If you want to lower your facility’s operation cost, first, you’ll have to lower the HVAC system’s energy consumption. Here are three effective ways to do so using modern HVAC units.

3 Effective Ways to Lower Facility’s Utility Expenses

1.   Under Floor Air Distribution

If you’re looking for an HVAC solution that will allow you to set the thermostat settings higher while maintaining maximum efficiency, consider installing the under-floor air distribution. This under-floor air distribution is perfect for open-plan office spaces. So, how does this under-floor air distribution technology works?

In under-floor air distribution, the produced air from the AC or heating unit moves through the plenum. Plenums are generally about 12 to 16 inches above the concrete floor. And to send the produced air to the occupied space, diffusing method is used.

However, if required, under the floor, terminal units and air ducts can be used as well. Compared to other HVAC solutions, this under-floor air distribution is way more efficient and effective because it uses thermal stratification and the air source is close to the occupied space. But in other HVAC solutions, the air source is generally far from the occupied space, which results in low efficiency.

2.   Occupancy Sensors

In most commercial spaces, a heating or cooling unit operates even when no one is in the room. If this is happening in your facility as well, you’re wasting a lot of energy.

So, what is the solution?

You can integrate occupancy sensors with your HVAC system to solve this issue. An occupancy sensor can identify the presence of personnel and sends signals to the HVAC unit. After receiving the signal, the HVAC unit will produce hot and cold air according to the number of people present in the room. If there is no one in the facility, the HVAC unit will turn off automatically.

With this occupancy sensor, you can save up to 30 percent of the total energy usage.

Different types of occupancy sensors use different technologies such as lighting sensors, Bluetooth-enabled technology, etc. Occupancy sensors that use the lighting sensor can detect the movement of personnel, control microphones, and cameras. Again, occupancy sensors that have Bluetooth technology use low energy to detect the movement of personnel in the space.

However, every sensor has its own merits and disadvantages. For example, occupancy sensors that can control the microphone and camera can raise some privacy concerns. That’s why, before integrating occupancy sensors into your facility’s HVAC unit, consult an HVAC professional to know more about the pros and cons of each sensor.

3.   Airflow Control with VAV Box

Regular or older HVAC systems dump the entire produced air inside. Because of this, a lot of energy is wasted, and sometimes it creates temperature instability in your facility. But when you use the VAV box or terminal unit, you can control the volume of produced air. As a result, you can control your facility temperature more effectively, which results in more comfort. Besides, as the VAV box doesn’t dump the produced air entirely, you can decrease the energy consumption.

Generally, terminal units or VAV boxes are installed inside the air ducts. When people inside your facility feel warm, you’ll have to adjust the thermostat, and the VAV box will dump produced cold air into your facility. Again, when the thermostat detects that the temperature is way below the ideal temperature, it sends a signal to the terminal units. After receiving the signal, the VAV box shut down the dumper and thus, reduces the airflow in the space.

Because of this controlled dumping, you can customize the temperature settings according to the demand. As a result, you can have more comfort and save energy at the same time.

Conclusion

Along with everything we covered above, it is important that your HVAC equipment is well maintained. Otherwise, your HVAC unit won’t give the desired comfort and consume more energy. Besides, if the HVAC maintenance is neglected for years, you can expect a system breakdown.

See the summary of this content here in an infographic – 3 Ways to Lower Facility’s Expenses with Modern HVAC Units [Infographic]

For all sorts of HVAC support, installation or consultation, contact Green Leaf Air. Green Leaf Air provides 24/7 support to homeowners and businesses in Dallas and its surrounding areas. Call 972-992-5006 for more details about our services.