Environmental impacts of a high-capacity industrial air handling unit
Year: 2026
Type: article
Abstract: High-capacity industrial air handling units (AHUs) are essential for production hall ventilation, yet their long-term environmental impacts are often overlooked in favour of initial capital expenditure. This study employs a cradle to grave life cycle assessment (LCA) integrated with a use-phase, Total Cost of Ownership (TCO) oriented life cycle cost analysis to evaluate one functional unit, a single 80,000 m 3 /h air handling unit delivering a nominal heating service of approximately 23 kJ per cubic meter of supplied air (ΔT = 19 K) within a twelve-unit installation with a total delivery capacity of 960,000 m 3 /h, over a 15-year service life. Six environmental impact categories were examined: global warming potential (GWP100), acidification potential (AP), ozone depletion potential (ODP), total freshwater consumption (TFC), Total Material Consumption (TMC) and primary energy demand (PED). The results identify the operational phase as the primary driver of environmental degradation across all categories. Quantified cumulative outcomes for the unit’s life cycle include a global warming potential of 1,119,872 kg CO 2 -equivalent, a primary energy demand of 20,355,028 MJ, and an acidification potential of 1688 kg SO 2 -equivalent. Technical interventions should prioritize operational efficiency, such as advanced heat recovery and ideal powertrain effectiveness, while the study further provides strategic guidance for optimizing existing configurations to realize superior performance. The research concludes that incorporating life cycle metrics into industrial decision-making is necessary to align technological investments with long-term sustainability goals and environmentally effective cost allocation.
Source: Discover Sustainability
Authors: András Torma, Botond Mecséri, Péter Németh
Institution: Széchenyi István University
Language: English
Subfield: Environmental Engineering
Field: Environmental Science
Domain: Physical Sciences
Open Access status: gold
Estimated APC paid: $1,390
OpenAlex ID: W7210290512
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