ACCORDING to the US Department of Energy, buildings consume approximately 68 per cent of the electricity produced in the US annually. In the UAE, however, where the industrial sector is comparatively less developed, residential and commercial buildings consume an average of 81 per cent of the power generated by the country’s power plants.

DAIKIN, a global leader in air-conditioning, recently put on display the world’s first carbon dioxide (CO2)-based VRV (variable refrigerant volume) system, a solution that will limit the impact of air-conditioning on the environment. CO2 has one of the lowest global warming potential (GWP) of all existing refrigerants, the company points out.

SAMSUNG Electronics, a leading manufacturer in the split and window air-conditioners segment, has made a foray into the system air-conditioner business in the region with the recent launch of commercial air-conditioning products that have been developed for that market.

SWITZERLAND-based Belimo, a world leader in actuator and valve technology in heating, ventilation and air-conditioning systems, has recently introduced a range of isolation and butterfly valves that are described as being ideal for all shut-off and control tasks in cooling circuits with small to large flow.

PALM District Cooling (PDC), a subsidiary of Dubai-based Palm Utilities, has embarked on a mission to consolidate its presence in the GCC and other key international markets. As part of these moves, it has drawn up a strategy for growth and launched a campaign to promote district cooling.