With all the talk about sustainability, the construction industry’s thoughts are turning to HVAC. Cue Mitsubishi Electric Heating and Cooling, whose new product from renowned European brand Climaveneta, a brand of Mitsubishi Electric, is focused on reducing building emissions while saving energy and money.
The NX-N Series of Hydronic Reversible Heat Pumps are the first of many products to be introduced into the Canadian market. This reversible 2-Pipe Heat Pump Chiller delivers on the wisdom acquired with 50 years as the European market leader in heat pump technology, optimized by Mitsubishi Electric for the Canadian climate. It can also be customized to serve MURB builders in creative and unique ways.
“Climaveneta products are proven, effective, sustainable and reliable tools for building designers to solve HVAC problems,” says Chris DesRoches, P. Eng, Applied Product Manager, Mitsubishi Electric. “The NX-N Heat Pump Unit is an exciting hydronic alternative to a boiler. Its outstanding controls and superior performance offsets carbon emissions by reducing natural gas consumption, through the use of an electric heat pump.”
The NX-N Hydronic Heat Pump is just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to Mitsubishi Electric’s plans for Climaveneta. A new residential hydronic heat pump technology is due in the near future, along with the 4-Pipe Air Source Heat Pump, which produces chilled and hot water simultaneously and independently, while at the same time recovering heat instead of rejecting it outside the building.
“For builders across Canada with a clean power grid, the 4-Pipe Air Source Heat Pump Chiller delivers a true climate benefit,” enthuses DesRoches. “It further reduces carbon from a big picture point of view and is ideal for builders who are leading the way and setting the precedence for Net Zero – at a price point comparable to existing solutions available in the Market.”
The technology in the Climaveneta Air Source Heat Pump Chillers represents a great opportunity for maximizing comfort and improving air quality. Radiant, in-floor heating runs at a low heat. It’s continuous and gradual approach to heating avoids temperature swings, making occupants feel more comfortable.
4-pipe Air Source Heat Pumps feature independent heating and cooling circuits which allow the product to meet heating and cooling demands independently. When heating and cooling occurs simultaneously, the unit recovers all the energy that would have been released into the atmosphere, redirecting “free” energy back into the building instead. The 4-Pipe Air Source Heat Pump is a unique, flexible solution that allows the building to consume only the true amount of energy required to keep its occupants comfortable, significantly reducing or eliminating carbon emissions.
“The laws of physics don’t change but Mitsubishi Electric’s controls do,” says DesRoches. “How we define ‘high performance’, and how we move Energy around continues to get better and better. That’s what keeps me interested and passionate about HVAC. I’m not saying heat pumps are the only solution for the buildings. But as the technology gains more traction, and as we improve these products specific to the Canadian environment, the technology gets more and more irresistible.
With the recent announcement of the Canadian federal government’s proposed updated Climate Action Plan, the pathway to net-zero has never been clearer. Such bold goals may have once seemed far-fetched or unrealistic. However, Net-Zero is now well on its way to becoming a reality – having regard to a government policy favourable to low-carbon solutions and a widespread, pro-active adoption of these solutions by building designers and owners.
“With the proposal of a more aggressive Federal Carbon Charge, the push for building electrification, the economics of how we evaluate various technology choices in HVAC systems is being turned upside down, and Carbon is now a central part of the discussion. It’s a long path to Net-Zero and for now, it’s all about our team helping builders, consultants and the public learn more about the technology, adopt it and benefit from it.”
