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BUILT ENVIRONMENTS AS CHEMICAL REACTORS EMPOWER, TABREED ANNOUNCE H1 2026 FINANCIAL RESULTS ASHRAE STRENGTHENS STANDARD 90.1 FOUNDATION August 2026 NEWS AHRI Talks MENA spotlights performance standards, testing labs AtmosAir calls for real-time IAQ monitoring S.K.M highlights high-ambient performance of data centre chillers WHY WE CAN NO LONGER AFFORD TO TREAT THEM AS STATIC SPACES PERSPECTIVES Air quality data Arif Naveed Khan, Lychnosgreen Consulting Services Cleanroom Differential Pressure Sean Murphy, Vaisala Refrigerants as Energy Service Managers Dr Rajendra Shende, former Director, UNEP Building Codes and mega-developments Mohamed Amer, International Code Council MENA Grid stability and HVAC Ahmad Shafik, Hitachi Energy District Cooling and data centres Qusai Abu Abed, Armstrong Fluid Technology Thermal comfort, thermal stress and the exergy lens Sarfraz H Dairkee, HVACR industry veteran and inventor US$ PUBLICATION LICENSED BY IMPZ US$ PUBLICATION LICENSED BY IMPZ US$ PUBLICATION LICENSED BY IMPZ US$ PUBLICATION LICENSED BY IMPZ ccme.news/digital LICENCE TO CHILL Performance decline in CHW systems Dan Mizesko, LTC specialistVOL. 21 NO. 08 AUGUST 2026 12 14 20 26 28 18 10 06 www.ccme.news 3 REGULARS Regional News Global News eDItor'S note IAQ: Built environments as chemical reactors Dr Iyad Al-Attar, independent air filtration and IAQ consultant, on why we can no longer afford to treat them as static spaces 22PERSPECTIVES Refrigerants as Energy Service Managers The Montreal Protocol is evolving from a Chemical Transition Treaty to a Systems Transformation Treaty, says Dr Rajendra Shende, former Director, UNEP Building Codes and the GCC region’s mega-developments Going beyond compliance, strong codes provide consistency, predictability, accountability, says Mohamed Amer, International Code Council (ICC) MENA Thermal comfort, thermal stress and the exergy lens Sarfraz H Dairkee, HVACR veteran and inventor, explores a deeper pathway for hot climate resilience Where District Cooling can help data centres the most The modularisation of data centres needs innovative District Cooling systems, says Qusai Abu Abed of Armstrong Fluid Technology Air quality data: Alarms sounding in a silent octave band They are scientifically measurable and medically consequential, yet too often socially unheard, unaccepted, says Arif Naveed Khan of Lychnosgreen Consulting Services Cleanroom Differential Pressure: Small value, big impact Pressure differentials inside cleanrooms are not very large; however, maintaining that differential is a critical part of the overall cleanroom contamination control strategy, says Sean Murphy of Vaisala Electricity security: The invisible foundation of HVAC Ahmad Shafik of Hitachi Energy says grid stability and resilience are critical in the era of rising cooling loads LICENCE TO CHILL ‘Control sequences drift from original design intent’ Heat exchanger performance also declines, sensors lose calibration and water systems become imbalanced, says Dan Mizesko, Large Tonnage Liquid Chillers specialist 04 30 38 2610August 2026 4 T HE threat indoors – through exposure to pollutants – could be more profound than we believe or understand. That’s the view of Dr Iyad Al-Attar, independent air filtration consultant, who says building envelopes are not static shelters but are “extremely dynamic, sensitive and hyper-reactive chemical reactors”. In other words, we are not protected from external elements once the door is shut. Through his article (see page 22), he nudges us to explore such aspects as occupant-driven chemistry. Human beings, he says, are not passive receptacles. Indeed, our skin, lipids, hair and clothing act as active chemical interfaces. Pointing to the specific example of squalene, the unsaturated constituent of human sebum, he says it reacts rapidly with infiltrating outdoor ozone to trigger a cascade of primary and secondary volatile products. Dr Al-Attar’s words open a new window for us to closely examine our homes. They persuade policy makers, master developers, developers, building owners, consultants and contractors to accord greater importance to Indoor Air Quality, and to replace the afterthought mindset with a pre-design-inclusive mindset. I must not generalise, for there are admirable examples of IAQ and IEQ due diligence in the stakeholder community, but the fact remains that the two are largely treated as baseline fulfilment. As Arif Naveed Khan of Lychnosgreen Consulting Services says in his article (see page 20), air quality data are alarms sounding in a silent octave band. Speaking of silence, in case you are wondering what ever happened to the Editorial Campaign, ‘IEQ & Fertility’ that we initiated in the second half of 2025, it is alive and kicking. For a few months, we have moved the discussion away from the pages of the magazine to our YouTube-based television channel, ‘CCME ON AIRE’. Episode 6 features an interview with Dr Al-Attar and Peter Cantone, the Founder of Smart Air Defence and a co-member of Dr Al-Attar in the Editorial Board of the campaign. Among other topics, the two of them address the importance of looking at IAQ in schools, as the impact on reproductive health in humans can begin from early exposure to poor air quality in classrooms. Their focus resonates with the words of the 2025-2026 President of ASHRAE, Bill McQuade, who while elaborating on his Presidential Theme, Healthy Buildings: Designing For Life, said, “Today, shelter is more than just a roof over one’s head. Shelter encompasses the hospitals we are born in, the homes where we find comfort, the schools where we learn, and the buildings we work in.” Profound, indeed! Krishnan Unni Madathil Auditor, Bin Khadim, Radha & Co. Chartered Accountants, carrying out an analysis of the market, writes on business opportunities for the HVACR industry. Dan Mizesko President, Dalkia US Chiller Services, writes on issues relating to chilled water systems, including operation & maintenance. Nabil Shahin Managing Director, AHRI MENA, writes on HVACR- specific regulation issues. Dr Iyad Al-Attar Independent air filtration consultant, writes on specific science and technology issues relating to Indoor Air Quality, including airborne particles. Angela Fandino Director, Energy Sustainability at Engineering Sustainable Futures, writes on engineering approaches, and business and financial models that enable a green urban ecosystem. Editor Surendar Balakrishnan surendar@cpi-industry.com Associate Editor Karu Suren karu.suren@cpi-industry.com Online & Social Media Abdul Hakeem marketing@cpi-industry.com Design Head Ulysses Galgo design@cpi-industry.com Webmaster Chris Lopez chris@cpi-industry.com Editorial Assistant Arushi Menon features@cpi-industry.com Advertising Enquiries Frédéric Paillé +971 50 7147204 fred@cpi-industry.com Judy Wang Our representative in Asia (except India) +852 307 80 826 judywang2000@vip.126.com Deep Karani Our representative in North America +1 365 885-6849 deep.karani@cpimediagroup.com Database/Subscriptions Manager Purwanti Srirejeki purwanti@cpi-industry.com Published by Founder, CPI Media Group Dominic De Sousa (1959-2015) Co-Founder & Commercial Director Frédéric Paillé fred@cpi-industry.com EMPANELLED COLUMNISTS Co-Founder & Editorial Director Surendar Balakrishnan surendar@cpi-industry.com Head Office PO Box 13700, Dubai, UAE Web: www.cpi-industry.com Printed by: Jaguar Printing Press L.L.C © Copyright 2026 CPI Industry. All rights reserved. While the publishers have made every effort to ensure the accuracy of all information in this magazine, they will not be held responsible for any errors therein. Visit our website: climatecontrolme.com/digital Also available at BUILT ENVIRONMENTS AS CHEMICAL REACTORS EMPOWER, TABREED ANNOUNCE H1 2026 FINANCIAL RESULTS ASHRAE STRENGTHENS STANDARD 90.1 FOUNDATION August 2026 NEWS AHRI Talks MENA spotlights performance standards, testing labs AtmosAir calls for real-time IAQ monitoring S.K.M highlights high-ambient performance of data centre chillers WHY WE CAN NO LONGER AFFORD TO TREAT THEM AS STATIC SPACES PERSPECTIVES Air quality data Arif Naveed Khan, Lychnosgreen Consulting Services Cleanroom Differential Pressure Sean Murphy, Vaisala Refrigerants as Energy Service Managers Dr Rajendra Shende, former Director, UNEP Building Codes and mega-developments Mohamed Amer, International Code Council MENA Grid stability and HVAC Ahmad Shafik, Hitachi Energy District Cooling and data centres Qusai Abu Abed, Armstrong Fluid Technology Thermal comfort, thermal stress and the exergy lens Sarfraz H Dairkee, HVACR industry veteran and inventor PUBLICATION LICENSED BY IMPZ PUBLICATION LICENSED BY IMPZ PUBLICATION LICENSED BY IMPZ US$ PUBLICATION LICENSED BY IMPZ ccme.news/digital LICENCE TO CHILL Performance decline in CHW systems Dan Mizesko, LTC specialist Get the next issue of Climate Control Middle Eastearly! Surendar Balakrishnan Editor @BSurendar_HVACR Hyper-reactive chemical reactors as shelterswww.refrigbuyersguide.com FOR ADVERTISING OPPORTUNITIES EMAIL: advertising@cpi-industry.com THE LARGEST DATABASE OF REFRIGERATION PRODUCTS & SUPPLIERS IN THE MIDDLE EAST Refrigeration BUYERS’ GUIDE 2027 Your reference hub to the refrigeration industry in the Middle East SELLING OR LOOKING FOR REFRIGERATION PRODUCTS IN THE MIDDLE EAST? BOOK AN ADVERTISING PACKAGE NOW FOR THE 2027 EDITION, OUT IN NOVEMBER, AND IT WILL BE IMMEDIATELY ACTIVATED ONLINE AT NO ADDITIONAL COST!August 2026 6 PERSPECTIVE S ITTING IN THE conference hall at OEWG-48 (the 48th Open Ended Working Group of the Montreal Protocol), convened by UNEP from July 13 to 17 in Bangkok, Thailand, I was struck by a familiar thought: Nearly four decades after its adoption, the Montreal Protocol still refuses to stand still. Each time voices echo that the Protocol is nearing the end of its mandate, it discovers a new frontier of implementation seemingly the very next moment. With almost 99% of the original ozone- depleting chemicals already eliminated, one might assume that OEWG-48, in July 2026, is entering perhaps its most strategically important phase since the adoption of the Kigali Amendment to the Montreal Protocol in 2016. The focus of this single most successful international agreement ever has shifted from protecting the ozone layer alone to correcting the path of alternatives deliberately selected to deliver early success. The early alternatives had low Ozone-Depleting Potential but not zero impact. Though that strategy skilfully delivered part of the ozone protection, it enhanced global warming and other negative impacts, like health hazards, which diluted the desired outcome of sustainable development. For the HVACR industry, this transition proved to be profound. Refrigerants remain important, but their Global Warming Potential (GWP) became even more important. And now, energy efficiency is becoming critically decisive, proving that sustainability is also economically beneficial. In my earlier article in Climate Control Middle East, I argued that the coming decade should move beyond Lifecycle Refrigerant Management (LRM) towards Lifecycle Refrigerant and Energy Management (LREM). OEWG- 48 reinforced why such an integrated approach is becoming increasingly necessary. I attended OEWG-48 as an observer, having earlier established and led UNEP’s OzonAction Programme during some of the Protocol's most early and later transformative years. After my UNEP days, I served nearly for another decade as a Senior Expert to the Technology and Economic Assessment Panel (TEAP) of the Protocol. Watching the discussions in Bangkok, I reflected on how the Protocol has continuously reinvented itself, not by changing its mission of protecting the ozone layer but by deploying the power of scientific, technological and institutional pathways through which that mission is achieved. OEWG-48: Preparing for the next decade Although OEWG meetings do not usually adopt any policy decisions, they determine the direction of negotiations before the Meeting of the Parties (MOP). Bangkok, therefore, served as an important strategic checkpoint before MOP-38, to be held in Rwanda in Kigali in November 2026. Delegates reviewed the 2026 Progress Report of the TEAP, including reports from its Technical Options Committees, such as the Refrigeration, Air Conditioning and Heat Pumps Technical Options Committee (RTOC). Parties also discussed preparations for the next replenishment of the Multilateral Fund (2027-2029), future institutional arrangements for TEAP, atmospheric monitoring and implementation challenges under the Kigali Amendment. The discussions confirmed that the Protocol is no longer managing only legacy ozone-depleting substances. It is simultaneously completing HCFC phase-out, implementing HFC phase-down, evaluating low-GWP alternatives, supporting servicing sectors, strengthening monitoring systems and ensuring that developing countries receive adequate financial and technical support. The RTOC message: Refrigerant choice alone is no longer enough The RTOC once concentrated primarily on identifying technically feasible alternatives to CFCs and HCFCs. Dr Rajendra Shende is the Former Director of UNEP; Coordinating Lead Author of the IPCC 2007 Report, which won the Nobel Peace Prize; IIT Alumnus and the Founder of Green TERRE Foundation. He may be reached at <shende.rajendra@gmail.com>. The Montreal Protocol is evolving from a Chemical Transition Treaty to a Systems Transformation Treaty, says Dr Rajendra Shendewww.ccme.newswww.ccme.news 7 Today, its work is considerably broader. The Committee now evaluates safety, performance, availability of alternative refrigerants, servicing practices, technician capacity, high-ambient temperature performance, emerging technologies and, increasingly, the interaction between refrigerant transition and equipment efficiency. More importantly, it also looks into the safest and the most sustainable manner of getting rid of ozone-depleting refrigerants. This evolution reflects an important reality: The environmental performance of a cooling system depends on two variables. The first is direct emissions from refrigerants. The second is indirect emissions resulting from electricity consumption throughout the equipment's operating life. Historically, the Montreal Protocol successfully addressed the first variable; and climate policy traditionally focused on the second. Increasingly, however, these two can no longer be treated separately. In fact, the two rivulets have merged to form a river. Energy efficiency has become the climate multiplier The HVACR industry often celebrates low-GWP refrigerants, and rightly so. Yet, replacing one refrigerant with another, while ignoring energy performance, risks losing much of the potential climate benefit. For most refrigeration and air conditioning equipment, indirect emissions from electricity consumption throughout the equipment’s lifetime remain substantially larger than refrigerant emissions. As I argued previously, energy use can account for 70-90% of total lifecycle climate impact. So, every percentage improvement in energy efficiency reduces emissions every hour the equipment operates. Unlike refrigerant replacement, which may occur once in the equipment’s lifetime, energy efficiency delivers climate benefits every day. This is particularly important, because cooling demand is growing faster than almost any other energy service. Accelerating urbanisation, data centres associated with rapid digitalisation and use of Artificial Intelligence, heat waves, wildfires, and emerging needs of cold chains for food security and healthcare (for which chilling and freezing are also factors) all require more cooling. The future climate impact of cooling will, therefore, depend less on how many air conditioners are installed and more on how efficiently Cooling as a Service is delivered and how efficiently they operate throughout their lifetime. Servicing must become performance management OEWG-48 also highlighted sustained attention to the refrigeration servicing sector, an area that has always been central to successful implementation of the Montreal Protocol. Side events during the meeting focused specifically on technician training, digital monitoring and improving energy efficiency, alongside good refrigerant management practices. This is an area where the HVACR industry should rethink its priorities. Technicians have traditionally been trained to prevent refrigerant leakage. Tomorrow's technicians must also become energy managers. Further, the move needs to be made from a swarm of ACs to District Dooling, and from maintenance of active cooling to ensuring passive cooling. Routine servicing should not end with checking refrigerant charge; it should include verification of system efficiency, optimisation of controls, cleaning of heat exchangers, airflow balancing, condenser performance, compressor health and digital performance August 2026 8 PERSPECTIVE CPI Industry accepts no liability for the views or opinions expressed in this article, or for the consequences of any actions taken on the basis of the information provided here. diagnostics. The future technician should leave behind not only a leak- free refrigerant system but a leak-free energy system. Digital cooling: The next opportunity Another important signal that emerged from OEWG-48 was the growing interest in digital monitoring. Real- time performance monitoring can identify refrigerant losses, abnormal energy consumption and maintenance requirements before the failures occur. Demonstration projects presented during the meeting and side events showed how digital platforms and performance data can support energy- efficient cooling, especially in high- ambient temperature conditions. This creates a significant opportunity. The HVACR sector has successfully developed leak-detection technologies. The next innovation should be continuous "energy leak" detection. A smart cooling system should continuously report online and on real-time basis the condition of the refrigerant, energy efficiency, the performance of the compressor, predictive and preventive maintenance needs, carbon emissions and operating costs. Such systems would transform servicing from reactive maintenance into predictive climate management. Looking towards MOP-38 in Kigali The decisions expected later this year at MOP-38 will naturally focus on Multilateral Fund replenishment and implementation of the Kigali Amendment. However, the larger message that emerged from Bangkok was strategic rather than procedural. The Montreal Protocol has evolved, because science itself has evolved. It first addressed ozone depletion, then climate impacts of refrigerants. The next logical evolution is integrating refrigerant transition with lifecycle energy performance. I know I have stated it earlier in the article but see it fit to repeat for added emphasis – that the coming decade should become the decade of Lifecycle Refrigerant and Energy Management (LREM) and not just Life Cycle Refrigerant Management (LRM). A message to the HVACR industry Having participated in different phases of the Montreal Protocol's evolution, from supporting small (Low Volume Countries) and large manufacturing countries through the OzonAction Programme, to contributing to TEAP’s technical work, and now observing the negotiations from outside the formal institutional structure, I find one feature particularly remarkable: Every decade, the Protocol has anticipated the next challenge before the previous one was fully completed. It moved from focussing on large countries to Low Volume Countries, from controlling CFCs to eliminating HCFCs, from protecting the ozone layer to addressing HFCs under the Kigali Amendment, and now increasingly towards integrating refrigerant transition with energy performance. That capacity for continuous renewal remains one of the Protocol's greatest strengths. The HVACR industry has always demonstrated remarkable capacity for innovation. It successfully replaced CFCs. It successfully transitioned from HCFCs. It is now implementing the Kigali transition away from high-GWP HFCs. The next transformation is different. It is no longer simply about changing refrigerants. It is about maximising system performance throughout the equipment lifecycle. The future leaders of the HVACR industry will, therefore, not be those who merely manufacture equipment using alternative refrigerants. They will be those who deliver integrated cooling systems, including District Cooling and out- of-the-box cooling, like underwater cooling of data centres, which combine zero- or low-GWP refrigerants, superior energy efficiency, digital performance monitoring, skilled servicing and circular refrigerant management. That is the direction signalled by OEWG-48, and the train to MOP 38, in Kigali, is now accelerating. If Bangkok showed us anything, it is that the Montreal Protocol's greatest contribution to climate protection may still lie ahead. Join Saudi Arabia's premier and most comprehensive HVACR-dedicated built environment gathering, where policymakers, master developers, developers, consultants, contractors, utilities, technology innovators, supply chain firms, and O&M and FM firms explore the latest advances in VRF technologies, Indirect Direct Evaporative Cooling (IDEC) and District Cooling, and at the same time, place emphasis on easing business and financial pathways for clients, and specialised consultants and contractors. Discover strategies and solutions for high-ambient performance, IEQ, energy efficiency, water optimisation, AI-driven operations, resilient infrastructure and next-generation buildings that support Saudi Vision 2030. CPI Industry conferences also support Saudisation and an ecosystem of gender equality. ENGINEERING THE FUTURE OF SAUDI COOLING & SMART BUILT ENVIRONMENTS Five events (also see Page 15) – including long-standing conferences – bringing together the Kingdom's leaders in VRF, IDEC, District Cooling and broad HVACR approaches, plus highlighting the business-enabling factors for clients, consultants and contractors to accelerate sustainable, AI-enabled and Vision 2030-ready built-environments and strategic assets (data centres, etc.) THE 10 TH ANNUAL MIDDLE EAST 3RD EDITION 13 TH EDITION PRODUCED BY OFFICIAL BROADCAST TV CHANNEL OFFICIAL PUBLICATION ccme.news/digital THEME: “VRF 2030: High-ambient performance, regulatory readiness, AI-enabled efficiency and resilient supply chains for Saudi Arabia’s next wave of buildings” THE 10 TH ANNUAL MIDDLE EAST OFFICIAL PUBLICATION OFFICIAL BROADCAST TV CHANNEL ccme.news/digital 12 October 2026 I Riyadh, Saudi Arabia PRESENTS THE 10TH ANNUAL MIDDLE EAST 3RD EDITION 13 TH EDITION PRESENTS THE 10TH ANNUAL MIDDLE EAST 3RD EDITION 13 TH EDITION THEME: “Decoding IDEC in the present-day context, integrating IDEC in modern HVAC design, understanding the scope for maximising benefits in the Kingdom” OFFICIAL PUBLICATION OFFICIAL BROADCAST TV CHANNEL ccme.news/digital 12 October 2026 I Riyadh, Saudi Arabia THEME: “District Cooling as national infrastructure: Water, energy, digital intelligence and net-zero in the Saudi economy” OFFICIAL PUBLICATION OFFICIAL BROADCAST TV CHANNEL ccme.news/digital 13 TH EDITION 13 OCTOBER 2026 RIYADH, SAUDI ARABIA PRESENTS THE 10TH ANNUAL MIDDLE EAST 3RD EDITION 13 TH EDITION THEME: Engineering resilient, energy-efficient, water-conscious and AI-ready built environments that are aligned with Saudi Vision 2030 OFFICIAL PUBLICATION OFFICIAL BROADCAST TV CHANNEL ccme.news/digital PRESENTS 13 October 2026 I Riyadh, Saudi Arabia THE 10TH ANNUAL MIDDLE EAST 3RD EDITION 13 TH EDITION DAY 01 12 OCTOBER DAY 02 13 OCTOBERNext >