VENTILATION SYSTEMS
Craig Harding
The Aermec FCZ-H sanitising fan coil unit can provide fresh sanitised air and help control the spread of viruses, Aermec says.
significant energy savings, as well as greater control of airflows. The Internet of Things is helping to
transform healthcare estates, and smart energy management systems can provide greater control and boost efficiencies by monitoring and controlling energy usage and energy management, and aiding energy optimisation, as does Building Information Modelling – which facilitates correct sizing of equipment, efficient use of space, and optimal operational efficiencies. The increasing use of AI technology means, for example, that the HVAC system can adapt to its operating conditions within set parameters to maintain both a comfortable internal environment, and minimise energy consumption. The healthcare sector has a responsibility to contribute to and inspire environmental sustainability. Investing in energy-efficient technologies and practices is a win-win, and can have a positive impact for all stakeholders, while minimising your estate’s environmental impact.
Benchmarking It also pays to benchmark – you cannot manage what you don’t know, and improvements cannot be made if there are no measurements available as a point of reference. CIBSE produces HVAC energy benchmarks for hospitals in its TM46:
54 Health Estate Journal May 2024
Energy Benchmarks, and in its Guide F: Energy Efficiency in Buildings guide. Comparing gas and electricity usage
to those of other similar hospitals’ estates may be useful, as will reviewing Energy Performance Certificates, which can provide pointers as to where energy consumption is greatest. Tracking electricity usage over the summer against published cooling data, and analysing the information, will help determine if there is a relationship between energy consumption and the need for cooling. Identifying the largest HVAC loads can help generate the largest savings and paybacks. Existing asset registers offer a valuable insight into maintenance plans for each piece of equipment, while air-conditioning and chiller inspection reports, and an inventory of refrigerants, can also provide information on your plant’s capacity and the areas it serves. This in turn will help Estates managers to develop an energy savings strategy, minimising unnecessary plant operation. What about aged equipment?
Estates and Facilities managers are adept at optimising the operation of older equipment to increase longevity and increase efficiencies. It is worth considering possible retrofit improvements to existing equipment. Aermec can help with a solution for chillers with its Aersave smart compressor. This
A member of the Institute of Refrigeration, Craig Harding has built a successful career in the air-conditioning and refrigeration industry. He has been with Aermec UK for 20 years, and is one of the company’s Technical Field Service managers. A critical applications and data centre specialist, he has extensive experience in the commissioning, maintenance, and repair, of cooling equipment nationwide and internationally, and has worked on a variety of mission-critical projects across many industries and diverse applications. An advocate of collaborative working practices, Craig Harding works closely with management and engineering teams to achieve high standards while managing customer expectations.
can be fitted retrospectively, and will significantly increase energy savings on chillers. Compressor upgrades could be considered to enable VSD control, and whether, for example, a Turbocor oil-free compressor can be used to provide better load efficiencies.
Bearing climate change in mind Climate change also needs to be borne in mind; the need for comfort cooling in estate environments is predicted to increase. Incremental changes are expected to have a strong effect on the energy requirements of estates; after all, their heating and cooling requirements are related to temperature and variable weather conditions. Although there are few services that
can pay for themselves, following a predetermined schedule that focuses on the regular maintenance or your cooling and heating equipment does. Reductions in energy consumed, increased longevity of equipment, minimised equipment failure risk, and addressing health and safety requirements, provide security for all stakeholders, as well as financial benefits in a vital service that has high demand.
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