Indoor air quality solutions take centre stage at Iraq

At the convention, attended by leading dealers, contractors, consultants & ministries from Iraq, Panasonic is showcasing its extensive line-up of Indoor Air Quality (IAQ) solutions for ventilation, air purification and energy saving, to create more comfortable, healthy and environmentally friendly living environment.

Panasonic's Indoor Air Quality solutions are designed and engineered to be used across various environments such as residential houses, offices, restaurants, hotels etc.

The convention offers an ideal opportunity to sample and review the wide range of innovative products on display. The key product highlights for the convention comprised of Ceiling Fan - F-56MZ2 with new safety features and Ventilation Fan - FV-25AUF1- Wall Mount Type for kitchen and FV-10EGS1- Wall Mount Type and FV- 15WH3 - Window Mount Type for bathrooms.

In addition to this, other new products like, Range Hood, Air Curtain, Hand Dryer, Air Purifier, Electric Fan and Water Pump were also showcased.

Commenting on the convention, Mr. Kamran Khan, Deputy Managing Director, Panasonic Gulf Fz said, "Iraq's economy has witnessed a manifold transformation over the last few years and the Iraqi government has contributed substantially to this evolution. Diversification of business and appropriate allocation of resources have been vital contributors. Through this convention, we want to showcase our extensive range and tap into this potential market."

Mr. Kiminobu Yamamoto, Group Manager of Fan R&D, Panasonic Manufacturing Malaysia Berhad, said, "Panasonic is a leading brand when it comes to the ceiling fans market in Iraq. We foresee this to rise considerably and the solutions we offer are not only of top quality, durability and efficiency; they are extremely eco friendly as well."

Also, Panasonic's ceiling fans are the only fans equipped with a variety of safety features such as 'motor & blade fall off prevention' and 'fire prevention' which could eliminate risk of accidents happening by improper installation.

Similarly, Panasonic's Kitchen Ventilation Fans come equipped with a unique filter option and are a new product range from Panasonic for the Iraqi market. This filter type collects oil effectively and is ideal for kitchen use.

On the other hand, Panasonic's Bathroom Ventilation Fans are compact yet powerful. They are easy to install and help to improve indoor air quality by eliminating moisture and foul smell by using highly performed mechanical ventilation.

Commenting on the association with Panasonic, Mr Riad AlMawy, Managing Director, Al Manzil Electronics Group, said, "We have been a historical and strategic partner for Panasonic in Iraq and the fan & air solution market is experiencing a strong & robust demand that will be addressed by the new line up and range of innovative products in the Iraqi Market, backed by Al Manzil Golden Warranty."

The NRC research team studied the heating season performance of displacement ventilation in several schools and in laboratory tests at their Indoor Environment Research Facility. Volunteers participating in the latter were satisfied with the thermal conditions supplied by DV. However, in the majority of the school studies, it was clear that further efficiency gains could be made with these systems. The most common problem was that the outdoor air flow rates were based on mixing ventilation, without taking into account the improved efficiency of displacement ventilation.

Participants in a recent NRC-sponsored workshop on DV confirmed the need for research into overall system integration and for improved guidelines and standards. NRC researchers, in reporting the results of their findings, confirmed the experience of many of the participants, all of whom had experience with these systems.

The consensus among industry representatives and researchers was that examining the interaction of displacement ventilation and radiant heating/cooling systems was the next step in efforts to enhance efficiency and performance. Participants highlighted the need for detailed methodical research of the type offered by NRC, as they do not have the means to do this on their own.

NRC is currently seeking partners for the next stage of research, so that new DV designs can be implemented with significantly improved performance. This will assist industry to reach consensus regarding the design process and operational requirements of DV.

Due to the lack of working plumbing and sanitation systems on the ship, the petition states, "sewage and/or putrid water filled with urine and feces leaked onto floors, walls, and ceilings. This sewage and/or human waste sloshed around the vessel as the vessel listed while drifting and/or while under tow."

"Conditions became increasingly unbearable each day," the lawsuit alleges, "due to the lack of a working ventilation system on the vessel, leading to noxious odors and gasses that caused numerous passengers to vomit and/or become nauseous."

The lawsuit also charges that Carnival's decision to tow the Triumph to Mobile, instead of to the closer port of Progreso, Mexico, caused passengers to endure more time aboard the disabled vessel than necessary, prolonging their ordeal.

"The primary motivation for that (decision) was money," Winkleman said. "It was much cheaper for Carnival to tow the ship to Mobile where it would be repaired, rather than (have it towed) to Mexico and have another tow (from there) back to Alabama. It's cheaper to put 3,000 people on buses to Galveston than to have to fly them from Mexico."