MEP Middle East - June 2010

MIDDLE EAST NEWS UPDATE |06EVENTS |11

MEP AWARDS 2010 |14BUSINESS LEADS |46

PRODUCTS |52THE LAST WORD |56

An ITP Business Publication | June 2010 Vol. 5 Issue 6Essential information for mechanical, electrical and plumbing professionals

Licensed by Dubai Media City

FACILITIES MANAGEMENTTHE ROLE OF MEP IN INTEGRATED DESIGN

MARKET ANALYSISAN IN-DEPTH LOOK AT THE GLOBAL AIR-CON MARKET

An ITP Business Publication | June 2010 Vol. 5 Issue 6sential information for mechanical, electrical and plumbingggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggg ppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppprrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooffffffffffffffffffffffffffffffffffffffffffffffffffffffffffffffeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeesssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssionals

Licensed by Dubai Media City

ACILITIESMANAGEMENTHE ROLE OF MEP IN TEGRATED DESIGN

MARKET NALYSIS

N IN-DEPTH LOOK AT HE GLOBAL AIR-CONARKET

ALSO: JIT CHAKRAVARTY FROM EUROSTAR ON SOLAR ENERGY

DSI chief corporate affairs offi cer Zeina Tabari on the challenges of human

resource management in the MEP sector

TOUCH

THE HUMAN

www.eaton.com

A Historical Event.

Eaton is a diversified power management company with 2009 sales of $11.9 billion. Eaton is a global technology leader in electrical components and systems for power quality, distribution and control; hydraulics components, systems and services for industrial and mobile equipment; aerospace fuel, hydraulics and pneumatic systems; and truck and automotive drivetrain and powertrain systetms.

Eaton Electric Ltd., Dubai World Trade Centre - Level 16Sheikh Zayed Road, P.O. Box 9398 , Dubai, UAETel: 9714-3313938, Fax: 9714-3329239

Eaton’s Busway line of productsand state-of-the-art UPS systems

was the perfect fitfor this architectural feat.

Eaton Takes PrideIn Being A Part Of It.

Our family of Product Series

June 2010 | MEP Middle East 1www.constructionweekonline.com

JUNE 2010 VOLUME 5 ISSUE 6

CONTENTS

03 CONSTRUCTION WEEK ONLINE

05 COMMENT

06 UPDATE

11 EVENTS

14 MEP AWARDS 2010Full category listings.

17 THE BIG INTERVIEW DSI’s Zeina Tabari on the

mechanics of acquisition and diversifi cation.

20 R+T ME 2010The latest roller-shutter trends.

22 VALUE ENGINEERINGThe role of MEP in achieving LEED.

24 PROFILEJit Chakravarty from Eurostar on solar energy.

28 TECHNICAL Chiller industry luminary Don Ep-

pelheimer on system optimisation.

32 FACILITIES MANAGEMENT The role of MEP and FM in inte-

grated design

34 MARKET ANALYSIS BSRIA examines the region’s air-

con market.

36 TECHNOLOGY LG’s latest air-con technology.

40 PROJECT KAUST in Saudi Arabia.

44 REGION IN FOCUS Major MEP projects in Bahrain.

46 BUSINESS LEADS MEP opportunities in Bahrain.

48 METAL MONITOR

50 LEGAL

52 PRODUCTS

56 THE LAST WORD

24

32

You could talk for hours about our experience in commercial and industrial boiler technology.Or you could just incorporate it.

Viessmann Middle East FZESAIF Zone PO Box 120841, Sharjah UAEphone +971-6-557 87 56 · fax +971-6-557 87 65e-mail: [email protected]

Viessmann displays greatness: with a

comprehensive range of futureproof boiler

and steam boiler technologies for industry

and commerce. Steam boiler efficiency up

to 95% and long service life ensure the

highest degree of economy. Not to men-

tion specific design for individual system

solutions that can be optimally matched to

your customers' requirements. Finally, true

greatness is also always present in the

details: www.viessmann.com

Viessmann Vitomax 200 HS steam boiler with integrated economiser

Domestic boilers,DHW cylinders and calorifiers

Wall mountedboilers

Solarcollectors

HeatPumps

Commercialboilers

Individual solutions with efficient systems for all fuel types and applications.


CONSTRUCTIONWEEKONLINE.COM

COLUMNS AND FEATURESQATARI AMBITIONSelina Denman, Editor, Commercial Interior DesignAn abundant supply of natural resources, coupled with a bullish approach to develop-ment, is making Qatar an interesting propo-sition for designers.

MIDDLE GROUNDOrlando Crowcroft, Editor, Middle East ArchitectWords like simple and straightforward are not often used to describe modern ar-chitecture in this part of the world, where superlatives are still largely preferred to subtlety.

BUILDING SUSTAINABILITYStuart Matthews, Senior Group EditorIt has been an eventful year in the construction industry across the Middle East. One beacon of hope for many con-tractors and suppliers is the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.

IRAQI AMBITIONGreg Whitaker, Editor, PMV Middle EastThere is a lot going on in Iraq at the moment – too much, quite frankly, for most who simply want to make a living with mechanics or in construction to be concerned with.

RAK WASTEWATER TREATMENT PLANTRas Al Khaimah has inaugurated a new 2 000 cubic metre a day membrane bio reactor (MBR) plant, together with a 1 000 cubic metre a day reverse osmosis (RO) wastewater recycling and treatment plant, to recycle wastewater for industrial use as an alternative to scarce potable water in the Al Ghail In-dustrial Park, which is under auspices of the RAK Investment Authority (RAKIA). The plant was opened offi cially by Sheikh Mohammed bin Saud Al Qasimi, son of HH Sheikh Saud bin Saqr Al Qasimi, Crown Prince and Deputy Ruler of Ras Al Khaimah.For more galleries, check out www.constructionweekonline.com/galleries

IN PICTURES MOST POPULAR

• LEED rankings ‘bogus’: Frank Gehry

• CCC backs UK Tories to the tune of $160,000

• ME has $2.7 trillion in unawarded projects

• Emir helped stop Qatari Diar, UK court hears

• WATG to design world’s biggest resort in

Egypt

• Leminar aims for AED30m in rubber

insulation sales

• Areva T&D secures AED46m GCCIA work

• New insulated pipe plant for Saudi

• Hastie wins major MEP contracts in Qatar

• Saudi’s largest solar installation

EDITOR’S CHOICE

SPOT POLL

For more comments, check out www.constructionweekonline.com/comments

ant, ment l In-ned own

OMMMMMMMMMMM

What factor do you consider most makes a company admirable?

35.5%Leadership and management

25.8%People

19.4%Reputation

9.7%Regional history

3.2%Financial sucess

3.2%Financial portfolio

3.2%R&D

AT ��, WHEN IT COMES TO ENERGY AND THE ENVIRONMENT, WE NEVER FOLLOW. WE ��.

WITH THE HIGHEST PERCENTAGE OF LEED ACCREDITED GREEN BUILDING PROFESSIONALS IN THE INDUSTRY, IT’S NO WONDER TRANE HAS RECEIVED RECOGNITION FOR ITS ENERGY AND ENVIRONMENTAL STEWARDSHIP IN VIRTUALLY EVERY CATEGORY. AS A CHARTER MEMBER OF THE CLINTON CLIMATE INITIATIVE AND PLATINUM SPONSOR OF GREENBUILD AND THE LEED FOR SCHOOLS INITIATIVE, TRANE HAS THE DIRECTION, STRATEGIES AND GLOBAL COVERAGE TO MAKE A POWERFUL CONTRIBUTION IN THE FIGHT AGAINST GLOBAL WARMING AND CLIMATE CHANGE.

LEARN MORE: DUBAI OFFICE - PO BOX 31000 - DUBAI, UNITED ARAB EMIRATES - PHONE: +971 04 346 0090

AWARDS: BEST OF THE STRATOSPHERIC OZONE PROTECTION AWARD 2007 | HVAC PLANT ENGINEERING PRODUCT OF THE YEAR – GOLD AWARD 2007 SUSTAINABLE BUILDING INDUSTRY COUNCIL BEST PRACTICES AWARD 2004 | U.S. EPA CLIMATE PROTECTION AWARD 1999

U.S. EPA ENERGYSTAR® BUILDINGS ALLY OF THE YEAR 1998 | U.S. EPA STRATOSPHERIC OZONE PROTECTION AWARD 1998

E N G I N E E R E D S Y S T E M S C O N T R O L S S E R V I C E S P A R T S T R A I N I N G T R A N E . C O M

Audited Average Circulation 10,400 copiesJuly - Dec 2009


COMMENT

Lightless in Sharjah

When it rains, the roads fl ood. And when summer arrives, the lights go out. “This is now becoming some sort of an annual ritual. Come summer and Sharjah switch-

es off, plunging most residential and commercial areas of the now heavily-populated emirate in total darkness. And this year, the summer seems to have come early for the poor residents of the emirate that is home to hundreds of thousands of people work-ing in Dubai and other areas,” Khaleej Times com-mented in an editorial.

This time, however, the situation appears to be much worse. While the sprawling industrial areas of Sharjah experience regular power outages, “this is the fi rst big power cut that affected large parts of the emirate, from Al Khan, Al Majaz and Al Qassimia to Buhairah Corniche, Jamal Abdul Nasser and King Faisal Street,” reported the newspaper. There were lots of stories about people being stuck in elevators, having to seek shelter in their cars, or even camp out in the open. “And this could be just the beginning. Things could get worse …”

A Sharjah Electricity and Water Authority (SEWA) offi cial told Khaleej Times that the crisis could be blamed “on the excessive use of electricity by resi-dents.” Of course, as summer temperatures start to bite, the use of air-con begins its inexorable upward trend. While the offi cial was quick to point out that SEWA was in a position to meet “the added demand”, the problem was that “the distribution network is clearly unable to take the load. SEWA engineers and offi cials are said to be working to fi x the problem, but there is no guarantee it will not happen again. Clearly the emirate needs to fi nd a long-term solu-tion to the power crisis.”

In the face of projected future power shortages, the UAE announced details of its nuclear-power

MIDDLE EAST

Published by and © 2010 ITP Business Publishing, a member of the ITP Publishing Group Ltd. Registered in the B.V.I. under Company Registration number 1402846

The publishers regret that they cannot accept liability for error or omissions contained in this publication, however caused. The opinions and views contained in this publication are not necessarily those of the publishers. Readers are advised to seek specialist advice before acting on information contained in this publication which is provided for general use and may not be appropriate for the reader’s particular circumstances. The ownership of trademarks is acknowledged. No part of this publication or any part of the contents thereof may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system or transmitted in any form without the permission of the publishers in writing. An exemption is hereby granted for extracts used for the purpose of fair review.

*BPA Worldwide Audited Average Qualified Circulation6,083 (July - Dec 2009)

strategy in 2008. Offi cial fi gures indicate that the national annual peak electricity demand will exceed 40 000 MW by 2020, indicating a cumulative yearly growth rate of 9%. A consortium of Korean fi rms clinched a US$20 billion deal for four reactors that marked Korea’s fi rst export of nuclear power plants. A few days after Sharjah was plunged into darkness for the fi rst time this summer, Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi and Deputy Supreme Commander of the Armed Forces, paid a visit to the manufacturing facilities of Doosan Heavy Industries in Korea.

“The UAE is going in two directions with regard to alternative energy. One of them is Masdar by us-ing solar energy, and the second one is the nuclear programme, which strategically is a great move to have an alternative to gas and oil because it is clean energy,” Gulf Research Centre chairman Abdulaziz Sager was quote as saying in The National. Nowhere is the urgency of these initiatives more apparent than on the streets, residences and industrial areas of Sharjah, where the modern conundrum of rapid development outstripping electricity supply is exact-ing a heavy toll.

GERHARD [email protected]

Keep up-to-date with all MEP Middle East news at

5

COMMENTSDo you have any comments about the MEP industry in the Middle East? Please e-mail any letters to: [email protected] or post to: MEP Middle East, ITP Business, PO Box 500024, Dubai, UAE.

ON THIS MONTH’S COVERDrake & Scull International PJSC chief corporate affairs offi cer

Zeina Tabari on the challenges and opportunities posed by

regional diversifi cation and consolidation.

Registered at Dubai Media CityPO Box 500024, Dubai, UAETel: 00 971 4 210 8000Fax: 00 971 4 210 8080Web: www.itp.comOffices in Dubai & London

ITP BUSINESS PUBLISHING

CEO Walid AkawiManaging Director Neil DaviesManaging Director Itp Business Karam AwadDeputy Managing Director Matthew SouthwellEditorial Director David InghamVP Sales Wayne LoweryPublishing Director Jason BowmanBusiness Development Manager, Saudi Arabia Rabih Naderi

EDITORIAL

Senior Group Editor Stuart MatthewsTel: +971 4 210 8476 email: [email protected] Gerhard HopeTel: +971 4 210 8305 email: [email protected]

ADVERTISING

Publishing Director Jason BowmanTel: +971 4 210 8351 email: [email protected]

STUDIO

Group Art Editor Dan PrescottDesigner Angela Ravi

PHOTOGRAPHY

Director of Photography Sevag DavidianChief Photographer Khatuna KhutsishviliSenior Photographers G-nie Arambulo, Efraim Evidor, Thanos Lazopoulos Staff Photographers Isidora Bojovic, George Dipin, Lyubov Galushko, Jovana Obradovic, Ruel Pableo, Rajesh Raghav

PRODUCTION & DISTRIBUTION

Group Production Manager Kyle SmithDeputy Production Manager Matthew GrantProduction Coordinator Devaprakash V AManaging Picture Editor Patrick LittlejohnImage Retoucher Emmalyn RoblesDistribution Manager Karima AshwellDistribution Executive Nada Al Alami

CIRCULATION

Head of Circulation & Database Gaurav Gulati

MARKETING

Head of Marketing Daniel Fewtrell

ITP DIGITAL

Director Peter Conmy

ITP GROUP

Chairman Andrew NeilManaging Director Robert SerafinFinance Director Toby Jay Spencer-DaviesBoard of Directors K.M. Jamieson, Mike Bayman,Walid Akawi, Neil Davies, Rob Corder, Mary Serafin

Circulation Customer Service Tel: +971 4 210 8000

Subscribe online at www.itp.com/subscriptions

Certain images in this issue are availiable for purchase.Please contact [email protected] for further details or visit www.itpimages.com

Printed by Atlas Printing Press L.L.C. Dubai

UPDATE

6 MEP Middle East | June 2010 www.constructionweekonline.com

DSI Oman wins first MEP contractsThe two contracts are to supply MEP works to government-owned projects

DSI CEO Khaldoun Tabari

Senaat chairman HE Sohail Faris Al Mazrui, DYM president Park Dong-Ha and DYM chairman Song Ha-Hyung

Abdullah Bin Mohammed Al Thani, chair-man of Sharjah Aviation and SAIF Zone, offi cially opened the new facility

Pierlite bucks downturn Abu Dhabi, Korea in joint venture for cable compoundsEXPANSION

Pierlite Middle East, a leading manufacturer of light fi ttings and accessories, is bucking the down-turn by forging ahead with a ma-jor expansion.

The company has completed the fi rst phase of an AED22 mil-lion upgrade. This will add 9 290 m² to the existing facility, which will have a total output of 1.2 mil-lion recessed ceiling light fi tting units and louvres a year, in addi-tion to 1.8 million batten fi ttings.

The expanded facility in the Sharjah Airport International Free (SAIF) Zone was inaugurat-ed by Sheikh Abdullah Bin Mo-hammed Al Thani, chairman of Sharjah Aviation and SAIF Zone, at a function on 21 April 2010.

“The Middle East will be the epicentre of the post-recession global economy, and now is the time to invest,” said Pierlite Mid-dle East MD Lalu Samuel.

“This increased capacity will enhance our market share sub-stantially. Our current capability for technical support, design and marketing for the MENA region will also be doubled by this ex-pansion,” says Samuel.

Pierlite’s vertically-integrated

JOINT VENTURE

The market for high-quality com-pounds for the wire and cable in-dustry has received a boost with a new JV between DYM of Korea and Emirates Conversion Indus-tries LLC (Senaat) of Abu Dhabi.

The JV, to be known as DYM In-ternational LLC Abu Dhabi, is the result of Senaat’s acquisition of a 16.67% stake in DYM.

Comprising three UAE-owned industrial groups, Senaat is one of the emerging investment com-panies in Abu Dhabi. Involved in metals, marine, infrastructure and petchem downstream devel-opments, Senaat’s investment objective is to develop industrial downstream projects while con-

CONTRACTS

Drake & Scull International Oman (DSO) has won two con-tracts worth US$12 million (OR4.6 million) to supply MEP works to government-owned projects. The company reports it is set to complete its scope of work on the Sohar Court Com-plex (SCC) and the Oman Na-tional Museum (ONM) in Mus-cat by June 2011 and September 2011 respectively.

“The value of projects in Oman that are set to go ahead

in 2010 – at the prequalifi cation, bid or engineering, procure-ment and construction stage – are estimated at US$22 bil-lion, highlighting the wealth of potential that the country has to offer,” said DSI CEO Khaldoun Tabari. “We are proud to have aligned ourselves with a project that holds such a signifi cant cul-tural importance for Oman in the past, and we hope that this trend will continue with our lat-est ventures.”

Work will begin immediately

on SCC, which will include six court halls and judges’ offi ces. DSO will work simultaneously on the ONM project, which will display over 6 000 years of Oman’s history in ten galleries.

DSO is the latest subsidiary to be established by Drake & Scull International PJSC. “Our focus over the last year has been to expand our business geographi-cally and vertically, and the de-cision to diversify into Oman follows this underpinning phi-losophy,” said Tabari.

manufacturing system, coupled with in-house componentry, gives it the ability to make luminaires to the required standards. “Our range is industry-researched, expert-designed, laboratory-test-ed and precision-crafted. We are using advanced production tech-niques to maximise effi ciency and luminaire quality.”

Pierlite’s product range com-prises batten fi ttings, mirror lights, wall and ceiling lights, bulk heads, emergency lights, high bays, fl ood lights and trof-fers to GLS lamps, candle lamps, circular lamps, diachroic lamps, fl ourescent lamps and LED lights. It also offers solar-powered and energy-effi ciency streetlights for areas that do not have access to grid power.

tributing to the vision set by Plan Abu Dhabi 2030.

DYM is a privately-held compa-ny based in Cheonan-City, South Korea. A key player in the produc-tion of compounds for the wire and cable industry, it is currently the world’s third-largest producer of these specialty compounds. Its product portfolio covers a wide spectrum for several applications within the sector, including non-halogen fl ame retardant and semi-conductive, rubber, silane and jacketing compounds.

Senaat Chairman HE Sohail Faris Al Mazrui said: “We are pleased and honored to have a partner like DYM committed in investing and delivering quality compounds to our region. Senaat’s shareholders support the strategic approach to invest in companies that offer long-term growth oppor-tunities for Abu Dhabi.

“We intend to build sustainable, diversifi ed businesses around specifi c applications and technolo-gies, international sales and mar-keting,” said Senaat chairman HE Sohail Faris Al Mazrui.


UPDATE

170 000 water meters for KuwaitMETERING

Elster has secured a contract to deliver 170 000 water meters for use in residences and government buildings in Kuwait.

The customised meters meet the specifi c needs of the Kuwaiti market. The Elster automatic meter-reading (AMR) units will enable Kuwait to more effec-tively monitor consumption and strengthen the nation’s water-management programmes.

Designed to accommodate a temperature range from above 90°C to below freezing, as well as violent sand and dust storms, El-ster M190 water meters will be de-ployed inside and outside of house walls and on sidewalks.

“Elster specifi cally designed the water meters for Kuwait to withstand a number of extreme environmental conditions. Our smart metering solutions are ide-ally suited for desert conditions across the Middle East.”

Elster is working exclusively with Al Khatla, its partner for all projects in Kuwait, which will de-liver the meters and accessories

to Kuwait’s Ministry of Electricity and Water.

The Elster ‘smart’ meters are designed to function properly re-gardless of sediments or contani-mants in the water supply, and can accurately measure varying levels of water quality. The meters are also equipped with future-proof connectivity and interface systems designed to meet the demands of future smart grid and advanced metering infrastructure.

“Elster water meters are de-ployed all over the world, helping residential, commercial and indus-trial locations more effi ciently con-serve valuable water resources,” said Jerry Lauzze, executive VP of Elster’s global water business.

An example of a typical water meter

Saudi appliance banSAFETY

Consumer appliances can only be imported legally into Saudi Ara-bia from now on if they have been deemed to be energy-effi cient by the Saudi Arabian Standards and Specifi cations Organization (SASO), reports Arab News. Any ineffi cient appliances will be banned.

“The import and distribution of electrical appliances that are not energy-effi cient is banned because the authorities want to support the national economy by reducing the consumption of en-ergy and also help citizens save on

electrical bills,” said Abdul Mohs-en Al-Youssef of SASO.

About 70% of wasted electricity can be attributed to ineffi ciencies linked to air-conditioning and refrigerators. At the same time, about 60% of domestic electric-ity consumption is linked to these appliances. Domestic residences consume an estimated 40% of the Kingdom’s electrical power.

Independent Technical Solutions LLCP. O. Box: 62447 Dubai Tel: +971 (0)4 2679885 Fax: +971 (0)4 2679886 Email: [email protected]

· Industrial quality Pressure Independent Flow Control Valves. · Maximize your Delta T and minimize energy use with Flow Control

DeltaPValves. · The only Valve that GUARANTEE Delta T performance · High technology that translates to high Delta T and efficiency gains. · Other benefits includes 5 – Year Warranty, 3 Pressure / Temperature

Ports, Lifetime Serviceability, Guaranteed DeltaT, Flow Predictable To + / - 5%

Website: www.flowcontrol.com

· Car Park Induction & Jet Fan Ventilation System.

· Tunnel Ventilation System. · CO & Smoke Detection System. Website: www.hcgroep.com

· High Efficiency Capture Jet Hood· Ultra Violet Kitchen Filtration System· Automatic Water Wash Hood System· Ventilated Ceiling· Service Distribution Unit· Ecology Unit· MARVEL Intelligent Hood Control

System

· Mist Eliminator · Low Displacement

Ventilation Equipment· Grills & Diffusers· Chilled Beams· Oil & Gas Dampers· Blast Valves· Cabin Ventilation Unit

Website: www.halton.com

CHW · HW · CW · DW · SteamONICON offers a variety of flow technologies to meet your BTU and flow management needs, all backed by our legendary customer service.

Contact ONICON today to learn how accurate and affordable a factory calibrated energy measurement system can be.

· BTU Meters· Inline Magmeters· Insertion Magmeters· Insertion Turbine Flow Meters· Vortex Steam Meters

· Highly Accurate · Cost Effective· Individually wet-calibrated to your application

CHW · ONICONto meet yall backe

Contact and afformeasure

BTU MetersInline Magmeters

Cost Effective

Flow MetersBTU Measurement Systems

Website: www.onicon.com

· Industrial quality Pressure Independent Flow Control Valves. · Maximize your Delta T and minimize energy use with Flow Control

DeltaPValves. · The only Valve that GUARANTEE Delta T performance · High technology that translates to high Delta T and efficiency gains. · Other benefits includes 5 – Year Warranty, 3 Pressure / Temperature

Ports, Lifetime Serviceability, Guaranteed DeltaT, Flow Predictable To + / - 5%

Website: www.flowcontrol.com

· Car Park Induction & Jet Fan Ventilation System.

· Tunnel Ventilation System. · CO & Smoke Detection System. Website: www.hcgroep.com

· High Efficiency Capture Jet Hood· Ultra Violet Kitchen Filtration System· Automatic Water Wash Hood System· Ventilated Ceiling· Service Distribution Unit· Ecology Unit· MARVEL Intelligent Hood Control

System

· Mist Eliminator · Low Displacement

Ventilation Equipment· Grills & Diffusers· Chilled Beams· Oil & Gas Dampers· Blast Valves· Cabin Ventilation Unit

Website: www.halton.com

UPDATE


‘Tremendous interest’ in solar lighting

Clean air-con slashes 20% off energy bill at Kanoo Group

RENEWABLES

A local solar-lighting solutions pro-vider is registering a “tremendous interest in solar-energy solutions.” In 2009, the company’s projects saved 2 720 metric tonnes in car-bon emissions in the Middle East and 4 080 metric tonnes in Africa, according to PTL Solar MD Pra-bissh Thomas.

Effi cient solar lights have a performance life of up to 100 000 hours, lasting 100 times as long when compared to incandescent lamps, notes Thomas.

The company has supplied its GRENlite solar-energy out-door lighting to Dewa, as well as Dubai Outsource Zone and Dubai Internet City, both members of

An example of solar streetlighting

in annual carbon emissions.The Dubai-based company also

won the ‘Power and Energy Sector Award 2010’ for its leading role in introducing solar energy solutions into the MEA markets, through over 100 projects it implemented in 2009.

“We are delighted to be recog-nised as a leading player in the cause of environmental protection in the region,” said Thomas.

In order to achieve a wider reach for deploying its solutions, PTL Solar partners with leading providers of solar technology such as Carmanah Technologies Cor-poration, Canada, Reliance Solar Group, India and Mitsubishi Elec-tric Corporation, Japan.

TECOM Investments, as well as government organisations.

In addition, the company re-

placed conventional high-bay warehousing lighting for Mars, a leading manufacturer of confec-tionary products in Jebel Ali, to 100 000 hour lifespan GRENLite energy-effi cient lights.

It also powered Al Kamda Stables with solar lights, as well as illuminating the fi rst automo-tive factory in the UAE for heavy vehicles assembled by Scania, the world’s third-largest maker for trucks and buses.

In recognition of its efforts, the company has received the ‘Envi-ronmental Sector Award’ at the fi rst Middle East Business Lead-ers Summit and Awards 2010, for enabling the MENA region save an aggregate of 6 800 metric tonnes

Applications such as streetlighting are gaining favour in terms of energy effi ciency

ENERGY EFFICIENCY

The Kanoo Group plans to im-prove the energy effi ciency of its headquarters by 20% by running a chemical additive through the cooling pipes of its air-con system to remove accumulated oil.

The company is the fi rst corpo-rate member of the Heroes of the UAE campaign launched by the Emirates Wildlife Society – World Wide Fund for Nature (EWS-WWF), which states that corpo-rate entities can achieve dramatic cost-savings and reduce their carbon-footprint through the adop-tion of relatively simple energy and water effi ciency practices.

To demonstrate that these prac-tices also provide noticeable fi nan-cial benefi ts, EWS-WWF conduct-ed case studies working closely with two companies, the Kanoo

Group headquarters in Dubai and One to One Hotel in Abu Dhabi.

Together with each company, EWS-WWF conducted energy and water audits to calculate a baseline carbon footprint and identify po-tential savings. These savings will be reached through the implemen-tation of simple changes with small upfront investments and through education of the workforce.

The EWS-WWF case study showed that, by adopting its rec-ommended energy-conservation practices, One to One Hotel could achieve a carbon footprint reduc-tion of up to 17%, which would translate to total savings of around AED72 000 a year.

The Kanoo Group study showed the company could achieve a 25% carbon footprint reduction, trans-lating into AED49 000 savings on

Optimising air-con saves energy

the yearly energy bill by the imple-mentation of energy-effi cient light-ing. Further savings are projected through behavioural changes and by optimising the air-con system.

“Our high consumption rate of energy and water has lead to an increase in the nation’s ecological footprint. The government has taken several initiatives in order to document and understand the main contributors and to arrive at long-term solutions that are ca-pable of both reducing the UAE footprint, and creating a sustain-able future,” said UAE Minister of Environment and Water HE Dr Rashid Ahmad Bin Fahad.

“Tackling this issue requires

the involvement of everyone. The private sector is an important part of the country’s economy and a major contributor to its prosper-ity and development; however, by reducing their carbon footprint, companies will also help build a sustainable future for the UAE.

“As a leading environmental NGO promoting sustainable life-styles in the UAE, EWS-WWF is committed to assisting the private sector on their journey towards sustainability, and we invite all companies to sign up to the cam-paign and work with us to create a more sustainable business com-munity,” said EWS-WWF MD Ra-zan Khalifa Al Mubarak.

The Heroes of the UAE – Private Sector Campaign was developed in partnership with the Environment Agency Abu Dhabi and Masdar, with the support of Emirates Foun-dation and Etisalat.

The Kanoo Group and One to One Hotel audit studies are part of fi ve makeovers sponsored by the Emirates Foundation of Philan-thropy and Etisalat.

By reducing their carbon footprint, companies will help build a sustainable future for the UAE.” “ – Dr Rashid Ahmad Bin Fahad


UPDATE

RENTAL

Manlift Power, a UAE leader in the provision of temporary power projects, has supplied its largest project to date by delivering 27 MW (prime) of temporary power to the Gulf Cement Company (GCC) Qatar within ten days. This is an extension of the 17 MW temporary-power contract that Manlift has been operating since 30 May 2009 for GCC Qatar.

The company installed a total of 27 Cummins 1 250 kVA Pow-erbox units synchronised into a central power package producing 27 MW of power running at 6.6 kV. Manlift is the sole power sup-plier to the plant, which is capable of producing over 6 000 tons of ce-ment a day. The plant is therefore a major contributor to the rapid development currently taking place in Qatar.

The fi rst tranche of power was fully operational on 2 April 2010. The logistical operation included

transporting specialist equip-ment from Manlift’s head offi ce in Dubai to Doha, while ensuring the tight timeframes and specifi c production requirements request-ed by the client were met.

“This project is a true example of the high levels of professional-ism and knowledge that we of-fer our clients. The GCC project highlights our tremendous capa-bilities for delivering multi-mega-watt international power projects under tight time and logistic con-straints,” said Manlift Power Qa-tar GM David King.

“Building upon our previous successful performance for GCC Qatar, we are delighted to have undertaken this extended con-tract successfully. Manlift has an

Manlift powers Qatar cement makerExtension of a temporary-power contract it has been operating since 2009

27 Cummins 1 250 kVA Powerbox units were synchronised into a central power package

impressive, proven track record of supplying turnkey temporary power solutions, and is fast be-coming the chosen supplier in the region for both single-unit and multi-megawatt rental projects,” said Manlift Power regional di-rector Adam Ashcroft.

In other news, Manlift Mid-dle East has appointed Tom Andersen as GM of its Abu Dhabi Business. This fol-lows the company’s move into power generators. “It is a very exciting time for Manlift, since we have just begun to sell generators, and this opens up a whole new chapter for us,” said An-dersen. He added

that demand for access platforms and generators in the region re-mained extremely strong.

Andersen was previously group operations manager at Manlift Dubai, and holds over 25 years’ experience in the generator and compressor industries. Norwe-gian by birth, he was employed for 20 years by Atlas Copco, where he held several manage-ment positions both in Europe and Asia-Pacifi c. He has also worked in management roles for both Cummins Middle East and Comp Air Far East.

The Manlift Group was estab-lished in November 2006, and is a JV between local shareholders and a major European rentals company. Manlift Power operates alongside Manlift Middle East, a

specialist in the sales and rent-als of access platforms and man lifts. It has over 1 000 machines within its fl eet, from leading manufactur-ers including Cummins, Perkins and Ingersoll

Rand. Manlift provides unparalleled solu-

tions for clients within the GCC and the surround-ing region.

27 MWto Gulf Cement Company

Qatar within ten days

Peter Leupp, head of ABB’s Power Systems

ABB wins US$108m Saudi Arabian substation contractSUBSTATIONS

ABB has won a US$108 million order from the Saudi Electric-ity Company, Saudi Arabia’s na-tional power transmission and distribution provider, to con-struct six new substations.

Four of the substations, rated at 115/13.8 kV, will be located in Saudi Arabia’s eastern region, in Dammam and Al-Hassa. The other two substations, rated at 110/13.8 kV, will be built in the country’s western region, in Jeddah and Makkah.

“These substations will enhance the capacity of the region’s power transmission and distribution systems and help to meet growing demand for power,” said Peter Leupp, head of ABB’s Power Systems division. “They will also help strengthen grid reliability and improve the effi ciency of the regional grid.”

As part of the turnkey con-tract, ABB will be responsible for the design, supply, installa-

tion and commissioning of the substations, which are sched-uled for completion by 2012.

Under the terms of the con-tract, ABB will provide gas-insulated switchgear, trans-formers, MV switchgear, LV auxiliary systems and network protection systems. It will also equip the substations with auto-mation, control and communi-cation solutions, making them fully compliant with the global IEC 61850 standard.

Tom Andersen

UPDATE


Global water centre opens in QatarRESEARCH

ConocoPhillips and GE Power & Water have offi cially opened a joint Global Water Sustainability Centre (GWSC) in Doha, Qatar. Located at the Qatar Science and Technology Park (QSTP), the cen-tre will research and develop in-novative water solutions mainly for the petroleum and petrochemical sectors, but will also focus on mu-nicipal and agricultural solutions.

“The global energy and petchem industries will benefi t from the centre’s research on various desal-ination processes and the removal of heavy metals and hydrocarbons, as well as the evaluation of cost-effective ways to recycle industrial and municipal water for benefi cial purposes,” said HE Abdullah bin Hamad Al-Attiyah, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Energy and Industry, State of Qatar.

On average, about three barrels of water are produced for every barrel of oil produced worldwide. However, this water usually con-tains residual components that limit its use without extensive

Proposed uses for treated water include recycling within treatment processes

Dr. Tidu Maini, Executive Chairman, QSTP; Bill Bullock, President: MENA, ConcoPhilips; Dr Stephen R. Brand, Senior VP: Technology, ConocoPhillips; HE Dr Ibrahim B. Ibrahim, Secretary General, the General Secretariat for Development Planning; HE Abdullah bin Hamad Al-Attiyah, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Energy and Industry; HE Dr Mohammed Saleh Al-sada, Minister for Energy & Industry Affairs; Christine Furstoss, Chief Technology Offi cer, Water & Process Technologies, GE Power & Water; and Dr Samer Adham, MD, GWSC

Dilip Sinha from Honeywell

treatment. Proposed uses for treat-ed water include recycling within treatment processes, industrial cooling, crop irrigation, livestock watering and wildlife habitats, po-tentially leaving more fresh water available for domestic use.

“The GWSC couples Conoco-Phillips’ industrial applications and fi eld expertise with GE’s exper-tise in chemicals, equipment and advanced membranes to develop innovative water solutions for our operations and the communities in which we operate,” said Cono-coPhilips senior VP: technology Stephen R. Brand.

“GE has had a long collabora-tion with ConocoPhillips for over a decade, and the GWSC is a natural extension of our relationship,” said GE Power & Water chief technol-ogy offi cer: water and process technologies Christine Furstoss. “This collaboration will harness our collective strengths to explore solutions that address not only the world’s most pressing water chal-lenges, but the region’s as well.

“With its goal of developing so-

Honeywell divisions show ‘signifi cant growth’ over 2009RESULTS

Honeywell Electrical Devices & Systems (EDS) and Environ-mental & Combustion Controls (ECC) have shown “signifi cant growth” in Q1 compared with last year, says Dilip Sinha.

Sinha, who heads up the EDS (MK) business of Honeywell, has just been appointed regional GM of Honeywell’s ECC business in the MENA Region. Sinha holds an electrical engineering degree and MBA from Bradford Univer-sity in the UK.

“We are set to have an even better Q2, and are looking to hav-ing a great year. Our ongoing in-vestment is a good sign of where

Honeywell ECC stands in terms of growth. This is a time when a lot of companies are shrinking, consolidating or downsizing – but Honeywell ECC is expanding in a major fashion, strengthening its already strong infrastructure and people base in the region, both on the technical/sales and operational side,” says Sinha.

Honeywell’s ECC business in-cludes world-famous brands like (BMS systems) Alerton, Centra-line, Trend, Phoenbix Controls (air valves), Tridium Systems, HVAC controls and valves for water. ED&S distributes the MK brand of wiring accessories, cable manage-ment and lighting controls.

lutions to help meet Qatar’s need for a sustainable water supply, the GWSC also refl ects GE’s growing commitment to invest and partner in the infrastructure development of the Middle East,” said Furstoss.

The GWSC will also sponsor sustainable development projects to encourage water conserva-tion, including exhibitions and workshops. A visitor centre will

promote water conservation and technology applications to the res-idents of Qatar within the context of a national awareness campaign. It will further target education and training, knowledge sharing and public outreach. Workshops will be offered that will focus on key issues for water-scarce regions, such as water conservation and municipal water recycling.

Sinha comments that compa-nies paid lip service to ethics com-pliance in the boom times. “I think people sometimes forgot about it [ethics compliance] because of the good fi nancial performances.” An-other important issue is emiratisa-tion. “We are also focusing on the training of nationals to ensure our

organisation is multicultural and multinational. We aim to attract young nationals with engineering backgrounds.”

In addition to this, Sinha states it is important for a technology ven-dors like Honeywell to “focus on the engineers who run the FM and maintenance companies in order to be able to take care of the whole service and maintenance lifecycle.

“We are really contributing to that. We are not just providing products in an attempt to gain mar-ket share, but are actively seeking to develop the industry. Strength-ening our presence in key areas of the region is part of that drive,” comments Sinha.


UPDATE

GCC rejects energy savingSURVEY

Nine out of every ten consumers in the GCC want their country to reduce its reliance on fossil-fuelled power generation, but over two thirds say that using less energy is not the solution, accord-ing to research by Accenture. The survey, which covered Abu Dhabi, Dubai, Oman and Kuwait, also shows that nine out of ten con-sumers want more government intervention in the energy market to combat energy challenges.

The Accenture New Energy World Survey reveals that 90% of GCC consumers say it is impor-tant or very important for their country to reduce reliance on fossil-fuelled power generation. When asked why, the primary reason identifi ed by consumers is to reduce carbon emissions (selected by 45% of respondents). However, only a third of respon-dents say cutting energy should be the priority solution to reduc-ing reliance on fossil fuel power: 33% say using less energy is the priority, and 67% say that the an-swer lies in developing low carbon sources of energy.

“We cannot address climate change unless we both create new sources of clean energy and reduce consumer demand,” said Accenture Middle East MD Omar Boulos. “However, our sur-vey shows that consumers do not think lower energy use is a prior-ity. It will take many years before renewable alternatives come fully on stream. Until they do, govern-ments and energy companies will have to fi nd creative ways to transform consumer habits and

improve energy effi ciency.”GCC consumers trust their

energy companies to address energy challenges more than in most countries, but they demand strong government involvement in the market. According to the survey, 60% of respondents say they trust energy companies to address energy challenges, but only if they have direction from government, the highest level of all 22 countries surveyed. Also, 22% do not trust energy compa-nies at all, among the lowest levels of distrust in the world and well below the global average of 32%. The remaining 18% trust energy companies unreservedly.

When asked if more govern-ment intervention is required in the energy market, two thirds of consumers (68%) say “yes, cer-tainly”, far higher than the 45% global average. In all, 90% think there should probably, or cer-tainly, be more government inter-vention. According to the survey, 64% want governments to control energy prices, the leading form of intervention required, while 48% want governments to make

The answer lies in developing low-carbon alternatives for the future PROJECT LEBANON 20101-4 JuneBeirut International Exhibition & Leisure Centre Opportunities in one of the world’s largest reconstruction markets.http://www.ifpexpo.com

CTT MOSCOW1-5 JuneCrocus International Exhibition Centre Construction equipment, machinery and technology.www.ctt-moscow.com/en

CONEXPO RUSSIA1-5 JuneCrocus International Exhibition Centre Focusing on the construction and utility sectors.http://www.conexporussia.com/EN

ASIAN BUILDING TECHNOLOGIES 20102-4 JuneHong Kong International Exhibition Centre International showcase for building automation and management systems.http://www.hkesallworld.com

BAGHDAD INTERNATIONAL CONSTRUCTION, MACHINERY, BUILDING MATERIALS & ELECTRICS FAIR2-5 JuneBaghdad International Fairgroundhttp://www.trade.gov/iraq/iraq_doc_events.asp

RE POWER SRI LANKA3-5 JuneColomboRenewable energy solutions.http://www.Re-expo.net ANKOMAK9-13 June CNR Expo Centre, IstanbulFocus on the Turkish building industry.http://www.ankomak.com

LIFTASIA15-18 JuneKuala Lumpur Convention CentreInternational elevator and escalator technology expo.http://www.liftconference.com

EVENTS

investment decisions on low car-bon energy, and 42% demand gov-ernment support and incentives for the development of cleaner energy technologies.

Two thirds of respondents think that nuclear power must be part of the move to low-carbon energy sources in the region, while 13% say that the importance of nuclear power for electricity generation should be increased. A further 54% say that both nu-clear and renewables should be increased, bringing the propor-tion of consumers who support the increased use of nuclear to 67%, higher than the global aver-age of 50%. GCC consumers think renewable energy should account for 28% of the generation mix to address energy challenges.

“It is clear there is popular sen-timent in the region for a move towards a low-carbon economy,” said Boulos. “It will take some time to reach that goal, but the strong trust in the collaboration between energy companies and governments is an indication that the foundations are in place.”

Accenture’s study, ‘The New Energy World: A Consumer Per-spective’, is based on an on-line survey conducted in native lan-guages with 9 005 consumers in 22 countries worldwide, during November 2009. The sample included 1 500 people in North America, 3 502 in Western Eu-rope, and at least 500 in each of Australia, Japan, China, India, South Korea, the Middle East, Brazil and Mexico.

The sample was representa-tive of the general population as a whole. The data collection was undertaken by Gfk NOP.

It is clear that there is popular sentiment in the region for a move towards a low-carbon economy.“

90%Of GCC consumers want

reduced reliance on fossil-fuelled power generation

Accenture Middle East MD Omar Boulos

UPDATE


WATER TREATMENT

Ras Al Khaimah is setting a new benchmark for the recycling of treated wastewater in the region with the offi cial inauguration of a new pilot plant to promote the commercial viability and sus-tainability of such a venture.

Constructed by turnkey con-tractor Hitachi Plant Technolo-gies, with the backing of Al Ghurair, it comprises a 2 000 m³/day membrane bio reactor (MBR) plant, together with a 1 000 m³/day reverse osmosis (RO) wastewater recycling and treatment plant.

It will recycle wastewater for industrial use as an alternative to scarce potable water in the Al Ghail Industrial Park, which is under auspices of the RAK In-vestment Authority (RAKIA).

The pilot project was funded by the Japanese government’s R&D organisation NEDO (New Energy and Industrial Technol-ogy Development Organisation)

Treated wastewater for RAK industryPilot project will recycle wastewater as an alternative to scarce potable water

A close-up view of the plant in RAK. Photos: Florian Neuhof, Utilities Middle East

The Al Ghail Water Recycling Plant in RAK

as a research project for waste-water recycling and treatment in the Emirate.

Construction was budgeted at US$4.5 million, while a fur-ther US$1 million will be made available annually during a three-year operational period, confi rmed NEDO chief repre-sentative Takeshi Yoshida.

“The systems installed under this project are expected to re-

duce the energy requirement for water treatment by more than 30%, while providing a se-cure water supply,” said NEDO director-general: environment technology development depart-ment Tadahisa Okabe.

“The project aims to establish a business model. Upon its suc-cessful completion, the business of utilising treated wastewater for industries, irrigation and top-up water will be started,” said Al Ghurair vice-chairman Essa Al Ghurair.

RWI GM Fareed Majeed and Leminar GM Pramodh Idicheria

Leminar clinches UAE distribution agreement with RWIINSULATION

Leminar Air Conditioning Com-pany LLC plans on AED30 mil-lion worth of sales in Gulf-O-Flex closed-cell rubber insulation in the UAE after clinching a distri-bution agreement with Rubber World Industries (RWI).

Leminar will be RWI’s exclu-sive distributor for HVAC applica-tions in the UAE. It is one of the largest HVAC distributors and manufacturers in the region.

“Our partnership with Leminar is a refl ection of our vision to defy the recession and register growth in terms of both reach and rev-enues. With the solid foundation and strong backing of Leminar in terms of its distribution network in the UAE, we have full confi dence our new distribution partner will

be able to hit its sales target for this year,” said RWI chairman Abu Baker Shaikhani.

“Amidst projections of a con-tinuous rise in global demand for rubber products by 4% annually, to reach 26.5 million metric tons by 2011, we have also outlined a pro-duction run of over 2 000 contain-ers this year. We are positive that this will mark a year of growth for both RWI and Leminar, as we col-laborate to supply the best closed-cell rubber insulation products to UAE customers.”

The partnership with Leminar is aimed at further entrenching RWI’s position as the leading pro-vider of closed-cell rubber insula-tion in the UAE, given that it ac-counts for 56% of the Middle East rubber insulation market share,

supplying the majority of the re-gion’s requirements for rubber insulation pipes, sheets and other rubber-derived products.

Among the latest developments where the company’s insulation products have been utilised are the Al Raha Beach development,

Saadiyat Island and Yas Island in Abu Dhabi. In addition to ex-panding its distribution network, the company is also planning to increase its current production capacity, with an AED30 million factory expansion to allow it to hit its production target of 3 600 con-tainers a year by 2013.

Leminar was established in the UAE in 1989. Today, the company operates from four local offi ces and maintains nine showrooms across the UAE and Qatar. In ad-dition to distributing high-quality HVAC products, the company also manufactures rectangular and spiral HVAC ducting, maintaining four manufacturing plants, which have obtained certifi cations such as ISO 9001, AHRI (ARI) and various industry awards.


UPDATE

DeWalt’s service agent of the yearIdeal Star Workshop Equipment Trading LLC is DeWalt’s Dubai service agent 2010

Peter Langham from DeWalt with Shabbir H. Paloji from Ideal Star (middle)

The DeWalt service team

Spotlight on role of HVAC fi lters in indoor air qualityHVAC

As end users become increas-ingly aware of the importance of indoor air quality, there has been a rise in the demand for high-effi ciency fi lter media in HVAC fi lters. Kimberly-Clark has responded quickly to this trend by introducing a new line of high-effi ciency media for HVAC air fi lters.

While most competing fi l-ter media loses effi ciency over time, Kimberly-Clark’s fi lter

AWARD

DeWalt, a leading manufacturer of industrial power tools, has named Ideal Star Workshop Equipment Trading LLC as its 2010 service agent of the year in Dubai. The winner is decided on the basis of service audit points awarded by the service manag-er, who audits all fi ve-star ser-vice centres once a year.

“We recognise the important role service agents play, and therefore we feel it is equally

media offers high particle cap-ture effi ciency all through the life of the air fi lter. The com-pany’s unique non-woven me-dia combines the advantages of a mechanical structure and an enhanced charge to provide optimum effi ciency.

To further ensure unparal-leled effi ciency, Kimberly-Clark’s media consists of a mix of fi bre diameters in a gradient density structure, with loosely-packed fi bres on the upstream

side and densely-packed fi bres on the downstream side.

As Kimberly-Clark’s fi lter media offers low airfl ow resis-tance, the HVAC system re-quires less power to deliver the required amount of air to the building or home.

Another value-added feature of this fi lter media is that it can be used in various fi lter types, including mini-pleats, v-banks, bags, rigid cells and aluminum separator fi lters. This allows

the company to position itself as a one-stop shop for fi lter manufacturers.

Kimberly-Clark has received the 2010 North American Frost & Sullivan Product Leader-ship of the Year Award. “Over the past few years, providing fi lter media that fulfi ls end-user requirements in terms of effi ciency and application fl ex-ibility has become essential,” said Frost & Sullivan research analyst Alejandro Lozano.

important to acknowledge their performances,” said DeWalt Europe and MENA marketing director: product service Peter Langham.

“We are committed to continu-ously improving and enhancing our service levels in accordance with international best practic-es. This award is recognition of our efforts in bringing DeWalt’s technology closer to the end user,” said Ideal Star managing partner Shabbir H. Paloji.

MEP AWARDS 2010

www.constructionweekonline.com

Award categories

PROJECTS 1 Best Overall GCC Project of the Year (under US$50 million)A small to medium project, completed or nearing completion within the last calendar year, showcasing the contribution of MEP to the overall project and the company’s total solutions approach, including any innovative solutions to particular architectural or struc-tural requirements, any new technologies adopted or existing ones refi ned, or any spe-cifi c attention paid to logistical requirements, off-site fabrication and supplier sourcing, for example.

2 Best Overall GCC Project of the Year (over US$50 million)

A large to mega project, completed or near-ing completion within the last calendar year, that is of a suffi ciently high profi le to be a noteworthy addition to the achievements of the region’s construction industry. As a major fl agship project, it will pay due testament to the company’s total solutions approach, cus-tomer service and bottom-line contribution, and any value-add to the MEP sector itself such as solving specifi c problems or value ad-dition through innovation.

3 Best Specialist GCC Project of the Year (all values)A fl agship project for any specialised applica-tion like an educational institution, healthcare facility or for the commercial/industrial sec-tor showcasing innovative and/or customised MEP design played a critical role in the fi nal overall design solution.

Nominations are now open for the fourth annual MEP Middle East Awards. This year the selection of categories has been expanded to a total number of 16, ranging from projects to companies and individual awards.

14 MEP Middle East | June 2010

FOR ONLINE ENTRIES AND NOMINATIONS, VISIT WWW.CONSTRUCTIONWEEKONLINE.COM/MEPAWARDS/


MEP AWARDS 2010

COMPANIES 4 Middle East MEP Contractor of the Year (less than 100 employees)A small to medium company that continued to build on its solid order book / project list in the preceding calendar, adding to its track record and reputation and continuing to de-velop and expand its own resource base.

5 Middle East MEP Contractor of the Year (more than 100 employees)A large company with a sustained track record and order book that continues to be at the forefront of the MEP sector through its involvement in major projects in the region.

6 Middle East Specialist MEP Contractor of the YearA contractor offering any range of specialised services allowing it to occupy a niche role within the MEP sector. This expertise has resulted in a strong demand for the contrac-tor’s services, allowing it to play a pivotal role in the sector’s ongoing development. This unique position also allows the contractor to promote sustainability and cost-effectiveness, and help the MEP sector benchmark itself globally.

7 Middle East MEP Consultancy of the Year (less than 100 employees)A small to medium consultancy that contin-ued to build on its solid order book / project list in the preceding calendar, adding to its track record and reputation and continuing to develop and expand its own resource base.

8 Middle East MEP Consultancy of the Year (more than 100 employees) A large consultancy with a sustained track record and order book that continues to be at the forefront of the MEP sector through its involvement in major projects in the region.

9 Middle East Specialist MEP Consultancy of the YearA consultant offering any range of specialised services allowing it to occupy a niche role within the MEP sector. This expertise has resulted in a strong demand for the consult-ant’s services, allowing it to play a pivotal role in the sector’s ongoing development. This unique position also allows the consultant to

promote sustainability and cost-effectiveness, and help the MEP sector benchmark itself globally.

10 Middle East Health & Safety Achievement AwardThis award recognises singular achievement in the critical fi eld of health and safety. It is awarded to a company that excels in main-taining or improving upon health and safety standards on its project sites, or which has introduced any specifi c training or awareness initiative.

For sponsorship enquiries, contact Publishing

Director Jason Bowman on +971 4 210 8351,

mobile +971 50 656 1567 or e-mail:

[email protected].

SPONSORSHIPS

PEOPLE11 Engineer of the Year, Middle EastAwarded to an established individual whose career achievements and stature in the MEP sector promote its continued excellence.

12 Young Engineer of the Year, Middle EastAn up-and-coming individual whose aptitude, skills set and personality points to a bight fu-ture in the MEP sector that will carry on its high level of technical excellence.

13 Project Manager of the Year, Middle EastAwarded to an established individual whose career achievements and stature in the MEP sector promote its continued excellence.

14 Electrical Specialist of the Year, Middle EastA specialist award to an individual who has garnered major experience / recognition on electrical work in particular. Technical capa-bility, all-round excellence and a strong track record are key criteria.

15 Sanitation Specialist of the Year, Middle EastA specialist award to an individual who has garnered major experience / recognition on electrical work in particular. Technical capa-bility, all-round excellence and a strong track record are key criteria.

16 Mechanical Specialist of the Year, Middle EastA specialist award to an individual who has garnered major experience / recognition on electrical work in particular. Technical capa-bility, all-round excellence and a strong track record are key criteria.


THE BIG INTERVIEW

The human

ike most companies, DSI started out small. “When we started in the UAE – remem-ber DSI in the GCC started in 1966 in Abu Dhabi and then moved to Dubai in 1976 – we started with 50 peo-ple. I remember one of the projects which we worked on was the

Chicago Beach Resort (now known as Jumeirah Beach Hotel). At that time there were not a lot of recruit-ment agencies, so hiring for that project was a challenge,” says Tabari.

“We probably had a staff of about 50 people at that time. Today, incorporating all of the DSI companies, in-cluding Passavant-Roedi-ger and DSI Kuwait and DSI Qatar, we are ap-proximately 15 000 strong. And with the two Saudi acquisi-tions that are com-ing up at the end of the year, which include one MEP company and an-other civil contract-ing company, we will have a workforce of about 20 000 to 22 000. One of the com-panies has about 7 000 people and the other one has around 2 000

“We then move on to the departmental managers. We in the corporate offi ce have functional reporting, so every person in the area reports to someone else in corporate. So human resources in Abu Dhabi and Qatar all report to human resources in the corporate offi ce, just to make sure that all of the policies and procedures, recruitment methodologies and selection processes are consistent. This also ensures we all use the same suppliers and vendors, so fi rstly you can take advantage of the volume of work, and secondly that the overall quality is the same.”

GERMANAn example of this was DSI’s most recent acquisition, that of Passavant-Roediger, a German developer of wastewater, water and sludge treatment technologies. The company bought an 82% stake for AED145 million. In terms of a company with intellectual property rights, DSI fi rst assesses the R&D department to “make sure the creators of this technology have long-term contracts.” It then examines the particular market in which that company operates. “We have never worked in Europe before, let alone Germany,” says Tabari. This means understanding that particular market’s company and labour laws, including such is-sues as “understanding how to hire, how to let people go and how to promote others. When looking at the current contracts that they have, what are the liabilities we might face, what are the things they are missing in the contracts which we can also share.”

Any differences between the two compa-nies have to be identifi ed from the outset. “DSI has a bonus policy, for example. Where-as, some of the companies which we have ac-

The latest trends in the MEP sector are consolidation and diversifi cation, both stra-tegically and geographically. But what exactly is involved in acquiring other compa-nies, and undertaking projects in other regions?

people.” So how does DSI go about acquiring another company?

“We initially begin the process by strategi-cally identifying a company and

looking at their resources. Is it an MEP, civil contracting

or IWP company? Over the last year we have man-aged to buy two MEP companies, so we have a good idea of exactly what kind of resources they would have. We would then assess the fi rst-line manage-ment. We start with the area, fi nancial and operational man-agers, as they are

the three critical roles.

touch

online.com

started in the UAE – remem-ber DSI in the GCC started in1966 in Abu Dhabi and then moved to Dubai in 1976 – we started with 50 peo-ple. I remember one of the projects which weworked on was the Resort (now known

each Hotel). At that e not a lot of recruit-

so hiring for that challenge,” says

y had a staff of e at that time. orating all panies, in-ant-Roedi-uwait and are ap-

000h thequisi-com-

endhich

MEP an-

ract-e willce of o 22com-

ut 7 000e other d 2 000

“We initially begin the process by cally identifying a compa

looking at their resouit an MEP, civil con

or IWP company? Olast year we havaged to buy twcompanies, so wa good idea of what kind of rethey would hawould then the fi rst-line mment. We stathe area, fiand operationagers, as t

the threeroles.

Drake & Scull International PJSC

chief corporate affairs officer

Zeina Tabari

THE BIG INTERVIEW


quired do not. We believe that this provides long-term incentives through which we are able to retain management.

“All of this does not occur overnight,” notes Tabari. “We acquired Passavant-Roediger in November 2009. However, we are still in the process of incorporating it into DSI, not only in terms of human resources, but also other departments like fi nance and the back offi ce. Part of this process involves introducing the acquired company to DSI’s own markets. Passavant-Roediger is growing in the GCC, particularly in Saudi Arabia, Jordan and the UAE, so a big part of the process is co-ordi-nating the two operations, especially in terms of shared services.”

How is the process impacted by the fact that DSI is a company listed on the Dubai Stock Exchange? “It does not actually complicate the process,” says Tabari. “It just means you need to comply with corporate governance laws and overall transparency. We also have to make sure we abide by general company and labour laws. When we acquired GTCC in 2007, for example, we were not a public com-pany, but the policy and process of integration was quite similar. What makes it different now is you are always under the spotlight.”

So how does a corporate entity like DSI stamp its authority and culture on the com-panies it acquires? “We always have manage-ment control. We always buy more than 51% so we can incorporate our own policies and structure. We also enter into an agreement with the company whereby it agrees to abide by DSI policies and procedures. Everything needs to be synchronised, so you need to en-sure their standards are consistent across all areas. It takes a lot of time and a lot of train-ing,” says Tabari.

CULTURESShe adds that the actual integration of staff is the most diffi cult part of the entire proc-ess. “Dubai is a very cosmopolitan city, with a variety of cultures. The hardest part is getting people onboard and to encourage cultural in-tegration. Just getting people to understand the vision, the strategy of the company, where they are going and how they can contribute, as well as what the company will offer them in the future, is a major undertaking and a very important step.”

“When you acquire companies – a com-pany in Germany, another one in Kuwait and another one in Qatar – with different manage-ment and different strategies, you need to make sure fi rst of all that not only the man-agement but the staff and the workers on-site have the same understanding of the company vision and brand. A uniform on-site might not

be important to anyone, but to us it is impor-tant as DSI is a brand name which you see everywhere. It only takes fi ve minutes when you meet a client for them to form an opinion about you, so we try our best. As a construc-tion company we do not sell a product, so it is very diffi cult to see the productivity and the value, which means you spend extra time training people. And when they come from different backgrounds and different cultures, they do not understand the overall picture, so that is also a challenge.”

Each acquisition also poses its own unique challenges. “I think it depends on which market you are acquiring the company from. When we acquired the company in Qatar and the company in Kuwait, it was quite easy, as they are part of the GCC, where we are relatively familiar with the labour laws. The integration is easier than when you acquire a company in Europe or Asia. For example, we have started a company in Thailand, which means understanding the Thai labour law, and dealing with the culture and the language barrier.” Then there are the more mundane but equally important issues of income and employee tax to be dealt with.

Such acquisitions have obvious implica-tions for the DSI overall health and safety and quality policies. “That is something we face everyday. We do have an internal auditing department which oversees operational, fi -nancial and legal auditing. We just started the latter last year, in order to ensure that we are adhering to company law, corporate govern-ance and transparency. With regards to op-erational auditing, that started around 1998. It is one of our oldest departments, making

sure our policies and procedures are imple-mented. At DSI, we have quarterly audits - a schedule gets sent out at the beginning of the year; the QAQC offi cer audits every depart-ment as per the schedule and submits a NCR (Non-Conformity Report) to the departmen-tal manager, advising on what measures need to be taken and giving a timeline.”

AUDITINGThis auditing process is critical because DSI is an ISO-certifi ed company. Its latest divisions to achieve accreditation in this regard are DSWP and GTCC. “That means we are doing something right in making sure our policies and procedures are implemented. We have just applied for ISO 18001 certifi cation, espe-cially for our IWP division, which is involved with water treatment and energy effi ciency.” In addition, the auditing department reports to the board directly, “so the board knows ex-actly where we stand and what is going on.” Tabari adds that, in terms of transparency, the focus not only falls on individual depart-ments, but the CFO and CEO are audited as well, “so there is 100% transparency between the board and the actual company.”

However, policies and procedures do change and evolve with time. “Before we were incorporated at the end of 2008, we were a private company operating and reporting to a CEO; now we have a board of directors, and have regulations and a regulatory author-ity to report to. Hence we have revamped all our policies and procedures. Also all the job descriptions have been changed and the new positions incorporated. Prior to us listing, we did not have a full-time legal, auditing or even

Bilfinger Berger Facility Services MD Joachim Foerderer and DSI CEO Khaldoun Tabari at the announcement of the

Passavant-Roediger ac-quisition in late 2009


THE BIG INTERVIEW

In terms of our reputation, we do not really like to hire people when we have not a secured project.

We have seen that a lot with our competition over the last few years, and have,

in fact, hired very well-qualifi ed staff as a result of

such fallouts. “

communications department. All of these things came with us growing and adapting to becoming a public company,” says Tabari.

The main focus of this developmental proc-ess is, of course, the HR department, “be-cause when you become a public company, you need to make sure you employ the best talent. This could mean changing your bonus scheme and introducing a long-term incentive like an employee share option plan, whereby employees are allocated shares in the compa-ny so they feel their performance at the end of the day impacts on the share price.” This is a steep learning curve for a company that be-gan in the region with only 50 employees, but Tabari says DSI has learnt a lot in a relatively short space of time.

This is why the company’s non-regional acquisitions have generally taken longer than its expansion in the wider GCC. “DSI has been operating in the region for quite some time. The new markets we have just entered into are Libya and, of course, Europe. The lat-ter markets involve revisions of operational activities in order to adapt to their stringent policies, and that is why the development of these companies is a bit slower than the de-velopment of the GCC companies. We know this market very well, so it is easier for us to win and execute projects and bring people in. Now in a market like Libya, we started the company in July 2008. However, we have not managed to win a project so far. Of course, there is always a learning curve – a learning curve of the industry, of the competition, of understanding their pricing methodology, how they recruit people, how you bring peo-ple in, and that takes time.”

RESOURCESAnother component of the process is making sure resources are distributed effi ciently. “In construction, all of your expenses are booked on a project. Everything is either G&A or overheads; you aim to be as effi cient as pos-sible and trim the fat. Hence you cannot have project managers and managers just sitting around and waiting for the next project to come in. So you try to ensure that the next generation of employees are ready to take up the cudgels when the challenges arise. All of our area managers in Thailand, Kuwait, Qatar – that is, in the areas where we have grown organically – have all come from within DSI itself. Of course, sometimes you need to hire local talent. In Thailand, the law states that 30% of your employees have to be local.”

Tabari says DSI is concentrating so much on diversifi cation in order to dilute its con-centration in the Dubai market especially. “The concentration for us in one market was

around 57% last year, and now that has fallen to 26%. We want to be more diversifi ed, not only in our product offering, but also in our geographical spread. It takes time for the out-side world to see the developments resulting from all the hard work that we have put in place.” Tabari is confi dent that DSI will start to reap the tangible benefi ts of this process by the beginning of next year, as its legwork starts to pay off in new markets such as Libya, Algeria and Syria.

NEW MARKETS“What DSI always tries to do is win a project before we enter a new market. We do not re-ally like to hire people and have them just sit-ting around and waiting. If we consider the costs involved, it does not make any sense. And what are you going to do with these peo-ple? If you hired specifi c skills for a particular project, it will prove very diffi cult to transfer them. Letting them go would be demotivating not only for them, but for the entire company. In terms of our reputation, we do not really like to hire people when we have not secured a project. We have seen that a lot with our competition over the last few years, and have, in fact, hired very well-qualifi ed staff as a re-sult of such fallouts,” says Tabari.

The fact that projects cannot be predicted poses its own challenges for HR. “It is very diffi cult for us as HR to compile an actual company plan. Who are we going to recruit this year? How many positions are we going to fi ll? It is a very challenging exercise, be-cause you do not know. Sometimes you win fi ve projects in one month, and sometimes you do not win any projects for the next quar-ter. In the fi rst quarter of this year we won AED1 billion worth of work; a lot of this was derived internally as our Dubai operations are shrinking, so we have to transfer a number of staff. Thus it is not only hiring people, but also transferring people internally, training people, and making sure they are ready for the next challenge,” says Tabari.

ADMIN BURDENThis imposes a particular burden on the com-pany’s administration department as “HR identifi es the talent that needs to be moved, while admin deals with the visas, for example. HR steers, but admin has to be strong enough – if visas and medicals are delayed – then peo-ple become demotivated and are unproduc-tive as a result. It is very challenging. Being a construction company, you have workers on-site in remote areas, and they do not really interact much with the rest,” says Tabari.

In order to address this issue, DSI has es-tablished an admin centre in all of these re-

mote locations, where employees can check their records or update their leave and pay status accordingly, without having to take time off in order to visit the head offi ce in or-der to be able to do so. In terms of recruiting for IWP, the skills set is completely different. They have to be innovative, because it is all about reducing client costs in a more techni-cally advanced way. Civil contracting, on the other hand, is quite straightforward.

Tabari says DSI has acquired a proprietary software program from the UK called Talent that allows it to monitor all applications and CVs centrally. “All our recruitment is done through the corporate head offi ce. Our re-cruitment department interviews people eve-ry day, regardless of whether we have a posi-tion or not. So we always have additional CVs on hand and a good candidate selection.”

In terms of the Talent program, as soon as you apply on the careers section on the DSI Web site, you get a reference number that you can use to follow up on your application. The system also sends you an e-mail every six months asking you to update your profi le, and whether you are interested to continue to be on the DSI database. It also monitors your progress – how many times you came in, how many stages of the interview process you have progressed through.”

Such investment in company infrastruc-ture seems to be transforming DSI into a benchmark for the construction industry as a whole. “We have always invested in people; when we did our IPO, we gave gifted shares to our key employees. At the time a lot of people did not know what an IPO was, so we had to ensure employees and managers understood why we were doing this, why we were becom-ing a public company, why do we want to get scrutinised by everybody?”

R+T MIDDLE EAST 2010


R+T Middle East 2010 showcased the latest trends and developments in roller shutters, doors and sun-protection systems, with a strong emphasis on energy-saving measures

Roller blinds can slash air-con energy use

he latest trend in roller blinds, metallic fabrics, can slash the electricity consumption of an

air-con system in a typical building by at least 50%, says TechnoShade LLC manager Mohammed Imtiaz. “These kinds of products create a very high refl ectance of solar radiation, and therefore a much lower G-value, so that less heat enters a building.”

The harsh climatic conditions in the Mid-dle East have boosted the demand for envi-ronment-friendly roller shutters and sun-pro-

tection systems, says Alusol GM Nasser B. Al-Essa, one of the exhibitors at R+T Middle East 2010.

“This, in turn, has created a demand for better solutions that use innovative new technologies that provide the best protection against the heat and dust in the region,” says Al-Essa. For example, Alusol rolling shutters are insulated against 70˚C. Established in 2006, the Kuwaiti company is the only roll-ing shutter manufacturer in the GCC, and has hence become an established brand in the region.

“The demand for rolling shutters is strong-

est in the residential sector at present, with an increased demand for affordable housing projects, particularly in such countries as Saudi Arabia, Qatar and Bahrain,” says Al-Essa. An example of a current commercial project demanding rolling shutters is the Aw-tad Real Estate Company’s expansion of the Al-Jahra Shopping Mall in Kuwait.

Another company hoping to bring its in-novative technology to bear on the region’s particular climatic demands is Temperance, a French manufacturer of solar glare, refl ec-tion and heat control systems. Export man-ager Alain Huck says this is the company’s fi rst foray into the Middle East, where the

TechnoShade LLC manager Mohammed Imtiaz and Verosol marketing manager Theo

Temperance export manager Alain Huck


R+T MIDDLE EAST 2010

Roller shutters, doors, gates, windows, sun-protection and access-control systems are crucial components of any construction project. This vital sector came under the spotlight when R+T Middle East was held from May 10 to 12 at the Dubai International Convention and Exhibition Centre.

“We have established R+T Middle East mainly to cater to this market and satisfy the distinct demands of developers and contractors in the MENA region. There is no doubt that R+T Middle East is the perfect platform for international manufacturers and distributors to tap into the huge business potential of this region,” said Deutsche Messe Dubai branch MD Angela Schaschen.

International manufacturers and distributors have been attracted by the growth potential of MENA countries such as the UAE, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, Kuwait and Egypt. “In the UAE, for instance, the construction sector is poised to sustain a compound annual growth rate of around 20% from 2010 to 2013.

“Recent industry statistics have also revealed that the UAE is home to nearly 1 800 ongoing construction and infrastructure projects, which translate into a huge business potential for exhibitors at R+T Middle East 2010,” noted Schaschen.

R+T Middle East was held concurrently with Domotex Middle East 2010, the MENA region’s only dedicated trade show for carpets and fl oor coverings. It was organised jointly by Deutsche Messe Dubai Branch and Messe Stuttgart. The event was also held under the technical and conceptual sponsorship of the Federal Association for Manufacturers of Roller shutters and Sun Protection (Bundesverband Rollladen + Sonnenschutz e.V.) and the National Federation of Door and Gate Manufacturers (BVT - Verband Tore).

R+T MIDDLE EAST There is a demand for better solutions that use innovative

new technologies that provide the best protection against the heat and dust

in the region. “Nasser B. Al-Essa, Alusol

modern architectural trend is for wide glass surfaces.

“The thermal screen in our roll blind sys-tem for glass frames provides more effective protection against the sun than an external system,” says Huck. In addition, having an internal sun-protection system obviates wind damage and maintenance requirements due to dust.

“Rolosun is adaptable to either new or renovated windows, and fi ts either wood, PVC or aluminium frames. It can be set up in the frame itself or in the splay. The system is fi xed by means of only two angle brackets, Gulf Distribution Management FZCO sales manager Luca Savastano and T-MODE sales manager Alessandro Zanetti

associated with the cooling load,” says Burle. FAAC Middle East showcased “a new series of products that enables the advantages of automatic operation to be extended to roll-ing shutters and sun blinds,” says T-MODE sales manager Alessandro Zanetti. The TMS35 range of Ø 35 mm tubular motors, for example, are suited to rolling shutters, screens and vertical screens.

Features include mechanical and electron-ic limit switches, with adjustment possible via remote control. A range of accessories is also available, including adaptors, support brackets, remote controls, programmable timers, sun and wind sensors and external receivers.

or directly on guide rails. Due to an exclu-sive process to stretch and guide the metal-lic fi lm, Rolosun blinds work horizontally as well as vertically. They can fi t all shapes and sizes, including rectangular, triangular, curved or trapezoidal and straight or in-clined windows,” explains Huck.

Rolowin, on the other hand, is an integrat-ed blind solution combining thermal insula-tion with solar protection. “Essentially it is solar blinds between insulating double glaz-ing,” says Huck.

“Best thermal results are obtained with a cavity width of 16 mm, the standard for dou-ble glazing. In addition, Rolowin adapts to all kind of window frames and all façade styles, whether new build or renovation. Another plus factor is that it needs no maintenance.”

FEIG Electronic GmbH showcased con-trollers for high-speed doors boasting inte-grated frequency converters. “The integra-tion of frequency converters for controlling the motor speed of electronic doors has many advantages, in particular mechani-cal protection,” says sales manager Hans-Joachim Burle.

The company specialises in contactless identifi cation (RFID), door controllers and traffi c sensor technology. “As far as the MENA market is concerned, ‘green’ prod-ucts are very much in demand.

Due to the high external temperatures, there is a need for high-speed door control-lers that can help slash the energy demand

VALUE ENGINEERING

According to the latest LEED version, MEP

systems account for roughly 60% of LEED points, so

bringing MEP value engi-neers in early is especially

apt when pursuing LEED certifi cation.“

VE Solutions


n fact, some jurisdictions – such as the City of Los Angeles in the US — already require Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) certifi cation from the US Green Building Council (USGBC) on projects that are 50 000 square feet or larger.

Moreover, ever-increasing energy prices may cause developers to con-

sider conservation and energy-effi ciency strategies, regardless if LEED certifi cation is required. Nonetheless, LEED certifi cation has become a desirable attribute for many prospective tenants, and developers have caught on that this is just one more way to make their projects stand out from the rest. Increasingly, LEED denotes a premium product. Thus, many developers are seeking more-effi cient design that still produces prof-itable projects.

For many builders and investors, the new reality provokes questions of costs and ben-efi ts. After all, green is a nice colour — but only when married to black, especially when it hits the bottom line. As a budget item, LEED certifi cation compliance costs can be reduced, especially if value engineers are re-tained to review strategies.

Developers are seeing the advantages of ‘being green’. LEED has been a ready partner in achieving goals that are both good for the environment and for the bottom line: de-creased energy and water use, reduced emissions, and improved indoor environment.

LEED for less

Eugene Siterman

THE ORIGINAL ‘GREENIES’Value engineers, especially if brought into the process early, can identify less-expensive ways to obtain LEED points while optimising energy and water consumption. Worth not-ing is that value engineers were effectively green before it was called green. Value en-gineers have long been concerned with op-timising MEP and streamlining construction methods. Value engineers have always opti-mised system designs to reduce energy con-sumption and waste. Thus value engineers have deep skill sets that can help developers reduce costs and resources, resulting in get-ting more ‘green’ for less ‘green’.

Optimising building systems is the basis of value engineering. The fi rst step in doing that is clearly understanding the building needs, and using the latest codes, rules, standards and regulations to achieve them. Value engi-neers keep abreast of the latest methodolo-gies and use them to fi netune MEP building systems. ‘Right-sized’ equipment and systems reduce waste and result in buildings that are more effi cient in cost and resource consump-tion, leading to additional LEED points.

POINT BY POINT Developing a strategy for obtaining points in the LEED certifi cation process is a necessary step. Each project may have a different strat-egy, including whether the goal is for a build-ing that is LEED certifi ed, or achieves Silver, Gold, or Platinum levels. A keen review of the LEED strategy should result in either gain-ing additional points (that is, a higher level) for the same budget, or meeting the point goal in the least expensive way.

One example of how to get more out of your LEED budget involves the ‘increased ventilation’ point. To attain this point, breath-ing-zone outdoor air ventilation rates for all occupied spaces must increase by at least 30% above the minimum rates required by ASHRAE Standard 62.1. Accomplishing higher levels of ventilation, however, also in-creases energy consumption (cooling, heat-ing and electrical power to fan motors). As

well, increased ventilation leads to higher construction costs due to bigger ductwork and larger equipment required, which also reduces usable fl oor area.

To counter the increased energy used, the LEED documents state, for mechanically-ventilated spaces: “Use heat recovery, where appropriate, to minimise the additional en-ergy.” Energy recovery systems that satisfy ASHRAE Standard 90.1 are a good-sized in-vestment.

The value engineering solution potentially garners multiple points for similar efforts by substituting the ‘increased ventilation’ point with ‘optimised energy performance’ points (up to ten may be gained). An energy recov-ery system will decrease energy consump-tion and improve the overall energy model of the building. Depending on the percent-age decreased, more than one point may be achieved for reduction of energy consump-tion. The same — or potentially more — points are achieved with one action.

This does not mean ignoring ventilation rates is okay. Keeping the rates at the mini-


VALUE ENGINEERING

The increased emphasis on water and energy conservation in LEED V3 is critical to the UAE region, according to Eugene and Arkady Siterman from VE Solutions Group. “The US is known as the world’s most profl igate consumer of energy, but it is sobering to note that the per capita energy consumption in Abu Dhabi is four times higher than the US,” points out Arkady. He adds that the ambitious conservation strategy contained in the Plan Abu Dhabi 2030 is “largely based on LEED concepts.”

However, Eugene cautions that energy and water conservation in the UAE will have to be ‘incentivised’ through economics. “Economics is the biggest motivator. We all want a better, greener and healthier environment, but unless the economics is in place in order to motivate people, it will not happen.”

What this means is a “drastic increase” in the price of energy and water in the UAE. “People have to feel the impact of their consumption in their pockets; if it costs you nothing, why would you bother to save?” he questions.

In the construction industry, and the MEP sector in particular, this has resulted in an increasing focus on ‘green’ technology. However, ‘green’ technology is perceived to incur a cost premium, and hence developers have been largely reluctant to adopt such measures.

“It all depends on how you look at it. If you take technology by itself, it is costly. But if you leverage technology to reduce the cost of other components and systems, then it becomes cost-effective,” says Arkady.

Another problem is that those developers who have ignored ‘green’ measures in the past, but who have now woken up to the potential value of LEED certifi cation, are under the impression that such certifi cation is an ‘add-on’ feature to an existing project.

Eugene argues that ‘green’ measures need to be integrated into a project right from the start in order to realise the maximum benefi t.

“The problem is that developers who would now like to do sustainable design still tend to take such technology for granted. An ineffi cient and

badly designed project, even with ‘green’ measures applied, will still be ineffi cient and badly designed at the end of the day. In order to reduce water and energy use signifi cantly, this has to be addressed right from the design stage in order to be effective,” says Arkady.

Eugene adds that in addition to changing the design process, a mindset change needs to occur as well. “There is no motivation for consultants to reduce the new equipment needed so as to optimise the design; equally there is no motivation for them to spend time fi ne-tuning systems for optimal effi ciency. They do not get paid for that. It is not their priority to make it as cost-effective as possible. Hence you can have a design that is perfectly workable, but with a 10% to 15% ineffi ciency in its overall systems. Taken over the lifecycle of the building, that adds up to a signifi cant amount. Now imagine if you multiply that fi gure by the total number of projects out there.”

The slowdown in the construction industry has had the benefi cial side-effect of developers being more cognizant of overall build quality. “The reduction in cash fl ow has made people look at their resources more carefully and analyse their balance sheets a bit more. Real return on investment (ROI) is a hot topic right now, from the government to developers and banks.”

While this is a move in the right direction, Arkady laments “a general lack of direction, with everybody pushing their own agenda. The issue is to eliminate ineffi ciency in design. While it is relatively easy to convince someone to opt for solar, for example, it is a bit of a sensitive issue to tell them their overall design is ineffi cient.” This is also because of a lack of understanding of what integrated design entails.

“People do not know what it is. They tend to get hung up on whatever trends dominate the market at any given time. The right technology does not have to be solar, for example, which has limited application on high-rise towers. Technology also changes so quickly that designers frequently cannot get to grips with it,” comments Eugene.

NEED TO LEED

mum comfortable level maintains the LEED intent of “occupant comfort, well-being, and productivity” will be achieved. It is very im-portant to note that this example is specifi c to a particular project, and not a rule of thumb for cost-saving solutions. Each project must be analysed as a whole. This example illus-trates how a value engineer will look at strat-egies and bring solutions in a different way.

In addition to providing creative solutions, dedicated value engineers are constantly pe-rusing industry innovations in a continuous search for better and less-costly techniques and equipment. Since technologies and ma-terials are improving constantly, what may have been an expensive point a year ago, might be less costly today.

CONCLUSION The earlier that value engineers are brought into the process, the more substantially they can improve the results. According to the latest LEED version, MEP systems account for roughly 60% of LEED points, so bringing

MEP value engineers in early is especially apt when pursuing LEED certifi cation. With the right team in place, the ecological strate-gy will be in line with the project’s economic goals at the same time.

Whether driven by market or government forces, green building standards are here to stay. It is likely that the future will see a larger array of technologies, equipment and strategies for gaining LEED certifi cation. Partnering with value engineers can help developers obtain LEED certifi cation in the most effi cient manner possible.

Eugene Siterman, LEED AP, is a principal at New York-based VE Solutions Group, which also has an offi ce in Dubai. VE Solutions Group has a global reputation for optimising the design functionality and constructability of MEP systems. The value engineering fi rm has consulted on such premier projects as MGM Mirage CityCenter in Las Vegas, The Lucida in New York City and Trump International Hotel & Tower in Dubai. Arkady Siterman

PROFILE

www.constructionweekonline.com

While Eurostar satellite dishes are a common sight in Dubai, the group’s involvement in renewables is not as well known. MEP Middle East speaks to Eurostar Solar Energy LLC divisional manager: solar technical and business development Jit Chakravarty.

24 MEP Middle East | June 2010

Shining light


PROFILE

What is your background in the sector?I have a BE in electrical and electronics, with over 25 years’ entrepreneurial experience in power electronics and the energy industry, and ten years in solar energy. I joined Euros-tar in early 2009. As divisional manager, I am responsible for the overall functioning of the solar business, including business develop-ment and overseeing the technical and design aspects of projects.

What is Eurostar’s background in the region?Since its inception 27 years ago, the Eurostar Group has emerged as a prominent market leader in the digital satellite receiver indus-try. The group, based in Dubai, has branched out into businesses as diverse as consumer electronics, IT and telecoms, real estate, con-struction, logistics, integrated systems, chan-nel and entertainment distribution and re-cently solar energy, through group company Eurostar Solar Energy LLC.

Today the group stands tall, with busi-ness operations across 50 countries and 30 showrooms at the retail level, allowing it to distribute a broad portfolio of products and services across the Middle East, Africa and the Indian subcontinent. As the GCC region is getting ready to harness the vast potential of solar energy, we are confi dent of participat-ing in this green revolution and helping our customers achieve the vision of sustainable development.

What are your main products and services?Eurostar Solar Energy LLC is focused on helping customers meet their energy and sustainability objectives through the use of renewable energy. We offer complete modu-lar and customised ‘end-to-end’ solar thermal solutions and solar photovoltaic (PV) solu-tions for off-grid and on-grid requirements. We also provide ‘plug-and-play’ solar solutions like solar streetlights, solar water pumps, so-lar traffi c lights and signage and solar avia-tion lights.

We offer a one-stop solution for our custom-ers’ solar-energy needs. First, we survey the site and consider the feasibility. Only then do we provide suggestions for the best course of action. After customer ac-ceptance of the proposal, we work out a full design for the installa-tion and commissioning. Our aim is to provide cost-effective, energy-effi cient and environment-friendly solar solutions, backed by excellent service support.

Are your products fully imported?Solar-energy products constitute multiple

components, and for each component there are specialised vendors. We have a select network of global technology leaders and cat-egory-leading component brands and manu-facturers to procure from. However, we have been successful in identifying and developing local sources for most of the mechanical com-ponents required.

We provide ‘fi t-and-forget’ solutions. A cor-rectly-designed solar product requires very little maintenance. However, we have a team of engineers and technicians who are always on standby to provide support in case it is needed. The highlight of our offering is that we partner with our clients – right from edu-cating clients on solar-energy solutions (how it works) to system design, supply, installation and technical training for their staff. Eurostar Solar Energy LLC offers complete support to its clients at every stage.

What is your main market?Our main market is the Middle East and Af-rica – that is, the MENA region. The indus-tries we target are construction and the hotel and hospitality segments. Our main custom-ers are MEP contractors, developers, govern-ment entities, NGOs and traders.

What are some of the projects you have been involved with?The main projects we have been involved with fo-cus on meeting ‘green’ building and EHS norms

and requirements. In the UAE, we have main-ly supplied 0.5 kW to 30 kW power packs for lighting (with or without back-up), and for so-lar water heating. In terms of standalone PV applications, we have installed solar street-lights in Jordan and Saudi Arabia, and solar garden lights in Al Ain. We have supplied solar power packs for remote terminal units for basic power supply for fi re-alarm control applications in the UAE, the operation of re-mote transmission units in Oman, solutions for mosque lighting in Afghanistan, as well as the supply of power pack kits to Africa. Our domestic solar water heating systems range from 100 litres a day to 1 000, with large-scale systems up to 100 000 litres.

Is this a very competitive market?The solar-energy market is becoming

increasingly competitive. There are more than 50 companies now in

the UAE offering various solar-energy solutions. However, in PV integration, there are very few operators, and Eurostar is a leader in the fi eld. Most of the companies just buy and

sell. What we do is complete system integration.

What gives you the leading edge?Eurostar is an established and trust-

ed brand in the region; we are one of the initial few who started offering so-

lar-energy solutions in the region. Strong back-up and support from the overall group

ensures there are no internal constraints in business operations.

Our competitive strength is our strong technical know-how, understanding of the MENA market and our complete package for solar-energy solutions, with the approach of partnering with the customer at every stage of the project.

What impact has the downturn had on total demand?The global downturn has affected most of the sectors, and construction the most, on ac-count of the liquidity crunch. With building projects being not on track, the renewable-

There are more than 50 companies now in the

UAE offering various solar-energy solutions. “

Jit Chakravarty

An example of a generic solar hot water heating system

PROFILE


energy sector also got hit. As the global econ-omy is recovering and investor confi dence is being restored, we foresee a rapid recovery in the construction industry in the region. Implementation of solar-energy solutions is linked to the buoyancy in the construction in-dustry, and we see demand picking up.

What are the main drivers?The two main drivers for the implementation and incorporation of renewable energy are government policies and pure economics. From a sustainability point of view, the gov-ernment has various mechanisms to choose from, which are being implemented all over the world at present: for example, incentives in the form of subsidies and feed-in tariffs, regulations on green building and market mechanisms like carbon tax.

Green building and sustainability norms will play a pivotal role in shaping the future of the solar industry in the region. What indus-try players are looking forward to is strong government support for the key role played by solar solutions in sustainability initiatives.

What are the main challenges and opportuni-ties for Eurostar?Our major challenges are:• Meeting customers’ economic expectations on attractive payback terms for solar-energy solutions, and competing with traditional en-ergy-generation sources in the process;• A long supply chain – we need to have a stronger local supplier and manufacturing base, nurtured by a solar ‘free zone’; and• Competing with operators who, in the ab-sence of any required standards, offer under-designed products.Our major opportunities are:• The emerging market and the subsequent

With more than 50 companies in the UAE offering various solar-energy solutions, the sector is highly competitive, meaning “competing with operators who, in the absence of any required standards, offer under-designed products,” says Jit Chakravarty.

In the US, for example, the NABCEP PV installer certifi cation is a voluntary certifi cation that provides a set of national standards by which PV installers with skills and experience can distinguish them-selves from their competition. In addition, such certi-fi cation gives a measure of protection to the general public by allowing them to assess the competency of installers.

No comparable certifi cation is required, or even available, in the UAE. Chakravarty hopes that the

fl edgling solar-energy association being mooted by other major players will be able to address such is-sues in the not-too-distant future. “There should be a mandatory requirement of standards and certifi ca-tion to keep unhealthy competition at bay,” he says.

NABCEP is a volunteer board of renewable-energy stakeholder representatives that includes repre-sentatives of the solar industry, NABCEP certifi cants, renewable-energy organisations, policy makers, ed-ucational institutions and the trades. Each member of the board was chosen because of his or her expe-rience and involvement in the solar-energy industry. NABCEP’s mission – to support, and work with, the renewable energy and energy effi ciency industries, professionals, and stakeholders – is intended to de-

velop and implement quality credentialing and certi-fi cation programs for practitioners.

NABCEP’s goal is to develop voluntary national certifi cation programmes that will:

• Promote renewable energy;• Provide value to practitioners;• Promote worker safety and skill; and• Promote consumer confi denceNABCEP is committed to providing a certifi cation

program of quality and integrity for the professionals and consumer/public it is designed to serve. Profes-sionals who choose to become certifi ed demonstrate their competence in the fi eld and their commitment to upholding high standards of ethical and profes-sional practice.

CALL FOR INSTALLER CERTIFICATION

growth in demand due to increasing aware-ness of sustainability;• Governments in the region are increasingly emphasising the use of renewable energy;• A growing supply-and-demand gap in terms of the major energy sources, and electricity in particular;• New projects and developments coming onstream in line with the overall economic recovery; and• New regulations and incentives for generat-ing power through renewable energy.

What are the main challenges and opportuni-ties for the solar-energy sector?The industry’s major challenges are:• The time it is taking to kickstart a fresh investment cycle, and limited funds available for large-scale investment in solar solutions (one-time capex);• The Middle East region is rich with natural

energy resources like oil and gas, meaning there is no real incentive to go for alternate energy solutions;• Artifi cially low energy and electricity prices make total solar solutions unattractive eco-nomically;• Limited local know-how and skilled re-sources; and • No industry association or united voice to call for the adoption of renewable-energy so-lutions.The industry’s major opportunities are:• Increasing support on the part of govern-ment in the form of green building norms and sustainability efforts;• A widening supply-and-demand gap in the electricity sector;• Total solar system prices are on a down-ward curve; and• Awareness of climate change and global warming issues is boosting customer needs for sustainable solutions.

Anything else you would like to add?We need ongoing support from leading maga-zines like MEP Middle East, who should dedi-cate space to renewable-energy topics. There is also a strong mandatory requirement for standards and certifi cations so as to keep un-healthy competition at bay.

There are more than 50 companies now in the

UAE offering various solar-energy solutions. “

Jit Chakravarty

TECHNICAL


A seasoned veteran of the HVAC industry, Don Eppelheimer has been working for Trane since 1972. As global chiller systems manager: commercial systems, he recently hosted a workshop on chiller design in Dubai.

Driving change in chiller design

An example of a modern chilled water plant with all pumps, cooling tower fans and other ancillary equipment featuring vari-able speed controllers to minimise energy consumption.


TECHNICAL

ppelheimer began with a brief overview of the main components of a centrifugal

chiller: “There is an evapora-tor where the evaporation of refrigerant cools water. In the back is the condenser where hot refrigerant vapor is con-densed so we can reject the heat to the cooling tower. On the top you see a two-stage

centrifugal compressor and motor to spin the impellers. In the US and in Saudi, the im-pellers spin at 3 600 rpm. Here in Dubai and in the UAE, the impellers spin at 3 000 rpm. We need a starter to control the motor, and we need a control panel to provide the opera-tor with the necessary level of access.”

As to how the centrifugal compressor it-self works: “There are two impellers mount-

If you were to go into a chiller plant and ask the operator, how often do you see your centrifugal chiller at 100% load? Well, it never happens.“

Don Eppelheimer

is what we call ‘lift’. We adjust the load with inlet vanes, and we adjust the lift with tip speed. When we talk about applying drives to centrifugal chillers, a unit of measurement called NPLV, APLV or IPLV often surfaces.”

Eppelheimer explained that IPLV is a mathematical defi nition of part load, created by ARI (Air-conditioning Research Institute) for the benefi t of ASHRAE.

ASHRAE Standard 90 assumes minimum levels of performance for various pieces of equipment in air-conditioning systems. When it came to chillers, the authors of ASHRAE Standard 90 highlighted the impor-tance of full load.

“Full load determines electrical line sizes, electrical distribution losses, the size of transformers and their effi ciencies, and the impact on society: that is, how many chillers, how many power plants need to be built and what their effi ciencies are going to be; thus full load is very important.”

Equally important, however, is part load. “Part load effi ciencies determine carbon footprint or, how much energy we consume over a year. Therefore ASHRAE Standard 90 imposes minimum levels of performance for chillers — for example, at over 300 TR, the

ed on the motor shaft. It is, of course, the spinning of the impellers that compresses the refrigerant. Upstream of the fi rst impel-ler, there are wedge-shaped inlet-vanes. A centrifugal compressor works by spinning the gas, which creates velocity. The gas en-ters through the eye of the impeller and the spinning of the impeller sends it out through the circumference. On leaving the impeller the refrigerant enters the diffuser, where it decelerates. So gas accelerates in the impel-ler, and decelerates in the diffuser.”

Eppelheimer pointed out that this progres-sion can be plotted. “When the refrigerant velocity decreases, velocity pressure is con-verted to static pressure. It is a combination of the impeller, the diffuser and the rotating action that allows the centrifugal compres-sor to create pressure.

“A couple of features to remember about the centrifugal compressor: it is the inlet vanes that control the volume, which be-comes [tons of] capacity. So it is inlet vanes that control part load. But it is the tip speed – the velocity of the impeller – that creates lift.” However, it is mass fl ow of the refriger-ant through the compressor, in pounds per hour that becomes tons.

“The pressure created by a centrifugal fan is static pressure; the pressure created by a centrifugal pump is head, and the pressure created by a centrifugal compressor is lift.

“Lift has units of temperature. Because we are compressing a chemical with the unique property of saturation, for every pressure, there is a corresponding temperature. This makes it easy for HVAC engineers to use temperature to discuss pressure, as the type of refrigerant is not an issue.

“It can be a low-pressure refrigerant where the units are very low; it can be a medium or, even a high-pressure refrigerant, but the ap-plication is still the same when we discuss temperature.

“In respect of the work that must be done by the compressor, we must consider leav-ing chilled-water temperature, and the tem-perature of the water leaving the condenser. Leaving condenser water temperature, mi-nus leaving evaporator water temperature,

fl ow load performance has to be a COP of at least 6.1 at ARI conditions. The part load per-formance, or IPLV, needs to be at least 6.4.” This required an easily understandable and implementable defi nition of part load, which ARI was tasked to devise.

Eppelheimer said ARI looked at four dif-ferent load points. For example, the fi rst load point was 100%, with an entering condenser water temp of 85˚F. “We compute the energy that the chiller consumes at this condition, and it becomes 17% of the value. The second load point was 75%. The assumption was that, at 75% load, the entering condenser wa-ter temperature was 78.75˚F.” What was im-portant was that all four of these load points “had different weighting factors as to their impact on APLV.”

In 1998, the ARI Chiller Committee cre-ated a new standard and measurement. “The chiller manufacturers voted to improve the standard, so APLV was replaced with NPLV.”

TECHNICAL


Eppelheimer said differences were immedi-ately apparent. “The weighting factors at 75% and 50% load were increased; the weighting factor at full load was almost eliminated. Ba-sically, they took the term ‘load’ and tried to make it narrower.” This begs the question as to why APLV, which had proved to be a very useful tool, was ultimately replaced with NPLV.

“Let us say we have a 1 200 TR chiller. We can equip that chiller with a standard starter, or with a drive. As we are looking at the fol-lowing load points: 100%, 75%, 50% and 25%, what is really important is what the assumed entering condenser water temperature is at those points.

“Note that when the entering condenser water temperature is 85˚F, the drive, due to electrical losses, consumes about 30 kW. When the cooling tower water temperature falls to 75˚F, , the drive saves about 30 kW. So, between 85˚F and 75˚F, the benefi t of the drive is negligible. To achieve substantial savings, by putting an inverter on a centrifu-gal compressor, we need to reduce the lift. When the condenser water temperature is 65˚F, you can see some substantial savings (over 70 kW at 50% load), while at 30% load; the drive reduces chiller amps by a third.”

Does APLV take such fi ndings into ac-count? “APLV states that, for almost 20% of the year, the drive is losing energy. Yet at 50% load and 65˚F, where there is substantial savings, it counts for only a third of the APLV value. Can those weightings be changed?

“Of course, APLV is an arbitrary defi nition of chiller part load. So in 1998 ARI replaced APLV with NPLV. ARI took the full load per-centage point, where drives are not very at-tractive, and reduced the weighting to 1%. They took the 50% load point at 65˚F, where drives save a substantial amount of energy, and increased the weighting to 45%. By ad-justing the weighting factors, 100% load was practically erased.”

However, Eppelheimer said this had an unintended consequence. “Chiller manufac-turers, owners and operators have a fi xation on tons. If you were to go into a chiller plant and ask the operator, how often do you see your centrifugal chiller running at 100% load? Well, it never happens. How often do you run your chillers at 25% load? Well, they are not very effi cient then, so we try and avoid it if possible. We spend most of our operat-ing hours between 50% and 75% load.” The weightings of NPLV conditions seem cred-ible when viewed as load.

The unfortunate fl ipside of this was NPLV’s related assumption about cooling tower performance. “NPLV says that the

could be reduced as well. “This is 6% of the time, according to our Trace700 simulation. For 6% of the time, the chiller load is 25% or less, and the cooling tower water is 65˚F or colder. IPLV states it is 12% of the time. Yes, this is a good thing, but IPLV has overesti-mated a good thing by a factor of two!

“What about 65˚F cooling tower water but 50% load? This is where drives really save en-ergy. According to IPLV/NPLV, drives oper-ate here almost half the time, at 45%; unless you are in Dubai, where it is only 2%. So for this condition, NPLV is overstated by 22.5 times.”

What is the solution to this problem? Ep-pelheimer said that while the benefi t of ap-plying drives to fans and pumps was well known, “how do we really determine the benefi t of drives on chillers?”

He outlined three alternatives to illustrate this:

• Drives on a cooling tower, with a cold setpoint;

• The same system, but with a control change: instead of controlling the cooling tower for a cold temperature, we are going to control the cooling tower for a warmer temperature. This will increase the savings on the cooling tower; and

• A cold cooling tower, but taking advan-tage of variable speed drives on the chiller.

tower is at 30˚F for 1% of the year, 24˚F for 40%, and 18˚F for almost 60% of the year.” So, does this hold Trane for Dubai? Eppel-heimer said Trane used its Trace700 chilled water modelling program to determine “how much energy the chillers, pumps and fans might consume. Note that that the program takes all the components of our chilled water system and runs that building in a computer model for every hour of the year.”

The outcome of this simulation was that “here in Dubai we actually have a population of hours where the entering condenser water temperature is warmer than 85˚F, and even up to 95˚F. This is hot.” There are obviously also occasions where the load is reduced, meaning that cooling tower temperature

What is ultimately required is not

necessarily the most effi cient chiller. We

want the most effi cient building.“Don Eppelheimer

Typical chilled-water piping infrastructure


TECHNICAL

Eppelheimer said the immediate result from such comparative simulations was that “the variable speed drive centrifugal chiller always saves energy. We would expect it to be the most effi cient chiller overall. But in order to take advantage of that effi ciency of variable speed, we need to reduce the lift. And to reduce the lift, we need more cooling tower fan energy.

“So when you look at the potential savings on the compressor by using variable speed, you also have to pay attention to the potential savings achievable on the cooling tower. It is not really possible to do both, however; a controller cannot follow two masters.

“This means a single strategy; and that strategy has to be focused on realising sav-ings on the chilled water system, even though the compressor is the largest motor.”

Looking more closely at the simulation, Eppelheimer said that, from January to March, “the variable speed chiller system consumed the least amount of energy. For the remainder of the year, the variable speed cooling tower saved more energy than the variable speed chiller. We might expect that because Dubai is a very hot climate.

“But this is not unique. We have found similar results even in the US, which is much cooler. It seems to be a recurring trend that a variable speed cooling tower saves more energy in the summer months, while the variable speed chiller saves more energy in the winter months.”

It is important to note that NPLV is used to show that the chiller you are considering pur-chasing complies with ASHRAE Standard 90. In order to be ASHRAE Standard 90 compliant, it has to exceed minimum full load effi ciency, and it has to exceed mini-mum part load effi ciency.

“That was the intent of APLV/NPLV. However, we do not think it is appro-priate to use it to evaluate the per-formance of an entire chilled water plant,” said Ep-pelheimer.

This is be-cause the defi ni-tion was com-piled initially “for a single chiller, and now the in-dustry is us-ing it to make decisions or evaluations

of a chiller plant that might have multiple chillers.”

Another important point to be considered is the impact of climate: “Which is

an excellent argument, in my opinion, for not using NPLV,

as this regards the climate in Dubai as being exactly

the same as in Chicago, for example. I do not think it is the number of chillers that is im-portant; it is climate that is important.”

Why would Eppel-

heimer, who works for a major chiller manu-facturer, highlight the potential pitfalls of the general standards used by the sector? “As chiller manufacturers, we need to be of service to the industry and to support the customer; but at the same time we are also driven to sell our equipment. While NPLV is based upon entering condenser water tem-perature, this has no impact whatsoever on the performance of a chiller, he said.

“It is the leaving water temperature, not entering that affects compressor load. So, in the defi nition of NPLV, it is presumed that the condenser water fl ow is 3 gpm/t. Why does ARI rate chillers at 3 gpm/t and 44˚F? Well, as a chiller manufacturer we can claim its capacity at 44˚F is 1 100 TR. However, its capacity at 40˚F deg is only 950 TR. Now would a chiller manufacturer want to tell you this is a 950 TR chiller or an 1 100 TR chiller?

“At a condenser water fl ow of 3 gpm/t, the COP is 7.1. At a condenser fl ow of 2 gpm/t, the COP is 6.8. Again, would a chiller manu-facturer, prefer to list its chiller as a COP of 6.8 or 7.1?

“Thus in terms of the standard ARI con-ditions, maybe we should strike the word ‘standard’ and replace it with ‘ideal’, as it overstates the applied capacity and COP of the chiller, based on warmer than applied water temperatures generally, and greater than applied condenser volumes.

“If the entering condenser water tempera-ture is 85˚F, and the fl ow is 3 gpm/t, the leav-ing condenser water temperature is about 94˚F. At 3 gpm/t, we get a 9˚F deg condens-er Delta T. At 2 gpm/t, the Delta T on the condenser is about 14˚F. So at 2 gpm/t, the leaving condenser water temp is 5˚F warmer – of course, the lift is greater and the COP is going to be reduced.

“ASHRAE Standard 90 actually assists with this scenario. If you select a chiller that is colder than ARI ideal conditions, or con-denser fl ow that is less than ARI ideal condi-tions, the permitted COP you have to meet to comply with in terms of ASHRAE Stand-ard 90 is actually reduced.”

This is because the fundamental under-standing of what is ultimately required is not necessarily the most effi cient chiller. “We want the most effi cient building.

“If you can save pump energy by pump-ing less water through the condenser, if you can save pump energy by pumping colder water out of the chiller, ASHRAE Standard 90 will give you credit for that. So the minimum COP full load and part load that you have to meet, at applied con-ditions, is lower.

In terms of the standard ARI

conditions, maybe we should strike

the word ‘standard’ and replace it

with ‘ideal’, as it overstates the capacity

and COP of the chiller “

Don Eppelheimer

oooooooooonlinlinlnlnlnnlinlinlinlinlinlnlnlinlnlnliinlinnlinln nenenenenenne.ne.ne.ne.ene.neneneene.ne.nenneeeennenne.nnnnnee.nene..ee.comcomcomcomcomcomcooomomcomcoomcomcomomomomcomccoocoomcomomcomcomcomoocomcomooooocooommoomccooomcomoomoooomcccom

s a e y ot c ate.not unique. We have found

even in the US, which is muchs to be a recurring trend

speed cooling tower ergy in the summer the variable speed ore energy in the ”ant to note that to show that the considering pur-es with ASHRAEIn order to beard 90 compliant, minimum full loadit has to exceed mini-effi ciency.e intent of APLV/NPLV.o not think it is appro-to evaluate the per-entire chilled

aid Ep-

e-i--

c e s.Another important point to be considered

is the impact of climate: “Which is an excellent argument, in my

opinion, for not using NPLV, as this regards the climate

in Dubai as being exactly the same as in Chicago, for example. I do not think it is the number of chillers that is im-portant; it is climate that is important.”

Why would Eppel-

w

w

FACILITIES MANAGEMENT


The economic downturn has resulted in civil contractors and real-estate developers entering the MEP services sector, while MEP service providers are increasingly looking at FM to sustain them through the lean times. We take a closer look at some of the latest developments in the FM industry and what this bodes for MEP.

Facilitating growth in MEP

Keith Hill Jamal Lootah

rost & Sullivan senior analyst Vivek Vijayakumar stated in a re-cent research report that “MEP service providers are trying to get into the FM service busi-ness as a value-added resource (aftersales service), mainly to streamline their profi t levels and to maintain their sustainability

levels in order to offer a comprehensive, one-stop service solution, and to balance the risk involved in both businesses.”

Mike McGeever, the MD of Transguard, which recently acquired MEP contractor MACAir, says there is a natural dichotomy be-tween contracting and maintenance that the MEP industry, in particular, can take advan-tage of. “MEP maintenance and FM are two sides of the same coin: I think MEP mainte-nance is a sub-set of FM. I do not think you can be an FM company if you are not able to provide the full package. What we are doing is making ourselves a supplier of choice to en-able customers really to sit down and negoti-ate with us for all sorts of activities.

“Many MEP companies have aspired, and some have managed to become, FM compa-nies, particularly in Europe. Similarly, single trick ponies – catering and cleaning compa-nies – have also moved up the value chain to FM. I think MEP is just another example,” says McGeever. He is careful to add that this does not mean a compromise on quality. “I do not think we are in a business of compromis-ing on quality. I do not think you can, particu-larly with MEP, as health and safety issues are wrapped around it. Very often, particularly with MEP, security issues are also wrapped around it, so I do not think we can cut cor-ners. Short-termism is inimical to long-term

quality in both the FM and MEP sectors.” At-kins design director: building services Keith Hill comments that one way that MEP and FM can exploit the natural synergies between the two sectors is to look at implementing a man-agement scheme similar to the Soft Landings programme of the Building Services Research and Information Association (BSRIA) and the Usable Buildings Trust (UBT) of the UK.

Soft Landings aims to provide the necessary structure for project teams to stay engaged after practical completion of a project, work-ing with the client during the fi rst months of operation to fi ne-tune and debug systems, and ensure the occupiers understand how to control and optimally utilise their new work environment.

Interestingly, the Soft Landings process is designed to extend up to three years post-completion, with a framework that includes

procedures and example checklists which act as signposts for design teams to help end-users get to grips with their often unfamiliar and complex buildings. In addition, it allows for a full programme of post-occupancy evalu-ation that the project team can use to improve a building’s performance and make it sustain-able over the long term.

EVALUATION“Systematic post-occupancy evaluation is widely recognised to be a hugely important step in the right direction, but it needs to be linked to a rational methodology for assessing the briefi ng, design and commissioning stag-es. This is where Soft Landings comes into its own, closing the loop between design, con-struction, operation, feedback and into design again. As the name suggests, Soft Landings aims to provide better buildings and a more completion, with a framework that includes


FACILITIES MANAGEMENT

Mike McGeever Marwan bin Ghalita

We have the highest tower in Dubai, the Burj Khalifa, which means we have to have the best FM. “

Jamal Lootah

effective service to the client,” explains Rab Bennetts, architect and principal of Bennetts Associates.

“For too long we have assumed that new buildings will perform exactly as their design teams intend, from day one of occupation. However, we know that few new buildings are truly operationally ready at handover, and we also know that energy consumption is often far higher than anticipated. The Soft Land-ings framework provides a simple mechanism by which project teams can remain involved after practical completion in order to iden-tify emerging problems, resolve causes of energy wastage and help the occupants gain full control over the building’s environmental systems,” comments BSRIA project manager Roderic Bunn.

Another opportunity is presented by the US$4 billion worth of stalled projects in the re-gion, argues Langmead Associates (Bahrain) MD Douglas Langmead. “Halfway through building, it stops, the money gets sucked out of the system, and the whole thing breaks down. You cannot continue to build, and your building is standing out in the desert. What happens if you leave your car out in the desert if you run out of petrol, and then you wind down your windows and lift the hood, and just leave it there and walk away? The battery dies, the tyres go, people eventually come and steal the engine, and you wind up with a rust-ing shell in the middle of the desert if you do nothing. What you have to do is something.

“You have to manage, operate and main-tain stalled projects in exactly the same way as completed projects, whether they are built and unoccupied or half-built and at risk. All the elements of FM that occur in normal, fi nished projects have to be applied to un-fi nished projects. There is the same scope of work: things need to be looked after and systems maintained. Buildings will deterio-rate very rapidly if not fi nished off and closed up properly. For example, all the distribution boards will rust and have to be replaced. Pumps will rust and fan coil units fi ll up with pigeon nests.

“Most stalled buildings in the UAE are in the hands of contractors who have not been paid. They say that they are maintaining these assets, of course, but that translates to leaving a watchman on-site. The risk of hav-ing a building sitting like that could mean

technical and functional obsolescence in up to fi ve years. We are talking about a dynamic property cycle in an economic environment with broad fl uctuations. If you leave a build-ing for up to three years and do not maintain it, then that is up to fi ve years of pure rental income gone,” warns Langmead.

A strong move towards promoting the life-cycle effi ciency of the region’s building stock was the offi cial inauguration of the Middle East Facility Management Association (ME-FMA) at the recent FM Expo 2010.

Chairman Mick Dalton says it is critical for the FM industry to encompass the construc-tion cycle in its entirety. “MEFMA aims to promulgate regional standards, and it will do this by seeking input from all sectors, includ-ing design and MEP.

“The critical question is: how can all the sectors contribute to optimal maintenance and extending the lifecycle of a building? The average life expectancy of a building in the Gulf is around 30 years. We need to push it to 40 to 50 years.”

INITIATIVESAn initiative in this regard is a mooted push from federal government to regulate the MEP industry, says Dalton. “There is talk at federal level of regulating MEP, cleaners and other trades. This is a good thing, but it is going to take a long time. It is in our best interests not to employ the cleaner to do the BMS, or have the security guard as the MEP guy. We have to start doing things properly, which is where

the challenge lies in regulating the FM indus-try.” Marwan bin Ghalita, the CEO of RERA, under whose auspices MEFMA resides, was also present at the association’s launch.

He admits that RERA came to the FM party quite late, when everyone was cash-fl ush and taking quick decisions and actions based on a buoyant market, often resulting in a total dis-connect between service pricing and quality. “There are three issues in this regard that are raised repeatedly: transparency, sustainability and cost. Dubai is lucky to have experienced FM players that will allow it to leapfrog ahead of other countries.”

However, this means that FM’s impor-tance in the entire design-and-build process will have to be ratcheted up a few notches. “This is what we are doing as a regulator. We are enforcing laws and regulations for any developer who will come to Dubai today, or some even with a project that did not start, to consider the FM homework before they even start marketing or selling the project. So things will be happening gradually as we introduce these laws. We do not want to stop development; we want to correct any defi cien-cies there may be in sustainability.”

Jamal Lootah, president of MEFMA and CEO of Imdaad, says simply: “We have the highest tower in Dubai, the Burj Khalifa, which means we have to have the best FM, in line with Sheikh Mohammed’s injunction for Dubai to be number one.

“MEFMA is the outcome of two years of hard work, encompassing not only the FM in-dustry but government and ancillary sectors like MEP as well. We now have a big respon-sibility not only towards Dubai, but the entire Middle East, to introduce uniform standards. This will be a long journey, and will need support from all the stakeholders in order to make it succeed.”

MARKET ANALYSIS

The extreme heat in the Middle East, Africa

and most parts of India hampers the sales of

movable units.“BSRIA


sia-Pacifi c remains the larg-est world region in terms of air-conditioning sales, ac-counting for 49% of the total market by value, followed by the Americas region and Europe. The Chinese market is not only the largest market in Asia, but also the biggest mar-ket by value in the world,

representing approximately 66% of global air-conditioning units in terms of production in 2009, according to BSRIA.

This represents a 7% increase in produc-tion compared to 2008. The Japanese market follows closely after the market leader with a value of US$10.5 billion. The last year’s number two, the US market, became the third largest market with US$8.7 billion in 2009. The US market is expected to regain its second position in 2013, predicts BSRIA.

Europe was hit the hardest by the econom-ic downturn in 2009, with the market declin-ing 25% by value overall. The worst-affected markets were Turkey, UK, Russia, Poland, Italy, Greece, Germany and Spain. The UK economy is facing its longest recession on record with rising unemployment and weak investment levels, and the recovery is prov-ing to be slower than expected.

The Russian economy has experienced its biggest annual fall in 15 years, shrinking by 7.9% in 2009, according to federal statistics. The sharp drop in energy prices has been blamed for the hit. The European market is expected to show the fi rst signs of recovery this year, with around a 3% growth in value terms compared to the year before.

The residential/light commercial market was valued at US$46.2 billion, which includes windows, movables and split systems. Un-ducted mini-splits were the largest market segment in terms of value, accounting for some 67% of the market share.

MOVABLES The US has remained the world’s leading

After a volatile year, the global air-con market contracted by 11% compared to 2008, achieving US$63.2 billion in 2009. The market is expected to see a slow recovery in 2010, with an expected 5% growth rate by value, according to the Building Services Research and Information Association (BSRIA) of the UK.

Slow winds for air-con in 2010

movables market, accounting for a quarter of global sales, although after several years of rapid growth, the market declined by 22% in 2009 in value terms. Europe is the largest region for sales of movables, with Italy being the largest European market, accounting for 85 691 units in 2009, down 17% on 2008. This was due to a combination of a poor summer during 2009 and the economic downturn in major markets in Europe resulting in a mas-sive drop in sales.

The extreme heat in the Middle East, Afri-ca and most parts of India hampers the sales of movables units. This type of equipment does not provide suffi cient cooling loads to

cope with the extreme temperatures of these regions.

WINDOW/THROUGH THE WALLThe total Americas region is still the global market leader for window/through the wall systems, and was estimated to be 8.4 million units in 2009, a market decline of over 40% compared to 2008. The US continues to domi-nate this market, but has been hit hard by the recession and depressed residential market. India and Saudi Arabia are among the larg-est markets in the world, accounting for up to 48% of the total market in 2009.

Russia and other former CIS (Common-wealth of Independent States) countries remain the biggest markets in Europe for windows. The southern region of Russia ac-counts for over 90% of Russian sales, where less well-off citizens are situated. The coun-try accounted for 52% of total European sales by volume in 2009. Increasingly these units are being sold through retail instead of tradi-tional specialised air-conditioning suppliers, supplied as OEM products.

SPLITSIndia is one of the few countries that experi-

TOP SEVEN AHU MARKETS, BY VALUE CONTRIBUTION, 2008-2013


MARKET ANALYSIS

India continues to account for one-third

of the total Middle East, Indian and African region, with 1.8 million mini-split systems sold in 2009. “

BSRIA

systems represents the greatest share by value, with 35% of the global market. How-ever, the US dominates the rooftop market, with a 6% share by value. The rooftop market and indoor packaged markets are expected to start showing the fi rst signs of recovery this year, predicts BSRIA.

CHILLERSThe chiller market experienced a decline of 14% in value and 13% by volume in 2009. All segments have experienced contrac-tion over the last year. The biggest market,

ket, or US$1.7billion in sales value, followed by the Americas at US$1.5 billion. The Ger-man market on its own accounts for 28% of European sales. There is a growing trend in Europe towards more complex and energy-effi cient units with heat-recovery systems.

However, the growing pressure from the competition keeps the average prices low. Europe is also the biggest market for fan coils, representing a third of the world market in value terms; however, Asia Pacifi c accounts for 45% by volume. Unlike the Eu-ropean market, the concealed type of fan coil dominates the Asian market, accounting for 72% of the market volume. In the European market, Italy has the largest share of fan coil units sold, by around 33% by volume.

Statistical data was obtained from the World Market for Air Conditioning study. BSRIA is a test, instrumentation, research and consul-tancy organisation providing specialist serv-ices in construction and building.

For further information contact Tim Page on [email protected] or visit its Web site at www.bsria.co.uk.

enced growth in 2009, with a 28% increase in unit sales, followed by Brazil, with a 14% growth. India continues to account for one-third of the total Middle East, Indian and Af-rican region, with 1.8 million mini-split sys-tems sold in 2009. This market is expected to experience further buoyant growth of over 27% CAGR to 2013.

In terms of value, the unducted splits mar-ket is the largest market, with the total sales of splits amounting to US$31 billion in 2009, with a corresponding volume of 51.3 million units, representing a decrease of 9% by value and 6% by volume in 2009.

Despite being relatively recession-proof in many countries, the VRF market has also been hit by the economic crisis, and con-tracted by 8% in value terms in 2009. How-ever, Europe was the only continent that faced declining sales values, which dropped by about 28%. The worst-affected among ma-jor markets in Europe were the UK market (the second-biggest market in Europe after Spain), which almost halved in size, followed by Russia, with a 40% drop, and others such as France, Germany and Spain (20%, 21% and 15% respectively.) Asia Pacifi c is by far the largest VRF market, representing 64% of glo-bal sales by value. Japan is the biggest manu-facturing base of VRF systems, accounting for some 44% of the global production vol-ume, reports BSRIA.

China continues to be the largest split market in the world, and also the biggest manufacturing base. However, US ducted-style split continues to be mainly a feature of the Americas and namely the US, with the total Americas region accounting for 85% by value of all global sales.

SINGLE PACKAGEDThe global single packaged market declined by 14% in volume and 11% by value in 2009. The total Americas region accounts for over 60% of the global market in value terms, with the US market alone comprising over 53% of the global sales value. The global single packaged market is dominated by the rooftop sector, in both value and volume terms, rep-resenting 74% and 56% respectively.

The European single packaged market represents only 8% of the global market by value. Spain, Italy and France are the three major markets in Europe, representing over 60% of sales value in Europe. Over 75% of the rooftops and indoor packaged units were sold with heat pump applications in Spain. Due to limited commercial projects and com-petition from other products, these markets declined in Europe in 2009.

The Japanese market for indoor packaged

TOTAL SPLIT MARKET, BY REGION VALUE (%), 2009

the total Asia Pacifi c region, declined from US$2.8billion to US$2.5 billion.

There was a decline of 11% in the Middle East region. Iran and Saudi were the only growth areas in this region, as the recession made its impact felt, but at a less signifi cant scale, outside Dubai. Due to the nature of construction and use of district cooling in many parts of the region, there is a strong emphasis on larger-capacity chillers above 500 kW in the region.

In 2010, the global market is expected to remain fl at at best, with a 1% decrease in value terms. The Middle East Region is forecasted to show a speedier recovery, with around 3% growth rate in value terms compared to 2009. Reciprocating compres-sors continue to disappear from the majority of markets, with the trend moving towards scroll and screw compressors.

AIRSIDE After an impressive 8% increase in 2008, the air-handling unit market declined by 15% in 2009 in value terms. The biggest market is Europe, accounting for 37% of the global mar-

TECHNOLOGY


LG Electronics Air Conditioning Company (LG AC) has unveiled a powerful new air-con designed to combat the Middle East climate and address indoor air quality.

LG’s Titan air-con targets UAE health concerns

aunched at an industry roundta-ble attended by medical profes-sionals and media, the dual-unit Titan includes a range of con-sumer-friendly features includ-ing high-grade health and safety measures, a more comfortable

airfl ow and an in-built, high degree of reliability, even in the most extreme conditions.

Thanks to its cutting-edge technol-ogy, the Titan is as safe and hygienic as any air-con on the market. Its advanced proprietary virus and allergy-safe fi lter help eliminate dust mite allergens and viruses such as Infl uenza A, a major worldwide health concern in recent months.

LG’s virus-safe fi lter, according to tests conducted by the Kitasato Re-search Centre of Environmental Sci-ence in Japan, eradicated about 99.9% of Infl uenza A viruses in 24 hours. The allergy-safe fi lter has also been certi-fi ed by the British Allergy Foundation for its anti-allergenic properties. In addition, the Titan’s cyclotron plasma fi lter, a feature common to LG air-con, collects up to 30% more dust than con-ventional plasma fi lters.

ENVIRONMENT“Lifestyles in the Gulf have changed dramatically over recent years, infl u-encing the way people live, their diets and habits, what products are available in the shops and the environmental conditions that affect health at work and at home,” said LG Elctronics Gulf FZE president H.S. Paik.

“We also see a fi rm belief among the population that home-appliance technol-ogy can have a positive role in combating these issues that result from this progress. LG strives to remain a pioneer of technol-


TECHNOLOGY

What are the key features of the Titan?It is a dual-unit appliance, which provides a more comfortable airfl ow with less noise and vibration, excellent and safety measures, and a high degree of reliability, even in the most extreme weather conditions.

What are the Titan’s main adaptations for the harsh Middle East climate?LG Titan is equally effective at 15˚C to 60˚C.

What are the main health benefi ts? Using the ‘air crusier’ function, LG Titan sanitises all the water in its humidifi er, meaning humidity with up to 99.9% less germs and bacteria. The virus and allergy safe and cyclotron plasma fi lters help eliminate dust mite allergens and viruses such as H1N1 Infl uenza A.

Is LG claiming that use of the Titan in a home can prevent H1N1?LG Titan provides no guarantee that people using it will not contract H1N1. What it can do is provide consumers with a safer and healthier environment, which will go a long way to reducing the risk of illness.

SPECIFICATIONS TECHNICAL SPECIFICATIONS

Cooling capacity (kW) 5.12 6.74

Power input, cooling/heating (W) 2 120 2 800

Running current, cooling/heating (A) 9.6 12.5

EER Cooling W/W 2.42 2.41

Power supply (Ø/V?Hz) 1/220-240/50 1/220-240/50

Air circulation, indoor, max m³/min (CFM) 15 (529.8) 19 (671)

Outdoor m³/min (CFM) 42 (1 483.3) 42 (1 483.3

Moisture removal (l/m) 1.8 2.8

Noise level, indoor (H/M/L) dB(A)±3 40/38/34 40/38/34

Outdoor (H/M/L) dB(A)±3 54 54

Dimension, indoor (mm) 1030x320x245 1030x320x245

Outdoor (mm) 840x577x276 870x577x276

Net weight, indoor (kg) 17 17

Outdoor (kg) 46 48

LG’s Titan is a prime example of practical

advancements in technology that can

provide health and hygiene at home and in the

workplace. “Dr Ayman Al Fraihat

ogy, especially when it comes to issues that really matter to our customers. Health is at the very root of all of our concerns, and so forms the basis for innovation in LG’s home appliance product development,” said Paik.

Titan’s health features will undoubtedly bring comfort to customers in the UAE, where ozone levels in many areas are reg-istering above guidelines set by the World Health Organisation. According to a com-prehensive study by LG Electronics and re-search partner Synovate, four out of fi ve UAE residents highlight respiratory problems as the highest concern, and the number of diag-nosed cases has risen 8.2% since 2005. Resi-dents identifi ed dust, pollution and bacteria in the air as the main causes of the problem. Customised to local needs, LG’s Titan looks to enrich people’s lives in a healthier and more comfortable environment.

TECHNOLOGYSpeaking at the launch at Raffl es Hotel, ENT consultant and head and neck surgeon Dr. Ayman Al Fraihat added: “By identifying and addressing the common concerns faced by those in the Middle East, we can work together to tackle these trends and provide healthcare products and services that are

LG Elctronics Gulf FZE president H.S. Paik

appropriate to people’s needs. LG’s Titan is a prime example of practical advancements in technology that can provide health and hygiene at home and in the workplace, of-fering tangible benefi ts to people across the region.”

As well as its range of health-conscious features, the Titan also gives consumers the maximum comfort in their homes. Boasting an airfl ow of up to 10 metres, enough to cov-er practically any large room in the house, its dynamic double vanes have six horizontal

TECHNOLOGY

38 MEP Middle East | June 2010 www.constructionweekonline.com388 MEP Middlee Ee Ee Ee Ee Ee Ee Ee Ee Ee EEEe Ee Eeee Eee Eee Ee Eeeeee Eeeeee Eee Eeeeeee EEe e Eee EEEasastastastastastastaststastastastastastasasasttastasasstastastaasastastassasttasttttttastsasasaaa taa | ||||| ||| ||||||||||||| |||| ||| JuJuJuJuJuJu Ju JuJuJuJuJu Ju JuJuJuJuJuJuJuJuJuJuJu JuJuJuJuJuJuJuJuuJu JuJuJuJuJuJuJuJuJuJuJuJJuuuJJuuuuJJJuuJuJJuuunnenenene nenenene nenenennnnnenennneneneneneneneneneneenene ne nenne ee nene nennenenene 201201201201201201201201201012012012020120101201201200101010010102010120102012012010101020120000120112202000001000010000001120122222000 00000000000000000000000000000000000000

and fi ve vertical swing modes, ensuring that the air-con can target any area in the room, at almost any power. This eliminates air-con dead zones, maintaining an even tempera-ture throughout a room. The Titan also op-erates at very low noise levels: at 34 dB, the Titan is only slightly noisier than an empty studio (20 dB), and quieter than the average public library (40 dB).

For larger rooms, LG has also developed a circulator, creating the world’s fi rst twin cool-ing system. When po-sitioned on the wall opposite the main cooling unit, this sec-ond unit helps cool large homes up to 40%

to prevent it from blowing directly on family members and guests.

To help purify the air, the Titan incor-porates the world’s fi rst cyclotron plasma technology, which improves the collection of dust by up to 30% compared to a convention-al plasma kit. With LG’s innovative fi ltration system, the new air-con reduces allergens in the air by as much as 70%. An antibacterial pre-fi lter fi rst reduces pollens, mould and large dust from the air. The triple fi lter on the underside helps reduce symptoms asso-ciated with exposure to various organic com-pounds including formaldehyde. As a fi nal step, a nano carbon fi lter traps fi ne odorous particles to completely remove odours.

The new Titan air-con from LG also features an auto alarm for fi lter clean-ing, simple remote control with a wide

display and ‘one touch’ function, and a stylish exterior design including interi-or lighting, artistic patterns and hidden

display. For the style conscious, a ‘bling’ version encrusted with Swarovski Crystal is also available.

Dr. Ayman Al Fraihat

faster and 70% more evenly. The circulator also humidifi es the dry air with its water plasma technology, which uses sterilised, bacteria-free water.

To increase its cooling effectiveness even further, the Titan’s selectable swing

modes can be set to sweep air across a room in several dif-

ferent directions, including seven vertical adjustment

modes, fi ve horizontal modes, and left and right full-swing modes.

This improves com-fort levels by redi-

recting airfl ow

We also see a fi rm belief that home-appliance

technology can have a positive role in combating the health issues arising

from technological progress. “

H.S. Paik

PROJECT


KAUST’s new campus is Saudi Arabia’s fi rst LEED-certifi ed project, earning LEED Platinum. In addition, it is the largest certifi ed project of its kind in the world to date.

A view of the library at KAUST

he King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST) at Thuwal, near Jed-

dah in Saudi Arabia was the ‘Most Sustainable Project of the Year’ in the 2009 MEP Awards. We take a closer look at this massive project.

KAUST was recently announced as one of the winners of the Ameri-

can Institute of Architects’ Top 10 Green Buildings awards for 2010. The new inter-national graduate-level research university campus was designed by HOK Architects and

Largest LEED Platinum project in the world

completed in September 2009. The university was established by the government-owned Aramco, the world’s largest energy corpora-tion, to drive innovation in science and tech-nology and to support world-class research in areas such as energy and the environment.

KAUST’s new campus is Saudi Arabia’s fi rst LEED-certifi ed project, earning a LEED Platinum certifi cation. While the project was certifi ed under the old LEED Version 1.0 cer-tifi cation, as a 496 000 square metre project, it represents the world’s largest LEED Plati-num project.


PROJECT

In order to assure that KAUST was award-ed the LEED Platinum level, MEP contrac-tor Drake & Scull International PJSC (DSI) had to alter conventionally used designs and installations, as well as employ several inno-vative engineering techniques and products. This included:• Designing a system to sustain a lifecycle of 100 years;• Maximising effi ciency of installed sys tems and using specifi c special construc tion materials for the laboratory build ings;• Adopting photovoltaic cells for generat ing power;• Installing solar towers and solar water heaters;• Using low-emission sealants;• Minimising construction waste; and• Using recyclable materials wherever pos sible.

The engineering offi ce of DSI worked out of Saudi Oger’s engineering offi ces in Paris, France to ensure that the designs were being fi nalised as per the DSI team’s input and re-quirements. From inception, the campus was designed to be environment-friendly. The university will act as a living lab-oratory by demonstrating that environmentally-responsible methods of energy use, ma-terials management and water consumption are viable in the Middle East and across the globe.

Alternative transpor-tation reduces campus

emissions and provides convenient transit options. A total of 100 shared electric vehicles and charging stations are distributed across campus, and additional vehicles will be added as the university grows in size. Three campus shuttle bus system lines with dedicated stops across campus serve the entire community. A Segway scooter and bicycle sharing system provide additional short-distance travel op-tions in most months of the year.

RENEWABLE ENERGYRenewable energy helps cool and power the campus. There are two solar towers each 75 metres high. Two fans, each extracting 95 cubic metres per second through 3.0 metre

diameter axial blades, use the sun and pre-vailing winds to create a passive pressure difference and continuous breeze along the shaded courtyards, and allow exterior court-yard occupants to feel comfortable for more than 75% of the year.

A total of 1 152 units of solar thermal panels with a 4 134 square metre area for hot water production was installed on the monumental roof, and will produce around 50 Gegajoules per day. A total of 16 567 square metres of photovoltaic arrays installed on the monu-mental roof will produce 4 Megawatts of re-newable energy, offsetting 5.7% of the total campus energy demand.

A proposed 900 000 square metres of solar energy panels will eventually provide 100% of all campus energy needs and make the uni-versity carbon neutral. The university has contracted to obtain 35% of the total campus energy needs from an outside renewable en-ergy provider.

The use of variable speed drives to run all the major equipment such as air-handling units, chilled water pumps and different types of fans contributes to reducing the overall power consumption. Adopting the principle of skylights, side by side with daylight sen-

sors to control the indoor lighting with-out human interference, will

also help to eliminate power wastage.

NATURAL HABITATThe natural habitat sur-rounding KAUST has been preserved and protected. A long-term habitat preserva-tion, restoration and protec-tion plan was implemented during construction, and will continue through the university’s existence for the 182 988 000 square feet of coral reef and 21 528 000 square feet of mangrove ecosystems on campus.

The campus architec-ture is designed to max-

In Saudi Arabia, the cost of electricity is subsidised at 2-4 c/kWh. KAUST’s decision to create an effi cient,

low-energy campus will serve as an example of environmentally-responsive buildings in the region. “

June 2010wwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwww wwwww wwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwww .co.cocoococo.cocoooconststnstnstnstnstnstn rucrucruccrucrr tiotiotiotiotiooonwnwnwenwnnwn ekokonlilnnlllil nnne.en comccomcomcommcomco

of Saudi Oger’s engineering offi ces in Paris,France to ensure that the designs were beingfi nalised as per the DSI team’s input and re-quirements. From inception, the campus wasdesigned to be environment-friendly. Theuniversity will act as a living lab-oratory by demonstrating that environmentally-responsible methods of energy use, ma-terials management and water consumption areviable in the Middle East and across the globe.

Alternative transpor-tation reduces campus

RENEWABLE ENERGYRenewable energy helps cool and power the campus. There are two solar towers each 75 metres high. Two fans, each extracting 95 cubic metres per second through 3.0 metre

photovoltaic arrays installemental roof will produce 4 newable energy, offsetting campus energy demand.

A proposed 900 000 squarenergy panels will eventuallall campus energy needs anversity carbon neutral. Thcontracted to obtain 35% of energy needs from an outsiergy provider.

The use of variable speedthe major equipment suchunits, chilled water pumps anof fans contributes to redupower consumption. Adoptof skylights, side by side w

sors to control the indout human in

also help to wastage.

NATURAL HThe naturrounding Kpreserved long-term tion, restortion plan wduring cwill contiuniversitythe 182 feet of c528 000mangrovcampus.

The cture is d

Hussam S. Shayteh and Ahmad Al Naser from MEP contractor Drake & Scull,

which won the 2009 ‘Most Sustainable Project of the

Year’ at the 2009 MEP Awards for its work on

KAUST

PROJECT


imise the area’s unique microclimate and ec-osystem. The university’s monumental roof connects and shields campus buildings from direct sun, resulting in a minimum solar re-fl ective index value of 78 for 92.7% of the roof’s surface. Atria and courtyards throughout the campus buildings infuse natural daylight and ventilation into 75% of interior spaces.

The campus construction and design teams selected building materials that mini-mised overall environmental effects and re-cycled waste materials. A total of 37.8% of the building materials comprise materials and/or products either harvested or manufactured within 500 miles of the university, such as stone or concrete.

A total of 99.7% of all wood-based building materials used in construction were harvest-ed from forests certifi ed by the Forest Stew-ardship Council (FSC). A total of 20% of the total building materials (such as steel, alu-minum, and glass) were manufactured using recycled materials. More than 79%, or 35 169 tons, of all construction waste generated on-site was recycled and diverted from landfi ll. A campus-wide recycling programme will be instituted to recycle cardboard, paper, plastic, glass and metal.

WATER USEWater and material use has been minimised through innovative design and on-site treat-ment plants and recycling programmes. A full 100% of KAUST’s wastewater is treated by the campus wastewater treatment plant (WWTP). All treated wastewater is either safely returned to the environment or used on-site. A full 100% of all campus irrigation needs are provided by the WWTP, while 2.5 million gallons of treated water per day will be available in 2010.

Installed irrigation systems using recycled water reduce irrigation water consumption by 53.8% of estimated need. Waterless uri-nals, ultra-low fl ow lavatories and low-fl ow public showers reduce potable water use by 40.9% from a calculated baseline design. Native and adaptive vegetation that does not require large amounts of irrigation were se-lected for the majority of the planting on cam-pus. A stormwater management plan reduces impervious cover, promotes groundwater in-fi ltration, and will capture and treat 100% of the average annual rainfall run-off.

Energy-effi ciency measures will reduce the total power demand. Technology like chilled beams and under-fl oor air distribution have been incorporated into designs to achieve energy cost-savings of 24.5%. Highly-effi cient mechanical, electrical and plumbing systems reduce the overall energy demand of the

campus. Non-emergency occupancy sensors automatically turn off lighting systems when a room is unoccupied, while interior lighting is dimmed automatically in conjunction with sunrise and sunset.

The decision to include effi ciency and low-energy design into the design brief must be understood in its local and regional contexts, state the architects. In Saudi Arabia, the cost of electricity is quite cheap (2-4 cents/KWh) due to substantial government subsidies. This means there is little fi nancial incentive to saving energy, and that the payback period for any energy-saving strategies implemented in a project are too long to be feasible. How-

ever, the decision taken by KAUST to create an effi cient, low-energy campus was, in fact, to provide a campus that would serve as an example for environmentally-responsive buildings in the region.

In addition to the sustainable strategies incorporated into the overall design, KAUST will also implement a sustainable operations plan, which will incorporate using green cleaning materials and an extensive recy-cling programme that includes composting of all food waste. All service vehicles for main-tenance staff are electric vehicles to reduce their fossil fuel use.

As for post-occupancy evaluation, the cam-pus facilities management team will imple-ment plans to continuously assess the cam-pus’s energy use and the thermal comfort of occupants. Thermal comfort surveys will assess the effectiveness of mechanical sys-tems, thus helping the facilities management to adjust the settings to ensure maximum occupant comfort. The campus’s automation system will also measure all energy and wa-ter use for the project with sub-meters and controls installed to allow for future increase in effi ciencies of all systems.

IN NUMBERS

100-yearbuilding lifecycle

900 000 m2

of solar energy panels

24.5%energy cost savings achieved

The main entrance of KAUST at Thuwal, near Jeddah in Saudi Arabia

REGION IN FOCUS


We take a closer look at some of the major MEP projects underway in Kuwait, courtesy of Ventures Middle East.

Top MEP projects in Bahrain

The Bahrain World Trade Centre in Manama

ISA TOWN HEALTH CENTER BUILDINGClient: Ministry of HealthConsultant: Adel Ahmadi AssociatesMain contractor: United Arab Construction CompanyMEP Contractor: Yateem/Mandi Trading/RumaithaValue: US$7mStatus: Under constructionType: Hospital

CRYSTAL HEIGHTSClient: Dadabhai ContractingConsultant: Habib Modara Art & ArchitectureMain contractor: Dadabhai ContractingMEP contractor: Empac/RumaithaValue: US$20mStatus: Under constructionType: Residential buildings

MALL AT A’ALIClient: Al Namal GroupConsultant: United EngineeringMain contractor: Al Namal ConstructionMEP contractor: In-houseValue: US$2.5-15mStatus: Under constructionType: Shopping centre

AL MATROOK TOWER Client: Mr. Faisal Ali Al MatrookConsultant: Mohamed Salahuddin Consulting Engineering BureauMain contractor: Charilaos Apostilides (Chapo)MEP contractor: Shaheen Group Value: US$19mStatus: Under constructionType: Commercial buildings

APARTMENT BUILDING IN JUFFAIRClient: The Islamic AssociationConsultant: Modern ArchitectsMain contractor: Middle East Contg. & Trade CenterMEP contractor: Mandi Trading/GmechValue: US$16-30mStatus: Under constructionType: Residential buildings

MILLENNIUM TOWER IN SEEFClient: Hani GroupConsultant: Middle East Architects

Main contractor: Classic ConstructionMEP contractor: In-houseValue: US$31-100mproject under constructionType: Commercial Buildings

DIPLOMAT COMMERCIAL OFFICE TOWERSClient: National Hotels CompanyConsultant: Mohamed Salahuddin Consulting Engg. BureauMain contractor: Chase Perdana BerhadMEP contractor: Crown Electromechanical ServicesValue: US$70mStatus: Project under constructionType: Commercial buildings

VILLA COMPOUND AT AL AREENClient: Al Khaleeji Commercial BankConsultant: Modern ArchitectsMain contractor: AAA HomesMEP contractor: In-houseValue: US$6mStatus: Under constructionType: Residential development

MANSOORI HOUSEClient: Mr. Hassan MansooriConsultant: Mazen Al Umran Consulting EngineersMain contractor: M&I ConstructionMEP contractor: In-houseValue: US$2.5m-15mStatus: Under constructionType: Mixed-use

15-STOREY MIXED-USE BUILDING AT SEEFClient: Mr. Essa BukhowaConsultant: Arabian East BureauMain contractor: Salah Al Qaed ContractorsMEP contractor: In-houseValue: US$2.5-15mStatus: Under constructionType: Mixed-use

7-STOREY BUILDING AT RIFFAClient: Sheikh KhalifaConsultant: Arabian East BureauMain contractor: Charilaos Apostilides MEP contractor: EmpacValue: US$5mStatus: Under constructionType: Residential buildings

RENAISSANCE BAHRAIN HOTEL AT AMWAJClient: Ossis Property DevelopersConsultant: Davenport Campbell


REGION IN FOCUS

Architectural contrast in Manama, Bahrain

Main contractor: Charilaos Apostilides MEP contractor: BemcoValue: US$16-30mStatus: Under constructionType: Hotel

MARINA HEIGHTS AT AMWAJClient: YaraConsultant: Davenport Campbell/Dheya Towfi qi Engineering BureauMain contractor: Delta ConstructionMEP contractor: In House/Awal Products Co.Value: US$2.5-15mStatus: Under constructionType: Residential buildings

MARINA WESTClient: Ahmad Janahi HoldingsConsultant: Ahmed Abubaker Janahi ArchitectsMain contractor: Al Hamad ContractingMEP contractor: In-houseValue: US$320mStatus: Under constructionType: Mixed-use

BAHRAIN ROTANA HOTEL IN MANAMAClient: Banader Hotels CompanyConsultant: Aedas/MSCEB Main contractor: GP Zachariades (GPZ)MEP contractor: BemcoValue: US$70mStatus: Under constructionType: Hotel

MARINA REEFClient: Marina Reef Real Estate DevelopmentConsultant: Dimensions Engineering ConsultantsMain contractor: Abdul Al Construction ServicesMEP contractor: Al Moayyed ContractingValue: US$50mStatus: Under constructionType: Residential buildings

VILLAMAR AT BAHRAIN FINANCIAL HARBORClient: Gulf Holding Company (GHC)Consultant: Norr Group Consultants/COWIMain contractor: Al Hamad ContractingMEP contractor: In-houseValue: US$650mStatus: Under constructionType: Residential development

REEF ISLAND, PHASE 1Client: Minister of Finance & National Economy/Lulu TourismConsultant: Gibb LimitedMain contractor: Al Hamad ContractingMEP contractor: In-houseValue: US$251-500mStatus: Under constructionType: Residential development

RIFFA VIEWS, THE LAGOONS ESTATE, VILLASClient: Arcapita/Bahrain Int’l Golf Course/Riffa ViewsConsultant: Mohamed Salahuddin Consulting Engineering Main contractor: Poullaides Construction/Terna ContractingMEP contractor: Shaheen Group/In HouseValue: US$106m

Status: Under constructionType: Residential development

ARCAPITA HEADQUARTERSClient: ArcapitaConsultant: WS Atkins/SOMMain contractor: AA Nass/Murray & RobertsMEP contractor: Mercury Contracting CenterValue: US$160mStatus: Under constructionType: Commercial buildings

WORKSHOP & ACCOMMODATION IN TUBLIClient: Skyline Trading CorporationConsultant: Aref Sadiq Design ConsultantsMain contractor: Skyline Trading CorporationMEP contractor: Empac/In HouseValue: US$2.5-15mStatus: Uunder constructionType: Mixed-use

SHEIKH ISA SPORTS CITY AT RIFFA - PHASE 1Client: Ministry of Works & HousingConsultant: Ismail Khonji Assoc./Leigh & Orange ArchitectsMain contractor: Bokhowa GroupMEP contractor: In-houseValue: US$31-100mStatus: Under constructionType: Sports facilities

KHALED MATROOK BUILDING IN SEEFClient: Al Matrook InvestmentConsultant: Modern ArchitectsMain contractor: Juma ConstructionMEP contractor: Mandi Trading Est.Value: US$2.5-15mStatus: Under constructionType: Commercial buildings

OFFICE BUILDING IN JUFFAIRClient: Jameel Al GhanaConsultant: Architectural WorldMain contractor: Al Ghanah ContractingMEP contractor: BemcoValue: US$16-30mStatus: Under constructionType: Commercial buildings

ISHBILIYA VILLAGEClient: Al Enmaa House for Real EstateClient: Gulf House EngineeringMain contractor: Al Dahrani Contracting CompanyMEP contractor: Zinidiya/Delta/Awal Products Co.Value: US$250mStatus: Under constructionType: Residential development

For further information, visit Ventures Middle East LLC at www.venturesonsite.com or www.ventures-me.com.

BUSINESS LEADS


For the latest Middle East MEP project information, visit

PROJECTS IN BAHRAINMEP Middle East and Ventures Middle East have teamed up to provide you with essential project information.

Client: Diyar Al Muharraq/KFHConsultant: AECOMMain contractor: Not appointedMEP contractor: Not appointedValue: US$3.2 billionStatus: Under designType: Mixed-useContact: +973 17 589 969

DIYAR AL MUHARRAQ

m

Aecom has been appointed mas-terplanner for the Diyar Al Mu-harraq project in Bahrain. Spread across 12 square kilometres, it is one of the largest mixed-use urban

vision the creation of an integrated community for all strata of society, entwining elements of modern urban life with Bahrain’s rich cul-tural past. Its extensive amenities will include around 40 kilometres of waterfront, including the most extensive publicly-accessible wa-terfront in the Kingdom, as well as all the elements one expects from a vibrant community, including schools, medical centres, sports facilities, shopping malls, business districts, luxurious hotels and mod-ern infrastructure.

Project Title Client Consultant Main Contractor

MEPContractor

Value(US$. Mn)

ProjectStatus

Type ofProject

Shopping Complex in Saar Eskan Bank Not Appointed Not Appointed Not Appointed 66 project under concept stage

Shopping Centre

Qatar Embassy in Seef Qatar Embassy for MOFA Arab Engineering Bureau Not Appointed Not Appointed 2.5 - 15 project under design Commercial Buildings

Refl ections of Bahrain Ithmaar Development Company

DP Architects Not Appointed Not Appointed 101 - 250 project under design Mixed Use

Light of Bahrain Ithmaar Development Company

DP Architects Not Appointed Not Appointed 101 - 250 project under design Residential Buildings

Abu Obida Al Jarrah Primary Girls School

Ministry of Education Dheya Towfi qi Engineering Bureau

Not Appointed Not Appointed 2.5 - 15 project under design Educational Facilities

North Bahrain New Town - Phase 1

Ministry of Works & Housing Not Appointed Not Appointed Not Appointed 101 - 250 project under concept stage

Residential Development

Manama Tower Complex Manama Municipality Not Appointed Not Appointed Not Appointed 251 - 500 project under concept stage

Commercial Buildings

Diyar Al Muharraq Diyar Al Muharraq/KFH AECOM Not Appointed Not Appointed 3,200 project under design Mixed Use

@bahrain Development Bahrain Mumtalakat Holding Company

Aedas Not Appointed Not Appointed 1,000 project under design Mixed Use

Edamah Headquarters Bahrain Real Estate Investment Co.

Syrconsult Consulting Engineers

Not Appointed Not Appointed 31 - 100 project under design Commercial Buildings

Retail and Commercial Tower in Bahrain Bay

Salhia Real Estate Co. (SREC) Pan Arab Consulting Engineers/SOM

Not Appointed Not Appointed 125 project under design Commercial Buildings

Energy Tower National Oil & Gas Authority (NOGA)

Gerber Architects/RMJM Not Appointed Not Appointed 251 - 500 project under design Commercial Buildings

Albaraka Banking Group Head Quarters in Bahrain Bay

Albaraka Banking Group (ABG)

MGA+C Not Appointed Not Appointed 31 - 100 project under design Commercial Buildings

Shaza Hotel's Mixed Use Development in Bahrain Bay

Shaza Hotels Ltd. Tilke GmbH Not Appointed Not Appointed 2,500 project under design Mixed Use

Souk Al Arabia Resort Private Investor MSCEB Not Appointed Not Appointed 186 project under design Mixed Use

Sheikh Jabar Al Sabah Health Centre

Kuwait Technical Fund Mazen Al Umran Consulting Engineers

Al Moayyed Contracting

Not Appointed 3 project under construction Hospital

217 Houses at Zayed Town - Phase 2

Ministry of Works & Housing In House Down Town Construction

Not Appointed 35 project under construction Residential Development

Survey & Land Registration Bureau HQ

Bahrain Real Estate Investment Company

Saudi Designers Engineering Consultants

G.P. Zachariades (GPZ)

Not Appointed 2.5 - 15 project under construction Commercial Buildings

Difaaf Reef Venture Holding/Venture Capital Bank

Gulf House Engineering Not Appointed Not Appointed 200 award awaited for the main contract

Residential Buildings

Bahrain Polytechnic Campus in Rawdat

Ministry of Works & Housing Aedas Not Appointed Not Appointed 265 project under design Educational Facilities

Note : The above information is the sole property of Ventures Middle East LLC and cannot be published without the expressed permission of Ventures Middle East LLC, Abu Dhabi, UAE

of residential and commercial prop-erties, with housing opportunities for over 120 000 people in around 30 000 housing units.

At the heart of Diyar Al Muharraq’s

diyar-al-muharraq

waterfront developments currently underway in the Kingdom of Bah-rain. Located on the northern shores of Muharraq, Diyar Al Mu-harraq will provide a cohesive mix

METAL MONITOR


Neither the LME nor any of its directors, officers or employees shall, except in the case of fraud or wilful neglect, be under any liability whatsoever either in contract or in tort in respect of any act or omission (including negligence) in

relation to the preparation or publication of the data contained in the report.

Settlement ConversionCopper Cash Seller & Settlement: £5,051.83 Exchange Rates Copper 3-months Seller: £5,077.35 Stg/$ 1.5331 Lead Cash Seller & Settlement: £1,477.17 $/JY 93.46 Lead 3-months Seller: £1,495.59 Euro 1.3408

THE FOLLOWING STERLING EQUIVALENTS HAVE BEEN CALCULATED, ON THE BASIS OF DAILY CONVERSIONS:

APRIL 2010THE LONDON METAL EXCHANGE LIMITED AVERAGE OFFICIAL AND SETTLEMENT PRICES US$/TONNE

LME AVERAGE SETTLEMENT PRICES IN EURO

PrimaryAluminium(dollars)

AluminiumAlloy(dollars)

Copper

(dollars)

Lead

(dollars)

Nickel

(dollars)

NASAAC

(dollars)

Cash Buyer 2,316.08 2,161.13 7,743.70 2,264.10 26,014.75 2,185.75Cash Seller & Settlement 2,316.73 2,168.23 7,745.08 2,264.85 26,030.75 2,193.33

Cash Mean 2,316.40 2,164.68 7,744.39 2,264.48 26,022.75 2,189.54

3-months Buyer 2,345.50 2,185.25 7,777.85 2,290.20 26,067.50 2,216.00

3-months Seller 2,346.25 2,196.25 7,780.68 2,292.05 26,083.75 2,227.00

3-months Mean 2,345.88 2,190.75 7,779.26 2,291.13 26,075.63 2,221.50

15-months Buyer 2,448.15 2,259.75 7,779.75 2,312.45 25,653.00 2,316.75

15-months Seller 2,453.15 2,269.75 7,789.75 2,317.45 25,753.00 2,326.75

15-months Mean 2,450.65 2,264.75 7,784.75 2,314.95 25,703.00 2,321.75

27-months Buyer 2,526.85 2,325.00 7,649.00 2,279.90 24,866.00 2,387.50

27-months Seller 2,531.85 2,335.00 7,659.00 2,284.90 24,966.00 2,397.50

27-months Mean 2,529.35 2,330.00 7,654.00 2,282.40 24,916.00 2,392.50

Metal Euro Settlement Conversion Rate

Primary Aluminium 1727.54

Aluminium Alloy 1616.69

Copper 5776.09

Lead 1689.15

Nickel 19414.99

Nasaac 1635.50

$7568Copper 3-months seller

NON-FERROUS METAL PRICESThe London Metal Exchange (LME) is the world’s premier non-ferrous metals market. The LME offers futures and options contracts for aluminium, copper, lead, nickel and NASAAC, among others. Many of these materials are indispensable in the MEP sector. The latest historical data from the LME is presented to give readers insight into this dynamic trading market. For further information visit www.lme.co.uk.



MARCH 2010THE LONDON METAL EXCHANGE LIMITED AVERAGE OFFICIAL AND SETTLEMENT PRICES US$/TONNE




Copper

(dollars)

Lead

(dollars)

Nickel

(dollars)

NASAAC

(dollars)

Cash Buyer 2204.78 2007.09 7461.91 2171.24 22446.30 2111.52Cash Seller & Settlement 2205.63 2016.30 7462.83 2172.09 22461.30 2121.22

Cash Mean 2205.21 2011.70 7462.37 2171.66 22453.80 2116.37

3-months Buyer 2236.04 2037.30 7493.28 2197.87 22505.65 2142.83

3-months Seller 2236.96 2047.17 7494.85 2200.11 22516.09 2153.93

3-months Mean 2236.50 2042.24 7494.07 2198.99 22510.87 2148.38

15-months Buyer 2330.83 2141.09 7509.13 2205.74 22286.09 2244.13

15-months Seller 2335.83 2151.09 7519.13 2210.74 22386.09 2254.13

15-months Mean 2333.33 2146.09 7514.13 2208.24 22336.09 2249.13

27-months Buyer 2408.74 2224.78 7424.78 2165.04 21741.96 2315.65

27-months Seller 2413.74 2234.78 7434.78 2170.04 21841.96 2325.65

27-months Mean 2411.24 2229.78 7429.78 2167.54 21791.96 2320.65


Primary Aluminium 1625.22


Copper 5499.15

Lead 1600.16

Nickel 16553.62

Tin 12931.77

Nasaac 1563.09



METAL MONITOR



JANUARY 2010THE LONDON METAL EXCHANGE LIMITED AVERAGE OFFICIAL AND SETTLEMENT PRICES US$/TONNE




Copper

(dollars)

Lead

(dollars)

Nickel

(dollars)

NASAAC

(dollars)


Cash Mean 2,234.84 1,960.66 7,385.61 2,367.70 18,434.63 2,067.70

3-months Buyer 2,265.95 1,985.25 7,409.68 2,390.28 18,477.50 2,095.00

3-months Seller 2,266.65 1,996.25 7,412.03 2,393.25 18,500.00 2,106.80

3-months Mean 2,266.30 1,990.75 7,410.85 2,391.76 18,488.75 2,100.90

15-months Buyer 2,359.95 2,095.75 7,403.25 2,398.75 18,524.75 2,202.50

15-months Seller 2,364.95 2,105.75 7,413.25 2,403.75 18,624.75 2,212.50

15-months Mean 2,362.45 2,100.75 7,408.25 2,401.25 18,574.75 2,207.50

27-months Buyer 2,428.75 2,178.25 7,342.00 2,385.05 18,429.50 2,273.75

27-months Seller 2,433.75 2,188.25 7,352.00 2,390.05 18,529.50 2,283.75

27-months Mean 2,431.25 2,183.25 7,347.00 2,387.55 18,479.50 2,278.75


Primary Aluminium 1,565.37


Copper 5,173.20

Lead 1657.98

Nickel 12,918.19

Nasaac 1,451.42


NON-FERROUS METAL PRICESThe London Metal Exchange (LME) is the world’s premier non-ferrous metals market. The LME offers futures and options contracts for aluminium, copper, lead, nickel and NASAAC, among others. Many of these materials are indispensable in the MEP sector. The latest historical data from the LME is presented to give readers insight into this dynamic trading market. For further information visit www.lme.co.uk.

Neither the LME nor any of its directors, officers or employees shall, except in the case of fraud or wilful neglect, be under any liability whatsoever either in contract or in tort in respect of any act or omission (including negligence) in

relation to the preparation or publication of the data contained in the report.



FEBUARY 2010THE LONDON METAL EXCHANGE LIMITED AVERAGE OFFICIAL AND SETTLEMENT PRICES US$/TONNE




Copper

(dollars)

Lead

(dollars)

Nickel

(dollars)

NASAAC

(dollars)


Cash Mean 2,048.58 1,888.98 6,847.69 2,122.45 18,970.38 1,983.74

3-months Buyer 2,079.10 1,913.00 6,870.30 2,139.93 19,034.00 2,008.25

3-months Seller 2,079.95 1,923.25 6,872.45 2,142.20 19,052.00 2,018.75

3-months Mean 2,079.53 1,918.13 6,871.38 2,141.06 19,043.00 2,013.50

15-months Buyer 2,172.20 2,019.75 6,876.50 2,140.45 18,983.00 2,112.25

15-months Seller 2,177.20 2,029.75 6,886.50 2,145.45 19,083.00 2,122.25

15-months Mean 2,174.70 2,024.75 6,881.50 2,142.95 19,033.00 2,117.25

27-months Buyer 2,246.80 2,102.25 6,810.25 2,107.45 18,701.00 2,185.25

27-months Seller 2,251.80 2,112.25 6,820.25 2,112.45 18,801.00 2,195.25

27-months Mean 2,249.30 2,107.25 6,815.25 2,109.95 18,751.00 2,190.25


Primary Aluminium 1,497.12

Aluminium Alloy 1,383.15

Copper 5,004.76

Lead 1,552.13

Nickel 13,871.06

Nasaac 1,452.98


LEGAL


Dennis Brand from Traprain Consultants looks at ‘confi rmation or contract?’ in letters of intent.

As a general premise, the title ‘letter of intent’ is far from conclusive. Put simply, a doc-ument means what it says, not what it is called. Do not there-fore be misled into thinking that, if you head a document a ‘letter of intent’, it means that

you cannot be creating a contract.A simple defi nition of a letter of intent is

“the expression in writing of a party’s present intention to enter into a contract at a future date.” Originally intended to be non-binding and create no legal liability, over time, how-ever, this changed with both binding and non-binding letters of intent being issued and, because of poor drafting or lack of under-standing, achieving results that the parties often do not intend.

In the construction and engineering indus-try, the letter of intent has almost become an art form, and is often used to encourage a contractor to begin work without the security of a fully prepared and signed contract. Some-times, however, there are good reasons for is-suing a letter of intent:• To obtain necessary approvals and permis-sions (especially in public-sector contracts);• Anticipated delay in the preparation and/or agreement of the proposed construction;• To order long lead items of plant or equip-ment;• Client’s desire to urgently get the contrac-tor on to the site to commence work; and• To complete project funding arrangements.

With the decision taken to issue a letter of intent, the employer then has to consider whether it is to be binding or non-binding, the concern being to achieve what is desired by all the parties concerned. If one reads any of the construction and engineering law text-books available internationally, or the various industry publications, one cannot but be over-awed and possibly left somewhat confused by the amount of case law reported from various

jurisdictions on the subject of letters of in-tent. However, the point to be borne in mind when preparing a letter of intent in the UAE is that none of the foreign case law has any relevance!

Unlike common law jurisdictions – for ex-ample Australia, England, Hong Kong, etc. – where the law is mostly made and applied by the judiciary based on precedents (decided cases) and written laws, civil law jurisdictions – for example, Egypt, France, Germany, UAE, etc. – laws are made by the legislature and applied by the judiciary. This means that, in common law jurisdictions, decisions of the su-perior courts are binding on themselves and on all inferior courts, whereas in civil law ju-risdictions, the UAE being one, the courts are not bound by their own decisions.

THE CIVIL CODEThe Federal Law No. 5 of 1985 (the Civil Code) contains express provisions concern-ing the preparation and formation of a contract:“Article 258 – (1) The criterion in [the con-struction of] contracts is intentions and mean-ings and not words and form.(2) The primary rule is that words have their true meaning and a word may not be construed fi guratively unless it is impossible to give it its direct meaning.”To reinforce the point, the Civil Code includes two other provisions of particular importance which are relevant to the subject of letters of intent:“Article 259 – There shall be no scope for impli-cations in the face of clear words.”“Article 260 – Words should be given effect to rather than ignored, but if it is impossible to give effect to the words, they shall be ignored.”

As a result, when determining the meaning and effect of contracts, the main consideration of UAE courts is one of “intentions and mean-ings, not words and form”. The Civil Code requires that certain formalities must be met

for a contract to be formed. These formalities include that there be an offer and acceptance. Article 141 of the Civil Code provides:“(1) A contract may only be made upon the agreement of the two parties to the essential elements of the obligation, and the other law-ful conditions which the parties regard as es-sential.(2) If the parties agree on the essential elements of the obligation and the remainder of the other lawful conditions which both parties regard as essential and they leave matters of detail to be agreed upon afterwards but they do not stipu-late that the contract has not been regarded as made in the event of absence of agreement upon such matters, the contract shall be deemed to have been made …”

Where the price for a Muqawala (Construc-tion) contract is not specifi ed, then the con-tractor is entitled to be paid a “fair remunera-tion” (Article 888), together with the value of materials he has supplied. What constitutes ‘fair’ is not specifi ed, and it will be up to the judge or arbitrator to decide, based on the work performed.

Before making the fi rm decision to issue a letter of intent, it is worth considering some of the benefi ts and protections, for both em-ployer as well as contractor, which a complete contract will give, and what a letter of intent is unlikely to provide:• Certainty of rights and obligations;• Confi rmation of price;• A clear allocation of risk;• A detailed specifi cation and scope of work;• A clear dispute-resolution procedure; and• Clearly-defi ned circumstances and provi-sions for termination of the contract.

This being said, it may not be practical to delay commencement of the work until a com-plete contract has been prepared and signed, and therefore the parties may wish to proceed on the basis of a letter of intent. [email protected]

INTENTLetters of

PRODUCTS


WATER-SAVING FAUCETKohler, a global leader in the manufacture of sustainable kitchen and bath products, has introduced the Vas ceramic faucet. This sculpted faucet uses nearly half the water of traditional facets, and offers a return on investment (ROI) in less than four years.

According to studies conducted by the UN Conference on Environment and Development (UNCED), the Middle East is one of the globes highest consumers of water per capita. The Vas ceramic faucet line consumes just 5.68 litres of water per minute (L/min) compared to traditional faucets that consume an average 8.32 L/min, saving about 45% of water consumption.

This also has the added advantage of reduced utility bill overheads. The Vas provides a ROI after just three years and nine months of average use, effectively paying for its own

purchase and installation costs, and actually making money for purchasers thereafter. Without any change in routine, the water conserving Vas ceramic faucet line will allow regional consumers to assist conservation efforts to reduce water usage, by saving about 57 816 litres of water a year.

The base solid-colour model has a pitcher-like vitreous china spout that provides graceful water flow for a peaceful environment; a sculpted, curved handle that resembles a drooping flower stem; and washerless ceramic valving that ensures reliable performance.

All models have Kohler ceramic disc valves and premium materials provide durability and reliability, while a high-temperature limit stop safety feature makes it easy to preset a maximum temperature to prevent scalding.www.kohler.com

Johnson Controls, a global leader in delivering products, services and solutions that increase energy effi ciency in buildings, has introduced the York Magnetic Centrifugal Chiller (YMC2), which offers superior effi ciency and sound performance.

The YMC² chiller is 10% more effi cient than conventional, variable-speed chillers. Proven magnetic-bearing technology is utilised to eliminate mechanical-contact losses in the driveline. The industry-leading OptiSpeed variable-speed drive has been improved, and the effi ciency of the evapo-rator has been enhanced with an advanced ‘falling-fi lm’ design. In addition, the features that always made York chillers so effi cient have been retained, including the optimised centrifugal compressor, which takes ad-vantage of low-temperature cooling-tower water to save energy. As a result, the YMC² chiller offers the best real-world effi ciency in the industry.

The YMC² chiller is also quieter than any water-cooled centrifugal or screw chiller in the marketplace. Magnetic-bearing technology eliminates nearly all driveline vibration, while the York OptiSound control further reduces noise at off-design condi-tions. As a result, the YMC2 chiller operates at a maximum of 73 dBA at full-load stan-dard conditions, per AHRI-575. The human ear perceives the YMC² chiller as about half as loud as other magnetic-bearing chillers.

The YMC² chiller features a sustainable design that uses refrigerant HFC-134a, which has zero ozone-depletion potential. The 10% effi ciency improvement dra-matically reduces indirect global warming caused by greenhouse-gas emissions generated by electric utilities. In addition, 57% fewer refrigerant-piping connections drastically reduce the potential for direct global warming caused by refrigerant leakage.

The YMC² chiller also increases uptime and reduces maintenance costs. The magnetic-bearing drive has fewer moving parts and eliminates the oil-lubrication system. The driveline is fi eld-serviceable, which means a back-up driveline is not needed. The chiller’s permanent-magnet motor has an inherently longer life than traditional motors, and the OptiSpeed drive’s soft-start sequence further extends motor life.www.johnsoncontrols.com/ymc2

NEW YMC2 CHILLER FROM YORK

Lowell Corporation has introduced a new torque wrench kit that gives plumbers and utility work-ers greater fl exibility in working with US-style No-HUB couplings.

This compact kit gives plumbers and utility workers all the tools they need to properly tighten all standard fastening screws on No-HUB cou-plings to either 60 or 80 lb-in.

Each kit comprises two Lowell T-Torker torque wrenches and three hex sockets (1/4”, 5/16”, and 3/8”). A durable carrying case is available.

One of the wrenches is factory preset to 60 lbs. max torque and the other to 80 lbs. When

maximum torque is reached during the tightening process, each wrench will slip to prevent over-running. The presets cannot be user-modifi ed.

Each wrench is labelled with its torque setting and each has a coloUr-coded collar for easy identifi cation, even in low-light conditions.

Based on Lowell’s ratchet technology, the torque wrenches offer fast, one-handed tighten-ing in the right hand direction to set values that are accurate to ±10%. The wrenches are designed for maximum effi ciency and ease of use, with compact size and light weight.www.lowellcorp.com

TORQUE WRENCH KIT

Examples of the new Vas ceramic faucet from Kohler

PRODUCTS


RELAY CONTROL PANELSLeviton’s new line of GreenMAX relay control panels establishes a new standard for energy-effi cient lighting management. The panels afford an industry-leading short-circuit current rating (SCCR) of 25 000 A (at 277 VAC) for maximum service life, robust latching modules for incandescent and fl uorescent loads, integrated dimming and switching capabilities, along with daylighting and

‘smart’ metering features – all in one energy-smart, cost-effective lighting management solution.

As a fully-integrated system, GreenMAX relay controls are ideal for installation in a range of commercial environments, including new construction and retrofi t environments where centralised lighting control is needed. The system includes relay cabinets and inserts, command

Archilede from iGuzzini, now available in the Middle East, is a revolutionary LED streetlight fi tting achieving a dramatic reduction of running costs, CO² emissions, electrical load and light pollution. Electricity consumption can be slashed by up to 40%, yet the same light performance as traditional light sources can be achieved.

The innovative light is regulated by smart versatile electronic systems that can be applied to different road situations and urban furnishings. The arrangement of the LED’s concen-trates the light emission directly onto the areas to be illuminated with absolute precision, guaranteeing no upward dispersion, excellent uniformity on the road surface, minimum environmental impact and unsurpassed energy savings (up to 464 000 kWh and 195 000 kg CO² for 1 000 luminaires a year).www.iguzzini.ae

NEXT-GENERATION LED STREETLIGHTTwo simple devices that fi t on all usual shower and tap fi ttings not only

promise water savings of up to 70%, but also offer an oxygen-enriched water fl ow for added ‘wellness’ benefi ts. Branded as Twister & Wisper, this Austrian-manufactured technology is now being distributed in the UAE by Orange Technology General Trading LLC of Sharjah.

“Based on the realisations of water pioneers Schauberger and Grand-er, Austrian environmental engineer Siegfried Kogelbauer has developed a perfectly simple, yet brilliant, concept to preserve water quality, as well as restoring the natural oxygen level through water stimulation,” explains operations and business development manager Ms. June Silver.

The devices “swirl the water in the form of a mini tornado, simultane-ously enriching it with oxygen. The turbulence created increases the oxygen content by almost 100%, up to 11 mg/litre, which is the oxygen content of natural spring water.”

Silver says these devices result in a water quality that is “noticeably softer, infl uencing body vitality and contributing to positive energy.” The oxygen enrichment also “decreases susceptibility to disease and improves metabolism.”

Twister & Wisper comprise a brass screwhead customisable to exte-rior and interior applications, are simple to install and maintenance-free. They require a water pressure of three bar and a minimal fl ow rate of 7 litres/minute for optimal effectiveness.

Twister & Wisper have been tested and certifi ed by an independent institute for environmental studies in Austria, as well as by Setsco, an offi cial government test institute in [email protected]

WATER SUPPLY WITH A TWIST

Leviton’s new line of GreenMAX relay control panels establishes a new standard for energy-effi cient lighting management

The Archilede from iGuzzini is now available in the Middle East

modules, a handheld display unit (HDU), power supplies, relays and fully digital switches that can be programmed using the HDU.

GreenMAX’s robust latching relay modules are rated 30 A general fl uorescent ballast and 20 A incandescent, and are available in single-pole and double-pole confi gurations, with or without return to closed (RTC) functionality. The system’s relay options include integrated dimming, daylight harvesting and smart metering to meet a range of lighting management technologies. A HDU enables convenient programming and monitoring to be accomplished directly from the control space rather than from a distant electrical room.

GreenMAX supports a variety of native network protocols, including BACnet/IP, Ethernet and LumaCAN, streamlining set-up and confi guration. Network connections are made using RJ45 connectors to standard CAT6 cabling. Each relay panel can control up to 32 000 smart relays. Low-voltage inputs such as occupancy sensors, photocells, contact closures and switches connect to the system using an onboard low-voltage input card, or can connect remotely in the remote input cabinet for versatility in set-up.

The system can be installed with a matching line of digital switches and wall plates that can be custom-engraved for easy identifi cation of controlled loads.www.leviton.com/GreenMAX

Associatemember

Tailor made distribu�on

solu�ons to suit your

requirements

Distribu�on 100% controlled

by Blue Truck employees

(no external management

or distributors)

Comprehensive in-house

audit and repor�ng

structure - We also

welcome external audits

from the company of

your choice

A full solu�ons package

including;

Design

Photography

Prin�ng

Distribu�on

+971 4 282 6333

The market leader in mass door-to-door

distribu�on and controlled bulk distribu�on of

magazines within the UAE.

THE LAST WORD


What is your background?I have ten years’ diverse experi-ence in the construction industry. During this time I have worked as a package manager/senior engi-neer within the MEP sub-contract-ing sector.

As such my experience is wide-ranging, and includes some sig-nifi cant projects in hotels and re-sorts, commercial offi ces, retails, educational institutes, exhibition centres, electrical substations, serviced and residential apart-ments, multi-storey car parks and various others.

I joined Mace Group in Septem-ber 2008. Based in Abu Dhabi, I am MEP project manager on Capital Gate tower, owned and developed by ADNEC (Abu Dhabi National Exhibitions Company).

I am well-positioned to work effectively in all MEP sectors, bringing a dynamic approach to bear backed by my wealth of expe-rience. I graduated in 1999/2000 from the Jordan University of Sci-ence & Technology (JUST) with a Bachelor’s Degree in Mechanical Engineering – Thermal Power.

I am a member of the Jordanian Engineers’ Association, a member of the Project Management Insti-tute, and a member of Build Safe UAE. Recently I attended a train-ing course for LEED AP at Ameri-can University at Sharjah, and will sit this exam during the summer.

The MEP sector has changed a lot?Yes, the type of projects that are being tendered in recent years have been large-scale, requiring technical innovations and involv-ing high risk. Fast-track jobs were the norm, mainly in Abu Dhabi, which brought its own risks to bear as well.

What are the biggest challenges and opportunities?The MEP industry currently faces a shortage of quality contractors that have signifi cant experience in the local region; this was mainly an effect of the exponential growth in demand in the MEP sector over the last few years, and the inability of the existing fi rms to meet the market demand.

In addition, the lack of skilled labour in the region is a big chal-lenge to the development of the MEP sector. The boom in the re-gional construction sector has led to a wide-scale scarcity of materi-als, which could potentially cause delays in contract completion.

What impact has the downturn had?Business is not easy right now, but some companies are still perform-ing well – not only just surviving, but reaching a new level of perfor-mance. I believe those companies managed to deal with the risk by spreading it beyond the borders of the UAE, and ensuring that they

have a foothold for example in KSA, Qatar, Oman and other coun-tries within MENA like Egypt.

Some companies established independent functioning units focusing on infrastructure, civil contracting, water and power be-side their core business of MEP. Moreover, cash-control know-how, adding value to customers and fl exibility are essentials in order to survive.

What impact have green building and sustainability had?The use of sustainable design methodology has now become mandatory on all new construction in Abu Dhabi; as such, the MEP systems design has to be updated regularly to reduce the construc-tion costs and time, to minimise the operational energy consump-tion, and to ensure full compliance with the latest regulations from the authorities.

What is your view of latest technolo-gies such as BIM?The application of BIM software will give a chance for MEP con-tractors/engineers to reduce costs, save the time needed to complete the detailed design stage and enhance quality by improving the build ability and reducing the total number of errors.

For the time being, it is impos-sible for MEP contractors to go

beyond 3D modelling, since the databases include broad aspects of electrical work such as lighting and junctions, but do not include specifi c pieces of conduits. Soft-ware vendors are working to im-prove the functionality of the BIM software, and have not given a spe-cifi c timeframe for completion.

What are some of the projects that the Mace Group has worked on?Mace Group has, and continues to, deliver some of the most inspiring projects around the world: from in-ternational airports such as Heath-row’s Terminal 5 and the New Doha International Airport, to lei-sure facilities such as Ski Dubai, Sheikh Zayed Cricket Stadium and the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games.

Current projects also include Eu-rope’s tallest building, the Shard London Bridge and Port Baku Residences, where Mace is deliv-ering an integrated consultancy and construction service offer, and the largest construction project in Syria, the Yasmeen Rotana Hotel.

Anything else you’d like to add?Off the back of our successful delivery in the UAE, we are now working from Azerbaijan to Oman. The company’s growth has been founded on the development of strong relationships and early in-volvement in its projects.

EXCELLENCEInclined toMohammed Masadeh, Mace Group project manager: MEP speaks about the challenges of being involved with some of the region’s most iconic projects.

Documents

MEP Middle East - June 2010