Supplied by Airotech www. refrigerationandaircon. co. za RACA Journal I November 2025 23
Feature they also represent a shift in consumer and corporate priorities toward sustainability.
Challenges do remain, however. High upfront costs, complex installation requirements and ongoing maintenance demands can inhibit adoption, especially in less developed regions. Refrigerant management also remains a technical and environmental hurdle. Still, these challenges present opportunities for innovation. Companies that focus on affordability, ease of use and environmental compliance stand to benefit from the market ' s growing demand for smart, green cooling solutions.
The coming decade will likely see further integration of smart technologies, environmentally responsible design, and product diversification as the market continues to mature.
WHAT IS A CHILLER – AND HOW IS IT DIFFERENT FROM A HEAT PUMP? As energy efficiency, connected systems and environmental considerations reshape HVAC priorities, York chillers, distributed by Airotech through Johnson Controls, are raising the standard for smart, adaptable and efficient cooling.
At a glance, chillers and heat pumps share a lot of DNA. In fact, a heat pump is essentially a reversible chiller.“ A chiller produces cold water to cool a building, while a heat pump can reverse the cycle to produce hot water,” says Gert Deale, sales manager: Airotech.“ In some systems, one unit can do both.”
York chillers operate by circulating chilled water, often around 6 ° C, through a building ' s air handling units, which then cools the air inside. In contrast, during winter months or in systems with heat recovery, a reversible model can supply hot water to provide space heating.
York chillers come in a wide range of capacities, from small installations of around 10kW to industrial-grade systems
York air cooled screw chillers – capacities from 525 – 2000kW, options with Screw or Centrifugal compressors.
The report can be found at Market Research Future. exceeding 20MW. The latter are ideally suited for commercial properties, hotels, industrial facilities and data centres.
In larger buildings, it’ s common to install multiple chillers for redundancy.“ You’ ll usually find at least two units in big systems so that if one fails, the other can still keep the building operational.”
York offers both air-cooled and water-cooled chiller configurations, each with its own advantages:
• Air-cooled chillers are simpler to install and more common in green building certifications, thanks to reduced water usage
• Water-cooled chillers are more energy-efficient, but involve more complex infrastructure, including cooling towers and water treatment systems
Despite their superior performance, water-cooled chillers are less favoured in modern green building initiatives due to concerns about water consumption.“ That might be a bit shortsighted. If you look at the full picture – energy use, emissions and water usage – water-cooled chillers are perhaps the better long-term choice.”
“’ A chiller produces cold water to cool a building, while a heat pump can reverse the cycle to produce hot water,’ says Gert Deale, sales manager: Airotech.‘ In some systems, one unit can do both.”
Supplied by Airotech www. refrigerationandaircon. co. za RACA Journal I November 2025 23