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UAE COUNCIL FOR CLIMATE ACTION REVIEWS PROGRESS AND PREPARES FOR COP29 ASHRAE INTRODUCES FIRST BATCH OF CERTIFIED DECARBONIZATION PROFESSIONALS October 2024 LICENCE TO CHILL CHILLER RETROFIT VERSUS REPLACEMENT Dan Mizesko, Dalkia US Chiller Services PERSPECTIVE COLD CHAIN LOGISTICS Brent Melvin, RSA Global PROTECTING HIGH-DENSITY HARDWARE THAT SUPPORTS EMERGING TECHNOLOGIES US$ PUBLICATION LICENSED BY IMPZ US$ PUBLICATION LICENSED BY IMPZ US$ PUBLICATION LICENSED BY IMPZ US$ PUBLICATION LICENSED BY IMPZ NEWS • Tabreed showcases its geothermal plant at World Utilities Congress • Empower signs agreement with Mitsubishi Heavy Industries Thermal Systems • Aeroseal acquires AWT, in Saudi Arabia • Ziehl-Abegg appoints new CEO • BAC releases its ESG report REGULATION ROUNDUP SEASONAL ENERGY EFFICIENCY MEPS Nabil Shahin, AHRI MENA REPORT The intrinsic value of certificationVOL. 19 NO. 10 OCTOBER 2024 REPORT Navigating the HVAC industry in a country like Pakistan is about strengthening strategies for awareness and certification GUEST COLUMNS REGULATION ROUNDUP Nabil Shahin of AHRI MENA discusses the progress made on seasonal energy efficiency MEPS LICENCE TO CHILL Dan Mizesko of Dalkia US Chiller Services says chiller modernisation with high-efficiency components will provide efficiencies close to or equal to today’s new chillersfor the IAQ sector 06 08 16 10 www.ccme.news 3 REGULARS 24 Regional News 32 Global News 42 Quoteyard 04 eDItor'S note The purpose of the Awards COVER STORY page is revolutionising how data centres cool powerful, high- density hardware that supports emerging technologies Liquid cooling... PERSPECTIVE Navigating the evolving cold chain logistics landscape in the Middle East might be challenging, but there are opportunities for those willing to make the effort, says Brent Melvin of RSA GlobalOctober 2024 4 I N A little over a month’s time, we shall be stepping into our 20th year of operations as a publishing house, making it a milestone for Climate Control Middle East magazine. In the mix, we shall also be completing 14 years of our Awards programme, which has seen 13 editions of the Climate Control Awards – the 14 th is due on November 27 th – and the inaugural edition of the Climate Control Saudi Awards, this month. The Awards programme is a source of great joy and, at the same time, an event that we approach with great trepidation, for given the relative, as opposed to absolute approach of identifying the winners, there always will be more losers than winners, and understandably so, the feeling of losing does not sit easy with many. (And to hastily clarify, we, as CPI Industry, do not identify the winners; that onerous task lies with the judges. Our role is to define the framework and to facilitate the entire Awards evaluation exercise, in addition to conducting the ceremony.) Anyway, as I was saying, losing does not sit easy with many. It never is simple enough to accept the verdict, and what often follows is ample soul-searching and questioning of the Awards exercise. Perhaps it would help if we were to emphasise that winners are chosen on merit and nothing but merit, with a due process of verification and cross-verification, all under the stern gaze of a third-party auditing firm that monitors the process from A to Z. Perhaps it would also help to reveal that the Awards programme attracts sponsors every year and that historically speaking, more non-sponsors have walked away with trophies – even multiple trophies at the same edition – than sponsors, from its inception. In other words, the Awards programme rests on a strong ethical ground – that’s a given. It serves a higher purpose, and that is what we as CPI Industry would like to focus on. Our preoccupation is with offering a marker for the industry to measure itself against. The endeavour with every edition is to provide motivation and inspiration for the multiple stakeholders that constitute the industry to improve on performance on multiple fronts. The spotlight is on contributing to regional and global socio-economic and sustainable development targets, including the need for improving the energy efficiency profile of buildings; strengthening Indoor Environmental Quality and fire safety; optimising the use of precious water; protecting soil, water and the atmosphere; safeguarding data centres, telecom shelters and other mission-critical facilities; ensuring cold chain reliability for better food safety, food security and vaccine integrity; lowering the Total Cost of Ownership; and ensuring fair and ethical trade practices. It is important not to lose sight of the need to achieve outcomes that would benefit people and planet; nothing else matters. Trophies represent a validation of efforts, but at the end of the day, the Awards exercise is beyond contesting for a spot under the raining confetti; it’s about a collective will and celebrating all participants that through their efforts and competitive instincts, are placing us on the pathway to greater safety and wellbeing. 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 Online & Social Media Nivedita Vijayan marketing@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 Ulysses Galgo uly@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 2024 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. The purpose of the Awards Visit our website: climatecontrolme.com/digital Also available at Get the next issue of Climate Control Middle East early! Surendar Balakrishnan Editor @BSurendar_HVACR Climate Control Middle East magazine proudly supports the UAE President’s initiative of extending the ‘Year of Sustainability’ to the whole of 2024. EDITOR’S NOTEEfficiency. Sustainability. Compliance. LEADING HVACR AND WATER HEATING EQUIPMENT MANUFACTURERS recognize AHRI certification programs and equipment performance standards as key to achieving energy efficiency, environmental sustainability, and regulatory compliance. Through its extensive global network, only AHRI is positioned to provide the best solutions to help stakeholders navigate the ever-changing business environment. At AHRI, we make life better. Let us show you how. Learn more at ahrinet.org.October 2024 6 Bridging gaps and building harmony: How collaboration is helping shape HVAC regulations in the GCC region T HE HVACR regulatory landscape in the GCC region has evolved significantly over the past few years. These regulatory measures – though still developing, when compared to the EU and North America – have made substantial progress in reducing energy consumption and carbon emissions in the hot and arid climates of the GCC region. Recent collaborations among manufacturers, regulatory bodies and industry associations have played a crucial role in shaping these regulations and ensuring their effectiveness. MEPS and Seasonal Energy Efficiency Recently, GCC region countries have been increasing their minimum energy performance standards (MEPS) for HVACR systems. These updates mainly aim to align commercial system MEPS with ASHRAE 90.1 2022 and raise residential MEPS by around 20%. One of the most notable shifts has been the adoption of seasonal energy efficiency MEPS, replacing the previous fixed-temperature point method. This promotes advanced technologies, like inverters, allowing systems to deliver optimal performance year-round. The shift to seasonal energy efficiency improves long-term sustainability for HVACR systems and encourages manufacturers to develop technologies that better meet the region’s unique demands. International standards and the dual-path approach To address trade barriers and increase market competition, some GCC region governments have adopted a dual-path approach to regulations. This method allows manufacturers to comply with multiple international standards and performance certifications, such as those available from AHRI and Eurovent, under the “Path A” process, which is one way to prove compliance with local MEPS – especially for complex systems such as chillers and VRFs. This method simplifies the regulatory process by eliminating the need for separate testing, streamlining market access for a wider range of HVACR brands and technologies. In addition, this method allows certification bodies to conduct annual surveillance and random testing on their behalf to ensure ongoing compliance with MEPS. Strengthening government- manufacturer collaboration Collaboration between regulatory bodies and manufacturers has significantly improved in recent years. AHRI, through its MENA Regional Standards Technical Committee, has become a leading standards developer in the region. By working closely with regulatory authorities, AHRI ensures that manufacturers’ feedback is integrated into the development of new standards and regulations. This stronger dialogue allows for smoother regulatory transitions and minimises risks, such as product recalls, shipment delays and supply chain disruptions. The various technical committees have been working on developing standards that are tailored to the GCC region, such as those accounting for high-ambient temperatures when calculating seasonal and integrated energy efficiency for commercial and residential air conditioning systems. Another significant milestone is the recent formation of a standards working group tasked with developing a new AHRI standard on "evaporative cooling", at the request of local regulatory authorities. This reflects the growing demand for region-specific solutions and highlights the critical role of manufacturers in developing standards that meet the unique needs of the GCC region market. Governments are increasingly recognising that collaboration with industry experts, such as manufacturers, is essential to achieving their regulatory goals. Nabil Shahin is Managing Director of AHRI MENA. He may be reached at NShahin@ahrinet.org REGULATION ROUND-UP AHRI writes a bi-monthly column on regulation-related issues in the GCC region, exclusively for Climate Control Middle East www.ccme.news 7 CPI Industry accepts no liability for the views or opinions expressed in this column, or for the consequences of any actions taken on the basis of the information provided here. Moreover, AHRI is actively involved in committees responsible for updating building codes in the GCC region. This participation ensures that HVACR manufacturers stay informed about upcoming changes that allows them to contribute their expertise. Such collaboration is vital, as regulatory bodies work to update codes to meet modern efficiency and sustainability objectives. Allowing more time for compliance Manufacturers in the GCC region are now seeing more flexibility in complying with new MEPS. Thanks to improved communication among AHRI, its members and regulatory bodies, governments are offering longer lead times for compliance, particularly for local manufacturers. This development has eased the financial and logistical pressures previously faced by the industry, allowing for better planning and smoother product rollouts. Advisory groups for policy and decarbonisation goals In addition to its work on building codes, AHRI is playing a key role in local policy advisory workgroups. These groups bring together a wide range of stakeholders – governments, developers, green finance companies, ESCOs, NGOs, consulting engineers and others – to issue white papers advising on building efficiency, energy policies and local standards updates. The objective is to help GCC region countries achieve their decarbonisation and net-zero targets, in alignment with UN requirements and international treaties. These advisory workgroups provide a platform for sharing knowledge and resources, driving the development of forward-thinking regulations that are critical for achieving sustainability goals in the HVACR sector. Progress in standards harmonisation One of the ongoing challenges for manufacturers in the GCC region is the lack of harmonised standards across member countries. Although progress has been made, manufacturers still face varying requirements for energy labelling and testing conditions. AHRI’s collaboration with the GCC Standardization Organization (GSO) is helping bridge this gap. Together, they are working on developing voluntary performance and labelling standards that all GCC region countries can adopt, which would significantly reduce the regulatory burden on manufacturers. Conclusion: A collaborative future for HVACR in the GCC region The HVACR industry in the GCC region is entering a new era of collaboration among manufacturers, regulatory bodies and industry associations. Together, these stakeholders are driving regulatory changes that not only enhance energy efficiency but also support the region’s broader decarbonisation and sustainability goals. By working together, they are helping shape the future of HVACR in the GCC region, ensuring that new standards and regulations are specific, effective, and achievable. October 2024 8 W ITH a substantial number of water-cooled chillers in the GCC region now starting to reach maturity, including those in District Cooling plants, as well as ageing chillers and electrification in the large cities throughout the United Staes, I thought I would suggest the benefits of chiller modernisation or retrofit versus replacement. I am sure the chiller OEMs will not be recommending modernisation; nevertheless, let me plunge straight into the topic… The first fact is that a chiller modernisation retrofit – with high- efficiency components, such as a VFD, updated control system, OMB compressor, as well as other technologies – will provide efficiencies close to or equal to today’s new chillers. Many of the technological advances new chillers offer can be available with a modernisation retrofit. Retrofitting is much cheaper than replacement, and capital expenditure associated with purchasing new chillers can be redirected to optimising the performance of the existing chillers. On average, a retrofit will cost 40-60% what a new chiller will cost, and that is without the installation cost of new chillers. And that is why I would like to assert that capex funds can be redirected towards optimising and modernising the existing chillers with upgrades. Retrofitting can also save the substantial cost of rigging new chillers into place as well as temporally relocating equipment that will impede chiller positioning in the plantroom. And broadly speaking, retrofitting takes less time than replacing an entire chiller, minimising disruptions to operations. Manufacturing new chillers requires raw materials, energy and water, whereas keeping and retrofitting existing chillers minimise the need for these resources, which is true sustainability. Manufacturing-related emissions is another aspect that needs to be considered. The production of new chillers emits greenhouse gases and pollutants, whereas retrofitting existing chillers avoids these emissions, which is again treading the sustainability pathway. Waste reduction is yet another feature in optimising existing chillers. Reusing existing chillers extends their lifespan, reducing waste and lowering the environmental impact of disposal. Embedded carbon savings is yet another feature. Existing chillers have already expended their embedded carbon during production. New chillers come with a significant initial carbon footprint that can be avoided by keeping and retrofitting the current chiller. So, it is all systems go for holding on to existing chillers, especially LICENCE TO CHILL Dan Mizesko is President, Dalkia US Chillers, USA. He may be contacted at dan.mizesko@dalkiasolutions.com if existing chillers meet regulatory standards. In New York City, many building owners are planning on or are currently replacing their steam-driven centrifugal chillers to electric-driven centrifugal chillers. This transition can be very costly, as many chillers are located floors below street level and the cost of digging up the street or of re-engineering the freight car elevator and of rigging the chiller down the shaft can cost well over USD 1,000,000. A chiller-retrofit from steam to electric can save not only the construction and installation costs but also the cost of a new chiller and provide the same energy efficiencies. To sum up, it makes sense to save on new chiller costs through retrofits, which can ensure close to or equal to efficiencies of a new chiller. Saving on installation and construction costs, minimising resource consumption, extending the lifespan of existing chillers and managing the embedded carbon footprint of the existing chillers are distinct possibilities. In addition, retrofit and modernisation initiatives involving existing chillers usually make them eligible for obtaining utility rebates to help offset the cost of the project. Chiller modernisation with high-efficiency components, such as VFDs and OMB compressors, will provide efficiencies close to or equal to today’s new chillers, says Dan Mizesko CPI Industry accepts no liability for the views or opinions expressed in this column, or for the consequences of any actions taken on the basis of the information provided here.climatecontrolawards.com/uae COUNTRY OF HONOUR ITALY OFFICIAL PUBLICATION PRESENTS 27 TH NOVEMBER 2024 DUBAI UAE BRONZE SPONSORS ASSOCIATE SPONSOR STRATEGIC RECRUITMENT PARTNERMONITORED BY CATEGORY SPONSORS FROSTCHEM GLOBAL FZENext >