Sensible heating and cooling of indoor building spaces by eliminating local in-room humidity condensation (and the related drain pans and drainage pathways) by using calibrated humidity in air-renewal fan coil systems, for healthier NZEB, ZEB and ZCB

Managing Director of Studio GANDINI S.R.L. the consulting company specialized in sustainable HVAC & decarbonization of Buildings

Abstract

The transition towards Nearly Zero Energy Buildings (NZEB), Zero Energy Buildings (ZEB) and Zero Carbon Buildings (ZCB) requires rethinking conventional HVAC approaches to indoor thermal and hygrometric control. Traditional fan-coil or split systems often rely on latent heat removal through local condensate formation, which introduces hygiene risks due to microbial potential proliferation in condensate trays and drains. As buildings continue to be designed for lower energy use, the sensible heating and cooling opportunity presents a feasible opportunity for systems that use, at room-by-room level, sensible-only heating and cooling equipment. Examples may include: radiant cooling panels (or tubing embedded in the building structure), chilled beams and fan coils terminal units with sensible-only cooling coils. While traditional radiant panels are encountering difficulties to manage the inertia effects into a NZEB, ZEB or ZCB and chilled beams, which need to be fixed on the ceiling, sometimes are not finding sufficient space to be installed in modern buildings, the sensible heating and cooling fan coil option is becoming a very interesting possibility.