Henderson Building Solutions Associate Zach Kremer Authors Energy Article for IAVM Facility Manager

Page 34

ARENAS:

HIDDEN ENERGY WASTE: Small Components with Large Impacts | By Zach Kremer, PE, RCX-EB CP • When out of calibration, these sensors will often start reading more CO2 \PIV _PI\ IK\]ITTa M`Q[\[ ?Q\P \PQ[ QVNWZUI\QWV \PM KWV\ZWT[ [a[tem opens the outdoor air damper to decrease the amount of CO2. The QVKZMI[M QV W]\LWWZ IQZ ÆW_ ZMY]QZM[ UWZM MVMZOa \W PMI\ IVL KWWT XZWXerly. In this scenario, you are wasting money and equipment capacity to condition outdoor air you don’t require for ventilation.

5IVIOQVO I NIKQTQ\a Q[ LQ‍ٝ‏K]T\ <PMZM IZM KW]V\TM[[ UIQV\MVIVKM IVL WXMZI\QWV[ IK\Q^Q\QM[ \PI\ U][\ JM KWUXTM\ML LIQTa ¸ \I[S[ \PI\ QVKZMI[M WV M^MV\ LIa[ 8ZM^MV\I\Q^M XZIK\QKM[ \PW]OP VMKM[[IZa IZM WN\MV LQ‍ٝ‏K]T\ \W keep up with during the everyday schedule of these spaces. By not engaging in proactive maintenance, a facility can often face increased energy usage IVL ]T\QUI\MTa WXMZI\QWVIT KW[\[ <PM Ă…MTL \MIU I\ 0MVLMZ[WV *]QTLQVO ;WT]\QWV[ PI[ KWUXQTML [WUM ]VQY]M _Ia[ \W QUXZW^M \PM WXMZI\QWVIT M‍ٝ‏ciency and functionality of your facility. First, take a quick assessment of your current challenges. Has your energy consumption increased without a clear reason? A slow increase in energy use day-to-day doesn’t seem like much, but over time this can create a big impact on the bottom line. Although this is typically a slow drift, it is certainly something to pay close attention to and take necessary precautions to avoid. Have there been noticeable changes in your equipment usage levels? 1N aW] PI^MVÂź\ UILM UWLQĂ…KI\QWV[ \W aW]Z NIKQTQ\a \PI\ _W]TL M`plain the increased load, you may be able to recover “lostâ€? capacity by employing some simple practices. Have you noticed an increase in comfort complaints? This doesn’t mean you need a new system or equipment, but it does show that aW]Z K]ZZMV\ QVNZI[\Z]K\]ZM KIV WXMZI\M UWZM M‍ٝ‏KQMV\Ta _PQTM QUXZW^QVO comfort to your occupants. + KIZJWV LQW`QLM :0 ZMTI\Q^M P]UQLQ\a IVL IQZÆW_ [MV[WZ[ IZM \PZMM WN \PM JQOOM[\ K]TXZQ\[ _PMV M`IUQVQVO \PM[M Q[[]M[ <PMa OW W]\ WN calibration the quickest and can have major impacts. CO2 Sensors ÂŒ .IKQTQ\a [\I‍[ ٺ‏PW]TL ZM^QM_ +72 LI\I \ZMVL[ M^MZa [Q` UWV\P[ \W QLMV\Qfy drift or calibration loss of sensors. Failure to monitor this data leads to ]VLMZ IVL UWZM KZQ\QKITTa W^MZ^MV\QTI\QWV _PQKP KIV PI^M I [QOVQĂ…KIV\ impact on both occupant comfort and energy use. • CO2 sensors should be calibrated using a calibrated device and calibra\QWV OI[ I\ TMI[\ M^MZa Ă…^M aMIZ[ 1N \PM [MV[WZ[ IZM M`XW[ML \W IQZ[\ZMIU[ \PI\ KWV\IQV KPMUQKIT[ [QOVQĂ…KIV\ L][\ WZ W\PMZ LMJZQ[ [W]ZKM[ UWZM frequent calibration may be required to maintain optimal performance. • If a CO2 sensor cannot be calibrated, then it should be replaced. If \PM [MV[WZ Q[ š[MTN KITQJZI\ML Âş \PMa IZM IK\]ITTa [MTN KWZZMK\QVO ¸ VW\ [MTN KITQJZI\QVO ¸ IVL IZM WN\MV VW\ IKK]ZI\M -^MV \PM[M LM^QKM[ VMML \W JM ^MZQĂ…ML ZMO]TIZTa 34 Facility Manager Magazine

RH Sensors • Due to the type and sensitivity of the sensing element, calibration of RH sensors should be checked no less than every two years. If the sen[WZ[ IZM M`XW[ML \W KPMUQKIT[ QVKT]LQVO [XIKM[ \PI\ IZM [\MZQTQbML WN\MV or frequent condensation, more frequent calibration checks may be required. • Due to the nature of RH sensor operation, if a sensor is found to be out of calibration, it needs to be replaced. Failure to do so can have a [QOVQĂ…KIV\ QUXIK\ WV [XIKM KWVLQ\QWV[ M[XMKQITTa _PMZM IKK]ZI\M :0 control is necessary. • When out of calibration, RH sensors can cause equipment to go into ]VVMKM[[IZa LMP]UQLQĂ…KI\QWV KaKTM[ IVL I[ I ZM[]T\ \PM [a[\MU _QTT QVcrease cooling or reheating operations. Temperature sensors can do the same thing. When they start to drift, they’re not providing accurate data to the rest of your system and your costs will begin to rise. )QZÆW_ ;MV[WZ[ ÂŒ 1V ITT ^MV]M[ ¸ M[XMKQITTa \PW[M \PI\ PWTL LQZ\ M^MV\[ ¸ LQZ\ IVL L][\ KIV OM\ XI[\ IQZ Ă…T\MZ[ IVL QV\W \PM IQZ [\ZMIU[ ,QZ\ IVL L][\ OM\ QV\W \PM []XXTa L]K\_WZS IVL KIV KTWO \PM IQZÆW_ [MV[QVO LM^QKM[ QV >)> ^IZQIJTM IQZ ^WT]UM JW`M[ IVL IQZ PIVLTQVO ]VQ\[ ?PMV \PMa OM\ \WW LQZ\a the sensors can’t read properly and supply additional unnecessary air. • By cleaning these sensors properly, you will save fan horsepower and prevent wasted heating and cooling simply by making sure that the IQZÆW_ UMI[]ZMUMV\[ IZM IKK]ZI\M <PQ[ KIV IT[W ZML]KM PW\ IVL KWTL complaints from the occupants. The bottom line: Maintaining and replacing sensors at the correct intervals is crucial to avoiding substantial costs in operating your facility. Most buildings do not replace their sensors quick enough, even those that utilize service contracts for controls and equipment. With modern controls systems, sensors are crucial to the successful operation of a building. By planning these routine maintenance activities, a facility UIVIOMZ _QTT VW\ WVTa KZMI\M IV MV^QZWVUMV\ \PI\ MVPIVKM[ \PM O]M[\ M`XMrience but will also provide increased value to their company through energy cost avoidance. Becoming educated and staying on top of these procedures KIV [WUM\QUM[ JM \PM LQ‍ٺ‏MZMVKM QV P]VLZML[ WN \PW][IVL[ WN LWTTIZ[ With a seemingly never-ending list of things to do while managing a faKQTQ\a KPMKSQVO \PM +7 :0 IVL IQZÆW_ [MV[WZ[ KIV WN\MV OM\ W^MZTWWSML but their potential impact cannot be overstated. In giving them the correct attention in the proper timeframes, your facility and bottom line will be in much better shape. FM Zach Kremer is an associate, mechanical engineer, and commissioning agent for Henderson Building Solutions, a construction management and commissioning company that is a wholTa W_VML []J[QLQIZa WN 0MVLMZ[WV -VOQVMMZ[ 3ZMUMZ PI[ JMMV QV \PM Ă…MTL _WZSQVO _Q\P building systems for more than a decade. His experience includes retro-commissioning at the )< < +MV\MZ QV ;IV )V\WVQW <M`I[ _PMZM PM [MZ^ML I[ I ZM[W]ZKM \W NIKQTQ\a [\I‍\ ٺ‏W PMTX improve operations and energy costs.

Turn static files into dynamic content formats.

Create a flipbook
Issuu converts static files into: and more. Sign up and create your flipbook.