As a leading commercial HVAC provider in Toronto and Southern Ontario, commercial property managers often ask us about heating and cooling strategies that will help them save on energy costs, extend the life of their equipment, and minimize system maintenance calls.
Below you will find five strategies that will help you achieve these aims and actually pay for themselves over the long term.
Install A Building Automation System (BAS)
Building automation systems help optimize heating and cooling schedules by allowing you to program different temperature settings based on occupancy.
It works by dividing your workspace into zones that have different climate needs. For example, an office that is regularly occupied will be heated and cooled differently than a space that is not regularly occupied, such as a filing or storage room, making them separate zones. The BAS will then automatically adjust temperatures according to the needs of the space based on preprogrammed settings.
This technology helps you save on energy costs by not heating and cooling spaces with irregular use patterns. You can also program temperature settings for overnight periods, weekends, and holidays, further optimizing costs.
BAS also offers added benefits such as remote access, which allows you to control settings when you’re away from the building, and energy use reporting, which helps you identify areas where usage can be further optimized. Additionally, BAS provides alerts on potential issues in your HVAC system, allowing you to diagnose and fix problems early, potentially saving you thousands in avoidable emergency repairs.
Integrate Variable Frequency Drives (VFDs) On Fans And Pumps
VFDS help commercial property managers control the speed of fans and pumps in their HVAC systems, creating a noticeable difference in energy usage and system performance.
They operate by adjusting the voltage and frequency of the power supply to the fan’s and pump’s motors, allowing you to match their speed to the individual space’s temperature, humidity, and airflow requirements.
VFDs also provide a gradual system start-up process, reducing strain on the equipment, decreasing noise and vibration, and helping to protect and extend the life of your system’s parts and components.
You can also use VFDs on compressors in refrigeration systems, reducing wear and tear during start-up and shutdown.
Read More: The Importance Of Climate Control In IT And Server Rooms
Use Demand-Controlled Ventilation
This retrofit uses sensors, such as CO2 detectors, to measure occupancy levels and adjust ventilation accordingly. This is a much more energy-efficient approach than setting ventilation levels based on maximum occupancy.
For example, installing demand-controlled ventilation sensors in a space with unpredictable variable occupancy levels, such as a meeting room, restaurant, or supermarket, will provide the appropriate airflow at any given time.
This strategy reduces the energy consumption of the fan used to move air when the space is lightly occupied or when no one is in the space, and helps extend the life of the airflow components.
Install Energy Recovery Ventilators (ERVs)
ERVs are very effective at converting energy. These devices transfer heat and moisture between incoming and outgoing air streams to improve indoor air quality and reduce energy costs. Think of them as heat exchangers that recover energy from exhausted air to pre-condition fresh air entering your building.
For example, unlike traditional systems that simply exhaust stale air, ERVs recover both sensible heat (temperature) and latent heat (moisture) from the outgoing air and transfers it to incoming fresh air. This helps you maintain optimal indoor air quality and humidity levels regardless of the outside climate.
ERVs also reduce the energy needed to heat or cool your building, leading to significant cost savings over time.
Subscribe To A Preventative HVAC Maintenance Plan
Preventative HVAC maintenance plans are designed to help you get the most out of your HVAC system by improving energy efficiency, keeping maintenance costs down, and extending the life of your equipment.
Springbank’s maintenance programs include regular inspection, maintenance, and cleaning of your system. Our team is licensed and qualified to work with all brands and types of commercial HVAC equipment, allowing us to recommend new technology that will help further reduce your operating costs.
It’s important to remember that the above strategies should be considered investments, not costs. The payback periods will vary depending on your building’s configuration, but the faster they’re implemented, the sooner you’ll enjoy the energy savings and other benefits these innovative approaches offer.
Contact a Springbank HVAC expert today for a free, obligation-free discussion to learn more about these and other cost-effective strategies!
Read More: The Benefits Of Signing Up For A Preventative HVAC Maintenance Program
Gregg Little, Paul DeThomasis, and Hugo Lopes are co-owners of Springbank Mechanical Systems. You can reach them at 905-569-8990 or via email at gregg@springbank.com, paul@springbank.com, or hugo@springbank.com.
