Dubai, UAE, 18 April 2019: The RetrofitTech Summit, held from April 9 to 11 in Dubai, presented valuable insights into retrofitting, not just from an HVACR perspective but also from a broader perspective, said Nerissa Deoraj, Director Technical, and Regulatory Affairs, Eurovent Middle East. She said the conference highlighted inadequacy in the way retrofit projects are operated and maintained. The industry, she said, is plagued by problems, including those related to preventive maintenance techniques. She added that there is a need for competent technicians, as well. “There is a lack of awareness in the market,” she said, “and Eurovent Middle East recognises that the subject needs to be given priority. It is important to understand the changing perceptions in the market and study market behaviour, and this, she said, will require time and outreach.”

Nerissa Deoraj

Pointing to the need for encouraging retrofits for good IEQ in buildings in the UAE and in the Middle East, Deoraj said, “We spend 90% of our time indoors, and maintaining IEQ in buildings is a crucial factor to ensuring the wellbeing of occupants.” A number of buildings in the UAE and in the Middle East, she said, are older constructions, and it is important to ensure that equipment is maintained and replaced on a regular basis and that the job is done by competent and trained people. “In the region,” she said, “the public sector has definitely been more proactive, when it comes to retrofits, but there is a reluctance among building owners in the private sector to invest in retrofit projects.” One aspect that drives buildings owners to take on a retrofit, she said, is to avoid complaints from tenants, rather than investing in equipment to reduce energy consumption.