Page 27 - Climate Control News Magazine April 2019

Residential Air Conditioning Feature
Study examines heating
and cooling options
NEW RESEARCH FROM the University of South Australia (UniSA) examines a range of heating and cooling options for homeowners assessing energy savings, payback periods and retrofit costs.
For example, it found a retrofit combining evap- orative cooling and ducted gas provides the high- est energy savings and lowest payback period.
Inspecting ducts for leakage and replacing old ducts with new, more energy efficient ones can also result in significant energy savings, the study found.
Sustainable housing expert, UniSA engineer, Dr David Whaley, believes the most important first step is to get existing insulation checked by a qualified professional.
On the subject of air conditioning, he said units should be serviced every five years and fil- ters inspected every year to maintain efficiency.
“If you are looking at replacing your heating or cooling system, seriously consider the appli- ance star rating which indicates its energy effi- ciency. For example, replacing a 2-star air con- ditioner with a 6-star system, in a typical older house in Adelaide, could save you about $600 a year in electricity bills,” Whaley said.
Unfortunately, most Australian homes do not meet current minimum energy perfor- mance requirements.
As a result most of Australia’s 10 million homes have star ratings of 1.5 to 3, requiring up
to four times the amount of energy to cool and heat the interior than houses built after 2010.
“Poor building shells (roof, floor, walls, win- dows and doors) which let heat in, and having hot direct sunlight through windows, particu- larly those that face west, are the main problems with most houses,” Whaley said.
“Insufficient ceiling insulation, draughty win- dows and doors, and lack of glazed windows or external shading devices all contribute to low star energy ratings.”
In a recent study, Dr Whaley investigated the payback period to retrofit six typical South Aus- tralian homes built prior to 2000, improving their energy initial star ratings from 1.1 - 2.8 to beyond the current requirements.
For each house, 25 different energy improve- ments were modelled, including installing insu-
The study investigated the payback period to retrofit six typical South Australian homes built prior to the year 2000.
lation in the ceiling and walls, floors if applica- ble, and replacing single-glazed windows with double-glazed windows.
A range of heating and cooling options includ- ing reverse cycle, evaporative cooling and ducted gas systems were also simulated.
The retrofit costs varied between $15,000 and $38,000, and the payback period between 6.5 and 16 years, depending on the heating and cooling system used.
Dr Whaley also cautioned home owners to think carefully before installing solar panels as a quick fix to soaring energy costs.
“Solar panels are great but be aware that there is less solar output during winter, and often dur- ing peak demand events, which means you will probably still be buying energy from the grid at these times,” he said.
Take control with Airbase
DAIKIN HAS RELEASED its new ducted Wi-Fi controller app, Daikin Airbase.
Available for download now through the Ap- ple App Store and Google Play, Airbase puts Daikin’s ducted system’s frequently used func- tions at the user’s fingertips.
In conjunction with Daikin’s BRP15B61 wire- less LAN adaptor which now comes with a 20-metre cable for easier installation in an oc- cupied space, the Airbase app allows users to operate their ducted air conditioning system from their phone or tablet, via their in-home Wi-Fi or remotely with an internet connection.
Up to five systems can be conveniently monitored and controlled via the app anywhere, anytime.
To find out more, visit daikin.com.au or call 1300 368 300. ✺
Up to five systems can be controlled via the app.
CLIMATE CONTROL NEWS APRIL 2019
27