Buildings can be greener if smart technologies are integrated into the design of HVAC systems with exciting implications for improving energy efficiency and comfort, says Dene Kent*.

The current global market for ‘smart building systems’ was estimated at around £5bn in 2017 but is expected to grow to beyond £30bn by 2022, outstripping any other part of construction by some distance.

Buildings are responsible for around 40% of global energy consumption with HVAC systems the biggest contributor, with climate, location, insulation levels etc. determining energy usage.

Digital technologies connectivity is the crucial change that allows designers to more closely match the performance of heating, cooling and ventilation systems to user demand. Wireless networks systems can be more easily configured, commissioned and controlled. Engineers can tackle the individual pieces of equipment that consume the most energy, such as fans and chillers.

Using demand control in ventilation can reduce the amount of fan energy used by as much as 80% and the energy saving for cooling and heating can be up to 40%. This is because air, cooling and heating are supplied in just the right amounts, at the right places and at the right time based on the user’s demand patterns, cutting out unnecessary operating time.

Intelligence and Simplicity 

Swegon have made a breakthrough in wireless technology creating a fully digital, complete system solution for building ventilation, heating and cooling control.

The WISE demand controlled indoor climate system is designed to be simple and reliable. The wireless installation is commissioned without communication cabling, which reduces time, cost and complexity. Communicating via wireless signal, if there is a break in the signal, the network simply re-routes the messages via a different route so there is no drop in the system’s performance.

Wireless commissioning 

The simple commission approach radically reduces installation time, set up and cuts out many potential areas where faults can occur. It also means it is much easier to reconfigure the system when changes are made to room layouts or usage patterns.

We continue to add individual system components to the WISE network and have recently produced new WISE versions of our supply air diffusers, which are capable of adjusting the airflow as needed and optimising the throw of the air, even at low flow rates.

Being able to deploy the very latest in wireless technology underpinning a robust and reliable communication network opens up all sorts of possibilities for building services systems. The WISE network is already in use in over 100 projects worldwide – including a project in Stockholm that achieved a BREEAM ‘outstanding’ rating and is now in UK buildings.

*Dene Kent is Ventilation Sales Director for Swegon UK&I
For more information: wise.swegon.com