As the climate changes, we must be increasingly conscious of our energy use, and our appliances need to reflect that consciousness. As technology evolves, are future HVAC upgrades taking the environment into consideration? Here are some innovations that will save energy and revolutionize home comfort.
HVAC motion sensors.
From smart thermostats to zoning systems, a lot of HVAC technology provides air to only the areas that need it. However, there’s a simpler solution: motion sensors. They can tell when someone enters or leaves a room and turn the system on or off accordingly to save energy.
Ice-powered AC.
Before the days of refrigerant, blocks of ice were often used to keep things cool. Now, future HVAC upgrades are drawing inspiration from this practice. A tank of water is frozen overnight and used to provide cooling to a commercial building the next day. This system can currently provide cooling for about six hours before an electrical AC takes over. There’s still a ways to go before this new system is perfected, but hopefully within a few years, ice power will be able to cool buildings and residences all day.
Thermal AC.
With future HVAC upgrades, heat is also being used to cool homes. Solar energy, supplemented with natural gas, is used to heat liquid. The heat is then extracted by the AC, providing cool air while saving electricity.
Smart vents.
Smart thermostats let you control temperature from your mobile device. With future HVAC upgrades, smart vents will take things a step further. Sensor-driven, they monitor temperature, humidity, air pressure, IAQ and other factors in every room. You can then use your mobile device to adjust any of these factors for each room individually.
Computer heat.
Computers are surprisingly effective at generating heat, as you know if you’ve ever put your hand on one after it’s been running awhile. One innovator interested in future HVAC upgrades is developing a way to harness that residual heat for purposes of home comfort, in turn reducing the energy burden on your furnace.
To learn more about future HVAC upgrades, contact us at Mowery Heating, Cooling and Plumbing. Quality home-comfort solutions are our specialty.
