Property | Air Conditioning
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Window size – The size of your window and insulating properties of the glass will have a greater effect on the size of the air conditioner than the walls and ceilings of the room. Having larger windows in a room may mean a larger capacity system due to the higher solar gains into the space.
using the Smart wall controllers,” says Ari. “These controllers give flexibility to set programs on how you want your air conditioning systems to be used so they are not using power when they are not needed. “You can lock the range of the temperature, you can set the hours in which they can be used.
Aspect – Rooms that are facing east or west may need a different capacity air conditioner compared to a north facing room.
“You can have them running on timers so they automatically switch off. “We have some schools that use a motion sensor on our wall controller that detects movement and body heat so they know when to turn on if a room is occupied and turn off when it isn’t.
Climate – Schools built near the coast will require different capacity air conditioners compared to inland suburbs.
Maintenance A badly maintained air conditioning system may only last half as long as it should, warns Ari from Mitsubishi. Once a system is purchased, schools should enforce a diligent maintenance program undertaken by staff or contractors who know what they are doing. Ari suggests seeking staff training from your air conditioning supplier which is often free of charge. “Maintenance involves cleaning and taking out filters to wash, checking the heat exchange and fan barrel to ensure they are not clogged with dust. “If filters are not cleaned, the dust pulls through the filters and clogs the unit and in some cases the systems can’t be salvaged. “Keeping it clean should be a priority because keeping it clean goes hand in hand with energy eff iciency and the life of the product. “I recommend maintaining your system every month. Train your maintenance staff so they know what’s required or if you use contractors, ensure the contractors are trained.
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Issue 09 - Term 3 - 2018
Image: Mitsubishi Electric. “Proper maintenance could make the difference between your system lasting ten years or five years.”
an old air conditioning unit so it is worth looking at replacing them purely on cost savings,” he says.
Daikin’s Raj Singh recommends a monthly clean. Domestic air conditioners are recommended for cleans at the start of every season but because school systems are used almost every day, Raj advises monthly maintenance.
The difference between modern entry-level products and their high-end counterparts when it comes to energy eff iciency is not as much as it was in the past.
“If the filters are clogged, this can reduce airflow across the coil and hence impact on the cooling and heating capacity delivered into the occupied space and also increase operating costs.”
Energy efficiency If your school is going to the expense of purchasing air conditioning then it is important to consider the long-term cost of power. Ari says modern products are much more eff icient than their predecessors which is why he recommends updating anything older than ten years. “A new system will have about half the energy consumption of
“The cheaper models are closing the gap with higher priced versions,” he says. Daikin’s Raj Singh recommends using the Energy Rating Label which ranks products from one start to 10 stars – as a starting point to select an eff icient system. “The bar is set very high by the government, ensuring that air-conditioners sold in Australia are amongst the most energy eff icient globally.”
System controls Energy eff iciency goes hand-inhand with new Smart Controls that enable schools to set usage parameters. “You can do a lot to reduce the energy costs of the school by
“Teachers can just walk into a room and not have to do anything.”
Temperature Many variables come into play when deciding the best temperature for a classroom and people will always have their differences. But Ari is adamant that energy savings should not be the key consideration for setting the climate of a room. Anywhere between 22 degrees and 24 degrees is okay. You hear schools talking about 26 degrees to save energy but you will find that is too warm. “I think the temperature has to be kept as close to 23 degrees as possible. “It’s a learning environment and students should be comfortable and you shouldn’t be sacrificing comfort for energy. “You should look at other energy saving measures such as high unit eff iciency, not temperature.” Daikin’s Raj Singh says it’s important that students and teachers are neither too hot or too cold. By Kat Donaghey, Editor