Accepting the 2018 Component Award for Fresh-r is (middle) Hans Arentsen, Lead Engineer and (right) Edward Hissink, Marketing Director

Congratulations to our client company Vaventis who’s Fresh-r® heat recovery ventilation concept was awarded first prize at the Component Award 2018, which took place at the Passive House Exhibition in München. The 2018 Component Award recognises cost-effective ventilation solutions for new residential construction with entries evaluated on life-cycle costs, practicability, architectural quality of integration of the unit and ducts as well as design.  The Vaventis win is based on a ventilation plan for a four-storey residential building, with four apartments on each floor and one Fresh-r® unit integrated in the façade of each apartment.

3D rendering of the ventilation plan submitted by Vaventis

Vaventis’s had previously been a recipient of the Component Award having won 2^nd prize for best Ventilation concepts for energy retrofits in 2016. We believe that Fresh-r’s second win is a true testament of its ingenuity and the teams relentless pursuit in innovative, energy efficient indoor ventilation solutions.

The core of the fresh-r® unit is a patented fine wire heat exchanger that consists of 8 km ultra-thin copper wire with a total weight of less than 0.5 kg and a heat transfer coefficient of 400 W/mK.  As copper conducts heat 1000 times better than plastic – the conventional conductive material in other heat exchangers, it allows the Fresh-r heat exchanger to be both compact and effective.  Using ebm-papst fans, the low pressure drops in the heat exchanger and the aerodynamic design, fresh-r has the highest capacity on the market at 30dB(a). Intelligent CO2 and humidity sensors ensure that fresh-r only ventilates, when needed, with the power needed, resulting in higher overall efficiency.

Component award 2018: Ventilation Concept for new residential Building

About Aubren

Aubren works in collaboration with innovators in the air handling, cleantech and meditech sectors to design, produce and distribute outstanding air handling products, as well as manufacturers who require air handling components. The two-year collaboration with Vaventis has resulted in fresh-r® being launched in markets around the word with Aubren providing design, manufacturing and logistics support.

Aubren, a manufacturer of innovative cooling products has been awarded a contract to undertake the supply and installation of free cooling upgrades for Mobilis, the leading Algerian mobile telecommunications company. The project will be managed in collaboration with Aubren’s Algerian partner MEGA COOLING Algérie; and will see Aubren DAQS range of mechanical and free cooling systems installed in up to 2500 of Mobilis cell sites in Algeria during the next four years.

The Aubren DAQS range offers innovative, highly energy efficient cooling solutions for Telecom/IT applications. The designs are built upon Free Air Cooling principles, incorporating highly efficient EC fan technology, absorbing 35% less energy than traditional HVAC systems.   All product solutions are energy efficient, flexible, modular and designed to interface with all industry standard communication protocols as standard. The Aubren DAQS mechanical and free cooling systems have already been deployed across new sites constructed by Mobilis during the past four years.

Welcoming the news, Algerian Minister of Post, Information Technology & Communication Houda-Imane Faraoun, is quoted saying ‘We are very pleased with the development of this new project. Algeria has a strong and growing, ICT and telecommunications market with increasing demand for reliable and cost-efficient cooling systems. Free cooling is an economical and eco-friendly solution for air conditioning compared to mechanical cooling.  Mobilis has been one of the leading companies that has been taking innovative steps to bring efficient cooling to its various Algerian sites.

‘We have been expanding our market reach in the middle east and this contract with Mobilis is evidence of our engineering and product deployment excellence.  Mobile operators like Mobilis are actively seeking to reduce their operating costs. The idea that free cooling can’t be used in climates with high ambient temperatures is a myth. Recent changes to ASHRAE guidelines allow equipment to operate at higher temperature and humidity conditions and our solutions can provide up to 35% reduction in energy usage, whilst increasing the life of existing cooling equipment’, says Aubrey Nuzum Managing Director at Aubren

Farouk Kerkache at MEGA COOLING Algérie stated, ‘We have enjoyed a productive and successful working relationship with Aubren and look forward to collaborating with them in deploying the Aubren DAQS precision cooling products, in order to establish a state-of-the-art cooling solution for Mobilis’.

About Aubren

Aubren designs, makes and delivers outstanding air management products. Operating out of a 3,000m2, highly-specialist, advanced manufacturing facility in Ireland, Aubren has achieved several key industry standards including; ISO 9001, ISO 14001 and OHSAS 18001. Aubren DAQS is dedicated to the design and manufacture of innovative, highly energy efficient precision air quality systems, thermal management systems, indoor air quality and environmental solutions for use in Healthcare, IT and Telecom applications.

About MEGA COOLING 

MEGA COOLING is a leading, dynamic company that specialses in the manufacture of air conditioning equipment for technical enclosures, computer rooms, laboratories, clean rooms and research centres.

When we say vending machine, it is understandable that you would immediately think of confectionery drinks and granola bars. But for many businesses, particularly large industrial companies, high tech vending machines are the answer to a simple desire: we want to control and track the supplies our employees take.

Consumables such as personal protective equipment, tools, stationary materials or IT accessories are some of the most difficult items for a business to monitor.  A supply office or service desk with a dedicated employee ‘gatekeeper’ can slow down valuable employee time with paperwork and bureaucracy. While the old school technique of keeping an open supply closet with all the requisite tools can result in uncontrolled and untracked usage.

A new breed of high tech vending machines are providing a simple way to track, and account for any manner of consumables and office supplies. These sophisticated vending units are equipped with online real-time tracking, allowing authorised users to see how often and how much of each item is actually been used. High tech vending machines can also provide inventory efficiency by enabling the managers to determine and sustain the appropriate inventory levels. Alerts can be sent via email or text to warn of low stock position, power loss, connectivity issues, etc.   Where an employee badge, identification number or code is used to gain access to facilities, the same ID system can be utilised to provide authentication at the dispensing machine hereby providing a means of accountability and control for the supplies. Administrators can also set limits on the number of items a user may take out at a time. Restrictions on usage can even be adjusted on a departmental level by authorised administrators.

These are just some of the ways in which intelligent vending units enables management to maintain visibility and control of consumables. To learn more about our range of specialised vending machines for manufacturing, office, healthcare or industrial applications, contact Aubren and we will help you find the right solution for your business.

Great night with our staff, the talented men and women who make all that we do a success. Cheers to another successful year.

According to the European Commission, buildings are responsible for 40% of energy consumption and over 36% of CO2 emissions in the EU. Within commercial buildings, it is estimated that HVAC equipment’s account for at least 39% of energy consumption.  Improvements in the energy performance in HVAC equipment is therefore a critical success factor in bringing to life Ireland’s vision to reduce GHG emissions. But what solution is available?  Low carbon technologies such as EC fans are recognised as being the latest innovation in energy efficient air movement technology with specifications of EC fans and motors growing in popularity in many areas of Europe.  This is primarily driven by energy reduction legislation such as the NEEAP directive and more specifically to HVAC, the ErP Directive which enforces stringent efficiency requirements for fans in the power range between 125 W and 500 kW.

But what is an EC fan and what makes it so special? Plainly speaking, EC technology refers to a mains fed, brushless, permanent magnet motor with electronic commutation. Fans within ventilation and air conditioning units are usually powered by asynchronous AC motors which drive the impeller by way of a belt.  These take up considerable amounts of space within air conditioning device, making installation complicated.  In addition, belt driven systems require ongoing maintenance and replacement due to the number of wearing parts over the course of operation. The efficiency of asynchronous drives is low with efficiency levels between 20% and 70% depending on the shaft power. This will have a negative implication on power consumption in most applications.

Considering these factors, EC technology are a superior alternative. EC fans attain an efficiency level of up to 90% meaning not only better utilisation of primary energy, but also reduced heat loss and longer service life.   The interaction of motor, electronics and aerodynamics, means that EC fans not only exceed in energy efficiency capability but due to the optimised commutation technique and the aerodynamic impellers, they operate extremely quietly. In addition, EC fans varied speed control make it possible to adapt the air volume to the respective requirements. EC fans contain compact motors, which makes them fully interchangeable with AC products for retrofit. So rather than spending capital on buying brand new equipment, it is possible to place EC technology into existing equipment as a retrofit installation.

Despite the obvious benefits that can be achieved from adopting EC technology, there are certain barriers hindering industry adoption. The first and major been the initial purchase cost in comparison to their AC counterparts. Today’s market is flooded with HVAC equipment’s that simply meet mandatory minimum energy conservation standards. On a value proposition perspective, these products compete mainly on price. Although there are substantial savings to be achieved over the long run with EC technology, decisions are generally based on purchase cost. For this reason, more emphasis needs to be placed on more long term financial benefits such as the pay back periods and life cycle cost. With EC fans payback periods can be as little as 12 months with savings running into the hundreds of thousands with the installation of a few fans.

Another major barrier is technology risks and uncertainty. In particular those associated with the application of new and unfamiliar technology which can lead to major financial penalties. These range from lack of compatibility, disruption either in down time for installation and system failure. Such risk may cause decision makers to feel uncomfortable about making the initial investment or ‘rocking the boat’ when it comes to their HVAC solution. Emphases and continuously innovation in the areas efficiency gain and flexibility is needed in order to encourage the integration of high efficiency fan and motor in retrofit HVAC installations. Some manufacturers are addressing compatibility fears and installation complexity by developing innovative capabilities such as ‘plug and play’ modular solution. Within such fans the electronics and motor form one unit here by saving space but also facilitating easy installation. As the motor and electronics in the motor system are already perfectly adjusted to one another, additional electronic filters and shielded cables are unnecessary, as is an external motor protecting switch. As a result, there is no longer the need for cost-intensive adjustments before commissioning or for grounding and shielding measures. In addition, these modules are not only suitable for varied industrial applications, they are also open for use in refrigeration counters, in home ventilation systems or for cooling switch cabinets.

As evident, low carbon technologies for heating and cooling commercial buildings need to be pivotal in the development of low carbon strategies in Ireland with EC fans playing an important role.  As a simple and cost-effective retrofit solution with a short payback, upgrading to EC technology for HVAC solutions should be an easy choice. Nonetheless factors such as purchase price and technological risk and uncertainty are discouraging industry adoption. These barriers demonstrate the important role long term financial benefits and continuous innovation plays in accelerating the rate of adopting EC Technology for the more risk averse operator.  With so much to gain for both industry and the environment, there is no reason not to incorporate EC technology into future incentives and programmes for energy efficient technology and systems.

About Aubren

Aubren represents ebm-papst in Ireland and has available for clients full engineering design and consultancy service. At its helm is a team of designers, engineers, fabricators and project managers all with deep expertise in the conditioning, control and monitoring of air within a wide range of applications including data centres, medical/healthcare cleanrooms and residential HVAC.  Aubren is driven to proving innovative solutions which meet all the latest quality and energy efficient standards, such as CE, UL and Passive Home. Operating out of a 3,000m² facility, Aubren’s highly-specialist advanced manufacturing and operation site has achieved several key industry standards including; ISO 9001, ISO 14001 and OHSAS 18001.

About ebm-papst

ebm-papst is one of the world’s leading producers of motors and fans. With over 15,000 different products, ebm-papst has the ideal solution for virtually all air technology and drive engineering tasks

Aubren Limited, specialist contract manufacturer in the design, manufacture and delivery of air management products have developed a fan performance wind tunnel for its clients.  Dr John Tynan, Senior Design Engineer at Aubren stated ‘Understanding and calculating the airflow delivered by a fan in a particular assembly is critical to optimising the overall performance of HVAC equipment. To achieve this, laboratory air flow tests are necessary to ensure that the correct fan is selected. Using the fan performance wind tunnel, Aubren’s clients will be able to quantify the precise airflow capacity of their equipment’.

The Aubren fan performance wind tunnel is built to ISO5801 standards.  It uses a range of inlet orifice plates to ensure accuracy across a wide range of airflow rates. The auxiliary fan is controlled using an Aubren developed controller with a PID loop.  In addition to measuring fan performance, the wind tunnel can also be used calculate filter pressure drop for air handling products.

Aubrey Nuzum, Managing Director at Aubren stated, ‘Aubren is a partner that actively seeks to meet the engineering requirements if its clients.  Our team of specialist engineers, designers, fabricators and project managers all have deep expertise in the conditioning, control and monitoring of air within a wide range of applications including data centres, medical/healthcare cleanrooms and residential HVAC. You can be assured that our team will deliver the best possible air management solution for you’.

Pictured (left) Aubrey Nuzum, John Kristinsson and Koos Slootweg

Aubren is delighted to have welcomed renowned Dutch architect Jon Kristinsson to our manufacturing facility in Portlaoise, Ireland.  Jon Kristinsson is regarded as a pioneer in sustainable architecture having designed the most sustainable building in Holland, the ‘Villa Flora’ as well as designing and building the first low energy housing developments of 184 social houses, to passive standard in the Netherlands.  Jon is also known for having developed numerous innovations in HVAC including the ‘Breathing Window’; a smart, decentralised ventilation system which monitors each room individually and the HCCV19 (HeatCoolCleanVent); a multi-purpose, low temperature radiator system based on water/air heat exchange.

Jon is engaging in a joint development with Aubren and the HCCV19, with the goal of developing a heating solution that will yield industry leading heat outputs from hydronic systems, dependent on low water temperatures.

The visit concluded with a guided tour of the Aubren factory facility led by Aubren Nuzum, Manging Director at Aubren.

We look forward to what the future may hold though this collaboration.

To find out more about the HCCV19 project click here.

The European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control reports an average prevalence of 7.1% in European countries and estimates that 4,131000 patients are affected by approximately 4,544100 episodes of health care-associated infection every year in Europe. Such infections can contribute to significant mortality and financial losses for health care providers. With advances in modern hygiene and medicine, health care professionals are now focusing on one of the last bastions of contagion: improperly managed scrub uniforms worn by hospital staff.

A health study was undertaken at Duke University Hospital, North Carolina to understand the “transmission triangle” in a healthcare setting, between patients, the environment where care is administered, and the health care provider. During the study, researchers collected cultures from the scrubs of intensive care unit nurses before and after each 12hour shift period. Examinations of the cultures found organisms on the nurse’s scrubs that were not present at the beginning of a shift, but were present at the end.

The researchers focused on five pathogens known to cause hard-to-treat infections, including MRSA. Analysis found 12 instances when at least one of the five pathogens was transmitted from the patient or the room to the scrubs. Six incidents each involved transmission from patient to nurse and room to nurse. An additional ten transmissions were from the patient to the room.

This study demonstrates the critical need for preventative solutions against cross contamination of pathogens between patient and hospital staff attire.  ScrubTrak, an intelligent scrub dispensing system helps control the risk of healthcare associated   contamination by providing an automated process for receiving and returning used scrubs.  A constant supply of clean, contagion-free scrubs, encourages medical staff to change as soon as they have any concerns about carrying pathogens. The standalone return unit allows greater flexibility in location, enabling ease and speed in exchanging used scrubs. The ScrubTrak iQ software system provides real-time data that allows the managers to confidently ensure that the hospital is complying with infection control measures.

For more information on ScrubTrak, please contact Aubren.

Aubren had the pleasure of participating in Enterprise Ireland’s Australian and New Zealand Trade Mission led by President Michael D. Higgins. The trade mission aims to strengthen the economic, tourism, cultural and political links between the three nations, bringing together companies spanning 9 sectors including, digital technologies, fintech, healthcare, construction, engineering and consumer products. Also in attendance representing the health care sector is Aubren client company Novaerus, who is also seeking to expand into the Australian and New Zealand markets.

Pictured (Left) Aubrey Nuzum, Managing Director Aubren Ltd.; Sonia O’Sullivan, World Gold Medalist and Úna Ní Raghallaigh, Sales Manager EMEAA Novaerus.

Pictured (Left) Martin Shanahan, Chief Executive Officer IDA Ireland; Allan Ramsay, Export Manager CSR Edmonds; Aubrey Nuzum, Managing Director Aubren Ltd; Frances Fitzgerald TD, Tánaiste and Minister for Business, Enterprise and Innovation; Michael D. Higgins, President of Ireland; Úna Ní Raghallaigh, Sales Manager EMEAA Novaerus and Julie Sinnamon Chief Executive Officer Enterprise Ireland.

The Australian and New Zealand market represents significant opportunities for Aubren and its client companies. The HVAC market value is expected to reach approximately $3 billion by 2022 growing at compound annual growth rate of 9%.  Aubrey Nuzum, Manging Director at Aubren stated “Aubren is honoured to have participated in this state visit with President Michael D. Higgins. This mission is an ideal platform for Aubren. It will be instrumental in our efforts in forging new relationships within the Asia Pacific HVAC markets for Aubren and our client companies. It is also a great opportunity for Aubren to promote Ireland as a source of world-class products and services.”

We very much look forward to what the future may hold for Aubren in the Australian and New Zealand markets.