Energy Efficient HVAC (Heating, Ventilation, and Air Conditioning)
If controls are the brain of a facility, then the Heating, Ventilating, and Air Conditioning (HVAC) system is the heart and lungs. HVAC provides heating, cooling, fresh air, and exhaust from kitchens, bathrooms, and workspaces. HVAC conservation measures can be implemented via the replacement of older equipment with more efficient models, or via the complete conversion to a new type of system with higher efficiency.
The efficiency of most HVAC equipment has been incrementally improving at a rate that replacement near end of life can often pay for itself in energy savings. Common replacements include:
- High SEER Rooftop Units
- High IEER chillers
- High efficiency condensing boilers
In addition to replacement of HVAC components, there are also bolt-on components that can be used to improve the efficiency of existing equipment. Common additions include:
- Economizers on air handlers for free cooling (season dependent)
- Energy Recovery Ventilators (ERVs) to precondition fresh air with exhaust
- Heat exchangers in cooling tower systems to offer free cooling
- Recuperators in steam boilers to preheat combustion air with exhaust
- Desuperheaters to recovery heat from chillers for water heating
The last type of HVAC improvement is the complete conversion to a new type of system with higher efficiency. Common conversions include:
- Variable Air Volume air handling
- Geothermal
- Variable Refrigerant Flow
Contact us to learn more about saving money by improving the efficiency of your HVAC system.
