EME Newsletter MEssage #01/2024

NEWSLETTER 

MESSAGE 

NEWSLETTER FROM EUROVENT MIDDLE EAST 

JANUARY 2024 VOL. 10 

Cooling in 

Where we are and where 

we need to go 

INTERVIEWS 

"COP28 WILL BE A TURNING 

POINT IN THE LONG 

JOURNEY OF THE CLIMATE 

WORK" 

Eng. Khaled Klaly, Montreal 

Protocol Regional Coordinator, 

West Asia, UNEP 

"WE WANT HYGIENIC 

FEATURES TO BE MORE 

DEMOCRATIC AND 

THE NORM FOR ALL 

APPLICATIONS” 

Sylvain Courtey, President of 

Eurovent Certita Certification 

TECHNICAL ARTICLES 

CONSIDER THE PRESSURE 

DIFFERENCE 

Stephan Eder, 

Director,Business Unit 

Climate Technology, Hoval 

A GUIDE TO CHOOSING 

THE BEST AHUS FOR YOUR 

PROJECT 

Systemair experts discuss 

the publication of the 

highly popular Eurovent 

Recommendation 6/18 - 

2022: Quality criteria for 

Air Handling Units and 

why consultants should 

reference it in future 

projects. 

TAKEAWAYS 

REFLECTIONS ON COP28 

Markus Lattner, Managing 

Director of Eurovent 

Middle East, outlines 

several key takeaways 

from COP28 and its side 

events. 

CASE STUDY 

DEMONSTRATING ENERGY 

SAVINGS AND CARBON 

REDUCTION BENEFITS 

OF RETROFITS IN AC 

REPLACEMENT PILOT 

PROJECT 

TAQEEF discusses 

savings of up to 64% 

on the homeowners’ 

electricity bill, as well as 

a C02 reduction of 78,000 

kg in the first year of 

implementation. 

FEATURE ARTICLES 

ADVANCING REGIONAL 

EXPERTISE 

Eurovent Middle East 

looks at the critical role 

the HVACR Leadership 

Academy plays in 

contributing to broader 

sustainability targets 

AN EAR TO THE GROUND: 

THE UX OF DISTRICT 

COOLING IN THE UAE 

The user experience 

of renters and owners 

regarding their District 

Cooling connections 

and how it impacts their 

decisions as investors 

and tenants... 

www.eurovent.me

CONTENTS 

03 Letter to the industry 

04 Interview: "COP28 will be a turning point in the 

long journey of the climate work" - UNEP 

06 Takeaways: Reflections on COP28 

08 Feature Article: The HVACR Leadership 

Academy's journey in upskilling 

11 Case Study: Demonstrating energy saving and 

carbon footprint reduction benefits of retrofits in 

AC replacement pilot project 

15 Interview: "We want hygienic features to be more 

democratic and the norm for all applications” - 

Eurovent Certita Certification 

17 Technical Article: A guide to choosing the best 

AHUs for your project 

20 Technical Article: Consider the pressure 

difference 

24 Feature Article: An ear to the ground: The UX of 

District Cooling in the UAE 

MESSAGE 

LETTER 

TO THE INDUSTRY 

About leadership 

COP28 has concluded a year that has seen new weather 

extremes all around the globe, from a dry fall of the 

Amazon River to record low levels of the Panama Canal, 

creating a big headache for the global supply chain once 

again. Within the MENA region, we have had catastrophic 

floods in Libya and Somalia, reminding us that there isn't 

any place in the world we could feel safe from climate 

change. 

Average temperature rises have surpassed 2 degrees 

C in a number of regions around the globe, with 

unprecedented heat all around. Only the most ignorant 

can still deny that humanity is up against its greatest 

task: keeping global warming to a minimum. The 1.5 

degree C target set by the Paris Agreement is not 

realistic anymore, as many scientists already predict 

temperature increases of 2 degrees C and beyond. 

One could cynically say these are fantastic news for our 

industry, as we will see demand for cooling soaring in 

the coming decades. The truth is we need to double our 

efforts in reducing the carbon footprint of the HVACR 

sector. For the first time, cooling has taken centre stage 

during the world's largest climate change conference, 

COP, with 63 countries signing up for the Global Cooling 

Pledge. Eurovent Middle East was invited by UNEP to coorganise 

two side events, one on low-emission cooling in 

HAT countries and one on the need for certification not 

only of products but also of people. 

The talk and demand for education and training have 

been ubiquitous in the discussions at COP and other UN 

events, and all I could wonder was, how, if this is such 

a badly needed thing, isn’t anyone doing it? Eurovent 

Middle East has once more made a huge impression 

when, as an answer to these talks, I could stand up and 

present the HVACR Leadership Academy. Simple and 

straightforward. We are working to provide the training 

and knowledge development the market needs. 

This is leadership by example. Eurovent Middle East, 

as the joint efforts of all its members, is taking the 

lead in one of the most critical requirements for the 

reduction of carbon emissions. Not because we have 

nothing else to do or to make a profit but because we 

all acknowledge our responsibility towards change and 

see the great benefits an informed, well-trained, and 

educated professional market environment will provide 

for the people, the region, and the planet. 

Best regards, 

Markus Lattner 

Managing Director 


NEWSLETTER 

2 www.eurovent.me 


3

NEWSLETTER 

INTERVIEW 

“COP28 will be a turning 

point in the long journey 

of the climate work” 

have ratified the Kigali 

Amendment, and there is big hope 

that the rest will join in during this 

COP or, at the latest, in early 2024. 

Rising temperatures will 

increase the need for cooling, 

which increases greenhouse gas 

emissions, a vicious cycle. Do you 

see any way to disrupt this cycle? 

COP28 FEATURE 

Eng. Khaled Klaly, Montreal Protocol Regional Coordinator, West Asia, UNEP, 

discusses the expectations for COP28, opportunities and challenges facing 

countries in the Middle East in the fight to limit global warming, and the 

critical role of the RAC sector. 

What are your expectations 

from COP28? 

The expectations are very 

high that COP 28 will be a 

turning point in the long 

journey of the climate work, 

and all are optimistic that 

the proactive diplomacy and 

weight of UAE will result in 

a historical breakthrough, 

including realising the desired 

required plans and funding 

to help achieve the global 

warming limit to 1.5 degrees 

C. The hope to see remarkable 

pledges to fill in the Loss and 

Damage fund is very high, 

as is regarding the energy 

transition. Concerning the 

Montreal Protocol community, 

I’m hopeful to see wide interest 

from nations to join the Global 

Cooling Pledge. 

How far are we in the fight to 

limit global warming to 1.5 or, 

at least, 2 degrees? 

It is a very challenging target 

due to the tough decisions 

to be made in terms of the 

technology shift and 

funding required. 

Hence, it is not too 

late, and COP 28 

is, maybe, the 

hope to win 

this fight. 

Eng. Khaled Klaly 

What are the biggest challenges for 

the Middle East in this context? 

It is mostly the socioeconomic 

challenges associated with the 

desired energy shifting. The region 

has some big economies and less 

fortunate ones, and therefore, the 

needs are different for meeting the 

target. Also, the required support for 

the mitigation and adaptation work 

varies from one country to another. 

Which countries in this region have 

yet to ratify the Kigali Amendment, 

and what is the hold-up? 

So far, only three countries 

That’s right. We have, as the 

Montreal Protocol community, 

realised that, and it is no secret 

that the Montreal Protocol’s 

contribution towards climate 

protection during the past 3 

decades is 5 to 6 times higher 

than the contribution of the Kyoto 

Protocol. This has been achieved 

through the shifting to long term 

ozone-climate friendly alternatives 

in all sectors including the cooling 

sector which is the main using 

sector of controlled substances. 

The Kigali Amendment adopted in 

2016 will add additional benefits 

mostly by making the shift in 

the cooling sector, not only by 

using long term alternative 

technologies but also through 

promoting better management 

of refrigerants as well as 

by supporting high energy 

efficiency systems. The cooling 

pledge and optimistic targets, 

therein, will add to the already 

expected contribution of the 

Kigali Amendment to reduce 

global warming by 0.5 degrees C 

by the end of the century. 

Eurovent Middle East argues 

that we use more than 

double the electricity to cool 

buildings than necessary due 

to flawed designs, installation 

mistakes, and lack of operation 

protocols and maintenance. Yet, 

policymakers usually only look 

at products when regulating 

energy consumption. Are we 

missing the big picture, and 

what can we do to improve? 

That’s right to some extent. 

Hence, I wish to highlight that 

the Montreal Protocol has 

been giving due importance to 

improving the management 

of refrigerants by building the 

capacities of RAC technicians. 

There has also been work 

towards updating national 

policies, regulations and 

standards for better practices 

that minimise emissions of 

harmful substances to the 

atmosphere, developing and 

updating related training and 

education curricula and of 

course converting the RAC 

manufacturing sector to use 

the most environmentally 

friendly alternative technologies 

which also resulted in some 

improvements in terms of 

energy efficiency. Now, the 

Kigali Amendment is giving 

higher importance to the energy 

efficiency program and the 

Multilateral Fund (MLF) started 

to support energy efficiency 

components of national plans. 

Hence, there is a need to work 

more on the building sector to 

address energy efficiency in a 

more holistic way. 



5

NEWSLETTER 

TAKEAWAYS 

COP28 FEATURE 

Reflections on COP 28: 

Key outcomes and 

opportunities 

With global energy consumption related to cooling expected to triple by 2050, the 

world’s largest climate congregation has put cooling into the spotlight for the first 

time in its history. The introduction of the Global Cooling Pledge during an event on 05 

December 2023 at COP28 is considered one of the key outcomes of this year’s climate 

conference. Markus Lattner, Managing Director of Eurovent Middle East, outlines 

several key takeaways from COP28 and its side events. 

It is a very positive step for COP 

to acknowledge the critical role 

the HVACR sector plays regarding 

greenhouse gas emissions, but 

also in providing essential cooling 

for food safety and people’s health. 

With energy consumption related to 

cooling expected to triple by 2050, 

the International Energy Agency, 

along with other institutions and 

organisations, from environmental 

groups to industry associations, 

call for the attention of 

governments and 

political leaders. 

History 

Following the 

implementation 

of the Montreal 

Protocol in 1987, 

the international 

community, 

spearheaded by 

UNEP and with the 

support of the dedicated 

Multilateral Fund, has been 

working intensively on the phaseout 

of ozone-depleting substances. 

This focus has been adapted 

over time by looking 

not only at the 

ozone-depleting 

potential but also 

generally on 

global warming 

potential, 

and ultimately, during the Kigali 

convention, has extended to energy 

efficiency and decarbonisation. 

While over the years, most nations 

have established infrastructures 

and departments dealing with the 

ozone topic, the work on energy 

efficiency has remained either 

neglected, or was dealt with by 

other government departments, 

like standardisation bodies and 

regulatory authorities. This 

background explains why, 

over all the years, the 

focus of concern for 

UNEP and its various 

sub-organisations and 

initiatives remained 

on the chiller and air 

conditioning side. 

New perspectives 


has been introducing 

new perspectives in several 

discussions and events organised in 

partnership with UNEP. While fully 

supportive of refrigerant transition 

and more energy-efficient cooling 

appliances, it has brought to the 

attention the important yet greatly 

neglected issue of ventilation. 

After all, an excellent, energyefficient 

chiller will not deliver its 

performance if the energy is lost 

during the transport of the cooled 


air into the rooms. Or rather, the 

chiller will perform, but it won’t 

make much difference. 

A holistic and systemic 

approach is necessary if any 

energy efficiency targets 

stipulated by pledge, policy, 

or regulation shall be 

achieved. And here, MEPS 

alone cannot and will 

not help. Interventions, 

regulative as well 

as educational, are 

required to facilitate a 

higher grade of system 

integration and better installation, 

operation, and maintenance of 

HVACR systems. With the HVACR 

Leadership Academy, Eurovent 

Middle East has introduced an 

answer to years of discussing and 

arguing on COP level. 

The Cooling Pledge 

For anyone interested, this link 

provides a good summary of the 

background of the Global Cooling 

Pledge as well as its full text in 

Annex 1. The pledge shall increase 

ambitious efforts and international 

cooperation through joint targets 

on reducing GHG emissions related 

to cooling, improving energy 

efficiency, taking a climate-friendly 

approach, and expanding access 

to sustainable air conditioning for 

vulnerable groups in society. 

It shall commit nations, among 

other points, to: 

■ work together with the aim 

of reducing cooling-related 

emissions by at least 68% 

relative to 2022 levels by 2050 

■ support increased market 

penetration of highly efficient 

air conditioning equipment and 

innovative technologies and to 

collectively increase the global 

average efficiency rating of new 

air conditioning equipment sold 

by 50% by at the latest 2030 

from the global 2022 installed 

baseline 

■ ratify the Kigali Amendment 

by 2024, if not already ratified 

■ publish a national cooling 

action plan, considering 

cooling when publishing 

a national action plan, or 

publishing a regulation 

or equivalent by 2026 and 

to reflect relevant efforts 

in designing nationally 

determined contributions 

under the Paris Agreement 

and HFC phase-down plans 

The pledge has been initially 

endorsed by 63 countries, with 

more expected to follow over 

time. Among the European 

countries signed are Belgium, 

Czechia, Denmark, France, 

Germany, Netherlands, Norway, 

Spain, and the UK; other major 

signatories so far include 

Brazil, Japan, USA, and the host 

country UAE. No other country 

in the GCC has yet endorsed the 

pledge and time will tell if this 

initiative will gain momentum. 

While critics may see this paper 

as mostly a public relations 

spectacle, integral reporting 

mechanisms may actually effect 

some meaningful regulatory 

interventions, especially in 

developing countries. At the 

very least, it can provide 

leverage for the industry to 

request more action from 

governments that haven’t 

moved at all in regard to 

implementing energy efficiency 

requirements. 

Takeaways 

Eurovent could bring new 

perspectives to the table, which 

will be taken on by UNEP in 

the next year and brought to 

wider attention as was possible 

during COP28. The aspects 

of ventilation have been eyeopening 

for the audience and 

highly appreciated by UNEP. 

The cooperation between both 

organisations has been very 

beneficial and educational 

and we look forward to 

continuing and intensifying the 

relationship in the next years. 

The Cooling Pledge will have to 

prove itself, but we should give 

it credit for the time being and 

see it as the first big step in 

putting cooling in the spotlight. 

Higher energy efficiency 

requirements will provide 

better business opportunities 

for our members, who have 

invested heavily in better 

products and technologies. 

A note for last: 97.000 

accredited people discussing 

climate change raises the 

question of the carbon footprint 

of COP28. And while colourful 

and diverse, the crowds 

and crowded agendas, the 

hundreds if not thousands of 

side events, mostly in front 

of only a handful of people, 

haven’t left a very efficient 

impression and rather cause 

doubt about our capabilities 

to save the planet from 

overheating. Perhaps that 

explains the booth from the ‘St. 

John and Mary Baptist Church’ 

from Eswatini at this year’s 

edition of COP – perhaps we 

need more prayers. 



7

NEWSLETTER 

FEATURE ARTICLE 

COP28 FEATURE 

Advancing regional 

expertise: The HVACR 

Leadership Academy's 

journey in upskilling 

Following the launch of the Academy, Eurovent Middle East looks at the 

critical role the initiative plays in contributing to broader sustainability 

targets from the perspective of esteemed media organisations’ coverage of 

the vital and ever-evolving topic. 

On October 3, 2023, Eurovent 

Middle East launched its HVACR 

Leadership Academy in a press 

conference attended by members, 

partners, and esteemed media 

representatives. This marked a new 

milestone within the Association’s 

tireless efforts to implement 

activities to support the professional 

development of HVACR Technicians 

and Engineers, considered a critical 

missing link between technology 

and energy savings in the fight for 

lower greenhouse gas emissions. 

The main objective of the Academy 

is to offer certified training 

courses as well as knowledge 

development programmes for 

engineers, technicians, and other 

HVACR professionals to increase 

market understanding of products, 

technologies, standards, and best 

practices. 

Addressing gaps in the market 

In an interview published by 

Technical Review Middle East on 

the occasion of the launch, 

Markus Lattner, 

Managing Director, 

Eurovent Middle 

East, discussed 

the gaps in 

employee 

skills that 

became the catalyst for this 

initiative. “We see engineers who 

work on outdated standards and 

technicians who never received 

training on HVACR installations,” 

he said. “The issues are manifold 

in their root causes and effects, 

but all have the effect that we lose 

a considerable amount of energy 

due to substandard designs, 

installations, and operations. The 

shortage of adequately trained 

technicians is not only causing 

operational inefficiencies but also 

jeopardises the safety and wellbeing 

of stakeholders involved in 

building operations, considering 

the prevalence of outdated HVAC 

systems in many buildings.” 

He added that efforts should 

be directed toward ensuring 

formal technical education is 

accessible to existing technicians, 

particularly the underpaid bluecollar 

workers. “These technicians, 

often expatriates, possess valuable 

hands-on experience but need 

support to gain more theoretical 

knowledge,” he pointed out. 

”Introducing formal education 

tailored to their needs could unlock 

their potential in a way that benefits 

the individuals and the industry.” 

Lattner further highlighted the 

importance of efficient cooling 

and its impact on various aspects 

of society in an article for FM 

Middle East. One of the arguments 

within the published article is 

that beyond the initial investment, 

the maintenance aspect of 

cooling systems holds significant 

importance. “While maintenance 

agreements between tenants and 

landlords vary, it's evident that older 

and less efficient cooling systems 

require more frequent repairs to 

maintain optimal functioning. Over 

time, these repairs accumulate into 

substantial costs,” he said. “This 

financial strain is particularly felt 

by residents who bear the brunt of 

smaller repair expenses. Upgrading 

to new and high-quality cooling 

systems can alleviate this burden, 

offering long-term savings in terms 

of reduced maintenance costs.” 


Marco Buoni 

Dr Iyad Al-Attar 

Tariq Al-Ghussein 

The power of partnerships 

To amplify the impact of the 

initiative and further ensure the 

calibre of infrastructure, Eurovent 

Middle East signed a cooperation 

agreement with the Italian training 

centre Centro Studi Galileo (CSG). 

Since the 1970s, CSG has been 

conducting training in Europe, 

the USA, Africa, and the Middle 

East and is accredited to certify 

HVAC/R technicians under the 

EU F-gas certification and the 

REAL Alternatives programme in 

cooperation with the consortium and 

the European Association of RAC 

contractors AREA. 

During the Press Conference, 

Zawya Projects interviewed Marco 

Buoni, Managing Director of CSG, 

who underscored the risks posed 

by the leakage of refrigerants, 

noting that they have higher Global 

Warming Potential (GWP) compared 

to CO2 emissions. In the published 

article, Buono cited that each 

kilogramme of leaked refrigerant 

emits more than 2,000 kilograms 

of carbon dioxide (CO2) into the 

atmosphere, according to the 

Environmental Protection Agency 

(EPA). Thus, he said, an averagesized 

supermarket’s air conditioning 

system consumes approximately 

100kg of refrigerants annually. A 

leakage rate of 10 per cent means 

the release of at least 10 kilograms 

of refrigerants into the atmosphere. 

“This calls for implementing F-gas 

regulation, which restricts the use 

of refrigerants with a GWP value 

of more than 2,500. This includes 

the R-404A refrigerant used in 

refrigeration dryers,” said Buoni. 

The F-gas regulation requires 

checking for refrigerant leaks and 

periodic checking of the system. 

It also stipulates mandatory 

certification and training of 

technicians. However, he said that 

except for Bahrain, the regulation 

has yet to be implemented 

elsewhere in the Middle East. 

Zawya’s report also highlighted 

the insights of another partner in 

the Academy, Dr Iyad Al-Attar, an 

independent consultant specialising 

in Indoor Air Quality and Air 

Filtration and a lecturer at several 

highly renowned universities and 

institutes, who spoke on the benefits 

of better maintenance in terms 

of building occupants' health and 

safety. “IAQ measurement systems 

should be mandatory, as air quality 

should be by design and not by 

demand,” he said. “Installing air 

quality measuring systems should 

be compulsory for schools and 

public buildings.” He underlined 

that air quality should be integral to 

discussions on heating, ventilation 

and air conditioning system 

selection and human occupancy of 

new buildings. “Air filtration is now 

available at a lower energy usage so 

that I can have high efficiency at a 

much lower energy usage than five, 

ten and 20 years ago. So we have 

what it takes. What remains is to 

position what we possess regarding 

technologies and innovation.” 

In support of national targets 

The development of the academy 

has far-reaching implications for 

government and society as a whole. 

This was further highlighted by 

Tariq Al-Ghussein, President of 

Eurovent Middle East, during an 

interview with Al Bayan, a leading 

Arabic Daily Newspaper, where he 

said: “Efforts to improve energy 

efficiency, to reduce the 

impact of climate change, have 



9

NEWSLETTER 


CASE STUDY 

COP28 FEATURE 

become commonplace at all levels 

of government, and the heating, 

ventilation and air cooling sector in 

turn is witnessing large investments, 

and the shift towards using 

alternative refrigerants has become 

more urgent.” He added that all of 

these developments rely heavily on 

HVAC professionals trained in new 

technologies, and without investing 

in these capabilities, we cannot 

achieve the sustainability goals set 

by national governments. 

Indeed, the initiative comes at a 

critical time as the UAE has set 

stricter emissions, announcing 

an increase in its target of 31% 

reduction to 40% by 2030, ahead 

of the country’s hosting COP28 

from Nov 30, 2023 – Tue, Dec 12, 

2023. In an article authored by 

Lattner published in MEP Middle 

East, he highlighted how COP 28 

was poised to be a pivotal moment 

in the global fight against climate 

change, offering nations an 

opportunity to unite and reaffirm 

their commitments to reducing 

greenhouse gas emissions and 

promoting sustainability. He pointed 

out that the UAE recognises the 

critical role of addressing the 

cooling sector and that there is little 

need to emphasise the urgency of 

these discussions, mainly when the 

World Health Organization attributes 

250,000 annual deaths to climate 

change. “The HVACR sector's role 

in achieving these benchmarks 

is widely acknowledged”, he 

said. “This sector can showcase 

significant savings through 

sustainable solutions, particularly 

crucial in the Middle East, where 

cooling and refrigeration are 

essential. While clean energy 

supply remains a primary focus, 

discussions must shift to energyconscious 

consumption and enabling 

strategies. As COP 28 approaches, 

the UAE emphasises efficient cooling 

practices and maintenance 

as a guiding principle for 

sustainable progress.” 

The Climate Group 

has noted that 

40% of global 

greenhouse gas 

emissions come from buildings. 

In the UAE, up to 70% of buildings' 

energy consumption goes to cooling 

and ventilation, leading to an overall 

consumption of more than 50% for 

the entire nation. Eurovent Middle 

East estimates that 25% energy 

savings can be achieved through 

simple preventive maintenance, 15% 

through better installation and 20% 

through better operations of HVACR 

equipment. 

In a conversation with Climate 

Control Middle East as a guest 

on the podcast, “Talking HVACR”, 

Lattner highlighted the undeniable 

role of education and knowledge. 

“Technology is evolving,” he said, 

“and if we don’t have people 

handling technology, these talks 

about energy conservation are 

in vain. Any client who needs an 

HVAC system, whether a fixed 

commercial operator or private 

household, should have the peace 

of mind that the money they pay 

for maintenance will ensure a fixed 

and running system, operating at 

the minimum energy cost possible. 

For that, you need skilled people. 

And if there are no requirements 

in the market for qualification, 

you can be in for a surprise. As 

a non-profit, we cannot instruct 

the market. Still, the mandate of 

investing in qualified technicians and 

maintenance personnel can come 

from the customers themselves, 

and, perhaps, the government to 

impose a minimum qualification 

requirement for certain jobs.” 

Efficiency and savings in 

numbers: Demonstrating 

energy saving and carbon 

footprint reduction 

benefits of retrofits in AC 

replacement pilot project 

Implemented across 5 villas, the pilot project showcases remarkable savings of up to 

64% on the homeowners’ electricity bill, as well as a C02 reduction of 78,000 kg in the 

first year of implementation. 

The financial advantages of 

upgrading to higher-quality units 

through retrofitting have been widely 

acknowledged. Luay Ghussein, 

Senior Director – Engineering, 

Taqeef discussed a recent initiative 

by the company involving the 

replacement of AC units in five villas, 

which solidified this notion as the 

project highlighted significant energy 

savings and decreased consumption 

in just the first year following the 

implementation. 

TAQEEF's pilot project involved 

substituting old On/Off AC units 

with new, highly efficient Inverter 

AC units across five villas in wellknown 

communities across the 

emirate. The primary objective was 

to compare the annual electricity 

consumption before and after the 

replacement, aiming to quantify 

the impactful savings generated 

by the new machines in terms of 

reduced electricity bills and carbon 

footprint. The resulting data, 

extrapolated from the homeowners' 

monthly DEWA bills pre- and postinstallation, 

distinctly showcased 

the benefits of retrofits in tangible 

numbers. 

Ghussein said, “In discussions about 

energy savings ranging from 30-40%, 

scepticism often arises regarding the 

reliability of these figures. However, 

in our specific case study, these 

numbers aren't speculative—they're 

based on concrete evidence. we 

conducted a thorough comparison 

using DEWA readings before and 

after installation, conclusively 

demonstrating the substantial energy 

savings achieved. The data from 

DEWA serves as irrefutable proof 

that these savings are more than just 

claims—they're a tangible reality.” 

The chosen solution 

TAQEEF's proposal for the five villas 

aimed to upgrade the existing units 

to General Ducted Inverter units 

designed to effectively manage 

the increased cooling load. This 

replacement served a dual purpose: 

reducing the overall electrical and 

carbon footprint while significantly 

enhancing cooling performance to 

ensure optimal thermal comfort for 

occupants. 

The choice of the General Ducted 

Inverter units was strategic, driven 

by their features, which included a 

High Efficiency Inverter Compressor 

capable of adjusting its speed 

in response to the specific load 

requirements. This adaptability 

ensured a notable reduction in 

overall power consumption. 

Moreover, the system was equipped 

with an R32 Refrigerant, known 

for its ability to enhance cooling 

performance while requiring a 

lower refrigerant charge. Not only 

did this contribute to superior 

efficiency, but it also resulted in a 

reduced Global Warming Potential 

(GWP) compared to the refrigerant 

used in the previous system. This 

switch led to decreased equivalent 

carbon emissions, aligning with 

environmental sustainability goals. 

Additionally, the General Ducted 

Inverter units offered several other 

benefits, including lower noise 

levels, higher Energy Efficiency 

Ratio (EER), and the ability to 

operate efficiently even in hightemperature 

environments of up to 

55 degrees Celsius. 



11

NEWSLETTER 

CASE STUDY 

The chosen solution 

Below is a breakdown of the implementation and results across the five villas. 

Emirates Hills Villa, Dubai 

Existing On/Off ducted units were ageing, which degraded the performance of the units, 

resulting in higher power consumption. Tenants were already living in the accommodation. 

Hence, Taqeef personnel had to ensure the installation were done seamlessly without 

disturbing the tenants with the noise and vibration of construction. 

In total, 19 units were replaced in the villa consisting of Ground Floor, 1st Floor, and Roof, 

worth 70 tons in cooling. 

Based on the electrical bills by DEWA before and after the changes, the results were: 

► Annual electricity consumption saving of 135,000 kWh (22%) 

Living Legends Villa, Dubai 

A replacement of the existing On/Off ducted units was required as the existing equipment 

was consuming a high amount electricity during peak summer months. 

The villa consisted of Ground Floor and 1st Floor. In total, 6 units were replaced worth 20 

Tons in cooling 



► Monthly peak saving of up to 42% 

► Annual carbon footprint reduction by 4,200 kg CO2e 


► Annual carbon footprint reduction by 54,000 

Springs Villa, Dubai 

Acacia Avenues, Dubai 

The owner of the villa in Acacia Avenues wanted a system that would result in significant 

energy savings and minimal power consumption, which could deliver comfort with 

maximum efficiency. 

The villa consisted of Ground Floor and 1st Floor, and in total replaced machines worth 

43 Tons in cooling changed in 5 areas. 




A replacement of the existing On/Off ducted units was required as the existing equipment 

was consuming a high amount of electricity during peak summer months. 

The villa consisted of Ground Floor and 1st Floor and in total, 5 units were replaced worth 

13.5 Tons in cooling. 


► Annual electricity consumption saving of 6,100 (50%) 




The Villa, Dubai 

The owner of the villa wanted a system that could deliver comfort with high efficiency. 

The villa consisted of Ground Floor and 1st Floor. In total, 7 units were replaced worth 20 

Tons in cooling. 





This replacement iniative across 5 villas by 

TAQEEF helped achieve: 

• 1,962,000 Btu/h (163.5 Tons) of efficient and 

comfortable cooling 

• Annual saving in electricity consumption by 

196,000 kWh 

• Annual reduction in carbon footprint by 

78,000 kg CO2e 

• Peak savings of up to 64% on the electricity 

bill 



13

NEWSLETTER 

CASE STUDY 

What variables impact the amount of electricity 

saving in air conditioners? 

TAQEEF further highlighted that homeowners should 

keep in mind the variables can impact electricity 

savings within Air Conditioning. These include… 

Setpoint 

The temperature set by the homeowner on the 

thermostat has a critical impact as the lower the 

value the higher the consumption. Additionally, if the 

homeowner used to set the temperature of the old 

unit to 20°C and the new unit to 24°C, further savings 

can be achieved. 

Summer Occupancy 

If the homeowner frequently travels during the 

summer, the potential savings will be reduced as the 

peak saving is usually within the hot summer periods. 

Age of the Old Units, Service History, and 

Efficiency of the New Units 

As AC unit performance degrades over time, the 

period in which replacement happens is important. 

For example, the saving potential of the new units 

will be much higher if the existing units were operational 

for 20 years and without any maintenance history. Another 

factor is the efficiency of the new units. If the homeowner 

opts to invest in highly efficient units, the potential savings 

on the old units will be realised in a shorter period. 

Consumption Threshold 

The level of consumption plays a role in the overall savings 

of the new systems. If the homeowner rarely operates the 

AC unit, they are less likely to see any significant amount 

of savings from replacing the old units with efficient units. 

Widespread implications 

Inadequacies and neglect of HVACR installations are a 

problem all around the world, with several countries 

implementing measures to achieve improvements and 

energy savings across existing building stock, either 

through higher energy prices or certification requirements 

for installation and operation personnel, buildings or 

other regulatory frameworks. Initiatives, such as the 

pilot project initiated by TAQEEF, highlight the untapped 

savings potential of retrofits, especially as new products 

and innovations enter the market by offering a clear 

demonstration of the return on investment, both for people 

and the planet. 

INTERVIEW 

ECC: “We want hygienic 

features to be more 

democratic and the norm 

for all applications” 

In an interview with Systemair, Sylvain Courtey, President of Eurovent Certita 

Certification, discusses what makes a Eurovent-certified HAHU stand out from 

other programmes and why hygienic features should be a standard offering for 

air handling units in all types of applications, particularly in countries in the 

Middle East. 

The Eurovent Hygienic Air Handling 

Unit (HAHU) certification, launched 

in 2016, is an optional certification 

to guarantee the hygienic aspects 

of AHUs for different applications. 

For Sylvain Courtey, President, 

Eurovent Certita Certification, 

the programme paves the way for 

making clean, healthy air more 

accessible across all project types. 

Providing background on the 

programme, Courtey explains that 

the certification is based on the 

well-known, existing standards 

within the industry, such as VDI 

6022-1 and DIN 1946-4. “In terms 

of content, we were using what was 

existing when we added the idea of 

the certification programme,” he 

says. “However, we tried to be very 

specific in the requirements.” 

This process, Courtey adds, 

required much thorough work. 

“Unlike performance, which is easy 

to quantify in terms of kilowatt or 

decibels, when it comes to hygienic 

aspects, it was not as easy to be 

specific. This was the drawback 

of the existing standards, which 

provided useful guidelines but 

were not specific enough to be 

used directly in a certification 

process.” 

Clear and straightforward 

definitions 

An example of this, Courtey 

shares, is how Eurovent has 

defined the size of the doors 

an AHU should have to ensure 

maintenance personnel can enter 

and reach all the components to 

clean them. “It's very important 

in a hygienic AHU to maintain 

cleanliness,” he says. “All 

components must be accessible, 

so it should be easy for a person 

to clean it. In the VDI standards, 

they say that components have to 

be accessible, and that’s it. As part 

of Eurovent HAHU, we added a 

table that defines the precise sizes 

of the doors for every AHU, big or 

small.” 

Having these clear and 

straightforward definitions helps 

in the design process as they can 

be encoded into the selection 

software. “Certified manufacturers 

have embedded the parameters 

in their selection software so it 

can build a hygienic unit based on 

our rules,” Courtey says. “Thus, 

customers can be 100% sure 

they receive a hygienic unit that 

complies with the requirements 

and guidelines in the certification 

Sylvain Courtey 

manual as it is embedded in the 

selection programme, which is easy 

to select and design.” 

Making hygiene the norm through 

an easy-to-understand 1-3 star 

rating system 

Courtey says that an added value 

that the Eurovent HAHU certification 

offers the market is the simple 

and straightforward 1–3-star 

rating showcasing different 

levels of hygienic units for 



15

NEWSLETTER 

INTERVIEW 

TECHNICAL ARTICLE 

different applications. “Level 

3 is for demanding hygienic 

applications such as food 

processes, pharmaceutical, white 

rooms, laboratories and such,” 

he explains. “Level 2 would be 

for the hospitals. But what is 

interesting is that Level 1 is for 

normal applications, such as 

offices and hotels. The idea is that 

we want hygienic features to be 

more democratic and highlight 

that this should be the norm for 

all applications. All AHUs should 

be hygienic. This should be a 

requirement for any end user. After 

all, every person deserves to live 

in a building where the AHU and 

ducts are clean and without mould 

and dust.” 

This, Courtey underlines, is what 

the general public should expect 

from their HVAC system. “This first 

level of hygienic AHU is here to 

reward those manufacturers who 

would have to provide hygienic for 

normal buildings such as schools 

and hotels,” he adds.. 

Protecting the mark 

It is important to note that the 

hygienic option is only available for 

units already certified by Eurovent, 

meaning their renowned “Air 

Handling Units” programme. “This 

means that all the performances 

must be checked, and the selection 

software must be regularly tested 

and audited,” says Courtey. 

He explains that this is what truly 

sets apart the Eurovent HAHU 

certification. “For VDI and DIN, we 

are talking about standards, but 

these are not certification marks,” 

he says. “In theory, because VDI and 

DIN are not trademarks, anyone 

can provide certification or some 

sort of verification according to 

that standard. In fact, we also offer 

the certificate to the manufacturer 

because the market is asking for 

it, but for the Eurovent mark, it's 

different. Only Eurovent Certita 

Certification can deliver this mark, 

and we are protecting its use. If 

the manufacturer is not using this 

mark properly, claiming they are 

certified where they are not, we have 

a procedure to address this. We are 

protecting the value of this mark in 

the market because we want to save 

the market from false claims. Today, 

no such market surveillance checks 

to validate or ensure that products 

declared DIN or VDI compliant 

genuinely are, so the manufacturer 

is not protected.” 

Filling the gaps and the growing 

call for clean air in the Middle East 

Courtey believes the Eurovent HAHU 

certification provides a reliable 

basis, particularly for countries or 

regions that may need to be more 

advanced regarding minimum 

standards. 

This is especially true for the Middle 

East, he adds, where indoor cooling 

is a necessity and not a luxury given 

the harsh ambient conditions. “Most 

people are aware that outdoor air 

pollution can impact their health, 

but indoor air pollution can also 

have significant and harmful 

health effects,” he says, pointing to 

major sources of indoor chemicals 

in homes, schools and offices, 

including fellow occupants, cooking, 

smoking, pets, building materials, 

furnishings, cleaning products, 

pesticides and mould, among other 

contaminants. 

In addition to heat, Courtey says the 

Middle East climate must face the 

additional challenge of excessive 

moisture and sandstorms, which 

increase the particle concentration 

in the air and affect the dust 

loading of the air filters in the air 

handing units, posing an additional 

burden on the performance of 

the system. This, he says, further 

exacerbates the importance of 

investing in quality solutions, 

highlighting the importance of 

how hygienic air handling units’ 

enabling stakeholders to maintain 

cleanliness due to its accessibility. 

Such features outlined within the 

hygienic certification, he says, are 

critical in the absence of standards, 

underlining the importance of 

using existing certifications to 

ensure better quality solutions are 

installed in buildings. “Eurovent, 

as an association, has been at the 

forefront of HVAC standards,” he 

says. “Before European standards 

on HVAC components or products 

were introduced, such as the EN 

standards, there were already 

Eurovent guidelines, and standards 

in place. A large part of European 

standards in the HVAC industry are 

coming from Eurovent books or 

documents because the association 

has been active since the 1950s. 

Eurovent has been at the forefront of 

standards for decades, committed to 

helping the industry improve. We are 

still doing that with all the working 

groups, providing and publishing 

new documents on benchmarks 

and standards. Certifications, such 

as Eurovent HAHU, are using these 

documents and applying them so 

we make sure what is used in the 

market is correct and aligned with 

the broader standards.” 

While much of the emphasis has 

continued to be on energy efficiency, 

Courtey believes there has been 

a market awareness shift. “There 

are some groups that are pushing 

to include more indoor air quality 

and hygienic aspects in regulation,” 

he says. “As we continue to raise 

awareness in the market, it will also 

change the level of requirements. 

I strongly believe in educating the 

market on better IAQ standards. It 

will also help to improve the overall 

quality of HVAC solutions and our 

industry.” 

A guide to choosing the best 

AHUs for your project 

Systemair experts discuss the publication of the highly popular Eurovent 

Recommendation 6/18 - 2022: Quality criteria for Air Handling Units, whom it was 

designed for and why consultants should reference it in future projects. 

In this article, you will learn... 

• Why Eurovent Recommendation 6/18 provides quality criteria for Air 

Handling Units (AHUs) and helps align understanding and standards 

• Why the document serves as a valuable training book, checklist, and 

reference source for consultants, building owners, designers, and endusers. 

• Why not using the guidelines can lead to outdated specifications, 

customer dissatisfaction, higher costs, and poor indoor air quality. 

• How the document helps fill gaps in countries with no minimum 

requirements, supporting energy efficiency, IAQ, and preventing unfair 

competition. 

• Why the guidebook can be used for upcoming standards in the AHU 

business globally and can be adopted or used as a basis for regional 

norms. 

With growing international 

awareness and attention towards 

the importance of energy efficiency 

and good Indoor Air Quality (IAQ), 

stakeholders need to speak 

the same technical language 

to collaborate more effectively 

towards shared sustainability goals. 

For Evgeny Gorelkov, Product Area 

Director, AHU, Systemair, this is 

especially true when it comes to 

the ventilation sector. 

"People’s understanding of what 

an air handling unit (AHU) is varies. 

If the perception of ventilation 

in a certain market is not as 

advanced, the understanding of an 

AHU is also not as advanced," he 

says. "Even within Europe, we have 

different perceptions concerning 

ventilation. It differs from North 

to South of Europe. This is why 

documents such as the Eurovent 

Recommendation 6/18 - 2022: 

Quality criteria for Air Handling Unit 

are valuable. They help bring us to 

the same level of understanding. 

Evgeny Gorelkov 

In addition to guiding clients towards 

better specifications derived from a 

consensus-based, neutral source, 

the Eurovent recommendation is 

also aimed at lifting standards. 

Here’s why… 

Why speaking the same technical 

language matters 

Providing background on the 

objective of the recommendations is 

Orkun Yilmaz, Geniox R&D Manager, 

Systemair. “The purpose of the 

recommendation is to provide a 

comprehensive overview of features 

that determine highly efficient 

operation and correct service of 

AHUs, which are measures of the 

AHU quality. Despite the size of 

the global HVAC market, a guiding 

document of this size and detail, 

explaining all relevant aspects in an 

understandable manner, was not 

available until this document was 

prepared and published.” 

Yilmaz explains that the 

recommendation sets minimum 

quality criteria for the design, 

materials and construction of the 

unit's casing and components, 

as well as its documentation and 

delivery. At the same time, the 

recommended requirements 

regarding energy efficiency and 

control systems are also widely 

discussed. The document, which 

reflects the knowledge and 

experiences of a high-level selection 

of experts in the HVAC industry, 

will serve consultants as a strong 

reference, informing them about 

what distinguishes a good highquality 

AHU in all relevant aspects. 

Andy Bijmans, Manager Development 

and Support, Systemair, says the 

recommendation is a valuable 

training manual. "From corrosion 

classes to flammability and the 

differences between indoor vs 

outdoor units, all these aspects 

are described and taken into 

consideration. You can, of course, 

defer from what is recommended. 

You can choose better or worse, but 

at least you have considered these 

important aspects covered by 

the document. End users can 



17

NEWSLETTER 

FEATURE 

Orkun Yilmaz 

Andy Bijmans 

use it as a checklist as it helps 

to address critical performance 

indicators for the AHUs. And it helps 

ensure they choose manufacturers 

that comply with standards with 

the essential advantage and 

knowledge." 

Bijmans adds that an important 

aspect of the document is that it 

refers to and explains normative 

references, such as EN 13501 

and ISO 12944, and hygienic 

norms, such as VDI 6022-1 and 

DIN 1946-4, providing readers 

with a greater understanding and 

background of the context of the 

recommendations. 

The risks of not using the guide 

For Gorelkov, the guidelines help 

bring consultants from all walks 

of life and different locations to 

the same perception of what an 

actual AHU is and the minimum 

requirements. Quality and minimum 

standards are especially critical 

topics in discussions related to 

Ecodesign requirements and 

good indoor air quality. “Leakage, 

thermal bridging, corrosion, 

hygienic features and filtration 

are all critical aspects that affect 

a unit’s energy efficiency and IAQ 

performance,” he says. “We can’t 

compromise on quality and material 

composition. Unfortunately, there 

are manufacturers that cut corners, 

and the guideline can help ensure 

minimum standards are at least 

implemented in the choice of AHUs.” 

Yilmaz underscores that the 

guidelines are intended not just 

for consultants but will also help 

building owners, designers, and 

end-users assess whether the unit 

meets the practical expectations 

and requirements. “If such a 

guide is not used as a reference 

or assessment tool, then the 

responsible people will have to 

settle with the outdated, copypasted 

specification papers full of 

obsolete information, which may not 

be relevant for their project’s needs 

in reality,” he says. “Then, once 

the unit fails in the field because 

of that, it will result in customer 

dissatisfaction and cost much more 

to the decision maker, whereas 

it could have been prevented by 

taking the experts’ opinions into 

account in the first place.” Given 

that the recommendation is quite 

comprehensive, Yilmaz believes it 

can be a reference source for all 

stakeholders at any given time: 

“Consultants investors, contractors 

and end users now can question 

and assess whether they are being 

provided with high-quality products 

and served well. As the consultants 

usually shape the specifications 

for projects, it’s a ready-to-use 

resource to define many possibly 

relevant requirements for project 

specifications.” 

Bijmans firmly believes that 

consultants should use the 

recommendations during the design 

and procurement stage for project 

use. “After this, it would be too late 

because then the parameters are 

set,” he says. Ideally, the consultant 

can use the recommendation to 

specify the AHU needed for the 

project before sending them out to 

the contractor, who can then review 

the document with the sales team 

and give input on specific issues. 

“For example, if the location is 

near the coast, they can assess if 

the corrosion level is adequate and 

provide solutions that meet or 

exceed the requirements,” he adds. 

“It is important to learn and train 

others on minimum requirements 

at the base level, but depending 

on the job and requirements, you 

may need higher requirements.” 

It must be noted that the general 

criteria in the document may not 

always apply to special applications 

or applications in climate zones 

very different from most European 

climate zones. 

The benefits for the Middle East 

region 

Having some form of minimum 

requirements is critical to 

supporting broader energy 

efficiency and IAQ goals. Yilmaz 

believes that in countries or regions 

with no minimum regulations, 

such as the Middle East, there is 

an unstable playground for less 

professional manufacturers to 

operate and mislead the market 

and customers. “This results in 

unfair competition against the 

more professional and experienced 

manufacturers, eventually leading 

to poor Indoor Air Quality for 

individuals and processes, poor 

energy efficiency and financial loss 

for all relevant parties,” he says. 

He reiterates that Eurovent 

recommendations are especially 

useful in countries or regions with 

no regulatory framework, as old 

habits and traditions are so strong 

that practices may need to be 

updated. For example, Yilmaz says, 

it is not uncommon to see AHU 

specifications across the Middle 

East having been copy-pasted from 

some previous projects, leading to 

two possible consequences. “First 

of all, the specs that are copied 

may not serve the needs of another 

specific project well,” he says. 

“Then, to overcome this issue, we 

sometimes see that consultants 

specify some specific detailed 

demands -either about the AHU in 

general or at the component levelregarding 

their specific project. 

This might lead to contradictions in 

the spec document itself, eventually 

making the specs obsolete from 

the start, losing the time and energy 

of all stakeholders to resolve the 

possible misunderstandings in the 

process. “ 

At the end of the day, he says, 

different projects or applications 

require different specifications 

and expectations, all of which 

must be met. “While doing this, 

it's also of great importance that 

the consultants try to specify 

the requirements with relevant 

international standards and test 

methods as much as possible. 

This can be done by referencing 

third-party certification such as 

Eurovent, making sure the project 

requirements are met and the 

customer will get the AHU with the 

quality and performance level they 

asked for.” 

In such markets, a supporting 

reference document will bring 

more clarity on what’s good and 

bad, resulting in increased market 

awareness and the overall quality 

of the AHU products.” Yilmaz adds, 

however, that it’s not easy to change 

market traditions without raising 

awareness and that responsible 

parties should take their share on 

this and promote the usage of this 

document more and more. 

For the Middle East region in 

particular, he adds, there are 

available tools to help stakeholders 

further strengthen and update their 

knowledge, citing the Eurovent 

Middle East Leadership Academy 

as an example. “The Academy’s 

trainings are prepared specifically 

for the region, in order to increase 

awareness and knowledge of 

engineers, consultants and all 

relevant parties contributing 

to HVAC business, helping the 

elimination of such difficulties in the 

future.” 

The future of the standards 

Although each market in and outside 

of Europe is growing differently, 

Bijmans is optimistic that the 

guidebook will be used for upcoming 

standards in the AHU business: 

“In Europe, we are working on a 

new norm on constructing an AHU, 

looking at its function and how it 

should be designed. Therefore, 

we use this document as a base.” 

Other parts of the world can adopt 

the EU norm or, through the help of 

Eurovent, use this guidebook to set 

up a norm dedicated to the region 

as it is a sound basis for developing 

standards. 

“We are by no means saying 

it’s easy to start implementing 

minimum standards referenced in 

this document, especially outside 

of Europe,” says Gorelkov. “Every 

market is unique, including the 

capability to invest in ventilation. 

For me, an important aspect is 

trying to spread the knowledge 

concerning minimum requirements. 

It’s about taking small steps so that, 

gradually, this knowledge becomes 

more commonly requested and 

understood by the market. Such 

knowledge supports the evolution 

of the international industry by 

ensuring we all speak the same 

language.” 



19

NEWSLETTER 


Consider the pressure 

difference 

Stephan Eder, Director, Business Unit Climate Technology, Hoval, elaborates 

on the differential pressure at the plate heat exchanger and the importance of 

paying attention to the arrangement of the fans. 

Figure 2 shows this as an example of variant a, which is widely used in 

Germany in particular: 

fan outputs. The disadvantage 

is the pressure drop 

towards the supply air; in 

case of leaks, extract air is 

transferred to the supply air. 

A "tight" plate heat exchanger 

is therefore a prerequisite 

for keeping any leakage at 

a low level. The differential 

pressure (p2M - p1M) is 

moderate at -330 Pa. 

There are different pressures on 

the supply and extract side of a 

ventilation system – depending 

on the installed components and 

the arrangement of the fans. 

This becomes particularly clear 

in the plate heat exchanger, 

which is acted upon by both air 

streams and where two different 

pressures prevail at one location, 

separated only by a thin plate. 

The difference between these two 

pressures is called the differential 

pressure; it influences a possible 

leakage and may deform the 

plate due to the resulting surface 

force. This results in a change 

of the plate spacing and thus the 

pressure loss. The differential 

pressure for the respective plate 

heat exchanger must therefore 

be limited for the planning of the 

ventilation system and its troublefree 

operation. 

The differential pressure in detail 

The differential pressure 

in a plate heat exchanger 

depends significantly on the fan 

arrangement and the installed 

components. This can best 

be explained by the possible 

variants of a typical ventilation 

system (Fig. 1). A cross-flow heat 

exchanger (pressure drop 140 Pa) 

is chosen as the heat exchanger, 

as this is the most complex in 

terms of differential pressure. 

The further installed components 

and their pressure losses are 

""normal"" for 2018. For the fresh 

air fan, the positions A and B are 

possible, for the extract air fan C 

and D are possible (1 = extract air 

EXT; 2 = supply air SUP)." 

Fig. 1: Variants of a ventilation system 

The pressures for the four possible variants are summarized in Table 1. 

Table 1: Cross-flow plate heat exchanger pressures 

Before discussing the results, it is important to realise that the differential 

pressure in the cross-flow manifold is not constant; it changes with the flow 

due to its own pressure loss. 

Fig. 2: The local differential pressure depends on its own 

pressure drop 

Stephan Eder 

Attention: Overpressure and underpressure add up. 

The following points are 

important: 

■ The differential pressure is 

obtained by subtracting the 

pressure on the extract air 

p1 from the pressure on the 

supply air p2. This also defines 

the pressure gradient that is 

important for any leakage: 

► Negative differential 

pressure > Leakage to SUP 

> undesirable 

►Positive differential 

pressure > Leakage to EXT 

> acceptable 

■ The indicated pressure differences at the corner points show how 

clearly the values - depending on the position - differ. The question now 

is which value is used for the definition. The sensible (and usual) one is 

the mean value that is set in the centre of the exchange. 

■ For extreme values, check which differential pressures occur when a 

fan is switched off (e.g. in start-up mode). 

■ These statements for the cross-flow heat exchanger are also valid for 

the counter-flow exchanger. 

The following should be noted with regard to the various fan 

arrangements in Table 1: 

a. This arrangement is used in most cases. It saves space and allows 

mixed air operation. And the nominal air flow rates correspond to the 

b. In this variant, the differential 

pressure is highest at 930 

Pa, but the pressure drop is 

towards the extract air. The 

arrangement of the fans one 

above the other - as in a) - 

saves space. 

c. This case is rather unusual. 

Since both fans push with 

respect to the heat exchanger, 

the pressure drop is not 

clearly defined; it depends 

on the pressure losses of the 

installed components. 

d. This arrangement is the 

best solution in terms of 

differential pressure, which 

is only 160 Pa. The pressure 

drop is also advantageous 

towards the extract air. The 

disadvantage is the large 

space requirement due to 

the arrangement of the fans 

upstream and downstream of 

the heat exchanger. 

As already mentioned several 

times, the differential pressure 

has a decisive influence on the 

quantity and direction of leakage 

in the event of leaks. It also 

influences the plate profiling, in 

other words the plate spacing, 

and thus the pressure loss. 

Deformation of the plates due to 

differential pressure 

Plate heat exchangers in 

ventilation technology are 

usually made of thin aluminium 

plates with a thickness of 

only 0.05-0.15 mm. A special, 

manufacturer-specific profiling 

ensures a certain stability, but 

this cannot prevent the plates 



21

NEWSLETTER 


from deforming at higher differential pressures (Fig. 3). 

Figure 3: Schematic representation of the plate deformation 

Fig. 3 shows the flow of extract air 1 and fresh air 2 through the plate 

heat exchanger. There is a differential pressure from the fresh air to 

the extract air, which compresses the plates between the spacers (e.g. 

knobs, spacer bars) by ∆h. This reduces the cross-section of the extract 

air and increases the pressure loss. At the same time, the cross-section 

on the fresh air is increased; the pressure loss decreases. In highly 

simplified terms, the effect of the deformation ∆h on the pressure loss 

under otherwise constant conditions (volume flow, temperature, etc.) 

can be represented as follows: 

Fig. 3 and the formulas show 

that the change in pressure 

loss at a given differential 

pressure depends on the 

relative deformation ∆h/h, i.e. 

ultimately on the plate spacing. 

The smaller the plate spacing, 

the more a deformation affects 

the pressure loss and vice 

versa. This insight is important 

for high-performance 

applications where small 

plate spacings are necessary. 

Especially counter-flow heat 

exchangers should use stable 

plates. 

The previous considerations 

assume that the plates deform 

elastically, i.e. the change in 

the plate spacing increases and 

decreases with the differential 

pressure. This is comparable 

to a spring. It is different when 

the deformation becomes 

too large at high differential 

pressure and plastic changes 

occur. If the differential 

pressure now decreases (or 

the fans are switched off), the 

deformation still remains: the 

heat exchanger is defective; 

leaks and unpredictable 

technical values are to be 

expected. 

In order to specify the permissible 

differential pressure for a certain 

heat exchanger, the manufacturer 

must therefore observe two 

criteria: 

■ Within the permissible limit 

value, no plastic deformations 

are allowed to occur; a safety 

margin is necessary. The 

reference value for this criterion 

is the maximum differential 

pressure and not (as usual) 

the mean value! (see Fig. 2) 

■ For elastic deformation, it 

is necessary to estimate or 

measure the increase in 

pressure loss resulting from 

the differential pressure. 

The user can then decide 

on the application himself 

with the corresponding 

documentation (diagram 1). 

Diagram 1: Dependency between pressure loss and plate spacing 

A pressure drop increase of 

more than 40% as a result of 

the differential pressure should, 

however, be avoided. 

Summary 

Differential pressures in a plate 

heat recovery unit of a ventilation 

system are unavoidable between 

the two air flows. However, 

by paying attention to the 

arrangement of the 

fans, they can be kept 

within reasonable limits. 

Planning and execution 

of heat recovery requires 

documents dealing 

with the effects of 

differential pressure. If 

one considers that the 

values in Table 1 are 

relatively "high quality" 

and can, therefore also 

be significantly higher 

in some systems, the 

permissible differential 

pressures should be at 

least 1500 Pa, or better 

still 2000 Pa. This should 

provide the desired 

reserve for planning and 

implementation changes. 

The example shows that the total pressure loss of both air streams 

increases slightly when the plates are deformed. With regard to EU 

1253-2014, the SFP value should therefore be checked. 



23

NEWSLETTER 


An ear to the ground: 

The UX of District 

Cooling in the UAE 

Eurovent Middle East looks at the user experience of renters and owners 

regarding their District Cooling connections and how it impacts their 

decisions as investors and tenants… 

District Cooling is a polarising 

topic among residents of the UAE, 

as their feelings regarding this 

cooling structure can determine 

their willingness to reside or 

even invest in a particular area or 

community. 

Gopalakrishnan G, Operations 

Director, Emrill, a facilities 

management company, describes 

district cooling systems as 

centralised and efficient cooling 

systems. “The benefits of district 

cooling systems include being 

more energy-efficient compared 

to conventional air conditioning 

systems,” he says. “Utilising 

water to transfer cooling 

energy instead of air results 

in lower energy consumption 

and emissions, offering a more 

sustainable solution.” He adds 

that district cooling systems 

also have less impact on the 

environment than conventional 

air conditioning systems due to 

reduced electricity consumption, 

resulting in lower greenhouse gas 

emissions, making them more 

environmentally friendly. 

There are a number of tenants 

that are in agreement. One such 

tenant is *Harry, who is currently 

residing in a two-bedroom 

apartment in Dubai. “Over the 

last 12 years, I’ve lived across 

a variety of accommodations in 

Dubai, ranging from renting single 

rooms in shared apartments, with 

all-inclusive fees, to living in a 

studio, one-, and two-bedroom 

apartments with separate billing 

for cooling,” he says. “In all the 

apartments I’ve lived in, the 

buildings have been connected 

to district cooling, though the 

usage and billing calculations 

have differed. I currently pay, on 

average, about AED350 a month 

for a two-bedroom apartment. For 

me, it's more efficient, beneficial to 

the environment, and better for the 

pocket – if the fees are structured 

correctly!” 

Gopalakrishnan adds that with 

District Cooling, maintenance 

costs are also lower as the 

majority of the cooling equipment 

is located outside of the building, 

which means building owners or 

operators do not need to worry 

about maintaining large plants 

or sites, which also reduces a 

building’s operational costs.”Since 

district cooling systems are 

well-planned and centralised, 

they provide the flexibility for 

future expansion and can easily 

accommodate new buildings or 

changes in cooling demand,” he 

says. “This allows for long-term 

development planning and future 

growth opportunities.” 

A critical eye 

There are those, however, that is a 

bit more wary and critical of spaces 

connected to District Cooling such 

as *Olivier who is both a tenant and 

a property owner in Dubai. “For 

pure investment, I would not be 

too concerned by the AC system, 

but to live in, I would absolutely 

avoid the systems known to be 

taking hostage residents with 

unreasonable fees, so I'll never 

live in a building or villa equipped 

with District Cooling,” he says. 

“This technology might be the 

most efficient energy-wise, but 

the gain in efficiency and the 

captive market is transferred as 

profit margin to the operators and 

not as benefits to the consumer.” 

*Rafiq, who also owns a number 

of properties in Dubai, shares the 

same sentiment, drawing from 

his experience managing homes 

that have standalone AC systems 

and those connected to District 

Cooling. “In District Cooling, you 

have a fixed monthly usage,” he 

says. “My tenant staying there 

are heavy air conditioner users, 

he can use up to AED 1200 a 

month or AED 700-800 during the 

winter. If you ask me, a unit that 

is connected to District Cooling 

would give me a second thought, 

especially as a tenant because of 

the monthly fee. For some places, 

it can be AED 35 a month, even if 

I don’t use it. It means there is no 

incentive to really save.” 

Gopalakrishnan provides an FM 

perspective on challenges related 

to District Cooling. “As an FM 

provider, the challenges you may 

encounter with district cooling 

rather than stand-alone air 

conditioning systems can include 

lack of control over the system 

and building cooling, as it may be 

supplying a large community where 

the FM provider has limited scope,” 

he says. “If the district cooling plant 

is non-operational or experiencing 

outages, a larger area of service 

provision can be affected compared 

to localised air-conditioning 

solutions.” 

Personal preferences 

As a landlord and resident, Oliver 

says he would avoid investing or 

living in a unit connected to district 

cooling in favour of the Building 

AC/Chiller Free structure of 

buildings where the HOA has direct 

control over the infrastructure and 

upgrades can be voted when they 

make sense or built-in individual 

AC units for villas. “This has the 

benefit of better control of the 

infrastructure and transparency 

with the tenant to maintain a good 

relationship and not trick him into 

a system he might not have fully 

understood,” he says. 

For Harry, he says it’s about 

knowing what to look for. 

“Definitely look at whether a 

building includes district cooling 

as part of its amenities, but more 

importantly, look at how the 

provider charges for consumption,” 

he says. “In previous apartments, 

it used to be charged according 

to the entire building’s usage, 

whereas in my current apartment, 

it’s based on individual 

consumption. The latter has proved 

far more economical and allowed 

me to control my usage more 

carefully and sustainably.” 

Olivier adds that District Cooling 

has a relatively limited impact 

in the equation, as it enables 

to have the cost of AC to be 

offloaded to the tenant and 

reduces the unit cost perception 

in the eyes of potential 

uninformed tenants. “However, 

with the horror stories of 

subscriptions skyrocketing, bad 

service, and opacity on billing, it 

is a matter of time before units 

linked to district cooling will 

transact at a discount unless a 

proper regulation framework 

gets in place, which is unlikely 

due to the ownership structure 

of the operators,” he says. 



25

NEWSLETTER 

ABOUT US 

Eurovent Middle East is the region's only industry association 

representing leading manufacturers of Indoor Climate (HVAC), 

Process Cooling, Food Cold Chain, Industrial Ventilation, and 

Building Automation Technologies, as well as sector associations 

and industry initiatives active in these fields. By thinking ‘Beyond 

HVACR', contributing manufacturers fulfil the highest requirements 

in terms of product quality and sustainability. 

CONNECT WITH US 

CONTACT OUR TEAM 

Dubai World Trade Centre 

Office 07, Dubai Association Centre, 2nd 

Floor, The Offices 2 at One Central 

P.O. Box 9292 Dubai 

United Arab Emirates 

Phone (int.): +43 660 4012050 

Phone (UAE): +971 58 598 9931 

Email: office@eurovent.me 

Web: www.eurovent.me 

www.eurovent.me

EME Newsletter MEssage #01/2024

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