LG Electronics announced on the 6th that it will begin developing heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) solutions that achieve high efficiency and high performance even in high-temperature environments.
On the 3rd (local time), LG Electronics decided to conduct joint research on HVAC technology optimized for so-called 'extreme heat' environments, such as hot and dry desert areas and hot and humid tropical regions, in collaboration with Pusan National University, King Saud University, and the Shaker Group in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. This research will be conducted by installing products locally in Saudi Arabia and advancing product performance and control technology based on operational data collected in real usage conditions.
LG Electronics will develop and provide commercial system air conditioners and residential air conditioners suitable for extreme heat environments, while the Shaker Group will be responsible for installation and operation. Pusan National University and King Saud University are expected to support technology verification through creating testing environments and analyzing operational data.
An LG Electronics representative noted, "The importance of high-efficiency air conditioning technology is increasing due to rising temperatures and growing energy demand caused by climate change, and we will strengthen our research in extreme heat environments in addition to cold climate research, further solidifying our technological leadership in the global HVAC market."
Through this research, there are plans to focus on verifying the energy-saving effects of the artificial intelligence (AI) based 'AI Engine' installed in the system air conditioner 'Multi V i.' The 'AI Engine' automatically adjusts the cooling intensity according to changes in indoor and outdoor temperatures and switches to power-saving mode when no one is indoors to enhance energy efficiency.
The Shaker Group is a partner that has supplied and distributed HVAC products with LG Electronics in the Middle East, possessing a high understanding of the local market. Pusan National University continues to collaborate with LG Electronics in core component areas such as compressors and heat exchangers. King Saud University, the first royal university in Saudi Arabia, is participating in joint research with global companies for the first time.
Earlier, LG Electronics had formed a research consortium on heat pumps in cold regions such as Alaska, Oslo in Norway, and Harbin in China. It also operates five air solution research institutes, including in Korea, North America, Europe, and India. Alongside this, it runs HVAC academies in 65 locations across 43 countries, training about 30,000 engineers each year.
Jin Shim-won, head of ES advanced research at LG Electronics, said, "This agreement is an important stepping stone to enhance our tailored HVAC solution capabilities for extreme heat environments," adding, "We will systematize our climate-specific research and development (R&D) infrastructure to continuously expand our technological competitiveness in the global air conditioning market."