Tips for Facility Managers to Save Energy on HVAC Systems
It might come as a surprise to many, but commercial space cooling accounts for approximately 20% of electricity use. Coupled with the fact that HVAC systems are the most energy-intensive equipment in most industrial and commercial facilities, one gets a good idea of the challenging role that facility managers have. It is your duty as a facility manager to ensure that your commercial air conditioning performs its task optimally and contributes to operational efficiency. A facility manager can apply some strategies to achieve energy saving on HVAC systems. This post provides pointers in this regard.
Opt for Programmable Thermostats -- Temperature fluctuations in an industrial facility determine how hard an AC system works. The reason is that in an industrial or commercial setting, foot traffic in specific areas varies at different times of the day. If the conditioning system uses a manual thermostat, then a lot of energy goes to waste before adjustments are made. Programmable thermostats are the best option for large and busy facilities because they can tailor temperature settings based on real-time space requirements. For instance, if space is not in use, a programmable thermostat reduces the need to cool or heat that particular area thereby avoiding energy waste.
Regular Filter Change -- Unlike residential homes, commercial settings harbour lots of debris from various sources, both inside and outside. Therefore, it is prudent for facility managers to change HVAC filters on a regular basis to avoid poor air quality and consequently to overwork the units. While it is recommended that one changes their residential AC unit filter after every 6–12 months, HVAC filter change on industrial facilities must be carried out every three months. With new filters every three months, the air-conditioning unit will perform as intended without the need to overwork itself, which will lower energy costs.
Shift Electric Loads -- Typically, energy usage during nights and weekends is quite low, which is why Australian residences and businesses pay lower rates during these times. Commercial facilities should, therefore, take advantage of such days to reduce overall annual energy costs. For instance, since AC systems make part of the non-critical electric loads during the night, you can shift the energy to thermal ice storage systems to make ice that will be used to cool the facility the next day. In this case, the AC system will not be used during the day when peak electricity rates are higher.