A Phoenix-based company’s advanced cooling technology is taking center stage at the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar.
Air2O, an evaporated cooling systems manufacturer, supplied 150 hybrid air conditioning units for the World Cup’s fan zone and installed 5,000 of its custom-designed jet nozzle diffusers to distribute cool air throughout the stadiums.
It also embedded 25,000 diffusers designed using 3D printers underneath the stadium’s seats to maintain comfortable temperatures for spectators, according to a company release.
Air2O CEO Mike Sullivan said discussions began several years ago with Qatar’s Supreme Committee for Delivery and Legacy to potentially utilize the company’s air conditioning systems at the 2022 FIFA World Cup.
“We were approached by a [committee] representative to learn more about Air2O, who we are and what we could do,” Sullivan said.
Qatar’s Supreme Committee for Delivery and Legacy is responsible for organizing infrastructure and development projects for the sporting event.
“They needed a hyper-customized solution and that’s what we specialize in as a company,” Sullivan said.
Sullivan and Moe Salem launched Air2O Cooling LLC in 2007. Since then, the company has been involved in large commercial cooling projects globally, some of which include data centers, and semiconductor and battery facilities.
Southwest Airlines, Universal Studios are also customers
The company’s cooling systems are used in hangars for Southwest Airlines at Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport and at Universal Studios Singapore in areas where people queue for amusement rides, Sullivan said.
Air2O’s hybrid air conditioning system combines two-stage evaporative cooling with ACSESS, an “intelligent” control system that automatically responds and adapts to outside weather conditions, switching from evaporative cooling to air-conditioning when needed. That process ensures greater efficiency and energy savings, according to the company.
“Most of our business is industrial and commercial, but we really focus on heating, ventilation and air conditioning solutions, which can’t be solved by off-the-shelf products,” Sullivan said.
The company is looking at expanding its presence in Arizona by providing advanced cooling systems to the growing semiconductor and battery industries, Sullivan said.
Air2O, which has offices in Europe and the Middle East, recently obtained an investment from Eren Industries, a subsidiary of France-based global renewable company Eren Groupe, Sullivan said. He did not disclose financial terms of the investment.
“They found out about us a couple of years ago and took a small stake in the business and have since increased their stake," Sullivan said of Eren Industries.
Sullivan relocated from Europe to Arizona more than four years ago to grow Air2O, which currently has 75 employees, he said.
The company has already garnered recognition from potential clients as a result of featuring its cooling systems at the World Cup, Sullivan added.
“It’s nice not to be the world’s biggest secret anymore,” Sullivan said. “[The World Cup] has certainly provided a lot of credibility to Air2O and our solutions.”
