Budderfly and Fujitsu General America Inc. (FGAI) have announced a strategic partnership to leverage energy efficiency technologies, including HVAC systems, for small and medium commercial buildings.
By incorporating FGAI’s Airstage Variable Refrigerant Flow VRE System as the core piece of Budderfly’s heating, ventilation, and HVAC systems, the companies plan to provide less energy-intensive alternatives to conventional rooftop unit HVAC systems. Switching to a high-efficiency system may reduce energy consumption by 70%, helping companies save on costs while supporting decarbonization efforts.
The two companies also plan to further develop cloud-based technologies that may be used by businesses to digitize heating and cooling systems and further save on energy usage.
“As much as 50% of energy businesses consume is attributed to HVAC systems," said Al Subbloie, CEO and founder of Budderfly. "As electricity prices and sustainability standards rise, we’re excited to partner with FGAI to help businesses reimagine their energy profile and better their bottom line. FGAI’s Airstage Systems are designed to meet the wide range of energy needs for commercial buildings, making them the ideal solution to seamlessly integrate into our end-to-end energy management offering.”
The buildings sector accounts for about a third of global energy consumption and emissions. The Department of Energy said that improving building energy efficiency is one of the most cost-effective, straightforward ways for businesses and consumers to reduce emissions.
Additional efficient HVAC technologies, such as chilled or heated water systems, have been developed as companies look to decarbonize building operations. Heat pumps and other electric heating systems are also expected to outsell fossil fuel boilers in the coming years, according to the International Energy Agency.
Budderfly’s HVAC system uses two main components to save energy -- an energy recovery ventilator that brings in outside air and recovers exhaust air that would otherwise be wasted and a refrigerant flow system that cools, heats, and filters air, then directs airflow. By incorporating FGAI’s VRF technology, the Budderfly system is fully electric, eliminating the need for natural gas, and it takes up half of the amount of space of a traditional HVAC unit.
