Vital ventilation

ADC's Gary Douglas and Monodraught's Tony Cull discuss the key opportunities in the HVAC sector.

“The current market tendency is moving towards the utilisation of renewable energy resources and enhancing system efficiencies”
-Gary Douglas

What do you see as the biggest challenges in the HVAC industry over the next few years?
Gary Douglas. The major challenges for the HVAC industry in the next few years are the market shift towards renewable energy resources, higher energy efficient machines and the banning of certain refrigerants. Power consumption has always been an issue when talking about air conditioning in the Middle East. It is known that more than 60 percent of a building's energy consumption is spent on air conditioning. With the current shift towards renewable energy resources and the demand for high efficiency machines, the AC industry will have to go through significant technology advancements to satisfy current market needs in the coming years.

Refrigerants is another critical issue in the HVAC industry. Refrigerants currently used in the HVAC industry will either have a high global warming potential effect or ozone depletion effect, or both. Countries worldwide are continuously working on regulations that minimise, phase out or ban certain refrigerants to eliminate the negative effect on the environment. This also means major technology changes in the HVAC industry will be required, but true direction unknown to date.

Tony Cull. The HVAC industry faces a number of challenges to meet current economic, environmental and social concerns. Here are three representative examples. Firstly, the recent economic meltdown has brought cost issues to the fore, and both the capital and running costs of HVAC systems are under scrutiny. Secondly, never before have we been made so aware of the irreversible damage the human race is doing to the environment, and the corresponding need to reduce energy consumption and carbon emissions. Finally, the environmental conditions inside a building must be healthy and comfortable to maintain occupant well-being and help them to perform to their potential.

There is a growing focus on sustainability and greener construction in the Middle East, in particular seen in the increase of LEED practices. How is this being translated into the HVAC sector? What is your company working on in terms of sustainable products?
GD. As an EPC contractor for District Energy Systems, we are not directly involved in building construction and thus, LEED practices. However, in all of our projects, system efficiency through minimising utility consumption (such as power and water) is always top of our agenda. Our engineers are fully aware of LEED and other sustainability standards and are applying them when possible to reduce energy consumption and increase efficiency. In the near future we will be seeing similar standards to LEED for industrial buildings such as District Energy Plants.

As for the effect of greener construction on HVAC, it has simply led to reduced load demand and more efficient use of cooling capacities in buildings. Overall, this reduces capital cost for HVAC systems and utility consumption.

TC. Heating, ventilation and air conditioning are considered by some to be everyday commodities to be taken for granted, and essential for the wellbeing of the population. Whilst this is certainly true for heating and ventilation, air conditioning is facing the toughest challenges to its credibility. Air conditioning systems are sometimes associated with prosperity and status and used to convey these attributes and not because they are necessary for the comfort and well-being of a building's occupants, or because they are the most energy efficient approach. Although there are many proponents of an air conditioned indoor environment who cite their contribution to personal freedom and increased productivity in some regions of the world, air conditioning does not always bequeath an indoor environment that is satisfactory for occupants. In fact, when compared against buildings that are naturally ventilated using wind and buoyancy forces, occupants often perceive the indoor environment to be better in a naturally ventilated building and report fewer symptoms of sick building syndrome (SBS). For many people air conditioning has come to be viewed not as a solution to discomfort and SBS symptoms, but as part of the problem.

The current global economic crisis is without doubt affecting the infrastructure industry in the Middle East. What do you perceive as the key opportunities in these challenging times for the HVAC sector?
GD. The current economic crisis returned serious competition on value to the market place. Today, clients are studying the value addition from using one company over the other more seriously. In our industry, this means higher demand for creativity and 'out of the box' approach to projects, which is stimulating the future designs. These are opportunities for companies that are built on sound bases. It is the sustainability of a competitive price for HVAC systems while providing high quality, high efficiency products that presents today's challenge.

TC. A hot climate is not one to be colonised and controlled, but experienced and lived within, and so air conditioning should not be used to solve the problems caused by architectural inadequacies; glass may be aesthetic but it is not a suitable façade material in any climate. Middle Eastern buildings have long been naturally ventilated, and so it seems sensible that architects return to vernacular principals to create buildings that reflect local culture and heritage, and impact lightly on the environment. Therefore, it is encouraging that LEED practices are increasing in the Middle East. Buildings built according to its guidelines consider the sustainability of the site, water efficiency, energy consumed, atmospheric emissions, materials and resources employed, indoor environmental quality and innovation in the design process.

What new developments can we expect to see from you over the next six to 12 months?
GD. As I mentioned before, the current market tendency is moving towards the utilisation of renewable energy resources and enhancing system efficiencies, on that line, we are diversifying into providing EPC solutions for renewable energy systems (we are currently working on a major solar air conditioning project). We are also looking at the combined heating and cooling and power enhancement projects.

In addition to diversifying in our EPC solutions, we are also expanding geographically into other countries in the region. Our aim is to position ourselves as an EPC provider of energy solutions in the MENA region.

TC. Monodraught has always sought to explore, develop and create innovative low-energy building services solutions. By maximising naturally available energy from the wind and the sun, Monodraught products are helping to build for a better future. The Monodraught Windcatcher is a roof mounted natural ventilation system that employs tried and tested principals widely seen in Middle Eastern vernacular architecture. It can channel a controlled quantity of fresh air into a room from roof level, whatever the wind's direction, and without mechanical assistance. The Windcatcher provides a fresh airflow in the room that raises the operative temperatures and gives greater opportunity for thermal adaptation. Furthermore, the Sola-Boost uses the Windcatcher technology in coordination with a solar powered fan to guarantee ventilation on sunny days. Both systems are intelligently controlled by a patented iNVent demand-control system that uses a combination of internal temperature and carbon dioxide concentration to maintain good indoor air quality and thermal comfort. In summer months, iNVent opens a series of flow volume control dampers to provide secure night cooling that can help to cool exposed thermal mass and reduce the initial and the peak temperature the following day. However, in very hot climates, it is accepted that untempered supplied air may not be appropriate and so Monodraught is actively investigating passive cooling techniques for its natural ventilation systems.

Gary Douglas has over 30 years of experience in operations management. He spent the majority of his career in Australia. Douglas relocated to the UAE in 2002 as a Group Director in one of the largest FMCG companies in the UAE. In 2008, Douglas joined ADC as the General Manager in Dubai.

Tony Cull has been with Monodraught for 20 years, initially as a design engineer, he then became the Technical Director in 1989. Monodraught was acquired by VKR Holdings in 2007, in April 2009 Cull became Managing Director.