36
Project
INNOVATIVE ENERGY SOLUTION ENRG BLANKET GETS INAUGURAL FITTING IN SA AT STANDARD BANK
By Eamonn Ryan with technical input from Mpumzi Swana , director of product development company SAMAC
In a bid to improve its energy consumption and bolster sustainability efforts , Standard Bank recently introduced an innovative energy solution , leveraging SAMAC Engineering Solutions ' cutting-edge technology – the ENRG blanket .
Supplied by SAMAC
The ENRG blanket , powered by US-based Phase Change Solutions ( PCS ), represents a paradigm shift in energy storage technology in South Africa – though it has been around for about a decade in the US . Unlike conventional methods that rely on water-based systems , the ENRG blanket is a technology that absorbs and releases thermal energy at a specific design temperature , offering greater efficiency and versatility . It does this by achieving increasing levels of energy performance to lower heating and cooling energy by 25 – 35 %.
“ Buildings usually have a set temperature which is maintained by the HVAC system . When there is a heat load that is generated from inside the building , the HVAC will work
When the go-ahead was given , installation lasted just a day .
© RACA Journal
Mpumzi Swana , chief operations officer of company SAMAC .
to counter the heat load and cool the room . The ENRG blanket operates as a thermal mass that absorbs the heat generated from inside the building . The heat is stored in a Bio Phase Change Material ( BioPCM ) gel that is within the blanket , minimising the need for the HVAC to work to cool the room . In the evening , when the room temperature goes below the building set point the heat that was stored in the blanket is released back into the building . The blanket is commonly installed behind the drop ceiling of a building ,” explains Mpumzi Swana , chief operations officer of company SAMAC .
The ability of the ENRG blanket to absorb and release heat at any chosen temperature between – 50 ° C and 125 ° C makes it ideal for office parks , and other commercial buildings in reducing their HVAC run time , resulting in energy savings of 25 – 35 % and reducing peak load demand . Warehouses that do not have an HVAC system can also use the blanket to maintain a constant temperature in the building .
The blankets can also be used in server rooms and cold rooms as a back-up , he explains .
ADVANTAGES
• Plant based , non-toxic , non-corrosive
• Rapidly renewable and sustainable product
36
RACA Journal I May 2024 www . refrigerationandaircon . co . za