Advances in air-con technology have lagged behind however, especially in terms of efficiency and improving energy consumption, highlighting the need for widescale innovation to reverse air-con’s growing carbon footprint. The more people want to stay cool, the hotter the world gets.
Singapore-based GreenA Consultants and engineers at Air T&D (ATD), a spin-off company from Nanyang Technological University, have come up with a working solution that could cool commercial buildings with around 30% less energy than conventional systems, based on initial tests as well as several projects rolled out in the field.
Their solution trims energy use at different points across the system, including a more efficient way to dehumidify the air and terminals that have been designed to make it easier for fans to propel air through space.
A centralized control system manages and monitors the whole process, incorporating optimization and modelling techniques that automatically update air distribution in real time.
Now the two companies are looking at a broader rollout in Southeast Asia, with a particular focus on new construction projects.
Air T&D and GreenA were shortlisted in the ‘Efficient clean heating/cooling solutions’ category for the ADB’s Energy Sector Technology Innovation Challenge.
