Keep costs under control

Yesterday, the clocks fell back. Marking the end of British Summer Time (BST) and the start of colder months ahead. As temperatures drop, energy use inevitably rises, but you can control the size of that energy increase by properly preparing your building energy management system (BEMS) for winter. It’ll help you stay efficient while keeping costs under control.

Start by preparing your building

Has your heating system been serviced? And is your plant maintenance complete? Make sure seasonal items in your plant are working correctly before bringing them back online.

Next, it’s time to prepare your BEMS for winter

Most businesses waste energy without even realising it. This autumn, get on top of your energy efficiency by ensuring a smooth transition between seasons. Here’s some hints and tips to get you started.

Check your timings

Clocks ‘fell back’ on Sunday 26th October. So make sure the front-end terminal of your BEMS is scheduled to adjust automatically or if needed, put a note in the diary to adjust it manually. While you’re at it, remember to retime networked controllers and any standalone control devices.

Check your holidays

You’ll be out of office from 25th December until 2nd January (if you aren’t working in-between). That’s nine days’ worth of energy that could be saved. Set the dates you’re away in advance so your HVAC plant services aren’t running in an empty building.

Optimise your BEMS

Save energy by optimising the ‘start/stop’ functionality of your plant. Modern smart energy systems can ‘self learn’ and will stop and start your heating and cooling services based on your building’s thermal characteristics. Basically, your BEMS will keep indoor temperatures at a predefined comfort level but only during times your building is occupied. We’d suggest talking to a BEMS specialist about setting this up.

Set achievable set points

In an ideal world, heating systems would only be used in colder months and vice versa for cooling. In reality, though, both systems are likely to run simultaneously through the year. To save on both, it might be time to revisit your comfort temperature setpoints.

Setpoint values should be achievable and create a ‘deadband’ to minimise system conflict. For example, you can set your heating to 20°C, with cooling available if the temperature rises above 23°C.

It’s also worth checking your ‘compensated’ temperature setpoints. In this case, plant control is influenced by both internal and external temperatures. Perfect for colder mornings and warmer afternoons.