VENTILATION AND AIR-CONDITIONING


Pre-empting problems via remote monitoring


Keeping critical air-conditioning and ventilation plant working was a serious priority for the NHS during the lockdown period. The availability of smart remote monitoring technology will make that increasingly easy and cost-effective, according to Trevor Jeffrey, National Technical Service Solutions manager at Daikin Applied UK.


We have all became very familiar with the concept of remote working during this and last year's COVID-19 crisis. The ‘lockdown’ proved how much commercial activity could be carried out from home or from mobile workstations without any loss of productivity – including keeping vital support systems operating for the NHS. Building engineers are also growing increasingly used to being able to assess the condition of equipment from a remote location – making it possible to repair and maintain systems even when physical access is severely restricted. They are also better positioned for any future lockdowns, and for those instances when getting suitably qualified engineers to site in time proves problematic, thanks to the increasing availability of ‘smart’ connected technologies.


Even before the crisis, the global market for ‘smart building systems’ was predicted to grow to more than £30 bn by 2022. That meant that this sector was outstripping any other part of construction by far.


The case for investing in ‘smart technology’ The pattern of economic recovery remains uncertain, but there is clearly a strong case for further investment in this kind of technology – not least because it will allow the building services industry to maintain operating quality and productivity whatever restrictions we face in the future. Continuous monitoring also allows Estates and Facilities managers to spot early warnings with cooling systems. If a chiller or air-handling system is not achieving its design capacity or efficiency,


it may be because the refrigerant charge is low, or operating pressures have become too high – in any case, the Facilities manager will be alerted before the problem becomes serious. This allows potential breakdowns to be avoided, and any drop in performance to be addressed before it starts to affect the building and its occupants.


Repair work and energy usage account for around 85% of the total lifetime cost of an air-handling unit – so it is important to get these things right. Buildings are also responsible for around 40% of global energy consumption, with HVAC systems the biggest contributor. The availability of digital technologies means building services designers are gaining more control over how a building will perform in use, and therefore how much energy it will consume.


Wireless networks Daikin on site Chillers Air handling units


Wireless networks also make it easier to configure, commission, and control, complex systems, which also gives engineers the ability to gather performance data and analyse the individual pieces of equipment that consume the most energy, such as fans and chillers.


This is an increasingly important consideration for NHS estates procurers, who are under pressure to reduce running costs, while also maintaining good quality indoor environments.


Remote monitoring Analytics Optimisation


Daikin on Site – an ‘innovative’ remote monitoring tool for chiller plants and air- handling units, that Daikin Applied UK says ‘provides information with a unique level of detail’, allowing plant owners to take preventative actions and avoid extra costs associated with breakdowns and downtime. Daikin on Site provides ‘24/7’ real-time data – tracking unit and component behaviour, and monitoring correct functionality. It also allows the creation of reports on a particular operating period, for in-depth analysis of plant performance.


Indoor air quality – one of the great challenges of our age It also means that building services designers have more tools available to address one of the major engineering challenges of our age – the issue of poor indoor air quality (IAQ). Air pollution is a huge problem, and has been labelled a ‘public health emergency’ by the World Health Organization (WHO). The British Lung Foundation identified a particular threat to hospitals and healthcare facilities in its October 2018 report entitled Toxic air at the doors of the NHS. This revealed that more than 2,000 GP surgeries and


July 2021 Health Estate Journal 65


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