< PreviousNEWS UPDATE 10 MEP Middle East | October 2019 www.mepmiddleeast.com MEMORANDUM OF UNDERSTANDING Twin 50MW photovoltaic power plants are on their way to Zambia after Elsewedy Electric penned a joint venture agreement with Toyota Tsusho Group. The deal includes a system for storing energy in batteries in the cities of Sesheke and Mungo. Japan International Cooperation Bank is financing the deal for Zambia’s Ministry of Energy, which will be the largest project of its kind in Africa to store solar energy in batteries. Toyota Tsusho Group signed a total of 16 memorandums of understanding (MOU) with governments, organisations, and companies from 10 African nations on the sidelines of the seventh Tokyo International Conference on African Development. A spokesperson said: “Based on the businesses we have built, the Toyota Tsusho Group will accelerate the introduction of new technologies into African nations in a broad range of areas and contribute to their economic growth.” Toyota Tsusho Group has businesses in all of Africa’s 54 countries, with 15,500 employees working in the continent. Toyota Tsusho pens 16 MOU agreements with 10 African states PROJECT Samana Developers has broken ground on its second real estate project – a move the company says reflects its strong commitment to Dubai’s real estate market. The $27.3million Samana Hills project will deliver 205 residential units comprising studio to two-bedroom apartments in Arjan. A groundbreaking ceremony was attended by Samana Group officials, including chairman Muhammad Farooq, chief executive officer Imran Farooq, director Kamran Farooq, and GM Alan James Gammon. Conforce Arabia Contracting Company is listed as the firm to carry out general and MEP contracting works. Works starts on $27.3m Samana Hills project Belimo, Grundfos, Refl ex, & Kingspan make HVAC industry predictions FUTURE PROOFING Some 300 professionals from the Middle East’s HVAC industry assembled in Dubai to plot the sector’s path to sustainability, with global experts outlining how technological disruption can aid the region’s energy and water conservation drive. The ‘Shaping the Future of the HVAC In- dustry’ one-day think tank was jointly host- ed at the Address Marina hotel by Belimo, Grundfos, Kingspan, and Refl ex. “The industry is ready to innovate and take up a role in assisting the region’s drive to- wards sustainability with energy savings and improved effi ciency to deliver better build- ings to live and work in,” said Hassan Younes, president of the American Society of Heating, Refrigeration & Air Conditioning (ASHRAE) Falcon Chapter, who moderated the event. Adding to need for such a platform, Colin Bridges, business development director at Belimo, said: “With fast growing urbanisation, fi nite natural resources and increasing global warming, it is clear that buildings are going to have to become smarter in every way. “This will mean harvesting ‘real time’ data and its autonomous use by building manage- ment systems to continuously maintain effi - ciencies. This means doing things differently, not tomorrow, but today.” All four organising parties asserted that the adoption of new digitally-driven technolo- gies was key to ensuring sustainability and a minimal environmental impact in a region where 80% of energy is consumed by build- ings, almost a third of which is down to HVAC systems. “It is vital that we move the market towards the adoption of innovative and energy sav- ing water solutions in HVAC,” added Ronak Monga, segment development manager for building services at Grundfos Gulf, Levant & Pakistan. “Digitalisation is opening new opportuni- ties to optimise systems and integrate differ- ent components, allowing them to operate in better synergy.” Think tank partners were in unison that intelligent digitalisation is changing the face of the industry with integrated technology delivering optimal performance, enhanced energy effi ciency, and reliability leading to lower power consumption, less system noise, and overall improved environmental comfort. “The HVAC industry, particularly the duct- work market, has traditionally been reluctant to change,” said Paul Barnard, head of HVAC for Kingspan Middle East. “It is time to embrace new types of materi- als that help save energy in buildings. This starts by honing of skills and training of HVAC contractors on the new technology, whilst updating specifi cations and introducing the best performing systems.” In a statement released post-event, organis- ers predicted that without action to address energy effi ciency, demand for space cooling in the Middle East will more than triple by 2050 – consuming as much electricity as all of China and India do today. “To maximise operational effi ciency, it is critical to consider all HVAC system compo- nents,” said Moustapha Fahmy, regional sales director IMEA at Refl ex. “System water, one of the most important components, is usually underestimated. The water quality has an enormous infl uence on the effi ciency of HVAC systems. “Modern control and measurement tech- nology help us guarantee the maximum functionality at minimal energy losses.” HVAC has traditionally been reluctant to change.NEWS UPDATE October 2019 | MEP Middle East 11 www.mepmiddleeast.com NEWS UPDATE Empower announces 80% milestone of the world’s fi rst unmanned district cooling plant PROJECT The world’s fi rst unmanned and fully-automated district cool- ing plant is now 80% complete, Empower has announced. The district cooling services provider, led by CEO Ahmad Bin Shafar, reports that construction on its Jumeirah Village facility is edging closer to completion. When fully operational the plant will have a total capacity of 50,000 refrigeration tonnes, forming part of Empower’s strategy to develop its infrastructure using advanced smart technologies. “Construction of the world’s fi rst unmanned district cooling plant is taking place as per the schedule and with no delay,” said Bin Shafar. “The new cooling plant will be connected to Empower’s state-of- the-art command control centre, which is using the Advanced SCADA system, with the capac- ity to read two million [pieces of] data per minute related to cool- ing towers, chillers, transform- ers, [and] water supply. “The continuation of construct- ing the district cooling pipeline network in Jumeirah Village area is also progressing in parallel with the construction of the plant.” The fi rst phase of the plant is expected to be in operation by the end of the year, and will serve customers in the immedi- ate locality. The plant will harness artifi cial intelligence to monitor and auto- matically adjust infl ow and outfl ow of chilled water, as well as ther- mal energy storage technology – which will optimise usage during peak hours – and treated sewage effl uent technology to protect natural resources. The fi rst phase of the plant is expected to be in operation by the end of the year.NEWS UPDATE 12 MEP Middle East | October 2019 www.mepmiddleeast.com APPOINTMENT Cables and cabling systems provider Nexans has named Arafat Yousef as MD of its LAN systems business unit in the Middle East and Africa. Yousef has been given a remit to drive business growth, strengthen the firm’s channel network, and expand the company’s reach by focusing on newer markets with a “renewed focus”. Speaking after his appointment, Yousef said it was an exciting time to be joining the company. “At a time when organisations in the region are accelerating their digital transformation journeys and governments are investing in building stronger infrastructure for the future, I see tremendous potential for Nexans’ innovative LAN cabling solutions,” he said. “I look forward to building stronger relationships with our customers, partners and IT consultants with a renewed focus on offering solutions. “Working closely with our dynamic local team and partners, I will ensure that Nexans is strongly positioned to offer sustainable, energy-efficient, end-to-end LAN solutions.” Arafat Yousef takes over as MD of Nexans’ MEA LAN systems unit APPOINTMENT MBM Gulf Electromechanical has named Sekhar Reddy as general manager. Reddy joins the firm from MS Construction, where he had held the role of head of MEP for the past two years, during which time he worked on projects including Meydan One Mall in Dubai. He can also draw on past experience with Trans Gulf, Voltas, and Elemec as he embarks on a new remit. In a statement, MBM Gulf Electromechanical said: “[Reddy’s] appointment will enable us to develop further through best practices and […] delivering quality projects to our clients, [helping achieve] our goals and vision of being better than the rest in the industry.” Sekhar Reddy makes switch to GM role Grundfos to audit HVAC, irrigation and disinfection pumping systems in RAK AUDIT Ras Al Khaimah Municipality has selected Danish water and climate solutions fi rm Grundfos to provide an audit of HVAC, irriga- tion, water supply, and disinfection pumping systems across 50 buildings and operational facilities, including large-scale sewage plants. A memorandum of understanding (MOU) was signed to begin the audit, which is expect- ed to take up to seven weeks. Grundfos will also conduct systems’ certifi cation and main- tenance training for Ras Al Khaimah Govern- ment’s building managers and supervisors. “The MOU is aligned with the Munici- pality’s vision to pioneer sustainable urban development and create healthy and happy communities,” said His Excellency Munther Mohammed bin Shekar, Director General of Ras Al Khaimah Municipality. “The audit will help us explore further ways to reduce energy costs, by working with Grundfos’ expert team on pumping systems, which drive a signifi cant part of our energy consumption.” The audit will be overseen by the Munici- pality’s Energy Effi ciency and Renewables Administration (Reem) which is co-ordinating the implementation of the RAK Energy Effi - ciency and Renewable Energy Strategy 2040, established under the patronage of His High- ness Sheikh Saud bin Saqr Al Qasimi, Su- preme Council Member and Ruler of Ras Al Khaimah. The strategy targets 30% energy savings, 20% water savings, and 20% generation from renewable energy sources by 2040, and com- prises a programme to retrofi t approximately 3,000 buildings over the two decades. Kostas Poulopoulos, Grundfos area man- aging director, Gulf, Levant & Pakistan, said the MOU refl ects the coming together of two like-minded organisations. “We are both prominent leaders in our specifi c industries with a joint vision on sus- tainability and wellbeing of the planet,” he said. The MOU signing follows Grundfos’ recent launch of a free ‘Energy Check’ to organisa- tions in the UAE to help root out ineffi cient equipment and promote water conservation. “The UAE has some of the highest water consumption rates in the world,” said Kostas. “On average, the national per capita water consumption rate in the Emirates, including personal, residential, commercial and agri- culture, is 550 litres per day as compared to 170-300 litres internationally. “Much can be done to minimise water con- sumption in buildings, manufacturing and other sectors by utilising the latest digital technology to make pumping solutions as effi cient as possible and reduce wastage.” The MOU signing follows Grundfos’ recent launch of a free ‘Energy Check’ to organisations in the UAE.POWERFUL TECHNOLOGY BEHIND THE WALL GEBERIT CONCEALED CISTERNS More than 55 years experience with concealed cisterns www.geberit.ae 55 years Geberit has more than 55 years of experience in the field of concealed cisterns 25 years 25 years guarantee for spare parts availability More than 70 million concealed cisterns sold and installed worldwide 70 Mio Geberit is the European leader in sanitary technology14 MEP Middle East | October 2019 www.mepmiddleeast.com BINARY DOMAIN www.mepmiddleeast.com VOLTAS CHIEF AR SURESH KUMAR FORESEES VOLTAS CHIEF AR SURESH KUMAR FORESEES SWEEPING CHANGES TO THE LANDSCAPE OF SWEEPING CHANGES TO THE LANDSCAPE OF THE CONSTRUCTION INDUSTRY AND MEP SECTOR, THE CONSTRUCTION INDUSTRY AND MEP SECTOR, INCLUDING A REDUCTION IN AVAILABLE SKILLED INCLUDING A REDUCTION IN AVAILABLE SKILLED LABOUR AND A DRAMATIC INCREASE IN THE NUMBER LABOUR AND A DRAMATIC INCREASE IN THE NUMBER OF ROLES MOVING INTO THE DIGITAL REALM.OF ROLES MOVING INTO THE DIGITAL REALM.THE BIG INTERVIEW 16 MEP Middle East | October 2019 www.mepmiddleeast.com and augmented reality software, and prefab- rication and modular build innovations. BIM in particular has been mandated in Dubai for developments that top out over 40-storeys, providing natural exposure of the technology to the sector. Kumar states that change is inevitable, and believes fi rms of all sizes are approaching a crunch period of having to adapt to survive. “BIM today is helping the industry, not only in reducing co-ordination problems but identifying and foreseeing issues,” he said. “Prefabricated technology has become part and parcel of the MEP business today. Precast was already a part of civil construc- tion, now off-site fabrication is catching up. More than virtual reality I think augmented reality, too. “I predict a complete revolution of the Forget the Terminator franchise and Arnie’s muscles, the construction in- dustry is facing a real robot revolution – and it’s just fi ve years away. That’s the prediction from Suresh Kumar, Head of International Operations Business Group and VP Operations for Voltas, who says the landscape can expect sweeping changes as MEP and the rest of the sector is pushed towards digitalisation. It’s a move that has been a long time com- ing, particularly in the Middle East, where advances have historically moved at glacial pace. “In general the construction industry is reluctant to technological changes,” Kumar told MEP Middle East in an exclusive interview. “If you look at the period from the end of the Second World War until about the mid 1990s, the technology intervention in the construction industry was very little – it is still a steel, brick and mortar business actually. “[But] it is a people business. When the IT industry went up in the world, a lot of graduate engineers, instead of coming to the construction industry, went to IT-enabled services. “So the industry got its fi rst shock that it is not getting good quality engineers. Added to that when the market went up the skill requirement went the same way. “I am happy to say that the industry is go- ing through those technological changes, and started accepting changes.” A plethora of technology is steadily mak- ing its way to the fore, notably BIM, virtual While the industry won’t need Arnold Schwarzenegger to save it from these robots, Suresh Kumar has warned that firms VOLTAS NAMED TOP MEP CONTRACTOR FOR 2019: HEAD TO CONSTRUCTION WEEK’S YOUTUBE CHANNEL TO WATCH THE INTERVIEWCHANNEL TO WATCH THE INTERVIEWTHE BIG INTERVIEW October 2019 | MEP Middle East 17 www.mepmiddleeast.com My prediction is after fi ve to six years you may fi nd it diffi cult to get skilled labour – a lot of other countries are developing construction industry in the next fi ve to six years. We are moving to digitalisation. “I can see the heat in Voltas, I can see the heat in every other company that is go- ing through this process. If you would have walked into my offi ce fi ve years ago you must have seen big drawings spread around a table, or big fi les lying around – all have now gone into the digital space. “Now people are using more and more should expect a major digital disruption in the next five or six years. Arnie can rest easy on this robot revolution (Image Getty). integrated programmes. Early digitalisation was limited to fi nancial systems. Today it is used for design, project management, pro- ductivity management, people, skill develop- ment.” For Kumar and Voltas, digitalisation is a movement to be embraced. In his view, from both a cost-savings, effi ciency standpoint, as well as the opportunities it presents to enhance the capabilities of staff, harnessing technology makes sense on the bottom line. And for those reluctant to change with the tide, Kumar issued a warning that the choice to continue with traditional methods of working may soon be taken away by factors beyond their control. “A company like Voltas has a university – e-learning portal, a digital platform where any member of staff can learn certain things. We have gone into mobile solutions. People don’t have time. While they are travelling on a Metro they can open the system and learn.” “My prediction is after fi ve to six years you may fi nd it diffi cult to get skilled labour. “Today the labour is coming from India, Bangladesh and Pakistan, and to an extent the Philippines and some African countries. But a lot of other countries are developing. This will demand additional skilled labour. “Salary levels in India are almost equal to what they can get here, so why should they come and work in the UAE? The same THE BIG INTERVIEW 18 MEP Middle East | October 2019 www.mepmiddleeast.com Kumar believes the upcoming revolution is just the tip of the iceberg as the industry moves towards a tech-dominated future. is happening in Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, and the Philippines. So robotics will take place. “A lot of things we do today will have to be done in a factory. There, people will be replaced by robots because machine learn- ing is improving a lot. “What has happened in the automotive industry? A lot of automation will happen in the construction industry, and you will see a lot of inventorying. “Today the project is constructed at site. No; the project will start in a factory then you will start seeing module by module at site. “This will have a major change. This is not far away. It is already happening but in the next fi ve years you will see less and less la- bour camps, and more and more robotic sta- tions and services centres. “This is going to be the world we move into. This is going to be accelerated further I am sure in the next fi ve years we will be talking about a totally different subject... the real development will be much larger than this because the world around machine learning and AI is catching up. Universities are invest- ing, industries are investing, they will work together and the growth is going to be a dif- ferent project.” So while the Middle East is safe from Skynet overlords, Kumar says that employ- ers should be readying themselves for an entirely new environment from 2025. “I am sure if we are talking in fi ve years we will be talking about a completely differ- ent subject. We’ll be talking about how do I improve those productivities, those fi nishes, those deliveries. I think 3D printing [and other technology] are in-transit develop- ments, the real development will be much larger than this.” Voltas was recently announced as MEP Middle East’s #1 ranked contractor of 2019 after reporting 15% year-on-year revenue growth that took the company’s total to over $1.1billion. Kumar says a considered approach when selecting which jobs to take on has ensured the fi rm’s continued success. “As far as Voltas is concerned we have al- ways believed in selection of the right job, the right client, whether this particular job has a purpose,” he explained. “We never went behind the market share in this particular market because the GCC offers you a lot of opportunities: equally it offers a lot of troubles. “So you have to handpick those jobs which are really needed by the client, that have enough funds available, the contractor is good, and you are able to deliver it in time. “The moment you go behind the market share or you want to get every job on the market that’s where you are running into trouble. “So we have defi nitely selected the right jobs that have given the right revenues and right bottom lines. We believe that we have to deliver these jobs in time, the way the cli- ent wants. Then we get what we want. That is exactly our focus.” The Middle East’s Premier Exhibition, Conference & Awards for Lighting Design and Technology 15 – 17 October, 2019 Dubai World Trade Centre, UAE This month, look at the bright side. From the KNX Intelligent Buildings Pavilion to IoT, automation and industry forums that provide key insights you can use to your business’s advantage, Light Middle East is October’s stunning highlight. If you’re from the MEP, facilities management and allied sectors, visit the show to see how all of this plugs right into your business and its future. Register now! www.lightME.net Supporting Partners & Associations:Next >