COOL IT

The HVAC industry is highly complex. Within the products, there are several options that need to be considered to make it useful

- Molly R

Traditionally the central focus of many HVAC systems is to achieve thermal comfort through ambient temperature control. But the trend to- day, however, is to shift focus towards the occu- pant's needs. Systems like radiant cooling help to reduce energy use and improve thermal comfort. The lat- ter can be directly addressed through other systems such as using low-energy systems to provide localised heating and cooling or by controlling the HVAC system through oc- Cupant polling.

Achieving high energy savings without considering the thermal comfort of users is unrealistic. A simple strategy of setting the temperature setpoint to the ambient temperature would achieve the maximum savings, but could also have a negative impact on the comfort and productivity of people. Using a simple app to poll occupants in order to set HVAC temperatures can significantly reduce energy use caused by overcooling or overheating while also maintaining optimal thermal comfort.

Especially for luxury residential construction projects, high rise HVAC requirements are a prime concern. Buyers and tenants demand nothing less than consistent comfort, quiet operation, and even the ability to customise the heating and cooling of the space according to their individual requirements. Yet for builders of high-rise residential buildings, those needs have been tough to meet with the traditional high-rise HVAC options. They tend to be noisy, inefficient, and they take up too much valuable space within the building.