High-Ambient Air Conditioning: Qatar’s Evolving Cooling Market
- brg_news_room
- Dec 22, 2025
- 4 min read
Qatar’s climate is among the harshest in the world, with summer temperatures regularly rising above 45°C. In such conditions, air conditioning is not a luxury but a necessity. AC systems designed to operate efficiently and reliably at extreme ambient temperatures, often above 50°C, are therefore essential. Gulf nations use special performance ratings such as T3 at 46°C and T4 at 48°C for AC testing, and manufacturers build units to function continuously well beyond 50°C. Some high-efficiency rooftop and VRF systems are even third-party tested to run at 52–56°C ambient temperature. As a result, cooling systems in Qatar operate year-round and dominate energy use in a typical building. ACs account for 70–80 percent of electricity consumption, and roughly 60 percent of the nation’s total power is used for cooling. Ensuring this level of high-temperature performance is therefore critical to keep homes and businesses comfortable during Qatar’s relentless summer.
Major global brands supplying the Qatari market cater specifically to these needs. Companies such as Carrier Global, offering window units, chillers, packaged systems, air-handling units, ducted splits, and VRFs, and Daikin Industries, providing mini-splits, chillers, packaged units, air-handling units, and VRFs, have developed models suited to high-ambient conditions. Similarly, Gree supplies mini-splits, window units, packaged systems, and VRFs designed for continuous high-temperature operation. Fujitsu General focuses on mini-splits, window units, and VRFs, while Midea provides mini-splits, window units, ducted splits, and VRFs engineered for tropical climates. LG Electronics, offering mini-splits, window units, and VRFs, has also strengthened its presence by supplying systems that maintain efficiency even during peak heat.
The extreme environment has made Qatar one of the most demanding markets for air-conditioning performance, driving significant investment and innovation within the HVAC industry. In recent years, the government’s ongoing infrastructure expansion spanning housing projects, hospitality developments, commercial towers, and public facilities has continued to boost HVAC demand. Supported by a strong construction pipeline and diversification efforts under Qatar National Vision 2030, the market has maintained good momentum. Developers and facility owners are increasingly prioritizing systems that ensure uninterrupted performance during heatwaves while also reducing energy intensity, aligning both with comfort expectations and sustainability goals.
The surge in residential and mixed-use construction, combined with rising replacement demand for older cooling systems, has kept the sector on a positive trajectory. High-ambient performance units, especially VRF, ducted split, and packaged rooftop systems supplied by brands such as Carrier, Daikin, Gree, Fujitsu General, Midea, and LG remained in strong demand due to their proven efficiency in Qatar’s climate. Moreover, public sector projects and upcoming developments in Lusail, Al Wakrah, and the industrial zones further supported market expansion, signaling a steady outlook for 2025 and beyond.
This growing demand has also influenced Qatar’s import patterns. The country remains heavily dependent on imported air-conditioning systems and components, and total imports increased notably in 2024 to meet rising project requirements. China emerged as the leading source of HVAC imports, followed by Thailand, India, and the UAE. Chinese manufacturers, including brands such as Gree and Midea, have captured a major share of the market with competitively priced, high-ambient-rated models and expanding distribution networks. Thailand and India have strengthened their positions through the supply of tropical-grade inverter and split systems, while the UAE continues to serve as a vital re-export hub for assembled units and spare parts within the region.
Manufacturers have increasingly focused on developing and supplying systems specifically built for Gulf-standard performance. These include units equipped with enhanced compressors, corrosion-resistant coils, and high-capacity heat exchangers that ensure consistent cooling even under 55°C ambient temperatures. The adoption of inverter and variable refrigerant flow (VRF) technology has also accelerated, helping buildings optimize cooling loads and reduce overall energy usage. This is particularly important in Qatar, where ACs operate almost continuously, and even small efficiency improvements can translate into significant savings at the national scale.
Sustainability is another major theme shaping the sector’s future. In line with Qatar’s environmental objectives, builders and facility managers are shifting toward energy-efficient AC units with low-global-warming-potential (GWP) refrigerants. Government policies and certification frameworks such as GSAS (Global Sustainability Assessment System) encourage developers to select systems that combine thermal comfort with reduced environmental impact. Consequently, suppliers are focusing on designs that minimize carbon footprints without compromising cooling performance, positioning the HVAC industry as a key contributor to the country’s long-term sustainability agenda.
Looking ahead, the outlook for Qatar’s HVAC market remains highly positive.
Continuous infrastructure investments, growing population density, and rising comfort standards will keep demand strong across residential, commercial, and industrial segments. The next phase of market evolution will likely emphasize locally assembled, smart-enabled, and high-ambient-certified systems that offer both durability and digital efficiency. Advanced features such as AI-based monitoring, automated load balancing, and hybrid cooling solutions powered by renewable energy are expected to become mainstream in the coming years.
Find out more in our latest edition of Qatar HVAC report.
Source: Kajal Gupta, BRG Research
To purchase the detailed report, go to our online shop: BRG Heating and Cooling Report
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