Volume 8. Issue 03. March 2014 Rs. 25/-
THE
INSIDE TRACK CONNECTING THE DESIGN COMMUNITY Now view our web edition at www.theinsidetrack.in
HVAC Special
W
e all want to live comfortably, be that in our home or office. A major portion of that comfort stems from our environment: Is the room adequately ventilated? Is the air-conditioner set at the right temperature? Does the room feel too stuffy? We all have faced such scenarios. These circumstances are now in check with the availability of high-tech Heating Ventilation and Air Conditioning (HVAC) units that incorporate measures to reduce unwanted heat gain, reduce the cooling load in a building, maintain optimal temperature and provide clean air and thermal comfort to its occupants. India falls mainly under three climatic zones (hot-dry, warm-humid and composite), requiring cooling of buildings for almost 6-8 months. This contributes to significant energy consumption and costs. An efficient HVAC system can help cut down this energy usage as well as the resultant costs. A properly installed HVAC unit along with intelligent architectural planning can save up to 15-20% of your energy cost. External heat gain can be avoided by various measures which may be as simple as light coloured/reflective building surfaces, green roofs, awnings, solar screens, high performance glazing as well as the use of landscape and vegetation to block solar radiation and
The Indian HVAC Chapter
The growing demand for integrated HVAC systems in India has created a need for hightech, energy efficient units. Here’s a look at the current HVAC scenario and the best options for cost and energy savings. BY REHANA PENWALA provide evapotranspiration cooling. Using better energy efficient products like lights, computers, etc. and direct
venting of spot heat sources can also reduce internal heat gain substantially. Load reduction not only saves energy, it
An HVAC system assists in maintaining the right temperature and reduces the cooling load and the building’s energy consumption and costs
allows HVAC equipment to be smaller, resulting in first-cost savings. Since HVAC accounts for a significant portion (about 40%) of a commercial building’s energy use, it represents an opportunity for considerable energy savings and reducing carbon emissions. Efficient HVAC systems optimise the delivery system by reducing the velocity, pressure and friction losses in ducts and piping; use high-efficiency fans and non-vapour compression cooling techniques like natural ventilation with cool outside air, ground coupled cooling, night sky cooling, evaporative cooling, absorption cooling etc. Desiccant systems fuelled by natural gas, waste heat or solar energy can also hugely impact a building’s energy and cost savings. continued on page 2