Benefits of Controls in Green Buildings

How can KMC Controls help you obtain higher energy efficiency, lower operating and maintenance costs, better indoor air quality, as well as greater occupant comfort and productivity? We’re glad you asked. Please see (especially) the middle spread of Controlling Your Green Building Brochure (SB-048).

Higher Energy Efficiency

• Controllers optimize HVAC efficiency (by methods such as resetting setpoints of boilers according to outside temperature, optimizing start/stop times for occupied periods, using economizers for free cooling, and maintaining ventilation at the most efficient flow rates)
• Motion sensors allow automatic setback override during unoccupied periods as well as adaptive occupancy scheduling
• Lighting controls reduce unnecessary artificial lighting via motion sensors and schedules as well as by controlling daylight harvesting louvers
• Controllers save water and energy by controlling rainwater harvesting and landscape irrigation

Lower Operating and Maintenance Costs

• Trends and logs provide information for further optimization of the system as well as for documentation requirements for building certification
• Individual room control allows set point adjustments only where needed
• Based on sensor data, software alarms and notifications alert service personnel to issues before they cause discomfort to building occupants and escalate into bigger, more costly problems
• Remote network monitor, control, and troubleshooting via the Internet or modem reduces service calls
• Sensors with data ports also allow quick network access and control to service personnel using a laptop computer and a network interface
• Current sensors and power meters monitor energy consumption and electrical generation by wind turbine and/or photovoltaic arrays for credit from the utility company
• See also Higher Energy Efficiency

Better Indoor Air Quality (IAQ)

• Temperature and humidity sensors monitor thermal comfort
• Carbon dioxide (CO2) and carbon monoxide (CO) sensors monitor pollutants, ensuring the required minimum fresh air ventilation
• Controllers, based on sensor input, provide optimal zone ventilating, heating, and air conditioning
• Controllers provide smoke control during a fire, maintaining breathable air zones for evacuation
• Controllers monitor and control natural ventilation dampers

Greater Occupant Comfort and Productivity

• Sensors in each room sense temperature and allow occupant-controlled setpoints and overrides
• Humidity sensors are used to control summer dehumidification and winter humidification of air
• See also Better Indoor Air Quality

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