The Australian Institute of Refrigeration, Air Conditioning and Heating (AIRAH) has launched a free online tool to rank different HVAC systems during design, installation and operation.
The Calculating Cool online benchmarking tool allows building owners and operators, HVAC industry professionals, facility managers and other stakeholders to measure the efficiency of a variety of HVAC systems in a bid to drive improvements.
AIRAH CEO Phil Wilkinson, Calculating Cool provides the metrics and rules that industry has been crying out for to measure HVAC system effectiveness.
“With its balanced combination of quantitative and qualitative measures across the design, installation and operational phases of the HVAC life-cycle, Calculating Cool is practical, effective and cost-beneficial,” he said.
“It is set to have a profound impact on the reduction of energy use in Australian HVAC systems.”
Designed to sit alongside the Green Star and NABERS ratings tools, Calculating Cool is easy to apply.
An estimated 22 per cent of Australia's electricity use is for air conditioning and refrigeration systems and HVAC systems are responsible for more than 40 per cent of the energy used in commercial buildings.
As a result Calculating Cool is expected to deliver considerable cost savings. “By providing a dynamic assessment tool, it can rate, reward and encourage best-practice HVAC systems in buildings,” he added.
A range of industry bodies were involved in the project. PRIME steering council chair and AG Coombs strategic development director, Bryon Price, said Calculating Cool is part of the HESS Strategy which is expected to save industry $320 million a year in energy costs.
CBRE Asset Services associate director, Wayne McManus, said there are always opportunities to improve a building’s operations and efficiency.
Visit www.calculatingcool.com.au to see how your HVAC system stacks up.