The Retailer Spring Edition 2023

THE RETAILER

30

5 STEPS TO ENERGY EFFICIENT AIR CONDITIONING FOR RETAIL

James Harman Business Development Manager and Retail Specialist Mitsubishi Electric

M itsubishi Electric’s James Harman consid ers the challenges and opportunities of updating air conditioning systems for retail clients. UK retailers are the second-largest market for air conditioning systems in the UK, after office buildings. Providing comfortable environments for shoppers and staff is paramount, so air conditioning systems must be robust, delivering reliable and problem-free cooling and heating. At the same time, the retail environment offers several system design, operation and mainte nance challenges. Retail outlets come in many shapes and sizes, so air conditioning system specification must focus on issues such as ceiling heights, footfall (including peaks) and loads from lighting. Even the types of products sold in-store can affect air conditioning systems. For example, clothing sheds fabric strands that can quickly build up on air conditioning filters, so allowance must be made for quick and easy cleaning. Heating loads are another significant issue. Good lighting is critical for retailers, as it sets off products to the best advantage and helps to attract customers. However, lighting con tributes to heating loads even with the switch to LED lighting, which is underway across the retail sector. And if we add the UK’s increas ingly hot summers and heatwave occurrences, then cooling in-store is more crucial than ever. The UK retail sector is also very aware of its environmental responsibilities. For example, the British Retail Consortium, which includes high street giants such as Marks & Spencer and supermarkets such as Tesco and Sainsbury’s, focuses on reducing the sector’s energy use and carbon footprint. The Consortium’s Climate Action Roadmap has set a target of reaching net zero by 2040. Therefore, the energy use of building services systems such as air condition ing within stores is a vital aspect of specification and operation for retailers.

Many retailers are working across their store portfolios to improve the efficiency of their properties as a key part of their carbon reduc tion strategies. In addition to minimising energy use to reduce operational costs, there are sev eral other drivers behind these updates. For example, corporate ESG strategies focused on delivering measurable improvements across the whole business; customers who want to see big brands adopting climate-friendly approaches; and legislation pushing targets on building energy use. Other issues include changing requirements on refrigerants in air conditioning systems, with the phase-down of high-GWP (Global Warming Potential) refrigerants already well underway. As significant energy users, air conditioning systems can be an excellent source of energy savings when older equipment is reaching the end of life. But replacing systems in operational stores is a process that must be managed to optimise speed and achieve energy-saving outcomes. Mitsubishi Electric has worked with many retail ers to update air conditioning systems. As a result, we have five simple recommendations at the start of every project that can be useful to keep in mind. The first step is to make an inventory of your existing equipment. It is surprising how easy it is to lose track of what equipment is installed where, particularly across large, dispersed estates. But it’s important to know what you have, as this can impact the options that could be on the table when it comes to an upgrade. At the same time, review your maintenance regimes because this may be the quickest and most straightforward way of reducing energy costs and carbon emissions. Well maintained equipment will perform better and help reduce the amount of energy consumed. Secondly, once you have decided that an upgrade is necessary, consider a smart approach to replacement that can reduce disruption. Mitsubishi Electric’s air conditioning systems can be installed in a modular fashion which can enable replacement in stages to fit around a refurbishment programme that doesn’t mean closing the entire store. Replace Technology systems also allow for renewal of the air con ditioning units while retaining the existing

pipework and electrical systems. The ability to use Replace Technology depends on what equipment is already in place, hence the impor tance of knowing what’s already in your building. A third vital step is to apply controls for long-term energy savings. The most efficient equipment will quickly be inefficient without controls that are understood and used by store managers and their teams. The latest equipment can support good practice by automatically turning off air conditioning in unoccupied spaces. It’s easy for staff to forget to turn off the cooling in a meeting room as they leave, for example. But the Mitsubishi Electric modern 3D iSee sensors can scan a room to detect how many people are in it and switch off the system when a room is empty. Controls should also help to collect data on energy use in a building, which is vital for long term energy efficiency and carbon reduction programmes. Collecting data makes it possible to compare buildings – spot what works and apply that in other stores or pick out high-en ergy-using areas for further improvements. Mitsubishi Electric’s MELCloud is a cloud-based solution for controlling air conditioning (and other) systems locally or remotely. This means that a central facilities management team can oversee the performance of systems across an entire retail estate (even one that’s global) and identify trends and patterns of energy use. This is also useful for spotting potential equipment issues before they become breakdowns. The fourth recommendation is to work with a manufacturer who can help you roll out the end of-life for equipment and develop a programme of work that allows for the new equipment to be introduced with minimal interruption. Mitsubishi Electric has also pioneered the use of embodied carbon data for products, so that the whole lifetime impact of an air condition ing system can be calculated throughout its working life. Finally, once you’ve installed new equipment, don’t forget to plan for the ongoing service and maintenance regime. A robust approach to service and maintenance for air conditioning systems ensures the equipment operates at its most effective and efficient and extends its lifetime, making the most of your investment.