Do you have a high energy consuming building? Did you know with smart energy management solutions, you can increase operational efficiency, identify cost savings opportunities and at the same time reduce your company’s carbon footprint? In today’s energy conserving era, progressive business owners are increasingly becoming aware of the need for reducing energy costs and lowering their environmental impact. In this article we take a look at how energy management system can transform your building into an energy saving building and leverage your business. Before we begin, let’s take a look at what energy management means.
What is energy management?
Energy management refers to the planning and operation of energy consumption in a building or facility. The ultimate goal of an energy management system is to produce maximum operational efficiency while reducing energy costs and environmental impact. Energy management solutions can be implemented across the entire municipality, a particular facility or building, or even specific energy systems. Although the key focus of energy management is on buildings, it can also include equipment efficiency, electricity consumption, water management and so on. There are numerous benefits of energy management system which can help businesses achieve operational, financial and environmental goals. Some of these are:
Increase building efficiency
With an efficient energy management system, you can optimize the operational efficiency of your building system. You can easily monitor and control various building systems such as lighting, heating, ventilation and cooling, security, access control and so on to optimize the overall building performance. For example, with automated building systems, you can control and alter the temperature of the HVAC system to match outdoor temperature so that it is not overloaded. This will not only improve system efficiency but also reduce your utility bills. In addition, you will also prevent major repair and maintenance jobs.
Improve occupants’ comfort
Having an energy management system enables you to be a better building or facility manager as you have access to insightful data which you can use to better manage the building systems. This way investing in energy management system can also help in enhancing occupants’ comfort, minimize health and safety issues, increase workplace productivity and much more. For instance, there have been studies that show that an efficient workplace lighting system can lead to better employee productivity as well as reduced health issues.
In addition, temperature and humidity are also important components that contribute to occupants’ comfort level, health, and productivity. Energy management system can monitor and optimize all these factors to ensure operational efficiency and provide a comfortable environment to the building occupants.
Identify cost savings
If you own a building or set of buildings that are high energy consumers and do not know where to start, having an energy management system can help you save energy. You can have easy access to a huge amount of data that can help you identify patterns and energy cost savings opportunities in your building. For example, with available data, you can easily change and control building system settings such as changing temperature in areas not needed, turning off lighting systems in unoccupied areas and so on. Energy consumption can constitute a significant portion of operating costs and managing energy consumption helps reduce energy use and operating costs by up to 25%.
Cost savings can be achieved by:
- Advocating an energy-saving culture through implementing energy usage awareness initiatives such as holding workshops, seminars and so on.
- Having a building automation system to automate building systems such as HVAC, lighting during unoccupied periods.
- Regularly maintaining energy consuming equipment such as HVAC and also upgrading
- Using alternative and energy efficient systems such as smart thermostats, motion sensor lights, waterspouts and so on.
Reduce your environmental impact
Having energy management system demonstrates environmental leadership as well as fulfilling corporate social responsibility. You can avail government funded incentives by partaking in various energy programs for business. In addition, by reducing carbon emissions, it improves local air quality, creates healthy spaces, and offers a higher standard of living for the citizens.
Create positive branding
While energy management system can help you reduce your operating costs and improve efficiency, it can also create a positive image of your business or organization among the stakeholders, clients and local community. In addition, it will also help you attract the right kind of people to work as studies have shown that employees prefer working for organizations that are conscious about their environmental impact.
As the world today is geared towards adopting sustainable business practices, investing in energy management system is not just a consideration but a necessity. If you are ready to incorporate energy management strategy and goals for your organization, feel free to connect with A-TECH Engineering Ltd– an advanced energy company based in Toronto that can help you with smart energy management services that best fit your business model.
Most people assume that air pollution is prevalent only outdoors whereas indoor air pollution can be just as detrimental to health. In fact, studies have clearly shown that air pollution can be 2 to 5 times worse indoors than outdoors and can result in a myriad of health problems. Indoor air pollution is particularly of great concern for schools as children as well as teachers, staff spend a large chunk of their days inside where poor indoor quality not only affects their health but also hinders productivity. In addition, children are more susceptible to the negative effects of poor indoor air quality as they are still in a developing stage. In this article we delve deeper into what good indoor air quality is as well as discuss the importance of indoor air quality in schools.
What is indoor air quality?
Indoor air quality also known as IAQ generally refers to the air quality within a building and its surroundings.
According to EPA, good IAQ management includes:
Controlling airborne pollutants to a minimum level
Introduction and distribution of adequate outdoor air through ventilation
Controlled temperature and humidity
In addition, outdoor air pollution also affects indoor air pollution as it circulates inside the building.
Why is indoor air quality important for schools?
Many schools consist of old building structures, often not serviced or maintained properly. In addition, over time, outdated HVAC systems contribute to poor indoor air quality as it not only loses efficiency but also accumulates biofilms, germs, mold and dust. This poor air quality affects both the health of students, teachers and staff and also impairs the learning ability of children as well as reduces productivity. Good IAQ is an essential part of a healthy indoor environment and can greatly support schools in achieving their main goal of educating children.
What causes poor indoor air quality in schools?
Indoor air pollution in schools can result for various reasons such as:
- Inefficient HVAC systems providing poor air circulation
- Chemicals from pressed wood and other VOC materials
- High moisture, humidity and mold growth
- Outdoor pollution from adjacent parking lots or surrounding areas
How does it affect the children and other school staff?
Poor indoor air quality in schools can result in a plethora of short-term and long-term health problems in both children and other school staff including:
- Headaches, dizziness, tiredness
- Increased allergic reactions
- Asthma and other respiratory illnesses
- Coughing
- Risk of covid-19 spread and transmission and other airborne diseases
In some rare cases, indoor air pollution can result in fatal health conditions such as Legionnaire’s disease or carbon monoxide poisoning
A recent study revealed that 1 out of every 13 school going children suffers from asthma. Moreover, there has been overwhelming evidence that exposure to indoor air pollutants such as dust particles, molds can exacerbate asthma. These pollutants are present in large numbers in school premises. In addition, it has also been revealed that exhaust fumes from school buses and other vehicles also contribute to asthma and other respiratory illnesses. All of these negatively impact not only the health of building occupants but also performance of students and teachers alike.
Impacts of poor indoor air quality on children’s learning ability
Poor IAQ can increase health problems and lead to increased absenteeism. Studies have shown asthma is a leading cause of children missing school frequently.
Studies have also shown indoor air quality directly affects children’s learning ability and poor IAQ reduces it.
In addition, it can also deteriorate and reduce lifespan of school equipment and structure itself, resulting in chance of schools to be closed and creating a negative branding image of the school.
How do you know that your school has IAQ issues?
Indoor air pollution can be tricky to determine as over short-term it does not readily produce any observable impacts on health and environment. However, if you notice children or staff continuously having allergic reactions such as coughing, sneezing, showing signs of fatigue, lacking in concentration, conjunctivitis and so on, then the problem could be poor air quality. Since every child is different, indoor air quality is likely to have varying effects on individuals and one group of students may be more vulnerable than others due to various health conditions. Usually children suffering from asthma, respiratory illness, and a weak immune system are more prone to the effects of indoor air pollution as their symptoms are likely to be aggravated by air pollutants.
Also, since the children are at the development stage, they are more vulnerable to the effects of poor air quality than the adults. They are more susceptible because they inhale more pollutants per body weight than adults due to higher breathing rates which is why indoor air quality is of paramount importance in schools.
How to improve indoor air quality in schools?
Here are some of the easy and cost-effective ways you can improve air quality in schools:
Improving ventilation – Make sure the building has ventilation systems running throughout the school period and rooftop exhaust fans as well as air handling units do not have any obstructions to airflow. Keep windows and doors open when it is nice outside to let in the fresh air.
Have an efficient HVAC system – HVAC system is an essential component to ensure good air quality in schools. Make sure you regularly service and maintain the HVAC system by professionals to ensure it is operating properly. It will not only improve ventilation but also reduce your utility bills.
Invest in HVAC monitoring app– With HVAC monitoring app, you do not have to remember to schedule servicing and maintenance of your school’s HVAC system. You can get real-time updates, receive instant alerts and take preventive steps to ensure the system is running smoothly.
Prevent microbial and mold growth – One of the leading contributors to indoor air pollution is microbial and mold growth. You can invest in CO2, temperature, and humidity monitoring to ensure the levels are optimal to prevent microbial and mold growth. It will also enhance occupants’ comfort and improve performance of children in school.
Keep your classroom clean – To fight indoor air pollution, it is necessary to make sure your classrooms and other school spaces are cleaned regularly to prevent dust and other pollutants build up which deteriorate indoor air quality. Steer away from using chemicals that contribute to indoor air pollution. In addition, you should also make sure the building surroundings are cleaned regularly as outdoor pollutants can affect indoor air quality as well.
With these steps, you can ensure a healthy environment and improve indoor air quality in schools, thus helping children have a better health and learning environment. If you suspect your school has indoor air quality issues, connect with A-TECH Engineering Ltd. – a leading HVAC contractor based in Toronto for a free indoor air quality assessment today and find out how we can improve air quality of your school.
A-TECH Engineering Ltd- a leading building automation system and controls provider based in Toronto provides a wide range of services to help transform your building or facility into an energy saving one while improving efficiency, lowering overhead costs, and reducing carbon footprint.
Despite being quite a young organization, A-TECH Engineering Ltd. has extensive experience in Building Automation System, HVAC Controls, Energy solutions besides others that increase operational efficiency of building systems. When choosing a building automation system and controls provider or energy management system for your building, there are many factors to consider and a plethora of options from which you can choose. Although there are several giant companies that are renowned for their brands and products, here are a few benefits of working with a young and dynamic organization like A-TECH Engineering Ltd.
Client-Focused – As a client, you are our number one priority, and we are driven by our clients’ wants and needs in order to come up with the best solutions for you. We go above and beyond to ensure that we are able to fulfill your requirements. In addition, we are like an open book to read and will always provide you with honest feedback on what we can do for you and guarantee the results.
Fast and Reliable Service– We understand the value of time and we are here with our team of experts to offer fast and reliable service to resolve whatever issues you are having with your system in a smooth and efficient manner with the least downtime. And the reason we can do this is because we have our own certified inhouse engineers and tech experts across various cities in Canada who are always at your service.
Competitive Pricing – We offer competitive pricing on our range of products and services including building automation system, energy management system, building analytics services and so on so you get more value for your money.
Go Beyond Traditional Building Automation System with A-TECH Smart Cloud– Our AI and IoT empowered building automation system and controls ensure you can take better control of your building from anywhere, anytime. In addition, we focus on enhancing user experience which is why we have developed our own inhouse BACnet to IoT App with a user-friendly interface through which you can easily monitor and control your building systems, get valuable insights, detect system anomalies, take preventive measures and so on. All of these are done with the least human intervention, thus saving you a massive amount of time, energy, and cost.
Get Tailored Solutions for Your Building – As a growing company and being client-centric, we always have your best interests at heart. We have our inhouse team of experts who will personally do the site visits, prepare assessments, carry out scope of work, feasibility, cost analysis, and so on to ensure we provide the best solutions for your facility as we understand each building and its requirements is unique.
In addition, most of the time in old buildings the controls are incompatible with new software, depriving the facility managers added benefits of today’s modern building automation systems. We are able to provide system integration and support for a number of major brands including Tridium, Johnson Controls, Honeywell, Alerton, Vykon and other BACnet buildings. With A-TECH Engineering Ltd., you can easily upgrade your controls so that it is functional, efficient, and cost effective.
A Diverse Range of Services Under One Umbrella – As a licensed engineering firm, we have a diverse portfolio of products and services to suit your business. From building automation and controls to renewable energy solutions to electrical services we are able to provide innovative solutions that best fits your building needs.
In addition, we also provide a wide range of partnered solutions such as effective HVAC system cleaning technology, building sterilization packages and so on across various cities in Canada for covid-19 building optimization. You can find out more about our services here.
Satisfaction Guaranteed –We believe in building long-lasting relationships with our clients and stakeholders. With A-TECH Engineering Ltd, you can rest assured that we will go the extra mile to make sure we continue to exceed your expectations.
Create a Better Canada- If your business is based in Canada, then we would love to help you out. We have local techs in various cities across Canada who are ready to serve you. As an advanced energy and engineering company based in Toronto, we strive to provide value to the local community and create a smart city as well as help Canadian businesses achieve net zero carbon emission by 2050. Together, we can create a smarter and greener Canada for the next generation.
Support Local – Although there are giant companies providing services and products similar to ours, you can choose to invest with us and experience the difference as we are committed to providing the best service possible and in return you will have the pride of contributing to your local community.
While there will always be giant companies around and we love them too, it is the young, pioneering companies like A-TECH Engineering Ltd. which are here to provide groundbreaking and innovative solutions along with unmatched customer service. If you are looking to find simple, cost effective solutions to improve your operational efficiency, reduce energy costs and improve occupants’ comfort while also lowering carbon emissions, then connect with an A-TECH Engineering Ltd. specialist today and unlock your building’s potential.
With covid-19 pandemic still ongoing all over the world and new variants emerging frequently, it is no doubt that reopening your business in the current stage has to be a critically thought-out decision. Although many regions have been given the green light for reopening, as a business owner, there are several factors to consider and guidelines to follow that will ensure that you reopen your business in a safe and responsible manner for both the staff and customers. In this article, we take a deep delve into how you can navigate these unprecedented times and reopen your business or workplace safely and confidently with covid-19 building optimization.
Have a workplace safety plan
As an employer it is your duty to ensure that your workers or employees as well as clients are in a safe environment that mitigates the spread of covid-19. You should have a covid-19 safety plan written as per requirement of all operating businesses. Make sure that the plan is easily accessible to all your employees and visitors. It is important that all the people related to your business are aware of the plan. Also do not forget to regularly change or update the plan as the pandemic is evolving daily.
Ensure covid-19 building optimization
To reduce risk of covid-19 transmission make sure your building is optimized to prevent the spread. For example, rearrange your employees’ workstations to ensure they are 6 feet apart. Create appropriate hand sanitizing stations, screening areas, install awareness signage and stickers in high traffic areas. If your business has visitors or customers, install plexi-glass screens. Make sure the building is well-stocked with hand sanitizers in appropriate places.
Inspect the HVAC system
Since covid-19 has been established as an airborne disease, air quality at your workplace is of paramount concern. Lack of ventilation, inefficient and dirt-clogged HVAC systems not only increase your utility bills but also increase risk of covid-19 transmission through poor air circulation. Before reopening, make sure your HVAC system is serviced, cleaned, and disinfected to mitigate the risk of covid-19 transmission. In addition, improve ventilation and airflow wherever possible as this helps in reducing covid-19 spread.
Invest in HVAC monitoring system
Simply maintaining and cleaning your HVAC system is not enough. With time the HVAC system loses its efficiency with build up of dirt and biofilms. To maintain indoor air quality and ensure a safe environment for your workers, you can try investing in HVAC monitoring app or CO2/T/H monitoring which will send you automated alerts when air quality is poor through sensors that detect CO2, temperature, and humidity levels in an area. This will not only help minimize the risk of covid-19 spread but also ensure overall health and productivity of your employees, thus benefiting you in a multitude of ways.
Sterilize the building
Covid-19 can be spread by surface touching, so it is imperative that you make sure the premises are disinfected to eliminate the risk before reopening your facility or workplace. Whether you have a retail store, an office space or a large industrial area, make sure every square footage of your premises is disinfected. There are several disinfecting methods available that can kill germs even upto 99.9999% and are very fast and efficient. Make sure you hire a professional disinfection service provider that can do the job thoroughly for covid-19 building optimization.
Inspect facility operations
If your building has been unoccupied for a long period of time, before reopening you must ensure that the building systems are running smoothly. For example, perform security and fire alarm checks. Ensure all the tools and equipment are functional and check for signs of structural damage or pest infestation and take necessary steps to fix the issue.
Regular cleaning and disinfecting
Apart from sterilizing the building before reopening, to ensure covid-19 building optimization, you also need to have a regular cleaning and disinfecting schedule in place. This should be done for all high traffic areas including entrance, washroom, kitchen, common space as well as high contact surfaces such as desks, doorknobs, workstations and so on. Use hard surface furniture that are easy to clean. Make sure there is adequate supply of cleaners and disinfectants in your building and maintain a log of cleaning and disinfecting schedule.
Have a schedule in place for employees returning to work
Make sure all your employees’ and suppliers’ contact information are updated. Make a list of employees that must return to work immediately and those who can continue working from home. Remember elderly, immune compromised, and chronic illness suffering patients are vulnerable to covid-19. Also, use a staggered return schedule to avoid a large number of employees returning at once.
Determine your building capacity and schedule number of employees at work accordingly to avoid crowded gatherings as prolonged exposure in enclosed and congested spaces can raise the risk of transmission. Have an assigned personnel or HR team that can smoothly handle the transition of employees’ return to the workplace.
Raise covid-19 awareness in the workplace
The first step for any prevention tactic is to raise awareness of the issue. Communicate the risks associated with covid-19 to your employees such as how it is transmitted, steps to prevent it, its symptoms, what to do if someone has been infected with covid-19 and so on. For example, educate your employees to maintain personal hygiene and safety procedures such as avoidance of touching nose, eyes and mouth, covering nose with an elbow while sneezing, regular hand washing with sanitizers, avoiding large gatherings in small, crowded places like the kitchen, not sharing personal belongings and so on. Your employees should also know when to self-isolate if someone has covid-19 symptoms. You can read more on what to do if someone in your building has been infected with covid-19 here. Additionally, if you reside in Canada, here are additional resources on workplace safety during covid-19.
Take control measures to minimize the risk
Prevention is better than cure. As an employer it is your responsibility to take the maximum precautions for the safety of your employee as well as customers. Apart from covid-19 building optimization, make sure that your staff follow appropriate measures to reduce the spread of covid-19. For example, if physical distancing is not possible, have staff and visitors in the building premises wear face masks.
With the above guidelines along with your region’s public health guidelines, you can reopen your business safely while ensuring safety of your workers and customers. A-TECH Engineering Ltd, a leading building automation system and controls provider in Toronto, provides a number of solutions such as sterilization packages via partners, HVAC system disinfection, indoor air quality monitoring and more. Connect with an A-TECH specialist to find out how we can optimize your building for covid-19 and help you reopen safely and confidently.
Before, people used to think that building automation systems are only for large commercial and industrial projects and not necessary for residential buildings. Even though smart home technology has been prevalent for many years owing to their convenience and comfort, it has been only recently that facility managers and multi-residential property managers are realizing the potential and benefits of building automation system for condo buildings. Condominiums range in size from mid to large but usually comprise a large number of units with varying number of occupants and energy needs so it makes sense that integrating building automation systems in condominiums will provide added benefits to both occupants and managers for better utilization of space, energy management, enhanced comfort and so on. In this article we take a look at how condo boards, condo managers and occupants can all benefit from having an efficient building automation system.
Building Automation System
Building automation system in condominiums refers to automatic and centralized control of the condo’s systems, including HVAC, lighting, security and so on. Usually building automation systems (or BAS) are driven by sensors, controls and a network infrastructure installed in the building and managed from a unified interface. Although previously building automation systems used to be expensive, the advancement of technology, Artificial Intelligence and IoT have made building automation systems highly affordable even for small building sizes. With easy upgradation, even older buildings that use BACnet protocol can be integrated with updated and newer software that are user-friendly and requires the least human intervention, thereby reducing the hassle of frequent technical support or maintenance issues. Some of the major benefits of having building automation system in condominiums are:
Reducing Utility Bills
Utilities usually account for 30-40% of a condominium’s operating costs covering lighting, heating, ventilation, and air cooling. Moreover, obsolete HVAC equipment that are rarely maintained in condominiums are highly inefficient and waste a ton of energy, thereby increasing utility bills redundantly. Furthermore, when you rely on human intervention, energy bills also increase in condo projects due to misuse of electricity, water and so on.
Having building automation system helps to identify wastage areas, minimize the need of human intervention in maintaining the building systems and reduces energy costs by 5%-30% in the long run. In addition, there are building automation systems that integrate submetering, which is extremely useful for condominiums. Submetering gives you a clear picture of how much energy each unit consumes, detects areas of cost improvement as well as offers occupants a fair-pay system for utilities.
Better Energy Management
As automated building systems reduce electricity bills, they also provide an improved energy management system for condominiums. With automated building system controls, as a condominium manager, you can utilize smart sensors that can trigger automated actions that optimize energy usage while ensuring occupants’ comfort. For example, when the gym experiences high traffic on a particularly hot and humid day, automation can activate the air conditioner and when the gym is unoccupied, it can turn off the lights and AC to prevent energy wastage. In this way building automation system is also able to provide better space utilization in condominiums which otherwise would eat up a lot of resources to look after the condo amenities and facilities.
Useful Data
Condominiums are storehouses for a large amount of data most of which are either not collected or utilized properly. With building automation system in condominiums, condo managers can access this data anytime, anywhere and make much better informed decisions such as managing building resources in an energy efficient way, taking preventive measures for maintenance issues and so on. For example, say there is a water leakage in one of the condo units. Realistically, it might not get inspected by anyone until some serious damage occurs. Having building automation system with water sensors, condo managers can easily note the spike in water usage and be able to take care of the issue before any real damage occurs.
With the vast pool of data, building managers can also know traffic or number of occupants in various areas during different times. This information will help to schedule any maintenance work easily without interfering with occupants timing, thus elevating their condo living experience.
Hassle-free management
Today’s IoT enabled building automation systems can be monitored and accessed from anywhere and anytime, giving you full control over your building systems. Moreover, with AI integration, the process works on its own with minimal human intervention so you have the peace of mind that if something goes wrong, it will be taken care of without any added stress.
Heightened Security
Most traditional condos used to rely on concierge service for security. This involved a lot of hassles including having to recruit the right people, managing them, and also paying them. However, with building automation system in condominiums, security and access controls are much more efficient, intuitive, and able to send alerts instantly to any security anomaly. Smart security systems have evolved greatly from traditional and simple CCTV to IoT empowered digital access controls that use sensors, biometrics, camera and data analytics for ensuring effective and hassle-free security of the condominium. In addition, condo managers no longer need to install and maintain complex IT infrastructure as most of these systems are cloud-based.
Condo boards can significantly reduce energy consumption by embracing automated building systems which not only provide financial benefits through energy savings but also add to occupants’ comfort. In addition, instead of wasting resources for monitoring multiple building operations and units, building automation system provides an easy and better way to evaluate the energy profile of the building and helps you make better energy management decisions. A-TECH Engineering Ltd. – a Toronto based energy management company – provides innovative IoT enabled building automation system that gives you guaranteed energy savings, increased efficiency, and enhanced occupant comfort. Connect with us to reduce your condo management hassle and provide a better condo living experience with smart and efficient buildings.
