Jumbo Engineering and TORO WATT host First Interactive ‘Advanced Cooling Challenge’ Workshop in the UAE

Jumbo Engineering, a business unit of Jumbo Group, partnered with TORO WATT to host the first ever interactive ‘Advanced Cooling Challenge’ Workshop in the UAE. The two sessions were held on 16th August at the Jumeirah Creekside Hotel. TORO WATT is a Canadian heating, ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC) technology company with a niche specialization in high-efficiency air-conditioning products. These products use natural technologies that have a low Global Warming Potential (GWP) and reduce the carbon footprint and operating costs by up to 50% annually for their customers. 

This closed-door event brought together leading industry experts from Energy Management Cos, ESCOs, HVAC Consultants and Contractors and provided a platform to discuss the increasing rise of electricity demand for air-conditioning. The Advanced Cooling Challenge campaign urges governments and industry to develop and deploy super-efficient, smart, climate-friendly and affordable cooling systems that are essential for prosperous and healthy societies.

The global demand for electricity is projected to grow more than 600 billion kilowatt-hours by 2020. In 2008, Abu Dhabi’s daily domestic energy consumption was 34.5 MWh/household which is approximately 10 times more than the world average consumption at 3.5 MWh/household. This growth poses a challenge to electricity grids that are already struggling to satisfy existing demand. 

This campaign not only challenges companies to make, sell, promote and install super-efficient air conditioning or cooling solutions but also seeks commitments from governments to establish a policy framework and implement supporting actions by endorsing energy efficient procurement, building a ‘Buyers Club’ and enforcing market transformation programmes.

Vishesh Bhatia, CEO of Jumbo Group stated that the traditional method of cooling is no longer valid in this day and age. He went on to say, “There is a strong need to empower our partners in industry, and the government, to reduce energy usage significantly. We at Jumbo support TORO WATT’s initiative, and their transformation of ‘green’ concepts into real life applications.

With sustainability being a key theme of the UAE Expo 2020 and Dubai Clean Energy Strategy 2050, we are in line with the country’s vision to adopt and promote more sustainable practices to reach this goal. The UAE has already showed a significant improvement in its innovation standing on the 2016 Global Innovation Index, and has come first among Arab countries and 41st worldwide in terms of overall performance on the index, up from second in the Arab World and 47th globally in 2015. We are confident that the UAE will lead from the front in this challenge.”

Tiger Aster, CEO of TORO WATT, a participating company in the Global Advanced Cooling Challenge added, “TORO WATT is offering a range of ‘Super-Efficient’, and climate-appropriate HVAC Solutions through Jumbo in the UAE to address the aggressive energy efficiency challenges set by the UAE Government.” 

By 2030, improving the average efficiency of cooling systems by 30% would reduce peak electricity demand by as much as 340-790 gigawatts over the lifetime of the equipment. In addition, it would reduce carbon dioxide emissions by up to 25 billion tonnes over the lifetime of the equipment which is equivalent to avoiding as many as 1,500 average power plants. By making a commitment to research and development of next generation low-global warming potential (GWP) air conditioning appliances and other cooling equipment, the participating countries and companies are aiding in making them available worldwide at affordable prices.