Stepping up efficiency Intelligent technologies for temperature control

From building automation systems to energy analysis software, the HVAC sector is constantly developing more efficient and sustainable technologies for heating our buildings. Victoria Hattersley reports.

STEPPING uP EFFICIENCy IN hVaC

HVAC systems are the subject of sustainability and efficiency improvements in many areas. This is due in part to the huge amount of energy they can consume, and in part to the high costs related to their installation, operation and maintenance.

According to the Carbon Trust, heating and hot water can account for 60 per cent of a building’s total energy use, while ventilation can account for around 30 per cent of heat loss in commercial buildings. Meanwhile, air-conditioning can increase a building’s energy consumption and associated carbon emissions by up to 100 per cent.

Fortunately, there are ways in which we can save energy and make these systems more efficient. Given the unstoppable rise of Industry 4.0, intelligent building solutions are of course a part of this. A study prepared in 2014 for eu.bac (European Building Automation and Controls Association) looked at the potential energy savings from the increased application of heating controls in residential properties across the European Union. Results show that the enhanced adoption of existing heating control technologies (2014) in EU homes led to peak annual energy savings of over 50TWh per year, nominal fuel bill savings of around €4.3 billion and CO2 savings of nearly 12MtCO2 per year. Below are just some of the areas of focus for the HVAC industry today.

Building automation systems

Many of us will already have a smart thermostat in our house. These operate very much like a programmable thermostat but take the technology to the next level by

adding Wi-Fi connectivity and other smart features. They can be accessed through a smartphone and can even send energydiagnostic reports to show the user where they are wasting energy. It is no longer enough for an HVAC manufacturer to offer advanced systems – to be competitive in today’s marketplace they also need to be integrated across multiple platforms.

Take the Daikin Sky Air A-series, the winner of the ‘Energy Efficient Product of the Year HVACR’ at the Energy Awards 2017. Not only is the system quiet and energy-efficient, but it also enables the user to control their heating system via a tablet or mobile device using the new intelligent Tablet Controller and Daikin Cloud Service.

The smart thermostat is just one of the facets of Building Automation Systems (BAS) that can provide efficiency savings on a daily basis. In its June 2017 report ‘Opening the door to smart buildings’, the Buildings Performance Institute Europe (BPIE) emphasises that a smart building: “i) stabilises and drives a faster decarbonisation of the energy system through energy storage and demand-side flexibility; (ii) empowers its users and occupants with control over the energy flows; (iii) recognises and reacts to users’ and occupants’ needs in terms of comfort, health, indoor air quality, safety as well as operational requirements.”

Busch-Jaeger is another company that has been building its offering in the area of intelligent building management. Its Buschtacteo control panel is universally applicable with glass sensors with non-contact reaction, offering almost unlimited possibilities for intelligent networking. The system can control functions such as blinds, heating, air conditioning or lighting.

energy analysis software

All living spaces can be analysed and measured to produce an ‘HVAC load’, which refers to the space an HVAC system is required to heat and cool. As systems vary in size, they should be installed with an eye to the specific load requirements of each space. If no thought is given to measurement of the HVAC load, then an over- or undersized system can be installed which will waste both energy and money.

Companies such as the international air-conditioning specialist Trane offer energy analysis software that can accurately identify the most energy-efficient HVAC system for a particular space. The TRACE 700 tool, for example, helps HVAC professionals to compare the energy and economic impact of building-related selections such as architectural features, HVAC systems, HVAC equipment and financial options.

Ductless systems

While many are still using conventional heating and cooling systems using duct networks to distribute air throughout the home, we are seeing a rise in the development and use of advanced ductless systems. Instead of using ducts to distribute air, this method pumps the refrigerant directly into an air handler, where fans below blow heated or cooled air directly into a room. These systems offer enhanced flexibility as, since there is no need to connect them to ducts, they can be placed anywhere in a room. This also increases efficiency as they can be placed in the optimum position to heat or cool the room.

The ductless heating market continues to grow, with Mitsubishi Electric one of its most well-known exponents. Its popular MXZ-5B multi-zone ductless series offers individual zone control to as many as eight indoor units from a single outdoor unit.

Systems of the future

All of the above are just some of the examples that indicate the way the HVAC market is heading. But there are so many different areas of development it would be impossible to list them all here. Other exciting fields include the growing interest in geothermal heat pumps (not to be confused with geothermal energy) to heat and cool homes, or the importance of indoor air quality to increase HVAC efficiency, leading to ever-more sophisticated air-cleaning systems. But what all of these have in common – as with every other field of innovation today – is that they are driven by the need to reduce the environmental impact of HVAC systems.