Measurement and classification of energy efficiency in HVAC systems

Climate control systems typically account for a substantial part of energy consumption in commercial buildings. The obligations established in global agreements as well as regulations and legislation that limit the energy consumption and greenhouse gases emissions gave a novel importance to the HVAC systems rating. This paper describes various indicators for assessing the energy performance of HVAC systems by defining the concepts involved and presenting calculation procedures. Various methods are used, from the basic indicators (EER, COP) to the most sophisticated (SEER, SCOP), which are due to the need to include more parameters to determine the level of energy efficiency accurately and to adjust it to the actual operation of the equipment. A case study is presented in order to calculate the indicators of actual systems in Europe and to assess developments by geographical location. A difference between the results of the various indicators when changing the geographical location and weather conditions that affect the systems was noticeable, which can lead to misconceptions regarding the energy efficiency. It is therefore important to correctly use the indicators that best fit the location, a task that is not usually performed by the manufacturers. (C) 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.