ITP MEDIA GROUP / BUSINESS FEBRUARY 2021 • VOL. 16, ISSUE 02 HVAC POWER THE MOST INFLUENTIAL HEATING, VENTILATION, AND AIR CONDITIONING FIRMS ENSURING COMFORTABLE BREATHABILITY IN THE MIDDLE EAST’S BUILT ENVIRONMENTTOTAL AIR SOLUTIONS PRIME AIR CONDITIONING INDUSTRIES P.O.Box 76345, Dubai Investment Park 2, Dubai United Arab Emirates Tel. : 04 88 56 861 info@primeaircon.com | www.primeaircon.com FOCUS AIR CONDITIONING INDUSTRIES P.O.Box 37945, Al Quoz Industrial Area 4, Dubai United Arab Emirates Tel. : 04 34 05 516 info@focusair.net | www.focusair.net GULF DUCT INDUSTRIES P.O.Box 282009, Dubai Investment Park 2, Dubai United Arab Emirates Tel. : 04 88 77 269 info@gulfductind.ae | www.gulfduct.com HVAC Accessories | Passive Fire Protection System | Air Filter | Factory Fitted Insulation Factory Fitted Insulation – GDI UL Listed - Flexible Duct Connector - FOCUS V Bank Hepa Filter - PRIME Fire Rated Ductwork – GDI UL Listed - Flexible Duct – FOCUS UL Listed – Motorized Fire and Smoke Damper - PRIME PFG Prime Focus - Newspaper Ad - v2.indd 11/28/2021 1:39:26 PMwww.mepmiddleeast.comFebruary 2021 | MEP Middle East 3 FEBRUARY 2021 VOLUME 16 ISSUE 02 CONTENTS 32 PIPE SYSTEMS Geberit’s Daniel Engelhard on design freedom and effi ciency 34 FUTURE CITIES The need for smart cities is clear & so is the need for energy effi ciency 50 FINAL WORD CSQ’s Pierre Engelbrecht on why optimised MEP is essential HVAC POWER 25 Highlighting the efforts of the most infl uential companies operating in the heating, ventilation, and air conditioning sector across the region in 2021 TALKING POINT ALEMCO’s Nathan Hanns on the key changes required to protect an industry that is at risk on multiple fronts 16 SUPPLIER NEWS The monthly round-up of supplier news, including HVAC, fi re safety & more 48 SMART METERS Xylem’s Francois Frigaux on using IoT to achieve maximum return on investment 42 12 2021 OUTLOOK GA J’s Alaa Sayed, on collaboration, effi cient designs, and investment in tech 384 MEP Middle East | February 2021www.mepmiddleeast.com PO Box 500024, Dubai, UAE Tel: +971 4 444 3000 Web: www.itp.com Offices in Abu Dhabi, Dubai, London & Mumbai ITP MEDIA GROUP CEO: Ali Akawi Managing Director: Alex Reeve Group Editor: Carla Sertin EDITORIAL Editor: Anup Oommen Tel: +971 4 444 3448 e-mail: anup.oommen@itp.com ADVERTISING Group Sales Manager: Anup Nagpurkar Tel: +971 4 444 3573 email: anup.nagpurkar@itp.com ITP LIVE General Manager: Ahmad Bashour Tel: +971 4 444 3549 e-mail: ahmad.bashour@itp.com PHOTOGRAPHY Senior Photographers: Rajesh Raghav, Efraim Evidor, Adel Rashid Staff Photographers: Aasiya Jagadeesh, Ajith Narendra, Fritz John Asuro, Yuliya Petrovich, Jessica Samson PRODUCTION & DISTRIBUTION Group Production & Distribution Director: Kyle Smith Production Manager: Basel Al Kassem Production Coordinator: Mahendra Pawar Senior Image Editor: Emmalyn Robles CIRCULATION Distribution & Warehouse: Manager Praveen Nair MARKETING Director of Awards & Marketing: Daniel Fewtrell ITP GROUP CEO: Ali Akawi CFO: Toby Jay Spencer-Davies Subscribe online at www.itp.com/subscriptions The publishers regret that they cannot accept liability for error or omissions contained in this publication, however caused. 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NEW YEAR, NEW DIRECTIONS Anup Oommen Editor, MEP Middle East anup.oommen@itp.com Pandemic – while news outlets point to this as one of most used words in 2020, I must agree with the majority of contractors, consultants, and suppliers in the MEP and HVAC industries who point to “COVID-19” as the latest excuse to validate pre-existing problems such as price-based competition, low margins, and ensuing delayed payments plaguing the sectors. Tightening liquidity concerns, volatile oil prices, and the cash crisis exacerbated EDITORÊS LETTER Published by and © 2021 ITP MEDIA GROUP FZ-LLC. by the pandemic turned the spotlight to an industr y under duress with the DFM bellwether Arabtec offi cially fi ling for liquidation following a decision by its shareholders in December 2020. The writing is on the wall – it’s time for tide to turn! There are those who look to 2021 with hope. Before I took over as the Editor of MEP Middle East in January 2021, I spoke to Greg Kane, CEO of WSP in the Middle East for ITP Media Group’s Arabian Business title, and he rightly said: “We must all assume that 2021 is going to be better than 2020. I think that’s a good place for all of us to start … if you think other wise, you probably should just stay at home.” Even as the world welcomes vaccines for COVID-19, the pandemic’s impact has also created opportunities for industr y leaders who are pivoting to new and innovative ways of conducting business profi tably. It’s hard to recall a time when such a magnitude of attention was placed on healthy and happy homes and of fi ces – and in turn on MEP and HVAC systems. Occupant health, air quality, water quality, and mental health, have not only begun to redefi ne the industr y, but also the world at large. If anything, the pandemic has brought discussions on climate change, smar t buildings, net-zero and net-positive carbon systems, as well as retrofitting to the forefront. The top MEP contractors and consultants are already marshalling resources towards these goals. Leading the way, the top consultant on MEP Middle East’s 2020 power list, Cundall’s managing director for the Middle East, Richard Stratton, told us: “We see a great opportunity – and fi rst of all our responsibility – of driving the construction industr y towards net zero. We can no longer sit and wait for the plan to come together on its own. We must take action collectively in making strategic plans to set and achieve carbon reduction targets before it’s too late.” The MEP Contractor of the Year at the 2020 MEP Middle East awards, ALEMCO’s general manager Nathan Hanns told us: “Our commitment to working collaboratively with clients to ensure that projects are handed over on time and to the required quality are fundamental to the ALEMCO approach to project deliver y. As a result of this business ethos, our clients use us repeatedly and we have secured a good order book for 2020.” The bottom-line: Collaboration is key! The time has come to stop excelling in siloes, but instead, to drive toward a better future together. Taking over as the editor of this prestigious title, here’s my opening word: Let’s work together to push the industr y for ward, and with the New Year, beckon a new direction!TRANSMISSION & DISTRIBUTION CRITICAL & BACKUP POWER RENEWABLE ENERGY ENERGY CONSUMPTION & MANAGEMENT SMART SOLUTIONS Explore. Empower. Energise FIND OUT MORE www.middleeast-energy.com | info@middleeast-energy.com Online: 17 May - 7 June 2021 l From your office or home Live: 14 - 16 June 2021 l Dubai World Trade Centrewww.mepmiddleeast.com DISTRICT COOLING Dubai Financial Market-listed district cooling developer, the National Central Cooling Company PJSC (Tabreed), has signed an agreement with Abu Dhabi-headquartered real estate developer Miral to provide district cooling services to SeaWorld Abu Dhabi, which is a fi rst-of-its-kind marine life theme park being developed by Miral on Yas Island. Tabreed will connect the new SeaWorld Abu Dhabi development to its existing Yas Island district cooling scheme and will deliver a cooling capacity of 7,500 refrigeration tons (RT), with a total concession capacity of 15,000RT. The district cooling provider also plans to build a dedicated plant by 2022 at the SeaWorld Abu Dhabi site. Once the plant is built, the development will benefi t from a reliable, technologically advanced, and sustainable source of cooling interconnected to Yas Island’s centralised cooling scheme operated by Tabreed. Commenting on the announcement, Tabreed’s chief executive offi cer, Bader Saeed Al Lamki, said: “We are delighted to have signed an agreement with Miral to provide essential district cooling services to SeaWorld Abu Dhabi. Our commitment has always been to deliver state-of-the-art district cooling solutions that are energy effi cient, reliable and cost-effective. “We look forward to further strengthening our partnership with Miral through the development of this key plant on Yas Island.” The chief portfolio offi cer at Miral, Gurjit Singh, said: “We are pleased to be expanding our partnership with Tabreed, a state-of- the-art cooling infrastructure on Yas Island, delivering crucial cooling services to many of our award-winning theme parks. “SeaWorld Abu Dhabi is set to be Yas Island’s next mega attraction, and with this agreement, we ensure the continuous delivery of trusted, reliable, and energy- effi cient services to our growing portfolio of developments. This is yet another step towards our vision of positioning Yas Island as a top global destination for leisure and entertainment.” In total, Tabreed currently serves 62,000RT of contracted capacity at Yas Island, and the Island as a whole has a potential overall capacity of more than 100,000RT. Tabreed, Miral ink district cooling agreement for SeaWorld Abu Dhabi APPOINTMENTS UAE-based cable manufacturing company, Ducab Group – one of the UAE’s largest manufacturing businesses – has appointed Mohammed Abdul Rahman Al Mutawa to the position of Group CEO. Al Mutawa has been with Ducab since 2015, and most recently served as CEO of the Ducab Cable Business. During his tenure, he has focused on strengthening Ducab’s market leadership in the UAE whilst aggressively growing the wire and cables export business that now generates about 25% of revenues and sells to over 20 countries. As a key member of the Group’s executive management team and a talented leader with a strong understanding of Ducab’s business as a manufacturer of cable and metal products, he has been a key driver in developing the company’s fi ve-year strategic plan. He previously served as chief commercial offi cer at Ducab Group, and had joined Ducab from EGA after becoming qualifi ed as an industrial engineer in the US. Al Mutawa succeeds Andrew Shaw as Group CEO, who has led Ducab Group for the past 13 years and will now take up the role of Board Advisor for the company. Ducab’s fi rst Emirati Group CEO appointment is the result of a carefully planned succession strategy in line with Ducab’s UAE National development programme. Currently, UAE nationals hold approximately two-thirds of the senior management positions within Ducab Group. The chairman of Ducab Group, Dr Ahmad Bin Hassan Al Shaikh, said: “Since Mohammed joined Ducab, he has demonstrated great leadership qualities and a passion for developing the company as a world-class UAE manufacturing enterprise. “This transition is evidence of Ducab’s commitment to the sustainable growth of the business and the UAE economy, paving the way towards a bright future upon the strong foundation of successes established under Andrew’s leadership. “On behalf of the company, I would like to thank Andrew for his years of dedication to Ducab and congratulate Mohammed on his new role.” Tabreed will deliver district cooling capacity of up to 7,500RT, with a total concession capacity of 15,000RT 6 MEP Middle East | February 2021 www.mepmiddleeast.com NEWS UPDATE Ducab appoints Mohammed Al Mutawa as fi rst Emirati CEONEWS UPDATE February 2021 | MEP Middle East 7 www.mepmiddleeast.com APPOINTMENTS Specialist consultancy, engineering, and advisory fi rm, AESG, has announced the appointment of Global Directors for each of its lines of business, as well as the expansion of the role of company co-founder, Saeed Al Abbar, to group-wide CEO. The consolidation of service teams under unifi ed global divisions will enable AESG to now deploy the best skills and resources from all its international offi ces on projects worldwide. AESG’s newly appointed Global Directors will be tasked with leading teams, driving the growth of their service lines, and ensuring best practices are implemented across regions. Two AESG Global Directors have been promoted from within the company, with Phillipa Grant and Nivine Issa now taking on the roles of the Global Director of Sustainability and the Global Director of Environment, respectively. Both Grant and Issa have also taken up equity partnership in the fi rm, demonstrating their long- term commitment to AESG and highlighting the company’s leadership in gender equality in the fi eld. With its appointment of Peter Downer to the position of the Global Director of Fire and Life Safety, AESG is also looking to draw from the experience and expertise of a business leader who has worked with large multinational construction consultancy fi rms. An industry veteran with more than 35 years of experience – 15 of which have been in senior leadership positions – Downer has worked extensively on projects across the Middle East, Asia, and Australia. Prior to joining AESG, he served as the Senior VP at Jensen Hughes, which has offi ces in China, Malaysia, Korea, Singapore, Hong Kong, and Macau. Saeed Al Abbar said: “We maintain a highly optimistic outlook with confi dence that our commitment to maintaining service excellence through our ongoing expansion will further validate our position as a leading global consultancy fi rm.” AESG appoints Saeed Al Abbar as Group-wide CEO SUSTAINABLE GIGAPROJECT Saudi Arabia’s Crown Prince and Chairman of the NEOM Company’s Board of Directors, HRH Mohammed bin Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, has announced “The Line” development at the kingdom’s Public Investment Fund-backed (PIF) fl agship $500bn NEOM gigaproject, which is being built over area covering 26,500km2. The Line will be constructed as a 170km linear development of hyper-connected, artifi cial intelligence (AI)-enabled, future communities powered by 100% clean energy. The communities will be built around nature, free of cars and streets, in response to some of the most pressing challenges facing humanity, such as legacy infrastructure, pollution, and traffi c congestion. The Line is the fi rst time in 150 years that a major urban development has been designed around people, not roads. Walkability will defi ne life on The Line – all essential daily services, such as schools, medical clinics, leisure facilities, as well as green spaces, will be within a fi ve-minute walk. Ultra-high-speed transit and autonomous mobility solutions will make travel easier and give residents the opportunity to reclaim time to spend on health and wellbeing. No journey is expected to take more than 20 minutes. The Line’s communities will be cognitive, powered by Artifi cial Intelligence (AI), continuously learning predictive ways to make life easier, creating time for both residents and businesses. An estimated 90% of available data will be harnessed to enhance infrastructure capabilities, far beyond the 1% typically utilised in existing smart cities. Redefi ning sustainability, The Line will comprise carbon-positive urban developments powered by 100% clean energy, providing pollution-free, healthier and more sustainable environments for residents. Mixed-use communities will be built around nature, instead of over it. All energy in NEOM will be 100% renewable – from solar, wind and hydrogen- based power generation – ensuring clean and pollution-free urban environments. The development aims to contribute 380,000 jobs and $48bn (SAR180bn) to the kingdom’s domestic GDP by 2030. Construction will commence in Q1 2021, with The Line expected to be a cornerstone of the Saudi Vision 2030 and an economic engine for the kingdom, driving diversifi cation. HRH Mohammed bin Salman said: “We need to transform the concept of a conventional city into that of a futuristic one. I present to you The Line: A city of a million residents with a length of 170km that preserves 95% of nature within NEOM, with zero cars, zero streets, and zero carbon emissions.” Saudi Crown Prince reveals $500bn NEOM gigaproject’s “The Line”: a 100% clean energy development The Line will be designed around people - not roads NEWS UPDATE 8 MEP Middle East | February 2021 www.mepmiddleeast.com PROJECTS Saudi Arabia’s national community developer ROSHN – which was launched by the kingdom’s sovereign Public Investment Fund (PIF) led by the Crown Prince HRH Mohammed bin Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud – has inked partnerships with Dubai- based real estate fi rm Shapoorji Pallonji Mideast and Siemens Ltd to support the development of Phase 1 of its fl agship 20km2 Riyadh residential community project. ROSHN has partnered with Shapoorji Pallonji Mideast to construct 3,000 homes along with associated utilities, roads, and landscaping. The KSA developer has also awarded a contract to Siemens Ltd to provide detailed engineering, procurement, and construction of all associated underground cabling covering a total of 26km. The contracts, which are valued at $506.5mn (SAR1.9bn), are considered key development pillars in the construction of the Riyadh community – the fi rst-of-its-kind to be launched by ROSHN as part of its mandate to contribute to the increasing demand for accessible homes across Saudi Arabia. Commenting on the contract awards, the chief executive offi cer of ROSHN, David Grover, said: “The Riyadh community sets a new standard for housing in Saudi Arabia by offering a dynamic and modern living experience, rooted in work and play, through the provision of quality homes at a competitive price. “Our partnerships with Shapoorji Pallonji and Siemens clearly demonstrate ROSHN’s commitment to partnering with best-in-class organisations as we deliver this landmark development. ROSHN inks $506.5mn deal with Shapoorji Pallonji and Siemens The architectural design of the community aims to reflect the best of modern living whilst celebrating Saudi Arabia’s rich culture and heritage “The partnerships are at the heart of our mission to support Vision 2030’s goals to create more opportunities for Saudis to own high-quality homes in the Kingdom.” The Riyadh community is strategically located south of King Khalid International Airport in the north of Riyadh, and close to the city’s main attractions, key highways, and transportation links. In addition to more than 30,000 contemporary homes, the communities will include mosques, shops, cafes, parks, schools, and leisure, and entertainment facilities. The architectural design of the community aims to refl ect the best of modern living whilst celebrating Saudi Arabia’s rich culture and heritage. The chief executive offi cer and managing director at Shapoorji Pallonji, Mohandass Saini, said: “We are aligned with the Saudi government’s mandate to drive Saudisation by hiring and training local talent in the real estate market. “The company has already executed several megaprojects in the kingdom, including the headquarters of SABIC in Jubail, the headquarters of Saudi Electric Company (SEC), King Abdullah Financial District in Riyadh, as well as various hotels, commercial complexes, and high-rise commercial towers, creating job opportunities for the Saudi people.”NEWS UPDATE February 2021 | MEP Middle East 9 www.mepmiddleeast.com PROMOTIONS Cundall, which is a leading global multi- disciplinary engineering consultancy, has made promotions within its MENA leadership team moving into 2021. The moves aim to strengthen the company’s existing leadership team and pave the way for succession required to achieve its regional ambitions of sustainability and growth. Lee French has been promoted to a Partner of the Cundall Global business with the position of Operations Director for the MENA business. French has been with Cundall for approximately 20 years and has worked on many of Cundall’s large global projects, also having spent a few years based in Qatar. Olga Litkovets, who has been with the business for more than three years, and in the region for more than 13 years, has been promoted to the Director of Business Development & Marketing for the MENA business Litkovets chairs Cundall’s wider EMENA Management Board and the promotion will see her taking a pivotal role in the strategic development of the fi rm’s regional business, as well as supporting the regional operational management. Issam Hammad has been promoted to Associate Director within the UAE business. Hammad will take a lead role in further developing Cundall’s MEP business regionally as well as supporting the UAE business leadership. Elmer Moncada has been promoted to Associate Director within Cundall’s Qatar business. An electrical engineer by profession he will focus on the development and growth of the fi rm’s MEP business in Qatar. Cundall announces promotions within MENA leadership LEED CERTIFICATION Sustainable infrastructure solutions provider ACCIONA has obtained the Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) Gold Certifi cation – the highest global qualifi cation for sustainability in construction – for three stations on the Dubai Metro “Route 2020” extension. The “Al Furjan or R-72”, “Discovery Gardens or R-71”, and “The Gardens or R-70”, have received the LEED Gold v4 Building Design and Construction certifi cation. To increase the energy effi ciency and reduce the environmental impact of the metro stations, ACCIONA optimised cooling systems, installed solar panels for energy, and used insulating material for the external walls and roof claddings, among other initiatives. The remaining four stations along the Route 2020 are expected to be certifi ed soon, which will make the Dubai Metro extension the largest Gold LEED certifi ed transit project in the world. This achievement is part of a commitment of the ACCIONA and Gulermak Civil Works Joint Venture, CWJV, to ensure that the Dubai Expo 2020’s programme-wide sustainability strategy integrates world-class processes and methodologies, from planning and design to construction and operations. Commenting on the achievement, the ACCIONA Stations Manager at the Dubai Metro “Route 2020” project, Carlos Bacaicoa, said: “This project contemplates a high effi ciency criteria in the selection of materials and systems in each of the buildings, taking into account its location in harsh climate conditions, its delicate environment, and the existing resources. “The result is smart, eco-effi cient, and more sustainable stations, which will save considerable energy and water throughout their lifespan. The construction methodology used by ACCIONA and Gulermak CWJV has been as respectful as possible to the environment.” The 15km “Route 2020” includes 11.8km of elevated viaduct and a 3.2km underground tunnel, branching off the existing Red Line at the Nakheel Harbour & Tower Station. It has seven stations, including an interchange at Nakheel Harbour and a metro station to welcome visitors to the World Expo site. ACCIONA CWJV obtains LEED Gold Certifi cation for Dubai Metro stations Lee French, Partner of the Cundall Global business ACCIONA optimised cooling systems, installed solar panels for energy, and used insulating material for the external wallsNext >