Advancements in HVAC System Technology
Software that Analyzes Energy Use
While there are many different technologies and innovations that impact numerous aspects of HVAC systems, the most significant may be the implementation of various softwares. Applications that are connected to the furnace, vents, and air conditioner will create new ways to control and use HVAC systems.Much of this software will be involved in the analysis of energy use. These softwares will allow builders, engineers, architects, and technicians to create systems that can analyze the use of energy in realtime. New innovations will also impact how HVAC experts select, design, and implement heating and cooling systems.
Motion-Sensor Temperature Control
In most homes across the country, you have to set the HVAC system to a specific temperature; the only way to change the flow of air or the temperature itself was to make changes directly on the thermostat. But by syncing motion sensors with the HVAC system, designers can build networks that literally adjust the settings when a motion is detected.Here’s how it might work: if the room is empty, the HVAC system will be off, or set to low. Once the system detects motion in the room, it can increase the temperature to create greater comfort.
Multiple Heat Sources in One System
Currently, practically every heating system uses one source of warmth. If you need a furnace, it will either be natural gas or electric. Both have specific advantages and drawbacks, and one may be ideal for certain houses. However, limiting a heating system to only one source seems silly when there are so many options available.Current advancements in HVAC systems allow for multiple sources of heat. You may find that heating systems use a combination of heating sources, and the furnace will work in conjunction with a heat pump to create the most efficient heating possible.
For example, certain sources are best when the temperatures are extremely low, so if the outdoor temperature is around 40 degrees, the system can use electricity; when it gets near 30 degrees, the system can switch to a different source of energy.
Whole House Fans
The use of whole house fans has been around for several decades. Given advances in energy efficiency they are being used more in places like California as a means of lowering cooling bills by as much as 90%.A whole house fan HVAC system works by pulling in cooler air from the outside through open windows while pushing the hotter indoor air into the attic. Unlike an air conditioner that cools the air within a home, whole house fans are a ventilation system.
Air Conditioners Using Ice
Back in the 1930’s, there were refrigerators that literally used ice as their source of cool air. This idea may seem outdated, but modern designers are finding that ice can actually be an energy-efficient way to cool the air in a home.New systems, which are still being developed, create ice over night, then store the ice and use it to cool a building throughout the day. It’s believed that this form of technology could actually reduce a building’s energy consumption by a considerable margin, giving the home or commercial facility a lower energy bill while reducing the carbon footprint.
HVAC Zoning
Of all the technologies being developed, there is possibly more buzz in the HVAC industry surrounding the concept of zoning. This system works by breaking the house into various sectors and sending warm or cold air to these sections as needed.Instead of warming the house as an entire unit, you can turn down the air conditioning on the first floor, while keeping it higher upstairs. Or, depending on how the house has been zoned, you could reduce air flow to an unused room, such as a guest bedroom. By allowing for strategic use of airflow, it’s expected that zoning will improve energy efficiency in homes and office buildings.
Geothermal Heat Pumps
While this is not a brand-new technology, it is gaining a lot of popularity in many different areas. Over recent years, people are seeing that this technology can be extremely efficient as a source of power for your home, power that can be used to operate various home appliances, including air conditioning and heating. It could also be used for heating water.Geothermal heat pumps draw warmth from the ground and use it to heat a home, but the process can also be reversed: when you need cool air, you can use geothermal to pump heat into the ground and away from the home. Geothermal energy can also be used to assist in the warming of water, reducing the need for electricity or gas to do this job.
Radiant Floor Heating
This technology is actually seeing adoption by many homeowners, and it could be available for your home right now. This system essentially puts heating units in the floor, warming the floor itself and creating heat that radiates upward, warming the entire home. The heat often comes from pipes in the floor that circulate warm water, although radiant flooring can also include electrical systems. This is an extremely efficient source of home warmth, and it’s a great solution for enhancing the comfort in your home.Sensor-Driven Ventilation
Sensors appear to be one of the main tools that will drive the advancement of HVAC systems technology. Sensors can be used to make various adjustments, including air power and temperature, but they can also be used to adjust vents. HVAC system technology will likely include homes that have sensors inside each room. These sensors can detect motion or room temperature, and this information can then be used to automatically adjust a rooms’s vents. If the sensors detect that warm or cool air is not needed in that room, the vents can be adjusted automatically.3D Printed Air Conditioners
3D printing has advanced rapidly over the past decade, allowing for products and parts with greater detail and smaller sizes. 3D printing air conditioning systems are no longer far-fetched, as the technology can now create the smaller parts required for this type of appliance. The technology can even be used as a dehumidifier, as there are 3D-printed bricks that can actually draw moisture from the air.It may not be viable for extreme temperatures (at least not yet), but 3D printing could reduce the costs of these machines and create more comfortable air in homes that can’t currently afford air conditioning.
Heat from a Computer to Warm a Home or Building
Your computer is in a constant battle against overheating. If the computer is working too hard and gets warm, it automatically kicks on a fan that cools the internal components. But what if there was a way to harness all that heat and use it to warm a home or building? Thats exactly what some developers have in mind, and they think it could be the next source of green building energy efficiency.Harnessing the heat could be useful for reducing the overall heating costs of a winter month, and it seems that this technology could be especially useful in commercial and office settings, where multiple computers are being used at once. While one computer may not do the trick, dozens or even hundreds of computers could produce enough heat for a building, or at least enough to reduce electric or gas use.
Amazing Air Purifiers from a World-Class Company
Technologies that improve the air quality in a home are also advancing rapidly. Air purifiers have come a long way, and they are now one of the most important appliances you can have in your home.Whether you use an air purifier or a unit with activated carbon and other technologies, an air purifier will ensure clean, fresh air for your home or office.
