The lighter, the more efficient. It sounds like a marketing claim, but it sums up the benefits of lightweight HVAC products perfectly. This equipment (heat pumps, air conditioners, heating, ventilation systems…) – has a considerable size, reducing the final weight allows, as we are about to see, more ease of operation and considerable energy savings.    

 

How to make HVAC systems lighter?  

 The key is to offer essentially the same product so as not to dramatically alter the production line, nor the training of installers and maintenance professionals. In essence, the systems should be similar to existing systems, but with less weight.   

  For this purpose, some mechanisms are replaced by unitary parts made of lightweight materials for the HVAC components. Far from being a complex engineering revolution that marks a before and after in the production line, it is about applying eco-design to have the same product, but much lighter.   

Are you interested in decrease the weight of your HVAC products? Get in touch.

 

 EPP components, the lightest and most efficient solution on the market  

 If you are looking for a material that is lightweight, strong, cost-efficient, and easy to mould, expanded polypropylene (EPP) is the ideal solution. It is the preferred solution for HVAC engineers to optimise the adaptability of lightweight HVAC products. .  

 In fact, one of the advantages of EPP in HVAC manufacturing is that it simplifies many stages of production through a click-to-fix design that eliminates the tedious process of screwing or gluing various parts together.  

RELOOPP®, just as light, but circular

 At Knauf Industrial Solutions we have inherited all the EPP know-how of Knauf Industries. In addition, our materials engineers have recently developed RELOOPP®, a new circular alternative material to EPP produced from pre- and post-consumer recycled EPP. The ultimate solution to reduce the weight and carbon footprint of your HVAC systems.    

Advantages of achieving lightness in HVAC systems  

 The HVAC market has been growing steadily for years. Sales of cooling, heating and ventilation equipment are estimated to grow by 6.8% until 2031. The reasons can be found in the growing demand for energy efficiency, the environmental concern increased care for indoor air quality, technological improvements, and new regulations to encourage energy savings.    

Standing out in such a dynamic and, at the same time, competitive market is not easy. Ingenious and efficient solutions are needed. Reducing the weight of such equipment makes a qualitative difference compared to the competition.   

Simplification of plant work  

Although most of the processes in assembly plants are robotised, there are still manual tasks. Reducing the weight of components facilitates loading, unloading and other handling of parts. This results in safer working environments and fewer accidents due to pulled muscles, knocks, or falls when handling these parts.  Thus, the application of lightweight solutions contributes to the reduction of musculoskeletal disorders (MSD) at workplace.  

 

 Logistical benefits of lightweight HVAC  

Air conditioners or water heaters, to name two examples, are robust by their own. A reduction in weight also reduces fuel consumption for transport from the production plants to the customer. In the current scenario of constantly rising oil prices, the cost savings with a light HVAC at the end of the year are undeniable.   

 

Less carbon footprint 

It’s not just about saving money per kilometre. A lighter load emits less CO2, the gas responsible for climate change. This concern for sustainability is one of the levers driving market demand for lightweight HVAC solutions.   

  

Easier installation  

Lighter equipment can be installed more quickly and in less time. And at lower costs, as another advantage of installing a lightweight HVAC device is that it requires less manpower to support the equipment during operations.   

  

Interior design assistance  

Reducing weight by incorporating components in EPP allows for greater flexibility in the design of lightweight HVAC systems. Thanks to these advances, more elegant and more discreet designs can be produced and anchored in false ceilings or flimsy walls. All this improves the aesthetics indoors.   

Improved performance   

The development of tailor-made components in click-to-fix format provides stability to the equipment, as vibrations and frictions between parts are minimised. We thus have two benefits: improving HVAC performance with lightweighting and reducing the risk of breakdowns.   

  

Simpler maintenance  

Among the advantages of light HVAC maintenance are that, in the event of a repair, operators can quickly access the point of failure, repair, replace faulty parts and re-close.     

 

Sustainable practices with a light HVAC  

 96% of EPP is air. This property explains its light weight, but also its high insulation capacity, a highly appreciated property in a sector that provides comfort temperatures. Manufacturing components with this expanded material ensures greater energy efficiency in EPP lightweight air conditioning.   

 In other words, if we look at it with the planet in mind, we achieve a lower environmental impact thanks to lighter air conditioning.  

 

Are you interested in decrease the weight of your HVAC products? Get in touch with our team.