Modern Building Services

MODERN BUILDING SERVICES AUGUST 2022 17 FEATURE INDOOR AIR QUALITY It works independently from the heating and cooling operation and uses minimal energy and requires no maintenance. The solutions particles are released even in “fan mode only” using only 25W of power to help improve protection 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. By bringing physical science and technologies together we can fight indoor pollutants at their source, paving the way for a cost-effective solution that could bring healthier air to people worldwide. This collaboration of chemistry and technology changes the properties of indoor air, making it safer and healthier to breathe. To protect our collective health, science-led solutions need to become an integral feature in every home, business, and public building – as fundamental as hot water and internet access. Better Remote Access Historically, control functionality has been an issue for heating and hot water systems. Setting up and programming heating, cooling, and hot water schedules have often proven difficult for end users, and many people struggle to adjust their schedules once they have set them up. Typically, control systems are also only accessible from a fixed point in the home or commercial space, and the interface can be difficult for users without technical experience in heating and cooling systems to operate. It is crucial for installers offering smart control systems that the interface enables users to adapt and optimise their heating and cooling systems to suit their specific requirements. End users who want to control their heating and cooling through an interface that replicates the intuitive services they use on the web or in apps on their smartphones. Smart Controllers enable users to manage and monitor their heating, cooling, and hot water with an easy-to-use interface that can be accessed via any web- enabled device, including Android and iOS applications and Internet browsers. Users can easily adjust the temperature in two different zones and view the current room temperature in that zone. This enables users to eliminate unnecessary heating when a zone is unoccupied and therefore reduce energy consumption. Additionally, it is possible to change the temperature of the hot water supplied by their system from their remote device. Using technology that intelligent room controllers are able to offer, users can access a detailed breakdown of the system’s energy consumption on a daily, weekly, monthly or annual basis. This can help end users compare space utilisation and adjust the system to turn off during quiet periods, so that energy is not wasted heating the home or office space when it is unoccupied. It is crucial for installers to draw attention to this added value that a smart control system can offer, if their businesses are to benefit from the IoT revolution. Remote access will also enable installers to offer ongoing maintenance contracts to their customers from a remote location. Maintenance teams can be engaged in predictive fine-tuning which keeps the heating, cooling, and hot water system operating at its optimum level for longer. This minimises the likelihood of a system breakdown by anticipating maintenance and means a longer lifespan for the system. Installers will also be able to respond more quickly to faults and issues, keeping the end user completely satisfied with their heating systems. The Future We are only beginning to see what is possible with innovative heating, cooling, hot water control, and air quality innovations. Throughout 2022 and beyond, the industry is set to see new services added to this type of intelligent control systemmaking them even more attractive to end users. The aim is to provide end users with an environmentally friendly, comfortable, efficient, and intuitive comfort control solution. Breakthrough innovations and industry partnerships are examples of the steps being taken toward reaching this aim. The future is to ensure personal health, technology, and the environment are at the forefront of innovations, to create technologies that contribute to its philosophy of a better life, a better world. 1 www.indoorairpollution.co.uk 2 www.euro.who.int/en/health-topics/environment-and-health/air-quality/ policy/who-guidelines-for-indoor-air-quality 3 www.aircon.panasonic.eu/GB_en/happening/nanoe-x-quality-air-for-life More information can be found at www.panasonic.com/global