Thermal Control Technologies rallies for decarbonisation

Perspectives on enhancing thermal technologies in indoor spaces, automation trends, design initiatives, regulations and practices need focus – is the analytical approach for air quality as viewed by industry stalwarts.

Thermal control solutions aim to provide comfort in large and public spaces. The growing use of IoT and electrical devices, design initiatives in HVAC systems for occupant-specific public spaces and demand for thermal control technologies in different end-use industries is on an increasing spree. The rising construction activities, growing urbanisation, and data load is leading to the creation of more malls, large spaces, hospitality and data centres. They all contribute to the growth of the thermal management market.

The global thermal management market is expected to reach approximately USD 20.3 Billion by 2030 with an 8.20 percent CAGR during the forecast period 2022-2030. The growth of the thermal management market is fuelled by rising demand for thermal management solutions and systems for use in consumer electronics and miniaturising. The usage involves manufacturing optimised cooling systems to reduce power consumption, space and cost.

New developments and design initiative trends are taking place in 2022 in HVAC systems for occupancy-specific public spaces. Considering that public spaces are large, they should be more than 1,000 square meters, 10,000 square feet. The energy conservation building code is being applied and is adopted by many states of India. Mr. Vikram Murthy, Director of Univac Environment Systems Pvt. Ltd., elaborates there are prescribed methods to implement energy conservation building codes, such as for shading, energy efficiency depending on the type of equipment, and wall insulation. ECBC also provides how many kilowatts per square meter that building should consume. Due to the government of India’s numerous public notices to reduce energy consumption, all public buildings, particularly CPWD, the government’s largest public construction arm, follow ECBC’s recommended guidelines.

For occupancy-specific public spaces and buildings, varying temperature makes ambient conditions unsafe throughout the year. The cooling load requirement varies throughout the operating hours. So, an energy simulation has to be performed to determine how much load is expected, says Mr. C. Subramaniam, Alumnus of IIT Madras and Principal Consultant at 3S Green & SSS Consultants. The designers can plan for a mixed mode of cooling. In some parts of the year, evaporative cooling will be the best option. During the peak summer, for additional comfort, equipment is there, and with an increase in occupancy, it can be augmented. Mr. Subramianm believes in ‘stepping outside of comfort zone and considering other options.’ Looking at mixed cooling modes is an ideal path for reducing energy consumption, particularly in public buildings. Instead of relying on traditional air conditioning, designers can choose the best available options under India’s cooling action plans.

 

Ventilation strategy 

The ventilation system is becoming increasingly important. It experienced unprecedented levels of Covid. People were concerned while entering any space because of concerns about a clean environment, the PM 2.5 and PM 10 levels, and so on. Indoor environmental quality is much more critical today. The fresh air, maintaining particulate matter levels, etc., is essential. So such systems must be designed accordingly. The traditional design was in place ten years ago. Today, technologies are freely available. They are improving daily, and IoT is rising, stresses Mr. Debashish Roy Choudhury, Asst. VP Sales – ARCTIC Division, Desiccant Rotors International Pvt. Ltd. “The wireless sensors and other devices must work in tandem with the traditional system to save energy. It’s a perfect opportunity now, especially for engineers and even the various institutes where graduates and engineers come out of the colleges.” Even in the academic world, students can apprise themselves about the available options as career opportunities because that is how a revolution takes place. By 2070, the country’s dream of decarbonisation should be achieved in line with the India Cooling action plan. 

The way forward, there has to be a disruptive kind of method of looking into cooling mechanics. One of the options is providing filters at different levels. The filter with the least pressure drop is a sustainable design option for wellness and comfort. Mr. Biju Thomas, Regional Director, KPM Design Services Pvt. Ltd., believes that the static method of filtration, which has a lesser pressure drop, is usually the best for the projects. In one of the big projects, separate chillers are installed just for the treated pressure system. The air quality checks were done to ensure the air quality was also quite good.

The issue is that moisture retention is no longer present in many cities. No control can be exercised over the natural effects of climate change, explains Mr. Vikram. That is a significant solution to a big problem that the entire world is attempting to solve. It ensures that water retention is present around all buildings, thus creating a local climate of evaporation.

 

Using air tunnel for pre-cooling system

 Using the earth as a resource for pumping air via the tunnel, Biju Thomas explains that people are now looking for ways to reduce power consumption and ensure that buildings are decarbonised. Nowadays, the carbon emissions of buildings are kept low. People are considering using these technologies to reduce their energy consumption. They may consider carbon credits, as they now agree to all these things. Mr. Debashish said a Research Center building in Ahmedabad has been using Tunnel Cooling for the last 20-25 years. They draw air from beneath the ground, which cools the entire building.

Every building requires a lot of fresh air, as well as a lot of exhaust systems. There are many skills. When they operate, they extract air from the cold space of the built environment. Precool the fresh air and a heat recovery system is also the best solution resulting in the treated fresh air being pumped in large spaces. Balancing is being done conceptually, which may be beneficial in some climate zones, but not so much in others -is the version of Mr. Subramaniam. As a concept, it’s helpful, and it is used in many projects because India has different temperature zones. “Analysing each location is desirable. However, one solution in one location may not work for another.” India has a wide range of unique and distinct environmental conditions. Hence, there is a need to determine the best option based on demand and ambient conditions. According to him, energy and thermal comfort are the two most essential factors in achieving sustainability.

 

Regulation for thermal control in large public utilities 

Regulation is the best way to introduce energy practices, asserts Mr. Vikram. The government of India, or the Bureau of Energy Efficiency, has an optional building star rating programme. They have star ratings for equipment, air conditioner fans, and a building star rating system. The rating is done from one star to five stars, and people aspire to make buildings five stars or three stars. Many facilities in Mumbai, for example, the Reserve Bank of India and Associated Cement Company, have displayed a big board outside the office that shows how much energy the building consumes per square metre/year. 

The Bureau of Energy Efficiency has begun visiting many public and commercial buildings and asking them to submit energy data for information and record. If conditions for rating be converted from optional to regulation, a much more square metre of the building will be energy rated. That will be the best way to check energy consumption. Let the building find out its method. By virtue, every building is different. If the regulation is implemented, the building people, consultants, and contractors will find a way to save energy in existing buildings.

 

Training for Automation 

There are many new ways for academia and the rest of the world to look into it. The university programmes must change with time to incorporate all information about automation and IoT. Today’s engineers are learning IoT, computer programming, and all the relevant education states Mr. Subramaniam. But they are adopting a different type of work environment. To make building science more interesting, new courses on building physics, building science, building mechanics and energy as well, should be created by universities to address the need for building energy.

While attracting young minds to this field and having conducted extensive research, disruption will certainly not occur – which is what is needed. We need academia to set the standards, to be the pioneers, to lead from the front, and to have courses like in Singapore and outside India, where plenty of such courses are available.

 

Time to move to suggestions 

Thermal comfort will be essential when a person goes to a mall, multiplex, shopping centre, or anywhere else. Mr. Debashish articulates a significant challenge in providing comfort to people in large, open areas. Initially, we’ve been doing it; at least India has shown the way forward in the past, with all of our palaces facing the front and natural cooling. From an optimistic point of view, Mr. Subramaniam rightly says that looking at mixed cooling modes is an ideal path for reducing energy consumption in public buildings.

Thermal comfort, energy efficiency, indoor environmental quality, and energy emissions are all important considerations. Architects must learn to engineer, and engineers must learn from architects. Both are required for long-term sustainability, as opines Mr. Subramaniam. In the opinion of Mr. Biju Thomas, energy efficiency and the indoor environment are two things to be usually focussed on while handing the building to the final occupants. The logical conclusion is that we must be very conscious, and those who design public buildings must aim to be energy efficient, creating safe places in the future. “And there are many ways of doing it.”