Commercial building HVAC systems have a profound impact on the comfort and productivity of employees. For this reason, businesses look for commercial HVAC systems that are highly efficient and save them from hefty energy bills.
Performance efficiency and cost savings are the two main things you look for in an HVAC system. You can make your commercial HVAC system more or less efficient with some practices or optimising the HVAC system accordingly to your commercial building.
An efficient HVAC performance doesn’t need to cost more. Instead, if your HVAC is optimised for commercial buildings and your requirements, it can bring cost savings, too.
Here are some simple and easy-to-implement ways for optimising commercial building HVAC systems for efficiency and cost savings.
Key Strategies To Optimise Commercial Building HVAC Systems
Proper HVAC Sizing And Load Calculation
HVAC performance depends on the size of the building, its heating and cooling needs, and the total load it has to bear. An oversized HVAC unit for a smaller space or an undersized HVAC unit for a larger space reduces efficiency and wastes energy, increasing the operational cost. Selecting the right-sized HVAC system according to building size and design is necessary.
Calculating the load and selecting the proper HVAC size according to the requirements is compulsory. Factors such as the building design, occupancy, building orientation, and insulation affect the net load, so they must be considered.
Choose Energy Efficient Systems
Experts recommend selecting energy-efficient systems. Always consider equipment with a high Seasonal Energy Efficiency Ratio (SEER) for cooling and heating seasonal performance factors (HSPF) while choosing an HVAC system. Systems with good energy ratings have new technologies and advanced features that contribute to energy savings and improve performance. According to the Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy- energy.gov, energy-efficient HVAC systems with proper installation can save up to 10 to 30 per cent of energy. If taken care of with proper energy-saving practices, they can help to reduce as much as 50% of energy.
Energy-efficient commercial HVAC systems give excellent performance and utilise less energy, saving money on energy bills.
Modifying Temperature Controllers
Installing building management systems (BMS) helps monitor and control high-energy-consuming systems for commercial settings. Further installing automatic, programmable, or smart thermostats and zone controls is one of the most effective ways to reduce energy consumption while enhancing performance. Each thermostat controls a room or region in the commercial setting, helping achieve the desired temperature range. These temperature controllers allow occupants to set time and temperature settings according to requirements, enabling the HVAC system to perform efficiently while minimising energy consumption.
Check On Zone Level Performance
The equipment to maintain zone level can go faulty or lose its calibration with usage. These faults lower the system’s efficiency in maintaining temperature and cause the system to consume more energy. The equipment requires time-to-time maintenance, including recalibration and repairs, typically annually or bi-annually, to ensure they function properly. Users must clean the thermostats from dirt and debris to not clog the system and affect its longevity. Regular checks on zone-level performance will keep the HVAC system running and ensure its efficient performance.
Optimising Ventilation And Air Distribution
Along with the technical components of the HVAC system, ventilation and air distribution influences the efficiency of commercial building HVAC systems. Clogged or uncleaned vents and ducts obstruct the ventilation and airflow, making it harder for conditioned air to circulate through the system and indoor spaces, which adds strain to the commercial HVAC system.
Where proper airflow is necessary for the HVAC system, excessive ventilation causes the excessive influx of outdoor air, polluting the indoor air, disrupting the balance of mechanical equipment, and making it harder for the HVAC system to maintain the temperature. In this situation, it is necessary to optimise ventilation and air distribution so there remains control on ventilation and optimum temperature is maintained without stressing the HVAC system.
Implementing Energy- Saving Practices
Over the years, HVAC experts have devised some energy-saving practices that cut down on energy consumption and increase the performance efficiency of HVAC systems. They optimise the day-to-day operations of the HVAC system. Some of these practices include:
- Temperature and setback optimisations
- Controlling the humidity levels.
- Designing the buildings with natural ventilation.
- Regularly clean and maintain the air filters in the HVAC system.
- Enhancing the building’s insulation to minimise loss of energy.
Include New Technologies For Increasing Energy Efficiency
New technologies have emerged to equip HVAC with new features that improve its performance and energy utilisation. These new trends have enabled HVAC to sustain the market competition and stay at the top. Implementing these advanced technologies brings a return on investment with energy savings and reduces the HVAC system’s carbon imprint.
The new technologies include the following:
- Demand Control Ventilation (DCV) And Occupancy Sensors
- Heat Recovery And Energy Cycling Systems
- Building Automation And Energy Management Systems
- Variable Speed Drives And Modulating Controls
Regular Maintenance And Tune Ups
Whether you implement new technologies, select the right size for the HVAC system, install temperature controls or take any measure to increase energy efficiency, the HVAC system can’t perform optimally without regular maintenance. It is necessary to perform regular HVAC maintenance once a year and tune it up regularly to stay healthy. Click here to know what’s included in the HVAC maintenance services.
Regular HVAC maintenance has many benefits for energy efficiency. There are no emergency energy consumption spikes, decreases in working efficiency, or damage to the indoor environment, and it helps achieve the desired temperature range. It also increases the life of the HVAC system while reducing the energy bills.
If you want to schedule regular maintenance and tune-ups for your commercial building HVAC system, contact Surrey Air. We are one of the most reliable air conditioning service companies, offering services for over 40 years. Our expert technicians provide efficient services and optimise commercial HVAC systems, so they work efficiently, consume less energy, and bring cost savings for our valuable customers.
Final Words:
In the fast-paced business environment, businesses are selecting commercial building HVAC systems that can perform efficiently and bring cost savings. For this purpose, implementing strategies such as selecting the right HVAC size after calculating the total load, choosing energy-efficient systems, installing advanced thermostats, optimising ventilation and airflow, keeping a check on zone level performance, implementing energy saving practices and including new technologies to save energy are necessary. These practices help improve the commercial HVAC systems’ efficiency and cost savings.
