This can happen when controls follow settings that keep the building running but do not adapt sufficiently to how the premises are used. Here are five signs that it is worth taking a closer look at operations.
1. Ventilation keeps running at the same level as demand falls
An office with only a few people present has different needs from one with full meeting rooms. If airflows remain at the same level, ventilation may use more energy than necessary.
Look at how airflows vary throughout the day and week. Do they adapt as demand changes, or follow the same setting throughout operating hours? A time schedule determines when ventilation runs, but does not in itself tell you how much ventilation the premises need while it is running.
2. Heating continues as the premises are already getting warm
The sun, people and equipment all contribute heat. If the controls do not take sufficient account of this, the heating system can continue supplying energy while indoor temperatures rise.
This may show up as recurring overheating or an increased need for cooling later in the day. To understand what is happening, room temperatures need to be monitored alongside the operation of heating, ventilation and cooling.
3. The controls have limited information about indoor conditions
Which measurements are actually used to control the building? Is information from the premises available, and does it influence airflow and temperature setpoints?
A sensor reading that is only displayed on a monitoring screen does not change how the building operates. To adapt the controls, relevant measurements need to be used when settings are determined. Otherwise, operation can continue unchanged even though the premises’ needs have changed.
4. The same settings need repeated manual adjustment
Recurring adjustments to temperatures and airflows can be a sign that the controls are not responding sufficiently to variations in the building.
An increase that solves a problem on a cold morning may remain in place as conditions change. If the operations team frequently needs to step in and compensate, it is worth investigating what triggers these adjustments and whether the controls could handle those situations better.
5. The premises have changed, but operation follows the old pattern
Tenants change, opening hours shift and rooms take on new uses. Settings that made sense when the system was commissioned may therefore produce excessive airflows or unnecessarily long operating hours today.
The control system can continue doing exactly what it was programmed to do. The energy cost arises when that task no longer matches the building’s needs.
Better adaptation using the systems already in place
If you recognise several of these situations, there is reason to investigate how the controls could be improved.
Sally R uses measurements from the building to continually adjust airflow and temperature setpoints. The setpoints are sent to the existing control system, which continues to control the equipment. The aim is to reduce unnecessary energy use while meeting the premises’ requirements for indoor conditions.
