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by This email address is being protected from spam bots, you need Javascript enabled to view it on Saturday, 31 October 2009
Ista International managing director Tarek El Far discusses how his company’s billing solutions can benefit both the environment and the purse strings.
What systems and services does your company offer?
Ista is the global leader of energy and water consumption-based billing and has 100 years of experience. Our offices are in Germany but we have global presence and installations in 26 countries, plus millions of meters and billed units. Europe and the US are the main markets, served by 4600 employees. The company offers radio frequency technology, including hardware, as well as a range of flexible billing solutions. Web portals, energy management, retrofitting and consultancy services are also integral parts of the portfolio.
What are consumption-based billing and sub-metering?
Metering is from the utility or district cooling plants to the building. Sub-metering is inside the building. The consumption cost is often distributed by square feet. This is not fair; since tenants do not know whose energy they are paying for and cannot even arrange their own energy finances. Consumption-based billing means paying only for individual consumption based on the accurate reading of the sub-metering system.
What differentiates you in the market place?
Ista’s innovative wireless solution is cutting-edge technology. It features bi-directional frequency, whereby meters are sending and receiving. This eliminates the need for numerous data concentrators, saving hardware cost and time during installation and programming. It combines all types of energy (chilled water, water, gas and electricity) in a single bill, and includes a tailor-made web portal. This system has recently been awarded a best practice award for outstanding performance. The same system has been specified for the iconic Burj Dubai.
What is the value of the Burj Dubai contract and what is the scope of the work?
We can’t talk much about this. However, the building challenges the laws of physics so you can imagine the level of sophistication it takes to execute this job.
How do your services stand to benefit the region in terms of energy efficiency and green building?
You can save energy but, first, you have to know where exactly energy is being used so that you can manage it. Sub-metering identifies this and is proven to save 10% to 20% of energy consumption. It helps facilities managers do a good job, and it helps optimise building designs and energy requirements.
What customer base are you targeting?
We offer services to utility professionals, real estate developers, facilities managers and district coolers. Building management system suppliers and MEP contractors often require the hardware as well. In general, we work on mixed-use projects.
Why did you choose to set up business in the Middle East?
The Middle East was a possible location for the company to expand to but it was handled remotely from our head office in Germany. However, to cope with the phenomenal growth in the Middle East, particularly in the GCC countries, we established Ista Middle East in 2007. UAE leaders always look for best practice, innovative solutions when it comes to energy savings and reduction of carbon emissions, so the Middle East was the perfect hub for Ista.
What is your outlook for the future? Has the economic slowdown had any significant impact on your business?
We often talk about privatisation, outsourcing and cooperation between government and private sectors, however, this is still not the case in our field. Energy providers should outsource services and focus on their core business. Authorities like Dubai Green Buildings and Estidama will make this happen.
Tarek El Far is the managing director of Ista in the Middle East, based in Dubai and covering the Middle East and North Africa. Tarek is an Egyptian who moved to the UAE 10 years ago as the business development manager for a global leader in the electrical substations field. His task was to expand the business in the UAE.
His engineering background, along with 13 years with a multinationals in various countries, exposed him to utlities best practices. As a result, in January 2008 he was chosen by Ista International to establish and manage the company’s operation in the region through Ista Middle East. Through his leadership, Ista Middle East is expanding rapidly as major developers and district cooling plants become aware of the benefits of the Ista business model.
His engineering background, along with 13 years with a multinationals in various countries, exposed him to utlities best practices. As a result, in January 2008 he was chosen by Ista International to establish and manage the company’s operation in the region through Ista Middle East. Through his leadership, Ista Middle East is expanding rapidly as major developers and district cooling plants become aware of the benefits of the Ista business model.
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