Judges at the CIBSE Building Performance Awards praised EcoTechX’s Optimum air conditioning system for ‘demonstrating genuine innovation with broad applicability across property types’, and it took the award for Product or Innovation of the Year – Thermal Comfort.
The system’s novel indirect evaporative cooler (NIEC), developed by EcoTechX, is an energy-efficient cooling system designed to improve building performance while reducing environmental impact.
Unlike traditional air conditioning (AC) systems, the NIEC uses water’s natural cooling properties to reduce indoor air temperatures without chemical refrigerants or high energy consumption.
It achieves indoor temperatures of approximately 22°C, ideal for occupant comfort and equipment performance, and it reduces air temperature without adding moisture, thereby maintaining indoor humidity levels.
The system consumes up to 65% less energy than conventional AC systems and has a 50% lower capital cost. Its ability to integrate with existing systems as a pre-cooler also boosts energy efficiency by up to 45%.
The system uses the evaporative cooling potential of water and features a heat exchanger and humidifier. Air used for cooling the supply air, known as working air, is humidified to increase its moisture content in an external humidifier before being directed into the heat exchanger’s wet channels. The supply air flows through adjacent dry channels, where it loses sensible heat to the cool, humidified working air.
The working air is subsequently discharged outdoors, while supply air is directed to the building. As the dry and wet working airstreams remain separate, the humidity of the supply air remains unaffected.
The NIEC tackles two key challenges in cooling systems: reducing operational energy consumption and eliminating chemical refrigerants. With a plug-and-play modular design, minimal maintenance requirements and low embodied carbon, the NIEC – using recyclable materials, such as plastic for heat exchangers – delivers operational and life-cycle sustainability.
System applications
A 10kW NIEC was installed at the Centenary Business Centre in Nuneaton, to maintain an indoor temperature of 22°C, and resulted in a 65% reduction in energy consumption compared with traditional AC units. Life-cycle analysis showed it had 50% lower capital costs.
In a data centre installation, the NIEC was used as a pre-cooler alongside existing vapour compression chillers, and reduced air temperature from 38°C to 23°C. It achieved a coefficient of performance (COP) of 12-15 compared with the COP of 3-4 in a typical AC system. The final reduction in temperature was managed by conventional AC.
An AI control strategy optimises the distribution of air between the NIEC and AC system based on outdoor conditions. The hybrid system improved energy efficiency by 45%. EcoTechX paid close attention to minimising whole life carbon, and opted for environmentally friendly materials and locally available components that minimised the carbon footprint associated with transportation. The system features a plastic heat exchanger, chosen not only for its durability and ability to handle various water qualities without cleaning, but also for its lower embodied carbon compared with metals.
Whole life carbon methodologies, such as CIBSE TM65 Basic Level, were used to assess and minimise embodied carbon. The system was also designed to be demountable and easily repaired, and components were specified that could be repurposed or recycled.
Backed by Innovate UK funding, the system has attracted positive user feedback that highlights enhanced air quality, significant energy savings, and ease of installation, making it a scalable and accessible solution.
The judges were impressed by how the product’s design integrates with existing systems to enhance efficiency and sustainability without requiring a full replacement. It addresses thermal and humidity aspects, delivering comfort in a less energy-intensive, low-maintenance solution.
Shortlist
- Highly commended: Passive cooling double-skin roof – Universidad de Sevilla
- AR75 – Artus Air
- Heat3D – rapid in-situ measurement of U-values – Build Test Solutions
- In-ground retrofit underfloor heating – JK Floorheating
- iHP X integrated heat pump cylinder – Mixergy
- S735 exhaust air heat pump – NIBE
- ComfoAir Q600 with ComfoClime – Zehnder Group UK
- Read more at www.cibse.org/bpa
See here for details of all the Building Performance Award winners
