Proven Methods to Save Energy with Commercial HVAC Systems.
Alpha Mechanical News
Strategies for Making HVAC Energy Efficiency Improvements
How can you maximize the return on time and money invested in lowering energy bills? One way is by using proven strategies. Here are some of the most effective actions and HVAC energy saving tips from Alpha Mechanical.
1. Perform an energy audit
The first step in finding out how to reduce energy consumption in buildings is to find out when, and where energy is being used and thus wasted by completing an energy audit. A good place to start when trying to get a handle on your energy usage is to review your buildings expenses and your service, repair and maintenance records. Also a full inspection of your HVAC system should be conducted. You might find that you can reduce energy consumption by taking care of minor problems such as blocked vents or filters.
The more that is known about your building’s general energy consumption, the easier it is to find and address and fix problems.
2. Have a system of preventative maintenance in place and acted upon.
Regular HVAC maintenance from a HVAC professional will make your system more efficient and help prevent costly repairs. Clogged filters, dirty ducts and coils, debris and dust laden vents and fatigued parts will make your system work harder and longer to get to set temperatures. If you have a preventative maintenance contract with Alpha Mechanical, our HVAC technicians will thoroughly inspect and clean different parts of your system to ensure peak system efficiency.
3. Make repairs promptly
Ensuring that heating and cooling systems are always operating at peak efficiency helps control energy costs. Thus make repairs promptly. Putting off repairs can lead to an even costlier major breakdowns. Also when you add the constantly growing cost of inefficient HVAC operation to the repair expense it is better to act quickly and will end up less costly in the long run.
4. Use programmable thermostats and smart technology
A variety of major HVAC manufacturers sell HVAC units that may be controlled and monitored by an app on a mobile device. With this technology, a network of sensors and touchscreen wi-fi thermostats can continuously monitor and control the ambient temperature throughout the facility and improve the indoor air quality of the building. All the while allowing data to be collected to facilitate a better program of planned preventative maintenance by Alpha Mechanical, this saves on energy bills, reduces overall costs by not heating or cooling beyond requirements and saves on maintenance and/or expensive repairs.
See more: How Alpha Mechanical use Smart HVAC Technology.
5. Change your older HVAC system, upgrade or retrofit?
A retrofit can be a stop-gap before you have to replace your system entirely. Retrofits, which can include replacing the system’s compressor, adding condenser fan controls, adding demand-controlled ventilation and adding air side economizers, can boost your comfort and reduce your energy bill. Studies have shown that a retrofit can equate to an energy savings of up to 35 percent. That makes a retrofit an attractive option when you’re thinking about how to save energy in buildings.
While a retrofit might not be a good fit in all instances, a large well–maintained, but energy – guzzling system might be a good candidate for a retrofit.
6. Improve the system's insulation.
This is not just about walls and windows. Adding insulation around pipes, HVAC ducting, and electrical outlets reduces the amount of air conditioning and heating that is lost without having any impact on your building’s comfort level. For example, if your duct work has not been cleaned or inspected for a long time, it’s possible that the insulation has been compromised over time. It may have holes and tears that leak cool air from the air conditioner and warm air from the furnace. That air never makes it to the registers and the occupied areas of your building, but instead warms and cools the crawl spaces where the ducts are.
7. Educate tenants or employees
Most people are happy to use energy wisely if they are made aware what the best practices are. Simply explaining to them how a particular action affects energy costs positively or negatively may be all the incentive they need to change their habits. If you want to significantly cut your usage, everybody needs to be on board. Conduct training sessions with employees or building tenants to teach them about energy consumption measures. Let them know that you are monitoring consumption, and even provide incentives for changes
Finally - Hire expert mechanical services contractors...
Alpha Mechanical Services & Contractors are one of The United Kingdom's and Ireland's leading providers of high efficiency commercial heating, ventilation, and air conditioning systems (HVAC). Services include: new equipment installation & design, repair, replacement and planned preventative maintenance.
We offer a full range of mechanical consulting, installation and maintenance services with expertise in all aspects of commercial and retail HVAC systems. We have our own in-house engineering, fabrication, commissioning and health and safety experts to ensure cost-effective delivery of the highest quality solutions in a zero harm environment.
At Alpha Mechanical Services Ltd. we bring industry leading expertise and cutting edge technology to create uncompromising solutions. Lets work together!