2025

The HVAC industry is evolving with a strong focus on energy efficiency, indoor air quality, and sustainable solutions. Varun Pahwa, President at Desiccant Rotors International, discusses advancements, the role of low-GWP refrigerants, and how cutting-edge technology is shaping building management for a greener future.

How do you perceive the HVAC industry in 2025?

The HVAC landscape looks promising for 2025 and beyond, majorly fuelled by infrastructure development. The growth in construction and rise of buildings are boosting the demand for the HVAC industry, further supported by the proliferation of hypermarkets and the flourishing of more shopping complexes and malls. On account of this, the HVAC sector is very likely to grow at a phenomenal rate, with WebFx expecting the global market to exceed $367 billion by 2030, projecting a CAGR of 3.9 percent between the forecasted period of 2020 and 2030.

What latest advancements have taken place in your expertise field within the HVAC industry?

With sustainability at its core, the advancement of the HVAC sector majorly hinges on energy-efficient solutions. Companies are adapting to new energy efficiency regulations with alacrity, focusing on R&D to implement safe energy and cost-effective HVAC solutions. Due to this, the HVAC players ensure certifications of Seasonal Energy Efficiency Ratio 2 (SEER) and Heating Seasonal Performance Factor 2 (HSPF) systems to comply with industry standards.

In addition to energy efficiency, the sector is influenced by the rising demand for improved indoor air quality (IAQ). With consumers becoming aware of IAQ and the impact of indoor air pollutants on the health of occupants, it is the need of the hour to innovate for advanced filtration technologies and incorporate best practices to provide improved IAQ.

Along similar lines, we at DRI offer Treated Fresh Air Handling (TFA) systems to fulfil the ventilation standards and achieve excellent IAQ by preconditioning the incoming fresh air. These systems conduct the filtration and treatment of air to eliminate pollutants, allergens, and contaminants before the air is introduced to the enclosed space. The systems bode well for the continuous supply of clean and healthy air and go a step further by incorporating energy recovery wheels to recover both sensible and latent energy, facilitating energy saving while improving IAQ and controlling humidity.

How do low-GWP refrigerants help reduce greenhouse gas emissions?

HVAC systems with high global warming potential (GWP) invariably increase greenhouse gases, triggering climate change. The very common hydrofluorocarbons (HFC) used in the systems can be considered an environmental threat, so transitioning to low GWP can significantly offer eco-friendly solutions.

Opting for natural refrigerants like hydrocarbons, carbon dioxide, ammonia, HFOs (Hydrofluoroolefins), etc., can reduce carbon emissions and exercise the economy in terms of energy usage. Taking the offering a step further, industry players are also focusing on bringing about the confluence of HFOs and HFCs to amplify the mitigation of GWP.

How can design and technology improve building management and the built environment?

Integrating advanced technologies in HVAC systems can significantly enhance buildings’ performance. Variable frequency drives (VFDs) facilitate precise system control and oversee energy consumption modulation. Similarly, energy recovery ventilators (ERVs) drive optimal ventilation, enabling heat and humidity exchange between incoming and outgoing air. Moreover, installing smart technologies in building automation systems employs energy management strategies that monitor and regulate the systems based on occupancy patterns. In the process, AI and IoT-driven systems utilize the data points to enable centralized monitoring.

What do you look for during ACREX 2025?

Ever since the inception of ACREX, we have been active participants in every edition. Considering that it is the biggest exhibition in the HVAC sector, even this year, we look forward to expanding our networking with the event. It will open the gateway for tapping the potential target audience and showcase our advanced technologies catering to the evolving needs of the industry.

The onset of winter marks a significant rise in air pollution. Every year, there is profound deterioration in the quality of air during the period, and this year as well, the AQI of the capital city plunged to the ‘severe category’ for eight consecutive days. Though the pollution levels have reduced in the past few days, with AQI improving marginally to 310 as per the Central Pollution Control Board records, the vulnerability to pollution still persists in the city. Additionally, experts have shown concerns about the quality slipping back to the severe category with hazy conditions still prevailing in major parts of the city and its adjoining areas.

With the capital city striving to counter the air pollution, it is important to understand that the impact is not just limited to outside but is also responsible for influencing the air quality within the enclosed spaces. The worst affected are commercial and industrial spaces facing the challenge of poor indoor air quality (IAQ) as contaminated air remains trapped within the space. Given the large and complex structure of these spaces, such as offices, schools, airports, hotels, etc., they are often marked by excessive buildup of pollutants, dust, and allergens due to packed buildings. This in turn leads to a hike in levels of PM2.5, PM10, carbon dioxide, VOCs, etc., giving rise to a range of respiratory problems such as bronchitis, asthma, and lung inflammation, along with cardiovascular issues and neurological disorders in a person. Moreover, as per the study by IIT Kanpur, the level of PM 2.5 peaks during the month of November, where the pattern continues in December as well, with pollution still being a matter of concern. With PM 2.5 levels surpassing the mark of 1000 in the 3rd week of November, it becomes essential to improve the IAQ of the large spaces. Furthermore, long-term exposure to poor IAQ has also been linked to the development of a condition called Sick Building Syndrome (SBS) among the occupants. In this condition, people complain about issues such as fatigue, headaches, lethargy, nausea, wheezing, throat irritation, etc. In addition to this, SBS is also responsible for reduced productivity and absenteeism in the person, as unhealthy indoor air can also affect the physical and mental well-being of people. However, given the inherently complicated structure of commercial and industrial spaces, improving the IAQ cannot be done alone and requires the intervention of advanced technologies. Here, installing Air Purification Systems (APS) can come in handy for maintaining good IAQ across the space by conducting the removal of outdoor air pollutants at the source itself. It offers a proactive solution with the help of a “beginning-of-the-tube” system where purification of air is performed at the source by harnessing the benefits of advanced filtration technologies. The APS systems exercise an edge over the other standard air purifiers by purging the air before it enters the facility rather than treating the outdoor air inside the building, risking the mixture of outside contaminated air with the indoor environment. In order to address the air quality issues proficiently, the APS systems employ innovative solutions in the form of honeycomb-designed chemical filters. They conduct 100% elimination of gaseous contaminants before they infiltrate indoor spaces and check the entry of harmful particulate and gaseous pollutants at multiple levels. To further fortify the process, the systems also prevent the infiltration of contaminated air into the building by maintaining positive pressure across the space. Along with this, it ensures thorough cleaning of outside air, making use of proper particulate and chemical filtration. Looking at the health repercussions of poor IAQ in large spaces, adopting advanced Air Purification Systems can go a long way in curtailing the contamination of air indoors. With rising outdoor air pollution, these systems play a crucial role in improving indoor air quality in commercial and industrial spaces by effectively preventing pollutants from entering the indoor environment.