AROUND 2,500 industry professionals will converge on the Jeddah Centre for Forums and Events on Jan. 15-17 for the country's largest dedicated air-handling and refrigeration event in the region - the second HVACR Expo Saudi, organized by dmg events Middle East, Asia & Africa. In addition to providing first-class networking opportunities and the chance to view the latest cutting-edge products and technology from 80 exhibitors, visitors can benefit from over 15 free-to-attend CPD-certified workshops delivered by industry experts who will share their unique insight into the market's current trends, challenges and best practices. Building on the success of last year's inaugural event, this year promises to be on a grander scale with even more key regional and international industry leaders in attendance. There will also be a number of live product demonstrations where visitors can try out pioneering new products. There is a positive outlook for the HVAC industry in Saudi Arabia with huge construction projects valued at $80 billion initiated by the government to meet the needs of a burgeoning population and religious tourism market. The building program, which includes mega projects such as Sudair City Development, Jazan Economic City (JEC) and the national railway network, will increase the demand for HVAC systems over the coming years. There is also an airport expansion project and scores of new hotel projects currently underway. As Saudi Arabia moves toward greater energy conservation, there will be a firm focus on sustainability at the exhibition, such as the use of more energy efficient air conditioners. Dr. Mohanad AlSheikh, CEO of Al Salem Johnson Controls, said: "Renewable energy and energy efficiency in all forms are vital to achieve the 2030 Vision and the Government has been a forceful champion of transforming the country to become a smart and sustainable economy. At Al Salem Johnson Controls, we are leading the HVAC industry in creating a fundamental shift in Building Energy Efficiency. We offer sustainable and green building technologies that are not only energy efficient but also environmentally safe." Firas Abou Ltaif, project manager for HVACR Expo Saudi, added: "HVACR Expo Saudi has become such an eagerly-awaited event throughout the industry. Visitors will be able to view, and in many cases see demonstrations of all the new ground-breaking and energy-saving equipment that has recently come to market. "A good example of the progress being made in the Kingdom is the district cooling market, which has increased at a CAGR rate of 18 per cent between 2011-1015 and which is expected to further expand at a CAGR rate of 24 per cent over the next five years. This is due to the fact that district cooling can better control internal temperature in buildings, generate less noise and produce lower electricity consumption if compared with other air conditioning technologies." The adoption of eco-friendly refrigerants is leading to a reduction in the emission of harmful gases like CO2. Moreover, the increase in volume sales and average selling price is expected to drive revenue growth in the Saudi Arabia district cooling market in the future. Firas continued: "With a growing population, a greater disposable income and many large construction projects in the pipeline, the HVACR market outlook in Saudi Arabia is very strong. This is also being driven by technological innovations and the growing popularity of energy-efficient air conditioning systems." Carrier, the world leader in heating, air-conditioning and refrigeration, will be this year's platinum sponsor at HVACR Expo Saudi, while Zamil, the largest supplier of air conditioners in the Middle East, will be the gold sponsor of the event. Other exhibitors include AAF International, Advance World Air Conditioning Ltd, Mase Gulf, Portacool, REFCO Manufacturing and Samsung.
