AIR CONDITIONING Modular approach
T he demand for more fl exible solutions – particularly when faced with space constraints or the need to be able to scale up or down cooling a nd heating capacities – is fuelling demand f or modular chillers and AHUs. Depending on t he design parameters, extra modules can be a dded and allow customers to future proof their r equirements more easily than if they had opted for standard units.
Heat pumps have really gained traction. There’s been a noticeable increase in the application of h igh capacity air-to-water and water-to-water heat pumps. Their demand is partly driven by the a ssociated reductions in CO2 emissions. Where once packaged air-cooled chillers combined with boilers would be the prevailing system type for air conditioning in large buildings , recently there’s been a move towards centralised h eat pump systems. With advancements in air- to-water heat pump technology, simultaneous heating and cooling four- and six-pipe heat pumps can off
ff er si mpli fi ed control and
integration solutions to satisfy a building’s varied heating and cooling demands.
The change to the application of centralised heat pumps also seems to be gathering pace and
may soon be the new convention for delivering heating and cooling to medium to large scale buildings.
Smarter technology
Many of us have quickly become accustomed t o controlling our heating as well as other appliances at home as the government seeks t o encourage better energy savings. In the c ommercial environment the Internet of Things (IOT) is opening up a whole new vista enabling easier integration of equipment, often wirelessly and controlled remotely. Building Management S ystems (BMS) are becoming smarter and more s ophisticated, providing far more usable data which can be used to achieve greater energy savings.
Customers are looking at their buildings holistically and want to be kept informed and know how their plant is operating and the impact on occupants as well as their IT infrastructures. T hey look for real-time updates, text alerts a nd pre-scheduled diagnostics. Manufacturers are recognising that customers, instead of outsourcing to a number of diff erent suppliers, are looking for easier options. There is a growing trend for maintenance services and solutions that
m anage the overheating of devices from a single source. This will lead to a greater dependence on manufacturers who enhance the customer experience, add value by managing installation and maintenance so that their customers are less dependent on hiring IT experts for continuous m onitoring and evaluation.
Technology and innovation aside, there’s growing awareness of our environments, how they can improve our comfort and health but also ff c
work more eff e tively .
T he importance of indoor air quality for example, has led to more focused building r egulations resulting in greater air tightness of buildings which is fuelling growth in air conditioning applications, not just in schools and universities but in every building.
Big data is also making an impact not just in the UK but on a global scale. Demand for p recision cooling and liquid cooling solutions to deliver reliable sustainable cooling for data centres is on an upwards trajectory, to address the requirements for managing such vast amounts of data.
T he HVAC industry is rich with talent and is synonymous with innovation – it will rise to the challenges ahead.
Elitech
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