the obvious, but the aim of chronicling the projects is to get a feel for the progress being made, the challenges encountered along the way and the expertise and solutions that are put to work to surmount the obstacles.

While the focus will largely be on the building sector, be it from an energy efficiency, water efficiency or IAQ point of view, Retrofit News and Chronicle will also concern itself with industrial facilities and water and power plants. For example, a turbine inlet air chilling (TIAC) retrofit is certainly within the scope of the supplement.

This issue also is a curtain-raiser to The Climate Control Conference (C3), in Saudi Arabia. This will be our first ever conference initiative in the Kingdom. Besides the new location – so far, we have held the event in Dubai and Abu Dhabi – another reason for being excited is the mix of topics, which took a while to arrive at. While the district cooling track will feature sub topics to provoke discussion and birth ideas and solutions, the topic that has us licking our lips in anticipation is ‘Large central chilled water plants and an integrated approach to district cooling, TIAC and industrial applications’. To our knowledge, this has never been discussed, and we are eager to know the outcome.

Coming back to Retrofit News and Chronicle, I hope you enjoy reading the articles. Please do send in your comments to surendar@cpi-industry.com; the feedback will help us evolve the supplement into better shape.

B Surendar

While this edition may appear similar to the previous edition, which incidentally received an overwhelming response, it is quite a ramp-up. For one, it contains several new products and services categories. For another, it contains a new section, called Market-Watch, which is substantial in nature and attempts to explain the market for some key HVACR components.

Download the 2010 edition of the Climate Control Guide & Directory HERE.

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