Keep HVAC Running Smoothly During High Demand

It’s getting colder. It’s getting hotter. With climate change, the extremes are becoming more extreme. Facilities will need to face these extremes head on to keep maintenance, budgets, and comfort stable.

Over the past decade, the stretching of the polar vortex, which normally traps cold air in the Arctic region in a ribbon of high-altitude, fast-moving air, is linked to an increase of severe winter weather in the US. Heat waves are more intense and persistent with an expanding footprint. We’ve seen Texas’ power grid buckle under severe winter weather, several Florida cities break record low temperatures this year, and the average number of heat waves in major US cities double since the 1980s.

The weather may be out of our control, but we can control how we build, optimize, and monitor the mechanical systems critical for our buildings’ successful operation no matter the weather conditions. Henderson understands how to design for the future with energy efficiency, sustainability, and reliability at the core, making sure your heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) operates optimally, keeps occupants comfortable, and manages fluctuating demands with ease. Here’s how we equipped a cold-weather industrial robotic facility with systems to help lower energy use and proposed a centralized Integrated Building Management System (IBMS) to keep their goals on track long-term.

Systems Built to Last

When this client approached us about electrification of this facility in alignment with their ambitious sustainability goals, we started with an Owners Values Survey to identify their top priorities for the project including first cost, long-term cost, resilience, energy and carbon performance, and occupant health. To further complicate electrification, this facility’s location in the northern US means it’s often dealing with extremely cold temperatures.

The selection of packaged cold climate heat pump rooftop units (RTUs) was the result of a structured and collaborative evaluation process that aligned with the building owner’s organizational values and project goals. The selected system provided a cost-effective, fully electrified solution that met the project’s performance goals while fitting within the existing electrical infrastructure, structural limitations, and financial parameters – all of which were prioritized objectives.

In many parts of the country, weather patterns are challenging climate norms. Winters may be much colder, or much warmer, and summers may see larger, more intense heat waves than historic data utilized for building systems design prescribes. Facilities that thoughtfully plan and design around adaptability and resiliency will be poised for success in an ever-changing world. The goal is to keep operational viability and costs stable no matter what stresses the extreme heat or cold bring on building systems. Part of that picture is being able to utilize real-time building data to pivot when you need to and cost-effectively optimize your energy usage.

Data for Durability

The continued life of your building relies on understanding its current operational realities. We capture, analyze, and advise on your building performance data, which allows you to intervene earlier, reduce unplanned costs, and keep your long-term capital planning goals on track. For this facility, we proposed an IBMS. This unified control, monitoring, and analytics across mechanical, electrical, and lighting systems provides a holistic platform for building performance and occupant comfort. Core features of the system include:

• Predictive Maintenance: Real-time equipment monitoring and fault detection enables predictive analytics to anticipate failures and optimize maintenance schedules, reducing downtime and extending asset life.
• Asset Management and Work Order Integration: The IBMS interfaces with facility asset tracking and work order systems to streamline maintenance workflows, track equipment history, and support lifecycle planning.
• Granular Lighting Controls: Lighting systems can be integrated into the IBMS to allow zone-level control, scheduling, daylight harvesting, and occupancy-based automation. This supports energy savings and occupant comfort.
• Occupant-Based Zone Control: Occupancy sensors from the lighting control system are leveraged to inform HVAC zone control. Rather than shutting off HVAC in unoccupied zones, the system initiates a setback sequence, reducing energy use while maintaining baseline environmental conditions as the needs in the factory ebb and flow.
• Energy Management and Analytics: The IBMS provides advanced energy analytics, including real-time monitoring, historical trend analysis, and benchmarking to support energy efficiency goals and provide actionable feedback.
• System Integration and Alarming: All connected systems, including HVAC, lighting, domestic water, electrical metering, and others, are monitored through the IBMS. Alarming and fault detection are centralized, with graphical interfaces for intuitive diagnostics and response.

Henderson Handles Building Life Challenges 

When it comes to the long-term safety and reliability of your building portfolio, we’re your partners for the building’s life. While climate change and energy markets are creating instability, your systems can remain on solid ground through intentional design and watchful maintenance. We’re here to make your vision a reality and keep your operational and sustainability goals on track.