Martin Passingham, product manager DX at Daikin UK,
looks at how technology has helped to advance climate
control capabilities, making energy efficient VRV systems an
alternative to traditional applied systems

Plug and play VRV systems have
come of age – they are a real
alternative to central plant and can
now be used in larger buildings more than
ever before. A system which has been
expertly designed to match the occupants’
building services needs will deliver climate
control fit for a future in which energy
efficiency is paramount.

Where heating, cooling, refrigeration and
hot water might previously have been
installed as separate services, the latest VRV
systems integrate these into one system. A
fully integrated system which incorporates
all these building services can optimise
energy efficiency and reduce carbon
emissions, while simplifying operation and
maintenance.

VRV’s modular approach provides
flexibility to balance heat loads in different
parts of the building. The operation of a
chiller system, by comparison, runs an
entire system and requires an expensive
backup unit. The modular
design of VRV systems means that the risk
of total system failure is avoided, eliminating
the need for backup units. It also provides
greater local control to meet the diverse
range of requirements that large buildings
typically have.

Upgrading to an integrated solution
needn’t be difficult to achieve when
refurbishing existing building stock. For
example, the latest generation of VRV
systems from Daikin UK offer an easy to
install solution that is also scalable. VRV IV
heat pump and VRV III heat recovery
systems can be added floor by floor as part
of a phased refurbishment programme, thus
spreading the cost of updates and
minimising disruption to occupants.

System operation can also be customised
to control varying heating and cooling
requirements within different
rooms or zones to prevent
energy waste. VRV is
therefore suitable for
buildings which may
have vacant
areas and
periods of
high and
low use.

However,
to deliver a
versatile
system that
also optimises
energy
efficiency, it’s
vital to analyse
right from the start a
building’s multiple
requirements, use
patterns and varying
occupancy levels. This
enables engineers to
specify a system capable of
cooling one area of the building
with the highest heat gains and transferring
that reclaimed heat to other areas requiring
heating or hot water.

For example, a typical building may
require cooling down to 16°C and heating
up to 21°C, with 200L of water storage being
required for washrooms and 150L of water
storage for kitchens. By recovering the heat
when all indoor units are in cooling mode, a
Co-efficient of Performance (COP) of 3.97
can be achieved. In milder conditions, when
75% of the indoor units are in cooling mode
with 25% in heating mode, the efficiencies
rise to COPs of 5.57. When the system is
fully balanced between heating and cooling,
efficiencies can increase to as much as 10.07.

Integration of a VRV system with the
latest intelligent control can increase energy
efficiency even further. Smart controls can
also monitor energy consumption across a
range of equipment, including air
conditioning, to pinpoint areas of a building
where the most energy savings can be made.

According to Franklin + Andrews, one of
the world’s leading construction economists,
running costs for VRV heat recovery
systems are up to £6.25/m2 of gross floor
area. This compares favourably with a 2 or 4
pipe fan coil system, which can cost as much
as £8.75/m2 and £10.75/m2 of gross floor
area respectively – a 40 to 72% increase on
running costs compared with a VRV heat
recovery system.

Cost savings must be matched by savings
in CO2 emissions as designers strive to meet
ever tougher targets for emissions
reductions in the years ahead. Stricter
Building Regulations means that by 2019, all
new buildings must deliver zero carbon
emissions from the energy required for
heating, cooling, hot water and lighting.

VRV systems offer a solution for all those
designing heating, air conditioning and hot
water systems to meet current and future
legislation. Occupiers will enjoy a
comfortable environment, with energy
savings and carbon reduction