Small Commercial Buildings: An Ounce of Prevention
"..A low-cost wireless condition monitoring and diagnostic technology, developed by researchers at PNNL in collaboration with industry, can help prevent system failures and save energy."
A significant portion of electricity costs in small commercial buildings comes from HVAC systems and lighting. Small commercial buildings typically have several air-conditioning units. These units are often run until a catastrophic failure occurs, such as complete loss of cooling caused by a failed compressor, failed condenser fan, failed supply fan, or significant loss of refrigerant. System failures are expensive, usually requiring units to be replaced, while minor adjustments and maintenance can lower energy bills and prevent system failures.
A low-cost wireless condition monitoring and diagnostic technology, developed by researchers at PNNL in collaboration with industry, can help prevent system failures and save energy. As part of the project, the technology will be installed on an estimated 200 air-conditioning units in small commercial buildings (<50,000 sf) throughout the state. This system automatically detects and diagnoses improper operation of rooftop HVAC systems and enables continuous monitoring of the status of these systems, enabling condition-based servicing. The technology, which alerts operators and service providers via the Internet when problems occur, can help prevent damage as well as keep equipment operating at peak efficiency and reigning in electric bills.
Participating HVAC service providers will be trained to install the monitoring and diagnostic system and will, after installation:
- Regularly monitor the condition of the units using the system
- Make cost-effective repairs and maintenance that have been identified by the condition monitoring system, and
- Log all the repairs and maintenance to the participating HVAC units in an online log provided by Battelle.
The project will provide the monitoring system and service free to participants for the duration of the project. HVAC service providers selected to participate in the project will be reimbursed for the time their staff spend installing the monitoring and diagnostic systems.
The Bonneville Power Administration (BPA) has provided funding to enhance the savings measurement aspects of this project. BPA funds will be used to provide electricity use monitoring on a subsample of fifty of the participating HVAC units for 12 months before the wireless condition monitoring and diagnostic technology is installed to provide data from which to establish a baseline for measurement of savings. The BPA project will also support enhancing the energy savings analysis. Learn more about BPA's Diagnostic Savings Measurement Project.
Small Building Overview