Cutting carbon

The recent unveiling by the Government of the fourth carbon budget – which requires the cutting of emissions by 50 percent from 1990 levels by 2027 – means that the installation of the latest energy efficient climate control systems is no longer sufficient to meet the nation’s carbon reduction targets. Developers and managers also need to focus on ways to monitor, control and reduce everyday energy usage as a means to achieve these legally binding objectives.

However, embracing a policy of controlling and cutting energy usage is an approach that also offers huge money saving potential. But the question is: how do we encourage end users to cut back on the amount of heating and cooling they demand, when it is widely acknowledged that changing user behaviour is the holy grail of achieving real carbon reduction.

Given this difficulty, and with Display Energy Certificate’s looking likely to become mandatory for commercial buildings in the foreseeable future, the time has come to consider how intelligent control technologies can play a significant role in monitoring and maintaining HVAC systems (the largest user of energy in the workplace) to help effectively regulate buildings.

Saving grace
It is clear that technology now enables control systems to reduce both usage of climate control systems and improve energy efficiency. The key to their success, however, is being able to deliver reduced usage without the end user noticing any reduction in comfort levels, while also allowing them sufficient autonomy to satisfy their desire for complete control of their own environment.

What is required is a flexible and intelligent system that allows a building manager to set parameters and take away the human requirement to think about energy saving issues. For example, if a control can switch off a climate control system when a room is unoccupied, or a window or door is left open, then energy wastage is reduced, without the need to employ staff to monitor this function.

New controllers are now available that can increase a system’s efficiency by more than 30 percent, without any need to change the HVAC system. For example Daikin’s new ‘plug and play’ RTD range uses passive infrared (PIR) to detect both room or zone occupancy and activity levels. PIR sensor technology offers a particular advantage for hotel rooms, where usage can be adapted automatically when the occupant is asleep, for example. This is hugely advantageous for building managers as the amount of energy wasted by a room occupant changing the climate control settings is significant.

Intelligent control
For the commercial office or retail environment, a good intelligent control system should enable indoor units to operate together or individually. Then when partitioned rooms are opened up to create larger spaces, the control system should ensure all indoor units operate together.

Take a retail bank as an example: an intelligent control system will allow indoor units to be set zone by zone, as well as room by room, so counter staff can maintain one temperature level and the main public area another, while the air curtain at the door will be controlled independently, as will meeting rooms, back office, IT server rooms and staff recreational and break-out areas.

An example of where intelligent control technology has been used successfully is at 210 Pentonville in London. Developed by the Deerbrook Group, the highest standards of construction were essential for this landmark scheme. To ensure the utmost sustainability, a high performance Daikin VRV Heat Recovery system was installed for energy efficient heating and cooling.

Offering more than 18,000 sq ft of office space spread across 10 floors, with a sizeable entrance atrium and roof complex, 210 Pentonville emphasises the best in modern design and progressive approaches to architecture. Sustainable specification was key to the scheme, which was awarded a BREEAM Excellent rating on completion. In line with this, architects Darling Associates specified the Daikin VRV system in order to provide the scheme with a cutting edge energy efficient climate control system.

For the high profile scheme, Daikin UK provided a complete solution comprising Daikin VRV Heat Recovery systems connected to the company’s fan coil units and controlled by a Daikin Intelligent Manager. Meeting the high environmental standards specified by the client, the solution also offered the very best in control and usability. For this, an intelligent system that could distinguish between the areas of the building in terms of climate needs, activate itself during peak hours to save energy overnight or during low use hours and ensure that energy was being used efficiently and effectively when required.

Case in point
To meet the needs of 210 Pentonville, the climate control system had to be carefully tailored to provide superior energy efficiency while fitting into plant rooms throughout the building as well as meeting building regulations regarding safety and sustainability. Constant control had to be a central feature of the proposed solution. Ideally, the control unit would also be able to monitor all building services for total control of the structure. In addition the new system had to meet the highest acoustics standards to ensure workers were not disturbed and comply with local building regulations.

A complete bespoke solution, installed by NDS Mechanical, working with main contractor HBG Construction and building services contractor Gratte Brothers, was provided through Daikin VRV Heat Recovery units. Utilising advanced mechanical engineering to create the greatest output from the lowest electrical input, the system also features highly effective heat exchange systems to ensure even less wastage and deliver enhanced energy efficiency to the user.

To ensure that the building would be heated effectively throughout, the VRV Heat Recovery units were spread though plant rooms across the buildings ten storeys. Connected by pipework to 356 indoor fan coils, the system was controlled by a Daikin Intelligent Manager Controller. Not only does this monitor and measure energy output and control heating and cooling, it allows the constant regulation and examination of other vital building services, integrating utilities for supreme ease of use.

The use of a Daikin Intelligent Manager system offers 210 Pentonville the best in utilities management. The easy user interface, web function and automated operations management features ensured simple and efficient control of services. Fan coil units dispersed throughout the building ensured good circulation of heated and cooled air for excellent user comfort, with the climate control simply managed by the Daikin Intelligent Manager system.

It is clear that an intelligent control system can make a significant impact on the amount of energy used and the efficiency of climate control systems in commercial environments, without end users noticing any difference in their comfort levels. This can both meet legislative requirements and reduce energy bills.