Energy Conservation for Commercial HVAC and Office Buildings: Are You Ready to Go Green?

Environmentally responsible heating and air conditioning can save property owners big money, too.

Against today’s fever-pitch public rhetoric, “going green” when it comes to HVAC could be construed as more of a political act for a commercial property owner than a practical one. And yet, regardless of your stance on any number of issues, streamlining your heating and air conditioning system’s energy usage is simply smart business for any commercial property owner in the San Gabriel Valley. Integrating environmentally responsible technology into your HVAC strategy results in better energy efficiency and system performance, which in turn translates to lower utility costs across the board. And who doesn’t want to save money?

As you might imagine, according to the U.S. Energy Information Administration, much of the energy demand in the average commercial building comes from your heating, ventilation and air conditioning system. Going green allows you to get a handle on both your energy consumption and your peak demand for this expensive resource, while also reducing your carbon footprint.

Below, we explore a few of the latest HVAC options to consider in moving towards an environmentally responsible, energy conserving approach to reducing your bottom line.

Solar energy

Today’s solar-powered HVAC technology can power your commercial building entirely, or be incorporated into your system as an intermittent alternative to a connection with the larger energy grid. In that case, commercial building HVAC systems can be configured to use any extra energy accumulated through solar power to power some building components but not others, while even selling back the extra to the power company.

Air Conditioners Powered By Ice

A renewable “ice battery” allows you to essentially transform your air conditioner into an energy efficient, least-cost system. Designed for many commercial applications, this groundbreaking thermal battery integrates into an existing commercial HVAC system (with ductwork or even with ductless mini splits system) to reduce peak cooling electricity by up to 90% for up to 5-6 hours per day.

Better Energy Analysis

We talk a lot about energy audits in this space, particularly for commercial building owners. But what if there was effective software to help you not only determine the most energy efficient HVAC system upgrades for your commercial property, but also project exactly how much energy this equipment will use over a building’s total lifetime? This technology now exists, allowing users to also take into consideration the impact of even non-HVAC factors like reflective roofing, etc.

According to Rich Haley, vice president of Trane, a leading manufacturer of heating, ventilation and air conditioning systems, it can also help architects and engineers determine exactly the right HVAC equipment to install when they create their initial commercial building design.

These are only three of the exciting new breakthroughs in environmentally responsible equipment and design that the HVAC industry is talking about right now.  As energy becomes more expensive for the Los Angeles area and commercial building owners search for new ways to cut costs without sacrificing indoor comfort, rest assured that there will be even more in the days to come.

Have questions about ways to save energy with your commercial building’s HVAC system? Call Air-Tro today. (626) 357-3535.