Business View Oceania | September 2020

63 BUSINESS VIEW OCEANIA SEPTEMBER 2020 CENTRAL HEAT ING NEW ZEALAND LTD Commercial Design Engineer, explains, “We have a pretty low level requirement for insulation in New Zealand compared to many other countries. So when we’re working on a design for a building, we strive to get it heated to a healthy level as well as being energy efficient to run. Those people who have existing homes are the most satisfied because their home is transformed from being inhospitable to super comfortable with reasonable running costs in a matter of days when a central heating system has been retrofitted.” These days, James spends his time designing and tendering for commercial projects, from small commercial up to multi-storey office buildings with hydronic or water-based heating and cooling systems. According to Steele, “Commercial central heating has been in our office buildings, hospitals and schools for a long time because consultants and owners realise that every square metre of those buildings needs to be heated very well. With regards to air flow and ventilation, some aspects of that need to be closely controlled for a healthy environment, so radiant heating becomes a popular choice for those spaces, where you can reduce moving hot or cold air around.” Refrigerant-based air conditioning heat pumps are popular for heating and cooling commercial buildings, but the move in Europe has been towards replacing refrigerant-based systems with water-based systems. Smith notes, “Chilled and hot water systems are much better for the environment, and the buildings’ occupants. It’s one of the big pushes happening out in the commercial market at the moment and it’s right up our alley.” Thirty percent of the company’s commercial business is replacement products for existing buildings that have some sort of hydronic central heating or cooling system. Many old boilers in hospitals and hotels are coming to the end of their operational life, so Central Heating NZ replaces plant rooms with new, more efficient