New Testing and Commissioning Service Available to MENA Construction Industry

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20 Dec 2018

As MENA countries continue to drive towards reducing energy consumption, a global independent safety science company has introduced a new testing and commissioning service for the region that helps determine the energy efficiency of buildings.

Building envelope testing and commissioning was introduced for the Middle East region by UL at the recently concluded Big 5 International Building and Construction Show in Dubai.

The building envelope, often referred to as the façade and roof consist of the thermal, weather and air barriers separating building interiors from the outdoor environment. The thermal performance of building envelope products and systems is critical to achieve energy efficiency and performance.

The service provides performance testing and assessments to determine the rate of air infiltration and thermal performance, of the entire building enclosure assemblies and components.

This expertise helps building owners, contractors, consultants and architects design and build more energy efficient buildings – from pre-construction all the way through to post-installation.

UL believes this service, being offered to customers in the region for the first time, will be of interest due to the commitment of various MENA governments to reduce energy consumption. The UAE is making huge strides towards its goal to double the energy efficiency in buildings and reduce 30 per cent of energy demand by 2030.

Hamid Syed, vice president and general manager of UL Middle East, said: “To be in line with the UAE government’s policy to reduce Dubai's electricity consumption by 30% by 2030, businesses must aim to improve their energy efficiency and set affordable and clean energy goals to ensure a sustainable environment for future generations. Similar objectives have also been set in most countries across the region.

“Therefore, we know this is a service the construction industry will be interested in and were delighted to introduce it at the Big 5, where we received excellent feedback from clients who visited us.”

In addition to the launch of Building Envelope Testing and Commissioning, UL showcased its fire containment and building inspection services with a focus on their expertise in the ducting industry with products such as fire-rated ducts along with environmental services and fire and life safety services.

UL’s building envelope experts provided valuable guidance and support on establishing product and system performance criteria, detailing, on site quality control and commissioning as well as laboratory and field performance assessment. The experts also shared their insights and updates on the latest trends in the construction industry in the region during the four-day event.