Introducing energy efficient programs need of the hour

Air-conditioning is no longer a luxury, it’s about productivity, by provisioning a right environment to the right people, and create a liveable habitat

The HVAC industry have been evidently facing numerous technological advancements with the help of societies like ISHRAE and others, that has reaping benefits to the HVAC industry, as well as the consumers to an extent. Mihir Sanghvi, ISHRAE President, Mumbai Chapter, in a discussion with Megha Iyer, opens up about their upcoming campaign ‘One degree challenge’, similar to the much known ‘ice bucket challenge’, which would be conceded on the social media platforms, as an attempt to reduce the energy consumption.

The new role and responsibilities,
As president of ISHRAE Mumbai Chapter, the theme for the current society year, was FEEL (Fun-Energise-Earn-Learn). All the programs were planned following this theme. We are consciously making efforts to introduce energy saving programmes in the near future, post resounding success of our national program ‘Symposia’, which was on 4th dimension of MEP. We are now collaboratively and progressively working on an exemplary programme, called, ‘Architectonics’, a platform for effective communication between architects and MEP professionals. Following that program, would be our another flagship program ‘Harit JalVayu’. This programme is managed by ISHRAE Mumbai Chapter, IGBC and Indian Plumbing Association, where we are trying to cover all the three aspects, air conditioning, refrigeration and the MEP. ‘Harit’ is being referred to going green, ‘jal’ is referred to water and ‘vayu’ is referred to the air. We, as a team, are progressively taking conceivable efforts to start this initiative, under the banner called ‘Sinc’, and are willing to flag it off somewhere around January 2020. We are expecting a joint participation of around 700 – 1000 people for this event, including the chief engineers, service providers, manufacturers, and the air-conditioning contractors.

‘Net Zero’ : Net positive
We are already working on numerous projects, pertaining to the ‘Net Zero’ aspect, as a focused and determined effort to take these things forward. Even today, the existing MEP services, constitutes to almost 70 – 80 per cent of the total electrical consumption, and as an engineer, it is our primary responsibility to make maximum use of the resources that are remorse on earth, with caution. If, a designer, product manufacturers or a service provider can’t change themselves, how can we expect any layman or any normal individual, to change their habitat instantly, especially, when he is unable to understand the reality for possible adaption.
Can you imagine living in a world, where only 2 per cent of portable water is left? No, we can’t. The world is willing to make redundant use of this resource in cleaning their vehicles among the other means. We, the people, must take some accountability in preserving the water by making the possible less unwanted use of the available resources.

In fact, I would like to say that the HVAC&R are inclining towards ‘Net Positive’, by not extracting electricity from the grid, but, by generating power for the grid, by utilising alternate sources like tri-generation, wind mills and other means, and the next expected source will be solar farming. There are several other products and initiatives, which are a part of our year’s Symposia, 2019, as a fourth dimension to the MEP service.

Referigeration programme
Yes, there is a positive change and adaption in the food and beverage industry. 25 – 30 per cent of the farm produced, does not reach to the end user, on your table, due to the lack of adequate cold chain movements. We, at ISHRAE, are highly cognisant in taking this to the next level. We have a fine personality as our Refrigeration Chair,man Pankaj Dharkar, with whom, we are running a programme called Refcon, through which we connect to all the refrigeration members, and tell them about the upcoming innovative technologies and products for refrigeration. Also, our flagship event ‘Refcold’, which happened in Ahmedabad in 2018, and was one of the finest and number 1 trade fair in India, and among others. The second following edition is scheduled in Hyderabad, in November, which will let you explore various innovative technologies, in managing and reducing wastes, and if we are able to manage to do the same, it will be our way of giving back to the society, and indirectly help the farmers.

Also, now, air-conditioning is no longer a luxury, it’s about productivity; by provisioning a right environment to the right people, MEP services are nothing but making a habitat liveable. I will provide you with a complete decored place with no air ventilators, no lightning, no water, and no air movement where nobody can imagine to live in. It is the prime responsibility of an MEP engineer to make it liveable habitat for people. We create home, and offices out of buildings, but it requires responsible engineering to bring it to existence.

Inclination towards smart HVAC systems
The first ever air-conditioner, developed by Wills Carrier in 1902, was at a vey nascent stage. However, today, half of the air conditioners are remotely monitored, and also decides on the required temperature. In the near future and after that, you may no more be required to control the required temperature, the AC will be smart enough to decide the minimum temperature for your body requirement, and you don’t have to pump in temperature to a minimum or a maximum cooling.

IoT is already coming into the picture. Signals on the required amount of temperature being set into the area according to the maximum or minimum number of people being accommodated, and send in those details to the plant to adjust and accept the required temperature outflow in the desired place, so as to make the area cooler, and more comfortable to access for the people present in the zone. This provides more of comfort and saves the energy consumption.

One degree challenge
I, being a part of the manufacturing sector, feel that an entrepreneur always contributes to the national GDP and economy. MSMEs, today, are in almost 40 per cent of the GDP and 38 per cent of total exports. We, as MSME provide and create jobs. It’s a service to the nation, where you are a source for someone’s earning and someone’s living. That’s how I, personally contribute, in shaping India. Moving on to ISHRAE and our products and services, they are energy efficient, innovative, and we consistently upgrade them with the required technology and other advancements. It’s more about creating awareness about the utilising the existing available and the new energy efficient system, along with improving the indoor air quality. ISHRAE Ahmedabad Chapter, have initiated an innovative campaign of ‘One degree challenge’, where we will go live on social media platforms, and pose a challenge to everyone on the platform to increase your air-conditioner temperature by 1 degree. I think, anyone using their air-conditioner at 23C, should increase it to 24C or more, since I have tried and applied this as a practice, I find it comfortable to live, even after increasing my AC temperature by1 degree.

Innovations to give back to the society
Previously, air-conditioner with a capacity of 1 ton, was designed to cover an approximate area of 50 sq.ft, but today we are working on projects where, air-conditioners with same capacity, cover an amplified area of 800 sq.ft. This is highly evident, that people are preferring technologically advanced systems rather than the old and high energy consumption systems. Earlier, it used to require four people for repair and service of a window air-conditioner, whereas the new generation air-conditioners are more compact and much lighter, and has become more energy efficient. Government is taking all possible conscious efforts by adding up BEE ratings, which has decreased the previous 5 star ratings, to 3 stars, and even less than that. We must appreciate that, this is the first government to introduce a national cooling plan, and is expecting 8 times on the growth in HVAC&R field in the coming two decades. The existing players cannot cater to this exceptional growth, as it would require more people to meet the needs of the industrial growth, and societies like ISHRAE and others, come into the picture, where it unifies the youth in the purview, and teach them innovations, bring in new ideas, that will cater to greater needs in future. We must have some innovations to give back to the society.

Safe and smart heating and ventilation
Yes, there are multiple technologies available today, even in India for a safe and smart heating and ventilation, moreover, they can be used to nenhance to a much advanced level,. We have EC fans coming in, along with other technologies in the pipeline, that are add-ons tools in the existing ones. These advancement will boost the ventilation systems making them more reliable and will let them cater better services.

Mihir Sanghvi,
President,
ISHRAE – Mumbai Chapter