Feature
TRENDS EVOLVING
HVAC EFFICIENCIES
By Marcel Ley, Victaulic regional sales manager
Although HVAC systems have evolved, one thing remains consistent
– the need for adequate and sealed piping systems.
uman civilisations have always ensured that their dwellings
and homesteads are both safe as well as comfortable as
possible. This lent to the advent of early HVAC systems, which
ensured that people in cold regions remained warm, while those
in hot areas were cooled down.
Modern society is spoilt when compared to societies of the
past, with HVAC systems everywhere we go, from work to
the malls, hospitals and even our homes. We are now able to
regulate our environment to make us as comfortable as possible,
as well as safe from unwanted germs and air-borne bacteria.
The majority of early civilisations made use of crude HVAC
systems in order to keep warm or cool. Rome was one of the
first cities to manipulate the air within a dwelling. The city made
use of a hypocaust system that would push heated air through a
system of air ducts and under raised floor in order to heat a room
and was primarily used to heat public bathhouses and saunas.
By the 1950s, air conditioning units as we know them hit
mainstream popularity, and during the post-World War II
economic booms, millions of units were installed into American
homes. By 1980, Toshiba had presented an inverter-type
compressor air conditioning unit which increased efficiencies by
30%, and so began the trend of manufacturing units that will not
only perform but be as efficient as possible.
In commercial buildings, HVAC systems often present the
highest energy expense, and geographical location plays a
significant role in the amount of energy used. Locations typically
far north or south of the globe usually have high heating
expenses, while those closer to the equator are typically prone to
cooler requirements and require air conditioning year-round.
South Africa’s warmer climate necessitates for air
conditioning in commercial buildings. As is the case with air
conditioning options for home usage, there are a broad array of
HVAC solutions for commercial buildings. These include variable-
air-volume (VAV) types with an accompanying rooftop unit, a
chiller with an accompanying cooling tower and boiler system,
and water-source heat pump systems that are accompanied by a
cooling tower and boiler.
The various new technologies within the HVAC sector are
focusing on system efficiency and renewable energy sources.
The trend of going greener and more efficient has led to new
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technologies to enable this vision. As such, countless industries
and businesses are swapping their energy-thirsty systems for ones
that offer greater efficiencies and rely on renewable energies.
South Africa in particular will focus largely on new
technologies as more and more buildings are constructed in
major cities. And with an ever-increasing strain placed on the
South African power grid, many are looking to cut costs and
make use of renewable energies.
New innovations such as smart HVACs, desiccant-enhanced
evaporative (DeVAP) systems, solar HVACs and geothermal
alternatives are gaining popularity as industries are looking
towards a greener and more efficient future.
Supported by the Internet of Things (IoT), Smart HVAC
systems allow users to control, monitor and interact with their
systems via internet connectivity. DeVAP HVAC systems absorb
water from surrounding areas and provide cooling via the use
of an evaporative cooling system. Solar HVAC solutions make
use of solar panels to absorb the suns’ thermal energy and heat
up a fluid which runs through a heat exchanger and warms up
the building.
Geothermal HVAC systems makes use of an earth loop, which
refers to a system of underground pipes. As air temperature
above ground fluctuates throughout the year, the temperature
in the ground below 6-feet remains more consistent. Water runs
H
In order to mitigate leaks, grooved mechanical couplings can be
used to join sections of piping, and provide an effective seal.
RACA Journal I March 2020
39