Many building owners think of solar fields, cogeneration, solar hot water, and absorption chillers when they hear the words "energy savings." Although these high-profile, trendy options can reduce energy costs, they typically require substantial investments that must be financed over several years to achieve a reasonable return. Savings projections usually assume that existing mechanical systems, in conjunction with the previously mentioned technologies, are operating efficiently. History tells us that is not always the case.

This article will explore whether an existing building is a candidate for energy savings through measures such as adjusting a building-automation program, addressing years of deferred maintenance, recommissioning existing mechanical systems, and training in-house maintenance staff. When appropriately applied, these measures have the potential to reduce current energy consumption, extend equipment life, and improve comfort levels. Additionally, they typically can be tied into local utility rebate programs.

It is important to understand how a building becomes operationally efficient as well as how its inefficient operation impacts a building's systems.

Deferred Maintenance
There are numerous reasons why scheduled mechanical-systems maintenance is not performed or is deferred. The most common explanations are a lack of funding, staffing, technical skills, or in-house staff production.

When confronted with budget cuts, companies usually trim the maintenance department first. As might be expected, the list of deferred items continues to grow in proportion to the irregularity of maintenance.

Deferred maintenance begins to impact system operation in subtle ways. A minor problem, such as a dirty filter, can be compounded by a dirty coil and worn pulley and result in decreased airflow delivery. The most common indicator of this type of failure is an occupant's complaint that a particular area of a conditioned zone is too hot or too cold. If the operational inefficiency is not addressed, energy costs are likely to increase. Because such an increase accounts for such a small percentage of a facility's total utility bill, it often goes unnoticed.

An occupant's complaint results in a service request to the maintenance department. Because of the numerous duties of a typical maintenance department, the response is handled one of two ways:

• By an in-house maintenance professional. With time constraints and skill-level issues, some type of temperature adjustment or controls override typically is used, forcing the system into full cooling or heating. The cooling or heating system then must run longer because of the shortage of airflow to the space. Meanwhile, energy costs increase.

Overriding the system or lowering the thermostat setting eventually causes an occupant to stop complaining about the cold and start complaining about the heat. The original service request then is repeated with similar consequences. Energy, as well as a maintenance staff’s time, are wasted, increasing an owner’s costs.

• By an outside contractor. An outside contractor typically addresses the most obvious symptom, rather than the root cause of a problem. This approach usually focuses on the component, rather than system, level. For example, a contractor may simply adjust the thermostat or controller, while the real problem could be system failure caused by multiple minor system deficiencies and/or deferred maintenance (e.g., a dirty filter, dirty coils, worn pulleys). This situation inevitably leads to a second service call to the outside contractor because the root issue remains unresolved. Once again, energy, as well as the contractor's and maintenance staff's time, is wasted, increasing an owner's costs.

In this scenario, the system eventually will experience total failure, which is far more costly than if the initial issue had been addressed and routine maintenance performed.

Poorly Integrated Building Automation
The push to reduce energy usage is creating many challenges for owners of buildings constructed within the last 30 years. Most of these facilities’ building-automation systems (BAS) are complicated and carry high maintenance costs. Because maintenance crews are not always trained properly, simple system overrides often are standard operating procedure. Building automation, however, has evolved significantly, requiring systems to be maintained carefully and reprogrammed and updated periodically to take advantage of the latest technology.

When properly installed, programmed, and maintained, BAS operate mechanical systems in an energy-efficient manner. When a BAS is not maintained or reprogrammed properly or is installed on poorly maintained mechanical equipment, excess energy is consumed. Meanwhile, the owner has a false sense of security that energy costs are being controlled.