HVAC’s Future: Renewables for Sustainable Climate Control

Renewable energy professionals have been hard at work revising antiquated HVAC systems for a sustainable future. Buildings with advanced climate control could be the most critical pillar in reducing construction and infrastructure emissions. Optimizing each renewable energy generator makes them equally valuable for building management and prioritizing HVAC equipment diversification. 

Solar Energy

Integrating solar energy into HVAC for climate control works best with heating hydronic systems or fueling other HVAC equipment. A thermal panel setup could warm water, distributing it throughout the building for radiant floor warming. It eliminates dependence on fossil fuels, with boosted productivity when builders embed smart sensors for real-time data analytics.

Researchers have tested another solar innovation called building-integrated photovoltaic-thermal systems (BIPV/Ts), which use a liquid-based and heat-capture loop. It improves a building’s thermal and electrical yields. One heating device attached to a BIPV/T had a 16% boosted electrical performance, which helps lower buildings’ 33% total global emissions.

Geothermal Energy

Geothermal heat pumps are becoming more commonplace, especially as government incentives make them more financially viable. Much like a thermal panel can heat subsurface water, geothermal energy warms liquids through a closed-loop system. Despite the name, it is just as capable of cooling as warming. 

Traditional HVAC systems account for around 60% of a structure’s energy use and rely on chemical-laden refrigerants. A heat pump reduces use because of its high coefficient of performance compared to air-source models.

Wind Energy

Small-scale wind turbines boost a property’s energy independence, alleviating grid burdens and controlling indoor climate simultaneously. They come in vertical- and horizontal-axis designs, producing power for HVACs to offset resources used by chiller systems. The HVAC equipment endures less electrical stress, lengthening its life span to achieve a building’s net-zero energy and waste reduction goals.

The Bahrain World Trade Center is an iconic example. It has three wind turbines on the property to encourage natural ventilation and amplify indoor air quality by integrating with its HVAC system. The building is 50 stories tall but utilizes the nearby sea to make 15% of its electricity needs — around 675 kilowatts.

Biomass Energy

Biomass boilers are a straightforward, lateral replacement for places relying on fossil fuel versions, like natural gas boilers. Feedstocks, like wood pellets and other organic residues, are entirely renewable. They transform local HVAC businesses by encouraging partnerships with regional resource providers. 

HVACs can connect to biomass systems for a carbon-neutral alternative to toxic, polluting heating methods, mainly as biomass equipment contains filters. Though they rely on combustion, they can also repurpose the carbon dioxide. Initiatives like the Living Building Challenge encourage biomass for climate control.

Hydropower

Hydropower systems can be smaller than dams — microhydropower still generates electricity from constant water flows and produces enough for a local HVAC. Systems can divert additional energy to batteries during peak hours or an emergency outage. Areas near moving water can take advantage of these natural resources without investing as much funds into other renewable technologies. 

One Central Park is a mixed-use green building in Sydney, Australia. It uses water to support its HVAC system and other sustainable elements to maintain internal climates and reduce carbon emissions. It innovatively repurposes water by recycling it from gathering sources like its rooftop garden. It works alongside the building’s green transformers to create an idealistic urban village.

The Modern Climate

Maintaining temperatures, humidity, air quality and more are all burdens of HVAC systems. New models with additional features are up to the challenge, primarily when decarbonizing the building sector. HVAC systems enhance climate control as they become more compatible with other technologies, such as artificial intelligence and the Internet of Things. Renewable energy professionals must integrate and innovate numerous complementary technologies to give HVAC sustainable staying power