The 10th anniversary of the Climate Control Awards, digitally broadcast from Dubai on November 24, preserved the decorum and, at the same time, the chutzpah associated with a live, in-person ceremony. While COVID-19 ringfenced the ceremony to a virtual platform, the deep sense of anticipation, and infectious energy – vital characteristics of past events – were much in evidence.

The lead up to the ceremony attracted nearly 50 entries from 25 companies, despite the COVID gloom, an indication of the resilience of a mission-critical industry keen on getting back on its feet.

The entries covered a vast spectrum, including air treatment, air movement, district cooling, DX, commissioning and FM. Given the challenges thrown up by the pandemic, some of the KPIs in the entry form sought to ascertain the response of organisations, and how they retained their character and embedded skills to be able to uninterruptedly work towards contributing to regional and global socio-economic and sustainable development goals. A total of 20 judges evaluated the entries under the gaze of a third-party auditing firm – an exercise that included virtual interviews with the applicants, which provided an opportunity to cross-question them with the objective of developing a better understanding of the points stated in the submissions.

By and large, the judges said, the entries reflected the strategies and year-long exertions to counter the debilitating effects of COVID and offer solutions related to building performance and other aspects. The judges, applying their experience and experience in scrutinising, and deliberating over, the entries, presented the shortlisted companies and winners, paving the way for the ceremony, featuring a cavalcade of winners and musical performances.