But phasing out HCFCs is only the first step in the UK’s determination to root out all ozone depleting chemicals and it has already turned its attention to HFCs, which were once thought to a remedy to the HCFC problem and the saviour of all companies looking to reduce their emission of greenhouse gases. Indeed, HFCs are a hot topic globally, with the international community debating whether or not to include phasing down HFCs within the Montreal Protocol on Substances that Deplete the Ozone Layer.

Many environmentalists hoped that member countries would vote in favour of phasing down HFCs during the recent meeting of the Montreal Protocol; instead all decisions have been deferred to the Kyoto Protocol meeting which will be held in Copenhagen from the 6th to the 18th December. The Kyoto Protocol is primarily concerned with reducing greenhouse gas and carbon dioxide emissions; although many feel that it has lost its touch as it fails to enforce many of its regulations.

Back in the UK, the Air Conditioning and Refrigeration Industry Board (ACRIB) has cautioned the government not to ignore the total carbon emissions that will arise from phasing out HFCs. ACRIB says that for the desired reductions in carbon emissions to be achieved, not only must the appropriate replacement refrigerant be chosen, but consideration needs to be given to the alterations to existing refrigeration and air conditioning systems as well as the production of new systems, all of which could contribute to increased carbon emissions in the long run.

When you have your central or mobile air conditioning unit checked, an assessor will visit your property, inspect your portable or installed air conditioning units and advise you how to utilise your unit in a more efficient way. The Carbon Reduction Commitment programme is designed to encourage businesses and properties to have their air conditioning units checked, and there will be penalties given to anyone who fails to have theirs checked before the cut-off date.  The initiative is not only focused on air conditioners, but also applies to reducing the energy consumption for entire buildings and properties in general.

It is expected that larger industrial air conditioning units that are over 250kw have already been checked, and if they have not, they are in breach and will endure heavy penalties.

The Energy Performance of Buildings Directive has not implemented these compulsory inspections to inconvenience or frustrate individuals, but rather to help people become aware of their daily energy consumption and assist us in lowering electricity usage which will benefit our pocket and the environment.

At particular risk are the very old and the very young, but that doesn’t mean that hale and hearty 20-30 year olds are immune to the effects of a hot summer. The Heatwave Plan, implemented by the Department of Health, urges people to drink plenty of fluids (except caffeine drinks like coffee) and stay indoors between 11:00 and 15:00, the hottest parts of the day. The Plan also advises people to check in regularly with vulnerable friends and family and to keep an eye out for those who appear to be suffering any ill-effects.

The UK’s Heatwave Plan includes an ‘alert’ that is updated regularly and informs people of the safety levels and precautions they should be adopting. There are 4 levels:

•    Level one - Green: “Summer preparedness and long-term planning”. This includes painting your home white and planting shrubs in your garden.
•    Level two – Amber: “Alert and readiness”
•    Level three – Red: “Heatwave action”
•    Level four – Red emergency

During the most recent hot spell the alert warning was pushed up to three, but for the most part hovered at alert level two. For a heatwave to be declared in the UK, temperatures in London have to consistently peak at 31°C during the day and can’t dip below 18°C at night. So far, summer 2009 is shaping up to be worse than that of 2006. This June was the hottest, driest and sunniest month since July 06. Sales for portable air conditioners and air conditioning units are going through the roof and, as the odds turn in favour of this summer turning into a heatwave, it looks as though portable air conditioning stockists will have a tough time keeping up with demand.
During the heatwave of 2003 there were over 2,000 deaths from heat-related causes, which is why the Department of Health is doing its best to ensure that everyone is fully prepared to survive any heatwaves in 2009 this year. Schools are advised to keep children indoors during break times and people have also been warned to be careful when they go swimming.

The Trades Union Congress have advised employers to consider their employees during the heatwave by providing proper protective clothing, sun block and to consider different hours for shifts so that no one is subjected to prolonged sun exposure. Pet owners have once again been cautioned not to leave pets locked in cars when they go shopping and to ensure that a fresh supply of cool water is always available.

To add insult to injury, the Centre for Economics and Business Research says that any prospective heatwave in the UK this year could cost the country £187 million per day as many feign illness and call in sick to enjoy the sunshine. Other work related costs include loss of productivity and staff arriving late as they try to deal with the effects of an impending heatwave in the UK.

In 2003, the heat wave in England and Wales killed 2000 people, most of whom were elderly. A Help the Aged Spokeswomen in the UK says that the threat is highest for the elderly because “older people are less able to feel the heat and don’t sweat as much, so their bodies retain heat without them knowing it”. A Heat-Health warning system was set up just after the 2003 disaster to warn people of an impending heat wave so that relief units are able to provide air conditioning and refuge for the frail.

In the USA, North Alabama and Texas are already reaching temperature of over 32°C this June, and this means more deaths among the elderly. In bid to save lives and make the elderly more comfortable in their homes this summer, Madison County is asking for air conditioning units from public donations of any new window-sized portable air conditioner.

However, the elderly who are asking for relief have to join a waiting list and hope for donations. “It just breaks up my heart, because we just have to tell them, ‘I’m so sorry, but we don’t have an air conditioner to give you,’” said Larkin Grant, a volunteer in Madison. One of the people on the waiting list for a domestic air conditioning unit is 85-year-old Beulah McCaulley who says that it is just as hot inside her four walls as it is outside and that the heat gives her serious asthma attacks.

Nearby, in Texas, the Texas Apartment Association (TAA) is appealing to its members to implement a Neighbour Care programme to prevent heat related ailments in residents. George Allen from TAA spoke about the Care programme and said, “Experts tell us one of the best ways to prevent heat-related tragedies is for neighbors to look out for each other and check on each other regularly. That’s what we’re asking our members to encourage their residents to do”.

Citizens are encouraged to educate themselves on the signs of heat stress and to be familiar with what precautions to take to prevent heat-related illnesses. Neighbours are asked to look out for people who struggle to pay their utility bills. Individuals can choose to contribute money to assist with the utility bills of the less fortunate and can volunteer for drives to collect and distribute room fans and portable air conditioning units.

Many elderly people rely on community support and donations during the summer months to keep their homes at a livable temperature, however often they don’t receive the air conditioning units and assistance that they need in order to remain healthy and mobile.

The Regulations

2002 – Refrigerators, air conditioners and other equipment using R22 should no longer be manufactured by law.

2010 – Only recycled (no virgin) R22 can be used in systems.

2015 – The phase out should be complete; no-one can buy or sell R22.

Bad news for those who own other older refrigeration devices is that recycled stocks of the coolant, which can still be used until 2015, are already running low. A British Refrigeration Association (BRA) survey revealed that, as things stand, the supply of recycled R22 only meets ten percent of the demand, which will create a severe shortage in 2010 when the new law kicks in.

The BRA survey revealed that most stocks are already in the hands of large companies. More worrying for environmentalists is that, according to the data, the quantity of virgin R22 refrigerant bought last year was the same as previous years despite the introduction of the more environmentally friendly replacement, R417A. There was no increase in the amount of recycled R22 produced, indicating that Britain will be less than prepared for the complete phase out in 2015.

http://www.acr-news.com/news/news.asp?id=1477&title=New+survey+echoes+R22+concerns

 Stress, depression, dehydration and discomfit are quite a long list of symptoms and it’s hardly surprising that the end result is diminished productivity. In fact, over 60% of people working in an environment at the wrong temperature feel sleepy and just under 60% are less productive. Many employees often feel more stressed in the heat too. Stress has been predicted to cost the UK economy in excess of £3.7 billion each year. If productivity levels are down by 60% then you can only imagine how much money a business is losing from its offices being the wrong temperature, let alone how working in this temperature is affecting the employees’ quality of life.

 The solution is simple and not all that pricey. If your office is over 25° Celsius, buy or rent a portable air conditioner. They’re inexpensive and effective. Just don’t be tempted to swing to the other extreme. Another study has shown that if an office is cooled to under 23° Celsius, there is an increase in staff sicknesses and a decrease in comfort again. Sick leave can also cost a company a considerable amount of money, so it’s really to everyone’s advantage to keep the temperature at a happy medium.

Dehydration occurs if workers are overheating and losing moisture through sweat, and not replenishing the water in their body by drinking enough water. Dehydration causes reduced concentration, tiredness, headaches, and eventually kidney stones. Water coolers or taps should not be further than a few metres away from each employee, so that they can drink water throughout the day, especially in summer. Healthy people have pale yellow urine, so if yours is darker you should be drinking more water.

Above incentive schemes and bonuses, one could say that keeping an office cooled and with a large supply of cool water during summer is central to that company’s productivity and the employee’s job satisfaction. Don’t ignore the body’s basic needs in order to cut costs; a body, like any machine, operates optimally at a certain temperature.

The museum is situated in San Francisco’s Golden Gate Park and uses a low horsepower water pump system that serves as an air-conditioning and heating system for the entire building. Although the system costs more upfront and is not a portable air conditioning and heating system, Paul Switenki, one of the project’s engineers, says that due to the long life cycle of the building they had to choose a system for energy efficiency, above all else. The roof supports a living environment with plants indigenous to the region to keep the whole project as environmentally friendly as possible.

The temperature control system works through pipes in the floor. The under-floor heating and cooling made sense as the galleries have very high ceilings so it would be difficult to heat or cool with air from the ceiling and high horsepower fans would use a huge amount of energy for the large museum. The system was engineered by the company, Arup and installed by O’Brien Mechanical. The system consists of 100,000 linear feet of tubing connected to six, 20,000-Btuh boilers and three, 4-ton chillers.

The system works by pumping water through the under-floor pipes. To heat the building, the water is heated by the boilers and circulated through the pumps that push the water through heat exchanges to transfer the heat to manifolds connected to the tubing. The building is heated in the early mornings and doesn’t need to be reheated much as the building stays at a comfortable temperature throughout the day.

The cooling system is similar but runs through a system of chillers, rather than boilers. The extensive use of glass in the galleries requires a cooling system for warmer days even though the temperature is mild in the region throughout the year. Paul Switenki said, “Since we were using the PEX tubing for heating, we figured we might as well use it for cooling. On those days when the ambient outdoor temperature is 80˚F or warmer, the chilled-water cooling may be used to ‘top off,’ or augment, the natural ventilation system that is part of the design”.

O’Brien project manager Randy Payne said on the installation process: “To tackle a radiant project of this magnitude was a big undertaking. We had to sit back and plan carefully, testing our ideas before going all-out. But in the end, it didn’t prove super-difficult”.

There will be a large educational focus at the conference with the central concern being the responsible use of water and energy in buildings. Many exhibitions and symposiums on sustainable development will be on offer at the exhibition centre. The air-conditioning forum will be divided into six smaller forums that will incorporate an exposition on career possibilities in the industry, as well as design elements and technology. Sustainability on the subject of air-conditioning and standardising measures will be the topical issues in discussion in this particular forum.

Other forums on offer will include the ‘Bathroom Experience’ whose main focus is on ‘Blue Responsibility’, which involves sustainability in the area of water.  The forum will also focus on bathroom designs that appeal to all generations, are comfortable and take health and safety issues into consideration. The Technology and Energy Forum will look at future trends and on how to increase efficiency in energy systems in buildings.

The IKK Building Forum’s main focus will also be on ventilation and temperature control systems in buildings and is run by the Association of German Refrigeration and Air-conditioning Companies. The Building forum will look at holistic ways of meeting energy requirements in buildings and will look at integrating the fields of heating, cooling and ventilation with measure, control and regulatory technology to save energy.

Awards will also be given out at the Trade Fair to recognise exceptional achievements in the fields of design and technology. The Design Plus award recognises innovation and expertise in design and over one hundred companies have submitted products for consideration. The Architecture and Technology Innovation Award recognises exceptional design and technology and is open to architects, engineers and manufacturing companies. The conferences will be hosted in German but will take into consideration general European issues.

Heating and cooling systems,  such as portable air conditioners, are essential in most offices in the US to keep offices at comfortable temperatures during the extreme seasons. Keeping the environment at the correct temperature is also important for health, as the body functions optimally at a certain temperature.

The study done by the Department of Energy found that in summer, symptoms such as headaches, concentration problems and fatigue increased by 50% in buildings that were cooled below 23%;  almost half of the buildings in the summer study were cooled at this temperature. In winter, most of the buildings were warmed to the recommended temperatures, although the study found that the higher range of recommended temperatures was still too warm, and that these  resulted in increases in nose, eye and skin problems and headaches.

The study recommends the continued use of air conditioners but to use them moderately by keeping offices at the cooler end of the recommended temperatures spectrum in winter and by avoiding overcooling in summer to reduce building-related symptoms. This will keep office workers comfortable and will also save a huge amount of energy.

“As we look for ways to save energy, these results suggest a potential win-win situation,” said researcher, Mendell. “Our findings suggest that energy efficiency and keeping buildings healthy and comfortable for the occupants are not necessarily in conflict”.

The paper on Mendell and Mirer’s findings has been published in the online journal Indoor Air and is titled “Indoor Thermal Factors and Symptoms in Office Workers: Findings from the U.S. EPA BASE Study”.

The only catch is that the system, called ARIA™, only works in conjunction with other Prolitec products, for example, their Air/Q ambient-scenting and odour control systems. But it can be used in any size space and can be programmed to sanitise the air on a continuous basis or at regular intervals.

For larger spaces, i.e. entire home and hospitals, Prolitec recommends that you use their HVAC-mounted system, while their table-top, wall and ceiling mounted portable air conditioning units can be used to sanitise individual rooms or offices.

The system works by converting the special ARIA formulation into non-toxic micro-droplets into an air sanitising vapour that circulates throughout the required space. The formulation kills airborne mould and fungal spores and is even available in a scented option.

ARIA is registered with the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), which proves Prolitec’s claims that it does indeed do all that they say it does.

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