The Helix Innovation Center
Creating new solutions that will make a real difference in the world
Bold Collaboration. Disruptive Innovation.
The Helix Innovation Center is a 40,000-square-foot facility located on the University of Dayton campus in Dayton, Ohio focused on providing a collaborative environment for researchers, academia, and industry professionals to develop solutions to industry challenges.
Residential Connected Home
To better understand residential comfort, Copeland has built a fully-functional, furnished and connected home within The Helix to test environmental conditions including ambient temperature control from -20°F - 120°F and humidity control from 20% - 90%. The home also includes simulated solar heating through use of radiant panels.
House Features
- House ambient temperature control from -20° — 120°F; humidity control from 20% — 90%
- Separate metering ability to measure energy consumption
- Simulated solar heating through use of radiant panels
- Reconfigurable walls on both floors
Data Center Thermal Management
The 1,000 square foot data center space allows for testing and development of more efficient thermal management solutions. Outdoor condensing units enable temperature control from -20°F - 120°F, along with humidity control capabilities.
Features Include:
- All outdoor condensing units located in environment chamber to enable control from -20° — 120°F
- Allows for testing and development of more efficient thermal management solutions
Food Service Operations
The flexible, licensed high density commercial kitchen within The Helix Innovation Center has the ability to serve up to 150 diners, and gives Copeland the ability to test ambient temperature and humidity levels in a commercial setting, providing year-round performance simulation. The food service operations module also features Grind2Energy technology—Copeland's groundbreaking solution to enable food waste to be converted into energy.
Features Include:
- Fully controllable ambient air for comfort and quality
- All outdoor condensing units located in an environment chamber
- -20° — 120°F ambient control provides whole-year performance simulation; ambient humidity control from 20% — 90%
Supermarket Refrigeration
This retail experience is designed to simulate supermarket and convenience store environments and includes refrigeration, dry goods, lighting, HVAC, heat reclamation and point of sale terminals.
Features Include:
- Refrigeration, dry goods, lighting, HVAC, heat reclaim and point of sale
- 20% — 90% humidity control of space allows defrost strategies evaluation
- Separate chiller rooftop unit
- All outdoor condensing units located in environment chamber to enable control from -20°F — 120°F
Light Commercial Building
The Helix Innovation Center is the light commercial component of Copeland's research, featuring a multi-zone 50T rooftop unit, Copeland facility controls and VRF systems for ambient temperature control.
Features Include:
- Separate 20T RTU for hallway at south end of center
- VRF system for ideation and team studios
- All systems instrumented and monitored at a control station
Accelerating the next generation of innovation
See inside the Helix Innovation Center and find out how we're advancing research and education for the global HVACR industry.
