Ways to Reduce HVAC Costs
Depending on the local climate and air recirculation, conditioning outside air may significantly impact a building’s cooling load. For example, spaces like theaters or auditoriums, which hold many people, often require substantial energy to condition outside air. Additionally, areas where air cannot be recirculated due to specific tasks also face high heating, cooling, and humidity control costs.
Variable Air Volume
In such scenarios, maximizing existing Variable Air Volume (VAV) control systems can lead to improved energy efficiency and cost savings. At certain times, airflow may be reduced to a lower minimum without violating fresh air requirements, depending on building usage. Moreover, conducting airflow measurements and reviewing building codes could uncover major savings opportunities with little to no additional cost.
Outdoor Air Temperature Impact on Equipment Use
Even where most air is re-circulated, however, judicious use of outside air can help cut HVAC bills. An economizer cycle uses outdoor air instead of return air to cool a space when the outside air is significantly cooler and dryer than return air. Depending on outdoor humidity, using more outside air in the 60-65 degree range may provide some free cooling. When outside temperature is below about 52-57 degrees, chillers may be shut off and 100 percent outside air used to perform all necessary cooling. Doing so may involve only changes to EMS programming or alterations to outside air damper linkage settings.
Programming
With a bit more sophisticated programming, and possibly the addition of a humidity sensor, even higher temperature outside air may be used, especially in dry climates. By comparing return air wet-bulb instead of just dry-bulb temperature to that of outside air, the differential enthalpy value is taken into account (enthalpy measures the total heat content of air, including that held by its moisture). Dry air in the high 60s may hold much less total heat than moist return air, for example. From the point of view of a cooling coil, maximum use of such outside air makes its job easier.
HVAC Services at Continuum Services
At Continuum, we provide a trusted, single-source solution for all facility HVAC maintenance and repair. Our proprietary computerized maintenance management software system (CMMS) provides an easy-to-use web portal for requests, work orders, and tracking the status of the assigned technicians.
Our mobile technicians focus on specialized repairs and preventative maintenance, as well as perform:
• HVAC Replacements, Maintenance, and Repair
• HVAC Installations
• Electrical Troubleshooting and Repair
• Building Automation, Temperature Controls and Energy Management Improvements and Upgrades
• Energy Improvements and Retrofits
• Preventive Maintenance Agreements
• Electrical Infrared Scanning
Contact Continuum Services today for your HVAC needs. (833) 378-4088
