The high-rise building helped transform business spaces in cities, but they also present special challenges for commercial HVAC. Evenly heating and cooling a tall building requires equipment able to move large amounts of heat transfer mediums (water, air) vertically, while also accounting for temperature differences at higher altitudes. Air quality is also an important factor: high-rises rarely have windows that can open on upper floors, so proper ventilation throughout the building is essential.
We’re local experts when it comes to commercial cooling and commercial heating in Whitby, ON, and this includes extensive work with solutions for high-rise buildings. In this post, we’re going to look at several of the ways we can provide effective climate control and ventilation in a high-rise. We work with new construction as well as retrofitting for older buildings that have inadequate or aging HVAC systems.
The Chilled Water System
One of the standards for heating and cooling in a high-rise building is the chilled water system. This system combines a chiller tower and a boiler to provide for the heating and cooling needs of the building. Chilled water travels to individual fan coils located throughout the building where the heat from the space is drawn out. The boiler handles the heating needs, delivering heated water to these same fans to send heated air into the rooms.
The Water-Source Heat Pump
This is an alternative choice for high-rises that comes with several benefits. A heat pump can provide both heating and cooling without needing the extra set of pipes and pumps that a chilled water system uses. A water-source heat pump has a cooling tower where heat is exhausted and a boiler where heat is added—but instead of sending water through a water piping system, the heat is moved (either in or out of the space) through refrigerant. This way the same system can both add or remove heat. Water-source heat pumps can have improved efficiency over chilled water systems or the more conventional air-source heat pumps, and they also require less maintenance because they are not as complex.
High-Rise Ventilation
Ventilation systems for high-rises are extremely variable, depending on how the space is used. Newer high-rises have designs that allow for more natural ventilation to occur. Older buildings will require more mechanical ventilation and the use of powerful make-up air units designed to vent out the stale air from the building and replace it to prevent negative air pressure.
Finding the Right High-Rise Solutions
The technology of high-rise HVAC systems is constantly evolving and improving, and our team at Advantage Airtech is always on the cutting edge of the newest developments. We work with cooling towers, boilers, water-source and air-source heat pumps, variable flow refrigerant systems, chillers, and more. We also provide geothermal solutions that can help reduce a building’s carbon footprint and save energy. No matter what you need for your high-rise facility, we can provide it.
Advantage Airtech Commercial Ltd. is the Double “A” Name with the Triple “A” Rating. If you are looking for high-rise heating and cooling solutions in the Greater Toronto Area, call us today to speak to an account manager.
