HVAC suppliers in focus

MEP Middle East takes a closer look at some major suppliers in the HVAC sector, their main products and sustainability initiatives.

LG ELECTRONICS
Can you give us a bit of background on your commercial HVAC product range?
Dharmesh Sawant, senior sales manager: LG Electronics, the world’s largest air-conditioner manufacturer, has a wide range:

• Ducted split: This unit is supplied with eco-friendly R407C refrigerant (as well as R22 as an option);
• Single package: An economic and user-friendly model, designed for medium-sized houses and shops. Features include a number of operational modes, auto restart and a washable anti-bacterial filter;
• Ceiling cassette: This model is used mainly in commercial environments like restaurants, hotels, offices and meeting rooms. It features four louvres to circulate air in all directions, providing even large areas with an evenly-conditioned atmosphere;
• Floor-standing: This type blends in perfectly with its surroundings. Clean and fresh air-conditioning is ensured with a high level of cooling or heating performance and air-purifying operation.
  Multi V is LG’s premium-brand inverter system. This VRF air-conditioner uses a new eco-friendly refrigerant and high-efficiency inverter. The new inverter allows for optimal control of a single large compressor, which is based on multi-compressor technology comprising a DC inverter compressor and high-efficiency, constant-speed compressor. The adoption of this technology has enabled precise control dependant on the cooling/heating load , leading to ultra energy-efficient heating and cooling.

What are some of your latest product developments?

Sawant: LG Electronics is currently focusing on eco-friendly air-conditioners, whereby the carbon dioxide emissions are controlled throughout the lifecycle from design and manufacturing to usage and disposal, thus allowing the products to be more energy-efficient. In the past few years, LG’s residential air-conditioner segment has witnessed enormous growth, together with an expanding market share in commercial air-conditioners, all due to its high energy-efficiency technology.

The latest development is Hybrid COGEN, which simultaneously generates electricity and heat, utilising liquefied natural gas (LNG). It uses 32% less energy, while also reducing the emission of environmental pollutants such as carbon dioxide gas. Hybrid XEO combines a highly-efficient, energy-saving inverter system air-conditioner with geothermal heat pumps. It reduces energy consumption by about by 30% a year.

What do you see as some of the major trends in the HVAC industry at the moment?

Sawant: The continuous increase in the number of supermarkets and shopping malls has provided an impetus to the growth of the market for commercial refrigeration and cold chain equipment. This certainly highlights the fact that the HVAC industry in UAE will undergo many changes and expansion within the next five to ten years. Thanks to pending regulations by the UAE authorities, developers are now considering the lifecycle cost of products.

How is the R22 phase-out expected to impact on your product range in the UAE?

Sawant: While the R22 refrigerant phase-out will be gradual, LG has been proactive in adopting environment-friendly R410a refrigerant in its inverter system (Multi V) and R407C in its ceiling-concealed units. This has helped to encourage developers to adopt ‘green’ products.

What would you cite as being the main sustainability/energy-efficiency benefits of your products?

Sawant: Through sustainable product management, LG Electronics is helping to promote environmental awareness in society at large. Our motto is: ‘Life’s good when it’s green …’ Our eco-products will go a long way in helping to create a safer, cleaner world. LG is Electronics is committed to establishing clear operational accountability, and creating products that not only enhance consumers’ lives, but which also encourage an environmentally responsible lifestyle.

What is your outlook for growth in the HVAC sector in general?

Sawant: VRF is still pretty much at an inception stage, and we are waiting for it to be taken up by new projects and developments.

TRANE
Can you give us a bit of background on your commercial HVAC product range?

Peter Blanchflower, Trane Middle East, Africa and India region marketing manager: Trane has long been the world’s largest producer of the massive chillers used in commercial air-conditioning systems. Our industry leadership is based on the comprehensive systems we design to accommodate the specific needs of our customers’ buildings, complete with sophisticated controls and chillers, all supported with Trane parts and services.

What are your latest product developments?

Blanchflower: Trane has just completed an unprecedented introduction of new products, and has effectively launched more new products worldwide in the past 18 months than in the past 20 years combined. This also incorporated a complete refrigerant conversion from HCFC-22 to environmentally-responsible HFC refrigerant, R410A, for its entire unitary product line in the Americas to ensure full compliance with federal refrigerant regulations. Unitary products are packaged products that are designed, built and tested in manufacturing facilities, then delivered to the customer for quick installation and operation.

The conversion is complete, well in advance of government deadlines. Among the 17 new products are:

•  Model CGAM air-cooled scroll chiller: Customers requested greater energy efficiency, lower sound levels and an easier-to-install system. Available in 20 to 120 ton capacities; an
• Odyssey split-system: The redesigned Odyssey product provides flexibility, serviceability, reliability and durability with superior performance. The split-system provides ease of installation with lower cost of ownership. It features microprocessor controls for greater control and increased system reliability. Available in capacities ranging from 6 to 20 tons of cooling.

What do you see as some of the major trends?

Blanchflower: The energy-efficiency drive is moving away from individual components like chillers to a more holistic system overview (‘system’ kW per ton). A high-efficiency chiller does not automatically translate into a high-efficiency system. The pumps, cooling towers and controls must all be integrated.

How is the R22 phase-out expected to impact on your product range in the UAE?

Blanchflower: The impact on Trane’s global markets, especially the UAE, will be minimal. The first product to use the new refrigerant has already been sold in the region.

What is your outlook for growth?

Blanchflower: In the US, the market is about two-thirds retrofit and one-third new equipment. Of course, here a lot of equipment is still relatively new. However, as the market matures, you will end up with a lot of older equipment that needs to be replaced.

PANASONIC MIDDLE EAST FZE

Can you give us a bit of background on your commercial HVAC product range?

Abby Thomas, senior manager: consumer electronics department: Panasonic’s key focus area for 2010 will be split air-conditioners, followed by large-room air-conditioners using ducted units. Ducted capacities range from 24 000 BTU up to 108 000 BTU.

What are some of your latest developments?

Thomas: In the case of split air-conditioners, our aim is to provide for multi-functional products – that is, air-conditioners plus in-built air purifiers plus energy-conserving patrol sensors. In the case of large-room air-conditioners, our main focus is on on thin indoor ducted and quiet operational units.

How is the R22 phase-out expected to impact on your product range in the UAE?

Thomas: As a company we are very well equipped for the R22 phase out, as we are the largest compressor manufacturer in the air-conditioner industry. We have already introduced R410A refrigerant for the European sector, and are very much capable of fulfilling any similar request from this region.

What would you cite as your main sustainability/energy-efficiency benefits?

Thomas: The recent test conditions carried out by ITS, and also our internal laboratories, show clearly that our energy-efficiency ratio as per the industry standards is the highest. If customers require any documentation in this regard, Panasonic can provide this for purposes of comparison.

What is your outlook for growth in the HVAC sector in general?

Thomas: The growth or driving factor will be surely from the big markets – that is, Saudi Arabia/Iran and the UAE. We should also not forget Oman and Qatar, which cater to large-capacity unit requirements for the major industrial projects that have been confirmed in the region.