Energy-Saving Secrets for HVAC Systems in Industrial & Commercial Parks – All You Need to Know!

In industrial and commercial parks, HVAC systems are major energy consumers—but they also hold huge potential for savings. Let’s break down the key strategies to optimize their efficiency!

Ⅰ Two Systems, Two Approaches  

HVAC systems in parks mainly fall into two categories: refrigerant (fluorine) systems and water systems.  

Refrigerant Systems (e.g., VRV/VRF)  

Ideal for small-to-medium projects (<10,000 m²) like offices or small factories. They feature integrated equipment but offer limited retrofit options (e.g., coil cleaning, mist cooling). For new builds, inverter compressors boost efficiency. Japanese brands (Daikin, Hitachi) dominate this market.  

Water Systems  

Common in malls, hospitals, and industrial parks. Comprising chillers, pumps, and cooling towers, they deliver higher comfort and more energy saving tech—like geothermal heat pumps, magnetic-bearing chillers, and AI group control. High-efficiency chilled plants achieve COP >5.0, far surpassing traditional plants (COP ~3.0). While U.S. brands (Carrier, Trane) once led, Chinese brands (Gree, Midea) now claim >50% market share.  

Ⅱ The Energy-Saving Trio: Right Equipment, Optimized Systems, Smart Controls

Equipment Selection

Chillers 

  ● Small/medium projects: Inverter screw chillers (COP up to 6.2).  
  ● Large projects: Magnetic-bearing centrifugal chillers (COP up to 7.0, up to 13.0 at part load).  
  ● Heating:  
  ● Gas boilers (with flue-gas heat recovery) or geothermal heat pumps (for heating/cooling + domestic hot water).  

Distribution Systems  

  ● Use variable-speed pumps (20–30% energy savings) and optimize flow (e.g., adjust chilled water from 7/12°C to 6/13°C).  
  ● Pair counterflow cooling towers with inverter fans for load adaptability.  

Smart Controls  

  ● AI group control dynamically optimizes equipment operation, lifting plant COP to 6.5+ (2×traditional efficiency).  
  ● High-efficiency plants integrate low-resistance piping, BMS, and EMS for end-to-end savings.  

Ⅲ Industry Trends & Policy Support  

  ● Prefabricated chilled plants (via BIM) cut construction time/errors.  
  ● Waste heat recovery (e.g., flue-gas heat pumps reduce exhaust temps to 20°C; geothermal systems reuse heat for water).  
  ● Evaporative cooling units combine chillers/towers, saving space for retrofits.  
  ● Policies now incentivize high-efficiency tech (e.g., plants with EER >5.0).  

Ⅳ Tailored Solutions by Region  

  ● Hot summers/cold winters (e.g., Yangtze Delta): Geothermal heat pumps for hotels/hospitals.  
  ● Tropical climates: Chiller + cooling towers outperform air-source heat pumps.  
  ● Cold regions: Gas boilers + radiant floors or deep geothermal heating.  
  ● Industrial waste heat/gas-rich areas: Absorption heat pumps or combined cooling/heating/power (CCHP) systems (efficiency >80%).