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2022 Commercial Comfort Products of the Year

The winning products are chosen by a panel of professional engineers who scored each submission based on a number of factors, including efficiency, compatibility, uniqueness, intuitiveness, and more.

COVER STORY

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The HVAC industry is constantly evolving. That comfort evolution is on full display this year, as manufacturers continue to introduce bigger, brighter, and bolder innovations. While consumer features are easily recognized and glamorized, what about the time, effort, and expense that goes into creating a product that is actually effective and preferred by those in the field?

Engineered Systems’ Commercial Comfort Products of the Year (CCP) award contest prioritizes products that can be conveniently designed, specified, installed, and maintained across six categories: cooling equipment, heating equipment, IAQ and ventilation, motors and drives, pumps and flow controls, and rooftop units (RTUs).

The CCP contest is the only contest across the industry designed to embrace the thought processes of engineers, as the winning products are chosen by a panel of professional engineers who scored each submission based on a number of factors, including efficiency, compatibility, uniqueness, intuitiveness, and more.

“The third-annual Commercial Comfort Products of the Year awards contest serves as a podium for the most innovative, new HVACR products,” said Sarah Harding, publisher, Engineered Systems. “These products are not only attractive to end users but to the engineers who specify them out in the field. If they've gained the endorsement of our engineering panel, I’d highly recommend all engineers consider adding these award-winning products to any future projects they’re working on.”

The following article examines each of our six winners in great detail, including how long the products were in development, what new features caught the attention of our judges, and more.

The staff of Engineered Systems is proud to disseminate these awards on inventive products that are designed with HVAC engineers in mind and would like to offer an astounding congratulations to the winners.

FIGURE 1: The AquaEdge 19MV provides balanced performance, including 10% better than ASHRAE 90.1 2019 path B at full and part load.

Image courtesy of Carrier

Cooling Equipment – Carrier AquaEdge 19MV Chiller

Carrier’s AquaEdge® 19MV chiller is an oil-free, water-cooled centrifugal chiller designed to deliver reliable, efficient performance; easy installation; and a wide operating range. With capacity from 300-700 tons (1,055-2,461 kW), the AquaEdge 19MV possesses the ability to operate at severe conditions when unexpected building operation or extreme weather conditions occur. It was these features and more that led our panel of judges to select the chiller as the 2022 Commercial Comfort Product of the Year in the Cooling Equipment category.

The AquaEdge 19MV chiller combines exceptional efficiency at design and off-design conditions with the ability to operate reliably, even at severe conditions and heavy cooling loads in many different types of industries and buildings supporting different loads and weather conditions. The chiller is well suited for commercial offices, data centers, manufacturing facilities, educational campuses, health care complexes, hotels, and life sciences operations.

“While some chillers may offer attractive IPLV’s while having rather lack luster efficiency at 75% and 100% load, the AquaEdge 19MV provides balanced performance, including 10% better than ASHRAE 90.1 2019 path B at both full and part load,” said Tom Franaszek, global product management director,  water-cooled chillers, Carrier Commercial HVAC. “This performance, combined with low-lift operation and quick restart times, makes the 19MV well suited for 24/7 applications, like hospitals and data centers. Following a power loss event, the 19MV can restart and achieve full capacity in as little as 150 seconds after power is restored.”

Carrier’s revolutionary EquiDrive™ two-stage back-to-back compressor and drive train technology provide More Operating Range (MORe), providing an improvement in both chiller energy efficiency and building resiliency.

The unit offers numerous benefits, including:

  • Achieves <0.52 kW/ton and <0.31 kW/ton (IPLV) at Air-Conditioning, Heating, and Refrigeration Institute (AHRI) conditions;
  • An operating range of 40°-95°F entering condenser water down to 10% load;
  • An expansion control system with dual electronic expansion valves (EXVs) for optimized integration;
  • An oil-free magnetic bearing system;
  • A permanent magnet motor that improves efficiency at full and part loads;
  • A more balanced design means reduced thrust loads;
  • A direct drive that simplifies the design;
  • Streamlined gas flow reduces internal losses;
  • Optimized dual inlet guide vanes for better efficiency and stability; and
  • It is designed for both variable evaporator and variable condenser flow and can be used with R-134a or low-GWP R-513A.
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FIGURE 2: Carrier’s AquaEdge® 19MV chiller is an oil-free water-cooled centrifugal chiller designed to deliver reliable, efficient performance; easy installation; and a wide operating range.

Image courtesy of Carrier

The AquaEdge 19MV meets applicable standards, such as UL, ANSI, and ASHRAE 15. The chiller is certified in accordance with the AHRI Water-Cooled Water-Chilling and Heat Pump Water-Heating Packages. The certification program is based on AHRI Standard 550/590 (I-P) and AHRI Standard 551/591 (SI). One point LEED EAC4 can be earned when selecting the 19MV AquaEdge.

“Specifying engineers and professionals can use Carrier’s PLV Pro software to evaluate overall chiller performance based on site-specific weather data, U.S. Department of Energy building load profiles, multi-chiller staging, and economizer operation for a quick and free-of-charge alternative to generic IPLV based lifecycle analyses,” Franaszek said. “The AquaEdge 19MV and PLV Pro, built on the legacy of Willis Carrier’s breakthrough invention of the centrifugal chiller technology and the celebration of the 100th anniversary this year, opened the door to large-scale comfort air conditioning while improving the effectiveness of process cooling.”

The Judges’ Verdict

The chiller’s versatility caught our judges’ attention, pushing it to the top of the podium.

“The ability to operate in variable condenser and evaporator systems under a wide range of temperatures make the Carrier 19MV a useful machine for a variety of applications,” said one judge. “Quick restart and the ability to operate inverted are necessities for mission critical applications and provide added flexibility for operators of all systems.”

Another judge lauded the unit’s use of magnetic-bearing compressors.

“The long-term impact of lower operating costs has to play a key role in selecting equipment for a project,” the judge said. “Magnetic-bearing compressors offer other intangible benefits as well.  They are super quiet, most likely cannot be heard over the operation of the pumps in the mechanical room, and are oil-free. This means they’re not plagued by oil-flow issues a typical water-cooled centrifugal compressor may encounter.”

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FIGURE 3: The Mitsubishi Electric Trane HVAC US (METUS) Heat2O® Heat Pump Water Heater includes components designed and selected to ensure installation quality and optimal performance of the heat pump, including hot water storage tanks, swing tanks, secondary heat exchangers, and variable-speed secondary circuit pumps.

Image courtesy of METUS

Heating Equipment – Mitsubishi Electric Trane HVAC US (METUS) Heat2O® Heat Pump Water Heater

METUS Heat2O® Heat Pump Water Heater is an all-electric, cold-climate heat pump water heater designed to reduce the environmental impact of high-volume domestic hot water (DHW) through energy-efficient operation using CO2 refrigerant. The system includes components designed and selected to ensure installation quality and optimal performance of the heat pump, including hot water storage tanks, swing tanks, secondary heat exchangers, and variable-speed secondary circuit pumps. It was these features and more that propelled the Heat2O to the front of the line as the 2022 Commercial Comfort Product of the Year in the Heating Equipment category.

The unit’s use of CO2, a natural and environmentally friendly refrigerant with a global warming potential (GWP) of 1 and an ozone depletion potential (ODP) of 0, is designed to help commercial facilities qualify for rigorous sustainability criteria and certifications, such as passive house status. As such, the Heat2O reduces on-site carbon emissions in the production of DHW.

The system is designed to achieve highly efficient heat exchange using Mitsubishi Electric’s patented Twisted Spiral Gas Cooler, where three refrigerant lines are wrapped around a twisted water pipe. The CO2 refrigerant flows in the opposite direction of the water. Running the refrigerant lines along the pipe’s grooves increases the heat conductive area while the spiral helps create a vortex in the pipe, accelerating the turbulence effect of water and reducing pressure loss in the heat exchanger. Transferring ambient thermal energy from outdoor air to potable water by cycling refrigerant, natural CO2 enables the system to supply hot water up to 176°F even when outside temperatures are as low as minus 13°.

“Mitsubishi Electric's INVERTER-driven scroll compressor in the outdoor unit increases Heat2O’s energy efficiency by enabling the system to modulate refrigerant flow and heating capacity to match loads,” said James DeBerry, commercial marketing manager, Mitsubishi Electric Trane HVAC US. “This technology enables Heat2O to provide over four times more energy as heat than the system consumes in electricity. With a coefficient of performance of up to 4.52, Heat2O offers energy savings up to 60%-70% for building owners and tenants compared to electric-resistance water heaters. Energy savings combined with incentives from utilities can ultimately offset first costs. If employed at scale in the U.S. alone, the environmental impact could be significant, if not monumental, and will revolutionize how buildings meet the demand for DHW.”

FIGURE 4: The unit’s use of CO2, a natural and environmentally friendly refrigerant with a global warming potential (GWP) of 1 and an ozone depletion potential (ODP) of 0, is designed to help commercial facilities qualify for rigorous sustainability criteria and certifications, such as passive house status. As such, the Heat2O reduces on-site carbon emissions in the production of DHW.

Video courtesy of Mitsubishi Electric Trane HVAC US

The innovation is already in demand for commercial buildings looking to meet aggressive sustainability and energy cost measures:

  • Preliminary data from a recent pilot application for a Seattle Housing Authority multifamily dwelling, Bayview Tower, indicates Heat2O will save the housing authority more than 136,875 kWh/year (a 40% decrease). This equates to about $15,000 in operational savings annually (using $0.11/kWh electrical rate). Previously, the building relied on an aging electric boiler system to produce DHW for 100 one-bedroom apartments on 13 stories.
  • Hotel Marcel, a $50 million renovation of the historic Pirelli building in New Haven, Connecticut, will be among the first net-zero hotels in the U.S. Slated to open this year, Hotel Marcel is aiming for LEED Platinum certification and being 60% more energy efficient than code requirements. A Heat2O system was installed to achieve the project’s sustainability goals.


METUS provides on-site support with assisted startup/commissioning for every project both with mechanical and controls expertise. This includes owner and contractor training. In addition, METUS is rolling out installation and service training courses to enable contractors to feel comfortable working with our systems.

“Heat2O is controlled through Mitsubishi Electric’s Building Connect+ cloud-based platform, allowing building managers and service providers to easily set schedules for hot water production and maintenance,” DeBerry said. “The system can simplify demand-response participation and load shifting with a utility virtual end node integrated into the control panel.”

A Winning Formula

Climate change was on the mind of our judges, with several of them acknowledging the Heat2O’s commitment to climate stabilization as a key factor in their decision.

“Refrigerant-based systems that are replacing traditional fossil fuel-burning systems must consider low GWP in their designs to avoid inadvertently counteracting the carbon emission improvements that were intended,” said one judge. “This unit does just that.”

“With low flammability, low toxicity, and a GWP of only 1, the use of CO2 in Heat2O is the future of commercial water heating,” said another judge.

FIGURE 5. Greenheck’s AMPLIFY™ with Northern Light® is a high-volume, low-speed (HVLS) overhead fan that is designed to boost occupant comfort, improve IAQ, and mitigate the spread of airborne pathogens (including the virus that causes COVID-19) in commercial and industrial buildings.

Image courtesy of Greenheck

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IAQ/Ventilation – Greenheck AMPLIFY Overhead Fan with Northern Light Technology

Greenheck’s AMPLIFY™ with Northern Light® is a high-volume, low-speed (HVLS) overhead fan that is designed to boost occupant comfort, improve IAQ, and mitigate the spread of airborne pathogens (including the virus that causes COVID-19) in commercial and industrial buildings. The innovative ventilation approach wowed our judges as the unit earned the 2022 Commercial Comfort Product of the Year in the IAQ/Ventilation category.

Featuring powerful, non-ozone generating UV-C bulbs installed inside the fan blades, AMPLIFY with Northern Light’s patented design combines the air-cleaning benefit of upper-room ultraviolet germicidal irradiation (UVGI) with the air circulation capabilities of an overhead fan. The result is a unique system that is more effective than traditional air-cleaning technologies at disinfecting and distributing clean air in large, occupied spaces, such as school gymnasiums, warehouses, and more.

Available in 6.5- to 16.5-foot diameters with performance up to 44,000 cfm, AMPLIFY with Northern Light is designed to provide comfortable circulation and effective air disinfection over floor areas as large as 5,000 square feet. Plus, every AMPLIFY with Northern Light fan includes the same features as Greenheck’s other AMPLIFY overhead fan products, including a lightweight, easy-to-install design; highly efficient direct drive motor and VFD; and universal mount.

In March 2020, Greenheck engineers began researching ways to mitigate the spread of airborne pathogens after the World Health Organization declared COVID-19 a worldwide pandemic. Greenheck explored a variety of air-cleaning technologies over the next several months and conducted thorough scientific literature reviews in order to determine which technologies should be further pursued. During this process, numerous scientific studies were found that demonstrated the effectiveness of upper-room UV-C lighting systems — also known as ultraviolet germicidal irradiation systems (UVGI) — for inactivating and mitigating the spread of airborne pathogens ranging from tuberculosis and influenza to SARS-CoV-2.

“Additional studies have shown that ceiling fans can increase the effectiveness of upper-room UVGI devices by more than 60% when used together due to the improvement in air mixing and distribution provided by the fans,” said Dan Tolles, senior application engineer, Greenheck. “These studies convinced us that there was strong scientific evidence to support the effectiveness of an overhead fan with integral UV-C lighting, so we began development on AMPLIFY with Northern Light during the summer of 2020.”

In addition to the internal research and development, Greenheck also relied upon third-party testing to help validate the design of AMPLIFY with Northern Light. To determine the virus inactivation efficacy of the Northern Light system, Greenheck’s European partner, Denmark-based manufacturer Nordicco, authorized the Danish Technological Institute (DTI), an independent research organization, to conduct full-scale testing of the AMPLIFY with Northern Light system. DTI’s results demonstrated rapid inactivation of aerosolized MS2 virus (a virus with a similar genome to the COVID-19 virus) in a large, real-world application with more than 95% of the virus being inactivated after 30 minutes. As a result, DTI concluded that the AMPLIFY with Northern Light system is “the most efficient system for disinfection and distribution of large air volumes while occupants are present in the room.”

FIGURE 6: Featuring powerful, non-ozone-generating UV-C bulbs installed inside the fan blades, AMPLIFY with Northern Light’s patented design combines the air-cleaning benefit of upper-room ultraviolet germicidal irradiation (UVGI) with the air circulation capabilities of an overhead fan.

Video courtesy of Greenheck

AMPLIFY with Northern Light offers numerous features, including:

  • An uplight design that directs UV-C light away from occupants and into the upper-room, where air is being circulated by the fan, minimizing UV radiation exposure for safer system operation;
  • Blue indicator lights that project onto the ceiling when UV-C lights are in use versus competitor products with no operation indicators;
  • Interchangeable UV-C irradiation dampers that physically reduce the size of the opening in the fan blade for UV-C light to shine through, effectively reducing the UV-C radiation intensity by as much as 95%, to customize UV output for effective yet safe pathogen inactivation in any space;
  • Plug-and-play wiring installation for UV-C lighting components, fan power, fan communications, and fire system integration ensures fast, easy installation and peace of mind that the unit operates as intended. In addition, the maintenance and replacement of UV-C components is easy to manage;
  • A single power supply connection for fan and UV-C lighting lowers installation costs when compared to other UVGI solutions as only one electrical circuit is required. Maintenance is also simplified as only one electrical circuit needs to be disconnected to ensure the fan and UV-C lights are off, and there’s no need to disconnect or unwire anything to replace lightbulbs;
  • UV-C bulbs and ballasts can be locally sourced through electrical or lighting suppliers for easy replacement and maintenance; and
  • A wireless tablet controller allows for flexible, remote operation of the fans and UV-C lights, including automatic shutdown of the UV-C lights after a programmed amount of run time.

The Judges Have Spoken

The panel of judges appreciated the ingenious thinking that went into the AMPLIFY unit.

“This was the most innovative product type of all those that were entered,” said one judge. “The Greenheck fan addresses a critical and current concern for building occupants [virus mitigation] in a creative and sustainable manner that will also improve comfort and potentially reduce energy consumption of existing HVAC systems.”

Another judge appreciated the manufacturer’s desire to marry two worthwhile technologies into one product.

“By combining two established HVAC technologies (HVLS fans and UV-C), Greenheck showed this not only provides a cleaner indoor air environment but is also energy efficient.”

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FIGURE 7: Nidec's SynRA features an aluminum cage, a unique design characteristic in the motors sector.

Image courtesy of Nidec

Motors & Drives – Nidec SynRA™ Synchronous Motor

Nidec SynRA™ Synchronous Motor is an innovative, patent-pending, synchronous motor. When paired with the ID300 Perfectspeed™ integrated drive, the motor offers exceptional efficiency with ratings at IE4 and IE5. Our judges recognized this intuitiveness by naming the SynRA the 2022 Commercial Comfort Product of the Year in the Motors & Drives category.

The plug-and-play installation can connect to building automation and meets commercial building owners’ requirements for energy savings — offering a low lifetime cost of operation. This new technology from Nidec’s U.S. MOTORS® brand also allows commercial HVAC contractors or building maintenance staff to easily replace a motor without having to install an entirely new system and controls, saving time and money.

“SynRA provides the operating benefit of a pure synchronous reluctance motor and suitability benefit from a simple volts/hz drive,” said Chris Couch, marketing manager, Nidec. “The unique design gives the freedom to replace components individually instead of the entire system, leading to a lower cost of maintenance. The product’s smart building technology results in less wear and tear on blower or pump systems by matching application demands with variable speed.”

SynRA features an aluminum cage, a unique design characteristic in the motors sector. This feature allows the motor to start like an asynchronous induction motor and transition to synchronous operation. Benefits include no RPM slip, higher peak efficiency, and a flat efficiency curve.

“Both induction and synchronous motors utilize the exact same stator laminations and windings,” said Couch. “The only difference in the two technologies is the rotor construction. A squirrel cage induction motor generates torque through an induced current, resulting from rotor slip, meaning the motor RPM is slightly slower than the stators rotating magnetic field. This induced current generates heat and rotor losses but also allows the motor to run direct-on-line or on a V/Hz drive. An added benefit of utilizing a V/Hz drive is multiple motors are able to run on a single drive, since the drive doesn’t need to know the rotor position to operate, thus simplifying installations.”

The unit’s magnet-free design allows for easy programming and compatibility with existing variable frequency drives (VFDs). A model fully integrated with Nidec’s ID300 PerfectSpeed™ is currently available. When paired with this integrated drive, the SynRA motor achieves the industry-leading efficiencies of IE4 and IE5.  

Research and development on the SynRA was conducted in coordination with Nidec research centers in Taiwan and France. The primary tools included electrical and thermal FEA as well as internal electrical analysis tools. That was followed by sample creation in Asia and North America.

“Testing and evaluation occurred in five different labs around the world [France, Taiwan, Mexico, St. Louis, and Chicago] to test different aspects of the design and to do performance verification and correlation to design estimates,” said Bader. “Discussions on design also occurred with contracted university professors throughout the primary design process as well as testing confirmation.”

The 1-10 hp IE4 units are rated at 1,800 RPM, and the 1-15 hp IE5 units are rated at 3,600 RPM.

The units are applicable to numerous applications. The inverter driven VT loads are suitable for pumps, fans, and blowers for HVAC and other systems. Other applications include OEM constant pressure booster pump systems, OEM variable speed hydronic pump systems, and super premium replacement VFD motors.

The Verdict Is In

The judges selected the SynRA, citing its all-around effectiveness, usefulness, and a list of other benefits.

“The SynRA was my top choice due to its high energy efficiency, ease of retrofit, and compatibility with existing building automation systems and VFDs,” said one judge. “The backwards compatibility and retrofit advantages allow for simple addition of enhanced controllability in both retrofit and new build applications.”

“I appreciate the Nidec unit’s ability to run direct-on-line with a drive and run multiple motors on one drive,” said another judge. “Combined with the plug-and-play control’s integration with the BAS, this provides building owners versatility and flexibility.”

FIGURE 8: Grundfos's Distributed Pumping replaces energy-wasting balance and control valves in HVAC systems with intelligent, reliable, and maintenance-free pumps that generate pressure only when and where needed.

Image courtesy of Grundfos

Pumps & Flow Controls – Grundfos Distributed Pumping

Grundfos’s Distributed Pumping is a paradigm shift in hydronic system design, created to optimize the entire HVAC system while improving occupant comfort. It replaces energy-wasting balance and control valves in HVAC systems with intelligent, reliable, and maintenance-free pumps that generate pressure only when and where needed. Our panel of judges celebrated these achievements by naming Grundfos’s Distributed Pumping the 2022 Commercial Comfort Product of the Year in the Pumps & Flow Controls category.

Distributed Pumping is a hybrid pumping arrangement combining variable primary and variable secondary systems, which reduces pump energy between 50% and 80%, significantly improves delta-T, and provides a constantly auto-balanced HVAC system that improves occupant comfort.

“Distributed simply means the secondary pumps are distributed through the piping network to be located adjacent to each zone, specifically the air-handling unit or bank of fan-coil units,” said Chris Ireland, lead key account manager, CBS - USA & Canada, Grundfos. “These distributed pumps will be installed in place of control valves and balancing valves. A low-resistance check valve is added to the discharge side of each distributed pump, which will prevent backflow in the HVAC system. The primary pumps are only sized for the pressure losses through the bypass in the mechanical room and along with full system flow. This will drastically reduce the size of the pumps in cost, horsepower, and physical space compared to a primary/secondary pumping arrangements.”

Chilled water hydronic applications traditionally have been arranged in two ways — primary with variable secondary or variable primary pumps. In both types of systems, the heat transfer fluid is moved throughout the piping network by pumps and controlled by a series of balance and control valves. The pumps are located in the mechanical room, and most of the balance valves, and all of the control valves, are located throughout the network of chilled water piping. They are used to control flow to the zones.

FIGURE 9: With Grundfos’s Distributed Pumping, the need for control and balancing valves at each zone is eliminated by adding smart, maintenance-free circulating pumps in their place.

Image courtesy of Grundfos

A pressure independent control valve (PICV) is best described as three valves in one: a standard two-way control valve, a balancing valve, and an automatic differential pressure-regulating valve.

With Grundfos’s Distributed Pumping, the need for control and balancing valves at each zone is eliminated by adding smart, maintenance-free circulating pumps in their place.

“These distributed pumps are low horsepower and highly efficient ECMs [electronically commutated motors], which are not available in traditional higher horsepower motors,” said Ireland. “By adding smart pumps, we eliminate the flow-inhibiting valves and replace them with flow-initiating devices [pumps]. Instead of increasing the resistance with a standard control valve to reduce unnecessary flow, Grundfos’s smart pumps are harnessed to generate the exact flow where and when it is needed without creating extra pressure. By doing so, friction losses are reduced, resulting in less energy required to pump the chilled water through the system. Even very efficient PICVs are still pressure-reducing valves, and in order to work effectively, they need high pressure so they can reduce it. Or, in other words, they waste energy. Distributed pumps save the energy wasted by the valves. Using distributed pumping, pump energy consumption can be reduced by 50%-80%.”

The Judges’ Verdict

The judges selected Grundfos's Distributed Pumping because it offered the best ability to offer uniform comfort among numerous other benefits.

“The Grundfos offering assures proper flow for every terminal piece of equipment and eliminates the need for balancing valves,” said one judge. “I believe it will provide efficient operation and better comfort control. I like the feature of automatic system rebalancing without hiring a balancing contractor. By operating the pumps on temperature rather than pressure, I think it will lead to better comfort in the building.”

“Improving control at the load makes a lot of sense,” said another judge. “Having a pump right at the load allows us to precisely control the flow of water. The upfront costs associated with the pumps can be overcome by the lower operating costs of the system as a whole.”

FIGURE 10: Johnson Controls YORK Sun Choice Heat Pump Rooftop Units were designed to deliver value and time savings from product start to finish for both contractors and facility managers alike by providing superior performance, greater flexibility, energy savings, and exceptional reliability.

Image courtesy of Johnson Controls

Rooftop Units – Johnson Controls - YORK® Sun™ Choice Heat Pump Rooftop Units

The 12.5-20 ton YORK® Sun™ Choice Heat Pump Rooftop Units serve as direct replacement footprints. Choice platforms are up to 20% lighter than existing YORK models, which streamlines specification by saving on building design requirements and eliminating the need for additional structural engineering analysis when used in replacement applications. It was these factors, and numerous others, that convinced our judges to name the YORK Sun Choice Heat Pump Rooftop Unit as the 2022 Commercial Comfort Product of the Year in the Rooftop Unit category.

The unit was designed to deliver value and timesavings from product start to finish for both contractors and facility managers alike by providing superior performance, greater flexibility, energy savings, and exceptional reliability.

A thoughtful design includes independent circuits to help avoid full unit shutdowns and a lead-lag compensator for exceptional reliability. Single-side access to all serviceable items provide ease of service that is further simplified with the support of the Johnson Controls Commercial Application Support organization, which provides expert technical and field support for every aspect of ownership, including installation, replacement, and service.

“The industry is increasingly interested in heat pumps that offer greater efficiency and environmental sustainability,” said Jason Carter, senior product manager, Johnson Controls. “These units exceed DOE 2018 part-load cooling efficiencies by 15% and meet DOE 2023 efficiencies for both heating and cooling. The platforms can deliver up to 13% higher IEER ratings than the legacy products and some competitive ‘high-efficiency’ units, translating to lower operating costs over the lifetime of the unit.”

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FIGURE 11: Choice platforms are up to 20% lighter than existing YORK models, which streamlines specification by saving on building design requirements and eliminating the need for additional structural engineering analysis when used in replacement applications.

Image courtesy of Johnson Controls

The units are Smart Equipment-enabled to maximize control for extended equipment life and ease of service for contractors. An optional Mobile Access Portal with Wi-Fi hotspot gives contractors access to commissioning, configuration, and maintenance logs using a mobile smart device. This remote diagnostic monitoring feature allows for fewer trips to the job site or roof to diagnose issues.

“Building owners are more interested in heat pumps than ever before to help cut energy costs and benefit companies’ environmental sustainability goals,” said Carter. “This new heat pump RTU gives contractors the ability to offer a high-performance commercial heat pump that offers them flexibility and time savings at installation and ease of maintenance.”

The Judges Have Spoken

Judges selected this unit for a number of reasons, including its ability to exceed national efficiency standards, its reduced installation time, and more.

“The YORK Sun Choice Heat Pump Unit has greater part-load efficiencies by exceeding DOE 2018 by 15% with heat pump technology, lowering the overall operating costs,” said one judge. “The unit’s direct replacement capabilities and lightweight construction reduces installation time and cost.”

“Features, such as independent refrigerant circuits to help avoid full shutdowns, compatibility with competitive installed bases, and 20% lighter construction than existing YORK models, provide operational and installation benefits to projects, making this unit exceptional,” said another judge. “Engineers will appreciate the available options regarding outside air, powered exhaust, and higher SCCR [short-circuit current rating] options to help customize the unit for a particular application.”

Herb Woerpel

Herb Woerpel is editor-in-chief of Engineered Systems. Contact him at woerpelh@bnpmedia.com.

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