Green tech drive from down under

Australian exhibitors say they have much to offer the Middle East

Touting years of experience with building sustainable properties and outdoor spaces in hot and arid environments, this year’s contingent of Australian exhibitors in Hall 8 have much to offer the Middle East according to Graeme Wright, environmental water management consultant at Wisa Australia.

“Soil moisture control is the key to making crops, landscaped gardens or golf courses flourish in a water starved environment,” says Wright. “By using intelligent water capture and reuse systems, anyone managing a green outdoor space in the Middle East can save a fortune on water and electricity costs, and that’s what we’re here to promote.

Paul Wright of Burdens Environmental, also from Australia, says hotels and golf clubs in the region could make huge savings by deploying the right technology. “Our water management and recycling systems are designed to maximise the retention and use of non potable water. Straightforward recycling systems can reduce water use with proven reductions in utility bills. For example, a hotel at 60% occupancy, with our system, should have no need at all to draw fresh water for its landscaped areas.”

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Burdens is hoping the Big 5 exhibition will act as a gateway to lucrative contracts around the Gulf. “For agricultural and crop use this technology has already made a big splash in Jordan, and we are seeing a lot of business from Iran, in fact that’s going to be out next big push,” says Wright.

Both Burdens and Wisa see Abu Dhabi and Qatar as important markets, and are hoping for a breakthrough on the back of Big 5. Wright sees hotels and water theme parks as major potential markets across the Gulf.

“There is still huge potential in the Middle East and even Dubai. These solutions are all about being sustainable and saving money, so now is a good time to invest,” says Wright.

Australian firm Green Insulation, is also focused on cost-saving eco-solutions, touting its Reflecta-Range of energy-saving insulation. Paul Cox, general manager, says that 60% of the firms business comes from the warmer areas of Australia, and the solution is designed to reflect heat back out of a building, keeping air conditioning and district cooling costs to a minimum.

“If you look up at the ceiling here there is no insulation. By installing reflective aluminium insulation, or even retrofitting it, the cost and energy savings would be enormous.”

Cox says he is at Big 5 in search of a distributor for the Gulf region, or a network of country specific distributors to represent his firm. “We signed a distribution deal in India last week and we’ve already got a big order. The product is just right for this market, so I’m hoping for much the same from Big 5.”
 

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