EME Newsletter MEssage #01/2023

NEWSLETTER
MESSAGE
NEWSLETTER FROM EUROVENT MIDDLE EAST
JUNE 2023 VOL. 09
Setting the Right Limits:
Temperature Controls Regulation in the UAE
What's inside...
Features
What’s causing
inefficient
installations and
why you should
care
An ear to the
ground:
The user
experience of
cooling
Insights
Regulatory
developments
in the GCC
...and more!
www.eurovent.me

NEWSLETTER
CONTENTS
01 Letter to the industry
MESSAGE
02 Lead Story: Setting the limits - Temperature control
regulations in the UAE
03 Feature Article: What's causing inefficient installations and
why you should care
04 Feature Article: IAQ and energy efficiency do not have to be
mutually exclusive -
The Eurovent Energy label for Air Filters
05 Insights: Sponsoring an event? Here's what you should do
to get the most out of it
06 Feature Article: An ear to the ground -
The user experience of cooling
07 Insights: Regulatory developments in the GCC
08 Technical Article: Uncovering the savings from certified
cooling towers.
09 Market Outlook: Dubai's Construction Boom-
A Resurgence Fueling Opporunities
LETTER
TO THE INDUSTRY
The Year of Sustainability
In January, the President of the UAE, His Highness Sheikh
Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, announced 2023 as the
‘Year of Sustainability’. The announcement is fitting, given
that the UAE is set to host the COP28 meeting later this
year. As HVACR stands front and centre in discussions
related to sustainability, especially in a region dependent
on cooling, it is clear that our industry cannot sit on the
sidelines and simply watch.
The industry invests billions every year in research and
development, and great advancements in sustainable
cooling solutions have been brought forward over the
past decade. But what more can the industry do if all
these solutions, and state-of-the-art technologies, are
ignored, misunderstood, wrongly selected and specified,
badly installed and operated and maintained by untrained
personnel? What sense does it make to discuss minimum
energy requirements on legislative levels when we lose
30-40% of efficiency in the field?
We need to see a big push towards education and training
to ensure our discussions related to sustainability do not
equate to merely greenwashing. Over the years, Eurovent
Middle East has organised numerous conferences,
workshops, and webinars to increase awareness among
MEP engineers and cultivate greater awareness of
the latest standards, industry recommendations, and
technologies. It has been a good and justified start, but we
know we need more.
Offerings for continued education and skill development
for our industry are scarce in the Middle East. Yet
we badly need better-informed engineers and bettertrained
technicians. This is why our members invested
significant time and efforts into creating a more substantial
educational programme which we will launch in the fall,
right ahead of COP28. It is time that this lack of education
and training is addressed.
The industry shows that by working together, putting
competion aside for the benefit of all, great initiatives
can happen. This is the spirit of an association, and this
is what Eurovent Middle East stands for and is all about.
Our members once more show their commitment to great
corporate social responsibility, putting people first, and
caring for the region and the planet.
We invite all of you to join our efforts to educate the
market. Let the Year of Sustainability be marked by action,
and not merely words. It is time to make a difference.
Subscribe to this newsletter, follow us on LinkedIn and
YouTube and watch out for our announcements.
Best regards,
Markus Lattner
Managing Director
Eurovent Middle East
www.eurovent.me SEPTEMBER JUNE 2023 2022 VOL. 09 01

NEWSLETTER
LEAD STORY
Setting the right limit: temperature
control in the UAE
Several years ago, the UAE implemented a regulation which intended to limit the
lowest temperature set point to 20 degrees Celsius. While a laudable attempt to
cultivate more conscious energy consumption, the regulation has its difficulties.
Eurovent Middle East speaks to experts to know more about this requirement and
its effects.
In its constant drive towards
sustainability, the UAE, some years
ago, had implemented a paragraph
requiring temperature controls
to be limited to 20 degrees C. The
regulation was created as part
of the country’s strong initiative
to pursue energy efficiency and
sustainability. In its last revision, the
regulation also required proof that
the unit would cut off when the room
temperature reached 20 degrees.
While positive in its intention, the
requirement raised concerns among
manufacturers.
A challenging limit
Markus Lattner, Managing Director
of Eurovent Middle East, explains
the background: “Many people use
air conditioning to its maximum,
regardless of the actual need and
going beyond comfortable levels.
The best indoor temperature setting
for maximum comfort lies between
20- and 24-degrees C. However,
many people still set the controls
down to below 20, which is just a
waste of energy and is, in fact, not
even healthy for occupants. The
regulation intends to enforce a
technical stop to such practises.”
Explaining the regulation in detail
is Srinivasan Rangan, Director
of Demand Generation, Strategy
and Regulatory Affairs, Rheem
Manufacturing: “Thermostats for
the ducted and non-ducted DX
Air conditioners below 65.000 Btu
are required to have factory set
temperature limits of 20 degrees
C with a factory set lock or cut off
limit at 18 degrees, which prevents
it from being used below that point,”
he says, referring to the UAE.S
5010-1 regulation for residential air
conditioning.
From a technical perspective,
there is no problem with limiting
the set point to 20 degrees C, says
Luay Ghussein, Senior Director of
Engineering, Taqeef. “Whoever can
set the limit at 18 degrees C, can
set the limit at 20 degrees C,” he
says, stressing that the complexity
comes in doing this in the face
of the lack of harmonisation in
the region. Ghussein explains:
“When you do something for a
relatively small market, such as
the UAE, that becomes a challenge
to manufacturers. Because
to make any price affordable,
manufacturers worldwide try to
unify their products so there is
some compatibility crossover and
to ensure the availability of spare
parts. This is why it's much easier
if the whole region has the same
one. The limitation to one market is
a barrier, and manufacturers aim
Markus Lattner Rangan Srinivasan Luay Ghussein
for the best solution in terms of
commercial viability, rather than
the ideal one.”
Elaborating further, Ghussein
says an important commercial
consideration would be stocking
material in the UAE. “With this
regulation, we would have to
manage the stock to know which
controls can and cannot be sold
within Dubai, and it becomes a bit
of a logistics problem,” he says.
“This could lead to an increase in
price and situations wherein the
air conditioning unit with controls
that go to 20 degrees C will be
more expensive than the ones that
have the limit for 18 degrees C
for no other reason than to absorb
the cost of logistics and cost of
compliance because there will be
no other choice than to charge the
end consumer.”
Economies of scale, Ghussein
explains, will mean the market
with fewer units will always
experience higher pressure in
terms of price. “The market
will be most viable and able to
comply if such a regulation can
be harmonised throughout the
region, which is what we urge the
bodies to consider,” he says.
Areas of improvement
Another point of possible Another
point of possible contention
regarding the regulation,
Ghussein explains, is the testing
method that should be used.
“There is no standard that defines
the test method they want to have
or use,” he says. “AC discharge
temperatures (air leaving the AC)
are typically 12 or 13 degrees C
to achieve a room temperature of
20-24 degrees C, as air in the room
must mix. The mix will give it the
20 degrees C temperature, not the
discharge, and it won’t be unified
in the entire room. So, it’s about
where you measure that 20 degrees
C. The world usually tests it on the
return air temperature, but the
current regulation is unclear about
this.”
This is also a concern for Rangan.
“Accurately measuring room
temperature and controlling the
air conditioning unit can also be
a technical challenge to ensure
compliance,” he says. “A testing
standard and protocol must be
clearly defined, including the
location of sensors and measuring
positions at return air temperature.
We must consider the techno
commercial and practicality
that any password control for 20
degrees C is applicable for 18
degrees C, so keeping two separate
provisions is challenging.”
Ghussein underlines again that
Ghussein underlines again that
the only well-known standard
tests the temperature based on
a certain point at the return air.
“Worldwide, this is how the set
point is tested,” he says. “It’s
not just any particular point. It is
important for the regulation to be
easily enforceable without burdening
manufacturers. That means they
don’t define a different test method
or set point other than the globally
accepted standard, or else it would
not be realistic. The regulation is
one aspect, but the testing method
is equally important; the testing
method should be the same for any
set point, making the manufacturer's
life much easier.”
Rangan says another challenge
is defining the room size and
boundaries, especially for irregularly
shaped or open-plan spaces.
“Managing user behaviour is also
important to ensure compliance
with regulations, as it can affect
the temperature in the room,” he
says. “Overcoming these challenges
requires understanding the
regulations and air conditioning
systems, as well as effective
communication with users.”
Working towards ease of
enforcement
Ensuring that test methods echo
or subscribe to global accepted
methods is not only critical to
support manufacturers in the
region, having a regulation that
may be difficult to enforce can also
have long-term implications. “If a
regulation requests for something
impossible to test for and especially
difficult to comply with, people
may cut corners,” says Ghussein.
Rangan also points out that there
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LEAD STORY
is a potential risk that regulations
would be bypassed through the
use of non-compliant thermostats
available in the free market, as they
are sometimes procured separately
by customers or via e-commerce.
“There is a need for uniform
regulation application on other
cooling systems such as chilled
water systems.”
Rangan further underscored
that a lack of compliance and
reduced accountability could lead
to decreased safety and comfort
for occupants, increased costs for
individuals and businesses, and
negative environmental impacts.
“A lack of enforcement can erode
confidence in regulatory systems,
leading to a loss of trust for
regulations,” he says.
How this regulation will be managed
within Building Management
Systems (BMS) is another important
aspect that needs to be addressed.
Ghussein and Rangan believe it will
add another layer of complexity
to the discussion. “It’s unclear
how they will regulate all the BMS
coming into the market,” Ghussein
says. “There would be a need to
connect the unit to the BMS, the
system should also ensure that the
AC doesn’t go below 20 degrees C.”
Currently, adds Rangan, remote or
BMS controls are not regulated.
Recommendations on the best way
forward
Without a doubt, the regulation
will go a long way in achieving
greater savings. “As an industry,
we support the regulation to that it
saves energy,” Ghussein reiterates.
“In some countries, such as Japan,
building codes have even been
forbidden going below 24 or 25
degrees C, which underscores the
clear value behind having such a
regulation. So yes, it’s good to have
such a regulation. The question is,
is the current requirement effective
and working?”
Rangan says that the importance of
Rangan says that the importance of
clearly defining testing standards
and protocols for all thermostats
entering the UAE should be
emphasised. “The regulations
should be uniformly applicable
to all types of thermostats,
and the exceptions process
should be clearly defined,”
he says. “This is because
some end-use applications
may not be practical to apply
the regulations, for example,
cold storage, pharmaceutical
or hospital applications.
Additionally, suppliers should be
well protected in case of misuse
of the thermostat settings in the
field.”
According to Rangan, several
According to Rangan, several
measures can improve
compliance with regulations
related to air conditioning
units not cooling below a
certain temperature. “Clear
and consistent definitions of
key terms and standardised
measurement protocols are
critical to ensuring effective
implementation,” he says.
“Certified testing organisations
should also be required to
test compliance with the
regulations, and the regulations
should be part of broader
energy efficiency standards.
Public education and outreach
can also help raise awareness
and promote compliance.”
Lattner sums up the concerns of
the industry, “The regulation in
its current form is not achieving
its goals. It doesn’t address
applications where you need
lower temperatures, leads to
unfair competition in the market
and leaves way too much room
for circumventions. People will
not understand why their AC
can’t go lower when at the next
location, the room temperature
is clearly lower due to nonregulated
BMS systems or a
third-party remote control. We
absolutely support its intention,
but this issue may better be
addressed through building
codes and public awareness
campaigns.”
FEATURE ARTICLE
Gopalakrishnan G, Operations
Director, Emrill, an integrated
facilities management company, is
a firm believer in the importance of
quality installation within the sector.
“HVAC has many areas requiring
specialist expertise,” he says.
“Qualified and licensed technicians
and engineers across the UAE
possess the required skillsets to
install and maintain HVAC systems
efficiently.”
However, complaints have emerged
in the GCC region due to improper
or inefficient installations, which
not only put to risk the reliability
of a system but also lead to
costly maintenance or greater
consumption due to it not operating
as intended. Several common
installation issues can be seen with
DX air conditioning installations,
says Srinivasan Rangan, Director
of Demand Generation, Strategy
and Regulatory Affairs, Rheem
Manufacturing. “These include
incorrect sizing, poor placement
of the indoor and outdoor units,
improper refrigerant charge,
inadequate insulation, and poor duct
design,” he says. “Additional factors
that can contribute to issues with
air conditioning systems include
improper implementation,” he
says, providing the example of low
side static exceeding equipment
design, hot air recirculation caused
due to the equipment being placed
too close, which does not follow
the manufacturer‘s installation
guidelines, as well as poor quality
of refrigerant piping and inadequate
brazing of joints or leakage in airflow
ducts.
For Hadi Ismail, Chief Sales Officer,
Taqeef, improper installation
practices are cost driven. “Often,
when installers do not follow
manufacturers' instructions or
recommendations, the reason
is purely economic,” he says. “A
common example in the UAE is that
they don’t install return duct to save
money because it's expensive.”
Gopalakrishnan points out, however,
that with the number of HVAC
solutions in the market, there is also
an unavoidable learning curve. “FM
is a fast-evolving sector,” he says.
“With the implementation of any new
product or service, there will be a
learning curve across the industry,
where support may be required from
our original equipment manufacturer
partners.”
Why does it matter?
NEWSLETTER
What’s causing inefficient installations
and why you should care
Proper installation is a critical part of the project process that can significantly impact an
HVAC system's efficiency, lifecycle, and overall performance. However, there are many
cases in which quality installation is overlooked or simply not given the necessary attention
it deserves. Eurovent Middle East looks at how poor installation processes lead to wrong or
inefficient performance and operations and the reasons why…
Gopalakrishnan G
Subpar installation practices,
unfortunately, has a number of
consequences. Rangan explains
that these issues he highlighted
can result in inefficient operation,
increased energy consumption,
and costly repairs. “Proper
installation, regular maintenance,
and attention to these issues can
help ensure optimal performance
and longevity of the system,” he
says. “If the air conditioning unit
is not sized properly or has an
incorrect refrigerant charge, it can
lead to reduced efficiency, increased
energy consumption, and a shorter
lifespan. Similarly, insufficient
insulation and poor duct design can
cause inadequate cooling, increased
energy consumption, and costly
repairs. Regular maintenance
and attention to these factors are
crucial for optimal performance
and longevity of the system.” All
these factors, he says, will have
an adverse impact on the cost of
ownership and home comfort for
end users.
Ismail says there are also critical
energy efficiency implications.
“For example, when you don’t add
a duct, the air is taking a path that
it shouldn’t,” he explained. “And
the way it was manufactured and
tested, it was meant to have duct on
the outlet and inlet, so having the
air going through the false ceiling
in either kitchen or bathroom, two
typical places installed, is simply an
inefficient use of energy.”
What contributes to the issue?
While the challenges listed
above can lead to errors during
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JUNE 2023 VOL. 09

FEATURE ARTICLE
installation, poor performance,
reduced efficiency, and demotivation
among installers, Rangan believes
that proper education and training,
fair compensation and working
conditions, access to specialised
tools, and opportunities for
professional development are
critical to overcoming them. “The
two main factors behind this
problem are a lack of training
and, at times, improper tools
and equipment,” he reiterates.
“Additionally, technicians in the GCC
come from different parts of the
world, and there is no consistency in
qualification,” he says.
In this case, cultivating awareness
is key, says Ismail, “We need to
raise awareness across the entire
value chain, from the consultant,
contractor to the installer, so that
they know that ensuring good
installation does not have to be
expensive,” he says. “Even as simple
as ensuring the outdoor unit is
installed in the shade and protected
from direct sun exposure is already
an example of how it could save
money.” The problem, he says, is
CAPEX vs OPEX, and contractors
don’t do more than they are asked
to do.
Within Emrill, Gopalakrishnan says
that they ensure their technicians
undergo the required training and
are qualified to install, repair, and
maintain HVAC systems to deliver
exceptional service and ensure
client satisfaction. “As an essential
asset in buildings, HVAC repair
and maintenance is prioritised,
especially in the summer months
when the systems need to operate
efficiently to meet the demand of
higher temperatures,” he says.
Rangan adds that this has been
a priority for Rheem which trains
and certifies technicians in the
Rheem Innovation Centres across
the Middle East. “Proper training
of air conditioning installers can
result in several benefits, including
increased efficiency, improved
quality of installations, enhanced
safety, reduced call backs, and
increased customer satisfaction,”
he says. “Trained installers can
Rangan Srinivasan
work more efficiently, ensuring that
installations are performed correctly
and to industry best practices,
which can lead to cost savings for
customers and reduced repair and
maintenance costs.” Rangan adds
that proper training can also help
identify potential safety hazards
during the installation process,
reducing the risk of accidents or
injuries. “Reduced call backs and
increased customer satisfaction
can lead to positive word-of-mouth
referrals and long-term growth for
businesses,” he says.
A holistic building code
Although skill plays a role in
ensuring efficient installation,
Ismail believes a greater issue
could be challenges related to
building codes. “If people aren’t
forced to do something, they often
don't,” he says, pointing out that
current building codes do not place
accountability on the installer's
role in the building operations. This
becomes worse, he adds, given the
move to cut costs. “Even if installers
are aware of best practices, the
imperative to drive costs down
means that cheaper often wins,
which often results in shortcuts.“
As such, Ismail says a holistic
building code that empowers end
users would be helpful. “Sometimes,
educating people to buy a more
highly efficient machine is not
always enough,” he says. “In the
Hadi Ismail
UAE, the end user rarely decides
which AC system is installed or
what kind of ducts are in the home.
A more holistic building code that
mandates installation according to
manufacturers' recommendations
would be very helpful.” Ismail points
out that in Europe, even though
energy savings and education were
at the forefront of efforts to increase
quality and standards, it had to be
mandatory or enforced by law to
avoid cost competition through cost
savings. “You need to walk with both
legs, not one. You can’t compensate
for the weakness in one field by
improving only one part,” he says.
Gopalakrishnan adds that stronger
integration among stakeholders,
including consultants, contractors
and the manufacturer would also
be helpful. “We work closely with
our clients and partners to ensure
any challenges that may arise
are planned for, appropriately
managed, and suitable solutions
are proposed” he says. “We always
suggest the involvement of a FM
service provider in the early design
stages of a project to increase the
benefits to stakeholders. Adopting
this approach allows for input from
a post-build operational perspective,
with healthy challenges on design
decisions that may cause variation
costs at a later stage once the
project is operational or inhabited by
residents.”
FEATURE ARTICLE
IAQ and energy efficiency are not
mutually exclusive:
NEWSLETTER
Eurovent Energy Label for Air Filters
The Eurovent ‘Energy Efficiency Evaluation of Air Filters for General Ventilation Purposes’ is
a valuable, effective, yet largely underutilised tool, especially in projects across the Middle
East. Here’s how the guideline can unlock better energy saving, more sustainable operations
and ensure greater quality of health.
The undeniable savings of energy-
efficient filters
The energy savings that can be
unlocked with more efficient filters
have long been proven. Providing
numbers to back this claim,
Stephane Ruiz, Managing Director,
Camfil Middle East, shares that
generally, for commercial buildings,
50% of the energy bill is related to
the HVAC system and 30% of this
cost is roughly linked to the air
filters. “Using energy-efficient filters
will usually provide a +20% of energy
savings,” he says.
Sami Akaydin, Technical Manager,
TROX Middle East, agrees, further
explaining that investing in quality
energy-efficient filters essentially
means investing in filters that offer
less resistance than standard filters.
“Filters are supposed to separate
particles in the air – and they are an
obstacle to the airflow,” he says. “As
the differential pressure increases,
the energy efficiency decreases.
The goal is minimising the loss.” He
further explained that filter media
with extremely fine pleats and
aerodynamically optimised filter
units could help to save up to 50%
energy compared to conventional
filters.
IAQ and other benefits
In addition to achieving energy
savings, high-quality filters also
improve the overall efficiency of
HVAC systems and ensure the
systems' cleanliness while reducing
the associated maintenance costs,
says Ruiz. “HVAC’s component
lifespan will be extended with quality
air filters,” he says. “Furthermore,
high-quality filters don’t need to be
replaced as often as lower quality
filters, which result in less waste
disposal and lower maintenance
costs.”
However, the benefits of quality
filters on occupant health are
perhaps of the most significant
concern for those who advocate for
using quality air filters. “Effective
and highly efficient filter systems
filter dust, bacteria and pollen out
of the ambient air, ensuring that we
can breathe clean air in enclosed
indoor spaces,” Akaydin says.
“Alongside the system efficiency
Sami Akaydin
factor, the air quality achieved by
the air handling unit system is
increasingly becoming an important
focal point for regulatory bodies
worldwide.” Ruiz reiterated this by
saying, “The aim is to protect people
by reducing sick leave, increasing
their productivity and ensuring
wellbeing at the same time.”
The increasing focus on the
importance of thermal comfort and
room air quality among legislators
could also be traced to proven
economic benefits, Akaydin adds,
pointing to the work of William J.
Fisk, 'Health and Productivity Gains
from Better Indoor Environments’.
The report, he explains,
demonstrated the economic returns
of good indoor environmental quality,
such as a 20 to 50% reduction in sick
Stephane Ruiz
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NEWSLETTER
FEATURE ARTICLE
building syndrome, saving between
USD 10 and 100 billion US dollars;
8 to 25% fewer asthma-related
absences, saving USD 1 to 4 billion;
23 to 76% reduction in respiratory
diseases, saving USD 6 to 14 billion
and productivity increases of 0.5 to
5% for office workers, generating
gains of USD 20 to 200 billion.
A valuable yet underutilised tool
Given the holistic benefits of
quality air filters, consultants and
project owners must choose the
most optimum filters for their
respective facilities. This may not
always be straightforward, given
that each project is different, and
many solutions are available in the
market. “Filters look the same
from the outside, but the way they
behave from one to another can
present many differences,” says
Ruiz. “It is crucial for consultants to
understand the effect and benefits
of the filters on the HVAC system,
and its impact on sustainability,
energy use, waste disposal and
occupant health.”
Eurovent offers excellent guidance
for consultants and project owners
to navigate the thin line between
energy efficiency and filtration
requirements. The ‘Eurovent
Recommendation 4/23 – 2022:
Selection of EN ISO 16890 rated air
filter classes’ provides clarity on
implementing the newest global
standard on air filtration, while ‘The
Energy Efficiency Evaluation of Air
Filters for General Ventilation’ gives
a good understanding of how the
filters perform but also will point out
some technical differences between
several filters.” says Ruiz.
Eurovent Certification tests and
certifies air filters according to their
filtration and energy consumption
characteristics and provides an
energy label that helps consumers
make the best choice. It is based on
ISO 16890-1:2016 and is a third-party
certification providing information
such as pressure drop, ePM
efficiency, energy rating and annual
energy consumption. This is crucial
to understand the saving potential of
filters without reducing the filtration
efficiencies.
Providing an example, Ruiz says,
“If we look at a standard ePM1 60%
filter that is B rated, with an energy
consumption of 1054kWh/a and
compare it to the same efficiency
filter that is A+ rated with an energy
consumption of 811kWh/a. By simply
switching filters, a company can save
over 240kWh/a per filter.” Compared
to lower classes, the energy saving
outnumbers the higher investment
costs, usually within few months,
significantly reducing operational
costs.
What the guideline has to offer
Akaydin adds that the tool is
especially valuable considering the
standard testing procedure for large
and fine dust filters has changed.
“Filter performance is now no
longer assessed based solely on a
laboratory test method but on real
application conditions,” he says.
“Previously, in accordance with EN
779, a synthetic aerosol was used
for testing, with a standard particle
size of 0.4µm. The new ISO 16890
standard is based on a range of
particle fractions, and tests are
conducted using DEHS and KCl test
aerosols.”
Under the evaluation, Akaydin
explains that filters are divided into
four groups:
• ISO Coarse (rated
containment capacity against ISO A2
dust)
• ISO PM10: Fine dust
particles ≤ 10 µm
• ISO PM2.5: Fine dust
particles ≤ 2.5 µm
• ISO PM1: Fine dust particles
≤ 1 µm
• Filter performance is now
measured with three different
particle fractions (PM1, PM2.5,
PM10).
“This test scenario allows the
tester to examine the local fine
dust pollution more closely, based
on data from official measuring
stations, for example, and to select
a filter appropriate for the quality of
the supply air,” he says.
Akaydin adds that alongside
the filter performance, another
important aspect to consider is the
energy performance of the filter in
day-to-day use. “The outdoor air
(ODA) quality requirements have
also been redefined,” he says. “The
categories ODA 1 to ODA 3 must now
be determined based on loading
with O-zone, NO2, SO2 and PM10,
in accordance with the revised
regulations published by the WHO
in 2005 (superseding 1999 version).
These categories are important in
determining which air filter should
be fitted in the AHU. The definition of
supply air (SUP) quality, divided into
five categories, has also been added
to the standard.”
Akaydin also says the New Energy
Efficiency Classification table from
Eurovent, which shows kWh's
annual energy consumption (AEC)
based on standard test conditions,
is very beneficial for projects. “Air
filters of the lowest energy efficiency
Class E consume more than twice
as much energy as the best Class A+
filters,” he says.
Providing an example, filter of
category ePM1 > 50% (previously
F7) could give both results
below depending on the different
efficiencies:
• One piece Class A+ filter that
consumes up to 800 kWh incurs
energy costs of AED 328 per
year.
• One piece Class D filter that
consumes up to 2,000 kWh
incurs energy costs of AED
820 per year. (Considered
commercial rate per kWh of
AED 0.41 in the UAE)
The difference in energy costs,
therefore, is AED 492 at a volume
flow rate of 3,400 m3/h, ensuring
60% is saved per year per filter.
“Filters are more than just an
investment in room air quality –
they‘re an investment in efficiency,
too,” he adds.
A critical tool for the Middle East
While an effective and advantageous
tool, experts believe the guideline
remains underutilised in the Middle
East. “We are living in a beautiful
region which is close to the desert,
but, unfortunately, this brings its
challenges, such as a cocktail of
sand and wind, which is not so good
for our lungs,” says Ruiz. “Indoor
air quality can even be worse than
the outside air quality, and looking
at the outdoor dust concentration
values in UAE, we can imagine why
efficient air filters are so important.”
However, Ruiz says, quite often
in the region, the selection and
procurement of air filters are made
on the acquisition cost and not based
on a Total Cost of Ownership vision
and strategy, “Projects driven by
multinationals usually involve strong
requirements when it comes to the
air filtration part, mainly because
these companies refer to their
internal guidelines and processes,”
he says. “For them, Energy Efficient
Filters have many benefits for their
facilities, processes, and people, and
they understood this principle a long
time ago.”
Akaydin is optimistic that awareness
on the importance of investing in
quality filters will grow as the world
becomes more conscientious of
energy use. “Indeed, high-quality,
efficient filters are not being used as
they should be,” he says. “However,
we expect an increase in demand
as energy efficiency initiatives
are becoming an essential part of
government strategies worldwide
as part of efforts to promote
sustainability. The UAE's vision to be
a global hub and a successful model
of the new green economy is just
one such example.”
The silent killer
Ruiz adds that even among
consultants and property developers
in the regions, efficient air filters,
in terms of both energy and
particulate matter, should be
considered the key to sustainability.
“Protecting people’s health and the
next generation, making energy
savings and generating less waste
should be one of their priorities,”
he says. “The COVID situation
reminds us also how important it is
to protect ourselves from airborne
contamination.”
As a final word, Ruiz offers a crucial
reminder of air quality's massive
impact on human health. “According
to World Health Organization
(WHO), more than 6.5 million people
worldwide are dying prematurely
each year due to air quality,” he
says. “It is one of the major human
threats, which was classified in 2013
as carcinogenic by the International
Agency for Research on Cancer, and
unfortunately, we are not focusing
enough on it. I think it isn't easy to
understand and speak of something
we cannot see. Air contamination is
a silent killer that needs to be higher
up on decision-makers agenda
today. “
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INSIGHTS
Sponsoring an event? Here’s what you
should do to get the most out of it.
With exhibitions and conferences in full-swing post-pandemic, so is the efforts of events and
organisers to lock in sponsorships. Mahyar Ebrahimi, Head of Content at Strategic Intelligence
Forum, explains why a successful conference is not a one-sided journey and what most
companies get wrong when participating in an event…
Challenge the 'why'
The conference landscape across
the UAE has been booming, much
to the excitement of communities
eager for physical meetings
following the long event slumber
imposed by the Covid-19 pandemic.
However, as events experience
a post-Covid renaissance in a
country that has already positioned
itself as a hub that attracts
Meetings, Incentives, Conferences
& Exhibitions (MICE) participants
worldwide, experts believe it’s
also a ripe time for participants
to thoroughly reflect on their
participation to break the monotony
and challenge the why of their
investment.
Mahyar Ebrahimi, Head of Content
for Strategic Intelligence Forum
is one such expert. Ebrahimi has
worked on many large-scale and
technical conferences in the region,
including the Abu Dhabi Smart
City Summits, the Retrofit Tech
series of events, the RAK Energy
Summit, and many more. Based
on his observations, Ebrahimi
urges companies to remember
that successful participation
in conferences is not a onesided
journey. He explains that
companies need an accurate and
clear idea of such investments'
tangible and intangible benefits, as
mismatched expectations can lead
to dissatisfaction. Thus, Ebrahimi
challenges each company looking
to participate in or sponsor an event
to ask themselves: “Do you really
know what you went to get out of
it?”
A missed branding opportunity
Ebrahimi says this step is crucial
as he believes not enough is done
by companies to properly assess
the unique benefits the different
types of events have to offer.
Differentiating between exhibitions
and conferences, Ebrahimi
points out that while exhibitions
can have a conference element,
and conferences often have a
small exhibition outside, they’re
fundamentally different to both
audiences and potential sponsors
and exhibitors.
Touching on the typical packages
companies opt for during these
conference schemes, Ebrahimi says
that companies commonly sponsor
to get a speaking slot with an
added option of an exhibition booth
which they may or may not forego.
Combined, they are a branding
opportunity that would be unique to
the sponsors, given that networking
is a benefit available to both
sponsors and paid delegates.
However, what separates a
successful participation from an
unsuccessful one is determined by
the quality of people designated to
optimise the opportunity. Ebrahimi
says, “Companies need to ask
themselves; do I have the right
people speaking? I’ve seen many
companies that waste thousands of
dollars for a speaking slot for 15-20
minutes by having people that don’t
have the skill set to make the most
of the time they are given. If I had
one piece of advice, as a consultant,
I would say, to take the time to fix
your presentation and have a good
Mahyar Ebrahimi
presenter that can communicate
well in English. Even if you have the
most technically knowledgeable
expert presenting, if they are
unable to communicate effectively,
the audience will only capture
the information they effectively
communicate – the rest is always
lost in translation.”
Ebrahimi says the same thinking
applies to sponsors investing in
conference exhibition booths.
“An exhibition slot increases your
chance and provides an opportunity
to meet clients, but it’s not magic,”
he stresses. “For companies that
say they didn’t get any sales, I’d
urge them to look closer at their
sales force. Are they well-equipped
and well-informed to speak to the
right people in the right way? That’s
one of the most common problems
in the Middle East.”
For larger exhibitions, the lack
of targeted audiences, partly
due to broad attendee profiles,
limited representation from key
stakeholders and difficulty in
reaching decision-makers can be an
issue. Ebrahimi admits that HVAC
audiences are not as abundant in
many large-scale exhibitions. “I’ve
had many people say I get more
job applications than leads,” he
says. “So, the metric for measuring
audience quality is connected
to measuring ROI. However, as
mentioned, some exhibitors have
no business development people
at their booths and instead, opt
for hired hosts or ushers. Others
have their most junior salespeople
manning the booths, while the
more effective ones set out to get
meetings and meet clients. And so,
when they say they had the wrong
audience in the room, I’d argue that
they had the wrong people at their
booths too.”
He says this sets events and
conferences in the Middle East
apart compared to parallel events,
such as ISH, largely considered the
world's leading trade fair for HVAC
and Water held in Germany, which
often sees the best salespeople that
companies have invested in training.
Gauging interest and managing
expectations
The intention for pointing this
out, Ebrahimi says, isn’t to deter
manufacturers from participating
and sponsoring events but merely to
encourage more active participation
to capture the opportunities in the
market truly. “When it comes to
branding, it’s about being seen,”
he says. “Many consultants or
developers have remarked that if a
particular company is not in an event
they are participating in, they might
consider them not big enough of a
player or think, ‘Oh, they must not
be trying to get our business’. That’s
often the binary factor in branding.”
The second factor is placement,
says Ebrahimi. “Sponsorship has
a higher dollar value, but the
conversion rate is much higher than
if you were just an exhibitor,” he
explains. “If you sponsor one event
as opposed to exhibiting at two, you
get more exposure in that one event.
Of course, geodiversity also plays a
key role; you can’t compare events
in Dubai to events in Abu Dhabi, for
instance.” Which is why, he says, it’s
crucial for companies to properly
assess what the event has to offer.
“Companies often get event “FOMO”
(fear of missing out) because of the
first binary factor: branding. So, if
they have USD 30,000 to spend in
events, they can spend USD 5,000 to
exhibit at 6 events. That’s fine, each
company has their objectives and
strategy, but there must be a clear
idea of what each event has to offer.
There are scenarios where spending
that USD 30,000 on sponsoring two
or even just one highly relevant
conference in a significant way can
bring in more business and provide
a better ROI.”
Branding, as it relates to events,
can be measured in dollar value, he
says. What many exhibitions do, is
measure how many ads were placed
and how many mentions were used
on social media. These are metrics
for a portfolio of events' success. “In
terms of PR,” he further explained.
“It’s about the number of news
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NEWSLETTER
INSIGHTS
FEATURE ARTICLE
An ear to the ground:
The user experience of cooling
From dealing with cheap fixes to bearing costly consumption, how do tenants and property
owners in the UAE feel about their cooling? Eurovent Middle East shares the accounts of
everyday people and looks at the complex relationships between tenants, landlords and
maintenance companies and their impact on comfort, energy efficiency and IAQ.
articles or TV coverage, that’s
how we measure dollar value by
saying you got USD 350,000 worth
of ads, but you paid USD 8,000, so
companies must remember the
benefits might not always translate
to a company objective metric.”
A reminder of why content and
case studies matter
These issues are further
compounded by the increasing
number of HVAC conferences in the
UAE, overlapping event schedules
and fragmented attendee base
and overall difficulty in standing
out and attracting attention amidst
competition. Against this backdrop
and as a final word, Ebrahimi says
it is important to remember that
content is key for a successful
conference at the end of the day.
The agenda and speaker line-up, he
says, will always be the biggest draw
for people, especially as not enough
emphasis on content and too much
emphasis on sales pitches can be
demotivating for audiences.
Ebrahimi also firmly believes that
case studies are the most effective
tool in the presenters’ toolbox.
“From a sales, marketing, and
even psychological perspective,
case studies are the way to go,” he
says. “The number one thing I say
as a consultant is case studies are
the best type of content because
this is the most effective way to
show why your product or solution
works and how it tangibly helped
someone. Combining this with
good communication – and even
story-telling skills – is how you win
psychologically; if you can highlight
a challenge a past client faced and
tell a success story about how your
solutions helped them, any audience
who is listening and faces the same
challenge will feel like you’re talking
directly to them. Your message will
resonate far more effectively in this
way”.
Ebrahimi says that this is a far more
effective method of persuasion
than simply listing the features
and functions of your products
and solutions, leaving with a final
reminder to “speak more on the
how, and not just the what”.
Mahyar Ebrahimi is an experienced
conference and events professional,
having spent the past 6 years
helping key public and private
sector stakeholders in the MENA
region create unique platforms
for collaboration, cooperation, and
knowledge-sharing. His areas of
focus and expertise include Smart
Cities, Sustainability, Health and
Fitness, and everything Tech.
He is currently the Head of Content
for Strategic Intelligence Forum,
where he strategically supports
public authorities launch their key
initiatives, through conferences and
events, digital content and more. He
is also the host of a weekly show,
the BeyondX Podcast, speaking with
industry leaders on topics related
to sustainability, technology, urban
planning and city design, health,
and fitness, and more.
Over the years, Eurovent Middle
East has advocated for minimum
standards and stronger enforcement
of critical building regulations
in relation to the HVACR sector.
Markus Lattner, Managing Director
of Eurovent Middle East, says,
“From ensuring better equipment
to secure the reliability and energy
efficiency of operations to supporting
training for better maintenance of
installed systems, we, along with
our members, have cultivated strong
partnerships with government
regulators and organisations to
create better pathways and support
the sustainability objectives for the
built environment.”
The objective of the association has
always been to improve the quality of
life of inhabitants aside from working
towards better energy efficiency
and sustainability. This is a critical
topic in a region like the Middle
East where cooling is not a luxury
but a necessity, and in this article,
Eurovent Middle East investigates
the diverse range of personal
experiences that everyday people
have when it comes to their cooling
and ventilation systems and the real
cost behind them.
One such person is Olivier, a tenant
and owner of both new and older
developments. “We bought an
apartment in the Marina, which
had a centralised AC system at the
building level, with a thermostat
in each of the two bedrooms and
one in the living area,” he shared.
“Only the one in the living area had
an automatic function, and I never
could get proper quotes to replace
the ones in the bedroom that had the
fan permanently on or off.” In over 3
years in the apartment, Olivier says
the overall system was very reliable,
and due to it being centralised at the
building level, it cost an average of
AED300/month year-round.
Olivier’s tenanted villa in Jumeirah
Park, however, has been the cause of
more headaches, and more money.
“We have 8 AC units there, and
although we've made some proper
maintenance on ducts, frequent
AC servicing on all units, and even
redone windows sealing, we still
have some humidity and noise
issues,” he shares. “In one of the
bedrooms, we have spent a couple
of thousand (dirhams) on diagnostic
and to rebuild a blower fan. Our
tenants are still experiencing
excessive noise.” Olivier shares that
“well-known companies" wanted
to charge him over AED12,000
to change all the piping without
pinpointing the problem, while
others a couple of hundred just to
investigate further.
At the mercy of the landlord
Maintenance, or even replacement,
of cooling systems, is a problem
many UAE tenants have encountered
at some point or another. Eva is one
such tenant, sharing her experience
campaigning to replace the air
conditioning units in her 3-bedroom
villa in Ras Al Khaimah. “At its peak,
in the heat of summer, we paid AED
3000 a month,” she says. “After the
replacement, our bill was reduced
to AED 1500.” Thankfully, Eva says,
the landlord showed initiative in
trying to procure higher quality units
instead of the cheapest available in
the market.
Landlord responsibility is a critical
topic, and Rafiq, both a tenant and
a landlord for several properties,
believes it’s important for both
parties to clearly understand
their respective responsibilities.
“In general, in the UAE, any
maintenance and repairs above AED
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NEWSLETTER
FEATURE ARTICLE
500 require the involvement of the
landlord and anything under would
be a cost to be borne by the tenant,”
he says. “So, if they want to clean
or fix their ducts, they will need to
invest in that because they use it.”
Olivier echoes this by saying that as
per their tenancy agreement, the
tenants do preventive maintenance
servicing, while he, as the
landlord, takes care of corrective
maintenance and servicing.
Harry is familiar with the hit-ormiss
situation when it comes to
maintenance companies. “I have
had to have my AC units in one of
my old apartments repaired and
eventually replaced completely,”
he says. “Thankfully, the company
that owned the building had its
own FM and HVAC teams, so they
managed the maintenance and
repair processes entirely. I carried
out a regular annual cleaning and
servicing programme with them.
However, I also faced common
issues such as leaking pipes/vents,
condensation build-up, frosting,
and on one particularly memorable
occasion – a faulty bracket that
brought the entire unit through the
false ceiling!”
Reiterating the importance
of investing in skilled and
quality building maintenance is
Gopalakrishnan G, Operations
Director, Emrill, an integrated FM
company, who says that working
with industry-leading FM partners
that understand building operations
and how to manage assets efficiently
is essential to reducing the risk
of breakdowns and extending an
asset’s lifecycle. “Through investing
in the correct maintenance regime
for HVAC assets, you will not only
increase the asset's life but can also
achieve a saving of between 20%
to 30% on energy bills according to
recent studies,” he says. “A wellmaintained
system will also improve
reliability and contribute to lowering
the carbon footprint of a building.”
Finding the right partner
Although the value of proper
maintenance is clear among
property owners themselves, many
find it difficult to find the right
partner. Olivier says, “As an owner,
we now have found a company that
is performing the maintenance
and repairs to the level that we
expect. But this took years and cost
us significant expenses for major
repairs that did not solve the issue
completely, rather only enough
for the maintenance team to deny
support.”
Olivier’s Jumeirah Park villa has
faced recurring problems that seem
hard to diagnose and have been
going on for years, underlining
his frustration with the building
maintenance landscape. “It's
very difficult to find maintenance
companies that would neither do
some dodgy quick fix nor throw
money at the problem by changing
everything,” he says. “Most
companies I have been in contact
with over the years are either
focusing on cheap, quick fixes or
changing everything laughing at
the unprofessionalism of other
companies. In my opinion, both
approaches are wrong, if your
car has a wheel bearing problem,
recommending to change car
doesn't make you a good mechanic it
makes you a good car salesman, and
this is not why I called you. Very few
companies do proper investigation
and address the problem properly
without over-engineering the
solution.”
Eva quickly points out that while
good, reliable landlords or building
managers try to look for quality
HVAC maintenance, they are more
of an exception than a rule, as many
do not fulfil their responsibility.
“Several years back, we moved into
an attractive villa on the surface
level, but on the inside, it was very
badly built,” she recalled. “The
AC systems were badly fitted and
inadequate to cool the villa. The
worst was that we had permanent
black mould in ceilings, and this
was a health hazard because my
husband has asthma. The landlord
would not do anything, even after
multiple complaints. At most, they
would send someone to clean it, but
they didn’t do a very good job. My
husband got an independent person
Gopalakrishnan G
to give a report, and they found that
there were sections missing. They
skimped on corners.”
Gopalakrishnan agrees that it can
be very challenging for tenants in
the UAE to have control over the
maintenance and repair of their
HVAC systems and assets without
their landlord’s support. “This
is because, in most cases, the
landlord owns the HVAC asset and
is responsible for its maintenance
and repair unless stipulated in
the tenancy agreement,” he says.
“For tenants residing in large,
multi-household developments,
the community management
organisation may require a NOC
(no objection certificate) from
the landlord to allow work to
commence. Property owners may
also face challenges when it comes
to property modifications, as they
are required to take approval
from the developer before any
modification work occurs. These
rules and regulations may vary
between different communities.
However, compliance with
community rules and regulations
usually forms part of property and
tenancy agreements in the UAE.”
Harry admits that in his experience,
it’s been quite difficult to exercise
greater control over the cooling
units and equipment as their
ownership tends to be quite
complicated. “For example, in my
previous apartments, the building
was owned by a private developer,
but the cooling units were installed
and operated by a separate, semigovernment-backed
entity, who
exercised complete authority over
the equipment, he says. “While
maintenance and repairs were
allowed within the apartments
themselves, any equipment in public
areas, such as hallways, was the
responsibility of the provider. As
such, it was impossible to establish
any autonomy over saving on energy
costs. But, this would absolutely be
something I’d like to have control
over.”
What do tenants want?
Gopalakrishnan says it is important
to note that any changes or
modifications made to the HVAC
system without the landlord's
consent could be considered a
breach of the tenancy agreement.
“Therefore, the landlord may have
the right to take legal action against
the tenant,” he says. “However,
by creating and maintaining
beneficial stakeholder relationships
and working with community
management and landlords, many
challenges can be overcome and
often avoided.”
In the event that the relationship
between landlord and owner is
too fragmented, tenants often find
themselves on the losing end,
says Eva who has had to face a
cumbersome legal battle with her
old landlord. “We told him that we
would not pay him in advance if he
didn’t fulfil their side of the bargain
of fixing the issues such as the black
mould,” she says, “He was furious,
and he took us to local court. It’s so
stressful because you’re only asking
for the basics.” Even if landlords
make an effort, Eva says, tenants
don’t have power over the quality of
maintenance. “Many of them choose
maintenance people they send based
on cost, not on the quality,” she says.
“They work with the cheapest guys,
not real tradesmen.”
Currently, Eva says that she does
not feel there is an existing body
she can go to mediate the problems
she has faced. “Many people have
a problem with their landlords and
lack of clarity on what rights they
are afforded, and there are those
that fight back that find themselves
being evicted because landlords
know they can always find someone
else to rent,” she says. “RERA
is responsible for ensuring they
enforce aspects of the rent, but
there isn’t a particular body you
can go to if you have a query or
difficulty about something related
to maintenance of buildings.” Eva
hopes that one day there could be
an official body they could go to if
landlords are not doing their part in
the case of repairs.
Markus Lattner
For Markus Lattner, Managing
Director of Eurovent Middle East,
these accounts demonstrate the
critical role of quality products and
skilled technicians. “Many times,
manufacturers, brands, are blamed
for bad user experience, while the
problem solely comes from bad
installation and cheap, unskilled
labour.” He underlines the need for
better requirements, driven either
by market mechanisms, regulatory
intervention, or both. “We need
minimum qualification requirements
throughout the supply and value
chain.”
Lattner stresses, “Bad user
experience is ultimately a different
indication that HVAC systems don’t
work as projected, and that always
means that we waste a lot of energy,
people’s energy in fighting bad
installation and significant amounts
of electricity. It's time to clarify
responsibilities. Energy certificates
for buildings, minimum qualification
requirements for technicians, and a
code of conduct for FM companies
are examples of tools that can be
used by authorities in their efforts
to cultivate more sustainable
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NEWSLETTER
INSIGHTS
Regulatory developments in the GCC
Regulatory bodies in the region are back in full steam to revise existing regulations for air
conditioners after two more quiet years owed to the pandemic. Markus Lattner, Managing
Director of Eurovent Middle East, shares insights into discussions, developments and the
association’s positions.
Currently, regulations for both small
and large-capacity air conditioners
(GSO 2630, SASO 2663, SASO 2874,
UAE.S 5010-1, UAE.S 5010-5) are
under revision by the respective
bodies and technical committees,
which are working in full steam. To
fully understand the implications
of regulatory developments, it is
important to dissect a technical
regulation into its major parts.
Normative References
For one, normative references
ultimately determine under which
standards and test methods a
product is allowed to enter a
market. The references commonly
used internationally in the HVAC
sector are ISO, EN and ANSI
standards. The decision of which
one specifically to apply is a
challenging one. In this globalised
time, products and components
are manufactured and shipped
around the world. For instance,
most air conditioning equipment for
IT cooling sold in the Middle East
is produced by European factories.
However, that doesn’t mean they
are European companies.
Most of the big international players
from Asia, Europe and America have
production lines all over the globe
and produce for local and regional
markets, but also beyond. The
industry is not divided along political
borders but rather bound to what
the markets demand. Inclusivity
in terms of normative references
thus is preferred by manufacturers
to allow flexibility in regards to
their supply chain. As long as the
standards referenced reflect the
latest versions and are comparable
in terms of testing methodology and
results, it provides much-needed
fairness in market access.
For some products, ISO standards
have been agreed to by most
of the players and became the
preferred option, while for other
products EN or ANSI standards still
prevail, mostly due to weaker or
lacking ISO coverage. Additionally,
environmental conditions
demand regional adjustments of
international standards to reflect
the increased requirements for
energy performance and durabilites
in the region.
Normative references also have
significant impact on market
surveillance and regulatory
Markus Lattner
compliance. In itself a crucial
point for a closer look, which I
will get back to in a bit. Overall,
it is important to address such
references on a product-by-product
basis, to clearly understand the
origins of equipment and avoid
interruptions of supply chains.
Minimum energy performance
requirements
Minimum energy performance
requirements (MEPS) are core and
purpose of such regulations. They
define minimum efficiency values
for products in the market and are
the basis of any energy labelling. In
the current revisions, authorities
are set to change from EER to SEER
(Seasonal Efficiency) calculations.
The industry fully supports this
transition as SEER provides a more
realistic calculation of energy
consumption, especially with more
variable speed technology in place.
As SEER is based on weather
bins, it can be fully adjusted to
local requirements. Eurovent has
looked at various weather bins in
the region and concluded, from
sample calculations, that the
differences among weather bins
of Saudi Arabia, Kuwait and UAE
lead to only marginally different
SEER values, opening the door
for a regional unified weather bin
and harmonisation of regulations
across the GCC, even for Kuwait.
In terms of defining minimum
requirements, the discussion is
ongoing. While split units have
taken a leap with the inverter
technology, the region still
holds on to window-type ACs,
widening the possible range of
energy efficiency labels. Here the
question stands if an energy label
which starts at a SEER value of
8 and rises in steps up to above
19 is really effective. After all, it
would do little to push the market
to better performances.
As an industry association, we
believe a bolder push to raise
efficiency levels is possible.
Not taking any side for or
against technology, but some
manufacturers have shown
that also window types can be
fitted with inverters, improving
their efficiency significantly over
non-inverters. The technology
is freely available and would
allow also local producers to
adjust. Increasing the minimum
requirements would therefore be
feasible. But this, ultimately, is a
decision the government has to
take.
Compliance
Compliance requirements make the
third major part of a regulation and
the part which can inflict the highest
costs on suppliers. The Middle
East depends a lot on pre-market
testing of imported products. This
means that before a unit is shipped,
manufacturers must apply, register
and get their products approved by
the authorities, or else shipments
would be denied entry into the
country. This adds substantial
administrative, testing, and
certification costs.
In a price-sensitive and highly
competitive environment, one can
imagine that the interpretation
and execution of regulatory
requirements can make a huge
difference. The industry needs a
fair and level playing market. Every
manufacturer wants to ensure
that his competitor follows the
same rules. Thus, ensuring that all
products are fully in line with the
laws and regulations is absolutely
critical.
Owing to the lack of local testing
capabilities, market surveillance
is not a strong point in the region.
Furthermore, it only really works
for consumer goods, not custommade,
larger equipment. This
aspect underlines the advantage of
independent third party certification
as offered by organisations
like AHRI and Eurovent. Both
have established certification
programmes in cooperation with the
industry, allowing an independent,
objective and neutral certification
of product performances, which a
majority of manufacturers already
use.
These certifications are requested
by planners and consultants
and are, therefore, already in
wide use. And such certificates
are also in place for customised
equipment, which otherwise
wouldn’t be possible to assess
if not for a unit by unit testing,
for which neither enough testing
capacities exist, nor would it
make any financial sense. So, why
are we not using these already
existing certifications to prove
compliance with regulations?
Eurovent for instance, has already
adapted its certification to Middle
East requirements, reflecting
the need for T3 conditions in
testing methods. It would allow
governments to bring up to 80%
of the market under regular
surveillance, as both AHRI and
Eurovent are based on recurrent
testing, and allows that limited
budgets for market surveillance
can be used to focus on noncertified
products.
It also would relieve
manufacturers from the
requirement of having their
products tested again and
again, with no added benefits.
All it would need is a directive
to notifying bodies that such
certificates are recognised as
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NEWSLETTER
INSIGHTS
TECHNICAL ARTICLE
proof of equipment performance,
based on which these bodies are
allowed to establish compliance.
It again requires flexibility in the
normative references to make room
for ANSI and EN standards and
the respective testing standards of
Eurovent and AHRI.
Country-specific requirements and
harmonisation
Other critical aspects of regulations
usually refer to country-specific
requirements, which equally can
become very costly. Kuwait’s
understandable insistence on
specifying T4 conditions or the
UAE requirement for a 20-degree
cut-off limit for ACs, or the need
to accommodate varying voltage
declarations on name plates and
country-specific energy labels,
are making life difficult for
manufacturers.
Harmonisation would substantially
reduce air conditioning costs in
the region while increasing the
number of available options in
the market. The T4 requirement
in Kuwait is prohibitive for many
suppliers, as the low market volume
renders investment in extra testing
and certification not feasible. The
20-degree temperature limitation,
while in itself a very worthwhile and
valuable political consideration,
brings about a number of concerns.
As only applied in the UAE, it
requires extra stockholding
and costly processes to fulfil.
Additionally, its effectiveness in
achieving the original intention
of implementation is doubtful, as
Eurovent Middle East has outlined
in another article. (See the article
“Setting the Limits”)
Harmonisation is the top priority
for the industry and could unlock
more energy-saving potential
through regulatory intervention as
is currently achieved in the bespoke
regulations. It would reduce unit
prices considerably making room
for more ambitious performance
requirements. After all, what is the
point of different requirements in
each GCC country if ultimately the
products sold are exactly the same?
Stakeholding – the importance of
working together
Eurovent Middle East is involved in
all current technical committees
providing inputs by the industry.
Within several open meetings in
the past months, we called upon
members and non-members to
provide us with their comments
and we have established the main
positions of the industry, which
we will bring forward to each
committee. But if the industry
wants to see more harmonisation
and be heard by regulators, it is
crucial to show support and work
together.
Stakeholding processes are
complicated and take their time.
Equally, authorities need to
understand that due process is
vital to better regulations and that
an industry association needs
time to discuss and consent on
positions with manufacturers.
There is room for improvement on
either side, but overall I see many
steps in the right direction. It is a
long way to go, but at least we are
on the right road.
Uncovering the savings from
certified cooling towers
Emmanuel Timothy, Senior Project Engineer, BAC Middle East L.L.C. and Rafael Van Eijcken,
General Manager, BAC Middle East L.L.C., write on the actual savings that can be unlocked
from opting for Eurovent or CTI certified cooling towers compared to cutting cost with
undersized cooling towers…
Although cost is a critical
consideration for customers, there
is a need to encourage a more
holistic procurement strategy that
considers long-term savings over
first-time payments. The initial cost
is not the best, nor should it be the
only measurement of the product's
true value, especially when it
comes to critical HVAC equipment
such as cooling towers, where the
performance and operation will be
responsible for the majority of the
total cost in the long term.
This issue becomes very applicable
and visible when choosing between
certified or non-certified equipment.
Certified equipment differs from
non-certified equipment not only in
terms of the initial purchase price,
with the former typically being more
expensive, but also in terms of size,
weight, performance, and other
aspects. The reluctance of some
stakeholders to invest in Eurovent
or CTI-certified cooling towers is
primarily due to the need for more
awareness and understanding of
the value it offers to their bottom
line in the long term. However,
having a clear understanding of
the importance of certification and
the available supporting tools for
customers to verify and choose
certified models would help prevent
the selection of incorrect cooling
towers, which will have severe
consequences due to performance
issues in the installed site.
To provide background, Eurovent
Certified Performance (ECP)
Programs' main aim is to promote
fair competition and provide
customers with reliable information
about the performance of equipment
in the market. To achieve this,
manufacturers' claims regarding
product ratings are verified through
independent testing of randomly
selected production models in
external laboratories. The objective
is to ensure that each certification
program is effective and trustworthy
enough for the market to recognise
and demand ECP-certified
equipment when making investment
decisions. Eurovent, in collaboration
with the US Cooling Technology
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NEWSLETTER
TECHNICAL ARTICLE
Rafael Van Eijcken
Institute (CTI), has developed a
certification program specifically for
the thermal performance of factoryassembled
open, and closed-circuit
cooling towers. These program
models consist of individual units
with published thermal rating
capacities and associated input fan
power levels.
Looking at the numbers
Let us consider a typical example
in the Middle East of an HVAC
application that operates year-round
with a load variation from 100%
in summer to 75% in winter. The
summer condition to cool 100 LPS
from 40°C to 35°C at an ambient wet
bulb temperature (WBT) of 32°C. In
this case, the cooling capacity to be
rejected would be 2093 KW.
For this scenario, the selected
cooling tower, which we can refer
to as Cooling Tower A (CT-A), will
have a length of 2585 mm, 5500
mm wide and 3653 mm high with
29 KW absorbed fan power and a 30
KW installed fan motor. The overall
sound power level of CT-A would be
104 dB(A).
Now, let us consider an undersized
model Cooling Tower B (CT-B),
which would only deliver 85% but
with a lower initial cost than CT-A.
Typically, this unit would be 15%
smaller in physical size or have
the same size as CT-A but with an
absorbed fan power of only 20.1 KW
Emmanuel Timothy
with a 22 KW installed fan motor.
The overall sound power level of
the CT-B would be 102 dB(A).
For 2093 KW, which has to be
dissipated at WBT 32°C, CT-B will
supply a 1.35°C warmer outlet
than designed. Or it will deliver
the design temperatures up to a
WBT of 30.79°C only.
For projects where undersized
cooling towers are installed, which
are also typically non-certified
cooling towers, when customers
face a shortage in capacity
and contact that cooling tower
manufacturer about the problems
faced on site, the response will
typically be that the supplied
cooling tower is “correctly
sized” and that the issue is most
probably related to poor operation
and maintenance. This risk is
taken by some manufacturers in
the belief that the customers will
not make an effort to request and/
or verify third-party certification
documents, as their main priority
is choosing a system with the
lowest initial cost. Initially, the
problems caused by an undersized
cooling tower unit might be
minimal until the project requires
its full cooling load which may
take several years. In time,
however, the problem of capacity
shortage will be aggravated and
create serious problems onsite.
Although the customer may be
misled by small power savings
on the fan motor KW for CT-B
compared to CT-A, they may not
be aware that such an undersized
cooling tower will trigger extra
work on the chiller by increased
compressor lift linked to the 1.35°C
warmer water supplied to the chiller
by CT-B. This increased compressor
work increases the chiller power
consumption significantly during a
year-round operation by more than
6%. With the chiller compressor
motor being a multiple of the CT
fan motor, this situation causes
significantly higher operational
costs for the customer.
Let us also look at the annual
economic impact the customer
will face with CT-A and CT-B if
both cooling towers use variable
frequency drives and run with a
water concentration factor of 5
cycles.
The fan kWh requirement-based
year-round operation for CT-A will
be 55,540 kWh, and for CT-B, it
will be only 50,800 kWh. However,
looking at the electrical energy
needed for the chiller, for CT-A, we
need 1,114360 kWh, but for CT-B,
the chiller requirement goes up to
1,178,700 kWh, which is 6% more.
Therefore, by adding the chiller and
fan kWh the CT-B system still needs
5% more electrical energy annually.
A typical AED 0.38 fils/kWh cost will
represent an annual operating cost
of AED 22,648.00.
In addition, CT-B will have more
water consumption, as the chiller
will need to work harder, and
therefore more waste energy is
dissipated, resulting in more water
evaporating. Ultimately, the CT-B
water consumption will be 300 m3
[65,991.00 Imperial Gals] water
more than CT-A. Considering the
water rate at AED 4.6 fils/IG (plus
the sewerage charges) this will add
approximately another AED 4,500.00
per year.
Below is a chart illustrating the
additional cost vs energy and water
costs with a 3% year-on-inflation
rate price increase.
The total operating cost difference
for water and electricity for
the system with CT-B will be
AED 27,148.00. This number is
typically near to half of the first
cost difference with CT-A. From
this, it is clear that a small price
advantage for CT-B melts away when
considering energy and water costs
Keep in mind
Thus, it is essential to remember
that value for money does not just
come by looking at the first cost and
mindlessly accepting manufacturer
documents with self-declared
thermal performance. A customer
must be able to challenge such
manufacturer declarations by
questioning whether the thermal
performance is Eurovent/CTI
certified or insist on a performance
field test (acceptance test)
according to the Eurovent/CTI
standards to confirm or verify the
declared thermal performance.
Only by insisting on a field
performance test carried out by
certified testing agencies, even
with the additional cost, will the
customer determine whether the
cooling tower can provide the listed
performance. However, suppose
the results lead to a failed test. In
that case, the customer’s misery
will just begin, as this often leads to
many unpleasant discussions with
the manufacturer, often with no final
resolution. Selecting a cooling tower
which has Eurovent / CTI Certified
Performance via either the third
party or internal lab testing ensures
the buyer before the purchase that
they will not have higher operating
costs due to underperformance.
Certified thermal performance
testing removes risk towards
system economics and removes
the guesswork. It also removes the
problems of litigation, penalties and
compensation should an already
purchased product be found to
underperform because it’s too late
by then.
Remember to look for the Eurovent
/ CTI Certified Performance mark
to ensure optimal cooling tower
selection. Eurovent includes yearly
factory certification conformity
audits of the Cooling Tower
manufacturer. At the end of the
day, purchasing a Eurovent / CTI-
Certified model ensures that the
cooling tower will perform as
specified. In all instances of thermal
certification, the purchased model,
or a model within the same line, will
have been thoroughly inspected and
tested by a Eurovent / CTI-licensed
testing agency, and customers can
rest assured that their system will
operate as intended.
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NEWSLETTER
MARKET OUTLOOK
Dubai's Construction Boom:
A Resurgence Fueling
Opportunities
By BNC Network
Here are three key themes worth
exploring for HVAC companies
planning their strategy for the region:
The first is the resurgence of Dubai,
the second is sustainable construction,
and the third is KSA’s ambition to be
a leader in all spheres in the years
ahead. We’ll touch upon each of these
briefly along with some key stats.
The Resurgence of Dubai
The sharp decline in the size of the
Dubai construction market post the
expo was expected but so was an
announcement of what would come
next. The pandemic and global
instability have delayed some of
these plans, but Dubai is back and
firing on all cylinders. In the last
5 months, there have been 149
contract awards worth USD 8.5
billion in Dubai alone and there are
several more expected to follow.
Add to this an increase in activity
in Abu Dhabi and cornerstone
projects such as the USD 3.9 billion
Wynn Resort in Ras Al Khaimah
and you have the makings of a new
construction boom.
Contract Awards - UAE:
Sustainable Construction
With COP 28 around the corner,
there is a fresh impetus to drive
sustainability in construction.
While the big move is the energy
transition from fossil fuels to
renewable sources, the
construction sector is a major
contributor to carbon emissions
and has a key role to play. While
there is growing interest in LEED
certification and other standards
that would tout the sustainability
of the project, there are also more
grassroots-level discussions
underway to find practical solutions
to save energy and water consumed
by HVAC systems, which are one of
the biggest energy consumers.
This is an opportune time to connect
directly with project owners who are
now increasingly open to listening to
ideas and learning about products
that would reduce the lifecycle
cost of the projects that they are
creating.
KSA: A whiteboard for new
solutions
KSA does not want to be fantastical
just in terms of tourism, it wants
to be a market leader in several
spheres - the foremost of these is
construction given the hundreds of
billions of dollars that the country
is committing to its giga-projects.
While announcements of major
projects have continued this year,
there has also been an uptick in
contract awards which will translate
into tangible and significant work for
HVAC suppliers in 2024 and beyond.
Awards & Announcements - Saudi
Arabia
KSA’s ambition to lead lends itself
well as a virgin test site for every
supplier who has a magical new
transformative solution that the
market was not willing to pay for
in the past and for commoditized
products it has the volume to offer
through the massive developments
that are underways through the
housing program being orchestrated
by Roshn.
In closing, a two-pronged KSA-UAE
sustainability enablement strategy
is the recipe for success that your
Boards of Directors will probably be
appreciative of at your next board
presentation.
www.eurovent.me
JUNE 2023 VOL. 09

NEWSLETTER
ABOUT US
Eurovent Middle East is the region's only industry association
representing leading manufacturers of Indoor Climate (HVAC),
Process Cooling, Food Cold Chain, Industrial Ventilation, and
Building Automation Technologies, as well as sector associations
and industry initiatives active in these fields. By thinking ‘Beyond
HVACR', contributing manufacturers fulfil the highest requirements
in terms of product quality and sustainability.
CONNECT WITH US
CONTACT OUR TEAM
Dubai World Trade Centre
Office 07, Dubai Association Centre, 2nd
Floor, The Offices 2 at One Central
P.O. Box 9292 Dubai
United Arab Emirates
Phone (int.): +43 660 4012050
Phone (UAE): +971 58 598 9931
Email: office@eurovent.me
Web: www.eurovent.me
www.eurovent.me
JUNE 2023 VOL. 09