HVAC
Digitising HVAC design to achieve net zero How digital twins can dramatically reduce heating and cooling energy costs and carbon emissions, by Chris Davis, Hysopt
Low carbon recovery Back in July, the Committee on Climate Change (CCC) said that the Government must seize the opportunity to turn the economic recovery from the Covid-19 crisis into a defining moment in the fight against climate change. The energy systems owned and operated by universities are comparable in scale and complexity to many UK towns; and as a sector, consumption of gas and electricity - along with associated carbon emissions – are on an industrial scale. Within this, the challenge to decarbonise heating and cooling is a perennial and increasingly urgent issue. According to data released by HESA1 (higher education statistics agency) around 60% of energy use in university campus estates is for the production of heating and hot water.
with during this time. The broader questions over if, when and how life might return to university campuses are now starting to be answered; however from an energy point of view, common feedback includes: • Energy consumption and savings during the lock-down period reduced somewhat, but not as much as might have been expected; • Moving forwards – for the short term at least - the way in which estates buildings will be used will change significantly (less buildings occupied than normal, but with longer hours of daily operation); • New guidance from CIBSE on safe ventilation of buildings (higher air change rates and no heat recovery from exhaust air) will come at the cost of energy saving and carbon emissions reduction;
Energy challenges The past 6 months of course have been a tumultuous time for universities, not least for the many energy managers that we’ve spoken
At the same time, UK universities are in the vanguard of the drive towards net-zero carbon, with at least 19 universities having declared climate emergencies2, and with many having
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set themselves challenging targets to achieve Net Zero Carbon, some by as soon as 2030. With a seeming conflict between short-term operational vs long term strategic challenges in mind, how can digitisation of HVAC systems help universities tackle decarbonisation and energy costs across their estates? What is a digital twin? A digital twin is a virtual replica of something physical – be it an asset, product, or system. The technology helps create an interface that bridges the digital and physical worlds, for example in construction and building management. Digital twins enable designers and building managers to “predict the future” of their installation – and to bring transparency to help answer difficult questions that might otherwise rely on assumptions or rules of thumb. In the case of heating and cooling installations and district heating networks, HVAC digital twins are able to provide university estates professionals with a much clearer
