The 2017 Johnson Controls Inc. Energy Efficiency Indicator (EEI) survey of more than 1,500 facility and management executives in the U.S., Canada, and 10 other countries indicated that 70 percent of organizations are paying more attention to energy efficiency than a year ago and 58 percent are expecting to increase investments next year.

With a greater focus on efficiency, stricter codes and standards concerning ventilation are being enforced.

“The requirements of high-performance buildings, together with the evolution of codes and standards that demand efficiency, will drive manufacturers to continue increasing the efficiency of ventilation systems for commercial facilities,” said Kevin Miskewicz, director, commercial marketing, heating and cooling division, Mitsubishi Electric U.S. Inc. “A DOAS can fully pre-condition outside air, and, in the case of Mitsubishi Electric’s PremiSys^® Fusion DOAS, can utilize waste heat from cooling cycles to provide reheat capability without drawing on additional energy sources.”

Large commercial ceiling fans work by thermally equalizing a space, which means they move air throughout a building in the most efficient way possible, according to Patrick Munar, content marketing copywriter, MacroAir Technologies Inc.

“The fans use their long airfoil blades to move high volumes of air at low speeds, which provides a balanced airflow without the kind of disruptive air movement that could blow papers off of the table,” he said. “The end result is a gentle breeze that circulates the air, improving comfort and indoor air quality. This puts less demand on HVAC systems, reduces moisture, and most importantly, makes the occupants of a building feel more comfortable.”

The AirVolution-D 550 by MacroAir is a large industrial ceiling fan that provides solutions for climate problems in mid-sized spaces. It adapts to the building’s input voltage, assists in troubleshooting, and integrates into the BAS.

According to Robert Wendorski, director of the Bernard A. Greenheck Education Center, Greenheck, fan standards will continue to evolve to include simple methods to encourage ‘stretch’ efficiency requirements and be adopted into codes.

“Therefore, manufacturers will increase the efficiency of their air movement products to meet demands for highly efficient, cost-effective products,” he said.

And this is why Greenheck created the Model AER direct drive sidewall fan — the new design improves efficiency, increases overall structural strength, and reduces sound. The fan accommodates typical installations, which include factories, warehouses, and other industrial environments. The AER fans are designed for wall-mounted, clean air applications and can be configured with Greenheck’s standard options and accessories.

Variable speed is another technology manufacturers are implementing in order to adhere to fan efficiency regulations, such as ASHRAE 90.1-213.

Trane’s IntelliPak^® with Symbio™ 800 improves energy efficiency by use of variable-speed compressors, high-efficiency direct drive plenum fans, and control algorithms, according to Charles Abbinanti, product manager, Trane.

“It offers a selection of fan sizes per tonnage, providing customers higher-efficiency fans no matter their design conditions,” he said.

COMMERCIAL CONTROLS

Hunter Industrial Fan Co. engineered three different controls that are compatible with its fans: premium control, basic control, and standard analog control.

“Hunter Industrial offers integration capabilities with all of the major protocols and competitive flexibility with our stand-alone controls,” said Ann Dee McClane, marketing manager, Hunter Industrial Fan Co. “Our network controls utilize a TCP/IP communication protocol and a faster, more reliable Ethernet connection for greater performance and reliability. Users are able to fine-tune a fan or network of fans to their exact needs.”

The premium control has two switch function Ethernet ports and a power connection, and it is available in two sizes — a 5-inch screen that controls up to 10 fans or a 10-inch screen that controls up to 30 fans. The basic control has a plug-and-play design and includes receptacles for both RJ45 and power. It has a 5-inch touchscreen and can control up to 10 fans. The standard analog control is a 1:1 control that comes as the standard option with all Hunter Industrial fans, giving the customer true variable speed and direction control.

According to Wendorski, demand-based ventilation control allows for the volume of air in an HVAC system to be adjusted based on occupant requirements, which can save on energy consumption and costs.

“Slowing fans down during unoccupied times reduces the total power being consumed by the fan while reducing heating and cooling requirements in the air system,” he said.

Greenheck Vari-Green^® controls are available to maximize the energy efficiency of ventilation systems in a variety of applications when used in conjunction with Greenheck’s Vari-Green motor. For applications required to maintain IAQ, Greenheck offers a temperature and humidity control or a volatile organic compound (VOC) control. Via programmable set points, the control automatically adjusts the fans’ ventilation rate to or from the area by increasing or decreasing fan speed. A constant pressure control can help monitor static pressure in demand-controlled ventilation applications with multiple pressure changes.

Trane’s IntelliPak with Symbio 800 controller and the improved system diagnostics enable customers to monitor and analyze performance data to ensure that energy consumption is minimized.

“With the power meter, Trane Intelligent Services can analyze energy consumption of the unit in real time and partner with customers to make the necessary adjustments to optimize performance,” said Abbinanti.

Trane Intelligent Services are technology-based energy management services that help customers assess building performance with ongoing support and consultation from a team of experienced Trane building professionals.

“Now, more than ever, advanced control capabilities are essential to allowing a multitude of HVAC equipment to work in concert,” said McClane. “This enables building owners to reap the greatest benefits out of their HVAC systems while minimizing power usage.”

Publication date: 5/14/2018

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