Seeley International’s air conditioners to cool pilgrims at Mina Valley tent city
Company has successfully completed the world’s largest order for evaporative air conditioners, Group MD says
Lonsdale, Australia, 19 April 2018: Seeley International announced that the company has installed around 50,000 Australian-made Breezair air conditioners in the tent city of Mina Valley, Saudi Arabia, in a Press communiqué.
Jon Seeley, Group Managing Director, Seeley International, said the bulk order of Breezair evaporative air conditioners, by the Saudi Government and Ministry of Hajj, provides state-of-the-art cooling for pilgrims to Mecca during their stay in the Mina Valley tent city. The tent city is a fascinating logistics exercise involving more than 100,000 tents and houses, with approximately three million people spread over 20 square kilometres, he added.
Seeley said: “Our Breezair evaporative air conditioner was found to outperform more than 200 other air conditioning brands and delivered spectacular results against a comprehensive set of criteria that included energy-efficiency, reliability, performance and low environmental impact. The three-year tender evaluation process saw Breezair and other contenders tested on site over several months, in all conditions and seasons, including comparative tests done during a pilgrimage to assess performance under real-world conditions. The in-built safety mechanisms, economical use of water, ease of control and compact design were critical in Breezair being successfully selected. The harsh summertime temperatures in the Mina Valley, which can easily reach more than 45°C, were overcome by the capability of Breezair evaporative air conditioners, which kept people comfortable and provided them with fresh naturally cooled air.”
Xavier Delaigue, Sales Director EMEA, Seeley International, said: “As part of a commitment by the Saudi Government and Ministry of Hajj to improve accommodation for pilgrims in the Mina Valley, a four-year air conditioner replacement plan was started in 2015. Seeley International fast-tracked production and installation so the project is now well ahead of schedule and expected to be completed during 2018. Our thanks go to Alsaeed HVAC, our distributor for the kingdom of Saudi Arabia – and particularly Salman Alsaeed, CEO of Alsaeed Trading Group – who provided a turnkey solution on time and within required specifications. Alsaeed HVAC commissioned and supervised this specific very large installation and in fact does so for every pilgrimage. Managing the ongoing operation of this many air conditioning units is itself a remarkable achievement, involving precision project management skills.”
Salman Alsaeed, CEO, Alsaeed Trading Group, said: “The issue of energy efficiency is of great importance, and the Saudi Government and Ministry of Hajj want to proactively achieve substantial energy savings. Achieving 35% energy savings in the Mina Valley thanks to Breezair cooling technology demonstrates advanced technology and a strong commitment to the environment.”