HVAC systems are known as major contributors to global warming. Not only does HVAC use large amounts of energy to cool and heat businesses, government buildings, and homes, the fluorocarbons used as refrigerants deplete ozone and are potent greenhouse gasses that warm the atmosphere. But the HVAC industry has been hard at work in recent years to turn this around by making HVAC equipment much more energy efficient and also finding alternative ways to heat and cool that don’t rely on refrigerants.
Read on to learn about several eco-friendly HVAC options.
- Geothermal HVAC. Geothermal HVAC has been around for a while, but it just keeps getting better. A heat pump cycles water or refrigerant through underground pipes. Heat is transferred from the air to the ground and then back the other way. This type of system is currently somewhat expensive to install, and you need a fairly large area to install the pipes. However, geothermal heating and cooling is extremely efficient.
- High-efficiency heat-pump systems. Although these units use refrigerants, they are extremely energy-efficient. You can opt for a heat pump that only cools or one that heats and cools. What’s more, they have been vastly improved; models are now available that heat buildings even when temperatures are below freezing.
- Thermally driven air conditioner. This is a type of chiller, developed in Australia, that provides a low-cost alternative to conventional AC. The chillers use solar energy to run, and when that is in short supply, they run on gas. They are quite economical to operate.
- Ice-powered AC. Manufactured by a company in California, this new AC technology works by freezing a large quantity of water in a tank overnight. The ice provides cooling for up to six hours. After the ice melts, the cooling duties revert to a conventional AC.
- Zoned system. Zoned systems allow you to partition your home into cooling and heating zones where you can control the temperature, lowering energy use in unoccupied zones.
For more on eco-friendly HVAC, contact Hansberger Refrigeration and Electric Company of Yuma.
