Commercial projects often have specific and unique HVAC needs that drive the choice to commission the manufacturing of custom air handling units (AHUs). Here are four essential requirements that need to be considered and addressed during the custom AHU design process.
Durability – Custom commercial AHUs have to be designed with a longer life expectancy (up to 50 years) than residential HVAC solutions, which are usually designed with a 25-year lifespan. So the duty life of the materials and key components of the AHU are vital to building an AHU with the required longevity.
Maintainability – Given its longer life cycle, a custom AHU must be designed with ease of maintenance. Units that are difficult to access or complex to repair can drive significant downtime and extra cost over their full lifespan.
Acoustic Performance – In a custom AHU project, it is vital to define and meet or exceed acoustic mitigation requirements to reduce noise breakout to acceptable levels. High noise levels can contribute to increased stress levels in internal areas and atmospheric noise pollution in outdoor spaces.
Energy Consumption – Component selection and AHU configuration in the design phase are key elements in balancing cooling, heating, air circulation and air quality requirements with energy efficiency targets. Gains in energy use performance can pay significant dividends over time as HVAC energy costs are a major operational cost in commercial facilities.
Kinetix Air Can Help
Kinetix Air was developed by experienced custom AHU specialists who understand every step of the custom AHU design and manufacturing process. They designed the platform specifically to simplify, accelerate, and rationalize what is a complex and time-consuming process. Find out more about how Kinetix Air can help.