Variable refrigerant flow (VRF) systems are an increasingly popular choice regardless of a building’s size or intended use. VRF systems focus on heating and cooling only the spaces that require individual temperature control by circulating the optimal amount of refrigerant required for each zone, resulting in advantages with system operation and occupancy comfort.

By embracing VRF technology, you can differentiate yourself from other contractors by providing outstanding benefits to building owners and their tenants, including:

1. Easy Installation Process

A VRF system is compact, making bulky pipes unnecessary, as well as requiring less electrical connections. This leads to a faster, simpler installation which minimizes the time needed on a job site, ultimately saving time on installation costs.

2. Outstanding Flexibility

Depending on factors such as climate and building load profiles, a VRF system can be used in buildings with uniform load profiles, e.g., theaters or auditoriums, as well as buildings with diverse zone loads such as hotels or large office buildings. To learn more about VRF system design, check out Trane’s VRF System Catalog.

3. System Scalability

VRF systems are inherently scalable and can be built one component at a time or installed separately one floor at a time. This makes a VRF system ideal for large-scale construction projects, older buildings undergoing extensive renovations, and hotels or apartment buildings with multiple tenants.

4. Superior Energy Efficiency

With its ability to supply the optimal amount of refrigerant to a room based on the room’s current condition, VRF compressors can run at a lower capacity and lower frequency compared with conventional HVAC options. Additionally, building owners often see significant operational cost savings because VRF technology allows waste energy to be recaptured during the cooling or heating process, which can be distributed to other locations.

5. Reliability

VRF systems can operate at reduced loads when building demand or occupancy is low, minimizing compressor cycling, resulting in significantly less maintenance or repair costs. This may reduce the number of maintenance calls from tenants to troubleshoot issues when compared with conventional HVAC systems.

6. Greater Comfort Controls

When it comes to temperature control, one major HVAC complaint from building occupants is comfort. With VRF, contractors can eliminate humidity issues, as well as hot and cold spots through the use of independent zone controls, therefore facilitating consistent comfort levels for tenants.

7. Complete VRF Systems Solutions

Trane is a trusted partner that can provide complete systems HVAC solutions that will help you simplify your VRF system design, procurement and installation process.

8. Limited Business Interruptions During Installation

VRF systems can be installed while the current HVAC system is still operational, which means you can install these systems with minimal disruptions to the current occupants.

While working with VRF systems may seem somewhat intimidating initially, the installation is much less labor-intensive than it appears, and the systems have outstanding benefits for contractors, owners and occupants. A knowledgeable partner like Trane can help you understand the benefits and requirements needed to install a complete VRF system for all your commercial building project needs.

To learn more about the complete offering of Trane® / Mitsubishi Electric VRF Systems, visit www.trane.com/VRF or contact us at 713-266-3900.

Written by Kenley Kyle at Trane.com