Will Advanced Commercial Heating Equipment Meet Net-Zero Goals?
Commercial heating equipment are units such as heat pump water heaters, electric heat pumps, and gas furnaces that are used for space warming as well as water heating. Advanced commercial and domestic heating equipment play a significant role in offering a comfortable environment by preventing condensation and optimizing the indoor air quality. This, in turn, helps to prevent mold growth and enhance energy efficiency while ensuring consistent and reliable heating. These systems are commonly used in areas that tend to be hotter than others, such as restaurant kitchens, corporate spaces, server rooms, shopping malls, retail stores, gyms, and sports complexes where temperature regulation is essential for operational efficiency and safety.
Commercial Heating Equipment Industry Overview
Types of Heating Equipment that Cater to Different Commercial Needs
Commonly used commercial heating equipment include heat exchangers; oil or gas heating pumps; heat pumps; air rotation systems; destratification heating; and heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) systems.
Heat exchangers, also known as warm air space heating systems, are equipped with a fan to pull air through a heat exchanger. These exchangers play a key role in heating air and distributing it evenly throughout the space, thus making it suitable for areas that require consistent temperature. For example, they witness rapid penetration in spaces such as data centers, server rooms, educational institutions, and greenhouse & indoor farming. Furthermore, oil or gas heating systems are commercial boilers, which are predominantly used to heat large properties. Whether oil or gas, boilers heat water with the help of radiators or generate steam for distribution through pipes.
Moreover, heat pump systems extract heat from the air and recirculate it indoors without needing oil or gas, making them ideal for temperature-controlled facilities. Air rotation systems circulate large volumes of air at controlled temperatures, drawing cooler air from below the heater to maintain uniform warmth. They ensure consistent heating without ducts and are ideal for warehouses and frost-sensitive areas. Destratification heating systems use thermal destratification to mix internal air, eliminating heat layers for consistent temperatures. Destratification fans recirculate warm air, balancing floor and ceiling temperatures. HVAC systems are fixed with compressors to convert refrigerants from gas to liquid, which then flow through coils for cooling or heating.
Focus on Developing Energy-efficient Heating Systems
Increase in urbanization and alarming rise in congestion have significantly augmented the demand for installation of commercial heating systems to ensure climate control and efficient working environments. According to Allied Market Research, the global commercial heating equipment industry is estimated to generate a revenue of $25.6 billion by 2032 from, growing at a CAGR of 5.2% from 2023 to 2032. A study published by the Department of Energy claimed that in commercial buildings, conventional commercial heaters are responsible for 18% of space heating energy use. Due to inefficient and outdated technologies, the maximum of this space heating energy is wasted. A research by Oak Ridge National Laboratory further stated that commercial buildings consume about 12% of the world’s total energy. Thus, manufacturers are focusing on developing high-efficiency commercial heating systems, which will reduce wasted energy and lower operational cost while improving comfort. For instance, Cambridge Air Solutions, a leader in manufacturing commercial space heating, ventilation, and evaporative systems, developed high temperature heating and ventilation (HTHV) systems that exhibit the ability to release temperature higher than or equal to 104°F and 150°F. These HTHV systems effectively heat and ventilate both huge industrial and commercial spaces and improve energy savings by 20–70%. These systems mix fresh outdoor air with indoor air at a 10:1 ratio, circulating it at 1,500–2,000 ft./min.
Another study by McKinsey & Company revealed that commercial buildings emit 38% of energy-related carbon dioxide and use 39% of global energy. With rising emphasis on sustainability and many countries aiming to reach Net-Zero by 2025, manufacturers are developing solar-powered HVAC systems to reduce energy consumption by up to 30–50% as compared to traditional systems. For example, HotSpot Energy, Inc. introduced a mini-split HVAC system that pulls its power from solar panels. Such developments will not only minimize the environmental impact but also help meet Net-Zero goals.
Endnote
With the increase in modern commercial buildings and the rise in need to adopt carbon-neutral processes, the installation of high-performance and energy-efficient commercial heating equipment is expected to surge in the coming years. Thus, advanced HVAC systems are gaining high traction, as they draw their power from renewable sources such as geothermal heat pumps and solar photovoltaic panels. Rise in focus on sustainability is further encouraging manufacturers to innovate energy-efficient heating technologies to achieve Net-Zero targets.
✍ **𝑨𝒓𝒕𝒊𝒄𝒍𝒆 𝒘𝒓𝒊𝒕𝒆𝒓: Akshata Tiwarkhede