Which Type of Air Conditioning Is Right for Your Business?

If you’re ready to take the next step, you’ll probably want to know which air type of conditioning you can choose.

Choosing the way you keep your premises comfortable can seem a daunting prospect with a seemingly endless number of configurations and options, not to mention the sometimes baffling terminology.

The best option for your business will depend on the size and type of space to be cooled (and heated). Your installer will advise on the importance of a correctly sized system and the best choice for your building’s fabric and layout.

Single Split Type Air Conditioning 

Often viewed as the simplest solution for cooling a smaller space, each single split consists of an outdoor unit containing the main system components, such as compressor and condenser, and an indoor unit that delivers cooled or heated air into the space. Single splits are usually the most affordable option and offer straightforward installation.

Multi Split Type Air Conditioning 

Rather than having a single indoor unit, multi splits feature a number of indoor units connected to an outdoor unit. Indoor units connected the the outdoor multi split unit will be operating in the same mode, either heating or cooling.  It’s worth remembering, though, that bigger buildings with a large number of indoor units will often need multiple outdoor units to support them, and you will need to think about the outside space available to site these.

Variable Refrigerant Flow or Variable Refrigerant Volume Type Air Conditioning 

VRF or VRV air conditioning systems tend to be for larger buildings. One outdoor unit can connect up to 64 indoor units (approximately). VRF is usually available in two formats:

• Heat pump VRF can deliver highly efficient heating and cooling, but not at the same time. For this reason, it is often selected for buildings with larger open-plan areas likely to have a single temperature requirement.
• Heat recovery VRF can control the cooling or heating of any given room (or zone) independently, making them an ideal choice for buildings where multiple rooms have different needs. This option can also deliver increased efficiency by recovering and reusing waste heat.

There are further choices to be made in terms of the style of the indoor unit (ceiling, wall-mounted, floor-standing etc) and what features you require, such as sensors or drop-down ceiling cassette units for easy cleaning (these are ideal for coffee shops and retail premises) as well as additions to the overall HVAC system such as including DHW with hot water, enhanced air purification and filtration or ventilation.

This blog focuses on mainstream air source air conditioning type systems. Many other kinds exist, such as water-source systems and complex total HVAC solutions.

We’re here at Batchelor Air Conditioning & Refrigeration to guide you through the entire process. We have been designing, supplying and installing air conditioning for commercial buildings for more than 30 years and we work with global brands such as Daikin, Mitsubishi Electric, Fujitsu, Midea and LG Electronics Air Solutions.

To discuss your air conditioning installation and maintenance needs, contact Batchelor Air Conditioning & Refrigeration.

Use the contact form, call 01234 712 901 or email info@batchelor.co.uk.