Changing Seasons: Tuning Your Building for Spring

Building automation system controls within your facility play an important role in saving energy and creating a comfortable and productive building environment. To optimize savings and comfort, sensors and controls must be regularly re-calibrated to match changing weather and operating conditions, and spring is the perfect time. Here are steps you should take to retune your building for the changing season.

Ask the Right Questions

To maximize energy savings and occupant comfort, it's important to inspect and adjust building controls regularly. Key questions to ask include:

•    Are building sensors calibrated and operating according to specifications?
•    Do building equipment schedules reflect occupancy and seasonal changes?
•    Are damper and valve controls functioning properly?
•    Can some equipment be scheduled to operate during off-peak hours?
•    Are there any leaks present in the pneumatic control systems?
•    Can temperatures be adjusted to save energy after hours?
•    Does the supply of hot water match daily consumption patterns?

With the answers to these questions, you'll be better prepared to ensure that your building is operating efficiently.

Line Things Up

The first step in tuning up controls is to align the indoor and outdoor building sensors. Calibration of room thermostats, duct thermostats, humidistats, and pressure and temperature sensors should be in accordance with original design specifications. Calibrating occupancy sensors and lighting controls can reduce lighting system energy use by 10% or more.

Damper and valve controls should be inspected to make sure they're functioning properly:

•    Check pneumatically controlled dampers for leaks in the compressed air hose lines.
•    Make sure dampers open and close properly; stiff dampers can result in too much or too little outside air.

Adjusting dampers to reduce the amount of outside air brought inside can help to lower HVAC energy usage.

Calibrating and maintaining building controls often requires specialized skills and equipment, such as computer software. Make sure building controls are inspected and calibrated by a qualified technician who has experience with energy management systems.

Keep up with the Times

Review your current operating schedules. Although control schedules remain constant, occupancy schedules change frequently during the course of the year. This can result in wasted energy and reduced occupant comfort.

Adjust HVAC controls to maintain a comfortable environment during occupied hours. For example, thermostats and other building controls should be reprogrammed to reflect higher outdoor temperatures and humidity levels, increased daylight hours and other changing operating conditions.

It's also important to review your rate schedules. Electric rates are different for on-peak and off-peak hours. If possible, schedule equipment to run during less costly, off-peak hours. For some buildings, precooling strategies may be necessary.

Saving Energy and Money

Although results vary according to facility type and condition, geographic location and other factors, savings for a well-tuned building control system can range up to 30% of annual HVAC costs, according to the U.S. Department of Energy. To optimize savings, add building control inspection and adjustment to your maintenance schedule this spring and regularly throughout the year.