Daikin expands ME VRV production with new factory in Turkey

DUBAI, UAE, 1 August 2022: The global HVAC VRV market size was valued at USD 12.2 billion in 2020 and is expected to reach USD 29.2 billion by 2027 at a CAGR of 11.5%. To meet the increasing demand, Daikin announced that it has invested 13 million euros to start the production of VRV systems for the Middle East at its new factory in Turkey, which has been operational since May 2022. Making the announcement through a Press release, Daikin said the decision is based on its strategy to manufacture closer to the regional markets, ultimately shortening supply lead times and, furthermore, enabling it to respond to demand in a flexible manner.

The EMEA (Europe, Middle East and Africa) market for HVAC-R (Heating, Ventilation, Air Conditioning and Refrigeration) systems is expected to see a strong growth over the next few years, Daikin said. The strong increase in demand is mainly driven by the need for sustainable solutions, which are in line with changes across legislations within the region, Daikin said. This is particularly the case for heat pumps, which are posing to be one of the effective solutions to decarbonise buildings, Daikin said, adding that it is in the process of strengthening its current production capacity to ensure this growing demand can be met.

VRV systems are air conditioning appliances, which can heat or cool medium to large commercial buildings, Daikin said. These systems use heat pump technology to allow multiple indoor units to be connected to one outdoor unit, Daikin said.

The company said it introduced VRV systems back in 1982, as an innovative technology that enables each room of a building to be heated or cooled individually rather than the entire unit all at once, realising considerably higher energy efficiencies.

Tuna Gulenc, Vice President of Daikin MEA, said: “VRV is one of our key strategic business pillars within the MEA region. Over the years, and with our unique and differentiated product specs, seasonal efficiency, and system flexibility, we have secured several mega projects from residential compounds, schools and other commercial spaces. With the additional factory closer to our region, we will be able to serve the market faster, accelerate our expansion plans, and further strengthen our VRV leadership.”

According to Daikin, the new VRV production lines at the Turkish factory are equipped with the latest cutting-edge technology to optimise sustainability, efficiency and quality control. The factory has also been equipped with an energy-saving exhaust-heat-recovery system, Daikin said. With the introduction of the new facility, Daikin said it reinforces the company’s vision to produce high-quality products for the Middle East, while reducing its environmental impact.

Hasan Önder, CEO, Daikin Turkey, added: “We are very proud to be able to provide high-quality and energy-efficient products to the Middle Eastern markets. The VRV market across the region is expected to grow further in the future. We will be delivering the products that meet this growing demand and are fully adapted to the needs of our climate.”

In addition, Daikin said, its factory in Belgium, which has so far focused its production on VRV systems, will increase its production of heat pumps, which are rapidly gaining popularity across the region. These initiatives, the company said, will enable it to strengthen the manufacturing capacity across EMEA and achieve the targets of the company’s strategic management plan “FUSION 25”.

Daikin to participate in The Hotel Show Dubai

DUBAI, UAE, 20 May 2022: Daikin Middle East and Africa said it is set to showcase its innovative heating solutions of chillers and heat pumps at The Hotel Show Dubai 2022, from May 24 to 26 at the Dubai World Trade Centre. Making the announcement through a Press release, Daikin said the solutions are designed to ensure efficiency and optimise energy consumption for the hospitality industry. The solutions will support organisations in the hospitality sector to take one step closer to their sustainability goals, it added.

Traditional methods of producing hot water are undergoing innovations across several western countries, driven by the rise of industry regulations, Daikin said, adding that the trend is also closely materialising in the Middle East. Within the region, the company said, designers are looking into advanced systems for a more efficient way to produce hot water and reduce emissions, in both conventional and non-conventional applications.

As the Middle East is one of the most attractive hospitality markets in the world, The Hotel Show Dubai 2022 provides an ideal platform to showcase its innovative heating solutions to thousands of visitors from across the region while contributing to better sustainability practices within the hospitality industry, it added.

Commenting on Daikin’s participation at the trade show, Paras Adhvaryu, General Manager, Applied Business, Middle East & Africa at Daikin, said: “We are extremely pleased to partner with one of the biggest events for the hospitality sector within the region. Daikin will be showcasing its strong portfolio of innovative next generation of heating solutions at the event, and this is a great opportunity for us to highlight our offerings which are sustainable, cost efficient and reliable with outstanding energy efficiency levels.”

Daikin said it is an Associate Sponsor of the show and will be showcasing its range of advanced chillers and heat pump solutions built for the heating of water through energy optimisation. The company said its team will be available on-site – Stand 1A36 – to take visitors the journey through cutting-edge technologies and solutions tailored to meet the increasing sustainable needs of the hospitality industry.

Daikin said it will also be organising a keynote session to presents its contribution to move the hospitality sector towards carbon net-zero. To be presented by Lorenzo Cipriani, Regional Consulting Sales Manager, Daikin Middle East and Africa, the company said, the keynote will provide interesting insights on contemporary systems that produce hot water while saving energy consumption and reducing emissions for hotels and other companies within the hospitality sector.

Frascold, Solid Energy in district energy initiative

MILAN, Italy, 19 April 2022: District heating systems could be a key technology in achieving the international climate mitigation goals, both those laid out in the Paris Agreement and the more stringent ones set by the European Green Deal. Saying so, Frascold, which manufactures semi-hermetic compressors for the industrial refrigeration and air conditioning sectors, said it has combined with Solid Energy, which specialises in heat pumps powered by renewable energy sources, to contribute to the diffusion of district heating and pave the way to an ecological transition by signing up to numerous projects in Denmark. 

Amongst the most recent partnerships, upgrading the Galten plant in the Scandinavian country stands out, Frascold said. The plant has been in operation since 1964 and is capable of powering approximately 2,130 homes, Frascold highlighted.

The collaboration between Frascold and Solid Energy for the Galten facility began in 2019 with the creation of a system able to produce 45,000 MWh per year, obtained from 6 Frascold CXH screw compressors, suitable for use with HC, for 3.5 MW of overall power. The subsequent expansion, in 2021, saw the addition of 12 CXH compressors for an increase in power of 7 MW, Frascold said.

The installed air-water heat pumps absorb heat from the outside air with 34 air coolers for a total of 3,215,000 m3/h and cover 98% of the district heating system’s power consumption – that is, 44.343 MWh – with a SCOP (Seasonal Coefficient of Performance) of 3.11, Frascold said. The plant provides a discharge temperature of 70 degrees C with a return of 38 degrees C, thus achieving a COP of 3.4 calculated by considering an outside air temperature of 8 degrees C, which is the annual average in Denmark, Frascold said. 

“We think HC heat pumps are ideal for helping reduce the comfort sector’s environmental impact,” said Karsten Pedersen, Technical Director, Solid Energy. “Cascade systems with R290 and R600a guarantee the best balance of lowering direct and indirect consumption, flexibility of use and costs.

So, for this project, we relied, once more, on Frascold, which has supported us throughout each phase, and thanks to the constant dialogue with the Competence Center team, we have designed the ideal system to respond to the three challenges: Sustainability, performance and efficiency.

The partnership with Frascold is also based on the certified reliability of its wide range of hydrocarbon solutions: It is, in fact, the only manufacturer on the market with compressor sizes around 1,000 m3/h, which are perfect for our project and comply with ATEX directives for use in zone 2.” 

Fabrizio Diotallevi, Frascold Sales Area Manager, North Europe, said: “Denmark is one of the most advanced countries in terms of district heating, and approximately 1.7 million homes, or 64% of the total, are powered by these systems, of which 61% already use energy from renewable sources.

A continuous improvement process is in line with the objective to completely eliminate fossil fuels in the segment by 2030. With the numerous plants brought online with Solid Energy, we are proud to contribute to this ambitious project, which we hope will be replicated in other countries.

This new success story with Solid Energy is another example of our expertise in building heat pump compressors, which we have gained through years of international partnerships using this technology that, in the near future, will be the basis for virtuous heating and zero environmental impact.”  

Frascold SpA – www.frascold.it/en 

Frascold is a leading player in the development, production and marketing of semi-hermetic, piston and screw compressors, at the service of the refrigeration and air conditioning industry. A company in continuous evolution, with its gaze always directed toward the future, which has built, over time, its competitive positioning on the value of the dynamic efficiency paradigm in which the company becomes the very engine of change, playing a propositional and proactive role towards the demand.

With headquarters in the province of Milan, in a facility occupying 53,000 m2 in total. Frascold Spa closed 2020 with a consolidated turnover of 55 million Euro. The Company boasts a well-balanced competitive position, thanks to the complete control of the value chain and a careful internationalisation strategy, which is expressed in significant investments in direct bases in China, India and the USA and agreements with Distributors in 86 countries. 

Solid Energy A/S https://www.solid-group.dk/en  

Solid Energy A/S is a cleantech company founded in 2015 in Denmark. It specialises in designing and installing heat pumps for district heating power stations and for large plants in, for example, the industrial sector. Solid Group has 35 employees and implemented 13 turnkey projects, for an overall total power of 40 MW. 

Frascold, Solid Energy in district energy initiative

MILAN, Italy, 19 April 2022: District heating systems could be a key technology in achieving the
international climate mitigation goals, both those laid out in the Paris Agreement and the more
stringent ones set by the European Green Deal. Saying so, Frascold, which manufactures semi-
hermetic compressors for the industrial refrigeration and air conditioning sectors, said it has
combined with Solid Energy, which specialises in heat pumps powered by renewable energy
sources, to contribute to the diffusion of district heating and pave the way to an ecological
transition by signing up to numerous projects in Denmark.

Amongst the most recent partnerships, upgrading the Galten plant in the Scandinavian country
stands out, Frascold said. The plant has been in operation since 1964 and is capable of
powering approximately 2,130 homes, Frascold highlighted. The collaboration between
Frascold and Solid Energy for the Galten facility began in 2019 with the creation of a system
able to produce 45,000 MWh per year, obtained from 6 Frascold CXH screw compressors,
suitable for use with HC, for 3.5 MW of overall power. The subsequent expansion, in 2021, saw
the addition of 12 CXH compressors for an increase in power of 7 MW, Frascold said. The
installed air-water heat pumps absorb heat from the outside air with 34 air coolers for a total of
3,215,000 m 3 /h and cover 98% of the district heating system’s power consumption – that is,
44.343 MWh – with a SCOP (Seasonal Coefficient of Performance) of 3.11, Frascold said. The
plant provides a discharge temperature of 70 degrees C with a return of 38 degrees C, thus
achieving a COP of 3.4 calculated by considering an outside air temperature of 8 degrees C,
which is the annual average in Denmark, Frascold said.

“We think HC heat pumps are ideal for helping reduce the comfort sector’s environmental
impact,” said Karsten Pedersen, Technical Director, Solid Energy. “Cascade systems with R290
and R600a guarantee the best balance of lowering direct and indirect consumption, flexibility of
use and costs. So, for this project, we relied, once more, on Frascold, which has supported us

throughout each phase, and thanks to the constant dialogue with the Competence Center
team, we have designed the ideal system to respond to the three challenges: Sustainability,
performance and efficiency. The partnership with Frascold is also based on the certified
reliability of its wide range of hydrocarbon solutions: It is, in fact, the only manufacturer on the
market with compressor sizes around 1,000 m 3 /h, which are perfect for our project and comply
with ATEX directives for use in zone 2.”

Fabrizio Diotallevi, Frascold Sales Area Manager, North Europe, said: “Denmark is one of the
most advanced countries in terms of district heating, and approximately 1.7 million homes, or
64% of the total, are powered by these systems, of which 61% already use energy from
renewable sources. A continuous improvement process is in line with the objective to
completely eliminate fossil fuels in the segment by 2030. With the numerous plants brought
online with Solid Energy, we are proud to contribute to this ambitious project, which we hope
will be replicated in other countries. This new success story with Solid Energy is another
example of our expertise in building heat pump compressors, which we have gained through
years of international partnerships using this technology that, in the near future, will be the
basis for virtuous heating and zero environmental impact.”

JCI: Investments in sustainability have rebounded to pre-pandemic levels

CORK, Ireland, 12 April 2022: Johnson Controls (JCI) announced findings from its 15th annual Energy Efficiency Indicator Survey, which revealed that 62% of organizations surveyed expect to increase investments in energy efficiency, renewable energy or smart building technology in 2022, indicating a return to pre-pandemic levels. 

JCI said the latest report by the United Nations Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change advised that global scale transformation is urgently needed to combat climate change; however, its Energy Efficiency Indicator Survey found that organizations are still facing challenges to accelerate their sustainability efforts in key areas. Almost two-thirds of survey respondents say they struggle to scale sustainability initiatives across buildings, geographies or business units.  

“In the face of the multiple and continuous shock waves of the last two years, it is very encouraging to see that building owners and operators are driving forward the kinds of investments that deliver the resilience needed to grow their business and attract and retain the best talent,” said Katie McGinty, Vice President & Chief Sustainability and External Relations Officer, JCI.

“Whether it is the damage delivered by climate-charged destructive natural events, or the health threat of the pandemic, or now, the stark demonstration of the insecurity of world energy supplies, it is clear that taking action to cut energy demand while decarbonizing and cleaning the air are core strategies for companies, governments and institutions to not only survive but to thrive.

Our innovative technologies in heat pumps and our OpenBlue digital platform, plus our Net Zero as a Service partnership offering, are exactly the right tools at the right time for leaders determined to stay well ahead of challenges and deliver new opportunities for their business or organization.” 

JCI said the survey revealed that planned investment in energy generation or storage has grown significantly over five years, likely in response to the global focus on decarbonization, and as part of that effort, electrification.

More than a third of respondents plan to replace fossil fuel heating equipment with heat pump technology in the next year, which is seven per cent more than what was implemented in the year prior, the company said. Notably, thermal energy storage jumped from 27% to 42% in the last five years, the company said. More than half of respondents implemented electric energy storage in the past year, the company added. 

JCI said the survey also found that the United States and Europe still lead the way in every metric of green building planning. The United States had the most respondents who had already achieved green building certification and expect to have a net-zero-energy or carbon building in the next 10 years, JCI said.

Europe had the most respondents planning to attain green building certifications and the most respondents who have established public energy or carbon-reduction goals, with United Kingdom leading with 46% established goals, JCI added. 

Compared to its global counterparts, significantly more respondents in the United States plan to implement measures, such as building controls improvements, onsite renewable energy and energy management process, such as ISO 50001, JCI said. Of the countries surveyed, the United Kingdom, France and Japan have the most respondents who expect to increase investment in energy efficiency, renewable energy or smart building technology over the next year, the company said. Still, to reach global sustainability and environmental goals, the world must work collectively to plan for a more energy efficient future and make investments today for the generations to come, it added. 

Although global-scale transformation is necessary to course-correct on climate change, organisations are facing barriers to pursuing sustainability initiatives, JCI said. Almost half of the respondents surveyed say their top barrier to pursue energy and building technology improvements is either a lack of funding to pay for improvements (25%) or uncertainty in their return-on-investment (23%), the company said. 

Additionally, more than half of respondents pointed to a lack of technology as one of the hindrances to scaling sustainability efforts, JCI said. 

The pandemic has also prompted organizations to rethink their technology investment decision-making, JCI said. Protecting the health and safety of building occupants during the coronavirus pandemic was the second most significant driver of investments globally, it said. Additionally, 65% of respondents performed an indoor air quality assessment last year, it added. 

Respondents to the survey also said improving occupant health and wellness overall and improving life safety and security were important decision-making factors, JCI pointed out. Over the next 12 months, almost 60% of organizations plan to invest in fire and life safety system and security system improvements to their buildings, it said. Long term, more than two-thirds of organizations believe data analytics and cybersecurity will have an extremely or very significant impact on the implementation of smart buildings over the next five years, it added. 

The survey revealed that actionable policies are also important for progressing energy efficiency goals, JCI said, adding that 85% and 72% of respondents, respectively, reported that performance benchmarking, certifications and performance standards for energy codes are critical to improving energy efficiency efforts. 

JCI said its Energy Efficiency Indicator Survey collected responses from 1,000 participants globally between November and December 2021. 

Dunli introduces X-Pro axial fans

HANGZHOU, Zhejiang, China, 12 April 2022: Dunli introduced X-Pro axial fans, which it described as equipped with the latest rear guide vane and three-dimensional flow impeller. They are ideal for HVAC and refrigeration applications, the company added.

Making the announcement through a Press release, Dunli said the fans come in a wide range of impeller diameters, including 500mm, 630mm, 710mm, 800mm and 900mm. The maximum static pressure efficiency is up to 56%, and air volume is as high as 35,000m³/h, the company said.

In terms of noise control and range – throw distance – they perform significantly better than equivalent fans in the motor fan industry the world over, the company claimed.

Highlighting what it called the energy-saving characteristic of the fans, Dunli said an 800mm X-Pro axial fan working at 13,500m³/h at 160Pa, can save more than 17,000 kilowatt-hours in five years, compared to traditional equivalent fans in the market.

The fans can be used in a variety of HVAC equipment, such as air coolers, air-cooled heat exchange modules, heat pumps and cooling towers, Dunli said, adding that they are reliable, easy to install and maintain and convenient to control.

ASHRAE celebrates inauguration of global HQ building

ATLANTA, Georgia, 18 November 2021: ASHRAE formally opened its new global headquarters building, following a ribbon-cutting ceremony, attended by its board of directors, top building campaign donors, elected officials and local guests. Making the announcement through a Press release, ASHRAE added that it completed a USD 20 million building renovation project intended to prove the economic viability of a fully net-zero-energy (NZE) operation.

“The completion of this project is an important milestone for ASHRAE as a professional society and for the built environment worldwide,” said Mick Schwedler, 2021-22 ASHRAE President. “Our investments in energy efficiency and sustainability will boost innovation within the built environment and inspire others to replicate our headquarters’ project model. Our Society reimagined a pathway forward for existing building stock and is pleased to provide an example of the future of high performance buildings.”

The renovated, 66,700-square-foot building, situated on 11 acres of land at 180, Technology Parkway in Peachtree Corners, Georgia, is the culmination of a 10-month project, completed in October 2020, during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, ASHRAE said.

“One could make the assertion that constructing a new net-zero-energy building from the ground up would have been much easier than renovating an existing building,” said Ginger Scoggins, 2021-22 ASHRAE Treasurer and Former Building Ad Hoc Committee Chair. “We decided that ASHRAE could make the greatest impact by showing others how to renovate an existing building with net-zero-energy as the focus, using our own standards and guidelines. ASHRAE is making net-zero-energy the ‘new norm’ in sustainable design and construction. It has been an honor to lead this historic project.”

ASHRAE said the building’s grand opening comes at the conclusion of highly successful building campaign that raised more than USD 10.3 million in monetary donations and contributions of equipment and services from multiple ASHRAE members and 33 corporate donors. Top corporate building donors, NIBE and Cisco, were represented at the ceremony, it added.

“When NIBE was presented with the opportunity to be a part of ASHRAE’s new headquarters, it was an easy decision to play a part in the growth and sustainability of the HVACR industry,” said Eric Lindquist, CEO, NIBE Industrier AB. “Our US brands are focused on continued promotion of systems and solutions that provide comfort, affordability, and betterment of the environment. We look forward to the new headquarters and what the future holds.”

Jeremy Witikko, Office of the Chief Technology Officer, Global Industry Business Strategy, Cisco, said: “When ASHRAE embarked on creating a workspace that reflected their organization’s vision of advancing human well-being through sustainable technology, Cisco was ALL-IN on partnering. Cisco is committed to power an inclusive future for all and were thrilled to be a part of that journey with ASHRAE. Together, let’s continue to build a place where we can meet human needs and protect the planet though technology, our actions, our people and our intentions. An inclusive future starts with a livable planet where people and the environment can thrive together.”

ASHRAE said that although it has occupied the building for more than one year, with limited onsite staff presence, the installation of a Photovoltaic (PV) solar array system was completed in October 2021, marking the beginning of the building’s operation at fully net-zero-energy performance. The PV system is a combination of three sub-arrays, totaling 332kW, mounted on the rooftop and in an unused section of the parking lot, it added.

ASHRAE said that in addition to the PV system, innovative approaches incorporated in the building include:

• Eighteen new skylights and reconfigured window/wall ratio.
• Radiant ceiling panel system: This is used for heating and cooling and dedicated outdoor air system for outdoor air ventilation with enthalpy heat recovery.
• Overhead fresh air distribution system augmented with reversible ceiling fans in the open office areas and displacement distribution in the learning center.
• Six water-source heat pumps (WSHPs): There are four on basement level and two on upper level atrium that will be used to condition these spaces.
• A robust Building Automation System with remote access.
• Demand Control Ventilation (DCV): This will be used for high occupancy spaces in the meeting and learning center.
• On-site electric vehicle charging stations available for guests and staff.

In attendance at the ceremony were representatives from the offices of US Senators Jon Ossoff and Raphael Warnock and Congresswoman Carolyn Bourdeaux, along with county and city officials, ASHRAE said.

“We are very pleased that a professional association of ASHRAE’s distinction selected Peachtree Corners as the site of its global headquarters,” said Mike Mason, Mayor, Peachtree Corners. “Technology Park is a natural fit for an organization whose focus mirrors the city’s efforts in technology innovation, sustainability and green living.”

ASHRAE said its Building Ad Hoc Committee and Technical Advisory Subcommittee, comprising Society volunteers, oversaw the building renovation project. Partners involved in the design, engineering and construction of the building project include: Houser Walker Architecture, McLennan Design, Integral Group, Collins Project Management, Skanska, Shumate Mechanical and Epsten Group, it said. The PV installation was completed by Creative Solar USA, it added.

Chillventa launches new Web site

Nuremberg, Germany, 2 August 2021: Following the Chillventa eSpecial 2020, and after four years without an in-person gathering, the exhibition for refrigeration, air conditioning, ventilation and heat pump technology will run from October 11 to 13 at the Exhibition Centre Nuremberg, the organisers said.

The Chillventa CONGRESS, will take place on October 10, the organisers said, adding that exhibitors can register for the event immediately. The organisers said they have launched a new Web site, which offers an improved user experience and provides even more focused information.

Chillventa, the organisers said, will offer opportunities for networking in person and view innovations through live demonstrations. The planned trade fora, Chillventa CONGRESS and supporting programme will spotlight issues like energy performance, contributing to the energy revolution, combined cooling and heating and the cooling of data centres, the organisers said. The event will also look at topics like the circular economy and the cold chain in the pharmaceutical sector.

“We are preparing to finally see our exhibition halls back in action again and to welcoming the international refrigeration, AC, ventilation and heat pump community in person to Nuremberg,” said Daniela Heinkel, Director of Chillventa at NürnbergMesse. “We are sure that the kind of platform offered by Chillventa is now more in demand than ever and are confident that it will build on its successful 2018 round.”

Bitzer launches Varipack frequency inverters

Sindelfingen, Germany, 27 July 2021: Bitzer has added models with IP55 and IP66 enclosure classes to its range of Varipack frequency inverters. Making the announcement through a Press release, the company further said that the additions retain all of the product family’s known properties, such as user-friendliness, reliability and performance.

According to Bitzer, the inverters are designed for safe and easy capacity control and have been specially adapted for refrigeration and for the operation of Bitzer refrigeration compressors. They open up a wide range of applications in supermarkets, hotels and restaurants as well as in food manufacturing and processing, the company said. The inverters, the company added, are suitable for refrigeration and air conditioning systems as well as for heat pumps and can be combined with single compressors and compound systems alike. After intuitive commissioning, the inverters take over the control functions of the refrigeration system, the company said. They can be mounted in a switch cabinet (IP20) or outside of the switch cabinet, thanks to the higher IP55/66 enclosure class, it added.

According to Bitzer, the inverters can be operated in two modes: The compressor’s capacity can either be controlled depending on an externally set signal or on the evaporation temperature with an optionally available pressure control add-on module. In addition to direct control of the evaporation temperature, the speed of the condenser fan can be set via a 0-10 V output signal, and a second compressor can be switched on, the company said. With regard to pressure control, the inverters have a database of all commonly used refrigerants for ease of configuration and monitoring, the company said.

According to Bitzer, its software can be used to select a frequency inverter for specific applications, and BEST software (Bitzer Electronics Service Tool) can be used for easy commissioning and monitoring. The stored databases simply select the compressor model to fully configure every compressor, the company said. BEST software is also the interface for communication to configure, monitor and read out error messages, the company said. The inverters, with the IP55/66 protection class, are also fitted with a display, as standard, which makes it possible to view the current operating conditions and adjust common parameters, the company added.

The inverters ensure that when operating in field-weakening mode, the maximum frequency is automatically limited, depending on the load, the company said. Optimised adjustment to suit the system’s current cooling demand, the company added, reduces energy consumption, increases efficiency and lowers running costs.

Eurovent Certita Certification launches its new website

PARIS, France, 30 June 2021: Eurovent Certita Certification launched a new version of its website, available at www.eurovent-certification.com, the organisation said through a Press release.

According to Eurovent, the new website was designed to provide a better user experience to a wider audience – comprising consultants, technical design offices, architects and end-users, among others – with a quick and easy access to certified data.

According to Eurovent, the website has the following new features:

• An online search engine for third-party certified products, components and systems in the Heating, Ventilation, Air Conditioning and Refrigeration fields with an easy access to certified data by:
  • product families,
  • brands,
  • performances
• Editorial contents related to the following topics:
  • Indoor air quality and Ventilation
  • Thermal Comfort
  • Heat Pumps
  • Refrigeration

• Online configurators allowing to find the best certified product families and product types, according to visitor needs

• Content available in the following nine languages: English, French, German, Italian, Spanish, Russian, Turkish, Arabic and Chinese.

JCI named to FT European Climate Leaders list

CORK, Ireland, 18 May 2021: Johnson Controls (JCI) said it has been named to the inaugural FT Climate Leaders in Europe list.

Europe’s Climate Leaders 2021 is a list of companies across Europe that have shown the highest reduction of their emission intensity – that is, core greenhouse gas emissions in relation to revenues, between 2014 and 2019. Johnson Controls reported that it was one of only 300 companies selected from 4,000 across Europe.

“We are extremely proud to be recognized by the Financial Times as a European climate leader,” said George Oliver, chairman and CEO, Johnson Controls. “Sustainability has long been at the heart of everything we do, and it is an honor to be included on this prestigious list. With COP26 approaching at this critical moment in the battle against climate change, it is important that companies continue to play their part in cutting emissions and delivering clean, sustainable solutions across the entire value chain.”

According to JCI, companies on the list – compiled by research firm, Statista – were invited to submit emissions reported following the emission categories of the greenhouse gas protocol (scope 1, 2 and 3). In addition, Statista scrutinized publicly available data, mainly from financial and non-financial reports as well as from CDP (formerly the “Carbon Disclosure Project”).

Although JCI reports all three emissions scopes, the ranking only considers scope 1 and scope 2 emissions, since not all companies publish their scope 3 emissions, it said. Since 2002, JCI said, it has reduced its emissions intensity by more than 70% – equivalent to the carbon sequestered by 17,000 acres of forest. The company said it has also helped its customers save more than 30.6 million tonnes of CO₂ globally and $6.6 million through guaranteed operational savings.

At the European level, JCI said, it has been effectively supporting the EU’s ambition to become carbon neutral by 2050. The European Commission recently committed to at least 55% cuts in greenhouse gas emissions (from 1990 levels) by 2030 under the European Green Deal. Decarbonizing Europe’s building stock through the European Commission’s Energy Performance of Buildings Directive has a crucial role to play in this effort – 40% of greenhouse gases come from buildings, the company said.

According to JCI, digitalization has been recognized as a key enabler for the building renovation wave in Europe and the rest of the world. Already, JCI said, it has been deploying its OpenBlue digital platform for optimizing buildings sustainability across its entire value chain – drastically improving the company’s own environmental impact and helping customers consume less energy, conserve resources and identify pathways to achieving healthy, net zero carbon communities.

Katie McGinty, Vice President & Chief Sustainability, Government and Regulatory Affairs Officers, JCI, said: “We are making positive change within our own corporation and believe we are uniquely positioned to help customers and suppliers achieve their sustainability goals. By driving global change, we are ultimately creating an environment for healthy people, healthy places and a healthy planet.”

JCI said it is also helping meet the growing demand for energy-efficient technologies. It said it has provided heat pump solutions for customers at more than a dozen district heating and cooling applications in Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Italy and Norway.

Heat pumps, it said, have an important role to play in decarbonizing buildings and industry. They have long been in the DNA of industrial refrigeration – utilised in food and beverage, dairy and other process industries for reclaiming low-temperature waste heat and turning it into low-cost, high-temperature heat.

Dunli launches X-Pro axial fans

Yuhang District, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, China 3 May 2021: Dunli has launched the X-Pro series of axial fans, which the company described in a Press release as designed to feature the latest rear guide vane and three-dimensional flow impeller.

The range covers a variety of impeller diameters, including 500mm, 630mm, 710mm, 800mm and 900mm, Dunli said. The maximum static pressure efficiency is up to 56%, and the air volume is as high as 35,000m³/h, the company claimed. The noise and range – throw distance – are able to perform significantly better than the equivalent fans from the motor fan industry all over the world, the company further claimed.

According to Dunli, the X-Pro fans can be used on a variety of HVAC equipment, such as air coolers, air-cooled heat exchange modules, heat pumps and cooling towers. This X-Pro series, Dunli said, is reliable, lends itself to easy installation and maintenance and is convenient to control.

ENGIE in “sustainable” server cooling initiative

LINDAU ON LAKE CONSTANCE, Germany 5 February 2021: ENGIE Refrigeration spoke of how it intends to install a thermeco₂ high-temperature heat pump of machine type HHR 130 with a heating capacity of 100 kilowatts at the Ludwigsburg District Office, in Baden-Württemberg, in Germany. The company added that the model is especially eco-friendly, partly because it utilises the natural refrigerant CO₂ and partly because it provides cold and heat simultaneously. ENGIE added that it has also conceptually overhauled the thermeco₂ – the heat pump now contains a filter dryer and more control options.

The administrative campus of the District Office is home to almost all the important specialist departments in the Swabian district. Various services for the citizens of Ludwigsburg are provided there with the aid of digital tools. This requires a powerful IT infrastructure, which is why the District Office maintains an in-house data centre, ENGIE said. Ambient temperature plays an essential role in reliable operation. As the server racks generate a large amount of heat, the refrigeration supply must function smoothly around the clock. In the summer of 2019, it became clear that action was needed here. “The existing R22 refrigeration system was outdated and needed to be fully modernized,” said Frank Glaser, Key Account Manager for Heating Applications at ENGIE Refrigeration. “As the Ludwigsburg District Office attaches great importance to a sustainable refrigeration solution, it chose the thermeco₂ high-temperature heat pump from ENGIE Refrigeration.”

The District Office intends to operate in climate-neutral fashion from 2025, ENGIE said. To achieve this, it wants to use a photovoltaic system and a combined heat and power system to produce and consume its own electricity in future.

ENGIE said it is supporting the District Office on its path towards climate neutrality with sustainable server cooling. “The Ludwigsburg District Office requires heat uncoupling in a challenging temperature range: High outlet temperatures of up to 90 degrees Celsius, and a low inlet temperature of 38 degrees Celsius,” Glaser said. “Our thermeco₂ high-temperature heat pump unfolds its full potential under these conditions, while alternative solutions could only achieve this with a great deal of technical and primary energy expenditure.”

The heat pump will be installed at the District Office in March 2021 and will then provide the baseload refrigeration for year-round server cooling, ENGIE said. Furthermore, the heat pump will cool the administrative building in the winter months and, thanks to its heat recovery function, simultaneously provide heat for heating the building, for heating drinking water and for conditioning the recirculated air in the server rooms, the company added. This makes the refrigeration solution especially sustainable, which is why it is subsidised by the state. Additional chillers and boilers are available for peak loads in hot or cold weather, ENGIE said.

With its machine design, the heat pump adapts easily to local conditions, ENGIE claimed. The heat pump uses the natural refrigerant CO₂ as its refrigerant. It is extremely safe (safety class A1) and, therefore, involves few safety-related requirements for the installation space, the company said. In addition, CO₂ is non-combustible and non-toxic, and it does not contribute to the destruction of the ozone layer or to the greenhouse effect, the company added. In total, the heat pump will save 38.4 tons of CO₂ per year when compared to the existing refrigeration system – fully in line with the sustainability strategy of the District Office, the company further added.

ENGIE said it has subjected the heat pump to fundamental enhancements, which will now take effect for the first time in the machine for the District Office. “As of now, we will be relying on our tried-and-tested QUANTUM electrical components in the thermeco₂ as well,” Glaser said. “In addition, the filter dryer will become the standard. It keeps the refrigerant circuit clean and dry and, thus, counteracts the decay of the chiller oil, corrosion and further contamination. This allows us to keep the performance of the system at a constant high level.” In addition, the company said, the heat pump weighs around 10% less than the previous model, thanks to its optimised design, smaller switch cabinet and soldered connections instead of flange connections.

Shecco to host annual trade show on natural refrigerants

BRUSSELS, Belgium, 05 February 2021: Clean Cooling market accelerator, shecco has opened free registration for its second Virtual Trade Show (ATMO VTS 2021) for natural refrigerant and sustainable cooling technologies, the body said through a Press release. The registration page can be found here, it added.

According to shecco, the event, designed for the global refrigeration, air conditioning and heat pump industry, will take place over a 24-hour period, from 10 am CET (Central European Time) March 30 to 10 am CET March 31. The show is designed to fill the physical trade show void, as the world continues to grapple with the COVID-19 pandemic, shecco added.

shecco said it is expecting 5,000-10,000 registrations and more than 100 exhibitors of natural refrigerant products for ATMO VTS 2021. Premium exhibitors so far include Teko, Zudek, ebmpapst, Carel, Alfa Laval and Dorin, it added.

The inaugural ATMO VTS took place from September 1 to 2, 2020, shecco said, adding that it attracted 77 natural refrigerant companies as exhibitors and more than 4,200 attendees from 1,500+ organisations from around the world.

“ATMO VTS 2021 will give that ‘real’ trade show feeling, which is much needed these days,” said Marc Chasserot, CEO, shecco. “The platform allows us to explore different halls, listen to live presentations, and make valuable connections with customers and suppliers from all over the world.

“In addition to some great exhibitors, with more signing-up each week, we’ve made some big changes, including new Product Innovation Awards and 24 hours of live webinars, including panel discussions, so that everyone, no matter where you are in the world, can listen live to some key discussions from cooling thought leaders.”

The live webinars will include presentations on shecco’s first Annual Report on the natural refrigerants industry, global training, the new EU F-Gas Regulation update and food retail experiences from around the world.