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the Government and trade associations. Possible regulatory requirements are already being discussed in Whitehall which cannot be dismissed. Embodied carbon will affect all products for example chillers and all other equipment where an Environmental Product Declaration does not exist. Businesses that put off or ignore the relevance of embodied carbon will be disadvantaged on many levels including financially. The popularity and prevalence of FCUs in a wide


range of HVAC projects from commercial buildings to the hotel and leisure industry make them a prime target. From an environmental and financial perspective, it makes sense to maximise operational efficiencies – aged units can have a significant impact on the efficiency of cooling and heating environments. Choosing systems that use an EC motor over


a conventional AC motor can undoubtedly reduce energy consumption, but what about noise, leaks and maintenance costs? Although refurbishment may improve the overall efficiencies and running costs, there comes a point when full product replacement is the only option. The fan coil industry has tried to keep pace with innovation by driving down energy usage. Developments have seen hybrid units come to market combining the benefits of chilled beams with FCUs. But technology has stepped up a gear with a newcomer on the block that is set to raise the bar; by combining the FCU’s embodied carbon materially and operationally without compromising on aesthetics.


CIBSE is ahead of the curve and suggests a


‘cradle to gate’ approach and provides guidance as well as a methodology (TM65) that looks at the whole life cycle, with an emphasis on product weight and ease of maintenance as key variables. Although far more research is required this methodology provides an important starting point that empowers designers and manufacturers to identify and implement environmentally conscious strategies that benefit them and their customers financially.


In simplistic terms, a FCU that combines the


smallest weight with low operational energy and ease of maintenance would be an ideal solution;


Fan coil units


Essentially embodied carbon comprises the CO2 emissions generated by all the materials and construction processes throughout the whole lifecycle of the manufacturing process including the transportation of raw materials


that’s exactly what the VEC-i fan coil unit does. This latest development in technology has


taken the tried and trusted FCU to another level; a new generation of smart fan coil units that can be accommodated in standard size ceiling tiles, networked and provides total comfort thanks to a special air take and flow grid that enables a Coanda effect air flow that is generated parallel to the ceiling to provide optimal circulation in the space that is to be environmentally controlled. What is so unique is that this packaged or self-


contained unit comes with integrated diffusers already on board. Embodied carbon is directly linked to weight and unlike traditional FCUs, there are no additional diffusers, no external ducting and no attenuators. It has a dual intake centrifugal fan that is particularly quiet. When calculating the total weights of FCUs it is imperative to include all additional components and not just the basic


chassis. When it comes to operational performance, even at maximum load, this FCU’s power consumption is 55% less than a traditional FCU. A drop-down plate enables easy and total access


to the filters and installation costs are significantly reduced thanks to the lack of ductwork. Integrated EC fans gives Specific Fan Power (SFP) at 0.1 W/l/s at 100% load. Standard control operation with auto-fan speed control matched to load will give an average yearly SFP’s of 0.06 W/l/s, delivering approximately a 65% operational energy savings versus standard fan coils. Operation with heat pumps with higher chilled


water and lower hot water temperatures ensures total system operational energy optimisation.


Embodied carbon methodology


CIBSE’s TM65 basic methodology states weight and ease of maintenance as key factors. The unit weighs 32kg and offers extra-ordinary low embodied carbon opportunities compared to standard FCUs and chilled ceilings. The VEC-i unit generates 70% material embodied carbon savings. When compared with chilled ceilings for example,


their low cooling W/m² outputs need vastly more unit coverage whereas the VEC-i offers an 86% material embodied carbon saving. Calculations based on a 15-year period of


operation show that the operational energy for the unit represents only 18% of total embodied carbon [kgCO2e] and highlights that initial product weight is the prime driver as indicated by CIBSE. The benefits are tangible and measurable:


¡ Lowest Embodied Carbon ¡ Lowest Operational Energy ¡ Low noise ¡ Ease of Maintenance ¡ Operational comfort ¡ Lowest Installation costs A global focus on reducing carbon is encouraging


the analysis and impact of embodied carbon in buildings, their whole lifecycle as well as their HVAC systems. Manufacturers and designers need to take a more pragmatic approach and provide analysis of the embodied environmental impact of different kinds of HVAC systems. By doing so our industry can make a significant contribution to the decarbonisation of buildings.


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