Thermal Gain
Weather in Hillsboro, OR has been HOT recently, and this is the largest cooling load many of our projects have ever seen. To make sure the equipment is working as intended, Caleb Aring and I have been reviewing trends and performing off-season tests. At one…
Data Logger Field Experience
Elevate Building Commissioning recently deployed the Hobo MX100 data loggers on an existing building project. They were new for us so we thought we would share our experience using these small loggers. These loggers are temperature only and have Bluetooth read out capability. We did…
Air Handling Unit Control: Energy Recovery Wheel
Energy recovery wheels with bypass dampers are commonly installed as part of your dedicated outdoor air handling unit. The effectiveness of energy transfer has improved as energy wheel technology has improved. When and when not to use the energy wheel continues to be a source…
Building Maintenance: Winter Preparation
Winter is coming for most of us in the northern hemisphere and that means it’s time to perform some last-minute maintenance checks on your HVAC system. Here are some maintenance items to check to prevent later, larger issues. • Determine what isn’t working prior to…
Networked Lighting Controls: LEDs and Simplicity
Lighting technology has made huge strides in recent years. LEDs are here to stay while the various lighting controls options continue to grow in number and complexity. LEDs appear to be the clear winner for providing electric light. They are significantly more efficient and longer…
Air Handling Unit Control: Night Setback & Free Cooling
The building automation system (BAS) has the capability to perform whole building, complex sequence of operations. Two simple sequences that lead to big energy savings are night setback and free cooling. A complex air delivery system or a basic packaged rooftop unit with a stand-alone…
Do I Need A Commissioning Systems Manual?
First and foremost, many energy programs give you points for enhanced commissioning including the turnover of a commissioning systems manual as a requirement. More points typically translates to a more efficient building and more accolades. Aside from that, as building systems become more and more…