4 Methods of Innovation within the HVAC Industry

Recent renewable energy and smart HVAC technology methods are making our commercial and residential systems more sustainable and energy efficient than ever before. A reduction in energy consumption not only offers huge savings on energy costs but can also reduce overall carbon footprint. 

This step forward is one that all HVAC service providers are required to take, now needing to go above and beyond utilising the essentials in HVAC maintenance. Below are 4 methods of innovation that are revolutionising the HVAC industry:

• Ice-Powered Air Conditioning
• DeVAP Air Conditioning
• Digital Ceilings
• Wearable HVAC Technology

The latest HVAC technology innovations continue to be the gold standard of comfort and efficiency. But what are they, exactly? And how do they work? Let’s find out!

1. Ice-Powered Air Conditioning

Since its establishment in 2003, Ice Energy has been at the forefront of renewables. One of their leading innovations within this field is the aptly named Ice Bear.

How Does it Work?

Ice Bear units resemble a squat refrigerator and work with your standard centralised air-conditioning unit. This ice-powered air conditioning device operates as a thermal battery that can transform existing air-conditioners into cost-efficient cooling machines. 

As opposed to AC compressors that work throughout a hot day, an Ice Bear unit fills with water during the night and freezes it into a block of ice. Once the day starts, the ice is used to provide a means of affordable air conditioning to the building, removing the need for the air-conditioner’s energy-sapping compressor.

What are the Benefits?

Ice-powered air conditioning equipment can reduce energy consumption by up to an astonishing 95%. This is because the Ice Bear unit only uses power when it’s refrigerating, as opposed to a compressor that uses substantial electricity to blow out cool air.

This reliable system stores energy at night and uses that energy during the day to cool down offices, malls, schools and other commercial buildings. Other unique benefits include:

• Higher energy-holding capacity than water by volume
• Highly reliable, less likely to breakdown compared to standard systems
• More environmentally friendly as it requires less energy, leading to a reduction in greenhouse gas emissions.

2. DeVAP Air Conditioning

The Desiccant-Enhanced Evaporative Air Conditioner (DeVAP) is among the latest HVAC technology innovations that will brighten the future of the industry. 

How Does it Work?

Traditional HVAC systems rely on the removal of humidity to cool air. They work by condensing the hot air in your room, then cooling it before it’s released. DeVAMP air conditioning meanwhile combines liquid desiccant and evaporative technology to dehumidify the air, letting the evaporative cooler transform dry air into cold air.

What are the Benefits?

DeVAP air conditioning systems are far more efficient at dehumidifying air in a room compared to a traditional AC unit. In terms of savings, it’s estimated that DeVAP can save between 40 to 80 percent more energy than a traditional air conditioner. This can mean enormous savings for companies and even households in the long run. 

Other Benefits include:

• Environmentally friendly as they don’t require coolant chemicals 
• DeVAP air conditioning feels fresher, removing the stuffy air accustomed to regular ACs. 

3. Digital Ceilings

Coined as the future of building automation, digital ceilings are designed to turn any room into a smarter, more efficient space.

How Does it Work?

Digital ceiling is an IoT-based solution that can converge all building services in one central, easy-to-manage network. Services include property lighting, security and HVAC.

Using various adaptive sensors, including motion detectors, occupancy levels, temperature, carbon dioxide and more, one can learn the daily habits of building occupants to tailor air and light settings automatically. 

What are the Benefits?

Aside from connecting networks, acquiring and analysing data in the building can help an organisation make better business decisions. 

A digital ceiling is equipped with a system that will turn on the security cameras, Wi-Fi access points, lights and air conditioning only when people enter the room. This way, there’s always plenty of energy to power all these devices while keeping them completely off until someone enters. HVAC remote monitoring can also be integrated with the system, which allows users to track energy consumption. 

Other Benefits Include:

• It helps companies save on energy costs
• Convenient for all occupants, as they can manage lighting and air conditioning levels to their preference from a single network
• Tracks energy costs with HVAC remote monitoring

4. Wearable HVAC Technology (Remote HVAC)

This new, innovative software is compatible with many popular brands of smart glasses, including GoPro and Realwear. It will allow technicians to connect to an online network of HVAC experts whilst a service is in progress. 

Wearable HVAC technology is becoming a mainstay in the Commercial HVAC industry, offering unique solutions to contractors and clients. 

How Does it Work?

This latest HVAC technology is designed to help technicians with problems they encounter on the job. HVAC experts can remotely access the situation in real-time and talk through possible solutions over voice or video chat.

The wearer can deliver a live video transmission, allowing multiple technicians to inspect a system remotely while automatically generating a detailed service report to the owner.

What are the Benefits?

This innovative software will allow service techs to have a little more back-up when something goes wrong and make it easier for customers to find trusted professionals who can fix their heating systems more efficiently.

As this software speeds up service time, it means less downtime between jobs and a quicker, more reliable service which translates into more money for the contractors. Other benefits include:

• Lets contractors review their work with clients, building customer relationships
• Utilise job recordings to help train new technicians
• Provides client’s peace of mind, boosting brand credibility

How Does Joblogic’s Contribute to the Advancement of HVAC Technology?

HVAC business software provides technicians with one centralised platform to monitor current assets, customer details, service history and more. To this end, the user can maintain total transparency across their business – all at the touch of a button.

By using a cloud-based management platform, the technical capabilities are endless. From providing flexible cross-device experiences with all major mobile platforms to managing client invoices with our HVAC invoicing module, this software ensures that your HVAC business management system is as efficient as possible.

As swift advancement in the latest HVAC technology continues, so does the competition for increased efficiency. It is crucial for businesses to ensure that they do not get left behind. Book a free demo with one of our experts today to find out more.