Air quality, health and energy efficiency
In Mexico, heating, ventilation, air conditioning and refrigeration systems (HVAC & R) are expanding rapidly. To discuss the importance of air quality, and the challenges facing the sector, Your Business Interface interviewed the graduate Marisa Jiménez, President for Mexico of the National Air Filtration Association (NAFA) and the engineer Sofanor Alarcón, President from the Monterrey chapter of the American Society of Heating, Refrigerating and Air Conditioning Engineers (ASHRAE).
This issue is significant for companies, because “90% of our time is spent indoors, with buildings closed and little natural ventilation, so that the air quality depends increasingly on the air conditioning equipment that if they are not handled properly, they can generate health problems, absenteeism, and low productivity, “says Marisa Jiménez.
One of the significant challenges facing these systems worldwide is the reduction in energy consumption, “commercial buildings consume 40% of the energy produced on the planet, and of that, between 40 and 60% the air conditioning systems consume it; the proportion with the cost of lighting is 15 against 1, “says engineer Alarcón.
Thus, both experts agree that a fundamental aspect is a power in HVAC & R systems. Beyond the equipment, the key is incorrect operation. You have to think about air conditioning systemically, where a specific design should be developed for a particular purpose, which includes passive elements such as thermal insulation, the location of equipment, air intakes and other factors; and active features such as the selection of a technology and equipment in particular, that are adequate for the needs raised. “In Mexico, the design is given away, and it is usually not very good, that is a vice that we have to correct, because before thinking about a particular team, we have to consider the whole operation of the system as a whole, including ventilation, which it is an essential element “,