Keep on reading for a brief overview of some of the many benefits that come with having commercial air conditioning in food storage.

Improves Yield Upkeep

Commercial air conditioning in food storage makes it easier to take care of your food yield without too much maintenance or effort as temperature and humidity levels can easily be controlled and altered depending on your storage requirements.

Prevents Bacterial Spread And Disease

One of the major benefits of commercial air conditioning in food storage is the ability to prevent bacteria spread and diseases. The air quality and temperature will be kept at an optimum level to ensure freshness and to prevent contamination which could be damaging to your products and also cause harm or illness to customers or clients.

Air conditioning in food storage is a smooth and efficient way to prevent bacterial spread and disease to keep everyone safe and also to ensure your business upholds the highest reputation.

Air conditioning will also control the humidity levels in the air which will ensure moisture levels are kept to a minimum to prevent water from gathering in areas. This will protect the quality of your products and also prevent microbial growth. Not only this but controlling the humidity levels can prevent corrosion and damage to non-food related products or storage equipment.

Controls Odours

When fresh food like meat, fish, dairy or even some fruits and vegetables are involved, this can cause some strong odours from your food storage area. An efficient commercial air conditioning system in your food storage will keep food odours at a minimum creating a more comfortable working environment for everyone there and also preventing strong odours from wafting out of the area towards any potential clients or customers.

Silent Operation

A modernised commercial air conditioning system installed by one of our team members will ensure silent operation all year round, meaning your staff can talk during work hours without having to shout over each other, providing a more efficient and calm working environment. Silent operation also ensures you’ll receive no complaints from nearby residents or businesses about how loud your cooling system is, so you can run it all day long without making anyone’s life a misery.

Cost-Efficient

Old fashioned cooling systems are not energy-efficient and therefore will cost you a pretty penny on your electricity bill. Installing a modern commercial air conditioning system in your business may have an upfront cost, but in the long run, it can save you hundreds, if not thousands in electricity bills as well as being more eco-friendly. Therefore you won’t have to pay over the top to create a comfortable working environment for your staff and to ensure the quality of your food products are kept at an optimum level.

Sovereign 24-Hour Repair Service

When you choose to go with Sovereign, you become eligible for 24-hour repair 365 days a year maintenance service from our dedicated engineers to fix concerning issues or malfunctions at speed. With just a phone call away, our trained staff can offer advice for minor issues or queries or will send out a maintenance engineer free of charge to ensure your air conditioning system is in working order at all times.

We pride ourselves on our efficient call-out service and aim to assist you with repairs and maintenance problems within as little time as possible.

Got A Question?

Here at Sovereign, we have over 35 years of experience in air conditioning systems and offer cost-effective and energy-efficient solutions for air-con that’s tailored to your commercial environment.

If this sounds like something your business needs, then give us a call or find out more about our bespoke service by receiving a free no-obligation quote.

The post Benefits of commercial air conditioning in food storage appeared first on Sovereign Planned Services Ltd.

The simple solution to this is to install air conditioning in classrooms, which Sovereign has been doing for 35 years.  Let’s take a look at some of the benefits of air-conditioned schools and classrooms:

Comfort in the learning environment

Many schools are limited for space as a result of teacher shortages and high pupil numbers, which leads to fuller classrooms that heat up quickly and easily. Air conditioning ensures that even overcrowded classrooms can maintain comfort levels.

While portable units can be conveniently used in a variety of spaces, they are generally ineffective and expensive to hire for long periods. Therefore fixed installations are preferable, as they reliably control the temperature for the whole space, and once purchased will operate for many years without the need for ongoing hire costs..

Higher levels of concentration

Hot temperatures make it difficult for even the brightest and most conscientious of pupils to concentrate. When exposed to high temperatures, the brain starts to switch off in an attempt to urge the body to cool down.

By regulating the temperature of the classroom, students will be able to concentrate even when temperatures outside are soaring. This also benefits teachers, who are able to deliver more engaging and effective lessons because they’re not trying to calm down a class full of hot, irritated pupils.

Air conditioning systems in schools are an investment that pay off when the learning process is no longer hampered by warmer weather.

Greater flexibility

Knowing they have control over the temperature, teacher’s won’t have to cancel or change mentally demanding lessons just because of hot weather. Pupils are able to concentrate regardless of the temperatures outside, and teachers can do what they do best – teach. 

Decreased risk of heat stroke

With high temperatures also comes the risk of heat stroke, which can lead to pupils falling ill in school and may also lead to absences that reflect badly on both individuals and the school as a whole.

It’s best to decrease the risk of heat stroke in any way possible, and one of the easiest ways to do this is by ensuring your school has an effective air conditioning system installed.

Help pupils with asthma

Air conditioning is also important for other conditions, such as asthma. According to Asthma UK, 1.1 million children in the UK are currently receiving treatment for asthma.

One of the recommended actions for tackling asthma is to maintain a low humidity and keep indoor air clean.

The easiest way to do this is through air conditioning, as this can help reduce humidity levels as well as airborne pollen from trees and grasses. It can also lessen exposure to dust mites, which can also trigger asthma and allergies.

Air conditioning systems for schools

For many schools who are already hampered by tight budgets, air conditioning installation may seem like a stretch. However, there are several solutions that will keep running costs low, including a variable refrigerant flow (VRF) air con system or split air conditioners.

VRF air con systems have built-in heat recovery, which reduces the cost of cooling, while enabling multiple indoor units to connect to a single outdoor appliance. These systems also provide a precise zoning system for air conditioning, as well as allow for customisation of temperatures in different indoor areas. This maintains optimal temperatures in each room in the building.

Get in touch today

With over 35 years’ experience in commercial air conditioning and a 24-hour repair service that runs seven days a week, Sovereign is best placed to help you install a suitable HVAC system in your school.

Contact us today to talk about HVAC options for keeping your school or college cool or warm with a bespoke, cost-effective air conditioning system.

We can install energy-efficient air con units in classrooms, lecture halls, science laboratories, libraries, seminar rooms, sports halls and IT rooms in schools, colleges and educational institutes. All our engineers are F-Gas certified, giving you peace of mind.

The post The benefits of air conditioning in classrooms appeared first on Sovereign Planned Services Ltd.

Air conditioning’s main purpose is to keep your indoor environment more comfortable. It does this by regulating the temperature within your building. Of course, comfort is key, but air conditioning systems can also help to support building safety!

By building safety, we are not referring to the structural soundness of the building but instead to the safety conditions within the building for those who inhabit it.

For example, air conditioning and ventilation systems can help to improve health conditions and stave off airborne viruses. It keeps the air fresh, meaning the people who use the building will be exposed to fresh air rather than stale air.

Let’s take a further look into just how air conditioning can improve building safety in a number of different settings…

Offices

Enclosed spaces such as offices tend to have lots of people working pretty close together. This is a breeding ground for stale air, as well as the transmission of different viruses and other bacteria. We’ve all had instances where a co-worker has a cold or cough and the next day all the office staff are coughing and sneezing!

Investing in a good quality system for ventilation is essential in ensuring the safety of all the inhabitants of your office space. In fact, there has even been research that suggests that HVAC (air conditioning) can filter out particles from the air and make it less likely to spread to employees.

As well as this, employers actually have a legal obligation to ensure that there is fresh air being supplied in the workplace. Ventilation systems can provide this and ensure that constant fresh air is pumped around the office.

As well as helping to stave off the spread of bacteria, you cannot dispute the other health benefits of air conditioning systems. The way air conditioning controls the temperature in the office can make the environment far more comfortable for employees, especially in extreme heat. This will make them less susceptible to overheating

Retail environments like supermarkets and shops

Given the foot traffic that comes through the doors of retail spaces around the country, it makes sense that business owners are keen to ensure that any pollutants, bacteria and germs are eliminated quickly. The best way of doing this is by investing in some excellent quality air conditioning and ventilation for your retail environment.

Shopping trips are supposed to be luxurious, and we cannot think of anything worse than having to suffer in a warm, sticky, and stuffy shop with no fresh air! Not only is it extremely uncomfortable but it can make people more susceptible to airborne illnesses, and heat-related conditions such as dehydration, heat stroke, and other issues.

Getting an air conditioning and ventilation system set up in your retail premises will make the conditions far more comfortable for your customers and your staff. It can help to produce fresh air, reduce the risk of infection spreading, and drastically improve comfort levels.

Health centres and hospitals

Health centres and hospitals present perhaps one of the most important places for air conditioning. They are met by hundreds of people every day who could be carrying illnesses, as well as seriously unwell people who need as much comfort as possible.

With this in mind, we are sure that you will agree that air conditioning and ventilation is a vital necessity in these establishments as a way of ensuring safety and comfort for all.

As with the other two settings we have discussed, ventilation can minimize the risk of airborne illnesses spreading as it will pump around fresh air!

Air conditioning can also help to stop heat related issues such as heat stroke, heat exhaustion, and dehydration. It also provides a more comfortable working environment for healthcare staff, thus ensuring patients get the best care possible.

Air conditioning needs to be used alongside adequate ventilation to ensure that the environment remains safe and fresh.

As you can see, there are many incredible benefits of air conditioning. Why not try it for yourself today and help make your commercial premises a much more comfortable and safer place. Contact Sovereign to arrange a bespoke solution for your needs!

The post How can air conditioning and ventilation improve building safety? appeared first on Sovereign Planned Services Ltd.

If your company is looking to install a new commercial air conditioning – or HVAC system, there are a huge number of potential designs to choose between, plus several different factors to consider in the design process.

HVAC engineers must consider the space available in a property, health and safety requirements, potential cooling loads, energy efficiency, costs, and more. With so much to contemplate, let’s explore the major factors to consider when designing commercial air conditioning systems.

What Are the Most Important Factors to Consider in Air Conditioning System Design?

While it’s possible to simply install an off-the-shelf air conditioning system into a commercial property and hope for the best, this approach to HVAC – heating, ventilation and air conditioning systems – will never produce the most energy-efficient and cost-effective results.

Bespoke, tailor-made air conditioning systems offer the opportunity for major factors to be considered in the Air Conditioning design process, allowing a commercial HVAC system to be fully optimised for the space, layout and operations of a company.

During the air conditioning design process, HVAC engineers look at a wide range of different factors, but the most important to consider are:

• The type of air conditioning system
• The size of the system and the available space
• Ducts and ventilation
• Cooling loads
• Energy efficiency
• Cost-effectiveness
• Health and safety requirements

Different commercial properties and businesses all have different requirements that need to be met by an air conditioning system, and no single HVAC system is ever going to be the same once it’s designed to be fully optimised. Different systems include a variety of components, but as standard, a basic HVAC system incorporates boilers, air-con units, energy sources and vents into the design.

Let’s take a look at these primary factors in more detail to better understand the design considerations that need to be taken into account.

Different Types of Air Conditioning Systems

One of the initial factors that need to be considered in the design process is the type of air conditioning system that’s going to be installed. HVAC systems are all designed for the same purpose – to regulate the temperature of a building – but they’re not all designed in the same way.

There are several popular types of air conditioning systems, and each has its advantages and disadvantages. Different systems use different energy sources, while some offer more compact designs over others. The most common systems are:

• Split systems
• Hybrid systems
• Packaged systems

Split Systems

Split systems are the most popular type of air conditioning system that can be installed on a commercial property. The term ‘split’ refers to the fact that a split system has two primary components to its design. These are a heating unit and a cooling unit, which can be operated independently or in conjunction with one another via a thermostat control.

Split systems usually consist of a boiler that provides heat and a traditional air conditioning unit that provides the cooling element.  On top of this, traditional split systems are designed with a network of ducts and vents in order to allow heat or cold air to be effectively circulated through the building. Ductless split systems can be installed without the need for added ducts.

Split systems have the advantage of being cost effective, easily adaptable and, when optimised, energy-efficient.

Hybrid Systems

Hybrid systems are similar to split systems, with the major difference being that there are two sources of heat to choose between. A hybrid system has a traditional boiler as well as a heat pump, which gives you much more control over the level of heating within a commercial property.

The heat pump doubles up as a heat extractor, adding the cooling element to the HVAC system. Hybrid systems are energy efficient and, as temperatures can be set from a central thermostat, you’ll have the ability to control the property’s heating to a greater extent, lowering energy bills and improving the building’s environmental rating.

Like split systems, hybrid systems can be designed with a network of ducts and vents to evenly and effectively distribute heat throughout a commercial property.

Packaged Systems

Packaged systems are another popular choice of air conditioning system for businesses, as they are cost effective, relatively easy to adapt, and very compact.

Packaged systems are essentially an all-in-one air conditioning system. Rather than having a separate unit for heating and cooling, a packaged system has one unit that provides both elements of temperature control.

It’s an easy system that can fit into even the smallest of spaces if necessary, but it does mean that if something goes wrong, the whole system goes down quickly.

The Size of the System and the Available Space

Different systems take up varying amounts of space. As mentioned, a packaged system is the most compact. While this is great for an office block, it won’t be the best option for a multi-tiered football stadium.

Larger commercial spaces require more complex systems, so split or hybrid systems are often the best choice. Designers need to factor in the space available for the units and their location. For example, is there a basement where heating systems can be installed or will the air conditioning units disrupt the existing office plan if they are installed inside rather than outside?

Ducts and Ventilation

Air conditioning units and heaters can’t work in isolation, at least not if a system’s designed to regulate the temperature of large commercial properties. HVAC designers need to factor in a series of ducts and vents that allow the entire building to be temperature controlled in a cost-effective manner.

Again, engineers need to factor in the layout of a building, the extent of the system, and the available space as part of the initial design process. Vents and ducts are needed to circulate air, remove moisture and dust, and create a healthy indoor environment for employees.

Cooling Loads

Cooling loads are an incredibly important calculation that designers need to make while constructing and optimising an air conditioning system. Cooling loads are a measure of how much heat an air conditioning system can remove from a building within a given space of time.

For large buildings, buildings that retain more heat and buildings that need to be kept cooler than standard, an air conditioning system needs to be able to cope with a high cooling load. If it can’t, then the building will be inefficient and it’s going to be hot all of the time.

Energy Efficiency

HVAC designers need to factor energy efficiency into their plans as a major consideration. An energy-efficient system allows the building to retain heat in the winter while remaining cool in the summer.

This lowers the energy usage of an air conditioning system, which in turn lowers the commercial property’s monthly energy bill. Where possible, a building also needs to be adequately insulated to provide optimal conditions for an HVAC system to function in.

Energy efficiency also helps the environment, ensuring that your company can promote itself as a greener, more sustainable operation.

Cost-Effectiveness

For any commercial business, cost is always a huge factor, particularly when such a large project is being undertaken.

HVAC designers endeavour to ensure that their plans are as cost-effective as possible, while also balancing the need to save money in the short term with the chance to invest for future savings (through improved energy efficiency, for example).

Ultimately, cost-effectiveness isn’t about simply cutting costs and ordering the cheapest possible air conditioning unit, it’s about creating a bespoke and efficient system that saves money over several decades.

Health and Safety Requirements

Finally, air conditioning systems being installed on a commercial or industrial scale have to meet stringent health and safety requirements.

Designers need to factor in restraints such as building regulations, as well as directives from the Health and Safety Executive.

Large projects may even need planning permission, but this depends on the building in question and the local council’s requirements. A professional air conditioning system designer will ensure that all health and safety requirements, as well as other legal constraints, are met before installation begins.

Contact Sovereign PSL to Arrange a Free Site Survey

The team of expert HVAC engineers at Sovereign Planned Services has over 35 years of experience designing, building and maintaining air conditioning systems for commercial properties. Our highly qualified team provides a bespoke service that’s tailored to your specific business requirements.

Our team provides an initial site survey, free of charge. From there, we design a tailor-made air conditioning system using computer-generated design programmes such as CAD, before installing the system on the property. Once installed, Sovereign Planned Services provides a 24/7 repair and maintenance service, 365 days a year.

Contact Sovereign PSL to arrange your free site survey.

The post Factors to Consider When Designing Air Conditioning Systems appeared first on Sovereign Planned Services Ltd.

As with any air conditioning system, you will want to get something that you can rely on to get the job done. To find out if an HVAC system is right for you, you will need to look at how it works and if it is going to provide you with what you need from it.

These are just some of the important things that you will need to consider, and finding out more about these systems is the best place to start. We are going to explain exactly what a HVAC system is, and what you can expect from it.

What is HVAC?

HVAC is actually an acronym for heating, ventilation, and air conditioning. It will work to heat and cool a building, and it is a great source of ventilation for allowing moisture to escape. These units can come in many different shapes and sizes, and they offer users a variety of benefits, depending on the design that you choose and the space you are using it in.

Some of the things that you can expect your HVAC systems to include are boilers, air conditioning units, and dust and moisture vents. Something that is worth noting is that not all HVAC systems will include air conditioning units.

How Does a HVAC System Work?

In some instances, the HVAC components will work independently to provide you with the best results, but more often than not, the components will work together to keep everything functioning as it should. These types of systems are called combined systems, and they will include both central heating and air conditioning systems. They can even be used to completely transform your indoor air quality for the better and create a more efficient environment.

Fresh air will be sourced and brought in from outside through the ventilation process, which will often happen in either of the following ways.

Natural Ventilation

This type of ventilation will happen without the use of any specialized equipment, and it is actually present in the majority of homes. This is when the natural air outside will come in through windows, doors, and vents on its own without any help. This type of ventilation will work to replenish oxygen levels, get rid of any excess moisture in the air, filter out carbon monoxide, and remove any unpleasant odors that might be lurking around.

Mechanical Ventilation

Mechanical ventilation is a system that uses mechanical systems to transport air in and out of the building. This is the type of ventilation that is often used in households with HVAC systems. The air will enter the building through an air inlet unit, and it will be filtered and moved to the areas where it is needed the most. It works to remove dust, dirt, allergens, and other particles. This air will be used for both heating and air conditioning.

Read this article to find how an HVAC system works in a large building

If your business is looking to install a commercial HVAC system at your property, please contact us for a free quote.

The post What is an HVAC system? appeared first on Sovereign Planned Services Ltd.

They can work and are often used in high rise buildings, and we are going to explain exactly how they work in this article. This should help you to better understand how these systems work and what they will be able to provide you within a high rise building. To find out more, just keep reading.

How does an HVAC System Function in Large Buildings?

If you are wondering how HVAC systems work in high rise buildings, you are about to find out. To start the process, there is a compressor in the system that will compress the refrigerant to increase its pressure and temperature. Then, hot air will be blown over the refrigerant vapour by the condenser in order to liquefy it.

Once this has happened, the expansion valve will change the refrigerant into a low-pressure liquid to cool it, and heat will be transferred by the evaporator to transform the cool liquid into a warmer gas.

It does not matter how big the building is, as this will work for a bigger building just as well as it would for a smaller building. When it comes to an electrical system, the heating and cooling cycles will work very similarly.

Types of HVAC Systems for Commercial Use

There are a selection of HVAC symptoms that you can choose for commercial use in a high rise building, and they often use different interconnected systems that will provide heating and cooling to separate floors and other places. We will leave some of the parts that you can expect from an HVAC system below, so you can think about it.

1. Heat pumps – These will work to extract heat from the air or water to be used for heating. Within a water source heat pump, there will be a pipe that carries water through the structure to supply the pump.
2. Rooftop units – These are units that can usually be found on either the roof or the ground, and they duct the air-conditioned air into this space. They are very commonly found in commercial HVAC applications.
3. Chillers – A chiller will work to generate cool water that is distributed to air cooling cools through the use of piping systems.
4. Heaters: There are two types of heaters – common hot air furnaces that burn fuel to heat the air and radiant heaters that use invisible infrared radiation to heat objects directly.

If you are looking to install a commercial HVAC system at your large property, please contact us for a free quote.

The post How does HVAC work in a high-rise building? appeared first on Sovereign Planned Services Ltd.

In general, the decision on how often to have your commercial air conditioning units serviced is up to you. For smaller spaces, servicing your HVAC system about once a year is average. However, larger commercial units can demand more from their systems and would benefit from more regular servicing. If you feel as though your units are not performing as well as they usually do, it is worth having them checked over.  Most HVAC systems will run off of electricity or a combination of electricity and gas. If the air does not seem to regulate temperature as well, as usual, it could be a sign of a fault with gas, for gas-powered systems. Any unfamiliar noises when the AC system is operating would also require attention as this could be a sign of a damaged or loose part. Dust and debris can also build up in the system and cause blockages that will strain your system. By regularly maintaining your HVAC system, you are ensuring that these smaller, manageable issues do not become expensive and more serious.  

For systems under significant strain or serving larger buildings, having them serviced two to four times a year; just before winter and before summer is best. This is best for systems that are used year-round for both heating and cooling. Your system will be checked for efficiency before the colder months and will also have a thorough clean before allergy season. Frequent servicing is also a better idea if the units are in dustier environments, where filter blockages are more likely to occur. It is also essential that you do not try and carry out maintenance or repairs on your system yourself. Any mishaps can lead to more expense in the long run and can cause damage to the system.

At Sovereign Planned Services, we aim to deliver on budget and time and will work with you to understand your specific needs. Our engineers can help you establish the best-planned maintenance for your system to ensure your system is never left for too long between servicing. You don’t have to worry about remembering to book a visit as this will already be taken care of at our end. We offer a free, no-obligation site survey and quote so that you can be sure you are in the best hands. Our engineers are always available for any additional callouts, as well. Take a look here for more information on our nationwide HVAC repairs and maintenance services.

The post How often should commercial air conditioning units be serviced? appeared first on Sovereign Planned Services Ltd.

Regular maintenance and certain techniques can help extend the life of your AC unit but even the best will run their course over a certain amount of time. Failure to maintain your AC unit sufficiently could see you replacing it within 5 years so it is vital you look after it.

General maintenance usually involves changing the air filter and cleaning the air ducts as well as external and internal components of the unit. Worn parts should be replaced immediately and a professional inspection should be performed at least once a year by a licensed contractor. This could point out any defaults with the system that requires repairing that you may not have known otherwise.

Lifespan of Commercial Heating Ventilation Air Conditioning Units

A 20-year life expectancy for a commercial AC unit is not always possible due to overuse as well as wear and tear. The typical useful lifespan for a commercial air conditioner that has had regular maintenance is around 15 to 20 years. Even if maintenance is skipped a few times, you shouldn’t expect it to last 20 years.

15 years is the average life expectancy of a commercial AC unit. The building owner, superintendent, or property manager should do their best to ensure the system is regularly cleaned and see that the filters are changed on time. Sometimes, air duct cleanings and inspections are scheduled once a year by your building’s management team.

The expected median age is around 10 years and this is when property managers should think about upgrading the system for improved efficiency. Central air conditioning units or systems that are outside at ground level are expected to last between 7 to 15 years. However, 7 years is the expectation for one that is barely maintained while 15 years would be the lifespan of one that is cleaned, inspected, and repaired regularly. The system is said to have paid for itself every 10 years or when it has reached its median age. Some contractors even believe you are lucky if you get 10 years out of a commercial air conditioner but this should be achieved through proper maintenance.

If a commercial air conditioner is installed and then never inspected by a maintenance professional again is expected to last around 5 years. With moderate to high-efficiency AC units, you should get energy savings for the first two seasons. A decrease in energy and cooling efficiency is usually expected after the second year. Unfortunately, this generally equates to higher costs in repairs as components wear and become damaged. A commercial unit will likely be replaced if the repair bill is 50 percent of its cost when new.

A commercial AC unit should easily see 15 years, maybe 20 with proper upkeep and repairs. Although repair costs could increase as it gets older, it is cheaper than installing a new system every 5 years or so.

The post How Long Do Commercial Air Conditioning Units Last? appeared first on Sovereign Planned Services Ltd.

Correct HVAC sizing is important. It influences not just the installation costs in the short term, but also the energy efficiency of the system and its overall performance.

But, just to give you a quick heads up, what follows is not an in-depth guide on how to size a commercial HVAC system, but we will be able to provide you with the main steps required to ascertain the correct size.

HVAC Sizing

HVAC sizes are measured in tons. You will need 1 ton of HVAC for every 12,000 BTU (British Thermal Units) of heat generated in the building every hour.

So, you will have to calculate the building’s cooling load to ascertain the capacity of the HVAC system you will need. And, as a very general rule, it takes about 25 BTU to cool down 1 square foot of a building.

There’s also another quick sum that HVAC professionals use to make a quick estimate of the size of the HVAC system required, and that’s to use 1 ton per 5000 square foot of floor area.

However, please note that these are quick guidelines only. We’ll be introducing our 6 step method later for a more accurate estimate.

Moreover, there are many different factors that can affect the size of the HVAC required besides the square footage of the building. And we’ll be coming onto those in good time a little later.

Why Accurate HVAC Sizing is Important

If you were to get an HVAC system that is too big or too small, you will run into several problems.

An oversized HVAC system could have poor humidity control. This in turn could risk getting mold in the building and lead to discomfort or asthma in the occupants.

An oversized HVAC would also come at an increased installation cost, and could also cause energy wastage, which in turn means higher energy bills. There will also be increased wear and tear over time, which means it will require more maintenance.

With an undersized HVAC system, on the other hand, the units won’t be able to cool the place efficiently. The units will have to work harder than they’re actually designed to and the compressor will be pushing its limits.

Not only does it mean more general wear and tear, but you get higher energy costs and you’ll have to wait longer to reach your desired temperature.

Factors that Can Affect the Size of HVAC Required

There are several different factors that can affect the size of HVAC that you need. We’ll list some of the main ones here for reference.

● The activities carried out in each room (e.g. are they going to be hot due to cooking)

● The position of the building in relation to the sun (e.g. is it in the shade)

● The total number of occupants in each room and the average size of each room

● The difference between the desired indoor temperature and the temperature outside

● The type of lighting in the various rooms, the type of windows in each room

● The amount of insulation in the walls and ceilings

Main Steps Involved in HVAC Sizing

1. Find the number of square feet of the entire building

2. Divide this number by 500

3. To get the exact space cooling load, multiply the result by 12,000

4. Add 1200 BTU for every kitchen, and 380 BTU per person in the building

5. Add a further 1000 BTU to take in to account solar radiation from windows

6. And finally, divide the number by 12000 to get the size of the HVAC in tons

Conclusion

Getting a rough estimate of what size HVAC you need is relatively easy. If you have the information laid out in the main steps that we provided earlier, then you can get a rough estimate of your HVAC system you need in just 6 quick steps.

And once your calculations are done, you can give us a call here at Sovereign, and we’ll see what we can do it help. You can provide us with your calculations, and leave us to worry about the exact heat load and cooling load calculations together with the heat flow calculations.

If you jot us a quick email at info@sovpsl.com, we can call you back at a convenient time, and discuss your needs.

The post How Do You Size A Commercial HVAC System? appeared first on Sovereign Planned Services Ltd.

Here at Sovereign, we provide a specialised air conditioning service tailored to your business’s needs. We’ve put together a handy guide covering the different types of air conditioner units, so you can get a better idea of which one might be a good fit for your commercial building.

Split Air Conditioning Systems

Split air conditioning systems provide heating and cooling in a simple, fuss-free, and affordable way. They’re best suited to:

● Individual rooms

● Offices

● Shops

● Cafés

● Server rooms

These are one of the cheapest options on the market, and can be fitted and installed in a single day, while causing minimal damage and disruption to your business. These kinds of systems are ideal for anyone looking to heat or cool an individual room or small overall premises.

Larger spaces may also benefit from several split units that allow the air conditioning system to heat and cool several different rooms. However, this will require plenty of external space to house multiple outdoor units.

Variable refrigerant flow (VRF) systems

Variable refrigerant flow (VRF) air conditioners, also known as variable refrigerant volume (VRV) systems, provide a space-saving and energy-efficient option for businesses that want to minimize overall running costs.

This makes VRF systems an ideal option for larger commercial premises, including:

● Large offices

● Department stores

● Shopping centres

● Restaurants

● Galleries

● Hotels

● Data centres

● Warehouses

VRF air conditioning units are best suited to large commercial spaces, and are easy to control, energy-efficient, and reliable. They can also be installed with minimal disruption to your business.

By installing a VRF system, you’ll notice a reduction in your heating bills thanks to their heat-recovery features. Heat-recovery uses multiple units to provide heating and cooling to different rooms simultaneously. Wasted heat is recovered from around the building and used to heat water and other rooms.

Cassette type air conditioning

Cassette air conditioning units are suitable for providing heating and cooling in large, open-plan sites. They’re commonly installed as ceiling-mounted units, meaning they can easily be hidden with a baffle shield or on a conventional suspended ceiling.

Cassette ac systems are ideal for areas where space is at a premium, but a high-performance conditioning system is required.

Suspended air conditioning units

Suspended air conditioning units are also known as ‘under ceiling’ or ‘ceiling suspended air conditioning units.’ These are best-suited to smaller spaces that require specific temperature control but are unable to house large floor or wall-mounted units.

They’re specifically designed to provide a highly efficient kW heating and cooling solution that maximises output while keeping physical footprint minimal.

Wall-mounted air conditioning units

Wall mounted ac units are commonly used in enclosed properties and are highly efficient. They’re commonly installed on a wall at a high level and this allows for a controlled and even flow of air throughout the space. These units are ideal for smaller spaces, offices, server rooms, and shops.

For larger spaces, multiple units can be installed to allow temperature control in different areas – ideal for open-plan offices with glass partitions.

These units offer a high degree of control with minimal disruption, and minimise noise, hot and cold spots, and disruptive site lines that large units often cause.

Floor mounted air conditioning units

Extremely useful in areas where no walls are available, floor-mounted air con units are suitable for spaces of any size, and simply require access to a suitable power socket and an exit for any wiring and pipework to leave the space.

These units provide a high degree of portability which allows them to be deployed in a variety of different locations through your workspace.

Ducted air conditioning systems

Ducted AC systems are versatile and powerful, and are designed to provide maximum performance while remaining unobtrusive. They’re usually hidden above a suspended ceiling or roof space.

They do require significant skill and effort to install, however, seeing as the internal unit is placed in the roof of the building, as well as the duct grilles required to focus air in different areas of the building. This allows you to have a greater degree of control over the temperature.

Modern ducted air conditioning units are also very energy-efficient, allowing you to draw maximum benefit for minimal cost.

The post Which air conditioner is best for commercial use? appeared first on Sovereign Planned Services Ltd.