Building operators take the task of ensuring indoor air quality seriously. They choose the type of air-conditioning system based on whether it would best suit the specific needs of the occupants and the building type—whether it is a residential or commercial building, or even a learning institution.

It is no coincidence that an increasing number of private schools and institutions of higher learning have equipped their classrooms with air-conditioning units in the last decade. While this move seems intuitive given hotter temperatures and more congested urban environments, what many parents, teachers, and school administrators may not easily realize is that classroom temperatures indeed impact upon a student’s performance in school.

Numerous studies have explored the link between classroom temperature and students’ performance in school. These studies suggest that students’ performance are negatively affected by increased classroom temperatures. One study has shown that lower, more comfortable room temperatures help students solve math equations faster. More students also tend to work harder and focus better at optimum temperatures because, according to them, it feels quieter, and they reported less intense headaches compared to when the room is too warm. Meanwhile, students in warmer classroom temperatures were recorded to be slower to perform schoolwork, exhibiting restlessness and less concentration.

Controlling classroom climate with the latest technology is a plus for schools especially when combined with an environment-friendly air-conditioning system. For school and university buildings, as well as other high-rise buildings, the new Toshiba Super Modular Multi-System Evolution (SMMS-e) is ideal.

The Toshiba SMMS-e features a diamond-like carbon (DLC) coated 2-stage vane, a wide range compressor, slim heat exchanger, a dual split heat exchanger, and four-way heat exchanger, which result in greater energy efficiency and performance. These features give the Toshiba SMMS-e a European Seasonal Energy Efficiency Ratio (ESEER) higher than 7 for all capacity ranges, which is a first in the air-conditioning industry.

“Schools can rely on the Toshiba SMMS-e as it features an intelligent variable refrigerant flow (VRF) control that automatically adjusts the room temperature. The way the intelligent VRF control works is that when the temperature sensors of the indoor unit detects that the room’s temperature is a warm 27 degrees Celsius, the Pulse Motor Valve in the condensing unit will automatically control the flow of refrigerant to the indoor unit to lower the temperature to about 24 degrees, making the room more comfortable for students,” explains Rajan Komarasu, Group Director of Concepcion Building and Industrial Solutions, housing the Toshiba brand, along with Carrier, Midea, and Otis.

The Toshiba SMMS-e also does not contribute to ozone depletion as it uses the R410A refrigerant.

Komarasu adds that compared to the previous model, the new Toshiba SMMS-e, which is available in 20 and 22 horsepower (hp) capacities, can accommodate up to 64 indoor units. The outdoor unit requires only a small space as it occupies only 1.25 square meters of floor space per module, allowing for easy installation.

“With more than 300 sensors, the Toshiba SMMS-e can optimize the flow of refrigerant to all indoor units, therefore, satisfying the demands of each room and ensuring a healthy environment,” he explains.

More schools, including a higher education institution in the Bonifacio Global City area using the Toshiba air-con system, are opting for environment-friendly and energy-saving solutions that also add value to the performance of students, in the same way that companies do for their employees.

Improving the learning outcomes of students includes upgrading the structures of learning institutions, and Komarasu believes that companies that innovate cooling technologies should also take these specific needs into consideration.

“There has been a lot of discussion on improving the quality of education, and we also need to look at the learning environment of the students. Studying at the optimum temperature improves academic performance. School administrators and university officials need to look at the built environment and the supporting infrastructure in order to help students perform at their best,” Komarasu says.

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Residential, office markets to drive property sector growth amid infrastructure, sustainability challenges

DECEMBER 2015

“The best way to evaluate the performance of the Philippines’ property sector is by the number of tower cranes that you can see left and right along the streets of the capital, and even in the rest of the country’s islands,” notes Rajan Komarasu, Group Director of Concepcion Building and Industrial Solutions (BIS) under publicly listed Concepcion Industrial Corporation (CIC), acknowledging the Philippines’ strong economic growth that has fueled the robust development of the property sector.