AHRI MENA Newsletter
September 26, 2024
AHRI MENA Director Appears on International Panel
On September 16, AHRI MENA Managing Director Nabil Shahin participated in a panel discussion at the MEP International Conference in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. During the discussion, which focused on fostering relationships between government regulators and building engineers, panelists covered several topics, including the importance of standards and quality assurance, harmonizing current regulatory framework with international standards, and best practices for facilitating collaboration among regulators, builders, and researchers.
Following the panel, Shahin also delivered a presentation on zero-carbon HVAC systems and the latest industry trends to reduce the carbon footprint of HVAC in new buildings. Contact: Hassan Kal.
Judges for MEP 2024 Awards Meet, Including AHRI MENA Managing Director
On August 29, a panel of judges for the 18th edition of the Mechanical, Electrical, and Plumbing Middle East Awards, including AHRI MENA Managing Director Nabil Shahin, met in Dubai to review shortlisted entries. The awards recognize and highlight excellence in MEP design and installation that contribute to the rapidly evolving construction landscape in the UAE. Winners will be announced during the award ceremony on September 19. Contact: Hassan Kal.
AHRI MENA to Serve as Supporting Partner for RAK Energy Summit
The AHRI MENA office is proud to serve as a supporting partner for the second edition of the RAK Energy Summit, to be held November 27-28 at the Al Hamra International Exhibition and Conference Center. This year’s event theme is “Create and Contribute to the Sustainable Energy Goals of the Future,” and will focus on critical topics for national and regional decarbonization, including smart technologies, AI, future fuels and grids, and carbon pricing.
The summit is expected to attract more than 800 attendees and will feature more than 35 speakers. It is hosted under the patronage of HH Sheikh Saud bin Saqr Al Qasimi, UAE Supreme Council Member and Ruler of Ras Al Khaimah.
AHRI members are eligible for special rates to attend or exhibit. For more information, contact our MENA office staff by email. Contact: Hassan Kal.
AHRI MENA Staff Visits Hisense HVAC Middle East and Africa Headquarters
AHRI MENA Managing Director to Serve as Judge for the 2024 MEP Awards
AHRI MENA Managing Director Nabil Shahin will serve as a judge for the 18th edition of the Mechanical, Electrical, Plumbing (MEP) Middle East Awards. The awards recognize and highlight excellence in MEP design and installation that contribute to the rapidly evolving construction landscape in the UAE. The award ceremony will take place September 19, and nominations can be submitted here. Contact: Hassan Kal.
AHRI MENA Staff Meets with Fujitsu General
On July 19, AHRI’s MENA office met with Fujitsu General Middle East & Africa’s newly appointed Managing Director, Takaki Katsuragawa and his team. During the meeting, they discussed an overview of AHRI activity in the region, recent regulatory updates, and the efforts of technical committees working to develop regional standards. The meeting provided another opportunity to strengthen the relationship between AHRI and its member company Fujitsu. Contact: Hassan Kal.
AHRI Participates in Egypt Workshop, Signs MOU with EOS
On July 10, AHRI participated in an event in Cairo, Egypt titled, "Workshop on Legal & Regulatory Frameworks for Energy and Water Standards and Ecolabeling." Supported by the U.S. Department of Commerce, the U.S. Agency for International Development, and the Egypt Organization for Standards and Quality (EOS), the workshop featured discussions on the development and adoption of standards, regulatory frameworks, and certification practices.
AHRI staff provided an overview of its role as a certification body in the United States, detailed its involvement in creating energy efficiency directories for other markets, and briefed attendees on the activities of the Middle East and North Africa Standards Development Body, specifically its focus on climate change considerations.
The workshop also served as an opportunity to connect with key regulators and with multiple representatives from Egyptian government agencies in attendance. The agencies represented included the General Organization for Export & Import Control (GOEIC), the New & Renewable Energy Authority (NREA), the Egyptian Environmental Affairs Agency (EEAA), and the Housing and Building National Research Center (HBRC).
During the event, AHRI and EOS signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU), which will further strengthen their relationship and allow AHRI to participate in EOS technical committees to build on their existing collaborative programs. Contact Nabil Shahin.
AHRI MENA Managing Director to Serve as Judge for Green Building Awards
AHRI MENA Managing Director Nabil Shahin was selected to serve as a judge for the 2024 MENA Green Building Awards competition. The competition recognizes projects, organizations, and products achieving excellence across 16 distinct categories that represent the diversity of sustainability activity in the MENA region. Categories include net-zero energy building project of the year, sustainable manufacturer of the year, and sustainability training initiative of the year, among others.
Applications for the awards will be open until July 15, and information about how to apply is available here. Winners will be announced during the MENA Green Building Awards Ceremony and Gala Dinner. Contact: Hassan Kal.
AHRI MENA Managing Director Moderates Panel at the 2024 MEP Middle East Conference
On June 26, AHRI MENA Managing Director Nabil Shanin moderated a panel discussion at the 2024 MEP Middle Each Conference titled, “Regulatory Compliance and Standards.” It featured several industry experts, including Simon Miller, Ph.D. from Abu Dhabi Quality and Conformity Council, Hassan Abou Jawhar from AMCA Middle East, and Mujtaba Shaikhani from Rubber World. During the conversation, the panel discussed recent updates on codes, regulations, and standards governing MEP systems in the Middle East, as well as best practices for compliance strategies and how ensure code-compliant designs and installations. Contact: Hassan Kal.
AHRI MENA Managing Director Participates in CEBC Energy Efficiency Working Group Meeting
On June 5, AHRI MENA Managing Director Nabil Shahin participated in the Clean Energy Business Council (CEBC) MENA Energy Efficiency Working Group meeting, which focused on exploring key strategies to enhance energy efficiency across various sectors. Participants discussed several options for developing a mission and vision for advanced energy efficiency projects, including short- and long-term goals to support these efforts and identifying international policies that could be adapted to drive growth in local markets. The meeting was led by Mustapha Aanzi, IBECE Energy CCO, and hosted by Wael Badawy, Siemens Executive Vice President of Energy. Dr. Omer Ahmed Qureshi from Dubai Electricity & Water Authority - DEWA also attended as a guest observer. Contact: Hassan Kal.
AHRI Seeks Participants for a New STC
The AHRI MENA team is forming a new Standards Technical Committee (STC), the MENA Evaporative Cooling STC, which intends to develop a standard for methods for testing direct, indirect, and hybrid evaporative cooling units under laboratory conditions, following the test methods of ASHRAE 133, Method of Testing Direct Evaporative Air Coolers, and ASHRAE 143, Method of Testing Direct Evaporative Air Coolers.
Out of scope for this STC are units covered under AHRI Standard 340/360 (I-P), Performance Rating of Commercial and Industrial Unitary Air Conditioning and Heat Pump Equipment; AHRI Standard 430 (I-P), Performance Rating of Central Station Air-Handling Unit Supply Fans; and AHRI Standard 1350 (I-P), Mechanical Performance Rating of Central Station Air-Handling Unit Casings.
Anyone is welcome to join this STC in accordance with the current AHRI Policy & Procedures for the Development of Standards. Contact: Dalip Singh.