Deutsche Messe uses ebm-papst NEXAIRA for retrofit

Deutsche Messe AG has connected technical installations at its Pavilion 36 to ebm-papst’s NEXAIRA digital ecosystem as part of an energy-efficiency retrofit ahead of Hannover Messe 2026 in Germany. The project covers three central supply air systems serving the hall, conference rooms and bistro, and will be presented at the ebm-papst booth during the trade fair.

In the first phase, existing belt-driven AC fans were replaced with EC fans, connected to the NEXAIRA AI platform, and equipped with constant airflow control. The largest system is designed for up to 60,000 m3/h (approx. 35,300 cfm) and operates 24/7. According to ebm-papst, the upgrade reduced electrical power consumption by around 11.3 kW and is expected to save about 100 MWh of electricity per year, cutting costs by more than €20,000 per year [about $21,800], based on €0.23/kWh.

The company said the next step is to move plant operation toward more demand- and load-dependent control. It said EC fans allow continuous speed control and can support additional strategies such as time schedules, load management and demand-based operating modes.

For data centers, ebm-papst is also presenting NEXAIRA.Systems, which is designed to optimize the entire cooling circuit in real time. The company said the system uses digital twin technology to model cooling processes and adjust operating parameters for components including pumps, dry coolers, heat exchangers and chillers. It said adaptive control can reduce energy consumption across the cooling process by up to 50%.

According to ebm-papst, the on-premise setup is designed to provide a high level of data security, while an integrated alerting system is intended to identify potential issues early. The company said the solution can also be applied to other refrigeration systems.