Building Safety Month: Energy & Innovation in Commercial HVAC

The International Code Council (ICC) is celebrating Building Safety Month throughout the month of May. Week one is focused on energy and innovation. According to the ICC: The building safety industry is on the cutting edge of energy efficiency, building science and innovation. From green construction and resiliency to product evaluation, certification and codification, the International Code Council family of solutions is part of this technological transformation to make our buildings safer and our industry more advanced and adaptable.

What does that mean for those of us who are heavily invested on the HVAC side of the building industry? For one, it means that we need to remain focused on selecting equipment and systems to help buildings run more efficiently overall. An efficient HVAC system not only keeps occupants comfortable, but also reduces the overall energy requirements of the system. This impacts both the building owner’s bottom line and the overall carbon footprint of the building.

How can we ensure we’re doing our part in the commercial HVAC community to keep the focus on energy and innovation not just in May, but throughout the year?

1. Work with reputable manufacturers. Our manufacturing partners are committed not only to continual innovation when it comes to HVAC solutions, but also to helping design engineers, contractors, and building owners achieve maximum energy efficiency. Many of them have teams dedicated to product innovation and looking for ways to maximize HVAC system efficiency. They look at how their equipment operates within the system and how it impacts the overall efficiency.
   
   
2. Upgrade tired equipment. Your 30-year-old commercial HVAC equipment may still be ticking along if your teams have been responsible about preventive maintenance throughout the years. However, the truth is that investing in new equipment now may save money in terms of energy costs and upkeep. Have a conversation with your local manufacturer’s rep about what you are trying to achieve with your system and ensure that the HVAC equipment and system you are running is still a viable solution.
   
   
3. Encourage small things. Ask building occupants to analyze where the real range of comfort is. Can the A/C be set on 76 in the summer? Take a look at investing in a building control system that helps occupants maximize use of lighting and air conditioning in unoccupied spaces. Take a look at your real energy usage and set a goal to decrease it building-wide by small percentages each month until you get to a lower usage level.

Building safety month is the perfect time to start thinking about your building’s health and how to improve it. Here in week one, it’s a great time to have conversations about energy and how your facilities teams and your building occupants can positively impact your building’s safety…and the bottom line.

If you want to know more about upgrading your building’s commercial HVAC system, contact your local HVAC manufacturer’s rep and start a conversation.