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18 Mar 19

Airzone blog

Turn a ducted A/C unit into a highly-efficient zoning system with Easyzone

Demand for air conditioning across the world is steadily increasing. In fact, according to projections by the International Energy Agency (IEA), a 244% increase in the number of A/C units installed globally is expected between now and 2050.1

There are a number of reasons for this. One is the improved availability and affordability of air conditioning systems. This, paired with rising incomes in emerging markets such as India, China and Indonesia, have driven a new-found desire for comfort in parts of the world that have always been hot.

Another is the emergence of the Internet of Things (IoT). It has resulted in an increase in the number of appliances in the home, with air conditioning now being considered an affordable commodity, rather than a luxury.

However, we also mustn’t ignore one important factor: climate change. Record-high temperatures, longer summers and bouts of extreme weather are also driving further demand.
It therefore comes as no surprise that heating and cooling now takes up a considerable portion of our monthly utilities expenditure.

How much do we spend on air conditioning?

According to data from the European Commission, 16% of the expenditure of citizens within the EU goes on heating and cooling their homes.2

Along the same lines, the US Department of Energy has found that the typical US family spends at least $2,200 per year on energy bills — with nearly half of that paying for heating and cooling.3

Likewise, studies show that in a typical office, air conditioning can account for over 30% of annual electricity consumption.4

Overall, the IEA estimates that the use of air conditioning and cooling technology makes up about a fifth of the total electricity in buildings around the world – or 10% of all global electricity consumption.5

According to the UK-based energy saving body the Carbon Trust, electricity costs have doubled for businesses over the last decade.6 With usage only increasing, this trend is likely to continue over the coming decades.

This is why companies have started to take energy-saving measures such as installing LED lighting, movement sensors and even automatic window blinds. Improving the efficiency of A/C systems, too, therefore is a no-brainer.

Start using efficient air conditioning

Upgrading air conditioning systems or even replacing older components for newer, more efficient ones can reduce energy usage significantly. Efficiency of machinery overall has improved a lot in recent years, with better-designed components and greater user control helping to cut down on energy wastage.

Studies show that some of the most efficient HVAC systems on the market today use between 30% and 50% less energy to produce the same amount of cooling as air conditioners made in the mid-1970s. Even if your system is only 10 years old, you could still easily save between 20% and 40% on your energy costs by replacing it with a newer, more efficient model.7 This also has the added benefit of helping to reduce carbon emissions.

At Airzone, after twenty years exclusively focused on the control and regulation of temperature, we believe that the best results in this regard can only be provided by a zoned system.

What is Easyzone and how does it work?

This is where Easyzone by Airzone comes in. Our zoning technology helps to significantly reduce energy usage by dividing buildings into zones whose temperatures can be controlled concurrently. It is the perfect way to optimize the performance of installations with Inverter or VRF units.

With the simple addition of Airzone’s highly-adaptive plenum, any A/C system can be divided into up to six different zones to control. This way, energy is saved by directing airflow only to the areas that require it, as commanded by the user. It therefore only operates at 100% capacity when all zones require airflow, reducing energy consumption.

Furthermore, with a certified control accuracy of 0.3 K (eu.bac) for both heating and cooling, the desired temperature is steadily maintained, cutting down on wastage.

An Airzone system never works more than necessary. Thanks to Ductzone, a software program developed at Airzone, oversizing the A/C and electrical installations is avoided, reducing the system’s energy requirements overall.  As it is not on a maximum power threshold, lower capacity A/C units can be installed, lowering costs, both during use and at the time of installation.

The equipment itself is also highly efficient. The system operates on a low voltage, powering-up dampers only when in operation (not spring-open or spring-close operation).

As Airzone products are fully integrated with all of the leading A/C unit manufacturers, efficiency is assured too. Thanks to the Airzone Communication Gateway and designs catered for individual brands and models, each plenum neck fits perfectly onto the indoor unit, integrating seamlessly.

Furthermore, with Eazyzone, a large amount of control over efficiency and consumption is placed in the hands of the user through the Airzone Cloud app. In Eco-Adapt mode, for instance, you can see how efficiently your system is operating on the user-friendly traffic light indicator. You can then decide what action, if any, you want to take, making energy savings even easier.

Users can also set schedules catered to the needs of the building’s occupants to ensure that zones aren’t needlessly heated or cooled, especially if they are empty.

This control is not limited to the confines of the building, though. Users can also control the system from anywhere and anytime with an internet connection via their smartphone or tablet. This means that if there is a change from the normal schedule, for example if someone has gone away on business, their usual zone won’t get heated or cooled. This is an easy way to ensure that energy isn’t wasted, especially if users forget to make the changes before leaving.

Overall, with such an advanced level of control, paired with efficient and intelligent components, installing Airzone Easyzone in your building can create an energy saving of up to 53 per cent compared to non-zoned systems.8

It really is the solution of the future.

[1] https://www.iea.org/cooling/
[2] https://ec.europa.eu/energy/sites/ener/files/DG_Energy_Infographic_heatingandcolling2016.jpg
[3] https://www.energy.gov/sites/prod/files/2014/09/f18/61628_BK_EERE-EnergySavers_w150.pdf?kbid=118190&gclid=
[4] https://www.carbontrust.com/media/17824/j7906_ctg005_air_conditioning_aw_interactive.pdf
[5] https://www.iea.org/futureofcooling/
[6] https://www.bbc.com/news/business-27292314
[7] https://www.energy.gov/energysaver/central-air-conditioning
[8] http://www.airzone.es/en/savings/