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New Building Cooling Systems Could Help UAE Achieve 20% Energy Savings
Abu Dhabi, UAE – The UAE Ministry of Energy, SKM Air-Conditioning and the Masdar Institute of Science and Technology, an independent, research-driven graduate-level university focused on advanced energy, and sustainable technologies, today signed an agreement to develop advanced energy-efficient building chillers specific to the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) region.
If adopted nation-wide, the new efficient chillers could provide the UAE with national energy savings of over 20% while lowering life-cycle cooling plant costs. Currently 50% of the UAE’s electricity consumption goes towards cooling energy requirements, which can rise to as high as 75% during peak-day electricity use in the summer. The new innovative technology could also be exported to other GCC countries with similar climate and energy consumption scenarios, enhancing the UAE’s diversified knowledge economy.
The collaboration agreement was signed in the presence of officials from the UAE Ministry of Energy, UAE-based SKM Air-Conditioning, and Masdar Institute on the sidelines of the World Future Energy Summit (WFES) 2017, which is being held from 16-19 January at the Abu Dhabi National Exhibition Center (ADNEC) as part of the Abu Dhabi Sustainability Week 2017.
The agreement was signed by Her Excellency, Eng. Fatima Al Foora Al Shamsi, Assistant Undersecretary for Electricity, Clean Energy and Desalinated Water Affairs, UAE Ministry of Energy, Dr Behjat Al Yousuf, Interim Provost, Masdar Institute, and Mohammed Al Beshara, in his capacity as the representative of SKM Managing Director.
Her Excellency, Eng. Fatima al Foora said: “The Ministry of Energy seeks to incentivize and facilitate applied research in the energy sector in key areas such as air conditioning. We have found the Triple Helix to be an effective model for encouraging the collaboration between industries, academia and government on key projects. This is fundamental for development of a knowledge based economy as has been repeatedly seen in the most innovative economies of the world. In the future, we aim to develop more of such triple helix projects with participation of more industries and academic institutions in the UAE.”
Mohammed Al Beshara said: “In operational strategies, SKM Air-conditioning always believes in its principle to partner with international and local organizations and institutes to continuously develop its air-conditioning and air treatment products. At the same time, it is also developing other new products to achieve maximum energy efficiency, while taking environmental aspects into consideration. We have always believed that best results will be reached only through partnerships like the one we now have with the UAE Ministry of Energy and Masdar institute. We also believe that this should not be the only collaboration with these highly reputed partners but the first of many more to come.”
Dr. Behjat Al Yousuf, Interim Provost, Masdar Institute, said: “Our collaboration agreement with the Ministry of Energy and SKM Air Conditioning highlights Masdar Institute’s ongoing commitment to developing innovations of relevance to the needs of the UAE and wider region. We are confident this partnership will help the UAE reduce its energy consumption, which is critical to achieving its sustainability goals.”
Dr. Peter Armstrong, Associate Professor of Mechanical Engineering, Masdar Institute, leads the project team, which includes Dr. Afshin Afshari, Professor of Practice, Engineering Systems and Management, Masdar Institute, and Muhammad Tauha Ali, research engineer, Masdar Institute.
“Based on the current actual cost of electricity production in Abu Dhabi, the potential savings, at 100% market penetration of all optimized chiller and AC types, amounts to over AED5 billion per year,” said Dr. Armstrong.
In the previous two-year project, the team established minimum energy performance standards (MEPS), which are life-cycle cost effective for chillers in the UAE with performance levels 40% above the MEPS prevalent in temperate climates.
They found that an improved compressor, larger condenser and evaporator, sub-cooling control, variable speed condenser fans, and a high-efficiency compressor motor all contribute significantly to the energy improvements achieved by the chiller design with lowest amortized cost.
“This project will prove beyond any doubt in side-by-side testing that a GCC-specific high-performance chiller design pays for itself in energy savings,” Dr. Armstrong added.
SKM won the Sharjah Economic Excellence Award Gold Category in 2011, for quality and standard products. It also received ISO 14001 Certification for environmental management standards and the Technischer Überwachungsverein (TÜV - Technical Inspection Association) Certification for its Packaged Air Conditioners (PAC-L) Series and for its Hygienic Air Handling Units.
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About SKM Air Conditioning
S.K.M Air Conditioning LLC is one of the leading manufacturers of HVAC (Heating, Ventilation and Air Conditioning) equipment in the Gulf. It was founded with a single- minded objective; to meet the growing needs of indoor environment quality in some of the world's harshest climates. Driven by its mission "Total Customer Satisfaction", SKM offers a broad portfolio of premium international quality products that have worked efficiently in various geographic locations. SKM has provided solutions for many blue chip projects for the companies, organizations and government agencies across the region, to view its major projects portfolio. Please click :www.skmaircon.com/skm_projects
SKM is the proud winner of Sharjah Economic Excellence Award in the Gold category; it is also recipient of ISO 9001:2008, ISO 14001:2004 and OHSAS 18001:2007 certifications. Additionally SKM products are certified by internationally recognized testing and certification bodies such as Eurovent certified Air Handling Units, AHRI Certified Air Cooled Chilling package, AHRI Certified - Chilled Water / Hot Water Coils, TUV certified Hygienic Air Handling Units and unitary Packaged Air Conditioners. To know more about the certifications it received please follow the link: www.skmaircon.com/certificates
SKM units provide excellent performance in the extreme Gulf environments and in other specific applications such as onshore and offshore oil and gas Installations, as well as sewage treatment plants and ammunition depots where explosion-proof equipment are required.
SKM is committed to offer products of superior quality at competitive prices. Whether it is custom-built units or any of the standard units, which are manufactured and sold widely by SKM each year, SKM philosophy focuses on ‘attention to detail and commitment to total customer satisfaction’.
About Masdar Institute
The Masdar Institute of Science and Technology (Masdar Institute) was established by the government of Abu Dhabi as a not-for-profit, private graduate university to develop indigenous R&D capacity in Abu Dhabi addressing issues of importance to the region.
In collaboration with the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), Masdar Institute has developed an academic and research platform that articulates its mission and vision according to critical energy and sustainability challenges.
An important characteristic of Masdar Institute is its focus on complex real-world problems that require a multidisciplinary approach for the development of solutions from an integrated technology, systems and policy perspective. This multi-interdisciplinary and integrated approach is supported by the structure of its academic programs and by the emphasis placed on engaging external partners from industry, government, and other academic institutions in collaborative activities.
Serving as a key pillar of innovation and human capital, Masdar Institute remains fundamental to Masdar’s core objectives of developing Abu Dhabi’s knowledge economy and finding solutions to humanity’s toughest challenges such as climate change.
Masdar Institute integrates theory and practice to incubate a culture of innovation and entrepreneurship, working to develop the critical thinkers and leaders of tomorrow. With its world-class faculty and top-tier students, the Institute is committed to finding solutions to the challenges of clean energy and climate change through education and research.
Masdar Institute offers degrees in:
· MSc Engineering Systems and Management
· MSc Computing and Information Science
· MSc Materials Science and Engineering
· MSc Mechanical Engineering
· MSc Water and Environmental Engineering
· MSc Microsystems Engineering
· MSc Electrical Power Engineering
· MSc Chemical Engineering
· MSc Sustainable Critical Infrastructure
· PhD in Interdisciplinary Engineering
Please visit our website http://www.masdar.ac.ae/
For more information contact:
Name: Shaima Al Jarman
Director – Marketing & Communications
Public Affairs Department
Email: saljarman@masdar.ac.ae
Phone: +971 02 8109365
© Press Release 2017
