Energy efficiency will drive innovation in the HVAC sector

International. According to a report by Pike Research, innovation in the HVAC industry will be driven over the next five years by the desire of owners and builders to reduce costs through more efficient use of energy and by the need to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. The report, titled "Energy Efficient HVAC Systems," states that system enhancements can achieve energy savings of up to 50% by assembling market-available components with unconventional strategies. Pike Research also reveals in the report that it expects accelerated growth in the coming years of green technologies such as energy management systems, thermal energy storage, subsurface air distribution, geothermal heat pumps, and evaporative cooling for rooftop units. In fact, profits from rooftop thermal energy storage are expected to expand at an annual growth rate of 84% between 2010 and 2015 to reach $171 million. In addition to the above, regulatory changes to the stricter LEED certification codes will allow emerging air conditioning technologies, which in some cases have been available for many years, to finally achieve a greater impact on the market, the report explains. "The next generation in energy efficiency will be born from incremental improvements to existing technologies," said research analyst Eric Bloom. "There is great untapped potential for innovation and adoption of new technologies, including products such as geothermal heat pumps, which have the potential to transform the way buildings work."