As consumer interest in environmental safety grows, green HVAC is leading the way toward lower greenhouse gas emissions. These systems help conserve energy, cut waste, and lower costs. Here are some of the ways green HVAC systems are revolutionizing heating and cooling for modern residential homes and commercial buildings.
Trend Toward Greener Equipment
The advent of green HVAC parallels the developments across several industries to establish more eco-friendly solutions. Some people are forced to go greener just because they need to meet updated regulations. Others want to contribute to a cleaner environment. Another reason for the growing interest in green technology is to cut energy costs, especially in the winter.
A recent Nielsen study shows that 75 percent of millennials and half of the baby boomers say they would pay more for greener services. So, it’s only in the best interests of HVAC companies to go greener to meet market demand. At the same time, homeowners and building owners can take their own proactive steps to adopt more sustainable practices.
Renewable Energy Integration
One of the ways green HVAC systems can contribute to sustainability is to integrate with solar energy. Solar PV systems convert sunlight into electricity, while a solar thermal system uses sunlight to directly warm water or a room. A home that generates most of its energy from solar panels integrated with a modern HVAC system will have comparably much lower energy bills than conventional homes.
Residential solar is steadily growing around the world. However, a larger revolution is happening at the utility level, in which utility companies use solar farms to lower their power generation costs. They can then sell cheaper energy to customers and use renewable energy as backup power.
Australian HVAC manufacturer Chromasun designs highly efficient solar-enhanced systems. The company’s AC systems use thermally driven chillers drawing from solar thermal energy. The chillers have few moving parts, giving them a longer lifespan than mechanical vapor compressors.
An HVAC system can also be based on geothermal energy, in which warm energy from the ground is piped into the home. It’s actually the most energy-efficient choice currently on the market and is as much as eight times more efficient than traditional systems.
Storing ice for a sunny day is a strategy for sustainable cooling. Ice-powered air conditioning involves freezing water in a tank during off-peak hours and using it for cooling during peak hours. This solution cuts cooling costs and reduces carbon emissions.
Using Energy Analysis Tools
Staying up-to-date with the latest energy analysis software is another way an HVAC company can go greener. Data analysis helps architects, engineers, and other professionals develop more sustainable models. Software designed for measuring sustainability can be used to make projections on energy efficiency and cost savings.
Eco-friendly HVAC Zoning
The concept of HVAC zoning has been around for a while and has been useful for large buildings such as hotels. It involves dividing a property into different zones, allowing the heating and cooling to be controlled separately in each zone. It lets you shut off the system in empty rooms.
Dual Fuel Heat Pump
A dual fuel heat pump includes a backup furnace, which gets automatically activated when the room temperature drops below a certain level. In the winter, cold temperatures trigger the heat pump to heat the home; then, hot temperatures trigger cooling in the summer. This type of system costs more upfront than a conventional HVAC system but still provides long-term savings.
Ductless Heating and Cooling Pumps
Ductless heat pumps provide effective and easy-to-install HVAC solutions for places without central HVAC systems. Up to eight interior units can be linked to one outdoor unit through refrigerant lines passing through a three-inch diameter hole in the outer wall, Geothermal Heat Pump
Geothermal heat pumps provide sustainable space heating, cooling, and water heating by utilizing two-way technology to harness the earth’s existing energy. Warm air is pumped from the earth into a home in the winter and drawn out in the summer, eliminating the need for fossil fuels.
High-Flux Solar Furnace
The High-Flux Solar Furnace (HFSF) is a one-of-a-kind 10-kilowatt optical furnace that uses concentrated sunlight to test high-temperature processes or applications that require quick heating or high solar concentration. It can split water molecules to produce hydrogen, decarbonize natural gas. Test materials and give insights on thermochemical energy storage.
Quiet-Duct Wrap
Quiet-Duct Wrap is blanket-style insulation that absorbs heat and noise on one side while reflecting heat and acting as a fire retardant on the other. Made of recycled cotton, it is gentler on HVAC installers’ skin and lungs and does not create itching or breathing irritations.
Smart Thermostats
Smart thermostats can be used to pre-program or operate HVAC systems from a mobile device. Indoor temperatures can be altered and modified as needed via a proprietary app or by connecting with common systems such as Apple HomeKit, Alexa, Google Assistant, or Samsung SmartThings.
With green HVAC systems, companies and consumers can enjoy significant energy savings over time. Businesses can use sustainable heating and cooling methods to promote themselves as eco-friendly. Other sustainable solutions can be applied when constructing a new building. Are you searching for an experienced construction company in the San Francisco Bay Area that offers eco-friendly building solutions? Contact our experts at Proforma Construction to learn more about how to resolve all your construction needs, even for projects requiring going green.