The Condenser - Energy Efficiency with Louvers

An efficient HVAC system contributes to overall energy efficiency. Learn how louvers can help save power in this Condenser article.

Energy Efficiency in HVAC

Energy efficiency is important in modern building design. Every electrical system in your building should be fine-tuned for conserving power, especially your HVAC system. Smart devices like Wi-Fi integrated thermostats can help curb power use through the day. Believe it or not, louvers can also help with energy efficiency.

The first rule of louver selection is to choose the best louver for the requirement first. If the project requires a wind driven rain louver, then the louver should be tested and rated for wind driven rain.

Airline Louvers builds louver products for a wide range of requirements, from standard airflow to hurricane protection. Need some efficient louvers for an upcoming project? Contact us today about our line of stationary louvers.

Designing for Airflow

For efficiency, more protection isn’t necessarily better. Protective features are good for keeping out rainwater, but they can also drag down the system. Louvers with drain channels and blade catches will have higher pressure drop than louvers without these features. The system will expend more power to draw air through the louver’s free area.

If the project calls for a severe weather louver with these features, then you will need to meet those requirements. You still have options for energy efficiency.

Free area is one of the most important metrics for measuring a louver’s air performance. Free area is the space between louver blades, and it is closely related to the louver’s pressure drop. High pressure drop means more wasted power to pull air through the louver.

Louvers with more free area will generally have less pressure drop, assuming they have similar blade profiles. Free area will increase or decrease with the total size of the louver, but the percentage of free area will stay the same. Even if you need a severe weather louver, you can look for models that have high free area.

If there are no requirements, then you have more options for efficient airflow. Standard louvers provide a basic level of rain protection with minimal impact on air intake. These louvers have smooth blade profiles and no drain features, providing the least resistance to airflow.

Only choose standard louvers if there are no requirements for severe weather protection.

Standard louvers, with high free area, keep your intake points protected without impacting your energy usage. Modern design should be efficient in all aspects. This includes the louvers in your building.

Different louver models will have distinct features that impact their performance in the field. Always check the louver’s submittal for the full picture.

For more on louvers, check out these Newsstand article:

• Louver Specifications - The Blueprint for HVAC
• Louvers for Aesthetic Architecture
• The Condenser - Equipment Screens for Rooftops