You could say that United Technologies (UTC), the maker of Carrier air-conditioners and Otis elevators, is also in the business of selling the invisible. Beyond the obvious physical refrigeration units, chillers and humidifiers, there is a lot of hidden stuff in a building that this $56-billion conglomerate handles. And this is what has taken the company into the unlikeliest of places – into the high seas and even the Sistine chapel.

As Vineet Kashyap, the London-based Senior Director, Marketing, Communications and Strategy at UTC’s Climate, Controls and Security division, says, “We look at solutions for any built environment. It could be residential, industrial, mixed use, hotels, hospitals, even ships and churches like the Vatican.”

Artful solution At Sistine chapel, the beautiful frescos painted by Michelangelo were getting degraded due to the large number of visitors (6 million every year) and the carbon dioxide they were emitting. So much so the chapel authorities were actually debating whether to close the area to visitors or limit the number of people per day. That’s when Carrier stepped in. It found that the original air-conditioning installed in the 1990s was equipped for only 700 people a day whereas over 15,000 a day were trooping in. So it decided to redo the air management in a manner that it would not be visible but at the same would dilute the carbon dioxide and humidity. “We had to come up with an altogether new product, and a new process to build that solution,” says Kashyap.

But it was worth it because it became a new business stream for UTC. As Kashyap points out, “When you make these kind of customised new applications, you always think, can I commercialise it? Can I create a separate product line?” says Kashyap. So, now within its Building Solutions business UTC has a new division called AdvanTec that focuses on providing applications for tricky requirements.

More of the invisible Expect to see more ‘invisible ‘solutions from UTC once its acquisition of Wipro EcoEnergy (the agreement has been signed, the deal is now awaiting regulatory approvals) is complete. Kashyap paints a fascinating future of how buildings will be fitted with sensors and systems making them intelligent and energy-conscious. Wipro EcoEnergy provides the software and algorithms to monitor energy management within a complex. Sensors alert the building management system when a filter in a chiller needs to be changed or when somebody leaves a door open, reducing cooling efficiency.

All this is transmitted to a control room from where actions are taken. “You can either do this with people or through algorithms. EcoEnergy is through AI (artificial intelligence),” says Kashyap.

The applications for this can be pretty exciting, according to Kashyap. Think of a retail chain with same-size stores in multiple sites equipped with exactly the same energy systems. If one is more efficient than the other, the software can pick up why this is so and help the company take corrective action.

Sustainability sells Ask Kashyap what the trends driving the air-conditioning industry, are, and pat comes the reply: “Without a doubt sustainability is becoming more and more important.” He says the Kigali accord signed in October 2016, when more than 170 countries reached an agreement to cut use of hydrofluorocarbons – chemical coolants used in air-conditioners and refrigerators – will change the industry. Though India has been given a lenient schedule for phasing out HFCs, Kashyap says, “Even before Kigali, in Europe we were being asked about the next generation of refrigerants.”

And that’s where the opportunity lies, feels Kashyap – in next-generation ultra-low GWP (global warming potential) refrigerants. Last month, Carrier released a new chiller with GWP of 1, which he says is super-efficient, cost-effective and designed for a wide range of applications.

But then competition too – from Danfoss to Honeywell - is treading this same green path of ultra-low GWP platforms. As countries get stricter on greenhouse gases and big corporations such as Pepsico and Target pledge to use climate-friendly units, the one with the more sustainable solutions will win the race.

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