Commercial air conditioning systems serve a vital purpose in keeping the environment in which we work cool and comfortable. But it is not just cool air that they provide, as most modern systems are also able to heat commercial premises and retail spaces more efficiently than conventional heating systems can.
Using your air conditioning system to supply you with heat has many benefits over and above traditional central heating systems in commercial environments.
Many manufacturers of air conditioning systems have heat pumps that can send warm air out through vents and other outlets, offering affordable heating as well as effective cooling as and when you need it. There are two different types of heat pumps that can be used to warm commercial spaces:
Air to air heat pumps
By using the same principles of the vapour compression refrigeration cycle that provides cool air in the warmer weather, an air source heat pump extracts low grade heat from ambient air and compresses it. This in turn is then extracted to provide warm air to heat your building. The same warm air is circulated using fans and ducts to keep the temperature comfortable indoors, even when it can be as cold as -15 degrees outside.
These heat pumps are usually very compact in stature, and about the same size and shape as a regular air conditioning unit. They are fitted to the outside of your building to extract the heat from the air. Modern day heat pumps can help you to navigate planning constraints, and their low maintenance design calls for minimal servicing.
Water to air heat pumps
Requiring access to a suitable local water source, water to air pumps work by running a low-temperature, lower pressure refrigerant fluid in the heat exchanger that absorbs the heat and boils it. The resulting gas is then compressed, which further increases its temperature and released to provide heat for radiators, under floor heating and hot water systems.
While air to air heat pumps are able to provide a source of warm air for heating commercial spaces, they are unable to produce hot water. Air to air heat pumps, on the other hand, are able to provide hot and cold air exactly when you need it, making them the most efficient choice for building owners looking to obtain all of their heating and cooling requirements from the one same system.
Air conditioning heating is incredibly efficient
Using your air conditioning system to heat your commercial space is one of the most efficient ways to warm both large and small areas. With the right system, you will be able to save a considerable amount of money on running costs in the long term.
To break it down into quantifiable results, a 1kw electrical heater will need 1kw of electricity to produce the same 1kw of heat. Efficient and well performing air conditioning systems however can give returns of as much as 6kw of heat output for the same 1kw of electricity! Even with the average return being around 3.6kW of output energy or heat, it is still easy to see that there are huge savings to be made when using your air conditioning system for heating as well as cooling.
You can even harness the heating power of air conditioning without having to bother with expensive retro-fits or rebuilds. Free-standing units and wall units can be fitted that will deliver impressive air flow and offer an even and natural distribution of heat energy around the room that can easily rival and often outperform the flow of heat from traditional radiators.
Using your air conditioning system for heating offers a eco-friendly solution
Using a heat pump to warm your commercial premises will help to reduce your carbon footprint. Not only are there significant savings to be made over and above the use of traditional energy sources such as electricity, oil, solid fuel or liquid gas, heat pumps are far more energy efficient and only need an electrical supply to operate. If you are in the position to power you air conditioning unit using a renewable energy source, these systems can also be run very efficiently using wind energy or even solar power.
Up to 75% of the heat used in your property can be produced directly by the heat pump. They are also able to improve the air quality and provide a comfortable environment for a wide range of commercial and non-domestic settings including schools, retail units, sports centres and offices, all of whom are constantly looking to find effective and innovative ways to reduce their heating costs while also reducing their overall energy consumption. When used in conjunction with efficient thermostats and zoning controls, you can heat and cool your premises only when needed, ensuring that no energy is wasted unnecessarily.
With as much as 40% of CO2 emissions coming from commercial heating alone, there has never been a better time to switch to a heat pump based heating and cooling system.
While the cost of installation and the exponential savings available will very much depend on the size and complexity of your own individual air conditioning system requirements, there are substantial savings to be made when using your air conditioning system for heating as well as cooling.
Commercial air conditioning systems in Bristol and the UK
With over 20 year’s experience within the commercial air conditioning industry, Total Environmental Kooling can design, install, maintain and repair energy efficient and cost-effective commercial air conditioning that can both cool and heat your premises. Call us today on 0117 952 3355 to find out more.
