Tuesday, January 20, 2015

Tips To Control The Thermostat Wars In A Modular Building-Five Great Tips

Modular buildings have great solutions for avoiding thermostat wars!

At Modular Solutions, Ltd we offer ideas in the preconstruction phase, so that if you are considering a modular structure you can make an educated choice. These tips will extend the life cycle of your HVAC equipment and will help with thermostat wars.

What does industry standard mean?
In most cases, if your specification sheet says industry standard or does not specify you will get wall mounted mechanical units, (some companies do not even provide return air duct), and you get one duct run per each modular section, with one thermostat per modular section. While this is a quick way to build in the factory this is not really an efficient design for a mixed used facility.

Tip 1: ZONES
You can still get the affordable wall mounted mechanical units (suggest you ask for fully ducted supply & return air ducts), but ask for "zones". Zones help the air flow to areas that are related, and keep a common area with its' own supply. For example a run of offices may have their own thermostat, while an open training room that spans several modular sections may have its' own zone.

Tip 2: TYPE OF UNITS
For a few dollars more you can look at getting a split system or package units that go on the roof or ground that have high Seasonal Energy Efficiency Rating (SEER) ratings. The SEER rating system was adopted for residential construction, but has translated into commercial construction since it is so highly recognized. By choosing a more efficient brand and type of HVAC system your design is now customized to meet your space planning goals and will cost less to operate. Who wouldn't' want a lower monthly utility bill?

Tip 3: LIFE CYCLE OF UNITS

Mechanical units reach a point where they cost more to operate than just giving in and exchanging for new units. This is called life cycle. If your mechanical units are having maintenance costs and service calls regularly, it may be time to consider replacing them with new units. While this can be an expensive capital outlay, you will see dramatic energy cost savings.
Tip 4: LOCK BOXES
Sometimes no matter how well your team has designed the HVAC system, some people are just hot or cold. If you have a lockbox on the thermostat equipment only specified staff will be able to make adjustments if required.

Tip 5: PROGRAMMABLE THERMOSTATS
Thermostats are just a measuring device, and just cycle on or off based on what they measure the temperature at. Part of having an efficient design is to use programmable thermostats. You can do great pre-planning by starting the heat or cool cycle a little early. When employees start arriving they walk into a climate controlled environment. Don't be afraid to use the manual override. If you see there is a storm coming and let the building warm over night and keep a steady heat. Using your thermostats wisely extends the life cycle of your HVAC equipment.

For more information on how to get the perfect design-build modular building contact our team:
Modular Solutions, Ltd
Phone: 800-441-8577 x 1
Email: Information@mod-sol.com
website: www.modularsolutionsltd.com
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