Do you utilize a ductless or a ducted cooling system?
If you said ducted and live in North America, historically you would have been in the majority. But new research shows that ducted systems will begin losing ground to their ductless counterparts.
According to a recent report from Navigant Research, annual revenue from ductless cooling systems will grow from $3.9 billion in 2013 to more than $9 billion by 2020, representing nearly 30% of total energy efficient HVAC systems revenue in that year.
“Ductless systems have several advantages over ducted systems,” says Bob Gohn, senior research director with Navigant Research. “They are more efficient, avoiding duct-related losses that in some cases can account for up to a 30% loss in system efficiency. Ductless systems may also be easier to install into older buildings, especially where sufficient space for the installation of ductwork may not be available without significant modifications to the building.”
Ductless cooling systems have been utilized most widely in Europe and Asia Pacific, where they are typically the preferred cooling systems for most commercial applications. In the North American market, ducted unitary systems are far more prevalent, and ductless cooling systems were nearly nonexistent in the market until the early 2000s, according to the report. They have been gaining in market share in North America since that time, and are projected to grow at a compound annual growth rate of more than 14% between 2013 and 2020.
The full report is available for download on the Navigant Research website.
