In the world of commercial and home heating and cooling, staying in tune with the latest trends is important to remain economically sound, energy efficient, and able to keep employees and families comfortable as the seasons change. We all know that HVAC equipment requires maintenance, and when the time is appropriate, replacement with a new, more efficient heating and cooling system. To make the most informed decision possible, consumers and employers must know the up-and-coming trends and technology available to keep their properties equitable, safe, and reliable for years to come.
The future of heating and cooling
Due to the COVID-19 pandemic and increased demands for green living, the trends in 2022 for heating and cooling systems will be focused on healthy buildings, sustainability, and automation features.
Healthy air
The need for air purification, ventilation modification, and airflow management due to concerns caused by the pandemic and variants of Covid-19 seem to be here long-term. If airborne transmission is possible with coronavirus, a few control-setting changes and HVAC system upgrades may help decrease the risk of spread. Healthy buildings and homes will become a growing trend in 2022 for these reasons alone, but also as the workforce and individuals become more aware of how contaminants within indoor air can be damaging to their health and wellbeing.
Sustainable air
The increased demand for sustainability does not skip over the HVAC industry. Consumers and business owners alike see cost savings when their HVAC systems run efficiently and save energy at the same time. Although the advanced HVAC equipment may cost more initially due to the new technology, it ends up saving the homeowner and business money long-term. As more time passes the pricing rate will likely decrease as more competition will enter the market. As the public as seen over the past several years, sustainability is a trend will only keep growing in popularity.
Millennials who will make up 75% of the workforce by 2025, overwhelmingly prefer working for a company that’s viewed as socially responsible, which means that company demonstrates its commitment to the environment, sustainability, and corporate social responsibility, which makes it a more desirable place to work.
Smart air
Smart HVAC technology and home automation is an exciting 2022 trend to be lookout for. For all the Tesla fans out there, in 2020 Elon Musk tweeted that he would one day create an efficient home HVAC system with HEPA filters. This year, there has been a lot of speculation that this is in the works and how the Tesla HVAC system will change homes forever.
While not everyone drives a Tesla and we are sure not everyone will own a Tesla HVAC System when and if they do come out, we are excited that the technology is in the works that one day heating and cooling can be not only quieter but communicate with a vehicle so the HVAC system knows when the person is arriving at home so it can shift in temperature and humidity to save on energy and money. This same principle could be applied to delivery trucks in a warehouse or different sections of an industrial park that are only used during some parts of the day.
Here are some other rising technologies and trends to watch for in 2022 and beyond:
Latest HVAC technology
In addition to Elon Musk’s Tesla-inspired HVAC system, home automation, also known as “smart home” features are growing in popularity and will continue to do so in 2022. Home automation connects the user’s smart devices with their own IP address. This allows the connected system to be controlled by their smartphone, TV, Google Home, etc. It allows the user the ability to turn lights off, adjust the AC a few degrees, or turn up the volume on your favorite Michael Bublé song by voice or through their device.
Ecobee Thermostats are an example of a product that allows a user the ability to create a “smart home” or “smart office”. On average, it saves up to 23% on heating and cooling costs by allowing any authorized user to control the thermostat remotely from their device. The user is also able to see how much energy they are utilizing during a given week or month to better manage usage and see where they can cut back. More technology like Ecobee will enter the market in 2022, and properties on the market will have technology like this already in place.
“There’s an app for that” will soon apply to the HVAC systems. There are applications to manage lighting, home and office surveillance, stamps, and more. Engineers and HVAC companies are working together to develop equipment designed for mobile and tablet use.
Research from Tel Aviv University has proven that ultraviolet (UV) light-emitting diodes (UV-LEDs) technology placed in air conditioning systems can kill coronavirus efficiently and cost-effectively. It will soon be available for private and commercial use. The UV-LED light bulbs can be placed in heating and cooling systems, vacuums, and water systems to destroy more than 99.9% of the coronaviruses – in less than half a minute.
New air conditioning trends
Air conditioning may not seem as important now that the cooler temperatures have arrived and those long, balmy, East Tennessee summer days are nothing but a memory of this past summer. However, they will return in full force and when it’s time to upgrade air conditioning systems, the latest and greatest technology will be what saves consumers money and energy.
Here are some AC trends that are becoming cool:
Movement Sensor Air Conditioning
Due to the use of mini-split air conditioning systems, movement sensor air conditioning systems have been growing in popularity. Commercial properties have been using motion sensors to only cool the parts of the building that employees are in to make the most out of the resources being spent and reduce their carbon footprint. Now, this type of temperature-controlled zoning system is being utilized in homes and is growing in popularity due to its sustainability measures.
For example, the living room that the family gathers in to watch TV at night will be cooler until the family disperses to go to bed in their individual bedrooms. The bedrooms will be warmer in comparison to the living room until they are activated by movement which signals the system to no longer cool the living room as much but start cooling down the bedrooms instead.
Talk to your HVAC expert about if this technology is right for your family or business. It would not be appropriate for a family or business that constantly moves around as that would trigger the system all the time.
Ice-Powered AC
California-based company, Ice Energy, has reimagined traditional air conditioning. Rather than transforming warm air into cold air, The Ice Bear storage technology was developed through the Department of Energy’s Inventions and Innovation Program.
The storage container freezes water overnight inside of a tank and then uses it the next day to help cool buildings. The Ice Bear’s total energy use is only 300 watts to provide 7.5 tons of cooling for 6 hours. Once the ice is gone, a conventional air conditioner takes over.
E3 Initiative and heat pump innovation
Geothermal, solar, DeVap, and ductless mini-split systems are all still innovations on the rise in the HVAC industry. The 2022 Farmer’s Almanac predicts a cold and snowy winter in Tennessee. Whether you believe there could be snow in East Tennessee or not, you want your HVAC system in working order by the time the “season of shivers” starts up. As sustainability and cost savings becomes a clear focus for the Biden Administration’s goals for the American public, heat pumps and the companies than manufacture them are being asked to rise to the challenge.
The Cold Climate Heat Pump Challenge
Heat pumps use refrigeration and electricity to provide HVAC services to a home. By collecting and redistributing existing heat from the air (air-source heat pumps), or the earth (geothermal systems), they move heat rather than generate heat. This is what makes them highly energy efficient.
According to the Canada Energy Regulator heat pump system, cost savings can be as high as 60 per cent compared to electric baseboard heating, and total energy use can be 50 per cent lower than a natural gas furnace. If electricity is affordable where you live, consider a heat pump when you are ready for a system upgrade.
The Biden Administration isn’t satisfied with that statistic alone. They are demanding that the heat pump industry do more to help American families heat their homes and businesses while reducing their carbon footprint and lowering their energy costs.
Trane Technologies, Mitsubishi Electric, Lennox International, Jonson Controls, Daikin, and Carrier have all decided to commit to advance their own innovation and efficiency of the next generation heat pump technology. The Cold Climate Heat Pump Challenge is part of the Initiative for Better Energy, Emissions, and Equity (E3 Initiative) which will support the market’s shift to more-efficient, clean cold-climate heat pumps for consumers. This will also help reach the Biden Administration’s goal of a net-zero carbon economy by 2050.
Electric heat pumps have the potential to save an average U.S. family as much as $500 annually on their utility bills, reducing exposure to volatile fossil fuel prices. Currently, space conditioning and water heating account for over 40% of primary energy consumption in buildings in the United States and are a major source of carbon emissions.
Start 2022 on the right note by calling City Heat & Air Conditioning TODAY
Luckily, you don’t have to keep up with all the trends and latest innovations impacting the HVAC industry in 2022. Our team of experts at City Heat and Air Conditioning have that handled for you. We have relationships established with our trusted manufacturers and are among the first to know of any new technology available. It’s our job to know about the latest and greatest equipment so we can learn more, research advantages and disadvantages, and call our distributor about availability so we can always deliver excellent and reliable service.
We also provide routine maintenance and repair services on your HVAC systems to make sure it’s always in top working order. For over 50 years, City Heating and Air Conditioning has been entrusted by East Tennesseans to provide honest and dependable heating and cooling services. Reach out to us today at 865-938-1005 or online at cityheatandair.com to get the best heating and cooling services in Knoxville, TN.