HVAC industry is hopeful and expecting a positive turn around in first quarter.

Gaurav Sah

- Business Head, Air Conditioners Group, Panasonic India

What is the current demand scenario in the HVAC segment and how do you foresee the growth of this sector? What are the driving factors?

Commercial air conditioner segment has a huge potential in India. However, last year was tough for the industry due to the pandemic which had an impact on demand as well as supply side. Pandemic led slowdown caused a reduction in commercial activities which affected the demand of commercial ACs, product availability was also a concern due to supply chain disruption. The industry is hopeful and expecting a positive turn around in Q1 as normal commercial activities resume.

The industry has already adopted advanced technology and today the systems are AI/ML enabled. What are the future technologies we are expecting in this segment?

Role of Air Conditioners has evolved from just cooling to a device that enables clean and healthy air. With deteriorating air quality and spread of new diseases, consumers have become more conscious towards their health and safety. Enterprises and consumers alike, are looking for healthy indoor air quality. Therefore, ACs of the present and future will be based on the proposition of 'safety & healthy' along with comfort, convenience and a connected experience. Innovative technologies such as nanoe^TMX, unique to Panasonic, have proven inhibitory effect on bacteria and viruses, including the adhered novel coronavirus (SARS-CoV-2).

Launched recently, our air conditioners with revolutionary nanoe^TMX technologyreleases hydroxyl radicals contained in water. Hydroxyl radicals are also known as “nature's detergent” that are capable of inhibiting bacteria and viruses, including 99.99% of the adhered novel coronavirus (SARS-CoV-2). Panasonic has successfully tested the nanoe™X device as well as nanoe™X ACs for the inhibitory effect on the novel corona virus (SARS-CoV-2) at Texcell Laboratory, France.

This technology will soon be available across commercial ACs.

How has the Covid pandemic impacted the sector, especially in the backdrop of the concerns raised about air conditioning being a potential route of transmission for the virus?

2020 was a challenging year with restricted commercial activity which in turn had an impact on the demand of commercial ACs. In the early phase of pandemic there were concerns about ACs as a potential route of transmission today, but technology like nanoe^TMX, is helping bust that myth. We are optimistic about the CAC industry.

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