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Post-event report DC Dialogue Saudi 2025 January 2026 ASHRAE ANNOUNCES "WOMEN IN ASHRAE LEADERSHIP SYMPOSIUM" EMPOWER REINFORCES PARTNERSHIP WITH UNEP AT ADSW 2026 US$ PUBLICATION LICENSED BY IMPZ US$ PUBLICATION LICENSED BY IMPZ US$ PUBLICATION LICENSED BY IMPZ US$ PUBLICATION LICENSED BY IMPZ PERSPECTIVES Demand Response and AI Dr Angela Fandino, ESF AI in FM Dr M Ramaswamy, Bader Al Rashidi Data Centres and packaged CHW plants Qusai Abu Abed, Armstrong Fluid Technology NEWS AHRI addresses climate change at HVACR Leadership Roundtable ASHRAE FC, ABB to host seminar on HVAC motor starting solutions CDP awards CAREL an “A-” score Frascold introduces NEXUS screw compressors for high-temp heat pump applications Desiccant dehumidification and safety glass manufacturing Atul Pahune, Bry-Air Optimal IAQ Dr Iyad Al-Attar, air filtration consultant COP30: What did it achieve? Dr Rajendra Shende, Former Director, UNEP HVAC SERVICE FUTURE OF With a Cloud, not-on-site ccme.news/digitalPRESENTS 12 MARCH 2026 | MUMBAI INDIA EDITION ST www.climatecontrolawards.com/indiawww.ccme.news 3 VOL. 21 NO. 1 JANUARY 2026 16 20 22 28 34 14 PERSPECTIVES COP30’s hard truth Progress without accountability isn’t progress, says Dr Rajendra Shende, Former Director, UNEP Achieving optimal air quality Dr Iyad Al-Attar, independent air filtration consultant, outlines a new blueprint for the air we breathe Transparency: New benchmark of sustainable construction GCC region governments are setting measurable, time-bound targets, says Mohamed Amer, International Code Council (ICC), MENA AI-driven demand response Dr Angela Fandino, Director of Energy & Sustainability, ESF, speaks on rewriting the UAE’s cooling efficiency playbook Geothermal Heat Pumps Nabil Shahin, Managing Director, AHRI MENA, on tapping Earth’s energy for a low-carbon future FM’s next leap Dr Ramaswamy of Levels Training Institute, Oman, and Bader Al Rashidi of Royal Court Affairs, Oman, on how AI can fix interoperability once and for all Why HVAC innovation matters now more than ever Qusai Abu Abed, Sales Director (Türkiye, Middle East & Africa), Armstrong Fluid Technology, speaks on why data centres need smarter cooling, not bigger plants Desiccant dehumidification in the glass industry Humidity is the hidden enemy in safety glass manufacturing, says Atul Pahune, Vice-President, Bry-Air REGULARS Regional News Global News eDItor'S note Pausing to think COVER FEATURE Cloud-connected HVAC Srinivasan Rangan speaks on algorithms becoming the new service team 08 06 10 04 38 42 POST-EVENT REPORT District Cooling in Saudi Arabia Regulation, Readiness and the Road Ahead 30 REPORT VRFs climb, chillers surge BSRIA dives deeps into UAE’s 2025 cooling market shift 364 January 2026 Jeremy McDonald Principal of Guth DeConzo Consulting Engineers, in New York, writes on IAQ and building tracing. He served as the technical consultant to the New York State Energy Research and Development Authority in development of an IAQ guideline for Higher Education in NY: “Covid-19 Response Guide, State University of New York”. Dan Mizesko Managing Partner/President, US Chiller Services International, 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. Omnia Halawani Co-Founder & Co-CEO, GRFN Global, writes on MEP consultancy- related issues. 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. 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 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 Design Head Glenn Roxas design@cpi-industry.com Webmaster Chris Lopez chris@cpi-industry.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 COLUMNISTSCo-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 Post-event report DC Dialogue Saudi 2025 January 2026 ASHRAE ANNOUNCES "WOMEN IN ASHRAE LEADERSHIP SYMPOSIUM" EMPOWER REINFORCES PARTNERSHIP WITH UNEP AT ADSW 2026 PUBLICATION LICENSED BY IMPZ PUBLICATION LICENSED BY IMPZ PUBLICATION LICENSED BY IMPZ US$ PUBLICATION LICENSED BY IMPZ PERSPECTIVES Demand Response and AI Dr Angela Fandino, ESF AI in FM Dr M Ramaswamy, Bader Al Rashidi Data Centres and packaged CHW plants Qusai Abu Abed, Armstrong Fluid Technology NEWS AHRI addresses climate change at HVACR Leadership Roundtable ASHRAE FC, ABB to host seminar on HVAC motor starting solutions CDP awards CAREL an “A-” score Frascold introduces NEXUS screw compressors for high-temp heat pump applications Desiccant dehumidification and safety glass manufacturing Atul Pahune, Bry-Air Optimal IAQ Dr Iyad Al-Attar, air filtration consultant COP30: What did it achieve? Dr Rajendra Shende, Former Director, UNEP HVAC SERVICE FUTURE OF With a Cloud, not-on-site ccme.news/digital Get the next issue of Climate Control Middle Eastearly! Surendar Balakrishnan Editor @BSurendar_HVACR O N JANUARY 21, we conducted the 5th Edition of Refrigerants Review, and once again, the topic of training of technicians came up for discussion in the context of indiscriminate venting of refrigerants, at a time when global attention has intensified on preventing refrigerant-instigated climate change. Nabil Shahin of AHRI MENA and Markus Lattner of Eurovent Middle East spoke for long and with palpable passion on the urgent need for making technicians fall in line. A detailed report on the conference will appear in the February issue of the magazine, but Nabil and Markus set off a tsunami of thoughts on persistent gaps in the industry that cannot wait from being highlighted. Those gaps do not have to do only with refrigerants. It is sad to say, but we are faced with gaping holes in almost every identified action point, be it relating to energy efficiency, Indoor Air Quality (IAQ) or food security – inadequate cold chain-related food losses in the post-harvest stage and the consequential emission of methane from landfills. We are confronted with idiosyncrasies and numerous instances of numbing complacency, dithering, indecisiveness, being in denial, working at cross purposes, refusing to factor in indispensable interventions at the time of budgeting, wallowing in myths and jettisoning facts for sheer convenience – even when they are staring us in the face. It is not just poor technician behaviour, but also poor leadership behaviour. Pulling out of multilateral agreements is just one example of leadership deficit. Failure to tighten codes that need urgent updating, failure in enforcement, failure in surveillance and showing a willingness to prioritise the superficial over the profound are all examples of a collective leadership failure and an unfortunate short-term mindset. I could be inaccurate, but about the only area that draws a certain urgency is the data centre sector. There, we get to see intensity of thought and action and a greater political will and response, simply because that is where the money is. Indeed, a strong commercial interest and the knowledge that data centre equipment will carry out the threat of failing, if not treated properly, and taking down with them data worth millions, causes the most unflappable of leaders to break into cold sweat. And that’s because the stakes are too high – any disruption and its consequences will attract lawsuits and repercussion, with no escape door for lack of accountability. Pausing to thinkwww.refrigbuyersguide.com FOR ADVERTISING OPPORTUNITIES EMAIL: advertising@cpi-industry.com THE LARGEST DATABASE OF REFRIGERATION PRODUCTS & SUPPLIERS IN THE MIDDLE EAST Refrigeration BUYERS’ GUIDE 2026 Your reference hub to the refrigeration industry in the Middle East LOOKING FOR REFRIGERATION PRODUCTS? NOW WITH 20% DISCOUNT ON ALL ONLINE ADVERTISING PACKAGES!PERSPECTIVE COP30 IN BELÉM EXPOSES BITTER TRUTH Dr Rajendra Shende says the world must move from debate to delivery T HE AMAZON, widely considered the lungs of the world, witnessed a peculiar autopsy in its own dissection room, Belém, at COP30. The global community opened its own failure of meeting the target of limiting the rise in the planet’s temperature to 1.5 degrees C above pre-industrial levels. This diagnosis, delivered with grim finality by UN Secretary-General, António Guterres before the talks even began, was based on global observations produced by the World Meteorological Organization (WMO). He stated that an overshoot of this temperature is now inevitable. The planet clearly is in a critical condition. Unfortunately, the doctors that gathered for COP30 were still debating over the basic design of the cure. When COP30 convened in Belém, in November 2025, the host nation, Brazil labelled the Summit as the “COP of Implementation”, “People’s COP” and “a COP of truth”. The Brazilian Presidency went far in creating the ambience and ecosystem of ‘Global Mutirão: Uniting humanity in a global mobilisation against climate change. The Presidency’s work was not only challenging but also breathtaking! Indeed, when measured against past conferences, COP30 did make progress. When measured against the physics of climate change, however, the gathering revealed an uncomfortable reality: While climate diplomacy is becoming more refined, the pace of real-world transformation remains dangerously slow. For industry and government leaders, the question is no longer whether COPs deliver agreements but whether those agreements are structurally capable of driving the scale and speed of change needed. Negotiations make progress but expose excuses One of the clearest signals from COP30 was the collective acknowledgement that the era of abstract negotiations has failed the planet. Guterres was unusually direct in his pre-COP and closing statements, noting that incrementalism is incompatible with a world that is already overshooting the temperature limits of the Paris Climate Agreement. His message was echoed across analyses by expert media – the tools exist, capital is available and the technologies are mature; what remains deficient is political follow-through. On paper, the COP30 did advance the key implementation frameworks, like: • Emphasising on renewed Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) as delivery mechanisms rather than diplomatic artefacts • Spelling out clearer timelines for the mobilisation of climate finance through the New Collective Quantified Goal (NCQG) on climate finance from developed countries • Linking the operational progress on adaptation, and loss and damage Yet, the absence of enforceable consequences for delay or non- compliance continues to hollow out ambition. And the fact that even at the end of COP30, fewer than half of the countries had submitted updated 2025 NDCs, even after extended deadlines, to address the overshoot of warming, exposed cracks in political will and reinforced failure in governance. Those NDCs are needed to rebuild the lost forts, to remain below 1.5 degrees C. Climate Finance, a necessary step forward, still insufficient COP30 did deliver tangible progress on climate finance, particularly in setting a clearer pathway towards the long- promised scale-up beyond the USD 100 billion benchmark to USD 300 billion by 2035. Developing countries welcomed the operationalisation of the Loss and Damage Fund and the agreement to triple adaptation finance to USD 120 billion per year; observers cautiously endorsed the development. The shift from abstract pledges to more structured mobilisation pathways was needed. However, as multiple post-COP assessments noted, the timing remains misaligned with need. Adaptation finance, in particular, continues to lag behind escalating climate impacts. Delaying scale-up targets by even five years translates to lost productivity, damaged assets, health crises and rising humanitarian costs – expenses that ultimately return to public budgets and balance sheets. 6 January 2026Finance without urgency and timely delivery has now become a climate liability. The Global Cooling Pledge: Progress that risks becoming unequal One of COP28’s most notable initiatives was the launch of the Global Cooling Pledge, positioned as a response to escalating heat stress, particularly in rapidly urbanising regions. Recognising cooling as essential infrastructure – not a luxury – is a forward-looking breakthrough. Heat already kills more people annually than floods, storms and cold combined, and productivity losses from extreme heat are mounting sharply; yet, the framing of the pledge reveals a critical imbalance. The dominant narrative around cooling at COP30 focused heavily on urban design, buildings and city- level resilience. These are important priorities, but a cooling agenda that concentrates primarily on cities in middle- and high-income countries risks reinforcing ‘just transition’ and global inequity. For large parts of Africa, South Asia and fragile states, cooling is not about comfort, as experienced in the urban habitat; it is about: • Food preservation in agricultural value chains, • Vaccine and medicine storage in overstretched health systems, • Safe working conditions for labour-intensive economies and productivity, and • Human survival during heatwaves that already exceed physiological thresholds Treating cooling predominantly as an urban planning or architectural challenge overlooks its role as a foundational enabler of development. A ‘just transition’ cannot prioritise cooling for offices and transport hubs while rural and remote clinics lack refrigeration that makes farmers lose their hard-earned produce to heat-spoilage. If cooling is essential infrastructure – as COP30 correctly stated – then equity must be its organising principle. Fossil Fuels: The persistent gap between language and action Perhaps the most telling outcome of COP30 was not what was agreed but what remained unresolved. Despite growing scientific and economic consensus, the summit stopped short of establishing a concrete, time-bound global roadmap for phasing down fossil fuel production. COP28, held in UAE, a country that continues to prosper due to its fossil fuel reserves, had managed to highlight the phase- out of fossil fuels for the first time ever in the history of COPs – and that, too, under the presidential leadership of H.E. Dr Sultan Ahmed Al Jaber, who is a member of the UAE Federal Cabinet, the Minister of Industry and Advanced Technology and, perhaps most tellingly, the Managing Director and Group CEO of the Abu Dhabi National Oil Company (ADNOC). The language at COP30 reaffirmed previous commitments to “transition away” from fossil fuels, but without milestones, sectoral benchmarks or accountability mechanisms. This www.ccme.news 7 The Amazon River8 January 2026 PERSPECTIVE ambiguity is increasingly difficult to justify. The global clean energy investment now exceeds fossil fuel investment, and renewable technologies consistently outperform on cost and deployment with unprecedented speed. COP30 failed to send these market signals to the world. The central deficit is accountability At its core, COP30 highlighted a structural weakness that can no longer be ignored: Climate Governance relies on goodwill in a world where delay is often politically convenient. Countries that miss deadlines face no penalties. Finance pledges remain voluntary. Weak NDCs, not linked to the ambitious targets, carry no consequences. This system may have been adequate when climate change was perceived as a future risk; it is no longer fit for a world experiencing widespread compound climate shocks that keep knocking on our doors. Unlike in the case of other international treaties, relating to human rights and border trades, there are no punitive measures for the member states that do not meet the pledges on emission reduction and financial contribution. Common But Differentiated Responsibility (CBDR) is left to the wind to blow. What next after COP30… COP31? For industry leaders and governments alike, the lesson from Belém is not one of despair, due to betrayal, but a direction for determination. Three shifts are essential: • From pledges to performance metrics Climate commitments must be assessed with the same rigour applied to public fiscal policy and industrial policy. • From ‘equity as rhetoric’ to ‘equity as actionable design principle’ Cooling, adaptation and energy transitions must explicitly prioritise vulnerable economies, food and health insecurity, not assume trickle- down benefits to the poor, and • From consensus to leadership coalitions Progress will increasingly come from groups of willing countries and companies moving faster and setting de facto global standards. Though countries failed in their efforts, COP30 did not fail. But it did confirm that ‘progress’ framed only as ‘process’ is no longer sufficient. The world has crossed a threshold where climate outcomes are impacting economic stability, public health and geopolitical risk. Let us also not forget the unstoppable surge that took place in renewables. For the first time in our history, the world now generates more electricity from renewables than from coal. Solar energy leads, and Mother Nature is back in business. Countries like China, India and some in the Middle East are not only taking positions but performing. China makes 80% of the world’s solar cells, 70% of windmills and 70% of lithium batteries. It dominates in hydropower. And as for India, 50% of the installed capacity 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. The writer is Former Director, UNEP, and Coordinating Lead Author of IPCC 2007, which won the Nobel Peace Prize. He is also the Founder of Green TERRE Foundation. He may be reached at shende.rajendra@ gmail.com. of electrical energy in the country now comes from renewable sources. Indeed, it is a breakthrough, but it is not breaking the rising trend of GHG emissions. Belém offered clarity, incremental finance progress and important advances of intentions, such as the Global Cooling Pledge. What it did not deliver is the governance shift needed to match ambition with accountability for emission mitigation. For governments and industry, the message is clear: The next phase of climate action will not be judged by promises made at COPs and glossy reports on status but by bending the curve of rising emissions, measurable outcomes, equitable design and by the courage to move ahead even when consensus lags. www.ccme.news 9 TO LIST YOUR COMPANY FOR FREE, VISIT: www.climatecontroldirectory.com/register FOR ADVERTISING OPPORTUNITIES, EMAIL: advertising@cpi-industry.com www.climatecontroldirectory.com THE REGION'S COMPREHENSIVE ONLINE DIRECTORY FOR THE HVACR INDUSTRY LOOKING FOR HVACR PRODUCTS? NOW WITH 20% DISCOUNT ON ALL ONLINE ADVERTISING PACKAGES!Next >