CHILLED BEAMS AND FAN COIL UNITS
T hey also lower the potential for draughts, which improves indoor comfort levels.
Looking good
The improvements that chilled beams can offer interior aesthetics should not be undervalued. M any architects are favouring more open designs with exposed ceilings due to the spacious, open interior space they create, as well as the increased natural light they offer. This applies to new builds and refurbishments, and chilled beams are ideally suited to this type of layout as architects can incorporate chilled beams into their design and make them into a decorative feature. The s ize, shape and colour of solutions can be varied to meet specific requirements, as can the paint finish. Flexibility is another advantage, as changes to the chilled beam system can be made with m inimal disruption to other building services.
Added value
Installation costs for chilled beams are relatively low compared to other systems. Once installed, chilled beams can add value to a building as they are generally easy to maintain and their life expectancy can easily exceed 20 years. With no filters to replace, no drip trays to biocide and
no condensate lines to maintain, the only care r equired is occasional cleaning, depending on the installation. Not only will this reduce maintenance c osts for landlords, but it could also increase their property’s resale value.
Chilled beams are constructed using recyclable m aterials, such as steel, aluminium and copper, s o there is potential resale value through the use of scrap metal merchants.
T he decommissioning process is also easier as t he materials do not contain refrigerants or oil, so there is no associated legislation, such as the F-Gas regulations, to worry about.
Supporting roles
The three main supporting components of a chilled beam system can all contribute positively to your building’s energy efficiency:
Energy recovery devices can be installed in air handling units (AHUs) to recover any of the energy in the exhaust air and transfer it to the supply air. Using such devices reduces energy demand dramatically.
Chillers are used in order to maintain a chilled w ater temperature flowing to the system of around 14-16˚C, with the return temperature
A general lack of awareness amongst landlords and facilities managers has perhaps delayed a more widespread adoption of chilled beam technology in the UK.
H owever, its popularity in Australia,
Scandinavia, central Europe and the US suggests a positive future. Technology is advancing all the time and with the growing need for more low energy HVAC solutions, its universal suitability for new build and retrofit projects will continue to push chilled beam technology further up the l adder of preferred building services.
being between 2-4˚C higher. The higher c hilled water temperatures in chilled beam a nd ceiling systems means the chiller can run more efficiently due to the lower temperature lift. The higher chilled temperatures also mean there is a greater amount of time that free- cooling can be used, whereby low outside air t emperatures are used for chilling the water. Air and ground source heat pumps are ideal f or chilled beam systems as they produce both chilled water and hot water at typical low temperatures. Due to their nature, these heat pumps operate with much lower energy use t han traditional boilers and chillers.
J&E Hall
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