AC solution hits new IAQ heights
9th December 2021
FRANCE: Carrier has collaborated with French stretch ceiling manufacturer Barrisol to develop a range of integrated air conditioning solutions that combine comfort with enhanced IAQ and low operational costs.
Through their combination of low velocity airflow, draft elimination, and ability to maintain highly stable temperatures throughout the occupied space, the Carrier/Barrisol solutions achieve a comfort rating of Class A for both cooling and heating, the highest possible under the thermal comfort in buildings standard ISO 7730.
The ceiling air conditioning system is available in two options: Barrisol Clim and Barrisol Cloud Clim. Both feature Carrier products.
Barrisol Clim featuring Carrier uses a ceiling made from a bio-sourced membrane that is stretched and fixed in position, spanning a room. Air conditioning is delivered into the ceiling void by a concealed Carrier fan coil unit and is gently diffused downward through the gap between the membrane edge and the walls – with such low velocity that it is said to be barely noticeable.
Air is extracted from the conditioned space vertically upwards, along the outer walls via a concealed bulkhead, and back to the FCU. It is then filtered, heated or cooled, mixed with fresh air and returned to the room via the ceiling void.
Installation for contractors is described as quick and easy, with structural fixtures that can be rapidly removed for servicing.
Ceiling membranes are made from 100% recyclable material that contains a plant-based plasticiser, and weak A+ class in terms of VOCs emissions. Support profiles are made from 80% recycled aluminium.
The ceiling membranes can be printed, opening up possibilities for creative interior design. In one auditorium, a Barrisol ceiling canvas was printed with a blue sky and a forest canopy. Thanks to a micro-perforation, Barrisol membranes can also treat the acoustics of spaces by absorbing sound reverberation.
For enhanced IAQ, the Barrisol Pure Clim featuring Carrier option uses UV-C lamps within the ceiling void.
The Barrisol Cloud Clim featuring Carrier product technology version of the system uses modules that are suspended from the ceiling, through which conditioned air is delivered into the room. Air can be fed into ceiling modules via an FCU concealed nearby or located in a plenum.
Barrisol Cloud Clim featuring Carrier uses a combination of convection and direct thermal radiation from the suspended panels to maintain required conditions. To further enhance comfort, modular panels automatically adapt airflow direction and velocity according to temperature, minimising draughts.
A wide range of Carrier FCUs can be selected to suit the application, including the company’s recently developed ultra-low-profile Idrofan 42EP.
