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If you ask someone in our industry the answer is probably no... humans have always been the reason to create great indoor climate! Nevertheless, the past year has been a gradual shift towards more people talking about the occupant and their needs (and not only about efficiency, costs or energy performance)…
Energy Usage
We all understand that the energy performance for HVAC products is important. As an industry, we try to develop systems which represent the best value and lowest lifecycle costs for investors, building owners and facilities managers alike. We are all working to create products, systems and designs that lower the total energy use for buildings, which is a must if we want to achieve the set climate change goals by the EU and UK government.
In 2019, I’m also pleased that we see documents created that give further guidance on IEQ (like CIBSE TM40) and working groups (like BESA’s Health and Wellbeing group) all driving the IEQ/IAQ agenda and putting a focus on occupant needs…
Humans
The reason for the headline is that I have heard, in so many places, people talk about comfort, health, wellbeing, productivity etc. This has always been a consideration in construction and building design, but now it seems that this comes up in conversation more often than before!
We are also becoming more and more familiar with the wording,“Indoor Environmental Quality.” From the IEQ perspective, we will have to take a more holistic view on HVAC design where people’s health and wellbeing could even be considered as economic factors that drive building design. We all know that productivity (highly impacted by indoor climate) is considered one of the most important performance indicators for success and we are all aware of this… however, I can’t help but feel that we are only at the beginning of this discussion! Legislators are already there, certifications exist that prove performance, universities are doing scientific studies and the public are aware of what indoor and outdoor air quality does to their health.
So, the year 2019 has opened this new angle to discuss HVAC design and solutions! We look forward to taking on the discussions and challenges of IEQ further in 2020. As well as, working closely with the complete supply chain, to continue delivering solutions that work well for occupants and investors alike. We are happy to continue this ride with you, whomever you are and whatever your role is, for the next year and well into the future.
Merry Christmas and Happy New Year,
Josh Emerson
Do you want to know more?
Visit Swegon Air Academy for news and blogposts on this topic. You will find other blogposts regarding HVAC industry on Swegon.com.
