ASHRAE Journal - April 2011 - 10

industry news
Product category at ACREX was Swegon’s BlueBox Core Max, a reversible water/water heat pump for heating, cooling and production of domestic hot water up to 60°C (140°F) with total or partial energy recovery. It can be used with vertical geothermal probes, horizontal geothermal probes, mixed geothermal probes, well water, and tower water or can be combined with a remote condenser. “It has one of one highest energy efficiency ratings in the industry,” said Ermes Santi, India operation manager. A product recognized by ACREX judges for excellence was the Grundfos Direct Sensors™ new vortex flow sensor. “The heart of the sensor is a coated SMART silicon chip, which transforms the pressure, flow and temperature of the medium into electrical signals,” said Bryan Maddock, sales manager. “Direct water contact measurements are now possible in harsh environments due to a metal-glass alloy coating with extreme resistance to corrosion.” A must-see for visitors to ACREX was “Shunya,” India’s first net zero energy house. “Shunya” means zero in Hindi. “It represents an evolved way of thinking and sustainable living,” said Ashish Rakheja, a consulting engineer from India, and chairman of ACREX and past president of ISHRAE, the society of Indian engineers that organizes ACREX annually. Shunya works on the principle of using maximum renewable energy from the sun and is independent of any electric grid. “We took a radical approach towards attaining sustainability by utilizing resources efficiently. It was designed to aggressively reduce energy demands and loads, optimize passive strategies, and if needed incorporate efficient active mechanical strategies. The focus is on reducing peak energy demand to as low as 1.35 watts per square foot,” said Rakheja. Some applications in demand in India are not high tech. One exhibitor displayed its line of duct fans. Common practice in India was to simply open a window to add fresh air, said Ankit Mody, sales director of NADI Technologies Ltd. The first step in improving the older facilities was to provide ductwork for exhaust, and if you are smart, Mody added, you bring some air. “We are not offering an advanced solution, but we offer a solution for which there is a need. Sometimes applying an old technology in a new market where there is a need provides the greatest benefit.” India is not without problems. One Indian engineer said India has many resources at its disposal, but those resources cannot always be applied in the quickest and most reliable manner. “Service,” said Goel. “We need to invest more in service. I wish there were more exhibitors displaying products that improve service for building systems. That is where the impact on energy efficiency and better performance can be made.” ACREX is an annual exhibition. The ISHRAE website, www. ishrae.in, is a source for information about the 2012 show.

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ASHRAE Journal

April 2011

ASHRAE Journal - April 2011

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