Why the Ventilation in Your Building Matters
We are all well aware of how much the world has changed in the past few years. We have changed the way we do so many things in our day-to-day lives. It’s probably not a surprise to anyone that the way we think about the air in our commercial spaces has changed as well.
For a long time, it was believed that the air in offices and commercial environments should be kept cool, dry, and mostly sealed off from outside air. However, the pandemic has challenged these practices. In fact, researchers say those conditions can actually spread and prolong the life of the COVID-19 virus.
The solution: more fresh air.
The EPA has said that an important part of lowering the concentrations of indoor air pollutants, including viruses, is to increase ventilation—the amount of outdoor air coming indoors. In commercial spaces, it’s important to remember that the greater the number of people in an indoor environment, the greater the need for ventilation with outdoor air.
Here are some of the specific challenges we face in Mississippi when bringing fresh air indoors:
- Opening doors and windows isn’t always possible due to extreme temperatures and humidity.
- Buildings with high traffic require HVAC systems to run more to provide enough fresh air for the number of people in the room.
- HVAC systems end up working at max capacity constantly, increasing utility bills.
Air conditioning systems are one way to provide ventilation to a building. However, most systems simply run at maximum capacity in order to regulate the temperature and bring in enough fresh air. This means the system is pulling way more energy than needed, which not only increases your bill but also wears out your equipment faster. Wear and tear can lead to you needing an HVAC repair in Jackson, MS or the surrounding areas.
How an Economizer Can Help
One of the best solutions for both providing ventilation and saving money on your energy bill is an Economizer Module. These systems can be added to your existing HVAC equipment and allow you to cool only what you need, so the system doesn’t work more than necessary.
Add in a modulated damper that’s controlled by the Economizer, and it allows your system settings to change based on the current needs of your space. The Economizer measures the air quality and adjusts in real-time to work at peak performance.
Our favorite system, the Honeywell JADE™ W7220 Economizer Logic Module, uses a carbon dioxide sensor to measure actual amounts of CO2 based on the number of people present in the space. If carbon dioxide levels rise as more people enter the space, the Economizer opens the damper to allow more fresh air to enter for proper ventilation. When fewer people are in the room, less CO2 is detected, so less fresh air is needed and the system adjusts accordingly.
How an Economizer Will Save on Energy
One of the main reasons to use an Economizer is to save money on electricity.
When the outside air is below a certain temperature, and the humidity is below a certain percentage, the system will bring in outside air to cool the building. This is often referred to as “free cooling” since it cools the building without the use of the energy required to run a compressor.
Another benefit of installing an Economizer like the Honeywell JADE™ W7220 Logic Module is that it can extend the life of your MS air conditioning and heating system. The longer the system can use outside air to cool the building, the longer the compressor can remain off. The less time the compressor is running, the longer your equipment will last.
The air quality of your building is more important than ever. The health and safety of your employees and customers rely on it. When you retrofit your current HVAC system with an Economizer, it’s a fantastic way to ensure your building is getting enough fresh air and you’re saving on energy in the process.
Call us today to see how you can start saving money now.
