Midea Building Technologies TRUE Conference Driving Decarbonization through Innovation

Attendees began their visit with a tour of the Midea Group headquarters and the Midea Building Technologies Exhibition hall, exploring the company’s factories and engineering project samples. The visit allowed participants to gain extensive insight into Midea’s advanced manufacturing technologies, R&D capabilities, and the brand’s leading position in the industry. 

The conference officially kicked off on January 11, setting the stage for the main forum featuring experts from the government, industry, and research institutes to share their insights. Notably, Nabil Shahin, Managing Director of AHRI Middle East, explored the critical role of buildings in mitigating climate change in his keynote speech, “Decarbonization for a Sustainable Energy Future”.  He pointed to the growing global demand for HVAC systems and outlined strategies for achieving energy efficiency in buildings through the use of energy-efficient building materials, energy-saving equipment, the integration of renewable energy technologies, and the adoption of shading devices and passive cooling techniques. 

The International Sub-Forum, with its compelling agenda, was a pivotal segment of the conference. Experts from different countries and regions came together to share insights on the latest trends that are emerging in the field of green, smart buildings and developments on climate change.

Henry Cheng, Vice President of Midea Building Technologies, took the stage as the opening speaker at the TRUE conference, addressing the theme of the Sub-Forum “Ever Green, Ever Forward” . In the face of climate change and environmental degradation, Cheng emphasized the pivotal role of buildings in shaping a sustainable future. He highlighted that energy-efficient and energy-flexible buildings represent the core of sustainable development, showcasing innovation and resilience. Additionally, Cheng underscored the importance of focusing on decarbonization in the low-carbon transition, with a specific emphasis on AI-driven building control optimization. He called for not only technological advancements but also a cultural shift to ensure the normative application of energy efficiency and flexible energy use in future buildings.

Nabil Shahin provided a comprehensive update on the 28^th UN Climate Change Conference (COP28), which mapped out the “lifeline” for global climate action and addressed the importance of decarbonization. He discussed the establishment of new initiatives including the Loss and Damage Fund and the Global Cooling Pledge, as well as breakthroughs in industry standards like specifications for “Resilient Buildings” specifications and HVAC Carbon Emission Standards.

Dr. Shengwei Wang, Director of the Research Institute for Smart Energy (RISE) at the Hong Kong Polytechnic University followed up with a presentation on “Smart and Optimal Control Technologies for Energy-Efficient and Energy-Flexible Buildings”. He delved into the latest industry trends, analyzing the applications and challenges of smart technologies, building energy systems, as well as emerging IT hardware and software technologies for enhancing building energy performance and advancing smart control R&D. 

The insights from Dr. Wang are echoed in the presentation by Dr. Rui Yan, Intelligent Technology Director of Midea MBT Advanced R&D Center, who illustrated Midea’s forward-looking approach in the application of smart technologies. He introduced the principles of AI-driven HVAC system optimization, detailing how energy-saving can be achieved through fine-tuning chiller units and improving air-side systems. Not only does this AI-centric building control optimization strategy incur minimal initial investments, but it is also easy to implement and results in significant energy efficiency improvement. In fact, multiple projects from idea Building Technologies have demonstrated efficient improvements ranging from 15% - 30% with this approach.

The widely-discussed topic of low-carbon transformation was explored by Zaki Mohammed, Director of Sustainability Advisory at the Gulf Organization for Research & Development (GORD). In his presentation titled “Trailblazing a Low Carbon Transformation”, he discussed strategies to implement energy efficiency improvements, sustainable development, and net-zero approaches, with an emphasis on accelerating the adoption of green solutions for a climate-adaptive future.

Subsequent presenters included Singapore’s Green Mark Accredited Professional Adam Yu, who discussed trends and applications for efficient chiller plants. Through data analysis, he highlighted the importance of optimizing HVAC energy consumption in achieving energy-saving goals, while addressing the latest technical routes for high-efficiency chiller plants – which include the use of high-efficiency equipment, optimized pipeline design, and intelligent control.

Meanwhile, Frank Cheng, Head of Digital Business Architecture and Ecological Center, Midea Building Technology Institute, shared case studies that demonstrated Midea’s ability to co-build sustainable and intelligent space. He highlighted Midea’s dual-carbon strategy and commitment to providing full lifecycle services for buildings worldwide to co-create sustainable, low-carbon urban ecosystems with its partners. By leveraging the extensive digital capabilities of the iBUILDING platform, Midea is continuing its expansion of digital intelligence applications to build an all-encompassing low-carbon industry solution. 

The International Sub-Forum also included a session where speakers provided their professional insights on sought-after topics including COP28, chiller development in the Gulf region, trends concerning the energy flexibility in buildings, the impact of ESG on the HVAC industry, and indoor comfort optimization through low-carbon operations. The session offered fresh ideas and solutions that provided audiences with new perspectives and profound insights into the future development of the HVAC industry. 

Another highlight of the conference was the International Business Exhibition Zone, which showcased the latest products catered to different market demands. Products such as the V8 Series VRF, the all-in-one ATOM T, US ducted units, thermal management products for energy storage systems, and ATW heat pumps were among the highlights of Midea’s extensive lineup, offering comprehensive, efficient, and energy-saving HVAC solutions for sustainable and intelligent buildings. 

In its third edition, the Midea Building Technologies TRUE Conference transcended beyond a technological showcase but served as a platform that fosters industry exchange and development. As a consistent host of impactful conferences, Midea Building Technologies continues to explore the infinite possibilities of digitization and its potential to reshape the industry. By envisioning a future defined by intricate connections and meaningful interactions between individuals and architecture, Midea is propelling the industry towards a sustainable future.