Commercial Heating Design Services At IMC
A commercial heating design is far more complex than the average household’s simple HVAC system.
Commercial spaces usually service multiple clients and businesses. Each tenant will have specific heating and cooling needs that have to be met for their businesses to function properly. Compare the need for a chilled environment in a butchery, with the warmer atmosphere of a luxury spa.
Providing a commercial heating system that meets a variety of needs, while still running at optimal efficiency takes a systematic design process. If you’d like a glimpse behind the scenes of a commercial heating design process at IMC, read on.
Types of Heating Systems
Like a toolbox filled with tools built for different purposes, there are specific HVAC setups for different end-user needs. Here we unpack the three main heating systems and where they are most useful, whether your HVAC unit needs installing, repairing, or upgrading.
1. Single Split HVAC Systems
A single split system provides heating control in each individual room via an indoor unit. The downside is that each indoor unit has its own outdoor unit which can take up a lot of space outside.
As one of the most affordable HVAC systems, a single split system is a great choice for smaller commercial buildings. Restaurants, shops, server rooms, or buildings containing small offices are ideal candidates for the single split system.
If one unit goes down, the others will continue to work, which is a big advantage.
2. Multi Split HVAC Systems
While mostly similar to a single split system, the multi split HVAC system can connect up to nine indoor units to one outdoor unit.
Inverter technology enables the compressor to run at variable speeds. The energy draws each time a compressor switches on and off is significant in forced-air HVAC systems. The system will switch on and off throughout the day as it detects the need to adjust. One of the benefits of a multi split system is how much less energy gets used as sensors detect small variances in temperature and make adjustments as needed.
This preserves a significant amount of outdoor space and creates an appealing outdoor aesthetic for your business. As the multi split HVAC system requires more pipework than its simpler counterpart, the installation costs will be higher and it will take longer to install.
3. Variable Refrigerant Flow / Variable Refrigerant Volume
When it comes to medium, or large buildings that cater to mixed uses, a VRF/VRV system is by far the best choice. Hotels, retail, or large offices are ideally suited to this sort of HVAC system.
Benefits of VRF/ VRV system:
- mostly efficient, reliable, easy to control
- installation is quick, little to disruption to daily
- Heat recovery system provides flexibility
While the initial installation costs are higher, the benefits are significant.
The Two Types of VRF/VRV Heating Systems
Under the umbrella of VRF/VRV heating systems, there are two different ways of implementing the circulation of heat and cold.
1. The heat pump system – suitable for large open plan areas.
2. The heat recovery system – able to provide cooling and heating at the same time. It does this by gathering excess heat from hot areas of the building and uses that hot air to heat other rooms and water. Because of this, it is well-suited to venues divided into small rooms.
HVAC Sizing: Too Big or Too Small?
The first step to knowing what size of HVAC system to install is to determine the heating loads in the areas to be serviced. Accurate information will show you what size unit will best serve your business.
Assessing a building’s heating requirements involves three elements.
- A building’s size.
- Total occupancy.
- Breakdown of the variety of purposes. Commercial buildings usually have a range of purposes for each individual space with different heating needs.
The Importance of Getting The Size Right
Over-sized equipment runs inefficiently and incurs more costs than equipment that is correctly sized.
Part-load performance is another serious factor to take into consideration when choosing HVAC size. Heating equipment will often only operate at their rated peak efficiency when close to their maximum output. Under-working an HVAC system will have a detrimental effect on the equipment, energy management, and your power bill.
Avoid the problem of oversizing by using computer-based programs to estimate load. A computerized analysis will give you an accurate account of thermal storage, as well as the peak loads per zone. Daily diversity is hard to quantify using static methods, which can lead to oversizing.
A well-designed distribution system should be able to easily accommodate additional equipment and have the capacity for future expansion.
The Importance of Ductwork in Commercial Heating Design
Proper ductwork planning and design are crucial to a smooth-running, energy-efficient HVAC unit. This means the following needs to be taken into account:
- Accurate ductwork calculation and sizing
- Solid connection point
- Ductwork shouldn’t be compressed
- Bends should be supported
- Ductwork shouldn’t sag
Any ductwork design lacking these basic qualities will put energy efficiency at risk.
Bespoke Commercial Heating Design For Your Business
For over 50 years, Industrial Mechanical Contractors, Inc. has been on the cutting edge of all things relating to HVAC installation, repairs, and servicing. Whether your HVAC system is needing repair, an upgrade, or a new installation, we understand how crucial it is for a business to avoid downtime. Our commitment is to exceed the expectations you have of us.
When it comes to commercial heating, that falls in the sweet spot of our expertise
If you need a commercial heating design for your business, our professional HVAC technicians are fully trained to come up with a plan that is ideal for your business. Contact us for a quote today and experience the IMC difference.
