Feature
So how do climate products work to resolve this problem? Heating in commercial buildings is usually delivered by radiators and underfloor heating units that are connected to a central boiler system. Conversely, zoned heating control allows FMs to split large buildings into independently managed zones. Every zone is equipped with a smart thermostat, which sends signals to plug-and-play devices installed on each radiator valve, instructing the valve to open or close.
Underfloor heating circuits can be controlled in a very similar way, where thermostats are used to regulate the flow of warm water. In both cases, zoning technology empowers FMs to heat individual offices and spaces only when they are occupied, whereas previously whole floors might have been heated. This level of control helps FMs reduce wasteful heating and increase EPC ratings.
When deployed across a commercial building, the combination of zoned heating and cooling control makes a sizeable improvement to the building’s EPC rating. Indeed, studies show that the average customer using zoning slashes their energy spend by 30%. What’s more, zoned climate systems integrate both heating and cooling into single smart thermostats, allowing individual offices to take full control of their climate settings with one simple interface. This avoids a situation where the heating and cooling systems are fighting against each other.
What is perhaps even more useful to FMs is that the EPC improvements that come with zoning do not involve ripping up old HVAC systems and instead are facilitated by easy-to-install plug-and-plug devices, minimising any disruption and saving time and money.
As temperatures continue to rise in the UK (this May was the hottest on record4
), so is the demand for good quality air
conditioning within offices, but this can be energy intensive and have a negative impact on EPC ratings. Existing air conditioning units in commercial buildings (much like heating systems) usually cover entire floors or lack the level of control required to handle fluctuating occupancy levels, which again lead to the wasteful cooling of spaces absent of office workers. Motorised dampers, however, which can easily be installed into the ductwork of existing air condition units and controlled by separate thermostats, direct conditioned air only to the zones that are occupied, ensuring that cooling is reserved for spaces that need it, thereby saving energy.
Finally, with smart controls the thermostats can be accessed online or with mobile apps, which provides another of layer of control but also enables real-time monitoring of energy use as well as longer term analysis from a central platform.
As FMs work to improve EPC ratings in a bid to meet MEES regulations, having access to this data empowers FMs to identify inefficiencies and make data-led decisions about how to further improve energy-efficiency. In addition, the energy usage data helps FMs gather the evidence required to demonstrate that MEES regulations are being satisfied. In short, zoned heating and cooling technology via smart climate control systems is a low- disruption means of curbing energy use, improving EPC ratings, and safeguarding the operation of commercial buildings in the future.
1:
https://conceptenergy.org/80-of-londons-offices-need-upgrading-to- meet-new-energy-efficiency-regulations/
2:
https://ukgbc.org/resources/autonomous-control-of-hvac/ 3:
https://www.ons.gov.uk/employmentandlabourmarket/ peopleinwork/employmentandemployeetypes/articles/ whoarethehybridworkers/2024-11-11
4:
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/live/cwy0mwvx04lt fmuk 09
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13 |
Page 14 |
Page 15 |
Page 16 |
Page 17 |
Page 18 |
Page 19 |
Page 20 |
Page 21 |
Page 22 |
Page 23 |
Page 24 |
Page 25 |
Page 26 |
Page 27 |
Page 28 |
Page 29 |
Page 30 |
Page 31 |
Page 32 |
Page 33 |
Page 34 |
Page 35 |
Page 36 |
Page 37 |
Page 38 |
Page 39 |
Page 40 |
Page 41 |
Page 42 |
Page 43 |
Page 44
