Time to get your BEMS ready for spring! Here’s some simple, energy-saving tips
Spring has sprung! Which means it’s time to prep your BEMS for warmer days. Save energy and money by delicately managing that shift between heating and cooling. Here’s some simple tips to get you started.
Check your timings
Ahead of the BST clock change on Sunday 30th March, set timings on the front end terminal of your BEMS or schedule it to advance automatically. Don’t forget networked controllers, which can also be re-timed.
Is your BEMS ‘bank holiday’ ready?
We’ve got four bank holidays this spring – that’s four days’ worth of energy you could be saving. Set the below dates in advance, or your HVAC plant services will run in an empty building.
- 18th April: Good Friday
- 21st April: Easter Monday
- 5th May: Early May Bank Holiday
- 26th May: Spring Bank Holiday
Optimise your heating and cooling services
When it comes to saving energy, you might think spring is a sweet spot for building operators. That’s because in an ideal world, heating 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 heating and cooling services, why not optimise the start/stop functionality of your plant? Essentially, this means your heating and cooling services will stop and start based on your BEMS ability to ‘self learn’. It’ll learn your building’s thermal characteristics, based on predefined comfort settings, over a certain period of time.
Revisit your temperature setpoints
Set your comfort temperature setpoints to achievable values and create a ‘deadband’ to minimise system conflict. For example, set your heating to 20°C with cooling available if the temperature rises above 23°C.
On top of this, you might want to consider ‘compensated’ temperature setpoints, which factor in both internal and external temperatures to influence plant control. Perfect for colder mornings and warmer afternoons.
Keep reviewing those BEMS settings
Routinely review your BEMS settings. It’s good practice and you’ll feel safe in the knowledge that your BEMS accurately reflects your building’s usage and occupancy patterns. You’ll improve your energy efficiency and maximise savings.
Contact
Got any questions or need advice? Find your local office and drop us a message, or email info@kendraenergy.co.uk.
