Ensuring a comfortable living environment year-round is essential, whether braving the bitter Toronto winters or cooling off during the sizzling summer months.
Real estate companies are tasked with installing efficient and reliable heating and air conditioning systems in condos, which is crucial for making high—or low-rise buildings livable throughout the seasons.
Being in real estate myself, I've realized that controlling the climate indoors is no small feat, particularly in a building shared by many.
Curious to learn more about how these systems work and which one might be best for your living situation?
Stay tuned for more insights into the fascinating world of condo climate control.
Quick Summary
- In 2023, 62% of households in low-rise homes and 41% of those in high-rise homes relied on electric forms of heating.
- Heat pumps are highly efficient, offering cooling in summer and heating in winter. They are effective even in colder climates, which is crucial for cities like Toronto that experience significant winter cold.
- The number of heat pump installations in Canada has increased from 400,000 to 850,000 over the last 20 years. Heat pumps are shown to be the lowest-cost option for most households over the lifetime of the system, despite higher upfront costs.
Heating, Ventilating, and Air-Conditioning Systems
This condo heat system is the most common and popular one. The heating, ventilating and air-conditioning system (HVAC) assists in maintaining a desirable interior area by regulating the air quality, moisture content and temperature.
The radiators or air systems supply heat to warm the air within the condo unit. Further, it results in proper ventilation by keeping pure and fresh air in the room while letting off exhaust fumes.
There are three types of HVAC systems used in low-rise and high-rise condo towers.
1. Centralized Systems
A central system is a single unit that meets all of the building's HVAC requirements. These are combined assemblies that often utilize water as a cooling medium and different pipework to circulate air.
This allows the property managers to control the temperature easily. In addition, it has a greater capacity for load management. However, they involve higher costs for installation and proper maintenance.
2. Packaged Systems
These are frequently employed in buildings when there isn't enough space for independent apparatus. They combine heating and cooling into a single unit. The following components are commonly seen in packaged systems:
- In a sole unit, the heat pump couples with the fan coil.
- Control/Thermostat connector for total system management.
- Air quality enhancers are available as an option. UV lamps, ventilators, cleaners and filters clean the air until it circulates around the building. So, you get fresh air circulation in the room.
3. Individual Systems
Also known as decentralized power systems, these use numerous isolated units in different spots across a building to provide electricity.
This HVAC system might need acute maintenance in large or high-rise apartment buildings if multiple apparatus are spread throughout the structure. Thus, it is critical to centralize systems that are prone to breaking or leaking and need excessive replacement costs.
Comprehensive Heating System Available in Canada
HVAC can produce heat by both gas and electricity. HVAC gas heat is cheaper in cost and is best to warm indoor spaces quickly.
On the other hand, HVC electric heat needs heat pumps, space heaters and electric furnaces to fix for hot air rises and hot water heating. They demand lower maintenance and induce less carbon emissions.
1. Fan Coil System
Fan coils are condo heating or cooling systems that use a fan to drive air through hot or cold pipes. You can use both horizontal and vertical orientations in the condo units [1].
The building administration uses a boiler or chiller to control them from a centralized spot.
This implies that the main HVAC system of the building needs manual conversion from air conditioning to heating for hot air rising.
Fan Coil consists of a two-pipe system and four-pipe system. Two pipes are commonly used in the construction of fan coil units. During summers, the hot water flows through these pipes and vice versa in the winter season.
The four-pipe system, which is less prevalent, enables constant heating and cooling. That is because they can switch between cold and hot every time. However, such fan coil units offer greater electricity consumption.
2. Heat Pumps
These are available in horizontal and vertical layouts. You can shift them from an air conditioning system to a heating system any time of the year [2].
3. High-Velocity Air Handler Systems
It is the latest technology for cooling and heating in condo units. There are two parts to High-Velocity Air Handler Systems [3].
The exterior unit (condenser) stands on the balcony or rooftop whereas the interior unit on the inner walls of the flats.
4. Ductless Heat Pump System
You can install ductless heat pumps as a supplemental source of heating or cooling in high-rise or low-rise complexes that lack central HVAC units [4].
It consists of a small cable to connect the inside and external components. These save space in the room by mounting at distant places and are very efficient at heating and cooling.
Air Conditioning
1. Packaged Terminal Air Conditioning (PTAC):
The packaged HVAC units of PTAC, commonly known as Hotel Style Air Conditioning Systems, supply heating and cooling yearly.
While the supplemental electric system offers heat generation, the pumps take care of air conditioning.
In some condominiums, PTAC units use natural gas for heating.
2. Magic Pak System
This is similar to domestic gas or electric boilers. Moreover, it combines heating and air conditioning into one package. You can either have it with electricity or natural gas.
For increased comfort in apartment buildings, Magic Pak Systems provides heating and cooling for the whole year. Commonly found in high-rise condo buildings, Magic Pak Systems frequently uses HWC gas variants.
As an industry leader in offering the best condominiums, Precondo aims to improve the quality of life of the communities and residents.
We strive to ensure you have the most efficient energy solutions. Find the best home with the most sustainable temp control systems. Visit Precondo for further details.
References:
- https://swegonnorthamerica.com/learn/hvac-systems/fan-coil-system/
- https://www.carrier.com/residential/en/us/products/heat-pumps/what-is-a-heat-pump-how-does-it-work/
- https://www.uniqueheatingandcooling.com/hvac-university/high-velocity-ac-systems
- https://www.mywilliamsenergy.com/about-ductless-heat-pumps/
