Sustainable building performance, modular heating and cooling systems and lower-global warming potential refrigerants were themes that resonated with visitors to the Trane Thermo King stand.
There was a broad range of scalable solutions on display, designed for both new and existing buildings.
A key focus throughout the stand was the growing use of modular HVAC systems designed to simplify installation and improve flexibility in increasingly space-constrained commercial buildings.
Trane national product manager, Paul Goodison, said one of the standout products on display was the company’s new HMWA water-cooled chiller range, which has already gained strong market interest despite only being released within the past year.
The compact modular chiller system has been designed specifically for buildings where access limitations make traditional large chillers difficult to install or replace.
“It’s got a very small footprint,” Goodison said.
“We can put six in a line to make a big chiller.”
The modular units are capable of fitting into goods lifts, narrow corridors and constrained plant rooms – a growing issue in many older buildings across Melbourne and Sydney where existing chillers are difficult to replace once enclosed within completed structures.
“We actually made that design so we can get it into these small spaces and goods lifts and down small corridors,” Goodison said.
The HMWA range reflects a broader trend across the HVAC industry towards modular and scalable solutions that can be adapted to varying building requirements while simplifying installation and future upgrades.
Low-GWP refrigerants were another major focus across the stand, with Trane and MTA products increasingly shifting towards HFO refrigerants and natural refrigerant technologies.
Goodison said sustainability remained a major driver behind many of the company’s newest products.
“It’s all about sustainability these days,” he said.
Among the newer systems showcased was the CXAU modular heat pump range, designed primarily for heating applications and capable of producing water temperatures up to 55 degrees Celsius.
The company also highlighted its multi-pipe systems, which are capable of delivering simultaneous heating and cooling within the same building – a feature particularly suited to hospitals, airports and pharmaceutical facilities where different zones often require opposing thermal loads at the same time.
The systems are already being deployed in major Australian projects, including Melbourne Airport developments.
“They’re very sustainable solutions,” Goodison said.
The ARBS stand also featured MTA’s industrial and process cooling systems, including the company’s TAE chiller range designed for medical and industrial process applications such as MRI machines, cancer treatment equipment and industrial manufacturing systems.
MTA national product manager, Chris Groves, said the TAE units had been specifically engineered for industrial and process environments requiring greater durability and operating flexibility than conventional HVAC chillers.
Another popular drawcard was the new R290 propane-based heat pump systems designed to support the industry’s longer-term transition towards natural refrigerants.
Groves said the R290 systems were particularly well suited to boiler replacement and high-temperature hot water applications because they could produce water temperatures above 75 degrees Celsius using a single-stage system.
“So the intent is that they can actually go on to de-gasified plants and hot water service systems and do it all electrically,” Groves said.
The move towards natural refrigerants such as propane and CO2 reflects the next phase of the refrigerant transition as the industry moves beyond conventional synthetic refrigerants towards even lower-GWP alternatives.
Another product area attracting attention at ARBS was Trane Technologies’ growing air handling unit portfolio, including Al-Ko air-handling systems with option to upgrade for clean applications such as pharmaceutical and hospital environments.
The broader Trane Technologies portfolio now spans systems ranging from small process cooling applications through to large-scale commercial chillers exceeding 20,000 kilowatts in capacity.
Groves said the merger of multiple brands under the Trane Technologies umbrella had significantly expanded the company’s capabilities across the HVACR market.
“Between the two brands, you’ve got a lot of flexibility,” he said.
The company said ARBS remained an important opportunity to showcase new products, build brand awareness and engage directly with contractors, consultants and customers across the rapidly evolving HVACR industry.