Sustainable cooling and heating solutions on show

The first Saudi HVAC Confex will take place in Riyadh from Feb. 11-13.
The Ministry of Electricity and Water and the Saudi Energy Efficiency Centre will organize the first event in cooperation with event company IQPC.
The show will unveil best practices in the sustainable heating and cooling sector.
Prince Abdulaziz bin Salman, assistant minister of petroleum and mineral resources and president of National Program for Energy Efficiency, is expected to attend the opening ceremony.
Dr Saleh Al-Awaji, deputy minister of water and electricity, said Saudi Arabia’s first ever conference and exhibition for sustainable cooling and heating solutions illustrated the determination of stakeholders in the electricity sector to apply technologies that boost energy efficiency in Saudi Arabia.
“Around 70 per cent of electricity consumption in Saudi Arabia goes on air conditioning and with more than 1.5 million new homes needed to keep pace with population growth, domestic energy demand is anticipated to double by 2030,” said Dr Al-Awaji, president of Saudi HVAC 2013 and a keynote speaker at the event.
“Energy-efficient HVAC solutions are therefore a critical aspect of Saudi Arabia’s continued sustainable development.”
He said the new conference and exhibition is an example of the cooperation between stakeholders needed to achieve the goals that benefit the Kingdom and the consumer.
It will promote advanced technology and help to develop local expertise.
The deputy minister added: “Demand for electricity in Saudi Arabia continues to rise and more than SR500 billion will be invested in new projects in the electricity sector within the next 10 years. This situation requires immediate concrete action to encourage energy efficiency and sustainability.”
Around 50 speakers from the government and private sector will address the conference. Twenty-five speakers have already confirmed their participation.
More than 30 local and international companies, including LG Electronics, Samsung, Saudi Tabreed and Abdul Latif Jameel, will take part in the show.
Around 500 industry delegates will attend the event.