New Products

For further information on products and services visit www.eibi.co.uk/enquiries and enter the appropriate online enquiry number

Service helps keep control of RHI data

It is important for Renewable Heat Incentive (RHI) participants to take and submit regular meter readings to Ofgem correctly and at the right time as they determine how much you will get paid through the scheme.

Any incorrect data submissions can result in withheld RHI payments or unsuspected compliance action being taken. Submitting data can be a complex process. However, NFU Energy’s Periodic Data Submission (PDS) service looks after this by removing the hassle and giving peace of mind that RHI payments will continue. NFU Energy is making available a team experts to check, prepare and submit data and provide support at every stage. Our PDS service is priced dependent on the complexity of the systems in place. However, at a fixed monthly price you receive a quality assured PDS service that includes the following benefits: • a timely submission of periodic data to Ofgem; • sense check of data to check for any anomalies ahead of submission to Ofgem; • a dedicated point of contact; and • e-mail and telephone support. ONLINE ENQUIRY 102

Expansion of hot water product range 'Plug-and-play' ventilation monitor

ELCO has expanded its range of hot water products, which now comprises over 60 direct, indirect and storage models.

The TRIGON XL WH direct gas water heater, which boasts an advanced burner design, ensuring it is the most technologically advanced and best performing unit on the market. There are three different versions to choose from including: Standard, Industrial and Swimming Pool, each with seven different models from 142kW to 540kW. The Standard (WRAS approved) and Industrial versions can satisfy a continuous DHW delivery of up to 10,563 litres/hour, while the Swimming Pool derivative offers up to 27,354 litres/hour.

TRIGON XL WH units are suitable for a variety of commercial projects, including health clubs, manufacturing plants and commercial laundrettes.

Another addition to the commercial water heater range is the Tudor NHREC direct gas water heater. This condensing appliance incorporates a room sealed premix combustion system fired by Natural Gas or LPG, perfect for medium to large commercial use. There are three different models in the range from 18kW to 61kW with a storage capacity from 213 litres to 350 litres, satisfying a continuous DHW delivery of up to 1,196 litres/hour. Complementing the Tudor NHREC is its sister product, the Tudor NHREX, a high efficiency atmospheric unit perfect for refurbishments. There are four models with outputs from 18kW to 52kW each with a storage capacity ranging from 180 litres to 320 litres.

Both Tudor NHREC and NHREX water heaters are constructed from carbon steel with an enamel lining and incorporate a Protech electronic anode system, magnesium anode and dual cylinder protection as standard.

Within the newly expanded water heater range, ELCO also offers indirect single coil calorifiers – the stainless steel Inox-Maxi SSC1 and the Polywarm-Maxi PWC1 are both economical calorifiers certified to KIWA UK Regulation 4. The Inox-Maxi SSC1 comprises six models in the range from 44 to 84kW, with a storage capacity from 500 litres to 2000 litres. The Polywarm-Maxi PWC1 comprises four models from 34kW to 74kW, with storage capacity from 500 litres to 1500 litres. Prefect Controls has launched a range of oil-filled electric radiators designed for student accommodation.

The heater incorporates Prefect’s patented EnergyLock - giving energy managers access to the unique control features of the Irus central control and Ecostat2 local control systems. Savings of up to 25 per cent have been attained compared with mechanical convectors. Providers of student accommodation now have the choice of an alternative heater style and performance profile. This modern, silent radiator includes innovative thermofluid technology that gives a quick but gentle warmth and a healthy heat diffusion that doesn’t dry the air. Accessio has been compared with the comfort of a central heating system, maintaining longer-lasting heat even after power to the radiator has been turned off.

EnergyLock-Accessio is available in 750W, 1,000W, 1,250W, 1,500W and 2,000W outputs, but measurements, due to the compact design, are only 575mm tall and 128mm deep with varying widths of 490mm (750W) to 973mm (2,000W). The range has an appropriate heater for any application.

Ventilation, in the current pandemic, is one of the most important factors in helping reduce the relative risk of the airborne transmission of COVID-19.

In response, a UK manufactured, USB powered ‘plug and play’ CO2 monitor has been launched in 2021 to provide a cost-effective solution. The Vision CO2 Monitor helps determine if further ventilation is required by providing a clear digital readout and focuses on a bold traffic light display to indicate that further ventilation is required when it matters.

“This CO2 monitor is particularly appropriate for offices, site cabins, and schools where there are installation constraints, facilitating a fast but reliable method of monitoring the risk of COVID transmission,’ commented Andy Green, who developed the unit.

“Most buildings are naturally ventilated and rely on opening windows for fresh air, or use air recirculation systems that have been switched off, so without a CO2 monitor there is no way of knowing if spaces such as offices and classrooms are adequately ventilated,” added Green. “There are a number of ‘cheap’ units available online, however these focus on gimmick displays rather than the required traffic light indication.”

ONLINE ENQUIRY 101

Oil-filled radiators for student homes

Heat Recovery & Ventilation

For further information on Aermec UK visitwww.eibi.co.uk/enquiriesand enter ENQUIRY No. 139

Clifford Saunders is senior applications engineer, Aermec UK

Shedding a light on air quality

The quality of the air we breathe has never been so important. UV systems safeguard indoor air quality and can help increase efficiencies of ventilation systems, says Clifford Saunders

The global pandemic has drawn attention to the importance of indoor air quality across the globe. And while the focus has been on buildings in the healthcare and education sectors, it is now shifting and encompassing all buildings. Along with reducing energy, cutting emissions and improving ROIs, building owners and managers are being encouraged to explore technologies than can help minimise the spread of pathogens including Coronaviruses. Ultraviolet light is being mooted as a solution that can address hygiene issues without compromising energy efficiencies.

The government is keen for buildings to be well ventilated and reliant on fresh air. Even before the pandemic struck, workplace regulations (2010) recommended that every occupant benefitted from 10 l/s of fresh air. But what if there’s an infected person in the building? A good supply of fresh air will help to dilute any infectious aerosol and help reduce the risk, but an HVAC system that incorporates ultraviolet light will be far more beneficial.

Since Covid arrived on our shores, we have all been encouraged to keep internal environments well ventilated. But once the temperature dips, it’s hardly practical. Ultraviolet light (UV) and its effectiveness in killing viruses is gaining traction and being heralded as a possible solution that could improve IAQ and make environments safer but also help boost efficiencies.

UV is not a new technology. Its ability to sterilise bacteria became known in 1878. It has been effectively used in the health sector and clinical environments for cleaning hospital floors, disinfecting operating rooms, patient treatment areas, wards as well as laboratories. Some hospitals even use robotised UV light systems to de-contaminated environments. It is a tried and trusted technology.

Covid, like many other pathogens, has been confirmed as airborne and

Ultraviolet light systems are gaining traction as a means of killing airborne viruses

it can be affected by many factors; temperature, humidity, frequency of doors opening and closing as well as room occupancy. Aermec examined ways of taking these factors into account and managing the spread of viruses. Recognising the ability of UV to break pathogens down biologically using UV, Aermec started designing fan coil units (FCUs) incorporating UV technology.

As airborne infections travel through the air, the high intensity UV light disinfects the air stream offering a solution for sanitising the air that we breathe.

UV destroys pathogens

There are many studies that show the efficacy of UV. North American studies for example have shown UV technology can destroy up to 97.7 per cent of pathogens and researchers at the University of Oregon’s Biology and Built Environment Centre have also shown how it can reduce the ability of some viruses to survive.

The task force created by ASHRAE (American Society of Heating Refrigeration and Air Conditioning Engineers) is assessing the effects of HVAC systems and the transmission of viruses in buildings, and has already suggested that changes to a building’s operation could help reduce the risks of pathogen transmission.

FCUs incorporating UV were selected as they are widely used in many HVAC systems. The units can be two or four-pipe configuration and are suitable for retrofits depending on the spatial limitations.

The units operate by relying on the sanitising action of a photocatalytic system which has been proven to make legionella, fungi, mould and other virus bacteria such as flu and SARS inactive.

The units incorporate an Ultra Violet C (UVC) germicidal lamp with a Titanium Dioxide (TiO2) surface. When radiated by the lamp, any pollutants in the air flow are broken down into harmless substances by the free radicals created by the UVC and the TiO2 surface. The UVC lamp is shielded, so the device is harmless and has no effect on people in the room.

These units are now being used in hospitals as well as commercial premises. Almost all commercial air conditioning systems could be designed to integrate UV technology.

As well as improving IAQ, and destroying airborne microorganisms, an added bonus is that UV systems can also help preserve system capacity and reduce maintenance which in turns generates energy saving benefits. UV systems can also be virtually maintenance free, which is an added bonus and reduces HVAC maintenance costs.

The Aermec FCUs have specially designed fan impellers to deliver high fan efficiency and low sound. The UV element itself does not generate any energy reduction but savings can be achieved dependent on the model selected. For example, those with a brushless DC motor (also known as an EC or Electronically Commutated) will be more energy efficient.

UV can also help to reduce duct cleaning, as the FCU is killing the bacteria but is not a substitute for effective cleaning strategies. The sterilising effect of the lamp is an enhancement to cleaning regimes, rather than a replacement.

Ensuring healthy levels of IAQ is now being viewed as an essential. Maybe one of the positives to emerge from the pandemic is a more pragmatic stance and where we question just how clean are our internal environments?

Covid has generated greater awareness of the possibility of other Coronaviruses. Maybe now is the time to ensure that HVAC systems don’t just deliver comfort but sanitise the air we breathe? 

Andrea Pagan is CAREL application manager - ventilation and systems

Heat Recovery & Ventilation

For further information on CAREL visitwww.eibi.co.uk/enquiriesand enter ENQUIRY No. 138

Balance health and energy use

Correct ventilation system operation can help create a healthy and sustainable indoor environment. But are system efficiency and human health compatible?, asks Andrea Pagan

People spend up to 90 per cent of their time indoors. However, the downside is that it has been proven that poor indoor air quality has significant effects on health and productivity.

In addition, the COVID-19 health emergency has considerably increased collective awareness about indoor air contamination.

Regulations and guidelines issued by the leading public health bodies indicate how attention needs to be paid to many different factors involving air handling units and ventilation systems, such as managing the air change rate, the microclimatic parameters that are important for health and the purity of the fresh air intake, as well as reconfiguration of the equipment and maintenance intervals and procedures. All of these aspects have a considerable impact on health and well-being, yet also involve an increase in energy consumption.

The latest emerging challenge is therefore: can human health and ventilation system efficiency coexist? Monitoring systems, control and optimisation strategies can play a fundamental role in making the systems healthier and safer.

In commercial buildings, ventilation is typically provided by an air handling unit (AHU) connected to ducting that runs through the building. AHUs remove air from contaminated indoor spaces, or air that is simply too hot or too cold, and replace it with clean, fresh air at the right temperature and humidity. In the past, indoor air quality regulations were mainly focused on providing a minimum level of thermal comfort.

Over the years, increased attention to sustainability and new eco-design regulations have helped resolve the difficult dilemma between reducing energy consumption and creating a comfortable indoor environment.

Nonetheless, the new safety guidelines that need to be applied

Monitoring systems can play a fundamental role in making ventilation systems healthier and safer

have a negative impact on energy consumption. An intelligent ventilation control and monitoring system can therefore be the key to successfully combining the objectives of health and efficiency. An intelligent system is one that reacts and adapts the set points and operating modes to the specific requirements of the user and the controlled environment. For example, when occupancy is lower, ventilation can be reduced to a minimum level, guaranteeing adequate indoor air quality while reducing energy consumption.

Greater need for ventilation

Let’s take a practical case: in general, the more people there are in an indoor space, the greater the need for ventilation with fresh outside air to ensure occupant comfort. Traditionally, the concentration of CO2 has been used as the sole reference parameter for adjusting the level of indoor ventilation.

This is in fact a commonly adopted solution for combining comfort and energy saving. However, this parameter is insufficient on its own to ensure a healthy environment. Indeed, it has been found that other chemical contaminants, for example relating to massive use of sanitising agents above all in this period, reach peaks in concentration that are on a time scale are not perfectly aligned with the level of occupation. What technological solution can help solve this problem then? First of all, an indoor air quality monitoring system.

The starting point is the assumption that “if you can’t measure it, you can’t improve it”. Using multiple sensors to read information on indoor and outdoor air conditions provides a real-time understanding of how the building is used and how this changes over time.

The second step involves controlling the AHU with advanced operating logic. Multiple parameters can be used to together understand the level of contamination, and these have different trends in terms of both space and time. As mentioned, controlling ventilation based on the CO2 concentration alone is generally insufficient. DCV (demand-controlled ventilation) therefore needs to be based on multiple parameters - CO2, VOC, PM 2.5-10 - so as to control different indicators of contamination at the same time and thus adapt the ventilation system so that each of these is kept inside the pre-defined limits at all times. Pre- and postventilation and purging functions based on the building’s occupancy profiles can ensure that indoor spaces are always safe before use. Moreover, adjusting indoor pressurisation and monitoring absolute filters for clogging can help maintain a high level of hygiene. Finally, advanced humidification control, in particular using adiabatic systems, is a key factor in ensuring optimal conditions with minimum energy consumption.

The third step is a data collection and analysis system. IoT technologies make it possible to continuously know both the quality of the air supplied by the system and the operation of the units, so as to verify whether there are any deviations between ideal and actual conditions. This allows service to be planned in the event of declines in performance or malfunctions.

There is a wide range of factors that can influence indoor air quality and potentially increase the health risk. However, there are ways to manage HVAC systems safely, without jeopardising sustainability and zero-emission targets. Awareness, control and optimisation are key concepts to achieving these goals. There is clearly no one single answer, but rather an intelligent set of different design steps and technologies that can help make buildings healthier, safer and more sustainable. 

Heat Recovery & Ventilation

For further information on KNX UK visitwww.eibi.co.uk/enquiriesand enter ENQUIRY No. 140

Andy Davis is product manager at Siemens Building Technologies and serves as a member of the KNX UK Board.

Keeping CO2 levels under control can lead to productivity gains of up to 18 per cent

Take well-being back to basics

Andy Davis believes indoor air quality and energy efficiency are not mutually exclusive. But starting with the correct data is the first step on the road

Iam a career advocate of intelligent control for all types of projects but I still think a lot of projects need to get the basics of health and wellbeing right before worrying about more intelligence! It may not be as sexy as human-centric lighting but we need to really take indoor air quality (IAQ) seriously. Until we do, intelligent control cannot fulfil its potential and we will not get the energy efficient, healthy and productive environments we must surely all aspire to?

We need to ensure more project managers, consultants and engineers give higher prominence to humidity, CO2, PM2.5 (fine dust) and VOC (volatile organic compounds) control before we start worrying about the next steps. All have the potential to impact health, wellbeing and productivity in offices and classrooms etc. Once projects broaden the range of values they want to measure and control, then we have the right data to ensure buildings are operated efficiently and healthily.

The scale of the challenge

A quick reminder of the scale of the IAQ challenge, beyond the alreadymandatory control of noxious fumes etc. We all know by now that even a small increase in CO2 levels can have a drastic effect on cognitive functions. Inadequate ventilation quickly results in lower productivity. Siemens market research found estimates of productivity gains from 2-18 per cent as a result of keeping CO2 levels under control. The middle ground was taken by the Federation of European Heating, Ventilation and Air Conditioning (REHVA) which estimates the gains at 10 per cent.

I could quote myriad sources and figures all day but it can all be translated into hard cash. A 2017 study at the Harvard TH Chan School of Public Health suggested that doubling the ASHRAE (American Society of Heating, Refrigeration and Air-conditioning Engineers) recommended ventilation rate from 10 to 20 litres/sec/person would increase costs by less than $40 per person per annum. However, it also said that doing so would also deliver productivity gains of $6,500 per person per annum. On that basis, it should not be hard to persuade a client to invest in optional IAQ measures.

I do believe that every project, from the most simple to the most complex, can be engineered to deliver the optimum environment. Energy efficiency has been high on everyone’s agenda for years, with health and wellbeing at best a secondary consideration and at worst something to pay lip service to or to take only as far as regulations and codes of practice require. The two should not be mutually exclusive. We live and work in virtually airtight buildings these days: it’s not as if effective ventilation means throwing open the windows to the elements and haemorrhaging heat energy. We have the tools we need to integrate HVAC control with occupancy and demand with real-time dynamic interworking between the devices controlling different applications. There is just no reason NOT to include IAQ control.

Open protocol landscape

That neatly leads me to KNX, which is a key part of the open protocol landscape, working alongside protocols such as BACnet to ensure projects of any scale, be they brand new, refurbishments or evolving mixes of legacy and new infrastructure can benefit from intelligent control. Implicit in that is the fact that buildings need to capture more data on occupancy, environmental data and energy usage. The name of the game is total room automation, with systems like Siemens Desigo, which offers KNX compatibility. By opening a building control system to products from over 500 manufacturers, KNX gives systems engineers all the scope they need to achieve just that.

Does COVID-19 blow all this thinking out of the water? This time last year I’d have been talking about how office space per person has decreased from over 50m3 in 1970 to less than 15m3 in 2017. Now we hear about how social distancing in the office and more working from home will likely persist for the foreseeable future. We do know, however, that it only takes small changes in IAQ to affect concentration and decision making – the potential for IAQ control to add value does not go away. Building managers will be looking carefully at balancing running costs with occupancy: don’t let them forget to include the productivity gains of better air quality in their calculations. 