Advanced Technologies in HVAC Equipment and Thermal Environment for Building

1. Introduction

With the development of new technologies, HVAC technology research is no longer limited to temperature regulation. In order to achieve zero-energy buildings, researchers have focused on integrating energy-saving measures into HVAC systems. This Special Issue, “Advanced Technologies in HVAC Equipment and Thermal Environment for Building” provides the latest literature on innovative HVAC technologies and thermal environments for building, and includes articles on related topics.

The global energy problem is becoming increasingly severe. Energy consumption for building accounts for a relatively large proportion of overall consumption, constituting a significant challenge that needs to be overcome. HVAC systems regulate the climate inside a building, consuming 70–90% of its total energy [1,2]. It is becoming increasingly evident that green buildings are key in solving this energy problem. Currently, the main research directions for HVAC equipment and thermal environment in buildings include ensuring improved system efficiency and the effective utilization of groundwater energy. Much research has improved the factors affecting energy consumption in HVAC systems, effectively achieving energy savings. Groundwater energy has been found to store enormous amounts of energy—comparable levels to solar and wind energy—and can thus be considered an important energy-saving measure.

This Special Issue provides some of the latest innovative ideas for HVAC systems, detailing the research methods and processes. Researchers in this field can learn about the latest trends; the articles collected on this particular issue benefit scientists and students studying HVAC systems and building thermal environments.

2. A Review of the New Advances

HVAC technology can significantly reduce carbon dioxide emissions, so improving it is an inevitability. Wrana J et al. first proposed integrating honeycomb building concepts into HVAC systems, which reduces carbon dioxide emissions and operating costs by over 50% and constitutes significant progress from both economic and energy perspectives [3]. FCH HVAC technology refers to the simultaneous supply of multiple facilities from a single, chilled water source via a honeycomb network within a building [3]. This technology has been successfully applied in residential cases and effectively improves efficiency.

Many studies have used model predictive control to improve HVAC systems. However, because this method’s control algorithm is easily affected by the system model’s accuracy, any imprecise factors can seriously impact performance [4]. Rsetam K et al. proposed a finite-time composite control method to alleviate system instability [4].

In architecture, hospital buildings are a particular case; in these buildings, HVAC systems must be installed according to medical standards. The temperature and humidity need to ensure a controlled environment for medical equipment and maintain suitability for patients. As such, high energy consumption is one of the challenges that hospital buildings face [5]. Using DISMC and ITSMC, Hamza A et al. proposed a deterministic model for regional temperature in order to dynamically adjust settings in a controlled environment [5]. For OT regions, ITSMC demonstrated superiority in temperature regulation, and this result can be extended to research in other areas.

Mixed-mode ventilation reduces building energy consumption and machine learning is beneficial for simulating thermal comfort models [6]; using this method for joint analysis is a good strategy. Due to the critical role of wind speed and temperature in mixed ventilation, Su L et al. focused on models for these parameters [6]. This method guides users in adjusting the wind speed in mixed-mode ventilation.

Using water pump frequency conversion is an excellent energy-saving measure in air conditioning systems. Gao B et al. proposed a pump valve joint control strategy based on an artificial neural network model, focusing on the minimum resistance operation of chilled water pumps, and verified its performance [7]. Compared to the VOA strategy, the PVCC Ann strategy significantly improves the power saving rate [7].

3. Conclusions

This Special Issue presents some of the latest achievements in HVAC systems, proposing specific research on temperature and humidity regulation, ventilation speed, chilled water systems, and other aspects of these systems. It involves research methods such as machine learning, artificial neural network models, and mixed-mode ventilation. The conclusions presented are reliable and based on data analysis.

In this Special Issue, readers can find various innovative technologies and facilities for HVAC systems and the integration of zero-energy buildings and AI technology. These articles will help readers understand the cutting-edge achievements in this field, as well as future research directions.