Dr. Iyad Al-Attar

Mechanical Engineer,air filtration consultant, and environmental enthusiast, Kuwait

Dr. Iyad Al-Attar is a Mechanical Engineer, air filtration consultant, and environmental enthusiast. He is also a Visiting Academic Fellow in the School of Aerospace, Transport and Manufacturing at Cranfield University.

Dr. Al-Attar is the first associated consultant for EUROVENT Middle East for air quality and filtration affairs. Dr. Al-Attar received his Engineering degrees from the University of Toronto [Canada], Kuwait University, and Loughborough University [United Kingdom]. His area of expertise is the performance of high-efficiency pleated filters for HVAC and land-based gas turbine applications with special emphasis on the chemical and physical characterization of airborne particles. He has authored a number of articles on the subject. Dr. Al-Attar is an editorial member/referee in the Filtration Society (UK) and the Journal of Cleaner Production.

DAhmed Abdelwahab

Technology Centers & Energy Planning SME, Vodafone ,Egypt

(Ahmed Abdelwahab) is the (Technology Centers & Energy Planning SME) at (Vodafone Egypt). Ahmed has more than twenty years’ experience in the Telecom / IT industry in Egypt and West Africa and in leading teams for data centers development and design. Ahmed has been able to couple his electromechanical experience with his telecommunication background to work well across both domains and chart the long term strategy for the data center infrastructure staying one step ahead of the telco requirements. Ahmed is subject matter expert in design and optimization of critical infrastructure in Vodafone Egypt data centers. In his role, he has managed the full mechanical and electrical renovation program and tier upgrade for VF EG switch sites and data centers. He introduced new initiatives for energy efficiencies and renovated the old data centers designs into technology centers to accommodate the new IT / Telecom requirements. He introduced first prefabricated 3–storeys tier-3 facility in Vodafone and in the region, in Mansoura city in Egypt delta region. He also formulated the new EDGE site model for future proof 5G core sites. Nevertheless, he started the foundation for Energy Analytics era in Vodafone Egypt to leverage on the metering and monitoring plus Big Data capabilities to implement machine learning and artificial intelligence to decarbonize Vodafone Technology Centers.

Ahmed is an accredited tier designer from Uptime Institute. He holds an MBA specializing in strategic planning

Dr.Muthukumar Ramaswamy

Former Technical Expert Royal Court Affairs ,Oman Technical Director - Al Sarab Sustainable Energy LLC, Oman

M. Ramaswamy earned Ph.D. degree from Indian Institute of Technology, Delhi, India in Mechanical Engineering. He got over 36 years of combined extensive experiences in various areas of Engineering. He has published more than 75 research papers in international journals and conferences and authored six books on engineering subjects. He is member of various international professional organizations holding charter engineer status and reviewer of many technical journals. His name is listed in WHOSWHO directory of Renewables from MENAT region. Also his name is listed in Montreal Protocol WHOSWHO site as an appreciation of his work on ODS.

Saziye Dickson

Global Research Manager, BSRIA, UK

Saziye Dickson is the Global Research Manager of Air Conditioning, Ventilation and Refrigeration studies at BSRIA (Building Services Research & Information Association) based in the UK.

She overseas BSRIA’s regular studies covering 30 biggest markets globally, with recent special reports on Africa, Latin America, Europe and Asia Pacific being next.

Saziye also works with international HVAC & R companies to design and run customised studies and has worked with names such as UNEP, CLASP, Johnson Controls, LG, Mitsubishi Electric, Daikin, Midea, Embraco and many others.

She has an extensive knowledge with over 13 years of market research & consultancy experience in the HVAC &R industry and regularly contributes to International press articles and webinars, and presents at industry events. She was a guest speaker at BIG 5 – HVAC-R Expo in Dubai and AHR Expo 2020.

Along her current role at BSRIA, she is currently studying MSc in Low Energy Building Services Engineering to increase her understanding of the challenges that the industry is facing.

Saziye is also the current secretary and chair for the CTTC (Chapter Technology Transfer Committee) and Secretary for the ASHRAE Midlands Chapter in the UK. Previously she has worked as a commercial manager for Environmental Consultancy focusing on energy management in public buildings.

Sagar S. Kulkarni

Founder and Managing Director of Consistent Engineering Consultants, UAE

Mr. Sagar Kulkarni is the Founder and Managing Director of Consistent Engineering Consultants and has extensive experience in HVACR arena. Mr. Sagar is Mechanical Engineering graduate, approved by Dubai Municipality having over 27 years of experience in the MEP Industry in area of Design, Execution and supervision and has worked with top companies in the GCC region.

His professional certifications includes

• LEED AP from US Green Building Certification Institute.
• WELL AP
• Certified Pearl Qualified Professional (PQP)/PBRS
• Certified Energy Manager (CEM)
• Certified Energy Auditor (CEA)
• Certified Fire Safety and Property Loss Prevention Engineer (FM Approvals)
• Registered with Dubai Civil Defence for Fire Life Safety

He is also a member of professional organisations like

• Society of Engineers, UAE.
• Life member of ISHRAE

He has been invitied to & regularly participates in various industry events as a speaker to share his knowledge and experience by presenting and sharing dais on various panel discussions. His expertise in HVACR has seen unique derivations in their projects which have resulted onto better performance, quality, energy efficiency and sustainability. He possesses vast knowledge on Green Building practices, also implemented on projects, to create an environment that is resource efficient in terms of energy, water and materials while reducing building‐related impacts on human health and the environment throughout the building’s lifecycle through better design alternatives leading to optimum construction, operation and maintenance values. Energy Auditing and Energy Management are the core activities he is involved in, while initiating green building practices right from the design stage ensuring energy efficient outputs post project handover.

Mr. Sagar is avid reader and always keen to meet people to exchange the ideas, sharing knowledge and experience.

Dermott Reilly

Sustainability Professional, IngeniaTouch Ltd, Ireland

Dermott graduated in economics & history from Liverpool University in 1979, moved to London and ran his own food packaging and distribution business until 1996 when, frustrated by wastage and inefficiency in the food supply chain, was attracted to RFID and emerging technology. Having patented the first non-digital tracking device, he moved on to sell RFID training courses to educational establishments and major electronic companies. Among his creations were ChefServe, a PDA designed for chefs to make food ordering efficient and RefServe, the world’s first goal detection systems for FIFA.

From 2004 to 2010 Dermott worked in various projects helping companies and organizations embrace emerging technology. He successfully introduced GS1 barcode methodology to the UK healthcare sector, launched the first UK Discovery NanoLab concept in London and has a number of new products created to address gaps in the agricultural sector caused by the introduction of REACH regulation across Europe.

From 2010 to 2016 Dermott focused on building the world’s most innovative network of 1000+ nanotechnology labs and engineering specialists, a channel of experts which now underpin NanoLandGlobal.

This knowledge network fast-tracks innovation specifically for commercial and organizational value, helping countries regardless of economic development, leap-frog technology and adapt best practice, whether in transport, agriculture, construction or 3D manufacturing.

Dermott is a firm believer that safe NanoBioTechnology and nanoscience has a major role to play in fighting Climate Change, addressing issues around viral protection, pollution, food security, energy efficiency, city-life quality, supply chain sustainability, agriculture, population growth, employment, clean water, health and greener commerce. His driving ambition is to dovetail new eco-friendly technologies with business and societal needs, fast-tracking new solutions around Sustainability and helping countries, organisations and SME’s identify market-ready practical solutions that drive value. Nature continues to be our best teacher and increasingly developments in nano-instrumentation and research help release these secrets for commercial reward and life quality in a post-Covid society.

Dermott has two young children, lives between Ireland, UK and France. He is an active black current grower. A distinguished athlete once, he continues to harvest that energy by running daily and practicing mindfulness.

Azmi S. Aboulhoda

Managing Director, EMergy, UAE

Azmi S. Aboul‐Hoda leads EMergy, a privately held corporation specialized in the built environment field with focus on sustainability, energy saving solutions, audits and surveys, building performance, and indoor environmental quality. Azmi is also an active member of ASHRAE and several other local and international organizations.

With more than 20 years' experience in the built environment field in international and multinational companies, his expertise covers various responsibilities in the design, engineering, execution, testing, commissioning, and maintenance. During his tenure, Azmi was involved in many surveys and retrofits to enhance existing buildings’ performance, indoor environmental quality, energy optimization, energy measurement and verification, etc. Azmi was part of the senior management for the electrical and mechanical systems’ works in various prestigious projects across the Middle East, such as, Abu Dhabi World Trade Center Mosque, Qaryat Al Hidd Abu Dhabi, the Dubai International Terminal III / Concourse II Project (1.6 Billion Dirhams), Beirut International Airport, Al Shuweihat S1 Independent Water and Power, Revamp of Ruwais Refinery, Lebanese University Campus, Consulting Clinics in Beirut Down Town, etc.

Azmi has served, and continues to serve, in several forums related to the built environment industry, such as:

• Member of the ASHRAE Ad Hoc Subcommittee interested in Airflow Patterns in Controlling Spread of Airborne Contaminants, since June 2020 (ongoing).
• Member of the Faculty of Engineering Advisory Group at The British University in Dubai, since 2019 (ongoing).
• Member of ASHRAE Technical Committee for Moisture Management in Buildings, since 2016 (ongoing).
• Member of ASHRAE Technical Committee for Plant and Animal Environment, since 2018 (ongoing).
• Member of ASHRAE Technical Committee for Room Air Distribution, since 2018 (ongoing).
• Member of ASHRAE Technical Committee for Evaporative Cooling, since 2018 (ongoing).
• Member of the Industry Advisory Panel of the Architectural Engineering School at Heriot‐Watt University Dubai, since 2015 (ongoing).
• Member of the BEAP Certification Exam Subcommittee of ASHRAE, 2017‐2019.
• Assistant Regional Vice Chair (Chapter Technology Transfer) of ASHRAE Region‐at‐Large, Subregion I, 2018‐2019.
• Research Promotion Chair at the ASHRAE Falcon Chapter (UAE), 2018‐2019.
• Member of the BEAP Certification Exam Subcommittee of ASHRAE, 2017‐2019.
• Secretary of CIBSE Energy Performance Group (EPG) UAE, 2017‐2019.
• Member of CIBSE UAE Region Technical Subcommittee, 2016‐2019.
• Publicity Chair at the ASHRAE Falcon Chapter (UAE), 2015‐2019.
• Committee member at the Chartered Institute of Building Service Engineers (CIBSE) UAE Region, since incorporation in 2013‐2019.

Azmi holds a Bachelor's Degree of Mechanical Engineering (1998) and a Graduate Professional Degree in Green Technologies (2017) both from the American University of Beirut. He is certified by the Association of Energy Engineers as Energy Manager (CEM), Measurement and Verification Professional (CMVP), and Building Commissioning Professional (CBCP). He is also certified by ASHRAE as Building Energy Assessment Professional (BEAP), HVAC Designer (CHD), and Building Commissioning Professional (BCxP).

Azmi was born in Dubai in 1976, and lives in Dubai with his wife and four children.

Pedro Cadima

Associate Director, BuroHappold Engineering | Building Environments, UAE

Pedro is an Associate Director with over fifteen years of experience in building environments’ engineering, project management, design, simulation, commercial management and construction. Sector experience includes cultural, healthcare, hospitality, education, law and order, aviation, commercial, transport and retail. Pedro is also a Project Management Professional (PMP) certified by PMI, a Chartered Engineer, Low Carbon Consultant (LCC) and Low Carbon Energy Assessor (LCEA), as well as a member of CIBSE’s Middle East Technical Team.

Bilal Da'as

Senior Manager, Commissioning/Handover and Stakeholder/Interface , ASTAD, Qatar

Bilal Da’as, Sr. Commissioning Manager - ASTAD Project Management Bilal has 21 years of experience on major projects in Qatar, UAE and Jordan. He is currently the Sr. Commissioning Manager with responsibility for Commissioning, Operations and Handover. Prior to ASTAD, Bilal worked in Design, Construction and Project Management at several companies including Arabtec, AE7, Saudi Oger, Turner TIME and Omrania.

Bilal is a member of ASME, CFPS/NFPA, JSCME/Jordan and MMUP/Qatar.Bilal received his Bachelor Degree in Mechanical Engineering from Jordan University of Science and Technology, followed by an MBA Certificate. He also holds a certification as an NFPA Certified Fire Protection Specialist (CFPS) and has experience and a certificate in Risk Management.

Dr. Oualid Ali

Futurist, Global speaker, Canada

Dr. Oualid Ali is considered as one of the international well-recognized experts in the fields of Future foresight, Scenarios planning, Trends watching, Emerging technologies & innovations, Industrial Revolution 4.0, Future cities (Smart, Sustainable and innovative Cities), Education 4.0, Artificial Intelligence (AI), etc. He has participated in several projects related to these fields as a speaker, expert, researcher, advisor, or trainer. Specifically, within the field of Smart cities, he has been involved in the planning and implementation of several future cities projects in various verticals such as “Smart mobility, Smart Education, Smart tourism, Smart energy, Smart health, Smart logistics, Smart waste management, Smart water management, Smart security, Smart policing, Smart buildings & Infrastructure, etc.” to mention few. Dr. Oualid is a member of several organizations related to his fields of interest. As a global speaker and world traveler, he has been invited, as keynote or guest speaker, to several local, regional and international events (more than 40 events each year). He has founded many international and national organisations related to his fields of interest.

Petrit Pasha

Lecturer, Department of Urban Planning and Architectural Design, Muscat

Petrit Pasha (Ph.D. Candidate) holds a BSc, Architecture & Engineering, University of Pristina, Kosovo, (2011), a Master in Parametric Architecture, Anhalt University of Applied Sciences - Bauhaus, Germany, (2013). Petrit is currently working on his Ph.D. topic: The role of Metadata Processing in Generative Designs, at the UCSI University, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia (expected conclusion 2020).

Matt Kitson

CEng, BEng(hons), MCIBSE, MASHRAE, FRSA,Fellow Geddes Institute, Academician Academy of Urbanism,Design Director, Qatar

Matthew is a Design Director with a focus on International relationships and has been employed by the practice for over 20 years. During this time Matt has been responsible for building our Sustainability Consultancy team who were involved in a wide range of signature buildings. Matt’s work has spanned over the United Kingdom and internationally with projects such as 30 St Mary Axe London through to a number of 2022 World Cup Stadiums in Qatar. Matt’s design ethos is to provide city designs and buildings that are people focussed, environmentally progressive, functional, sustainable and healthy. He also presents at a number of industry conferences and seminars in the UK and globally, sharing his wealth of knowledge and experience. Core topics he has presented include: buildings physics applied in practice energy efficiency and using big data to create sustainable designs.

Angelo Iorio

CEO and Technical Director, A.Ni.Ma 2 S.r.l., Italy

Angelo Iorio is a nuclear engineer, since 2010 he has been assistant professor at the design department of the Politecnic of Milan (Italy). After a career as a manager at some multinational companies, he co-founded A.Ni.Ma 2, a company specialized in materials and technological services, in particular for professional sanitation.Writer of 2 technical manuals and 6 articles for the bi-monthly Mensa Italy.