World is moving towards smart and green facilities with testing tools

Clean air for large areas will no more be a wish, but a reality.

How far are Air-handling units overcoming geographical and institutional challenges to clean air?

The awareness for quality air, availability of power at a reasonable price and overall growth in cities and towns other than metros had encouraged the growth for HVAC units. Air-handling units (AHU’s) for installation and ducts are enabling the industry to overcome the growth barriers.

Entrepreneurship and availability of quality components that build the AHU’s like VFD motors, heat exchangers, filters, ducting material, and insulation material, will compel the HVAC industry to avail local facility at an economical price. With the availability of components and tools to integrate the components and test the performance of the HVAC system, clean air for large areas will no more be a wish, but a reality.

Global air handling unit (AHU) market is anticipated to grow at a CAGR of around 6% during 2021- 2026. In view of this, what are your expectations of growing demand for energy-efficient HVAC systems across the globe?

Availability of quality energy at a reasonable price is an important ingredient for the growth of HVAC, beyond existing geographies and institutions. As growth happens, the cost of power and energy is bound to grow. The only way to assure the growth of HVAC Industry is to bring in energy efficiency. With the availability of technologies, like IoT and AI, the cost of energy to generate clean and qualitative air can be brought down. Apart from the state-of-the-art technology, the availability of tools and instruments will also bring in growth.

As construction activities are increasing, what prospects do you observe in industrial complexes, data centres, aviation and the hospitality industry?

There is a paradigm shift in the perception of having cleaner and qualitative air being a luxury. Now, it is seen as an essential requirement for commercial complexes and other large areas.

Apart from branded AHU’s, there is an opportunity for entrepreneurship in AHU and ducting segments. State of art technologies like AI, IoT, PLC’s and software to make the entire system energy-efficient will have a scope.

Finally, the world is moving towards smart and green facilities with testing tools and instruments especially for electrical, air quality, pressure, and airflow rate, temperature and humidity will have bigger role to play. Fluke provides an array of test tools to meet such green and sustainable goals.

What market growth for AHU is perceived, particularly when the number of data centres are increasing and expanding enormously?

The personnel working in data centres should have comfort on quality of the physical work environment to be productive. Also, the systems which they use to process data should have stipulated temperature and ambient conditions. The above two can be brought in only by the HVAC and the associated AHU. We rely on HVAC equipment to maintain acceptable temperature, humidity and ventilation levels for occupant health and comfort, and, now more than ever, to help regulate building health and manage increasing energy costs. The relationship between HVAC equipment, occupied space requirements, building materials, weather conditions and pressure differentials is an ever-changing dynamic process for indoor air diagnostics (IAD). Fluke IAD tool kit is developed to cater such increasing demands.

There will be competition among brands, eventually giving rise to the dominance of local entrepreneurs to build AHU’s with local expertise and using branded components where it is necessary.