In late-2020, Facilio and Belimo announced an initiative to advance the Internet of Things (IoT)-driven connected built-environment. Whilst making the announcement, the two companies spoke of how the joint solution would unlock real-time operational data, helping to improve asset lifecycles and driving new levels of efficiency. Fast forward to Q1 2022, and more companies, like Berner, Danfoss and Hisense are either fast joining the IT-enablement bandwagon or strengthening their portfolio, range-wise, depth-wise.

The scope of IT-enablement

IT-enablement gives users peace of mind and accessibility anytime anywhere. However, can all equipment be IT-enabled? By way of sharing his view, Dharmesh Sawant, Sales Director, Hisense VRF, confidently says: “All our VRF equipment are IT-enabled. With the new trend of digital transformation, the user today needs everything to be controlled and monitored from their handheld devices.”

Dharmesh Sawant

The need for controlling applications from handheld devices bodes well for HVACR companies in the pandemic, where even vaccine cards or state identity cards are accessible on phones. It has encouraged some to get further entrenched in IT.

Christophe Sailly, Director of International Sales, Berner, says the company started IT-enablement as early as 2003, when it became the first air curtain manufacturer to develop and offer Intelliswitch, a built-in digital controller. “Over the years, multiple security and functionality improvements have been made, including the development of the app – Berner AIR,” he adds.

The app allows one to program, operate and monitor an air curtain from a smartphone. Then, there is also the BACnet capability via Berner AIR, enabling true integration of an air curtain with the Building Management System (BMS), he says.

Weighing in, Thomas Kolster, Head of Service Innovation, Danfoss, speaks of how the company’s entire portfolio of electronic controls, actuators and sensors can connect to any refrigeration or HVAC system, optimising performance. “By installing electronic controls, actuators and sensors, the refrigeration/HVAC equipment can be retrofitted and IT-enabled,” he says.

Despite all the developments in the right direction, the installation of IT-enabled devices is low among Existing Buildings and New Construction. George Berbari, CEO, DC Pro Engineering, quantifies this by saying, “There is less than 20% adoption of IT-enabled devices.” The reason, he adds, is simple: There are communicating devices using the BMS as a backbone but come at an additional cost of USD 100-200 per point.

The right investment

Indeed, anything that makes life easy comes at a cost, and IT-enablement is no different. Whilst cost may be one factor of consideration – and rather an important one, at that – the proponents of IT-enablement say it is the slew of benefits that need to be factored in. Sawant asserts his stand from a Hisense point of view, when he speaks of how all of the company’s VRF equipment are compatible with IoT.

Thomas Kolster

Thus, he adds, there is a minimal additional cost to interface air conditioning equipment with the local Wi-Fi and, eventually, to be part of the cloud. “However, the additional cost depends on whether the user is using a Hisense platform, which is affordable, or third-party home automation platforms, such as Apple Home, Google Home, Alexa or KNX Home Automation,” he adds.

Kolster bolsters Sawant’s view when he says that when adding gateways to connect systems as well as retrofitting old equipment with smart components, there will be an additional cost. “The value, however, should easily justify the cost,” he adds.

He cites examples where one might see, in some cases, the upfront cost of a connected system will be higher, but the total cost of owning a connected system will be lower, as efficiency gains will pay back the upfront investment. “This payback will come in the shape of reduced maintenance costs and energy costs,” Kolster adds.

George Berbari

IT-enablement is not just about reduced maintenance costs; as Sailly puts it, it also eliminates the need for extra components and transformers, when extra functionality beyond basic on/off is required. Citing an in-house example, he explains that with IT-enablement, Berner can easily add and control EC motors and other devices. More importantly, it allows the end-user to control the air curtain, as per their requirement. “Being able to program, operate and monitor the air curtain via the Berner AIR has an added benefit of eliminating the need for a ladder or lift, as one can now do that from their smartphone,” Sailly says.

One-size-fits-all approach

IT-enablement is all about agility, a data-driven approach and performance optimisation. This points to the fact that all equipment can be IT-enabled. Asserting this fact, Kolster says that technically, it is possible to digitally enable any component; at the end of the day, it is a matter of assessing cost versus benefit. “As an example, equipping a filter drier or mechanical valve with sensors might not hold enough value to justify the cost,” he adds.

Christophe Sailly

However, Kolster goes on to explain, by connecting key components, such as compressors, one might have sufficient data sources and system control capabilities to optimise performance. “The benefits are reduction in operating costs and predictive maintenance without each component being connected,” he adds.

Whilst it is one thing to manufacture IT-enabled devices, a justifiable concern is the complete installation process, but Sawant clears the air saying all that is needed is a good Wi-Fi connection. Elaborating on this, Kolster says digitalisation does change the products and, therefore, the way we interact with products during commissioning, operations and decommissioning. This is the same for any industry. He goes on to explain that connected devices will be easier to install, as digital tools will support the process of commissioning and calibration. “Service technicians will need to get adapted to working with computers and apps for smartphones, though” he says. “This will be an essential tool for technicians of the future.”

The same approach is also for BMS; as Berbari puts it, the trend is particularly for wireless devices connected via the home Wi-Fi.

Product knowledge

Connected devices though easy to maintain and deploy certainly need the right training and maintenance for handling them. Sailly has a sanguine view on the matter when he says that an app is pretty self-explanatory and intuitive. Should there be further issues, customer care is always available, he adds. Sawant, however, believes that companies should invest in training their employees on new solutions. “At Hisense VRF, we provide training free of cost for employees who are working on the integration of the Hisense VRF with the IoT platforms,” he says.

Sharing a similar thought process, Kolster says that today’s technicians will need to stay informed with the latest product enhancements. There is no doubt that an HVAC/refrigeration technician will have to become comfortable with using digital tools and software. “At Danfoss, we invest a lot in our free learning programmes,” he says. “These programmes are designed to keep engineers and service technicians up to speed with product enhancements as well as industry trends.”

For builders, Belimo offers digitised products for HVAC applications. These products meet the ever-evolving needs of connected buildings, improving installation efficiency and data transparency through the IoT ecosystem. However, Berbari feels that at the end of the day there are not enough proper solutions integrators, amidst an environment where new specialised contractors are emerging to serve the contracting industry. “As of today, contractors are struggling to find qualified integrators,” he adds.

Be it initial stage or sophisticated stage with regard to integration, there is a variance of adoption of the technology in the GCC region. The consensus is that there is more uptake of IT-enabled equipment in the UAE as compared to other GCC region markets. As Sawant confirms, we are seeing the trend of IT-enabled AC devices all through the GCC market, but the UAE market is a bit more mature than other countries.

But there is no doubt that there is a growing interest in IT-enabled devices, given the fact that connected devices bring better insights that will enhance overall efficiency, as Kolster puts it. “There are proven examples from food retail applications – reduction in energy consumption over time, prevention of equipment failure and large refrigerant leaks and avoiding food loss,” he adds.

Elaborating on this, Sawant says that data is the next oil. We offer IoT-enabled plug-in devices, like a dongle, that can transmit all the important service parameters of the VRF system in real-time. “This data can give important insights of the AC operation, efficiency over the entire life cycle,” he says.

Users can also make a comparison of the AC operation at the same ambient temperature and period of different years to ascertain the life cycle degradation. “These factors help inefficient service regimes to enhance the life cycle of VRF system,” he adds. Weighing in, Kolster says that apart from energy efficiency, the value in connected solutions are improved asset operation, such as condition monitoring and predictive maintenance. “This will extend asset lifetime (longevity),” he says, “and reduce CAPEX as well as lifetime service costs.”