Trane EarthWise Solutions Used in Cooling Plant at King Abdullah Financial District

Trane, a leading global provider of air-conditioning systems and solutions and a brand of Ingersoll Rand, is participating in the third annual District Cooling Summit to discuss energy efficiency and the environmental benefits of the highly efficient infrastructure systems installed at the new King Abdullah Financial District (KAFD) in Riyadh.

KAFD, built near the Riyadh business centre, is designed to be the world’s first major financial district of the 21st century. It represents the latest effort in a financial modernisation programme undertaken by Saudi Arabia.
The King Abdullah Financial District will be the headquarters for the Capital Market Authority (CMA) and the Stock Exchange (Tadawul), and for financial institutions and other service providers such as accountants, auditors, lawyers, analysts, rating agencies, consultants and information technology providers.
Albert Haykal, district cooling specialist for the Middle East region for Trane, is describing the role Trane is playing in the new financial district at the District Cooling Summit. Trane was selected to provide a cooling solution for the district that would be energy efficient, reliable and environmentally responsible.

Trane is providing systems for two 50,000-ton cooling plants nearing completion at the site which are expected to be commissioned in July or August 2012. Each cooling plant features 16 Trane EarthWise™ CenTraVac™ chillers.

The financial district will require only 80,000 tons of the systems’ 100,000-ton capacity. Two massive
chilled water thermal storage tanks will be added to optimize the systems’ capabilities. During off-peak periods (usually at night), the cooling plant will reduce the temperature of these thermal reservoirs, which will be brought on line during peak periods, i.e. when the facility is fully occupied and the heat of the day is at its peak.

The heat rejection component of the system is accomplished through cooling-towers, which will recycle treated sewage effluent, rather than the more usual air-cooled approach which would have been less efficient from a power consumption standpoint.

These direct-drive, semi-hermetic solutions ensure that the KAFD design requirements were met. The systems feature low-pressure (R123) technology that almost entirely removes the risk of a refrigerant leak. In fact, in 2007, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) honored the Trane EarthWise CenTraVac chiller with their ‘Best of the Best’ award in the Stratospheric Ozone Protection category.

The CenTraVac chiller also has received an environmental life cycle assessment from an independent third party agency which qualifies it for an Environmental Product Declaration (EPD). This declaration assures specifiers and building owners that the environmental claims relating to a system have been verified and documented.

The EPD also qualifies CenTraVac for recognition in the world’s most highly regarded green building standards such as Green Seal™ and Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED®).

EPD qualifies CenTraVac chillers to earn one LEED point under Pilot Credit 43; Certified Products. Because a standardized documentation set has already been established, the process for earning this (LEED) pilot credit for CenTraVac chillers has been simplified.

Leaders at Masdar City, a planned city designed to be a hub for cleantech companies in Abu Dhabi in the United Arab Emirates, also recently selected this chiller to appear in its The Future Build product database. The database serves as a valuable resource for systems and information on sustainable buildings and operations for architects, engineers and contractors. Trane CenTraVac chillers are the first, and only, industrial chillers to be included.

The third annual District Cooling Summit is taking place in Riyadh, 16-17th April and will include a wide range of industry experts drawn from many related disciplines. Trane is a part sponsor of the event.

About Ingersoll Rand

Ingersoll Rand (NYSE:IR) advances the quality of life by creating and sustaining safe, comfortable and efficient environments. Our people and our family of brands—including Club Car®, Ingersoll Rand®, Schlage®, Thermo King® and Trane® —work together to enhance the quality and comfort of air in homes and buildings, transport and protect food and perishables, secure homes and commercial properties, and increase industrial productivity and efficiency. Trane solutions optimize indoor environments with a broad portfolio of energy efficient heating, ventilating and air conditioning systems, building and contracting services, parts support and advanced control. Ingersoll Rand is a $14 billion global business committed to a world of sustainable progress and enduring results. For more information, visit ingersollrand.com or trane.com.