Maximising Efficiency: Applied Solutions for New Zealand’s Commercial Sector

Efficient energy use is fundamental to sustainable building design, and HVAC systems are the cornerstone of energy performance in New Zealand's commercial sector.?

In New Zealand, commercial buildings consume 21% of the country’s electricity, representing an annual cost of $800 million to businesses. On average, energy performance in these buildings could be improved by 20-25%.?

Daikin’s Chillers, Heat pumps, and Air handling units (AHUs) are designed to provide precise climate control while minimising energy consumption, offering flexible and scalable solutions that meet the unique challenges of modern buildings.?

In this article, we explore how Daikin’s products can enhance energy efficiency in commercial applications. We’ll also highlight the tools, support, and technologies that ensure these systems deliver maximum value.?

1. Daikin’s Applied Products: Fit for New Zealand?

New Zealand’s growing focus on energy-efficient and climate-conscious construction is reflected in the rise of green building certification schemes such as Green Star and Homestar, as well as energy rating schemes such as NABERS. With more projects being registered each year, Kiwis are increasingly prioritising energy efficiency, making HVAC solutions like Daikin’s heat pumps, chillers, and AHUs more important than ever for commercial buildings.?

With more than?100 different options, such as extra pumps, sound-proof systems, heat recovery, rapid restart and more, it is easy to customise your chiller to your application, environment and needs. We always work with you to deliver a solution that satisfies your requirements.?

Each Daikin unit is engineered with the?latest technologies. Because we?develop everything in-house, we can continuously improve our products and technologies, such as our?Daikin Inverter Screw Compressor, and our?heat exchanger?and?condensing coil technologies.?

2. Energy Efficiency Innovations?

The energy savings offered by Daikin’s systems stem from their ability to intelligently adapt to building load requirements. This reduces energy waste and ensures efficient performance under both full- and part-load conditions.?

Key Features:?

• Heat Recovery Systems: 4-pipe system solutions with full inverter technology for independent and simultaneous cooling and heating, designed for year-round efficiency.?

• Variable Water Flow: To make the HVAC system even more efficient, it was important to make sure chillers could also vary the water flow depending on the actual load demand of the building. So, variable water flow in the primary circuit was provided. This option will make pumps more efficient, modulating the quantity of water flowing through the system, thus reducing pumps' impact on energy consumption.?

• Inverter Compressors: Inverter technology continuously modulates the speed of the compressor’s motor, which is the most efficient way to perform the capacity control of the compressor. In this way, Variable Frequency Drive provides chillers with outstanding part load or seasonal efficiencies, also allowing great energy-saving opportunities?

• Advanced Controls: These controls allow for tailored comfort levels and improved energy efficiency, ensuring that HVAC systems operate at peak performance under varying conditions.?

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Types of Chillers and Heat Pumps:?

• Water-to-Water: Utilizes water as both the heat source and heat sink, ideal for applications requiring high efficiency and stability.?

• Air-to-Water: Extracts heat from the air to heat water, commonly used in residential and commercial heating systems.?

• Water-to-Air: Uses water as the heat source to condition air, suitable for environments where air-based heating and cooling are preferred.?

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Case Study: Hopkirk Research Institute?

The Hopkirk Research Institute in Palmerston North required an HVAC solution that would provide consistent and efficient climate control for their research laboratories. Judd Refrigeration (https://www.jrl.co.nz/ ) partnered with Daikin and the high-performance chillers and heat pump systems were chosen for their ability to deliver precise temperature control, energy efficiency, and reliability.?

https://www.massey.ac.nz/about/colleges-schools-and-institutes/college-of-sciences/our-research/research-projects-and-groups/mepilab/??

Daikin’s EWAH-SRB2 600kW air-cooled chiller has an ultra-low GWP (7) rating and zero Ozone Depletion Potential (ODP) from using R1234ze refrigerant - it is a green solution for low environmental impact. This model features high efficiency, reduced sound and dual circuit Daikin Inverter Single Screw Compressors. It provides increased capacity control and additional reduced operational costs. With meticulous attention to fine-tuning each facet of operation, the chiller offers high efficiency for unmatched performance and economical operation.? The 600kW air-cooled chiller provides an economical means to produce chilled water without the requirement for a cooling tower, avoiding additional system complexity and maintenance.? ? BacNet BMS interface was integrated in the onboard chiller control to allow for high-level control monitoring and early fault detection by the site’s building management system – there was only low-level monitoring with generic fault outputs on the existing chiller. This new ability for remote control and management reduces long-term running costs.?

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Commissioning?

The variation in COVID-19 lockdown restrictions within the different regions of New Zealand was a hurdle to overcome when it came time to commission the chiller. The Auckland region was in a Level 3 lockdown; where Daikin’s Commissioning Engineer is based and no inter-regional travel was permitted. An essential travel exemption application to the Government was lodged and approved in order to get the commissioning completed.? ? The commissioning and fine-tuning process was carried out over a period of two days as environmental factors such as low ambient cooling, and the new R1234ze refrigerant properties were taken into account.?

Read the full case study here.?

3. Pre-Sales Support: Streamlining System Design?

Choosing the right system is critical for achieving energy efficiency and meeting project goals. Daikin’s pre-sales support offers industry-leading tools and expertise to guide consultants, engineers, and developers.?

Design Tools and Services:?

• Daikin Selection Tool:? A comprehensive selection tool, that allows the team to support customers with detailed design requirements and provide the right product for the right application.??

• Tailored Expert Guidance: Daikin’s Spec-in and engineering team provides technical data, schematics, and capacity tables tailored to your project’s specific requirements.?

• DT-Flow-II: Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) analysis, providing detailed airflow and thermal simulations to optimise HVAC designs.?

4. Multiple Control Options and Smart Energy Management?

One of the standout features of Daikin systems is their compatibility with different control options to suit any project’s requirements: from simplified methods to advanced energy monitoring tools, offering insights into system performance and consumption patterns. Monitoring tools can reduce annual energy bills by up to 20% while ensuring peak operational performance.?

5. Post-Sales Support: Ensuring Peak Performance?

Proper installation and commissioning are vital for unlocking the full potential of Daikin systems. Post-sales support ensures optimal performance, efficiency, and long-term reliability.?

Services Include:?

• Commissioning: Ensures system settings align with client requirements, optimising performance.?

• Training for Facilities Teams: Covers operation, zone control management, and energy monitoring.?

• Maintenance & Troubleshooting: Tailored maintenance packages and remote diagnostics to prevent inefficiencies and extend system lifespan. Packages available to provide performance checks on your systems to identify any potential failures before they occur, minimising unnecessary expense and downtime.?

6. Refrigerant Pathway?

Refrigerants (F-Gases) are classified as a priority product under New Zealand’s Waste Minimisation Act, highlighting the need for industry action to reduce their environmental footprint. As we transition towards low-GWP (Global Warming Potential) refrigerants, our applied product range demonstrates our commitment to reducing environmental impact through advanced HFCs and HFOs, paving the way for a low-carbon future.

Hydrofluorocarbons?

EWA(Y)T-CZ?

R32 Refrigerant Inverter Scroll Chiller / Heat Pump?

• This highly efficient and versatile system is capable of meeting both comfort cooling and process cooling requirements with utmost precision and reliability.?

And introducing...

EWYE-CZ?

R454C Inverter scroll Heat Pump Series?

Features & Benefits

? Low-GWP (under 150)

? Capacity range from 15 to 60kW in Cooling and 18 to 73kW in Heating

? 400V 50/60 Hz (3Ph + N)

? One and Two independent refrigerant circuits

? TOP class efficiency

? Inverter Pump availability

? Extended envelope

? Leaving Water Temperature up to 70°C

? Compact design

? Modular control up to 4 units

? Bivalent system control & DHW

? Plug & Play system

? Quiet operation?

EWYT-B?

R32 Refrigerant Scroll Heat Pump?

• Daikin heat pump?EWYT-B– offers a new opportunity to reduce the environmental footprint of heating & cooling systems. It is a product specifically designed to heat up a wide range of spaces, satisfying heating & cooling demand from 80 to 670 kW, meaning it can satisfy the needs a wide variety of applications?

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Hydrofluoroolefins?

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EWAH-TZD?

R1234ze Refrigerant Inverter Screw Chiller?

• Equipped with Daikin's latest compressor and innovative fan design, they ensure enhanced efficiency while occupying less space.?

TC 230 – 1600 kW?

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WMTC?

R1233zd Refrigerant Magnetic Bearing Centrifugal Chiller?

• The next-generation Oil-Free Magnetic Bearing Chiller, featuring HFO Refrigerant, R-1233zd (E), which boasts an incredibly low global warming potential (GWP).??

TC 1400 – 2800 kW??

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Closing Thoughts?

With increasing energy costs and tightening environmental regulations in New Zealand, our applied product range offer adaptable, high-performance HVAC solutions. Our product range, known around the world for their innovative features, combined with our in-house extensive pre-and post-sales support, are helping to support the new standard in energy-efficient building design.?

As the demand for energy-conscious and high-performance buildings grows, Daikin’s Chillers, Heat pumps, and AHUs play a pivotal role in meeting both energy-efficiency goals and climate-conscious building standards.?

To learn more about how Daikin systems can benefit your projects or explore our range of solutions, contact our Applied team today or visit our website.?

?https://www.daikin.co.nz/pages/commercial?