mep middle east - april 2010

MIDDLE EAST NEWS UPDATE |06EVENTS |11

LEGAL |18BUSINESS LEADS |33

PRODUCTS |36THE LAST WORD |40

ALSO: EMANUELE STANO FROM ARISTON THERMO ON WATER HEATING

An ITP Business Publication | April 2010 Vol. 5 Issue 4Essential information for mechanical, electrical and plumbing professionals

Licensed by Dubai Media City

MARKET ANALYSISTHE LATEST RESEARCH INSIGHTS INTO THE MEP MARKET IN THE GCC

PIPES, GENSETS

A GUIDE TO THE MAJOR SUPPLIERS

AND PLAYERS

ON THERMO ON WATER HEATING

Al Habtoor-Specon reveals the secrets behind its phenomenal growth, despite the downturn

or-Specon reveals theehind its phenomenald it th d t

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

APRIL 2010 VOLUME 5 ISSUE 4

CONTENTS

03 CONSTRUCTION WEEK ONLINE

05 COMMENT

06 UPDATE

14 THE BIG INTERVIEW Al Habtoor-Specon MD Thrasos

Thrasyvoulou.

16 PROFILEAriston Thermo Middle East mar-keting manager Emanuele Stano on the latest technology.

18 LEGAL

20 GENSETSA round-up of major suppliers and players.

23 CABLESDow Wire & Cable global mar-keting director Jon Penrice on infrastructural growth.

26 MARKET ANALYSIS Senior research analyst Vivek

Vijayakumar on Frost & Sullivan’s

latest research report on the MEP sector in the GCC.

30 PIPES A round-up of major suppliers and

players.

33 BUSINESS LEADS

35 METAL MONITOR

36 PRODUCTS

40 THE LAST WORD

16

23

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CONSTRUCTIONWEEKONLINE.COM

COLUMNS AND FEATURESSAFETY TALLYSelina Denman, Editor, Commercial Interior DesignClichés express an unavoidable, resounding truth. The much-abused ‘safety in numbers’ is a case in point.

HOLISTIC ENERGY MANAGEMENTBrett Annesley,Guest ColumnistEnergy-management approaches to lighting control and design may provide the key to reducing energy consumption within the commercial sector.

MARKET GAPStuart Matthews, Senior Group EditorA good plumber is harder to fi nd than an odourless camel, which can only mean there’s a gap in the market. Who will be the fi rst to fi ll it?

BACKTRACKGreg Whitaker, Editor, PMV Middle EastThe Emirates Motor Museum in Abu Dhabi has a selection of cus-tomised Dodge Power Wagons. However, while we have dune-bashing as a sport, Monster Truck racing hasn’t taken off here as it has in the US.

OCEAN HEIGHTSDAMAC Properties’ Ocean Heights is an 83 storey, 310 m high residential tower. It was designed by Aedas, whose projects include the Dubai Metro and the Pentomium. The project received a Bentley ‘best architecture’ award in 2006. It has a ‘minor’ twist from fl oor-to-fl oor level.

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

IN PICTURES MOST POPULAR

• Six of the best: Top GCC education projects

• Six projects that didn’t make it

• Al Habtoor-Specon wins AED 320 million

MEP contract

• Emaar’s 29 Burj Boulevard project delayed

two years

• DSWP bags Khalifa City utilities contract

• Middle East faces chronic water shortage

• On World Water Day, DuPont trumpets its

water-saving technologies

• British plug set for design revamp

• Marshall-Tuffl ex appoints new technical

manager for the Gulf

EDITOR’S CHOICE

SPOT POLL

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

d by best

OMMMMMMMMMMM

What’s your biggest headache right now?

41.4%Finding new work

34.5%Getting the money we’re owed

24.1%Unhappy workers

0.0%Materials procurement


COMMENT

Tapping into water conservation

The planet marked World Water Day on 22 March. According to the United Nations De-velopment Programme, more than a billion people, or about one in six worldwide, do not

have safe drinking water. More than two billion lack access to adequate sanitation. If current water-usage trends continue, two-thirds of the world’s population will not have enough clean water by 2025.

The international observance of World Water Day is an initiative that grew out of the 1992 United Nations Conference on Environment and Develop-ment (UNCED) in Rio de Janeiro. The Water for Life Decade 2005-2015 will give a high profi le to imple-menting water-related programmes. The fi rst water decade, from 1981 to 1990, brought water to over a billion people and sanitation to almost 77 million. But obviously there is still a lot to do.

According to the Institute for Advanced Strategic & Political Studies (IASPS), water resources in the Middle East are plummeting. While representing 5% of the total world population, the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region contains only 0.9% of global water resources.

The number of water-scarce countries in the MENA region rose from three in 1955 (Bahrain, Jordan and Kuwait) to 11 by 1990 (with the inclu-sion of Algeria, Israel and the Occupied Territories, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Somalia, Tunisia, the UAE and Yemen). Another seven are anticipated to join the list by 2025 (Egypt, Ethiopia, Iran, Libya, Morocco, Oman and Syria).

In commemoration of World Water Day 2010, Al Majal Environmental & Technical Services, a 100% Omani environmental company, launched its ‘One Million Taps’ programme under its Oman Water Mandate (OWM) campaign to address the water challenges of the country, which reportedly obtains

MIDDLE EAST

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40% of its demand for drinking from bottled water.The ‘One Million Taps’ programme aims to edu-

cate the public and encourage the widespread use of water-saving devices, from taps to shower heads, for example. Interestingly, the campaign is being pro-moted as a ‘national duty’.

While the government aims to provide a safe and adequate water supply, it is the duty of every citizen to conserve water, reduce wastage and adopt mea-sures to maximise water use, according to Al Majal.

In addition, companies have a corporate social responsibility to conserve water as part of reducing their overall environmental impact. Water conser-vation reduces a company’s risk, and is in line with consumer preferences, as well as maintaining over-all effi ciency in the supply chain. With regard to the latter, the Al Majal scheme is designed to provide a total saving of up to 30% to 50%.

At the end of the day, there is no hi-tech solution to water scarcity. As the ‘One Million Taps’ programme shows, what is needed, fi rst and foremost, are a few fi ttings and a lot of common sense.

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 COVERThrasos Thrasyvoulou from turnkey MEP contractor Al Habtoor-

Specon, talking about the company’s strong growth trajectory

since 2007.

UPDATE

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

New switchboard plant in TechnoParkDynergy Technologies specialises in the assembly and supply of LV and MV electrical switchboards

Emaar Properties chairman Mohamed Alabbar, EII CEO Mohammed Saeed Al Raqbani and other executives at the Dynergy opening

EII has secured a partnership with ABB Industries for Dynergy products

SWITCHBOARDS

A new manufacturing plant for LV and MV switchboards has been launched offi cially by Dynergy Technologies in Tech-noPark in Jebel Ali. The fi rst phase of the new facility, sprawl-ing over 22 000 m², will create 300 jobs and has a capacity to produce 30 000 switchboard panels a year. Work on the se-cond phase is being planned, with a new extension for MV panels and a new product line.

“Our expansion to new prem-ises in TechnoPark follows ex-tensive market research. The market for LV panels alone is estimated at AED1.5 billion, and Dynergy aims at tapping this growing market. We target a turnover of AED200 million by 2012. The new premises, devel-oped with the support of Emaar Industries & Investments (EII), will help us achieve our goal.

“With a seven-fold increase in production capacity, the plant will help us meet our cus-tomer requirements by provid-ing high-quality, reliable and cost-effective products,” said Dynergy Technologies board member Mahnad Kashani. Dynergy Technologies focuses on facilitating energy solutions for local communities, hotels and construction projects. It is a subsidiary of EII, a member of Emaar Properties PJSC.

EII, as a facilitator of the in-dustrial and manufacturing sec-tor, supports Dynergy in busi-ness development, marketing,

establishing banking relations and implementing strong corpo-rate governance measures. EII also secured a partnership with ABB Industries for Dynergy products, thus bringing in ad-vanced power and automation technology to the company.

KEY DRIVER“The industrial and manufac-turing sector is fast evolving as a key growth driver of Dubai’s economy, with small and me-dium enterprises accounting for up to 98.5% of Dubai’s busi-ness sector and 61% of the total workforce. EII complements the diversifi cation efforts of the Dubai government by provid-ing tangible and strategic sup-port to industries in achieving their larger growth goals,” said EII CEO Mohammed Saeed Al Raqbani.

“The region presents an attrac-tive opportunity for private in-vestments in the manufacturing sector due to the planned growth

of its economies, institutional re-forms and market liberalisation, which all create opportunities for large-scale transactions.”

Al Raqbani said the expan-sion of Dynergy Technologies to a new manufacturing facility in TechnoPark “will further em-

AED1.5 BILLION

The market for LV panels


UPDATE

The offi cial tour of the new production facility

Dynergy aims at tapping this growing market. We target a turnover of AED200 million by 2012.“ – Mahnad Kashani

power the company to enhance its production capacity, and also seek new geographic mar-kets. EII’s continued support will further empower Dynergy to drive growth, create new job opportunities and expand its product range.”

Providing turnkey solutions in LV and MV switchgear, Dynergy was previously oper-ating out of small rented prem-ises with a production capac-ity of only 4 000 panels a year. TechnoPark was selected as an ideal base for its own premises following an in-depth survey on various zone options in the Emirate.

CAPACITY EXPANSION“The capacity expansion and economies of scale that the new plant brings will create a com-petitive advantage for Dynergy. The new plant will also assist us in further emphasising re-search and development sup-ported by adequate technical expertise,” said Kashani.

With all products type-tested as per the specifi cations of an independent quality certifi ca-tion authority in the UK as well

as IEC, Dynergy expects the new facility to drive its expan-sion into new markets in the GCC region. The company ad-heres to clean, reliable and safe manufacturing practices as part of its commitment to sus-tainable development.

The new plant also has sev-eral energy-effi cient practices in operation, with production taking place under a sunlit semi-glassed roof, and using pneumatic tools system to save electricity consumption.

Dynergy is a member of the Emirates Green Building Council, and currently runs a third-party assessment for greenhouse gas emission as the fi rst step to becoming a carbon-neutral entity.

Dynergy offers complete power distribution solutions for 400 V. It will also be provid-ing solutions to cater for up to 22 kV three-phase power. The product range includes LV main distribution boards, MV distri-bution boards, sub-main distri-bution boards, fi nal distribution boards, capacitor banks and motor control centres, among many others.

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UPDATE


WATER

ABB has won a US$144 million turnkey order from the Abu Dhabi Transmission & Despatch Company (TRANSCO) for a ma-jor expansion of a water trans-mission system in Abu Dhabi to help meet the Emirate’s rising demand for drinking water.

The project will increase the volume of water supplied by the Shuweihat Power and Desalina-tion Plant to the City of Abu Dha-bi by increasing the capacity of two pumping stations. The proj-ect is scheduled for completion in 2011. The order was booked in the fourth quarter of 2009.

ABB will be responsible for the engineering, installation, testing, commissioning and overall management of the proj-ect, and will provide a turnkey mechanical, electrical and au-tomation solution for the ex-tension and modifi cation of the Shuweihat and Mirfa pumping stations.

MARINE WORKS

Water-infrastructure specialist Septech is seeking to boost its Abu Dhabi-based Marine busi-ness following its presence at the 2010 Abu Dhabi Yacht Show.

“Globally marina develop-ment has suffered enormously from the economic downturn, but in contrast we are seeing a marked growth in demand from the Emirate of Abu Dhabi,” said Septech marine business unit manager Bruce Birtwistle.

“We estimate that the drop in global demand has reduced revenues by 20%; we are fortu-nate to be operating in one of the few markets still showing forward progress on marine development.” The 2010 Abu Dhabi Yacht Show was hosted

“ABB’s integrated power and automation technologies will help to provide a reliable and effi cient water supply to meet growing demand for water and support sustainable develop-ment in the region,” said Peter Leupp, head of ABB’s Power Systems division.

The products supplied will in-clude pumps, with related surge vessels and piping, energy-effi -cient drives and motors, as well as the required extension of the electrical balance of plant. The automation systems to manage the operation and monitoring of the water pipeline will use ABB’s state-of-the-art System 800xA control platform.

TRANSCO is a subsidiary of the Abu Dhabi Water & Electric-ity Authority (ADWEA), which is responsible for developing the high-voltage power and bulk wa-ter transmission network in the Emirate of Abu Dhabi.

US$144m Abu Dhabi water systemThe project is a turnkey mechanical, electrical and automation solution

The 2010 Abu Dhabi Yacht Show was hosted on the Septech-constructed Yas Marina

Marina development in Abu Dhabi remains buoyantKingdom of Saudi Arabia and Qatar, added Birtwistle.

“We are very realistic in our outlook. Whilst the pace of ma-rina development has certainly slowed with the contraction of the regional property develop-ment market, we nonetheless feel confi dent our business po-sition and our exclusive part-nerships leave us well-placed to succeed in the current mar-ket, especially as developers become more discerning in their choice of suppliers,” said Birtwistle.

In addition to the Yas Mari-na, completed prior to the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, Septech is currently constructing two ma-rinas in Dubai and a variety of fi shing harbours in Oman.

ABB will help to provide a reliable and effi cient water supply to meet growing demand for water and support sustainable development in the region.“ – Peter Leupp

on the Septech-constructed Yas Marina.

Recent project wins in Oman for other businesses in the Sep-

tech portfolio have opened the door for the marine unit to focus on Muscat, and new projects are increasingly cropping up in the


UPDATE

CONTRACT

Drake & Scull Water and Power (DSWP) has clinched a contract for the complete utilities devel-opment works at the Khalifa A City residential compound in Abu Dhabi.

This follows an earlier AED118 million contract for a 20 000 TR chiller plant and two thermal storage tanks. The value of the latest contract is not known.

DSWP, a subsidiary of Drake & Scull International PJSC (DSI), is now overseeing all relevant infrastructure works, including sewer lines, irrigation, telecom services, fi re-fi ghting, substa-tions and related civils such as roads and paving.

“One of the motivating fac-tors for us in deciding to form a business stream dedicated to

managing and controlling in-frastructure, water and power works was the surety we would continuously have a demand in the market to cater to. This has indeed been the case till now due to the non-diminishing demand for water and power, which are the basic elements needed in any community,” said DSWP execu-tive director Tawfi q Abu Soud.

“This contract win marks the eighth for DSI in 2010, bringing the total value of projects award-ed to date to AED1 billion,” said DSI CEO and vice-chairman Khaldoun Tabari.

In related news, DSI reported net profi ts of AED333 million for the fi scal year starting 17 November 2008, the date the company was incorporated as a public joint stock company, and

DSWP wins Khalifa A utilities worksNow responsible for all infrastructure, following earlier district-cooling contract

Khaldoun Tabari

ending 31 December 2009. It recorded AED2.2 billion in rev-enue for the same period.

The results showed an annual profi t of AED280 million for the calendar year starting 1 January 2009 and ending 31 December 2009, a year-on-year profi t in-crease of 32%, up from AED212 million in 2008. Annual revenue totalled AED1.89 billion, up from AED1.72 billion in 2008, a year-on-year increase of 10%.

“DSI had a positive year. Given that 2009 was challenging, this was an extraordinary end to the year. Our performance in 2009 ratifi ed the strength of our man-agement team, the resilience of our business model and the in-novation of our integration en-gineering. As 2010 proceeds, we remain optimistic as we continue

to invest in our growth strategy and engineering capabilities for the benefi t of our employees, clients and shareholders,” said Tabari. “The company per-formed in line with our expecta-tions and strategic priorities.”

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UPDATE


APPOINTMENT

Cable management specialist Marshall-Tuffl ex has strength-ened its presence in the Gulf by appointing Svetislav (Bata) Bula-jic to the newly-created position of international technical sales manager.

Dubai-based Bulajic brings with him a strong technical back-ground, which Marshall-Tuffl ex is keen to exploit fully for the benefi t of customers throughout the UAE, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Iran, Kuwait, Bahrain, Oman, Iraq and Yemen.

One of Bulajic’s key areas of expertise is underfl oor power distribution, having previously worked for EKA Building Sys-tems in Dubai on a number of high-profi le construction proj-ects, including successfully in-

SEWAGE TREATMENT

Desalination and wastewater treatment specialist Metito has been commissioned to design, supply, build and commission a sewage-treatment plant for the local government in Kabul, Af-ghanistan to serve a population of 6 000 people.

“Afghanistan has seen its fare share of misfortune and de-struction, which has negatively impacted its infrastructure, and we are delighted to help with the rebuilding of the country,” said Metito group business develop-ment director Bassem Halabi.

The plant is at the design and procurement stage. It will em-ploy the latest in extended aera-tion technology, which purifi es sewage by the destruction of or-ganic compounds through the use of air. These compounds, which are converted to gas, wa-

PRODUCTS

Trane’s new Voyager rooftop units are now available in the lo-cal market, bringing increased energy effi ciency and reliability to supermarkets, movie theatres, warehouses and other commercial and industrial buildings in Europe, Africa and the Middle East. The easy-to-install systems replace the existing Voyager rooftop unit line.

The 15-165 kW packaged units offer a choice of cooling-only, gas-fi red, heat pump or dual-fuel technologies to meet specifi c cus-tomer cooling and heating needs. Additional energy-saving options such as plate heat exchanger, heat wheel, adjustable fresh air volume and free-cooling are also available.

The new Voyager rooftop units are Eurovent-certifi ed (Class A ef-fi ciency for a number of units) with a high Coeffi cient of Performance (COP) and Energy Effi ciency Rating (EER). Additional energy savings can be achieved with tech-

troducing Electrak systems to the GCC region.

His appointment reinforces Marshall-Tuffl ex’s commitment to supporting its international customers and helping them make the most of its recent tech-nological advances in cable man-agement and prefabricated wir-ing systems.

As international sales director Tracy Masters explained: “We know our Gulf customers are keen to adopt our latest innova-tions, and Bulajic’s appointment is absolutely key to achieving this. His background in design through to commissioning of a range of solutions, together with his knowledge and techni-cal expertise/focus, will give our clients the opportunity to meet their ever more demanding re-

Technical manager for Gulf regionAppointment will strengthen Marshall-Tuffl ex’s presence in the region

Trane launches Voyagernologies such as heat recovery and a modulating and condensing gas burner.

The Voyager’s high effi ciency makes it particularly suitable for cold chain and storage applica-tions, such as chocolate and fl ower storage. The new design allows the units to perform in extremely warm or very cold environments.

Its ‘plug-and-play’ design, with a single-point power connection and factory-installed accessories, en-sures easy installation and commis-sioning. Comfort, operation, safety and accessibility are improved as a result of a complete redesign of the structure.

“Trane Voyager systems com-bine high reliability and energy savings, easier installation and less maintenance to deliver reduced cost of ownership,” said Pierre Cazal, vice-president equipment systems for Trane commercial business in Europe, Middle East, Africa and India.

quirements through what are virtually bespoke design solu-tions for power and data provi-sion. His appointment is critical to what our customers are trying to achieve, and we are delighted to have him on board.”

Bulajic’s main focus will be on Marshall-Tuffl ex’s range of

prefabricated wiring systems. The concept behind the MT32 prefabricated wiring system is to take all the hard work out of elec-trical installations by providing completely pre-wired, pre-tested plug-and-play electrical wiring for projects.

It is the MT32 technology – the development of the unique 32A connector that, in combination with the entire range of Marshall-Tuffl ex modular and prefabricat-ed plug-and-play wiring systems – offers a total electrical wiring solution for a project, eliminating hard wiring on-site and thereby saving time and reducing costs. MT32’s ‘zero harm, zero waste’ properties also provide easy re-confi guration wherever and whenever re-positioning of sock-ets is required.

Metito to build sewage plant in Afghanistan

ter and sludge form, are then removed, and what remains is clear and odour-free effl uent water that can be used for vari-ous applications.

Decades of civil war has led to the devastation of the Af-ghani economy, in addition to the destruction of much of Af-ghanistan’s critical water infra-structure, which affects many of its citizens. “The availability of sanitation facilities is vital to the rebuilding of Kabul.

“We aim to improve the situ-ation with this project, and allow citizens access to the most basic of basics: sanitary services. Afghanistan is not an easy place to work in, but with a dedicated team and support from the local authorities, the plant is expected to be com-pleted by 19 May 2010,” said Bassem.

Svetislav (Bata) Bulajic


UPDATE

Germany in solar JV with QatarSOLAR ENERGY

SolarWorld, Germany’s big-gest solar company by revenue, has acquired nearly a third of a Qatar-based polysilicon joint venture in a move to shift pro-duction abroad in light of rising labour costs at home. The joint venture, Qatar Solar Technolo-gies (QST), will invest more than US$500 million in the con-struction of a solar-grade silicon plant with a planned annual ca-pacity of 3 600 tons.

Production is scheduled to start in the third quarter of 2012. German solar equipment maker Centrotherm will be technology partner for the Qatar-based joint venture. SolarWorld is to own 29% of the joint venture, while partners Qatar Foundation and Qatar Development Bank will own 70% and 1% respectively.

German solar companies are making great efforts in moving production abroad as looming cuts in solar incentives as well

UAE-US trade empoweredBUSINESS

The CEO of Empower, Ahmad Bin Shafar, has discussed ways to foster UAE-US business re-lations at a meeting with the newly-appointed US Consul General Justin H. Siberell. Prin-cipal commercial offi cer Robert W. Dunn was also present at the historic meeting.

Bin Shafar, the head of the largest district cooling service provider in the region, said the UAE is one of the top places to do business in the world, and US businesses are actively seeking to become a major part of this. On the other hand, among the most promising prospects for US exports to the Middle East, according to the US Department of Commerce, is in the area of air-conditioning and refrigera-tion equipment.

The meeting stressed the need for boosting co-operation

and exchanging expertise be-tween Empower and those US companies engaged in the en-ergy sector in particular. The US delegation praised the lib-eral business climate in Dubai in particular and the UAE in general.

Siberell described the emir-ate as a hub for the entire region, thanks to the far-sighted vision of HH Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice-Pres-ident and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai. The delegation agreed that Dubai was a success story with world-class infrastructure.

“Empower has succeeded in building world-class district cooling infrastructure, which is considered an ideal econom-ic and environmental solution for residential and commercial units, offi ces and hotels in the UAE. I am pleased that residen-

Empower CEO discusses means to foster bilateral tradePROJECT QATAR12-15 AprilQatarwww.ifpqatar.com

CITYSCAPE ABU DHABI 201018-21 AprilADNEC, Abu Dhabiwww.cityscapeabudhabi.com

GULF WATER & POWER FORUM25-27 AprilBahrainwww.gulfwpf.com

BUILDING SUSTAINABILITY INTO THE MIDDLE EAST28 AprilDubaiwww.itp.net/events

ARAB ENERGY CONFERENCE9-12 MayDoha, Qatarhttp://aec9.oapecorg.org

FM EXPO 201018-20 MayDubai International Conference & Exhibition Centrewww.eventseye.com

HARDWARE + TOOLS ME18-20 MayDubai International Conference & Exhibition Centrewww.hardwaretoolsme.com ME WASTE SUMMIT 201018-20 MayDubai Airport Expo Centrewww.turretme.com

FM Awards 201019 May Dubaiwww.itp.net/events

Saudi Aircon23-26 MayRiyadh Exhibition Centrewww.eventseye.com

CONSTRUCTION WEEK RIYADH8 JuneRiyadh Exhibition Centrewww.itp.net/events

EVENTS

tial units are becoming increas-ingly aware of the importance of using district cooling as an alternative to conventional AC systems, leading to energy sav-ings and increased environmen-tal awareness.”

Ahmad Bin Shafar

Production will be moved abroad in light of rising labour costs at home

as high labour costs in Ger-many, the world’s largest solar market, are putting huge pres-sure on margins.

UPDATE


UAE is still a major source of high-quality contractsCONSULTANCY

Specialist commercial consul-tancy Traprain Consultants Ltd. is consolidating its presence in the UAE with the opening of an offi ce in Dubai. Despite the recent economic turmoil, the region still represents an ex-tremely valuable source of high-quality contracts, according to CE Peter Foreman.

“Indeed, we believe that the problems in the construction market will provide us with opportunities. We also have a number of existing clients from Europe and elsewhere with op-erations in the region, and this will enable us to service these from a local base.

“This is a signifi cant and very positive step forward for Traprain. The offi ce in Dubai will increase opportunities for our network of consultants to access not only the UAE mar-ket, but also other parts of the Middle East,” said Foreman.

The consultancy specialises in offering a range of director-level services to industries in-cluding oil and gas, construction and energy through a network of top-fl ight consultants. The company sees the move as offer-ing further opportunities to in-crease its reach, and to service the activities of existing clients operating in the region from a local base.

APPOINTMENT

DuPont has announced the ap-pointment of Hartmut Reinke as its director for the Middle East, Turkey and Africa. The move re-inforces the company’s commit-ment to further strengthening its presence in the Middle East through the deployment of key se-nior leadership and coming closer to customers in the region.

Reinke is based in Dubai. He joined DuPont in 1985, and has

held various regional and global management positions in product management, R&D, sales, market-ing and administration, and has played a key role in spearheading the strategic growth of DuPont in Germany, France, the US, Swit-zerland and the UAE. He brings a wealth of experience served as DuPont’s director for Central and Eastern Europe, the Middle East and Africa for three years.

“DuPont is a science company creating sustainable solutions es-sential to a better, safer, healthier life for people everywhere. Our growth strategy for the long-term is based on major global trends driven mostly by increasing global population,” said Reinke.

DuPont plans to capitalise on global growth opportunities by sharply focusing its innovation pipelines on four mega trends: to

meet the increasing demand for food productivity; protect people and the environment; decrease de-pendence on fossil fuels; and capi-talise on the growth of emerging markets where about one-third of DuPont’s sales are currently gen-erated. “I am very excited about prospects in the Middle East, an emerging market with immense potential,” said Reinke.

DuPont appoints new ME directorMove reaffi rms company’s commitment to the Middle East market

In the past 15 years, the com-pany has opened offi ces in the Middle East and invested in de-veloping local skills and talent. Its team is constantly striving to offer increased benefi ts, new products and solutions for its local custom-ers, based on DuPont science and innovation. “DuPont is committed and well-positioned for acceler-ated growth in the Middle East region,” said Reinke.

DuPont is also focused on re-gional opportunities such as the in-frastructure boom, where US$105 billion in projects are planned or are under construction in the UAE. Construction contracts in Saudi Arabia’s real estate market are expected to top US$60 billion in 2010. Egypt and GCC econo-mies, including Kuwait, Bahrain, Qatar and Oman, are also evolv-ing at a rapid pace.

Hartmut Reinke

Dennis Brand, who writes a high-profi le monthly legal col-umn for MEP Middle East, will head up the Dubai operation. His background is in commercial and legal areas, specialising in construction, development and energy projects. Traprain Con-sultants in Dubai will work in association with the UK-based company, and act as a hub for all of Traprain’s consulting activi-ties in the Middle East.

Brand has spent many years in London with major law fi rms, advising on infrastructure proj-ects in both the public and pri-vate sectors. He later worked with Kvaerner Hydrocarbons, then part of the Kvaerner Group, where he oversaw in particular its pre-contract and post-contract award activities, and the preparation and nego-tiation of contract terms.

He was later appointed com-

mercial and legal services di-rector and company secretary of John Brown Hydrocarbons Limited, and held a similar posi-tion at CB&I John Brown Lim-ited and its subsidiaries.

In 2005, Brand relocated to Dubai to join the construction, development and energy group of the Dubai offi ce of London law fi rm Berrymans Lace Maw-er, with particular responsibility for its non-contentious construc-tion and engineering practice.

In January 2008, he co-estab-lished the Dubai offi ce of HBJ Gateley Wareing, heading its non-contentious practice, which included construction, develop-ment and engineering projects.

“There is a market for good-quality management consultan-cy services providing specialist contractual, commercial and corporate advice on a cost-effec-tive basis,” said Brand.

US$105BILLION

In infrastructure projects are planned or are under construction in the UAE

There are large numbers of both indigenous and JV companies which need high-order advice and training.“ – Dennis Brand

THE BIG INTERVIEW

www.constructionweekonline.com

Growth trajectory

Paris Sorbonne University

he company doubled its turn-over from 2008 to 2009, and has enough projects in hand “to grow 50% this year as well. Our strategic planning for the next three years is based on a growth rate of 25% a year, based on our projections and the specifi c jobs we are being called to tender on. This is

reasonable growth under the circumstances,” says Thrasyvoulou. “Our aim is to get involved in projects with other major contractors in the region and abroad, and to have exposure to a broader client base.”

An indication of just how fast the market has changed is that when MEP Middle East spoke to Thrasyvoulou in July 2009, he was confi dent that the company was well on its way to an impressive AED2 billion target. “We have not achieved this level because of the downturn, especially in Dubai, where a lot of projects have been postponed or re-designed, which will affect cash fl ow for a long period. In the interim we have become an AED1 billion company, and our immediate plan is to reach the AED1.5 billion level,” says Thrasyvoulou.

Al Habtoor Engineering and Specon Lim-ited signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) in October 2005, with the partnership registered offi cially in July 2007. Both parties were already highly credible and experienced players in the market, so it was an auspicious beginning for the new company. The immedi-ate result was “tremendous growth within a short period of time,” says Thrasyvoulou.

This was due to the complementary na-ture of the two parties, together with their well-established presence. “The second fac-tor that contributed to quick growth was the pipeline of projects available to us immedi-

tractor, with the traditional scope of HVAC, plumbing and sanitary, electrical and BMS. We also had a lot of experience in MV and HV substation work and transmission lines.”

Hence an energy and power division was formed, culminating in the signing of a MoU to enter into a consortium with VINCI Ener-gies of France “to participate in and execute projects in Qatar for MV and HV substations. The prequalifi cation and representations to the relevant ministry have been completed, and we are in line to obtain documents for the fi rst tender. This three-billion Qatari Riyal project will increase our works in hand sub-stantially,” says Thrasyvoulou.

DIVERSIFICATION“Our diversifi cation also covers the infrastruc-ture, MV and external facilities in projects like Sheikh Zayed University, Paris Sorbonne Uni-versity and Khalifa Port and Industrial Zone that the company is currently carrying out. We also have qualifi ed engineers and design-

Turnkey MEP contractor Al Habtoor-Specon is showing strong growth despite the downturn. MD Thrasos Thrasyvoulou explains why.

ately through Al Habtoor Engineering. This was a boom time for contractors, who were in search of reliable and qualifi ed MEP spe-cialists to do an almost impossible quantity of work in terms of the timeframes and demands of the industry,” says Thrasyvoulou.

INITIAL SUCCESSThe initial success was also largely due to the vast experience in MEP of the combined core team, which had garnered 20 to 25 years’ ex-perience prior to Al Habtoor-Specon arriving on the scene. “Most of the senior personnel were part of an earlier establishment led by myself,” says Thrasyvoulou. This also helped to mitigate the impact of the global downturn in late 2008. “In fact, due to the pipeline avail-able with our partners, the downturn in the area, and specifi cally in Dubai, has not affect-ed the growth of Al Habtoor-Specon as much, though the growth would have been higher if there had been no downturn, of course.”

Thrasyvoulou says diversifi cation was a conscious strategy right from the beginning. “Even though our project pipeline was big enough to sustain us during the immediate shock of the downturn in this area so that we kept on growing, I have always been a fi rm believer in not keeping all your eggs in a sin-gle basket. So at the time of the downturn we only had about 20% of our business in Dubai, and were not heavily affected.”

This was due to geographic diversifi cation, as “you do not want to be in one area only.” As a result the company “expanded cautiously and steadily,” moving into Abu Dhabi and Qatar. “Geographically we are now tendering for projects in Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Bahrain and Oman as well, and other areas where we hope to get business in order to diversify our portfolio.” Then there is diversifi cation of spe-cialisation. “We began as an A-Z turnkey con-

14 MEP Middle East | April 2010


THE BIG INTERVIEW

ers in-house who are LEED-accredited, which is another trend in terms of green building and sustainability. Needless to say, within MEP we cater for complex systems like ELV, audio-visual, CCTV, fi re alarm and fi re fi ght-ing, for example,” says Thrasyvoulou.

Commenting on the current state of the market, he says: “Personally I believe that after the initial shock of the downturn in late 2008, the market in general has absorbed this and stabilised. I do not foresee a much bigger downturn; I cannot say we have reached the absolute bottom either, because there are so many factors involved.

“From a personal point of view, I do believe we are nearly at the bottom. One thing I am sure about is that the liquidity, the availability of money through the banks, is better than a year ago. During the downturn, fi nance for projects was largely unavailable, as banks were in a more diffi cult position than contrac-tors even. These days I am optimistic that even if we are not at the bottom, we are nearly there and that the liquidity is getting better.

“I believe that opportunities are good in areas like Qatar, Kuwait, Saudi Arabia and Bahrain for an MEP contractor of our qual-ity and depth. Weaker companies have closed down or merged, and the number of major competitors capable of executing big projects has been reduced,” says Thrasyvoulou.

However, increased competition for a diminished pool of projects has placed in-creased pressure on pricing. “I have recently seen a drop in prices. A lot of MEP contrac-tors, in order to sustain themselves, are be-coming more competitive. I hope they will not

We may not see the levels of the previous boom again for some

time to come, but I believe that there will be

enough business in Dubai in the future. “

Thrasos Thrasyvoulou

go to the extreme of dropping prices to the level where quality is sacrifi ced and projects cannot be executed properly. This is a danger-ous thing in my opinion. Clients must be very cautious in this respect.

DUBAI HAS SUFFERED MOST“Certainly the global economic recession has affected all countries. In the UAE, Dubai, due to the previous unsustainable boom and the sudden global downturn, has suffered more than other areas in the Gulf in terms of growth, fewer new projects, a slowdown in existing projects, especially hotels and resi-dential/commercial developments. I believe that, after the initial shock in 2008 and the sustained recession in 2009, 2010 will still be a low-growth year – specifi cally in Dubai, but even in general in the Gulf region.”

Thrasyvoulou says this view is refl ected in a shift in the market. “In terms of work, there is a defi nite shift from the residential/com-mercial sector to education/healthcare and industrial/infrastructure work – what I call the traditional sectors.

“Our recent success in carrying out two of the major educational projects in the area – Sheikh Zayed University (in a joint venture with Hastie) in the magnitude of AED540 million and Paris Sorbonne University (in the magnitude of AED240 million) – is itself evidence of this shift. “Both of these projects include related infrastructure works and complex specialised systems. In addition, the Khalifa Port and Industrial Zone project we secured recently, in the magnitude of AED320 million, verifi es this further.

“There are many other projects in the pipe-line, like New York University, Tawam Hos-pital, Al Ain University and the Abu Dhabi Airport. At present we are participating in almost all of these tenders, and are optimis-tic that some major projects will be secured,” says Thrasyvoulou.

Such optimism is based on the company’s good engineering background and in-house design capability. A big problem to date has been the time constraints demanded by cli-ents in order to enable them to capitalise speedily on their returns.

“Often the design is not completely fi nished and the scope is not very well defi ned. Then if the MEP contractor does not have the capa-bility to check the design in terms of system workability, the end result will be a project with problems. MEP is the biggest single ele-ment after the main contractor in a building project. Buildings suffer if the air-con does not perform properly or there are plumbing problems at the end. We are a major part,” concludes Thrasyvoulou.

• Paris Sorbonne University, Abu Dhabi• Sheikh Zayed University, Abu Dhabi• Rotana, Shangri-la, Merweb in Doha• Saadiyat Island accommodation, Abu Dhabi• Khalifa Port and Industrial Zone, Abu Dhabi• Kempinski Residences, Dubai• Masdar Institute of Science and Technology• Works on Dubai Pearl• Business Bay Hotel, Dubai

CURRENT PROJECTS

PROFILE


In the water-heater sector, Ariston is the major player in the UAE market

today, with internal marketing estimations giving us a market share

about three times larger than our nearest competitor. “

Emanuele Stano

Ariston Thermo Middle East marketing manager Emanuele Stano explains why the water-heating market in the region is hotting up.

HEATING UPWhat is Ariston Thermo’s history in the Mid-dle East?The Ariston Thermo Group, formerly the Merloni TermoSanitari Group, has been op-erating in the Middle East region for more than 30 years, together with our partner Paul Weil Company LLC, which operates in some of the countries of the region. We entered the market with our historical core business product, electric storage water heaters, and have sold several million of them in our long presence in the market. Nowadays Ariston has a unique recogni-tion in the market thanks to the proven qual-ity shown over three long decades. In the last fi ve to six years we have also launched new product lines such as gas boilers and solar systems.

How important is the MENA region to the global group?We have launched our different product lines in the 13 coun-tries that we are managing from our Dubai offi ces. These do not include North Africa; but from Dubai we also cover the Levant countries, KSA, GCC, Iran and Af-ghanistan. The Ariston Thermo Group has a total turnover of above US$1.8 billion, with a global sales network which distributes in more than 150 countries. It is the most international player in its sector, with almost 50% of sales coming from outside EU countries.

What products and services do you offer here?In our product portfolio for the Middle East region we offer dif-ferent models of electric storage water heaters with capacities from

10 to 3 000 litres. We are also commercial-ising instantaneous electric and gas water heaters, gas storage water heaters, gas boil-ers and solar systems. In 2010 we are launch-ing a revolutionary range of sanitary water heat pumps, and as per the evolution of our water heater range, in accordance with the latest European directives on energy saving, we are introducing a comprehensive new product range with new aesthetic and tech-nical features.

Can you tell us a bit more about your Nanomix innovation?This provides more hot water in comparison with a traditional water heater of the same

capacity. Specifi cally, a special water inlet pipe guarantees 10% more hot water out-

put. It is based on improved mixing effi ciency: during a water draft, normally the cold inlet water ‘disturbs’ the hot water inside the tank, so that the outlet water temperature will go below the comfort value of 40°C. The spe-

cial inlet pipe keeps the cold and hot water layers well-separated, so

that the water draft can last longer (the outlet hot water will reach later a

temperature below 40°C).

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PROFILE

SIX MILLIONThe number of water heaters Ariston

Thermo manufactures globally per year

The Ariston Thermo Group has launched a new range of electric storage water heaters (50 to 100 litre capacity) in the Middle East. Anticipating continuous technological innovation, and in respect of the latest European standards on energy effi ciency, the Ariston worldwide product offering has been updated. Commercialisation of the updated range in the Middle East began in January 2010.

Technical specifi cations such as the heating element power rate, voltage, tank working pressure and external dimensions have not been changed at all. However, building on the strong foundation of the renowned quality of Ariston products, certain improvements have been introduced to all models in the range.

These include Nanomix technology, which guarantees improved performance due to new internal components, a new unbreakable external thermometer, new fi nishing technology for the external casing, new Italian-designed aesthetics and more resistant carton boxes.

The new PRO ECO model, thanks to electronic control, presents a wide range of features, including the BEST control system, the ECO function for energy-saving, a front LED control panel with a ‘smart’ thermometer, an ABS safety package that includes active electric safety, an anti-overheating system, an anti-dry heating function, an auto diagnosis function and an anti-bacterial function. Titanium Plus glass-lined is offered on the PRO ECO model.

The existing Ti Tronic and Ti Tronic BEST ranges will be replaced by the new PRO ECO range. The existing SG R range will be replaced by the new PRO R range, while the existing SGHP range will be replaced by the new BLU R range.

The Ariston Thermo Group, a global leader in heating and hot-water products, has a leading position in three key sectors: water heating, central heating and air-con, and components. Its range includes wall-hung and fl oor-standing boilers, water heaters, solar systems, heat pumps and air-con.

LATEST TECHNOLOGY FOR THE MIDDLE EAST

troduced to the MENA region quite quickly?Exactly. With six million water heaters pro-duced a year, and 19 factories all over the world, the group must always respect the latest and strictest regulations coming from any of the major markets. The Middle East market, being supplied from the same facto-ries which manufacture goods for Europe, offer only CE-certifi ed model ranges, which comply with European regulations in terms of safety and performance.

Do your products have to be adapted at all for local conditions?Our product lines have been calibrated on the most extreme conditions to satisfy the market demands coming from any of the 150+ countries where we sell our goods. In our region, only KSA requires a special safety valve to respect the SASO regulation. Therefore we have a specifi c full line of prod-ucts equipped with this accessory for our Saudi customers.

What are the main markets you serve?We have dedicated sales teams for projects

Thanks to our presence over the last 30 years and the recognised quality of the products, Ariston continuously increased its presence in this market, with several competitors ap-pearing and disappearing in terms of the competitive scenario. In the water-heater sector, Ariston is the major player in the UAE market, with internal marketing estimations giving us a market share about three times larger than our nearest competitor.

What are some of the major trends impacting on the market here? Are green building and sustainability major drivers?As a group, yes, this is a focus, with big in-vestment in solar systems, heat pumps and energy-saving appliances. In the Middle East we are in the starting phase, with a lot of in-terest being expressed in solar. It will still take some years to reach a mature market level in this regard. Sensitivity to energy ef-fi ciency has still not matured here. I am sure this will happen in the next few years. The low cost of electricity is not pushing users to save on energy consumption. However, the government is putting much effort into this new green trend, and the results will soon become apparent, with solar systems becom-ing more and more popular in both domestic and commercial buildings.

How has the economic downturn affected business regionally and globally?Of course, the second half of 2008 and the whole of 2009 presented us all with a chal-lenging scenario. From this altered econom-ic perspective, new opportunities emerged, and if markets such as Dubai showed a slow-down, others such as Abu Dhabi, Qatar and KSA kept on at high levels, guaranteeing an overall good performance for the area. Emerging markets are still showing strong growth. Globally this has been the occasion to revise some procedures in order to con-solidate the growth of previous years and to be even more competitive as soon as the markets again start pulling in the sales.

What is your outlook for the year ahead?In our sector we probably still have to face the impact of the stopping of many real-estate projects in the region. Few new con-struction projects have commenced in the last 18 months, and this will mean little de-mand for water-heating appliances during 2010 and 2011. However, as stated, this will be compensated for by new markets that we are exploring, along with new opportunities arising from the new product lines that we are launching.

and retail. With the booming growth in the real estate market over the last decade, a big effort was placed on tender sales, and this guaranteed us the biggest market share and premium recognition today. We can answer the demands for any hot-water requirement, from domestic use to industrial. Nowadays the opportunities are coming from the ‘green’ technology approach in new build-ings, but also from neighbouring regions such as Eastern Africa and Central Asia.

What gives you the edge in such a highly com-petitive market?

LEGAL


Dennis Brand from Traprain Consultants sets out what is involved in a ‘set-off’.

Ask almost anyone what ‘set-off‘ (sometimes called ‘contra-charging’) means, and they will quickly provide an answer to the effect that set-off is where the amount of a claim is deducted from another lia-bility, following which only

the net sum is paid. Ask the supplementary question as to whether there is more than one type of set-off, and not so many answers will be forthcoming, and certainly not with such speed; however, more of that later.

In construction and engineering contracts, where set-off is to be applied within the same contract, it is usually allowable if the claim and liability are both liquidated sums – that is, defi ned amounts. Such contracts usually provide for set-off in any event, although may require notice to be served. Some contracts, particularly those being industry-standard forms, will include provision for set-off and describe the provision as such, whereas others will include provisions which clearly amount to set-off, but without mentioning the term.

Where set-off is to be applied as between different contracts, this generally can only be done if the contracts contain clear provi-sion for it. However, this is not so unusual where the same parties have entered into more than one contract between them, as in the case of supply contracts. What is more unusual, however, is where set-off is allow-able between different parties to different contracts – for example, where at least one of the parties, and possibly both, to a con-tract are corporate entities and part of larger groups.

Provision can be made in the contract that, where there is a claim from another mem-ber of the same group in respect of another contract, one party may set-off against the other the amount due (or claimed) by that other member of the same group. This may be considered somewhat unfair, as the party

who is having the set-off applied against it has no real opportunity to challenge the set-off until it has been applied. However, set-off in such circumstances can only occur if such provision is expressed in the clearest terms.

Set-off, however, is important where it may be diffi cult to pursue the other party by legal action, or if they are at risk of becom-ing insolvent. Let us return to the subject of types of set-off. There are four basic types: legal set-off, equitable set-off, banker’s set-off and insolvency set-off.

Legal set-off can only be used as a de-fence to court proceedings, and the claims in respect of which set-off is to be applied must be defi ned or liquidated sums, which can be proved. It is important that the claims be both due and owing at the time when the claim is made. It is important also that the claims or debts be between the same parties and that they are held in the same capacity.

Unlike the examples discussed above in respect of construction and engineering contracts, legal set-off claims do not have to result from the same or even closely re-lated transactions. It is important, however, to keep in mind that contra-claims which are not defi ned or liquidated sums but estimates when the set-off is proposed can only be con-fi rmed following a court judgment or arbi-tration award, and cannot of themselves be accepted as valid claims for set-off.

Equitable set-off is different from legal set-off in that it does not need court proceedings to make it an available option for the debtor; moreover, contra-claims must be as a result of related, if not the same, transactions. Un-like legal set-off, claims can be for undefi ned or unliquidated sums – for example, damag-es. The sums concerned must, at the time of the set-off being applied, be due and owing. If for an undefi ned or unliquidated sum, the amount must be a reasonable assessment and made in good faith.

Banker’s set-off is where the customer of a bank has more than one current account or

loan account with the same bank, not neces-sarily the same branch, and one of the ac-counts is behind in terms of repayment of the debt. The bank may in such circumstances transfer funds from the customer’s account which is in credit to pay the account which is in debt. Although banker’s set-off does not require either a judgment of a court or arbi-tration award before it can be applied, many banks will inform customers by including such set-off provision in the literature which customers are required to sign when apply-ing to open a bank account.

Insolvency set-off is available in certain jurisdictions where there is an established insolvency law and procedure, as in the UK. Insolvency set-off cannot be varied by terms written into a contract. There are very lim-ited circumstances where set-off is permis-sible in a bankruptcy or liquidation, because set-off in such circumstances goes against the rule in insolvency that unsecured credi-tors must be treated equally in respect of their claims.

Insolvency set-off aside, it is acceptable to include a clause within a contract which lim-its or even excludes the right to set-off be-tween the parties. If drafted properly, such clauses are enforceable and are not consid-ered as being contrary to public policy. How-ever, that being said, such clauses must be drafted properly if they are to be enforced.

Note, however, that the right to apply set-off is variable in different countries, and it is better to establish such a right in the con-tract itself. Again, remember that each com-pany is a separate ‘person’, and set-off rights generally only run within a particular con-tract and between the same parties. If you want something more extensive, it needs to be stated clearly (and may be diffi cult to en-force in practice). [email protected]

SET-OFFAll about the

GENSETS

Gensets are used to supply electrical power in places where utility power is unavailable, or where power is needed only temporarily.


Genset suppliersyou should know

ACTIONAction’s fl eet of gensets vary according to the size of the project, and the power required. The biggest demand from the company at the moment is units between 500 kVA and 1 250 kVA. Some of these run separately, while oth-ers are connected to each other, thereby creat-ing a small power station. At present the bulk of Action’s business is derived from Dubai, but the company is also serving Abu Dhabi from its offi ce and yard in Mafraq.

ATLAS COPCOAltas Copco provides portable and stationary generators. The company has reported in-creased activity in the larger 500 kVA to 1 000 kVA category due to power shortfalls in some urban areas, but it mainly supplies contractors who require units in the 20 kVA to 275 kVA range. The company believes there is a trend towards buying as opposed to renting, as only 25% to 30% of generators sold go to rental com-panies.

AGGREKOAggreko can supply generators from 15 kVA to 2 000 kVA in single units, as well as multi-megawatt packages using 1 250 kVA units linked together. Smaller sets are used to power Portacabins, piling machines and hand tools, while construction cranes are usu-ally powered by 250 kVA or 320 kVA genera-tors. Large-scale construction projects often require multi-megawatt power packages to power labour camps.


GENSETS

CUMMINSCummins Inc., a global power leader, is a corporation of complementary business units that design, manufacture, distribute and serv-ice engines and related technologies, includ-ing fuel systems, controls, air-handling, fi ltra-tion, emission solutions and electrical power generation systems.

Headquartered in Columbus, Indiana in the US, Cummins serves customers in more than 160 countries through its global network of 550 company-owned and independent dis-tributor facilities, and more than 5 000 dealer locations. Cummins reported net income of US$755 million on sales of US$14.34 billion in 2008.

Cummins Middle East FZE, the fi rst whol-ly-owned dependant distribution entity of Cummins Inc. in the region, was established in early 2000 in order to strengthen its distri-bution network’s reach and better support the increasing engine population in the area.

It is headquartered in the Jebel Ali Free Zone in Dubai, and is responsible for the UAE, Bahrain, Yemen, Qatar, Jordan, Oman, Afghanistan, Lebanon and Iraq.

For more information, visit www.uae.cum-mins.com, e-mail [email protected], or contact +971 4 8830461.

Caterpillar has announced the availability of the G3512E advanced natural-gas-fuelled genset, designed for maximum effi ciency in extended-duty distributed generation and combined heat and power (CHP) applications.

Driven by a Cat electronically-controlled, lean-burn gaseous-fueled reciprocating engine, the G3512E genset has been designed to offer a high power density and excellent fuel effi ciency, while maintaining tight NOx control. It provides fl exibility to operate on pipeline natural gas with a wide range of methane numbers without sacrifi cing effi ciency and performance, and delivers up to 41.7% ISO electrical effi ciency without water pumps.

The Cat G3512E genset operates at 50 Hz/1500 rpm with the Miller combustion cycle, is rated at 1 000 ekW, and has a standard NOx emissions rating of 500 mg/NM3 at a separate circuit aftercooler (SCAC) inlet water temperature of 54˚C. It is built on a heavy-duty, diesel-based platform and uses an advanced camshaft and turbocharger design to achieve high mechanical effi ciency.

CAT GENSET FOR CHP APPLICATIONS

It additionally features an open combustion chamber design, which allows for a low-pressure fuel system of 10 to 35 kPa.

A standard feature is a digital microprocessor gas engine control module that automatically and precisely regulates ignition, engine governing and air/fuel ratio for optimum fuel

economy and stringent NOx control. Its patent-pending

air/fuel ratio control monitors charge air density and maintains NOx within tight tolerances under a variety of ambient and load conditions.It features an individual-

cylinder detonation sensing and timing control, with a prechamber-type spark plug design for extended service life without adjustment. Additional

functionality includes an emergency stop fuel-purge cycle and programmable protective relaying functions.

The genset is easily tailored to specifi c applications. Additional features include exhaust options, alarm and remote annunciator modules and battery chargers. It is also available with an optional 250 mg/NM3 NOx emissions setting and 54˚C SCAC temperature rating.

The Cat G3512E genset

economcon

aim

cylindeand timprechamdesign fwithout

FG WILSONFG Wilson designs and manufactures diesel and gas gensets. Its most popular products for construction sites range from 60 kVA to 500 kVA. It also gensets from 10 kVA to 2 200 kVA so as to be able to cater for customer de-mand. All these can be supplied as sound-at-tenuated and weatherproof canopied gensets. FG Wilson offers technical support from pre-sales and aftersales support from installation to commissioning. Its Middle East business includes Iraq and Afghanistan.

HIMOINSAFounded in 1982, Himoinsa is a manufacturer of gensets based in Spain. It has suppliers across the world, including the Middle East, which distributes its products and supplies spare parts. The products found most popular on construction sites are Himoinsa’s 100 kVA to 500 kVA units.

INGERSOLL RANDIngersoll Rand supplies 20 kVA to 600 kVA diesel gensets. Its business comes from al-most all sectors that require electrical power. Business fl uctuates from one sector to an-other depending on the general economy. For example, the construction industry has tradi-

tionally lead growth in the GCC. However, the slowdown due to the global economic crisis has lead to a resurgence in renting as the pre-ferred method of acquiring gensets for the construction sector.

KIRLOSKARKirloskar’s 250 kVA genset is widely used at construction sites to power Portacabins, labour camps and various other equipment and accessories required on-site. Over 50 000 Kirloskar green gensets are manufactured annually, and all are ISO 9001/9002 accred-ited. Kirloskar Middle East FZE is located in Ajman, from where it supports the entire re-gion. Kirloskar has a substantial share and a presence in the engine and diesel genset seg-ment in the GCC.

MANLIFT GROUPManlift Group distributes a large fl eet of gensets built specifi cally for harsh conditions and extreme temperatures. These feature large internal fuel tanks for 24 hour opera-tion. They range from 30 kVA to 1 250 kVA. The company supplies the UAE and Qatar, and has worked on the Dubai Metro, Palm Jumeirah, Dubai Festival City, Motor City, Al Raha Beach and Yas Island.

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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

April 2010 | MEP Middle East 23

CABLES

The Middle East as a developing region is boosting global growth in electricity consumption, which is good news for cable makers. This was the message from Dow Wire & Cable global marketing director Jon Penrice at Middle East Electricity 2010.

Wired for growthenrice said that, although

the global recession has re-sulted in a dip in electricity consumption, particularly in the West, “We foresee consistent growth in the de-

veloping economies of China, India, Latin America, Africa and the Middle East. These are all markets that will grow at plus 5% on average.

So that is going to put tremendous pressure on infrastructure. The infrastructure is not there to be able to accommodate that kind of electricity growth today. That 5% consist-ent growth is going to require 5%, 10%, 15% growth in infrastructure.”

Dow Wire & Cable has entered into a collaborative partnership with local cable manufacturer Ducab. “Our philosophy is very much that you cannot have a quality cable without quality compounds. The trick in terms of delivering long-term reliability is two companies working very closely togeth-er. We are fortunate to have a partner like Ducab, with whom we have been working for 12 years now. The development of that partnership and technical collaboration has been truly exceptional. That is what really lies at the heart of quality.”

Dow Wire & Cable is a business unit of Dow Chemical Company that focuses ex-clusively on the wire and cable industries. “We do not make wires and cables, but the components that are critical to those cables. We engage across the entire value chain, as we believe in understanding the entire needs all the way through from the industrial end user, and trying to bring that back into our R&D. As a group we spend US$1.5 billion on R&D, so we have a tremendous capability in this regard.”

Penrice pointed to four mega trends that Dow Wire & Cable has identifi ed that will drive future opportunities across all its busi-ness interests, which run the gamut from heavy and medium voltage to consumer electronics, automotive and building and

www.constructionweekonline.com

Dow Wire & Cable, a business unit of Dow Chemical Company, manufactures critical components for wires and cables

CABLES


For the cable industry, solar power is a big

opportunity. Renewable energy focuses on remote

locations, which means growth in transmission and

distribution. “Jon Penrice

New York, for example, is 100 years old and is crumbling. So there are investment oppor-tunities not just in developing markets, but in mature markets as well.

“Then there are the new challenges posed by climate change and renewable en-ergy. I think energy effi ciency has always been something this industry has not re-ally focused on, in that the 9% average loss between the generation and consumption of electricity has always been one of those things that nobody talks about. As soon as you start putting a price on that 9% in terms of how much you are going to have to pay for carbon emissions, that 9% becomes real money, at which point there is going to be a tremendous focus on reducing it. There

is not one magic solution, but we believe that energy effi ciency is going to be a major driver.

Another trend is the global investment in renewable energy. “For the cable indus-

try, solar power is an even bigger opportu-nity. The average yield of renewable energy is 20% due to weather variables, but you still need the same cable infrastructure. Renew-able energy also tends to focus on remote

locations, which means concomitant growth in the transmission and

distribution sectors,” said Penrice.

URBANISATIONRapid urbanisation is also leading to growth in underground cable installations. “The days of running ca-bles in overhead lines is getting more and more diffi cult. As big cities grow, under-ground installa-tions are growing faster. I think in the US now for a new overhead

line you need

about 12 years from starting a project to getting approval. It really has become such a political process it is almost impossible to get new overhead lines.

“So increasingly as the technology contin-ues to develop, and high-voltage technology in particular, the alternative of transmission underground has grown from what has been a relative niche in the industry to very much a mainstream, and one we believe will become even more competitive and main-stream as a means of transmitting electric-ity,” said Penrice.

Growth in the global cable industry is predicated on fi nding solutions for transmis-sion effi ciency and longevity. “How do you get more out of your existing infrastructure? How do you put the economic case for reli-ability and longevity? In terms of installation, it costs roughly three times more to bury a cable than it does to make it. So if we are go-ing to make underground cables more cost-effective, then the cost of installation needs to come down.”

On the issue of environmental awareness, Penrice said that “although green is a very broad subject, it refers to sustainability of materials and energy effi ciency in particular. Again this is something that this industry has not really focused on. There are many other industries that have green as almost their number one driver. But we see it as coming in the cable and power industry as political pressure, and climate change in par-ticular, is brought to bear.

RELIABILITY“What matters to everyone is having a sys-tem in the end that is the most reliable and cost-effective. What often happens with a ca-ble buyer is they want the cheapest cable … so is the cheapest cable the lowest cost ca-ble? No. The cost of a cable is around US$3/

construction. These are health and nutrition, energy, transportation and infrastructure and consumerism.

ASPIRATIONS“Some 6.5 billion people have the same as-pirations in terms of the cars they drive and the type of air-con they want for their homes, which we believe will drive electricity con-sumption in a signifi cant and sustained way. There is a huge need for infrastructure de-velopment, as very much highlighted in the Middle East. Infrastructure needs will be a long-term mega trend that will drive growth,” said Penrice.

“The issue is not just about growth in emerging markets. In developed markets, the power infrastructure -- especially in the US and many parts of Europe -- is old and needs renewal. The power infrastructure of

The Dow group’s R&D budget

US$1.5BN

ally focused on, in that the between the generation anof electricity has always bethings that nobody talks abyou start putting a price on of how much you are goinfor carbon emissions, that money, at which point thea tremendous focus on re

is not one magic solutionthat energy effi ciency imajor driver.

Another trend is the gin renewable energy. “For

try, solar power is an even nity. The average yield of reis 20% due to weather variabneed the same cable infrastable energy also tends to f

locations, which meagrowth in the t

distributionPenrice.

URBANRapid also lein undinstaldaysbleslinemodifcitgrtifatha

needs renewal. The power infrastructure of


CABLES

foot. However, the major cost is not the cable itself, but in the operation. The initial cable costs 14%, what we call the lifetime cost of the cable, while the installation is nearly three times that at 40%. This is where the longevity and reliability issues come in, to-gether with asset management. If you end up in an asset-replacement strategy, you will end up facing signifi cant replacement costs,” said Penrice.

An invisible element of the cost calculation that is often ignored is the issue of energy

loss. “The average is 9%, which is a global fi gure, but it can be much higher if you have commercial losses. Best practice globally is 4% to 5%. In terms of a cable with a 40-year lifespan, that energy loss accounts for about a third of the cost. That is just the cost of the electricity losses; it does not include the carbon costs that may accrue.

“So our philosophy is really to tackle the big picture: the cost of installation, reliabil-ity and longevity, and see how we can bring solutions to bear to reduce that cost. Dow

Ducab, a leading manufacturer of high-quality power cables in the Middle East, showcased its latest technologies in cable manufacturing at this year’s Middle East Electricity Exhibition at the Dubai International Convention and Exhibition Centre. The company displayed products from its Special Cables Unit, launched a new range of Ducab Connect

products, and hosted a series of joint seminars with Dow Wire & Cable and FM Sudafi x. “This year Ducab is celebrating 30 years of powering the region as a manufacturing leader,” said MD Andrew Shaw. Ducab has launched a new offi ce in Qatar and is also planning a number of expansions outside of the UAE market.

DUCAB CELEBRATES 30 YEARS

Inside is really a strategy aimed to try and raise awareness of the importance of quality in the industry. The lowest-cost, most relia-ble cable system is built on high-quality man-ufacture of compounds and semi-conductive all the way through to the cable itself.

“Our approach with Dow Inside is to go to the marketplace itself and point out the im-portance of these quality standards. Quality standards around the world are very varied: some are demanding, while some are not. Standards tend to be negotiated in commit-tees, which will go for the lowest common denominator, and so standards get diluted. In the end they become minimum standards, which I think is normal.

“But there are better alternatives. We see the opportunity for high-performance cables. Rather than change the standards, which can be a very long process, it is far better to have high-quality cables from the start and say these are the benefi ts that can be achieved. But this can only work if we have a combined collaborative approach in the industry,” said Penrice.

There is a huge need for infrastructure development,

as very much highlighted in the Middle East.

Infrastructure needs will be a long-term mega trend that

will drive growth. “Jon Penrice

MARKET ANALYSIS

The growth rate of MEP services in the GCC

over the last three years was around 19% ... it tumbled to almost 5.5% between 2008

and 2009.“Vivek Vijayakumar

Year

Reve

nue

(in U

SD m

illio

n)


The big MEP reboundSenior research analyst Vivek Vijayakumar talks about Frost & Sullivan’s latest research report on the MEP sector in the GCC.

How has the economic crisis impacted on the MEP sector?MEP services are an integral part of build-ing activities, and the most demanded serv-ices within the construction sector, as it is required to keep building functions fully op-erational. So any impact on economic growth will directly impact the growth of the con-struction sector – which, in turn, will impact the growth of MEP services.

The growth rate of MEP services in the GCC over the last three years was around 19%, a period when there was a boom in the con-struction sector and oil prices were soaring. However, the growth rate showed a slight dip in 2008, and tumbled to almost 5.5% between 2008 and 2009 due to the sluggish economic and fi nancial outlook, thereby refl ecting the reduction in construction activity.

We expect the market to grow at a com-pound annual growth rate of 11% during the next fi ve years, showing a gradual incline in growth during the end of 2010 or at the beginning of 2011 till 2013 owing to higher investments in real estate and infrastructure projects, mainly because of the GCC’s signifi -cant market characteristics and resilience.

You state the sector was valued at US$13.53 billion in 2008. What are the criteria for this fi gure?The criteria are based on the comments and estimates from major market participants on the overall market size across GCC coun-tries; their perceptions and expectations on the current and future market have also been taken into consideration. Finally we summed up their revenues using a bottom-up approach to estimate the market. We also considered the overall population of small, medium and large companies in each of the six GCC coun-tries and the percent share they account for based on the revenue bracket they fall into through considerable sample-size coverage.

You talk about a ‘fragmented and highly competitive market’?The market is fragmented and highly compet-itive mainly because of the presence of many small and medium scale companies at the lo-cal level, which have capabilities to do either

one or two of the three types of services by competing directly with other contractors or by sub-contracting with top companies, thereby providing more opportunities for the growth of local players.

We have noticed that many civil contractor companies/real estate developers are try-ing to enter the MEP services market with their in-house technical capabilities in order

0

5000

10000

15000

20000

25000

2008 2010

13539.9

22446.4

MEP Services Revenue in GCC


MARKET ANALYSIS

to maintain their profi t levels. Many inter-national companies are entering/expand-ing into the market either through tie-ups (with existing and established civil or MEP contractors) or solely into potential markets such as the UAE, Saudi Arabia and Qatar. Apart from this there is not much consolida-tion happening in the GCC market in terms of MEP services.

MEP service providers are trying to get into the FM services business as a value-added resource (aftersales services) mainly to streamline their profi t levels and to main-tain their sustainability levels in order to of-fer a comprehensive, one-stop service solu-tion and to balance the risk involved in both businesses.

Have the entry barriers into the MEP sector changed signifi cantly as a result?Due to the reduction in construction activ-ity, increase in construction material and labour costs, players are likely to assume higher risks and fi nally end up with lesser profi ts, thereby resulting in limited or lesser entry into this market currently, which may likely change in the future once MEP costs go down. These are some of the barriers that are likely to impinge the entry of global, re-gional and local players.

The sector ‘is likely to take off in 2011’?Yes, the reason is an increase in investment from both the public and private sectors in real estate and infrastructure, which is ex-pected to boost the market further during the end of 2010 or at the beginning of 2011. The factors that could impinge on this take-off are:

• Delay in the commencement of construc-tion projects due to lack of availability of funds;• Lack of investor confi dence;• Decrease in oil prices;• Volatility in exchange rates; and• Higher infl ation costs and construction commodity prices etc.

Has the downturn brought to light any structural problems or defi ciencies within the MEP sector?The following structural problems or defi -ciencies are prevalent within the MEP sec-tor:• Higher attrition rates is a major problem during the downturn, as emerging econo-mies are drawing labourers away from the region, posing a threat to manpower;

• Reluctance of existing players to take on large-scale projects that require a high level of technical expertise and innovation and in-volve a high risk due to the increase in con-struction commodity/material prices and labour costs;• Delay in payment to the contractors due to insuffi cient fund reserves, which result in stoppage/postponement of projects;• Volatility in exchange rates and material prices, which tends to result in the resched-uling of projects/tenders;• Higher infl ation costs are affecting project development directly by a delay in com-mencement or sometimes even the stalling of projects. In light of this, contractors are instituting a two-stage tender process, which will allow them to keep a project moving without stalling, thereby removing risks as well as enabling effi cient management of pricing and price infl ation.

You state that Saudi Arabia, Qatar and Abu Dhabi are expected ‘to shore up the market for MEP services’?Yes, the Saudi Arabia, Qatar and Abu Dhabi economies are relatively insulated from the fi nancial downturn due to their surplus cash reserves and the latest stimulus packages announced by their governments, providing more opportunity for MEP services going forward. According to Proleads, there are around 2 837 real estate projects estimated

• The most demanded services within the construction sector are MEP;• The market was valued at US$13.53 billion in 2008. This is estimated to reach US$22.44 billion in 2013, at a compound annual growth rate of 10.6%;• The fragmented and highly competitive market is likely to take off in 2011;• Saudi Arabia, Qatar, and Abu Dhabi are expected to shore up the market for MEP services till 2013;• Many civil contractor companies/real estate developers are trying to enter the MEP services market; and• MEP service providers are trying to get into the FM services business as a value-added resource.

MAJOR FINDINGS

MEP service provi-ders are trying to get into the FM business to main-

tain sustainability and to balance risk.“

Vivek Vijayakumar

MEP Services Market Revenue in GCC by Countries

34.1%

12.3%

5.2%

3.8%

2.9%41.8%

UAE

KSA

Qatar

Kuwait

Oman

Bahrain

MARKET ANALYSIS


A surge in population, economic expansion and subsequently higher investments in real estate and infrastructure projects have generated considerable oil revenues and consequentl, cash reserves, aiding the exponential growth of the GCC construction sector. This development of the construction industry bodes well for the MEP services market, since it is considered an integral service within the construction industry.

New analysis from Frost & Sullivan, entitled ‘Strategic Analysis of the Mechanical, Electrical and Plumbing Services Market in the Middle East’, fi nds that the market earned revenues of US$13.53 billion in 2008, and estimates this to reach US$22.44 billion in 2013, at a compound annual growth rate of 10.6%.

The fragmented and highly competitive market is likely to take off in 2011, once the effects of the recent economic slowdown and reduced construction activities wear off and the economy rebounds. Nevertheless, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, and Abu Dhabi are expected to shore up the market for MEP services till 2013, as their economies are relatively insulated from the fi nancial downturn,

MEP GETS A LEG UP WITH THE EXPANSION OF THE CONSTRUCTION INDUSTRY,

thanks to their surplus cash reserves and the latest stimulus package announced by the government.

“Moreover, improved awareness about energy and environmental sustainability, as well as public health and safety concerns, are expected to go a long way in boosting the market for MEP services in the next fi ve years,” says Frost & Sullivan research analyst Vivek Vijayakumar. “Already the most in-demand service of the construction industry, MEP’s popularity will soar further with the strengthening of the GCC’s commercial, residential, hospitality, infrastructure, and educational sectors.”

Meanwhile, the GCC has mandated all types of buildings to install technologies and services that will make them environment-friendly. Owing to such constant demand, contractors are continuously upgrading their services by investing in in-house pre-fabrication, design, and service capabilities to diminish the strong bargaining power of the end users.

Such measures will involve dealing with the escalating cost of construction, construction commodity prices, and labour cost. The prices are not likely to decrease due to the steady global demand and rising accommodation costs

of labour, which could severely constrict contractors’ profi t margins.

The market could also be adversely affected by the labour drain, as emerging economies are drawing labourers away from the region. In such a scenario, it has become vital for a company to recruit and send employees to training institutions to hone their skills, initiate training in-house or provide on-the-job training.

However, contractors can skirt the issue of manpower through technological developments, which will limit on-site prefabrication and thereby lower time and manpower needs on-site and boost productivity hours. Additionally, the involvement of design engineers in the early stages of construction and correct selection of materials will ensure proper building integration and sustainability by reducing its operating costs.

“To gain a competitive edge, it is critical for MEP contractors to offer scalable and comprehensive contracting service solutions as a one-stop shop, and back it up with effective qualifi ed manpower for project design, installation and service support,”

to be worth in excess of US$2.4 trillion un-der construction, with the bulk of the devel-opment being carried out in Saudi Arabia and the UAE.

Moreover, the Saudi Arabia and Qatar economies were considered to be profi table for MEP services in the range of 9.5% to 10% due to their uninterrupted construction ac-tivities, backed by government spending, es-pecially in the infrastructure sector, whereas the UAE is considered to be even more prof-itable than its neighboring counterparts, in the range of 10% to 11%, and it will remain the same due to its steady focus on huge iconic and sophisticated projects.

Has there been much of a ‘brain drain’ due to the downturn?Yes, the downturn in GCC nations has cre-ated job insecurity, thus causing higher at-trition rates. These are some of the reasons for drawing labourers away from the region as the emerging economics are providing opportunities in terms of job securities and higher salaries. The impact is greater on the informal sector due to reduced profi t mar-gins as a result of players being unable to sustain their competitiveness amidst higher infl ation, construction material and labour

MEP Service Market Revenue in GCC by Services in

Mechanical

Electrical

Plumbing

37.6%

19.2%

43.2%


MARKET ANALYSIS

costs, weaker fi nancial background and lack of regional presence, track record and tech-nical expertise. Only the top MEP service providers are currently providing training for their employees, either in-house or on-site. Some are sending them to institutions to become qualifi ed, and then reabsorbing these employees.

What is the future outlook for smaller MEP companies?The smaller MEP companies with strong technical capabilities and a local presence are trying to establish themselves through a tie-up (either JV or acquisition) with top companies (either MEP service providers or with developers with an in-house MEP divi-sion) having a presence in all six GCC coun-tries, or at least with companies having a presence in the top three potential countries, so as to expand themselves regionally.

These smaller MEP companies will nor-mally end up doing a limited number of projects either through sub-contracting or self-performed. There is a chance that these companies will sometimes end up not do-ing any projects in a year; some might close

down after a year. These companies gener-ally have a profi t margin in the range of 5% to 7%, depending on the economic conditions of the country and the type of projects they get involved in.

You state that ‘contractors are continu-ously upgrading their services’. This im-plies a new focus on quality, customer service and value addition?Yes, in order to cope with the growing de-velopment of next generation/green build-ings, huge iconic or sophisticated projects, island projects and multi-tenant/mixed-use developments, MEP contractors are upgrad-ing their services continuously by invest-ing in in-house pre-fabrication, design and service capabilities. The increasing focus on next-generation developments is mainly due to the need to be cost-competitive due to energy-effi ciency and environmental sus-tainability factors, and also to enhance the market dynamics.

What is the forecast in terms of material and labour costs?Due to the rise in construction commodity

prices and labour costs, we expect the direct material cost to go higher in future. Also, the cost of direct labour will increase in the fu-ture due to rising staff accommodation costs. Finally, net profi t margins are likely to de-cline further, placing added pressure on con-tractors going forward. All material prices related to construction are an important end consideration in terms of profi t margins.

Technologies such as BIM are becoming more important?BIM software currently does not play a ma-jor role in the sustainability of MEP serv-ices in the construction sector in the GCC, as the construction industry still has a long way to reach such a high level of technical profi ciency. It is dismaying to note that eve-rything concerning MEP design has been done manually in 2D to date, especially in a region like the UAE, where there are mas-sive and incredible projects taking place. BIM software will allow MEP engineers to slash overall project costs, speed up the de-sign process and improve build quality by reducing mistakes. The usage of BIM is not under the scope of the study.

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PIPES

From water to wastewater and district cooling, piping plays a major role. We look at some of the major players in this vital infrastructure sector.

In the pipeline

700Failures a day in the US in ageing

water-distribution systems


ABU DHABI PIPE FACTORYThe Abu Dhabi Pipe Factory LLC (ADPF) was established in 1981 in technical collaboration with Cord International of France. It is a leading manufacturer of glass-reinforced plastic (GRP) pipes and fi ttings in the Gulf. It uses dual heli-cal fi lament winding for core pipes from 25 mm to 2 000 mm, and continuous fi lament winding for jacket pipes from 250 mm to 3 200 mm.

The factory has a total area of 150 000 m², of which the production area is 40 000 m² (Abu Dhabi and Dubai combined). The production capacity is 50 000 tons of pipes and fi ttings a year. It has a combined total of nine production lines for dual helical winding and four for con-tinuous winding.

ADPF pre-insulated GRP pipes are used widely in piping networks for district cooling systems. A pre-insulated GRP pipe consists of a core pipe, also called a carrier pipe, and a jacket pipe, also called a casing pipe, with poly-urethane foam in the annular space between the pipes. Insulation provides the primary thermal resistance against heat gain in chilled water systems. Normally two pipes are laid in parallel in the same trench to serve as a sepa-rate supply and return.

BOROUGEBorouge is a leading provider of innovative plastics solutions. Established in 1998 as a joint venture between the Abu Dhabi National Oil Company (ADNOC) and Borealis, a leading European plastics provider, Borouge employs Borstar technology for end-use plastics appli-cations throughout the Middle East, the Asia-Pacifi c and Africa.

Its petchem complex is located at Ruwais in Abu Dhabi, with a multi-billion dollar expan-sion due to commence production this year. This will effectively triple existing production capacity to two million tons a year, including – for the fi rst time – polypropylene. Borouge

provides a range of differentiated products for high-value infrastructure applications, includ-ing water, gas and industrial pipe systems and power and communications cables.

CORYS-HEPWORTH PME LLCHepworth PME LLC is the Middle East’s pre-mier manufacturer and supplier of a range of high-quality plastic pipes, fi ttings and accesso-ries used for the distribution and transmission of water, wastewater and gas. Corys is the hold-ing company. Distributed in Dubai for over 35 years, all products are represented by a chain of offi ces throughout the area. Hepworth prod-ucts conform to the highest of international standards used in the region. Its substantial stockholding ensures it is able to consistently satisfy the requirements of the industry.

Hepworth PME offers a range of PVC-U pressure pipes and non-pressure pipes and fi t-tings, PVC and ABS fi ttings and PP, PP-R, ABS and PE pipes in imperial and metric sizes. Its engineered fi ttings have been installed on sew-erage, water supply, irrigation, fi re mains, soil and waste contracts throughout the Middle East. Grease traps, end caps, land drain slot-ted pipes, long radius bends for street lighting


PIPES

bends, road gulleys, catch basins and sealed dry manholes are just some of the fabricated products from Hepworth PME.

In March 2009, Hepworth PME entered into a joint venture with George Fischer, a global corporation across 130 companies worldwide with 50 production sites (80 companies are based in Europe, 35 in Asia and the Middle East, 12 in America and two in Australia.) The company’s core competency is piping systems, plastic and metal fi ttings, valves and shut-offs for water, gas and other liquids.

Another recent joint venture is with MDS Meyer GmbH, a German specialist in the pro-duction of rubber seals and gaskets. The new company formed under this agreement, Corys MDS LLC, will produce a range of MDS brand-ed rubber gaskets in Dubai. This latest step in the group’s growth will help reduce the high costs of importation and the attendant delays in transportation. It will also help expand its cus-tomer base worldwide.

Corys has manufacturing units in Rashidiya in Dubai, Dubai Investment Park and Qatar, as well as fabrication workshops in Sharjah and Abu Dhabi. A new unit is due to open in 2010 that will double the production capacity to ac-commodate expansion within the UAE and other export markets. Corys employs over 800 staff across all its sites, and offers its customers a range of more than 25 000 products. A fl eet of over 50 vehicles permits site delivery within an effi cient timeframe.

Production is achieved with the use of Eu-ropean equipment of the highest quality from suppliers such as KraussMeffai, Battenfeld, Weber and Engel, and raw material from sup-pliers such as Borouge and Sabic. Hepworth PME is an industry leader in installing and in-tegrating the Oracle ERP (Enterprise Resource Planning) system. This automated system al-lows supply chain excellence, real-time man-agement and communication, and gives Corys a major administrative advantage.

Recently recertifi ed for ISO 9000, Hepworth PME has worked on iconic projects such as The Palm Jumeirah, Burj Khalifa, Burj Al Arab and Atlantis, and is one of only three approved suppliers to Dubai Municipality. It is aiming for ISO 14000 in environment management.

DUBAI PIPE FACTORYEstablished in 2001, the Dubai Pipe Factory Company LLC (DPF) is located on a 150 000 m² facility in the Jebel Ali Industrial Area, of which 5 000 m² comprise manufacturing and testing facilities, in addition to storage areas for glass and resin and other consumables. It employs the continuous fi lament winding proc-ess to manufacture a range of GRP pipes, tanks, manholes, fi ttings and accessories.

from operators to highly-skilled engineers.ELIPS will use spray technology for manu-

facturing large-diameter pre-insulated pipes, which will ensure high-quality products and also result in savings in raw material costs as compared to traditional injection technology. This technology also enables the JV to enter the oil and gas industry, which is not possible with traditional injections. Currently, only one out of fi ve existing pre-insulated pipe manufac-turers are using spray technology.

FUTURE PIPE INDUSTRIESThe Future Pipe Industries group (FPI) is a global leader in large-diameter fi breglass pipes, developing, manufacturing and supplying sys-tems in over 50 countries. Headquartered in Dubai, it comprises ten factories and a global network of sales offi ces across four continents, serving customers and end users in a variety of sectors, including, oil and gas, infrastructure and municipal, water distribution, desalination and power, petchem and industrial.

FPI was established in 1984 when Fouad Makhzoumi acquired a stake in Gulf Eternit Industries, the fi rst company in the group. As a manufacturer of a comprehensive portfolio of fi breglass pipe systems, FPI has successfully promoted fi breglass as a substitute for pipe systems based on traditional materials.

Polyester and vinylester based fi breglass reinforced composites (GRP/GRV) offer excel-lent performance in terms of corrosion resist-ance and resistance to loads (buried installa-tions) in high pressure and high temperature applications. GRP pips have been used exten-sively in the desalination and power industries (salt water systems, intake and discharge/outfall, cooling water systems, fl ue gas desul-phurization and utility piping), water distribu-tion and municipal/infrastructure applications (storm and surface drainage, sewer and district cooling and heating.)

SAUDI PIPE SYSTEMSSaudi Pipe Systems Company is based in Jed-dah in Saudi Arabia, and manufactures valves, cast iron and ductile iron fi ttings, GRP and HDPE pipes and pre-insulated pipes and fi t-tings. PE100, considered the most heavy-duty among polyethylene pipes, is ideal for water and gas mains due to its maximum working pressure. It has enhanced toughness, higher permissible design strength and improved resistance to crack propagation. High-density polyethylene pipes (HDPE) offer the water engineer substantial benefi ts in performance. PE100 pipes are used in various applications, including sewage pumping mains, fi re mains and chilled water. Pipes are manufactured in diameters from 25 mm to 3 000 mm.

US$36 BILLIONThe yearly cost of corrosion on the

water and sewerage system in the US

DPF is part of the Amiantit group, a leading manufacturer of pipe systems. The group’s pipe systems division comprises almost 30 wholly-owned, majority-owned or joint-venture manufacturing facilities in 18 countries. Using the latest technologies, pipes are produced in a wide variety of materials such as glass rein-forced plastic (GRP), glass reinforced epoxy (GRE), thermoplastic (HDPE, PVC and PP), concrete, polymer concrete and ductile iron.

International brands include AmPlas, Amipol, Amipox, Flowtite, Meyer Polycrete, Speedmark, C-Tech, AmiGrip and Vectus. The comprehensive range of Amiantit products in-cludes pipes and accessories for water, sewage, hydro-power, gas, oil services, construction, engineering, municipal, industrial, agricultural and marine applications.

ELIPSThe UAE’s largest pre-insulated pipe manu-facturing facility, Empower-Logstor Insulated Pipes Systems (ELIPS), was launched offi cially in Jebel Ali recently by HRH the Crown Prince of Denmark Frederik Andre Henrik Christian and HH Sheikh Mansoor Bin Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum.

ELIPS is a joint venture (JV) between Emir-ates Central Cooling Systems Corporation (Empower), a leading district cooling company in the UAE, and Logstor, the world’s largest manufacturer of pre-insulated pipes. The US$25 million facility will cater to the requirements of the district cooling and oil and gas sectors across the Middle East.

ELIPS will ensure high quality of insulation and casing of pipes, enhancing effi ciency and maintenance costs of district cooling services. It will also ensure price control by improving supply chain and eliminating artifi cial price fl uctuations created by various players due to the demand-supply gap, added Bin Shafar.

Logstor has been serving the Gulf region since 1992, and is now marking its commit-ment to serve the region by establishing an anchored presence with the ELIPS factory. De-pending on dimensions and output from 100 to 300 pipe joints a day, the factory will offer job opportunities for a wide range of competences,

To have been awarded this prestigious certifi cation is a landmark accomplishment for NAPCO. This is further rewarding by virtue of NAPCO being the fi rst and only company in the region to have its complete range of HVAC adhesives, coatings and sealants UL certifi ed.

A UK-based company with a manufacturing unit in the United Arab Emirates, NAPCO Middle East Ltd. is

NAPCO, manufacturer of speciality adhesives, coatings and sealants, has announced that it has achieved Certifi cation by Underwriter Laboratories, Inc., (USA).

NAPCO Achieves UL Certifi cation

the region’s leading manufacturer of HVAC adhesives, coatings and sealants for over 15 years, with projects that span across the Middle East, Africa and Asia.

In today’s world of increasing demand for quality and safe products, NAPCO is working with its clients and internationally reputed laboratories to not only to meet standards but to set them.

NAPCO Middle East Ltd. P.O. Box 23021 Sharjah, United Arab Emirates Tel. +971 (0) 6 543 6322, Fax. +971 (0) 6 543 7647, Email:[email protected] CERTIFICATE NUMBER 1364

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For the latest Middle East MEP project information, visit

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

Project Title Client Consultant Main Contractor MEPContractor

Value(US$. Mn)

ProjectStatus

Type ofProject

Model School at Najma - School No: 23

Public Works Authority In House Inshaa Contracting Company

Not Appointed 11 project under construction

Educational Facilities

Al Emadi Twin Towers Mr. Mohammed Esmail Al Emadi Arab Consulting Engineers

Not Appointed Not Appointed 101 - 250 project under design Commercial Buildings

Residential Building in Fox Hills Buzwair Real Estate/QDREIC Faim Design Not Appointed Not Appointed 2.5 - 15 project under design Residential Buildings

Apartment Building at Al Sadd Mr. Nasser Abdul Aziz Nasser Al Nasser

Consulting Engineering Group

Not Appointed Not Appointed 16 - 30 award awaited for the main contract

ResidentialBuildings

Labour Accommodation at Wakrah - Phase 2

Public Works Authority Al Aqsa Consulting & Engineers

Ramco Engineering Not Appointed 5 project under construction

ResidentialBuildings

Offi ce/Residential Building at Najma

Mr. Abdul Jaleel Abdul Ghani Nasser


Not appointed Not Appointed 41 award awaited for the main contract

Mixed Use

Hotel & Offi ce Buildings at Al Rayyan Road

Mr. Abdul Rahman Al Mufta South West Architecture Al Mufta Contracting Not Appointed 16 - 30 project under construction

Mixed Use

Al Dar Hotel Mr. Mohammed Al Majed Al Jazeera Engineering / EGEC

Not Appointed Not Appointed 16 - 30 project under design Hotel

The Regent Doha Ghanem Al Thani Holding KEO International Not Appointed Not Appointed 101 - 250 award awaited for the main contract

Hotel

Corporate Building for Energy City Qatar

Energy City Qatar ABS Not Appointed Not Appointed 101 - 250 award awaited for the main contract

CommercialBuildings

4 Offi ce Towers in Marina District of Lusail

Salam International/QDREIC M.Z. & Partners Not Appointed Not Appointed 275 project under design Commercial Buildings

Shopping Mall in Abu Nakhla area

Al Meera Consumer Goods Company


Noors Engineering Company

Not Appointed 12 project under construction

Shopping Centre

Entertainment District - Precinct A & B

ADIH/Majid Al Futtaim/QDREIC RTKL/Forrec Not Appointed Not Appointed 1,500 project under design Mixed Use

Community College in Dukhan Qatar Petroleum Technital Qatar Not Appointed Not Appointed 16 - 30 project under design Educational Facilities

Client: Salam International/QDREICConsultant: M.Z. & PartnersMain contractor: Not AppointedMEP contractor: Not appointedValue: US$275 millionStatus: Under DesignType: Commercial BuildingsContact: Salam Bounian Development Company, T: +974 493 25 24, [email protected]

OFFICE TOWERS, LUSAIL MARINA

Salam 4 comprises four offi ce towers in the marina district of Lusail City. Situated on four pieces of adjacent lands and yet connected internally, the towers will enjoy views of the Doha Golf Club and the Lusail beaches.

Due to this prestigious location, the project is expected to attract many international companies. It will comprise fully-equipped ‘smart’ com-mercial offi ces with the latest commercial technology, facilities, conve-niences and retail shops to create an optimal business environment. Salam 4 in Lusail City


BUSINESS LEADS

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: £4,385.77 Exchange Rates Copper 3-months Seller: £4,539.08 Stg/$ 1.5621 Lead Cash Seller & Settlement: £1,360.13 $/JY 90.23 Lead 3-months Seller: £1,372.84 Euro 1.3687

Settlement ConversionCopper Cash Seller & Settlement: £4,569.57 Exchange Rates Copper 3-months Seller: £4,588.35 Stg/$ 1.6165 Lead Cash Seller & Settlement: £1,465.36 $/JY 91.30 Lead 3-months Seller: £1,481.67 Euro 1.4277

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

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

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

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

LME AVERAGE SETTLEMENT PRICES IN EURO

LME AVERAGE SETTLEMENT PRICES IN EURO

PrimaryAluminium(dollars)

AluminiumAlloy(dollars)

Copper

(dollars)

Lead

(dollars)

Nickel

(dollars)

NASAAC

(dollars)

Cash Buyer 2,048.23 1,885.03 6,847.20 2,121.23 18,964.75 1,978.98Cash Seller & Settlement 2,048.93 1,892.93 6,848.18 2,123.68 18,976.00 1,988.50

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

PrimaryAluminium(dollars)

AluminiumAlloy(dollars)

Copper

(dollars)

Lead

(dollars)

Nickel

(dollars)

NASAAC

(dollars)

Cash Buyer 2,234.53 1,955.98 7,384.98 2,367.03 18,430.00 2,063.20Cash Seller & Settlement 2,235.15 1,965.35 7,386.25 2,368.38 18,439.25 2,072.20

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

Metal Euro SettlementConversion Rate

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

Metal Euro SettlementConversion Rate

Primary Aluminium 1,565.37

Aluminium Alloy 1376.79

Copper 5,173.20

Lead 1657.98

Nickel 12,918.19

Nasaac 1,451.42

$6825Copper 3-months seller

$7165Copper 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.


METAL MONITOR

PRODUCTS


PRE-WIRED OFFICE FURNITURECable-management specialist Marshall-Tuffl ex has launched a new range of pre-wired offi ce furniture desk units as part of its underfl oor to desk solutions range.

The units provide a neat, safe and stylish method of delivering power to desktop devices such as computers and printers, replacing messy and potentially dangerous trailing power cables. Power can be delivered directly from Marshall-Tuffl ex’s MT32 plug-and-play 32A power distribution system or via its Series 507 or any other powertrack system.

The system is fully segregated with Clean Earth (CE) and standard versions available,

together with optional MCBs and RCD protection. The desk units comply with BS 6396 for Electrical Systems in Offi ce Furniture and with BS 1363-2, where applicable. Colour-coding indicates red for 3.15A and yellow for 5A.

The desk units are also compatible with a range of prefabricated wiring systems using standard 16A connectors and compact 32A connectors. Units are supplied as standard in black ABS and aluminium. However, aluminium units required with a silver-grey anodised fi nish are also available by contacting Marshall-Tuffl ex’s technical team.www.marshall-tuffl ex.com

General Machine Products Company Inc. of the US has introduced a utility manhole cover lifter to its range of safety tools and equipment. The lifter allows an individual to lift and remove heavy utility manhole covers quickly and safely in a variety of work environments and applications.

The tool securely attaches to and raises the most stubborn covers – with the lifter doing all the heavy work, instead of the technician’s back. One lifter can work on a wide range of cover types, as each lifting hook attachment (or key) is designed to accommodate a broad selection of manhole covers.

The long handle of the lifter provides the precise leverage necessary to easily raise bulky manhole covers. The lifting process is simple. First, select the appropriate lifting key for the

cover to be removed. Insert the key into the cover’s hole or lifting pocket.

Next, brace the lifter’s foot with one of your own feet while having the handle pointing away from you. Then pull the lifter’s handle backward toward you. Keep moving the foot of the lifter back to change the angle and allow for additional pulls of the handle to clear the manhole cover from its frame.

Added design features include rubber hand grips and a spiked foot for secure traction on unstable ground surfaces. In addition, the lifter’s durable, plated-steel tubular body is engineered specifi cally to lift the heaviest utility manhole covers.

The company offers several key options, including a small J-hook, a large J-hook and a heavy L-hook. All keys are made of heat-treated steel for added strength and durability. While

UTILITY MANHOLE COVER LIFTER

Sussman Electric boilers cater for a range of applications, including industrial steam and hot boilers, HVAC, direct steam heating, hot water for process and comfort heating, humidifi cation and air-water-oil preheating and booster heating applications. Its latest SSB stainless steel model introduces a safety low water cut-off level control.

Sussman’s boiler safety feature showcases an electric steam boiler with a fl oat type that automatically maintains proper water level for safe operation and shuts off the boiler when the water supply falls below a safe level. An auxiliary low-water cut-off is supplied in addition to primary control as standard.

Other features include a water-level sight glass, main on-off switch, steam stop-valve and long-life heating elements, as well as industrial-grade, heavy-duty 0.42 inch diameter stainless steel sheath heating elements with one-piece resistance-welded terminations for added life and security.www.sussmanboilers.com

BOILER SAFETY FEATURE

stock keys can accommodate the majority of utility cover types in use worldwide today, the company wcan also engineer custom key designs to fi t unique applications.www.GMPtools.com

We help our customers to save money by improving their energy saving potential whilst conserving the environment. We achieve this by offering energy saving systems with chilled beams and high effi cient energy recovery.

Swegon is one of the leading manufacturers of equipment for air treatment in Europe. However, our vision is to create the world’s best indoor climate for people, with the least possible impact on the environment.

Swegon’s development of ventilation products focuses on four key objectives:

High energy effi ciency and reduced carbon footprint Maximum comfort Low installation costs Minimum space requirement

For further information, please contact:

www.swegon.com

Gunnar Svensson, Swegon Bassel Anbari, InterCoolMobile: +971 50 919 7181 Mobile: +971 50 667 0527E-mail: [email protected] E-mail: [email protected]

We create the world’s best indoor climate for people and the environment

SwegonSolutionsTM

PRODUCTS


REDUCING PIPING INFRASTRUCTURE

The V-Cone steam fl ow meter from McCrometer delivers accurate steam-fl ow measurement in a space-saving design ideal for district energy facilities.

According to McCrometer, the V-Cone eliminates many of the common equipment lay-out problems associated with steam processes in HVAC systems and electric power co-generation systems. It is designed for steam process lines connecting boilers with HVAC systems or co-generation energy systems.

At the same time, the self-conditioning fl ow design of the V-Cone eliminates most of the straight-pipe requirements typically needed with many fl ow meter technologies by controlling swirl and other fl ow disturbances in the pipe that affect measurement accuracy.

The company claims that the V-Cone is accurate to +0.5%, with a repeatability of +0.1%, and requires only 0-3 straight diameters upstream and 0-1 diameters downstream from the meter. Many other types of fl ow meters require as many as 10 pipe straight diameters upstream and fi ve pipe diameters downstream from the meter.

With space constraints an increasing issue in modern building, the V-Cone typically reduces real estate, piping material, associated pipe support structure and installation labour by 50% or more. With the V-Cone, larger line sizes mean larger savings.

The V-Cone fl ow meter features built in fl ow-conditioning and advanced differential pressure (DP) technologies. Operating over a wide fl ow range, it

The Raindance Rainmaker AIR from Hansgrohe, with its 680 mm shower head and fl ush-ceiling mounting, adds a new dimension to sanitaryware. Now a new rectangular option has been launched to complement bathrooms designed along geometric lines. Its spray surface accounts for almost the entire area of the 680 mm by 460 mm ceiling element.

The central part of the unit, with a diameter of about 240 mm, can also be used on its own. When required, the two outer segments can be added to the stream as well. The wide-spreading spray enhances its functionality, preventing contact with the cold outside air.

Three downward-projecting conical whirl jets can be added to the stream as required to provide a powerful and relaxing massage effect. This multi-functional overhead shower system again employs the innovative AirPower

MULTI-FUNCTIONAL OVERHEAD SHOWER

Carlo Gavazzi Automation has launched its RSBT series, a three-phase soft-starting solution that optimises current reduction for HVAC (scroll) compressors, mainly used in heat pumps. The RSBT series is equipped with a patent-pending auto-adaptive algorithm that reduces energy consumption each time the compressor starts by self-adjusting appropriate parameters.

In this manner it limits current inrush up to 65%, compared to direct-on-line starting. The RSBT series is compliant with Class B (resi-dential) requirements for emissions, does not need any external settings and is provided with a compact housing (45 mm). It also provides phase sequence and imbalance protection.www.GavazziOnline.com

THREE-PHASE HVAC COMPRESSOR SOFT STARTERS

The V-Cone steam fl ow meter from McCrometer

supports line sizes from 0.5 to 120 inches. It can be installed virtually anywhere in a new district energy piping system, or be easily retrofi tted into an existing piping layout.

McCrometer claims that, because the fl ow-conditioning function is built-into the basic instrument, the V-Cone fl ow meter’s design is inherently more accurate than traditional DP instruments such as orifi ce plates and venture tubes. The V-Cone conditions fl uid fl ow to provide a stable fl ow profi le that increases accuracy. It features a centrally-located cone inside a tube.

The cone interacts with the fl uid fl ow and reshapes the velocity profi le to create a lower pressure region immediately downstream. The V-Cone features two pressure-sensing taps to measure the pressure difference that is exhibited between the static line pressure and the low pressure created downstream of the cone. One tap is placed slightly upstream of the cone and the other is located in the downstream face of the cone itself.

The pressure difference can then be incorporated into a derivation of the Bernoulli equation to determine the fl uid fl ow rate. The velocity of the liquid fl ow at the point of measurement is optimised by the central position of the cone in the line. It forms very short vortices as the fl ow passes the cone. These short vortices create a low-amplitude, high-frequency signal for good signal stability. The result is a highly stable fl ow profi le that is repeatable for continuously accurate fl ow measurement.

McCrometer is a leading global fl ow instrumentation specialist focusing on the design, manufacture, installation and testing of fl ow metering solutions. Its MENA offi ce is located in Jebel Ali.www.mccrometer.com

technology, which draws in air to enrich the water, thus producing a voluminous rain instead of the needle-like jets experienced in conventional showers.www.hansgrohe.com

The Raindance Rainmaker AIR from Hansgrohe

THE LAST WORD


Swegon business development director Carl Tobisson talks about going green.

How important is indoor air quality?That is a good question. I think that, to a certain extent, say up until two years’ ago, the hotel industry has focused on the façade and exter-nal aesthetics, with cost-cutting on things inside that people can-not really see. But now in the UAE and the region as a whole, people are looking at reducing the total amount of energy consumed by their buildings. A total of 40% of energy is consumed by buildings. This is because people acknow-ledge that the well-being of people is of the utmost importance.

What challenges are you facing?First of all, the economy needs to start picking up again. The biggest hurdle would be that lots and lots of consul-tants and property owners in this re-gion like to use traditional systems. So in order to get your products into these new buildings, you have to be patient. You need to be able to show people the system already installed in existing buildings. Above all, you have to be persistent.

Can you retrofit your products?We have not looked very much at that, but obviously this is an oppor-tunity as well. The Paragon pro-duct is very new, and is part of our aim to target not only new develop-ments, but existing ones as well.

We are very much trying to meet the needs of the builders.

What is Paragon?This is a new induction cooling unit for the hotel industry unveiled by Swegon at The Big 5 last year. The product has just been launched in the UAE market. Swegon has al-ready secured a 300-room contract for an airport hotel in Oslo. Unlike a traditional FCU, Paragon has no need for fi lters or drainage, so there is no risk of bacterial growth.

Another advantage is that Para-gon is available as a standard mod-ular unit, with all the necessary actuators and valves premounted. This results in a signifi cant overall saving in installation costs. The small size of the unit, which is only 180 mm high, means that the false ceiling space can be reduced dra-matically as well.

Paragon has other unique fea-tures: air distribution is parallel with the ceiling, which means it can be placed at the rear of a room; adjustable supply air grilles direct the air vertically; an anti-draught function controls horizontal dif-fusion or air direction; and the enclosed unit means that the recir-culated air never comes into con-tact with the space above the false ceiling, further enhancing indoor air quality.

GREEN PARAGON

Swegon business development director Carl Tobisson

To what extent does the green per-formance of a building influence the purchase decision? The launch of Sheikh Mohammed’s green building initiative at the end of 2007 was the fi rst step towards changing the criteria so that people pay more attention to energy-effi -cient and green building solutions. Such solutions are on their way to be-ing at the forefront of people’s minds. There is a slow move away from building fast, cheap and then selling.

How should developers take an inter-est in the lifespan of a building?There must be some kind of educa-tion. There are two types of inves-tors, namely owners and speculators. Owners are going to pay the bills for energy, water and so on. The prob-lem is with speculative buyers. When somebody else is paying the bills, it is not so easy. We must remember that, if you have a LEED-certifi ed build-ing, you can get more money out of it, which remains an advantage, even for speculative investors.

How have you encouraged clients to pay the premium for green building?We are showing our customers that you have to look at the long-term costs. You have the investment cost, the running cost and the mainte-nance cost. The running and main-tenance costs stay with the building its entire lifespan. What we are try-ing to indicate is that you have to look at the pointers – not only at in-vestment, but the life-cycle cost.

Has the construction industry lost the will to go green in the face of the eco-nomic climate?The recession could help in some

ways. People will be more discern-ing. Before, everybody could build and sell. But now the market should be more stable, as opposed to people simply looking to build fast and sell. That’s why Sheikh Mohammed’s green proclamation was a big step. Someone has to take the lead, or practical steps will never be taken.

What health benefits are to be gained from using Swegon in hotels?The fi rst thing that comes to my mind would be the silent cooling. When most people stay in hotel rooms, they can hear the fan coil unit (FCU) op-erating. And also there is the draught element that can keep people awake. Those are two key areas that need to be addressed. The other one would be the risk of bacterial growth.

Our system operates above the dew point, whereas other systems operate below the dew point. This means you need to have a tray under the FCU, and you need to lead the water away. As it is a wet system and there is dust present in the room, you need to clean this unit carefully. Bac-terial growth is one area where there is a defi nite higher risk.

What our system does is, fi rst of all, with the Gold handling unit, it has fi lters that obviously fi lter and dehu-midify the air. So the system supplies primary air that is fi ltered. This is not a problem if you require a normal supply of air. Also, you need to have the right amount of air exchanged.

In addition, you have emissions from carpets and walls, for example, and this is dealt with by the extract air and ventilation. We would never recommend switching a system off completely and not having exchange of air in the room.

Delivering MEP construction excellenceProviding MEP specialist construction to the building industry since 1976

P.O. Box 26923Abu Dhabi, UAETel: +971 2 626 2036Fax: +971 2 626 3073

P.O. Box 22478Doha, QatarTel: +974 413 0044 Fax: +974 413 0055

97 El. Venizelou Ave.P.O. Box 13917123 Athens, GreeceTel: +30 210 931 1440Fax: +30 210 931 1441

36D Grivas Digenis Ave.1066 Nicosia,CyprusTel: +357 22 66 2775Fax: +357 22 66 2871

P.O. Box 87134Dubai, UAETel: +971 4 294 0420Fax: +971 4 295 3856

AL HABTOOR - SPECON LLC

MEP Specia l ist Construct ion

Al Habtoor – Specon LLC has successfully delivered a number of prestigious projects throughout the UAE and Qatar.

Our team of highly qualified engineers and key management personnel bring vast knowledge and experience in MEP Construction, Design, Supervision, Service and Maintenance.

We have successfully delivered MEP multi-disciplined projects for both the public and private sector, including hotels, airports, hospitals, sports facilities and residential towers.

We pride ourselves in providing clients with timely execution, high quality, competitiveness and excellent after-completion service.

mep middle east - april 2010

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