Most commercial buildings have a heating, ventilating, and air conditioning system to manage temperature for optimal comfort and building safety. Their prevalence and necessity is underscored by a 2015 report which found that these systems account for 35% of the total energy consumed by buildings in the U.S..
In 2018, the Japan Refrigeration and Air Conditioning Industry Association found that there were about 14.9 million commercial air conditioners worldwide and that the market was only growing. By 2024, there will be an estimated 151 million HVAC systems overall, which includes residential, commercial, and industrial systems. This expanding market and the steady increase in HVAC units pose a similarly growing issue: more units means more chance for malfunction, which means it’s even more important to preempt any issues.
What Regulates the Regulators?
While there is technology available that monitors HVAC systems, it primarily monitors the energy consumption and performance of the system. Additionally, system failure alerts may occur too late, in which case there’s already a costly problem to address.
Given the large and increasing numbers of HVAC systems already in place, it’s safe to assume that these environmental regulators won’t become obsolete any time soon. For this reason, and for the safety of your building, it’s essential that you consider using automated monitoring technology to help prevent malfunction. Let Primex OneVue Sense™ be a supplemental, added layer of security to ensure environmental and building integrity.
Avoid Temperature-Related System Failures
OneVue Sense Ambient Temperature and Humidity Sensors are useful when placed in any room containing vents that connect to a central HVAC system. By consistently monitoring air temperature and humidity, facility staff receive pertinent information about the status of their HVAC system before it goes down. For example:
- If the temperature or humidity levels rise too high or drop too low, it could signal a problem for system function; real-time alerts allow staff to investigate the issue and potentially avert an expensive emergency repair.
- Real-time alerts allow staff time to react by quickly adjusting HVAC system settings to regulate indoor temperatures for optimal levels of comfort for building inhabitants. Staff can continue to monitor the sensor's measured temperature and humidity so they know whether or not their HVAC system is operating as usual.
These situations apply to schools, businesses, hospitals, and warehouses alike — all facilities that house students, patients, or employees can benefit from taking extra precautions regarding the maintenance of their HVAC systems.
Preempt and Prevent Water Damage
Most HVAC systems distribute water through a drain line, and some air conditioners use chilled water, which leaves room for the possibility of water leaks. OneVue Sense Water Leak Sensors can monitor for even the slightest amount of water present in a designated area; therefore, when placed near the HVAC unit itself, water leak sensors can alert at the first sign of water in order to:
- Limit possible damage to the unit, which subsequently also limits the necessity or extent of repairs
- Prevent extenuating damage to the storage room housing the HVAC unit
When placed near HVAC vents, water leak sensors help:
- Protect individual patient rooms in hospitals from damage to medical equipment or the growth of mold and mildew
- Keep businesses from closing by minimizing the chance of extensive damage or repair time
- Keep students in the classroom, unimpeded by emergency water leak flooding, reconstruction time, or harmful mold growth
- Prevent costly damage to building infrastructure in any and all facilities
24-Hour Emergency Preparedness
Primex OneVue Sense IAQ Monitors and Water Leak Sensors are a helpful added layer in HVAC monitoring plans, which are necessary for preventing building damage related to system malfunctions and water leaks. OneVue Sense provides real-time alerts when temperature or humidity measurements go out of a desired range or if water is detected near an HVAC unit or vent. These alerts can help prevent system failure or, at the very least, limit the extent of the damage and subsequent, costly repairs.
Access to data history and alert status is centered on the web-based OneVue® platform, which can also generate on-demand incident reports if necessary. Both real-time alerts and OneVue access are available during on-site work hours as well as during the hours when users are off work, allowing users insight into one or multiple buildings’ HVAC systems even during remote operation or while in a different building.
The best emergency strategy plans are multilayered. Primex can help you monitor your building maintenance systems and prevent damage to essential infrastructure or disruption of building function!
For more information, contact us today.