At one time, it might have been acceptable to view controls as a “necessary evil” with little attention given to the details of design including sequences and commissioning. To deliver high-performance buildings today requires systems optimization with special detailed attention to controls design and delivery. As state energy codes move to the latest versions of ASHRAE 90.1, even conventional new buildings will need to be high-performance. This moves controls design to being a necessity to help meet required performance.
This month, we are going to look at some of the key optimization strategies that you should consider for both current and upcoming projects. All optimization strategies start with the basics, use the most efficient energy source, don’t heat and cool at the same time, only operate when required, and deliver BTU’s efficiently. Using these principles you can create a series of optimization strategies. Note at not all of these strategies apply to all projects and that they don’t address the other strategies required for safe and efficient equipment operation.