Employee Productivity and Equipment Longevity Dependent on Robust Digital Air Solutions in the Commercial Space Samsung caters for environmental impact, scalable solutions and flexibility

JOHANNESBURG, South Africa, 26 February, 2015 – Digital Air Solutions that cater forwell-regulated, ventilated air flow and temperature control within the workplace, form an integral part of employee productivity as well as equipment longevity. However, with the wide range of appliances available, organisations need a clear understanding as to which type they should implement to ensure year-round comfort, functionality and efficiency.

According to Michael McKechnie, Divisional Head for Digital Appliances at Samsung SA, it is in an enterprise’s best interest to utilise a solution that is versatile and which complements existing technologies. Businesses should consider scalability and flexibility to add extra devices or solutions to meet future needs.

There are several types of commercial applications for cooling and heating, such as Chilled Water air-conditioners, which are commonly located within shopping centres, hotels, office blocks and hospitals. They are used for extensive developments and regulate water through buildings and fan coil units to ensure that the air temperature is controlled and maintained at a specific setting.

Another category, Direct Expansion air-conditioners, are divided into two classifications namely VRF Systems and Split Type. VRF Systems work on a centralised plant installation, giving a high degree of energy efficiency, scalability and flexibility. These benefits are further enhanced through the ability to add more units that can easily be installed. Split type air-conditioners work on independent units offering options such as mid wall, ducted and cassette type.

“There are several considerations to be made in choosing the correct system and these include size and scale of the premises, internal layouts of the building, future growth strategies, the equipment’s running costs and flexibility in terms of energy efficiencies and its alignment with carbon tax requirements,” says McKechnie.

McKechnie continues by offering insight into these factors, as well as highlighting the challenges of air-conditioning technology within the commercial space and some of the dominant market trends.

Size and scale of the premises Businesses need to consider the implications of the size and scale of a premises, in order to understand what their real requirements may be. For example, in a small office space the Split Type would be suitable, as opposed to a large open plan, where a VRF System provides a better solution and is more cost effective.

The cassette device is another trend in commercial design that has a certain aesthetic appeal. This is fitted into the ceiling and works within the split system. As a result it delivers accurate levels of heating or cooling with the same cost, environmental and efficiency benefits. However, it tends to provide a more balanced flow and can be selected for specific capacities and offer flexible installation as added benefit. These are suited to a larger floor area and can be used in an environment that has limited space or cannot accommodate a wall-mounted unit.

Furthermore, one needs to consider growth strategies of the organisation as this could impact the layout, such as whether growth of the business will impact on the office’s design, such as moving from total to partial open plan.

Running costs, energy efficiencies and carbon tax In light of the continuing rise in energy tariffs, it is becoming increasingly important for enterprises and their leaders to ensure every measure is taken in order to reduce power consumption. Furthermore, the issue of carbon tax has become increasingly important now that National Treasury has confirmed that from 2016, South African businesses will be taxed R120 per tonne of carbon emissions.

Samsung, a leader in environmentally-friendly products, has developed the most energy efficient system - the DVMS HR - which allows concurrent heating and cooling in the same building to ensure maximum comfort and efficiency. This type of solution is not only relevant in countries like South Africa, where the energy supply is under pressure, but in addition assists in cutting back on the carbon footprint of businesses across the globe.

“Improved environmental impact, scalable solutions, flexibility and greater corporate control – these are just some of the advantages of utilising a robust digital air solution. In addition, air purification for better working conditions is also coming to the fore, where employees’ productivity is being directly related to the condition of the air in the space they operate,” concludes McKechnie.

About Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd. Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd. inspires the world and shapes the future with transformative ideas and technologies, redefining the worlds of TVs, smartphones, wearable devices, tablets, cameras, digital appliances, printers, medical equipment, network systems and semiconductors.

We are also leading in the Internet of Things space through, among others, our Digital Health and Smart Home initiatives. We employ 307,000 people across 84 countries. To discover more, please visit our official website at www.samsung.com and our official blog at global.samsungtomorrow.com