Small Innovations Make Big Difference

Q: What is your greatest innovation for the development of smart buildings?

A: The heart of any refrigeration system is a small regulation valve, which is the component on which the company was founded. That valve is capable of controlling the entire internal process across the refrigeration system. We have developed this valve to create new products, such as an electronic expansion valve, which can contribute to energy savings.

Another product is the variable-speed drive. Fifty percent of the global electrical energy consumed is through electrical motors. The ability to control the speed of these motors through a variable-speed drive saves a substantial amount of energy. This technology helps regulate the speed of the motor instead of constantly stopping and starting it. With these small components, we are making a big difference. The good thing about Danfoss is that these components can be combined with other smart technologies like compressors to create an energy-reducing system.

Q: How can the private sector cooperate to ensure all the components work well?

A: Innovative companies like Danfoss need to make alliances with other big companies. I do not think only one company holds the solution but multiple companies can provide a complete, comprehensive solution for these applications. Of course, we need to work together with the private sector and the government to make this happen. Various organizations have a strong impact. These include the Industry Transformation Chamber of Nuevo Leon (CAINTRA), which convenes the industrial leaders in Monterrey and drafts regulations. Another is the National Association of Self-Service and Department Stores (ANTAD). Together, the two boast around 15,000-20,000 members representing 10-15 percent of GDP.

I think the authorities need to continue to provide support to allow companies like Danfoss to contribute toward these initiatives.

Q: How do your products contribute to energy efficiency in buildings?

A: If the infrastructure sector grows, Danfoss grows because we differentiate ourselves with our energy-efficiency systems. We are a Danish company so in our DNA we have integrated environmental consciousness, a reduction of contaminants in the environment and energy efficiency. We have a variety of products – around 30,000 for cooling and 50,000 for heating. The big difference is the innovation we provide, investing more than 4 percent of our revenues in R&D, in addition to our expertise. We work based on the megatrends we see globally and we predict the future needs of our core clients.

Our technologies can reduce the energy consumption of a regular building by about 30-40 percent, depending on the system and the scope of the project. This means less contaminants in the environment, a reduction in CO2 emissions and a tangible financial saving for our customers. Our projects are sustainable, with a very short ROI of around three years and the main benefit is that we contribute to the reduction of global warming.

Q: How do you see the industry adapting to these new types of technology, especially in Mexico?

A: It is a process because it is a new culture to which many companies need to adapt. This applies not only to the company as a whole but to all its staff. At Danfoss, we are thinking about using renewable energy at our manufacturing plant in Monterrey. This plant has around 1,000 employees and we have gradually changed features like lighting; instead of using regular lamps, we now use LED and we are generating our own energy. Of course, we want to diversify our use of renewable energies and are evaluating the possibility of buying from off-takers like CEMEX. We also have a policy in relation to company cars whereby there is a limit to the amount of CO2 they can emit. These processes are gradually becoming more popular across the industry.