HVAC energy efficiency has become a key trend among installers and manufacturers and users, as word spreads around it equals less economic and environmental costs.
As heating and cooling can represent about half of the energy used in a building, achieving efficient heating and cooling is critical for managing costs and sustainability. In fact, the U.S. Department of Energy estimates that energy used at homes accounts for twice as many greenhouse gas emissions compared to those created by cars.
In such a context, at Knauf Appliances we’ve made a short introductory guide to understand what exactly is HVAC energy efficiency and what are the top tips to achieve it. Keep reading to find out.
HVAC energy efficiency definition
While there are many actions that can lead to HVAC energy efficiency, the result is always the same: an efficient system requires less energy consumption to produce comfortable heating and cooling temperatures.
In fact, the U.S. Department of Energy’s eeCompass guide mentions that efficient equipment can reduce energy use by 50% for electric heating and cooling systems and 10% for gas furnace heating systems.
HVAC energy efficiency ratio (EER)
The Energy Efficiency Ratio (or EER) measures the ratio of required electrical energy input and the output of cooling energy over a period of time.
Electrical energy is measured using Watt per hour while cooling or heating energy is measured in BTUs (British Thermal Units).
4 tips to improve HVAC energy efficiency
The importance of thermal insulation
In order to achieve HVAC energy efficiency, appropriate, thermally-insulating materials must be chosen in the design stage. Materials such as EPP foam will be able to remain stable over a wide range of temperatures, reducing potential heat losses.
HVAC energy-efficient design
While the installation, maintenance, and use of HVAC systems play a significant part in achieving HVAC energy efficiency, design is the first step. At this point, the goal is to contain potential heat losses and will maximize energy resources.
Some advancements in this area have included the development of more efficient heat exchangers, improving heat transfer processes, or eliminating the need for chemical refrigerants to develop a heat pump.
Use of custom parts and high-performance materials
Performance can greatly be improved by incorporating high-performance materials such as EPP foam into HVAC systems.
This material’s extraordinary characteristics (including its thermal insulation properties and its lightweight nature) align with making HVAC systems not only more energy-efficient but also reducing manufacturing and construction times.
In order to enhance a system’s efficiency, it can be included in heaters, ventilation and refrigeration systems, air-conditioners, pumps, filters, and motors.
Among its chief benefits are the capacity to minimize thermal bridges and eliminate the need for additional steel frames.
Maintenance
Maintenance and repair operations for HVAC systems (including furnaces, ductwork, and other components) must be undertaken to guarantee the system remains efficient.
You might also be interested in… Heat recuperator optimizations using EPP.
Knauf Appliances solutions for HVAC energy efficiency
At Knauf Appliances we’ve got a commitment to help create efficient HVAC systems that not only minimize costs but also present the lowest possible environmental impact, all while guaranteeing comfortable temperatures within a building.
As such, we provide customized EPP solutions for HVAC components. Our work is to design and implement technical parts for HVAC systems to improve their performance.
Working with expanded foam solutions, we guarantee our parts present compressive strength, air-tightness, and stiffness, while also allowing for customization possibilities (such as choosing foam density for each EPP material).
All in all, we work to meet the industry’s highest standards and requirements.
Learn more about EPP foam parts for HVAC systems and how it improves energy efficiency in HVAC components in our free guide ‘Technical manual about expanded foam in the industry’.