Frico

Energy efficiency is the future

Nobody can have failed to notice that the requirements for energy efficiency are constantly increasing – a situation that is fully in line with Frico’s investment in energy-efficient products

 

There are many development opportunities and Mats Careborg, Technical Manager at Frico, views the future with optimism. We got Mats to forecast what he thinks will become increasingly important in the future.

Traditionally, Frico has been a company offering electric heating products, but Frico now has a broad range of both electric and waterborne products. With the climate under threat, electricity does not have the same future as other sources of energy. This has also been noted by the market. Frico’s waterborne products have accounted for the greatest expansion over the last few years and there is still plenty of potential. However, both types of energy are still important. There are very few companies in our industry with a range that includes both electric and waterborne products, according to Mats. Frico looks at heating and energy efficiency in general and strives for breadth in terms of both range and flexible solutions.

Most people primarily use waterborne heating nowadays. In recent years, electric heating has come to be regarded as ‘unattractive’ and waterborne heating systems have been installed instead, even though the installation costs are high. Mats wants to introduce his motto: think smart. It’s a question of combining for optimum results. A combination might involve, for instance, installing waterborne heating for basic needs only and also installing electric heating. More flexible thinking is something Mats hopes will be seen in the future.

Another trend developing is for waterborne heating with low-temperature systems, i.e. products that also provide heat, even at low water temperatures. This is highly energy efficient, as the low water temperature ensures lower energy losses. In order to exploit the benefits of heat pumps, for instance, equipment that works at low water temperatures is also required. The lower the working temperature, the higher the heat factor provided by the pump.

Something else that Mats believes will spread even further in the future is radiant heaters. If you want to reduce the temperature in large premises by a degree or two in order to save money, this also reduces the comfort level for employees working there. Radiant heating is the only way to heat just one section of a room. In a zone heated by a radiant heater, the temperature feels warmer than indicated by a thermometer. In this way, the temperature in the room can be lower, but the comfort level where people are working remains the same. Radiant heaters installed in the ceiling, so-called ‘Comfort panels’, are also one of Frico’s invisible solutions.  Knowledge about radiant heaters is currently limited. Many people believe that installation of radiant heaters in the ceiling is pointless, as the heat will rise. What they have misunderstood is that it is not heat that rises, but hot air. A radiant heater heats the space between two areas. Just like the sun.


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