A breath of fresh air
GEA Air Treatment is a global industry leader in the air conditioning market. Vincent Kielty learns how technology, sustainability initiatives and a true understanding of customer expectations keeps GEA at the forefront of its industry.
Headquartered in Bochum, Germany, GEA Group is one of the largest system providers for food and energy processes in the world, posting revenues of approximately Ôé¼5.2 billion in 2008. As a truly global organisation with over 20,000 employees serving customers in 50 countries, the group is divided into decentralised business units which serve its customer base around the world. The majority of companies within the group are medium sized engineering enterprises, many being technology leaders in their respective fields.
GEA focuses on technology and components for demanding production processes in various end markets, generating approximately two thirds of its revenue from the food and energy industries. One of the key growth areas for the organisation is within the Air Treatment division, which supplies central and decentralised air handling solutions under the motto ÔÇ£Air Eco2nomyÔÇØ. Air can be filtered, heated, cooled, humidified and dehumidified in a cost-effective and eco-friendly way according to the individual needs of its customers in differing markets and cultures.
GEA Air Treatment products are suited to various sectors. They help hotels provide a comfortable atmosphere for their guests; create pleasant and productive working conditions in offices; and ensure wellbeing in churches and museums, simultaneously protecting the building structure and exhibits. Precision air handling units can also be used to ensure a constant indoor climate in laboratories or data centres.
GEA Air Treatment solutions are built to satisfy all international standards in sensitive areas such as hospitals and clean room applications. In these environments, regulations for air circulation are stringent and are of great importance to operations, thus the quality control aspect of GEA Air TreatmentÔÇÖs business is key. With this in mind, GEA has created a concept called Air Eco2nomy, which highlights the technological edge of the business.
Air Eco2nomy is more than a technology; it is an attitude which creates values for the future. This concept is designed to enhance quality of life for residents and users along with the protection of energy resources. The function, control and design of the solution can also be precisely engineered according to customer specifications. This allows GEA to adapt to the design characteristics and infrastructure of specific buildings while striving to create the highest standards of energy efficiency and climate protection.
Human beings spend most of their time in closed rooms, making a healthy room environment highly important for both comfort and productivity. Measuring systems can acquire data on all room environment variables and this makes it possible to optimise healthy and comfortable conditions. Strategically placed sensors accurately determine the prevailing environmental room conditions, giving clear, actionable areas for GEA to improve the experience of the people using those facilities. GEAÔÇÖs air treatment flow analysis systems provide key support in the determination and verification of comfort characteristics. This allows both the client and GEA to monitor the effectiveness of room environment systems over time, checking on air quality and the atmospheric conditions within the facilities.
GEA also considers the impact of the noise created by its air treatment systems. The company performs extensive research to determine whether the relationship between the performance of air treatment units and noise emission is optimal in each facility. Advanced measurement systems which operate via real-time analysis devices enable short measuring times, with systems being tested in accordance with client requirements.
GEA also places great importance on product aesthetics. Air treatment units are traditionally known as large and unsightly; however, GEAÔÇÖs air treatment products are designed to blend with the d├®cor without compromising functional and formal unity, becoming a positive element in interior furnishing. As a testament to their success, GEA specialists have received numerous national and international design awards for such work.
Buildings absorb about 40 per cent of global energy consumption and produce approximately 21 per cent of worldwide greenhouse gas emissions. The significant cost of this energy is a key area of concern for companies in terms of both bottom lines and environmental concerns. Increasingly, GEA clients are looking for a decrease in energy costs and carbon footprint as part of their own sustainability and efficiency initiatives.
Sustainability is a key area of focus for GEA, in which it looks to add value for end users. While the company is committed to reducing its own environmental impact, it is also concerned with the efficiency and environmental impact of its customersÔÇÖ businesses. Customers can benefit from GEAÔÇÖs past experience on how to obtain the most efficient and environmentally-conscious air treatment solution.
Examination of the lifecycle costs of air treatment facilities highlights the key measures and how these impact upon the costs for both investors and occupants. In order to keep costs calculable and permanently low, GEA Air Treatment also takes account of data on regional weather, maintenance costs and other factors that indirectly affect air treatment systems. Continually refined software designed to record specific parameters helps to identify lifecycle costs in each system configuration. This provides investors and decision makers with the opportunity to consider reliable information about the potential energy costs before acquisition.
By striving to understand the needs of the end user and enhancing client experience, GEA Air Treatment has created a reputation of industry leadership not only for its innovative technology but also for the reliability and quality of its products and service to its customers.
