Skip to main content
Add as a preferred source on Google

Using VRF Systems to Solve HVAC Challenges

  • By James DeBerry
  • 09/01/18

Variable refrigerant flow (VRF) is a leading edge, globally proven HVAC technology that can help solve many HVAC challenges faced by educational facilities:

Increasing Energy Efficiency
VRF systems with inverter-driven compressors can reduce energy bills up to 25 percent.

Lower Lifecycle Costs
VRF’s installation and operational costs are often lower than those of traditional systems. Standard controls and simpler installation save on materials and labor.

Delivering Fresh Air
With advanced filters, zoning capabilities, and integration with ventilation systems, VRF can help meet indoor air mandates.

Limiting Operational Noise
VRF eliminates disruption indoors and out. Indoor units operate as quietly as 27 decibels and outdoor units are quieter than traditional systems.

Varying Loads Needs
Full-range variable capacity delivers only the amount of conditioning required to match a zone’s cooling or heating demand. Using integrated controls and sensors that measure conditions within each zone, the compressor adjusts speeds to maintain the desired zone temperature.

Solving Comfort Issues
VRF’s zoning offers personalized comfort control, including the ability to simultaneously cool and heat from one heat recovery system.

Controlling Multiple Spaces
VRF can integrate with third-party software. Beyond that, VRF offers a wide variety of controls options, from individual zone controllers to centralized controllers that monitor, schedule, and control multiple indoor units through a web browser.

Minimizing Maintenance
Limited maintenance is necessary and doesn’t require a specialized service contractor.

This article originally appeared in the College Planning & Management September 2018 issue of Spaces4Learning.

About the Author

James DeBerry is commercial marketing manager for Mitsubishi Electric Cooling & Heating (MitsubishiPro.com). He can be reached at [email protected] or 888-979-9686.

Featured

  • Indiana University Launches Capital Campus in D.C.

    Indiana University recently held a ribbon-cutting ceremony for the new IU Capital Campus in Washington, D.C., according to university news. The eight-story facility will provide a central hub for the university’s existing programs and business operations based in D.C., uniting them under one roof and providing the opportunity to expand.

  • University of Pennsylvania Releases Design of Future Physical Sciences Building

    The University of Pennsylvania (Penn) in Philadelphia, Penn., recently released renderings of an upcoming 350,000-square-foot Physical Sciences Building, according to news release. The facility was designed by CO Architects and will unite the university’s departments of Physics and Astronomy, Mathematics, and Earth and Environmental Science.

  • Building Beyond Simulation: Creating Immersive Ecosystems for Healthcare Education

    Health sciences education is one of the fastest-growing facility types in colleges and universities. The demand for medical, nursing, and allied health professionals is driving the creation and renovation of medical simulation training facilities that provide students with real-world experience through advanced simulation-based learning.

  • New Jersey Day School Opens New Science & Entrepreneurship Building

    Saddle River Day School (SRDS) in Saddle River, N.J., recently celebrated the grand opening of the new Dr. Kristen Walsh Hall of Science & Entrepreneurship, according to a news release. The school partnered with DIG Architecture on the 32,000 square foot facility, completed on a 17-month construction timeline in time for the beginning of the new school year.