Evaporative cooling: The smart way to cut the carbon footprint of commercial buildings

The pressure on companies to cut greenhouse gas emissions is intensifying.

Strict regulations, including the European Green Deal, Energy Performance of Buildings Directive (EPBD) and Renewable Energy Directive (RED), have made it imperative to reduce the carbon load of commercial buildings.

Plus, today’s consumers and employees increasingly prioritise sustainability when deciding which brands to support or work for.

Companies must take action, and a key area to focus on is your air-conditioning (A/C) systems. Traditional air-conditioning units are notorious for their use of refrigerant gases and their substantial energy consumption, which can impede your efforts to become more carbon-neutral.

Below, we explain why evaporative cooling offers an environmentally-friendly, energy-saving alternative to A/C, helping your business approach a greener, brighter tomorrow.

What are evaporative cooling systems?

Evaporative cooling systems use the natural power of evaporation to deliver efficient, effective cooling for large spaces. Water uses energy to change from a liquid to a gas, which is taken from the surrounding air, reducing its temperature.

Modern evaporative coolers use a powerful, silent fan to capture warm air. The warm air passes over water-soaked cooling pads, absorbing the heat and lowering the air temperature inside the system.

The cool air flows into the building and forces hot, stale air out, creating a more comfortable, refreshing atmosphere for customers, employees and more.

A small water pump continuously circulates water over the cooling pads, maintaining optimal cooling performance.

How do evaporative coolers reduce the carbon footprint of commercial buildings?

Many traditional AC systems use hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs) as refrigerants, which have a high global warming potential (GWP) if they leak into the atmosphere. Conversely, evaporative coolers deliver 100% natural air cooling.

The only byproduct of evaporative cooling is water. Even the most environmentally friendly air-conditioning unit cannot match that, making evaporative coolers the most ecological solution for cooling commercial buildings.

Furthermore, since the water within the evaporative cooler needs no ongoing chemical treatment, it can be reused for a long time. This reduces wasted water, minimising the environmental impact on your building.

Simply put, exchanging your old-fashioned air-conditioning unit for a state-of-the-art evaporative cooler pushes your company closer to a net-zero future, so your business:

• Stays compliant with building emissions regulations

• Qualifies for tax breaks by using energy-efficient HVAC systems

• Improves its reputation among consumers and employees

Do the environmental benefits of evaporative coolers cause a drop in performance?

No! In fact, evaporative cooling without refrigerants is often even more powerful than equivalent air-conditioning systems.

Since evaporative coolers use warm air to drive cooling through evaporation, their cooling capacity actually improves as temperatures rise. As a result, they can cool down areas on the hottest days of the year without using extra energy.

Plus, unlike traditional air-conditioning, evaporative coolers work perfectly well when doors and windows are left open. They improve the indoor air quality of your workspaces, supplying fresh air and preventing dust, odours, smoke and more from affecting your personnel.

The energy-saving advantages of evaporative cooling over air-conditioning

In addition to being a more eco-friendly cooling solution than air-conditioning, evaporative cooling is also far more energy-efficient.

Electricity is only required to power the pump and fan within the evaporative cooling unit. Their simple design means they consume up to 90% less energy on average than comparable air-conditioning systems.

Let’s put that into perspective – here is a comparison between a Dantherm Group evaporative cooler and a standard A/C unit in a 3,000m2 warehouse:

Furthermore, if evaporative cooling units replaced all air-conditioners in the European Industrial Park, it would save 982,464,083 MWh of energy per year, and stop 734,232,986 tons of CO2 from being emitted into the atmosphere every year.

The low-energy cooling offered by evaporative coolers not only raises the environmental credentials of your commercial buildings. It can substantially lower your operational costs, allowing you to invest more into other areas of your company.

Fundamentally, evaporative cooling can instantly become a prominent pillar of your overall energy reduction strategy, saving you thousands annually when compared to standard air-conditioning units.

Wider advantages of evaporative cooling

• Outdoor or rooftop evaporative units supply 100% clean, fresh air into your buildings

• Portable evaporative coolers can deliver cool air to where it’s needed most, instead of wasting energy cooling empty spaces

• Evaporative coolers maintain an optimal level of humidity that prevents the environment from drying out

• Evaporative cooler installation is much simpler and more cost-effective than comparable air-conditioners

• Evaporative coolers don’t require cumbersome vents and ducting that affect the presentation building interiors

• Evaporative coolers require much less maintenance than standard air-conditioning systems

Smart building cooling in action: Common use cases for commercial evaporative cooling

The energy-saving, eco-friendly benefits of evaporative cooling can be enjoyed in practically any commercial space, including:

Offices and public sector buildings

In multi-level, open-plan offices, evaporative cooling can ensure thermal comfort in your workspaces, empowering your employees to work at their best.

Schools

Evaporative cooling units deliver highly efficient cooling in schools, universities and beyond, supporting the wellbeing and concentration of your students.

Retail stores

With wide-open access and a constant influx of shoppers, evaporative air coolers provide retail stores with relief from the heat while allowing for free air circulation.

Hospitals

When the health and safety of patients is priority one, evaporative coolers supply fresh, clean and cool air to your hospital or healthcare facility.

Hotels and resorts

Prevent stuffy, overly hot rooms affecting your guests’ experiences with cutting-edge evaporative air coolers.

Unlock sustainable building climate control with Dantherm Group

As companies strive towards more efficient, greener building solutions, now is the time to reduce your reliance on traditional A/C units.

By choosing evaporative cooling, you can unlock huge energy savings across your buildings and make a massive reduction to your carbon footprint – without compromising on the comfort and wellbeing of your customers and employees.

Ready to make the switch? At Dantherm Group, we have been the European leaders in commercial building climate control since the 1950s.

Our decades of specialist expertise, combined with our commitment to European engineering and energy-saving components, ensures that we can deliver a bespoke evaporative cooling system for your specific building.

• A wide range of stationary and portable evaporative cooling units

• Antimicrobial ozone technology keeps your units clean and healthy

• Engineered to function well in high-humidity environments

• Robust, resilient construction for long-term performance

• Our Smart City Cooler control lets you remotely control and monitor up to 10 units at a time

Discover our leading range of commercial evaporative coolers. For more information, get in touch with our team for an expert consultation.