Whether you are in charge of an entire franchise, office blocks or department store, commercial air conditioning is probably one of the aspects you would not want to let you down. You know people are relying on you for their continued state of peace and tranquility. Getting the right commercial AC is quite the process and there are many considerations to be made including; budget, local climate, and energy needs.
Some Common Types of Commercial A/C
Commercial air conditioning systems come in many different configurations, but here are a few of the categories:
- Central Air Condtioning Systems
- Multi-Split System
- Single Split System
- VRV System
Single Splits are usually the most affordable. They are sometimes preferred in small commercial buildings as they can provide individual heating and cooling solutions to different rooms. Though there is a downside in the greater space needed to house all the A/C systems for each room, when one breaks down, the others remain fully functional. Multi-Splits are similar to single split systems but with the capability of combining up to nine indoor systems to one outdoor unit. This feature makes them preferable as they economize on space.
Both the Single and Multi-Split systems have been found to have a few significant drawbacks with their use. The installation times are long, energy consumption can be inefficient and usually break down after prolonged, continued use. With innovation, these drawbacks have been met to an extent by VRV (Variable Refrigerant Volume) systems. The A/C system is highly efficient as it can recover heat from one end of the building and direct it to another room. The system also has centralized control and automation.
New Age Commercial A/C Systems
The passing of time sees new, more efficient ways of carrying out the same tasks. With cooling systems, commercial air conditioning units have seen their fair share of innovations. Some of these developments promise to revolutionize the way cool and heat our establishments.
Ice-Powered Air Conditioning is one such innovation. Developed by a California-based company, this new system coined the name “The Ice Bear”. Its operation involves, freezing tank water at night in an insulated tank, and then using the ice as a refrigerant to provide cooling for the building during the day. The ice storage comes in different sizes to serve three to five-ton commercial air conditioning units. To conserve energy further, The NRG has also rolled out a program for businesses and industrial customers that wish to take up the Ice storage system to shorten energy use during peak hours and in return receive payment. According to the manufacturer, the use of Ice Bear has seen Air conditioning bills reduce by up to 40%. Such energy efficiencies saw the manufacturer partner with NRG Energy to roll out over 1800 Ice Bear 30 systems to commercial buildings in Orange County, California. With this program, the NRC seeks to reduce peak load consumption by 5MW.
With the success of Ice-powered air conditioning, there is cause for optimism. Utility bills are bound to reduce thanks to this new and improved way of cooling. And the future is also bright as many individuals are continuing to explore new ways of tweaking, present commercial air conditioning systems and make them better.
