Choosing A Variable Refrigerant Flow System For Your Building

A variable refrigerant flow system consists of multiple evaporators of varying capacity, each connected to one central variable capacity heat pump. These systems feature a heat recovery mode what allows energy to be transferred from zone to zone, depending on needs, with minimal compressor use. Because each zone has its own unique air unit, it can control the temperature while operating at peak efficiency.

What makes variable refrigerant flow systems unique is the ability to control heating and cooling efficiently through its load diversification features. A building is set up into zones. You can heat one zone, while cooling another. You can use the waste energy from the cooling process to further enhance the efficiency of the heating process.

The benefits of a variable refrigerant flow system are many:

•   Offer variable speeds
• Offer customizable heating and cooling solutions
• Improve temperature controls
•  Improve occupant comfort
• Offer stronger energy efficiencies
• Reduce operating costs

Using refrigerant to move air around the building is far more efficient than other conventional systems. By having variable speeds, you can match the energy level to the needs of the zone, and only provide heating or cooling as needed within that area.

Moving away from a “one setting for all” approach to HVAC reduces conflicts among tenants that have different needs, and can reduce complaints about changes to indoor climate.

Overall, the systems are often smaller than what a building will currently have installed. Outdoor units units are often small enough that they won’t require a dedicated equipment room, and indoor units can often be concealed in ceilings or retrofitted into existing space.

There are two basic types of systems; one that is air cooled, and one that is water cooled.

If an air cooled system is used, exterior space is required for installation of the condenser unit. The space used for installation has to be away from window, be strong enough to support the weight of the unit, and be accessible for maintenance.

If a water cooled system is used, the system can be placed inside in a small closet. With both systems, a clear path to route the refrigerant pipes must be identified.

While a variable refrigerant flow system isn’t an off-the-shelf solution, and will take careful planning to ensure the load profile of the building offers the proper requirements for setting up the system, it is a viable solution for buildings looking to improve their efficiencies, and have a large number of tenants with different energy demands.

Have questions about installing a variable refrigerant flow system in your building? We’d be happy to provide you with the answers; just give us a call. 

What Makes A HVAC Project Go Well?

If you own or manage a commercial building, you know the HVAC system is a never ending project. As long as it remains in good condition, and repairs are made on a timely basis, everything works well. If an unplanned disruption happens, it can send everyone in the building into a state of panic.

In many ways, a major HVAC project can be easier than a smaller one. Major projects are usually carefully planned, and bring the entire building’s schedule into review. They may be performed on weekends or at non-peak time frames. And they are usually well coordinated and well communicated – two things that bring every person impacted into the process.

Smaller repairs and common maintenance problems usually have the opposite effect. Because they are smaller in nature, management usually schedules them without thinking twice about the consequences. Or worse, they simply “happen” and are dealt with on an as-needed basis. Staff and tenants can get annoyed, complaining about temperature or air quality, and increase potential work processes due to the rising level of complaints.

Although its been eluded to, what makes a project go well? Communication. Communication truly is the key to successfully managing any project you are about to undertake. While you may still have questions and complaints, if people are forewarned, they are usually more tolerant of the process.

Communicate about your projects in three ways:

Provide clear communication about the process, its time tables, and what to expect

A quick email with a phrase or two stating “the HVAC system will be worked on today” can leave people apprehensive and wary. A well thought out memo explaining the process, how long its expected to take, and what disruptions could occur will put people at ease. If you issue a memo days or even weeks in advance, they will know to reschedule major presentations or appointments that could be impacted by unplanned disruptions. That gives you more time to recover, even when the unexpected occurs.

Talk about the exceptions as well as the process

A fire alarm may be inadvertently tripped. Chemical smells may occur. Air conditioning systems may be turned off for periods of time. Certain areas of the building may be inaccessible. All of this and more may be potential problems, depending on the amount of work required. Who will this impact most? If certain repairs will impact certain places of the building more, make sure you address the problems ahead of time to keep everyone safe and secure.

Have a clear way to communicate throughout the process

If people have questions, give them a clear understanding of the process to take if they need answers. You can request emails before a certain date for scheduling conflicts in the event it’s a major project. You can provide mobile phone numbers for immediate assistance. The clearer you make the process, the easier it will be to solve the problem quickly and efficiently. And not have irate people on you hand throughout the process.

How Increased HVAC System Maintenance Increases Energy Savings

Want to know the one thing that can increase your energy savings by up to 40 percent, and decrease your overall equipment and system costs throughout the years? Simple preventative maintenance on your building’s HVAC system.

Studies consistently show that a good maintenance schedule can cut HVAC costs, while also extending equipment life, increasing the uptime of your equipment, and overall making your building’s occupants more comfortable (which means fewer complaints). In spite of all these studies, and a host of marketing strategies to get the word out about how cost effective it can be, most commercial business owners still operate in a reactive mode. Though owners and management teams will often say they understand it is by far more effective to utilize resources to keep things running smoothly all year long, they rarely take their own advice to heart.

Why?

In many cases, it comes down to budgeting. Most organizations underfund maintenance, making reactive maintenance the norm, not the exception. So maintenance is deferred. When budgets are formed and goals aren’t met, the budget is looked at and cutbacks are made. Its nearly impossible to cut back things that are of the utmost importance – a furnace that has stopped working altogether can’t be ignored. But when an executive needs money, and he sees a maintenance line as a part of the overhead costs of running the building, it’s the first place to look when chopping.

So the maintenance contract is cancelled. The equipment does its thing. And everybody is happy … for a while, until a major event occurs and brings the HVAC system to a grinding halt.

Yes, the round-robin process is one almost every building manager can relate to because he lives with it every day.

But how do you get that through to the executive management holding the budget over your head?

Start with a log

Logging costs can show repeat behavior and patterns of problems over time. When they are all lumped together with the monthly maintenance bills, its easy to overlook their true costs. Instead, keep a building log showcasing every problem and every maintenance issue that is handled throughout the year.

While you should track the entire HVAC system as a whole, also track areas individually that you know will give you problems more than others. For instance, a building’s chiller is typically one of the largest users of electricity in a building, and therefore a key target area for maintenance issues to impact the system. By tracking actually costs and maintenance required over a year, including new equipment and replacement charges, compared to the cost a regular maintenance plan would require to catch the same mistakes, it can quickly prove to management where potential savings may be in the long term.

Track failures

As a building ages, the HVAC system is rarely replaced as an entire unit. Instead, pieces are repaired and parts are replaced on an as needed basis. “If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it” can be the motto of those who pay the bills, which can quickly turn into “if its working okay, wait until it doesn’t work before you do anything about it”.

When equipment begins to cause problems, it’s never a one time event. There are always warning signs along the way. A service call here, a repair there, and the maintenance continues time after time trying to keep the whole system working on a budget deemed affordable by the powers that be.

As the head of building maintenance, instead of being reactionary and approaching management with problems, collect all service receipts and show patterns instead. Management makes decisions based on facts. When you can show pieces are being repaired over and over again, and that problems often escalate quickly because maintenance isn’t being performed as a service provider suggests, its easier for them to see where the true problems lies. And to understand how a monthly maintenance plan can benefit them in the long term, protecting their investment from repeated problems, over and over again.

If you’re ready to talk about putting your own maintenance plan into place, we would be happy to provide you with more information on the benefits, and how it can quickly add up to savings overall. 

Finding The Best Commercial HVAC Contractor In Boise

Want to know the secret to saving money? It starts by having the best commercial HVAC contractor in Boise on your side.

If you own commercial property, there is one thing that you probably know for sure: your heating and cooling system will occasionally have problems. Its simply a fact that anything mechanical, anything that operates on a regular basis, will eventually need repair in order to keep it in good working condition.

It’s also true that by maintaining your equipment on a regular schedule, and repairing parts as they first show signs of wear, you can catch things early and reduce the likelihood of more extensive and costly repairs down the road.

But in order to create a regular maintenance structure into your normal routine, you have to have a quality HVAC contractor you can trust to do the job right the first time. How do you find that contractor?

Look For Expertise

Have you done a little research on HVAC contractors? Chances are you’ve discovered that most of them consider themselves to be residential contractors. They may have a small paragraph towards the end of their services page that states “we offer commercial HVAC services too”, but rarely will you find a company dedicated to the needs of commercial accounts.

Here at Total System Services, that’s all we do. We provide commercial HVAC and facility maintenance services here in Boise  and across the Pacific Northwest, and have done so for 30 years.

Why is that important? Because we understand the needs of commercial accounts, and spend our time learning how to offer you the best products and services in the industry. We have been recognized by GSA for our energy savings practices. We’ve become an approved Federal Contractor, and regularly provide O&M services to more than 50 government buildings in the Pacific Northwest. We work hard to maintain compliance with federal, state and local laws and regulations.

Look For Reliability

Reliability is a word that often isn’t synonymous with working with a contractor. In fact, you’ve probably heard horror stories from other business owners when attempting to find a great HVAC contractor to work with.

We take the reliability factor seriously. We know what it means to earn the respect within our community, but more importantly, we understand what it means to provide you with 100 percent customer service. We use the best brands within the heating and air conditioning industries. We are there to service your equipment and answer any questions you may have, regardless of the complexity or size of the problem. We also believe that our ultimate goal is to provide you with a quality service, regardless of how many hours it takes to complete the job. Which is why you’ll never find us charging by the hour, and in fact, you’ll be able to reference our Straightforward Pricing 

Guide to know exactly the fee you’ll be paying.

Reliability means being dependable, consistent, and trustworthy when you need us most.

Look For Quality

Quality comes into play in two ways.

First, find a commercial HVAC contractor that uses only quality parts. A repair does little good if you have to keep repairing it over and over again.

Second, find a commercial HVAC contractor that provides quality services they are willing to stand behind. Nothing is more frustrating than spending the time and money on a repair, only to find out it was a waste of time a short time down the road. Part of a contractors services should be to give you options, let you know how effective a repair will be, and what the implications of that repair will have on your overall system. It also means trusting their advice, and moving forward quickly to keep things running as smooth as possible.

If you have questions about your HVAC system, and are ready to take control over how effectively its managed on a day to day basis, we would appreciate the opportunity to sit down  and speak with you.