Johnson Controls has unveiled its Vertical Stacked Water-Source Heat Pump Sound Room in Ajax, Ontario, Canada. The Sound Room contains two working Johnson Controls vertical stacked water-source heat pump (VS-WSHP) units, allowing customers to experience the sound performance of the 13 EER model and the 16 EER model.
“Johnson Controls offers two platforms for water-source heat pumps,” says Karl Washburn, principal engineer, acoustics, building technologies & solutions at Johnson Controls. “Both units are engineered and manufactured to minimize noise and have undergone independent sound testing according to AHRI 260. The Sound Room complements our “Sound Application Guide” for the vertical stacked heat pump and gives customers the opportunity to listen to the units before purchasing them.”
The quiet operation of VS-WSHPs can be attributed to cabinets that are isolated from the wall structure to prevent vibration and noise transmission. The optional isolated chassis further reduces noise and vibration to contribute to a more comfortable environment for occupants and a more marketable facility for building owners.
Designed to replicate a room in a condominium, the 250-square-foot Sound Room demonstrates one of several applications for VS-WSHPs that also include high-rise apartments, dormitories, renovated office space, assisted living communities and other multi-story buildings with repeating floor patterns, as well as the replacement market.
“High-rise construction, whether two stories or twenty stories, presents HVAC challenges,” says Dan Tyson, product manager, indoor packaged equipment (IPE), Johnson Controls. “The challenge is to maximize floor space for occupants and still create efficiencies during and after construction. Our vertical stacked heat pumps feature design and construction details that provide the flexibility you need, things like a compact footprint; the comfort of a four-pipe fan coil system at the cost of a two-pipe system; optional individual tenant metering and ease of service access.”
Johnson Controls VS-WSHPs also deliver total system efficiency with energy recovery for heating, cooling, humidifying and dehumidifying. For additional operating efficiency, the units offer fully integrated digital controls featuring BACnet, MS/TP and LON protocols and seamless BAS integration. And because water transfers heat more efficiently, the water-source heat pumps are the ideal solution for water-loop and geothermal applications, reducing energy costs up to 50 percent, when compared to conventional cooling and heating systems. Energy conservation can also be attributed to a design that places less load on the cooling tower and boiler.