5 ways HVAC technology can accelerate Hong Kong’s sustainability goals

Hong Kong is one of the world’s most building-dense cities, with over 100,000 residents per square km. As the city embarks on its mission of becoming carbon neutral by 2050, the strategic management of its 42,000 buildings will be a key factor in cutting emissions.

 

It’s a challenge that nations and cities worldwide are grappling with: how to give building operators the modern and durable solutions they need to incorporate low-carbon processes into their retrofit and new-build projects, all while maintaining operational integrity and profitability.

 

Because HVAC systems consume more energy in a typical commercial building than any other component, emerging “smart” HVAC solutions will be crucial in this transition. Perhaps more than any other modern city, Hong Kong is perfectly poised to embrace this trend.

 

Here are 5 ways smart HVAC solutions can accelerate Hong Kong’s progress towards sustainability.

 

1. Smart HVAC reduces energy use in large buildings

The HVAC system of a typical building accounts for between 40% and 70% of total electricity consumption. In humid and high-temperature locales, this number tends towards the higher end. It may also spike in different seasons and at different times of the day.

 

Traditional air conditioning equipment is so energy-intensive because of the complex process of evaporators, condenser coils and compressor pumps working in coordination to pump heat from indoors to outdoors.

 

The amount of power required is proportional to the amount of latent cooling load to be managed. This means the bigger the building and the hotter the climate, the more electricity required.

 

Smart HVAC solutions are designed to tackle the HVAC equation piece-by-piece by using sensors and algorithms to identify and root out inefficiencies in system equipment. At the same time, they give building operators and end-users real-time data and information to manage their A/C more holistically.

 

A fully integrated smart HVAC system can save a typical commercial building between 30 to 50% in total electricity costs.

 

2. Smart HVAC brings IoT and AI capabilities to the forefront

IoT – or the Internet of Things – is a term used to describe the digital interconnection of devices, appliances and everyday objects via the internet. IoT innovations are taking hold in nearly every industry, and they are especially adept at modernising traditional processes in heavy industry.

 

For commercial HVAC solutions, IoT involves the installation of sensors at numerous points along the HVAC lifecycle. This includes individual pieces of equipment – such as condensers, evaporators, pumps and compressors – but also incorporating inputs such as time of day, real-time number of occupants in a building or room, and outdoor air temperature.

 

Artificial intelligence (AI) algorithms are then applied to the data as it is collected to make intelligent decisions on how the HVAC system operates. This structure is a step up from traditional building management systems (BMS) in that it incorporates variable inputs in real-time, rather than relying on fixed-variable preprograming from humans.

 

3. Smart HVAC gives building occupants more information and flexibility

Studies have shown that applications designed to influence the behaviour of building occupants with their A/C consumption can reduce their individual energy use by nearly a quarter, and shave 8% off of a building’s electricity cost.

 

Smart HVAC, therefore, does not just focus on how the building operates from a design engineering standpoint, but how end-users can be empowered with better, personalised data on how their behaviour impacts their carbon footprint.

 

4. Smart HVAC helps operators cut long-term operation and maintenance costs 

Besides outdoor air temperature and building occupant behaviour, inefficient operation is a major contributor to commercial HVAC energy consumption. An HVAC system is often the most complex part of any building, and the integrity of filters, ducts, motors, capacitors and refrigerants must all be astutely maintained.

 

Over time, wear and tear takes its toll, shortening the useful life of the equipment and requiring more and more energy to cool the building.

 

Perhaps the biggest financial payoff for smart HVAC systems will be in the area of predictive and preventative maintenance. This is where sensors and algorithms provide a real-time readout of HVAC systems, identifying weak links and underperforming components. Traditionally, problems in a mechanical component were only identified once the part failed and the system required costly downtime.

 

With smart HVAC, the problems are identified early on so they can be addressed before jeopardising the broader system. This enhances durability, efficiency, lowers electricity bills and extends the life of the system.

 

5. Smart HVAC positions HK as a regional leader in green building practices

Hong Kong is already on the path to cutting its building emissions with smart HVAC. The 485-meter ICC skyscraper – the tallest building in Hong Kong – is just one example of where the city is headed. Its HVAC system is equipped with sensors that measure airflow at every floor, monitor indoor and outdoor air temperature, track pollutants, and provide a full accounting of energy use. These technologies save ICC 15 million kWh of energy and HK$3 million in electricity costs each year while averting 9000 tonnes of CO2 from entering the atmosphere.

 

Other large buildings are following suit, both new builds and in the retrofitting of existing structures. Building owners understand that smart HVAC is not only good for the planet, but that it provides long-term cost savings and improves the performance of their building for their tenants.

 

Perhaps most significantly, Hong Kong’s embrace of smart HVAC has regional climate implications. As Hong Kong has the capital and technical capacity that neighbouring countries might currently lack, they can invest now and show what is possible. Their success and insight will then ripple out to other places, contributing to regional carbon-cutting on a significant scale. Smart HVAC will be a key piece of the puzzle.

 

Get an in-depth and analytic look at the themes discussed in this article in our latest whitepaper: How Hong Kong is embracing the future of HVAC – and what that means for the buildings of tomorrow.

 

Get your copy here.

by Hitachi