IDEA to hold conference in Dubai

An integrated district energy system results in significant cost-savings

The International District Energy Association (IDEA) will be holding its fourth international district cooling conference and trade show at the InterContinental Hotel at Dubai Festival City from 11 to 13 October.

Hosted by IDEA’s Middle East Chapter, under executive director Rita Chahoud from Tabreed, the event will focus on optimising district cooling system assets for efficient and reliable performance, thereby maximising returns for shareholders and customers.

Such optimised assets facilitate the growing need to manage the challenges posed by global climate change, water and power conservation, ‘green’ building design and sustainable large urban and mixed-use developments.

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“Across the Middle East region, district cooling systems have become the preferred infrastructure solution due to their high energy efficiency, scalable water conservation technologies and the advantages of space and capital savings for end users,” comments Chahoud.

“When properly designed, optimised and operated, district energy systems allow customer buildings to engage in best practices and to perform optimally, both mechanically and architecturally, thereby mitigating their carbon footprint through advanced controls and load management.”

Chahoud says that Dubai’s real estate boom has largely been underpinned by large district cooling networks. “The recent economic downturn has impacted the pace of development, creating opportunities for consolidation, optimisation and revised planning horizons.

“The district energy industry will converge in this modern metropolis to review strategies, explore new technologies and share techniques for creating value for end users, owners and community stakeholders,” explains Chahoud.

Highlights of the conference will include:

• Opening plenary: An open conversation about reliability, profitability and maximising returns;
• Industry leaders panel: Operational and customer strategies; and
• How-to symposia: Integrating system design for optimal performance, capacity and capital deployment strategies, electricity supply challenges.

A special pre-conference workshop entitled ‘District Cooling – We Don’t Make the Grid, We Make the Grid Smarter’ will look at the advantages posed to the electricity grid by district cooling in terms of reduced peak demands, load shifting and demand response.

At the macro level, central cooling plants may employ highly efficient, industrial grade equipment with scalable control systems and thermal energy storage to mitigate strain on the local distribution network.

Community-scale systems also create opportunities for cogeneration, heat-driven chilling, renewable cooling sources and seawater cooling. Additionally, customer management and more advanced metering and control increases the load factor to the grid.

For more information visit www.districtenergy.org/calendar.htm