Leminar Customer Conference

Dubai, UAE, 5 December 2018: The call for sustainable solutions, the adherence to fire safety codes and the attentiveness to Indoor Air Quality (IAQ) were some of the key topics addressed at the ‘Leminar Customer Conference’, held on November 28, at the Intercontinental Hotel, in Dubai. The opening session hosted by Ajith Abraham, Assistant General Manager, Building Services Product, Leminar Global, gave special attention to the importance of providing customised solutions for seismic restraint systems and riser piping support. He said, “The strength of our service is the ability to provide technical support to contractors, clients and customers.” Providing technical support, he added, enables the company to achieve efficient product delivery. Echoing Abraham and elaborating on the need for a renewed commitment to project delivery, was Jeff Goss, Senior Manager, International Product & Business Development, Rheem. He said, “If we look at consumer data, people born between the years 1950s to 1960s are less attentive to sustainable solutions as compared to those born in the 2000s.” A consumer’s attentiveness to sustainability, he said, influences his or her decision to pay more for a product, which is sustainable. Pointing to the key drivers making sustainability essential, Goss said that the rising population and the increasing rate of energy consumption are key factors. “By the year 2090,” he added, “climate change will cost the US economy seven billion dollars on labour, eight billion dollars on heat-related deaths, 25 billion in coastal real estate and 30 billion in infrastructure upgrades.”

In addition to the need for sustainable solutions, the conference also addressed issues related to fire safety. Quresh Motiwala, Regional Manager – Sales & Marketing, Leminar Air Conditioning Industries, stressed on the importance of adhering to fire safety codes and steered attention to the requirements of fire rated duct systems, especially in the light of the UAE Life and Fire Safety Codes. He said, “Fire safety is something we cannot take for granted and is a factor, which must not be ignored.” Fires, he added, can happen at any time and deaths in case of a fire mostly occur because of smoke inhalation. “It is important to have the right fire protection system,” which, he asserted, must be tested and approved for stability and integrity, along with good rating criteria. Kevin Gibson, Technical Director, Fenland Fire Contracts Limited, stressed on the importance of fire rated ducts and selection criteria. He said, “Certain considerations, such as good design and proper testing and high-quality equipment are essential.” The system you pick, he added, will influence your reputation. Coatings, such as the Fire resistant FFC250 coating, gives stability and integrity of up to four hours, he said. Building the right construction environment and using the right solutions, he added, protects the reputation of the building.

A key highlight of the evening was the light-hearted address by Navin Valrani, CEO, Leminar Group. He went on to provide perspective into the economic situation in the United Arab Emirates and said, “There have been statements in the press stating that the economy is in a down-cycle.” Addressing the idea, he pointed to the main driver of an economy, which is the country’s population. The United Arab Emirates, he said, has a population of 9.6 million and from the year 2017 to the year 2018, the country has witnessed a population growth of 1.5%. “Since the year 2000,” he added, “we have grown three times,” i.e. 300% growth in 18 years. In addition, he said, the United Arab Emirates continues to attract people who wish to come for career opportunities and is blessed to have leadership from both Emiratis and expatriates. Valrani added that Dubai is a place, which is sought after. Posing a question, he said, “So what has caused this talk?” Pointing to technology and its role as a major disruptor, he added that the Expo 2020 will have a significant part to play in contributing to the progress of the economy. “Expo 2020 will host 25 million people from all over the world who will come to Dubai,” which, he said, will give rise to new opportunities. The significance of the Expo, he added cannot be underestimated and no matter what model you run, Valrani asserted that there is always opportunity.

Jordi Canet Casabayo, Export Area Manager, Soler & Palau (S&P), during his session on ‘The Future of Ventilation’, quoted Peter Ferdinand Drucker and said, “The best way to predict the future is to create it.” IoT, he asserted, has played a key role in good IAQ and sensors, he added, help us integrate systems and connect devices, which bring in information. From monitoring CO₂ levels, VOCs and humidity within an indoor environment, sensors have a crucial role to play in both smart controls and energy efficiency, said Casabayo. “Nowadays, regulations state that all motors must have an IE3 efficiency level,” he said, and the demand for the use of heat recovery units (HRU) and their role in demand control ventilation can significantly add to energy efficiency.