Building System Energy Audits

You spend money on commercial HVAC services regularly to ensure your HVAC system is running smoothly and not using energy inefficiently. Yet how much of that heated or cooled air is simply escaping out of the building? If your building has energy leaks, you’re simply throwing away the money you spend on air conditioning service and heating service. If your HVAC system seems to be doing well each time you have an industrial air conditioning service inspection yet your energy bills seem a bit high, energy leaks might just be the main culprit.

Although energy leaks are mainly discussed regarding loss of heat during the winter months, it can also negatively effect the indoor temperature during the hot summer months of the year as well. A building energy audit is one of the most important commercial HVAC services you can invest in. It can detect exactly where in your building is lacking insulation and sealing. It can also show how to conserve money spent on hot water and electric bills. Heating and cooling a building which has not been properly weatherized is like trying to regulate the temperature in a room with an open window. To achieve a comfortable temperature, you have to spend a considerable amount more on heating and air conditioning service than if the window was closed.

Weatherizing a building is very affordable when you take into consideration how much money you’ll be saving over time in heating and air conditioning. In order to determine what your building’s specific weatherization needs are, a building energy auditor will use a blower door to see how much air escapes through a door and how tightly sealed the building is. Using a calibrated blower door can tell you and the building energy auditor exactly how much air is escaping. The blower door should also be used after the building is weatherized to ensure air is no longer escaping. Other tools which can be used to detect energy leaks are infrared cameras and infrared thermographs, which can show the temperature differences in areas of a building. By showing you where the hot and cold spots are in a building, you can then determine where your energy from your commercial HVAC services is leaking. These tools should also be used once again after the home has been completely weatherized to ensure maximum effectiveness. HVAC ducts should also be inspected for leakage and should be sealed in order to prevent energy losses.

Energy losses are common for any building. In homes, the largest energy leaks are usually attics and chimneys. Basement joists and plumbing can also be sources of lost energy. To prevent wasting more money on heating and cooling a building with minor leaks, be sure to close all doors and windows as tight as possible. Using a high efficiency boiler and chiller can help reduce any energy costs. Even minor fixes such as installing gaskets behind switch plates and electrical outlets can have an impact on lost energy.

Contact Stolzā€™s experienced consultants on 604 244 2225 to discuss how a building system audit would benefit your company.