5 HVAC Key Performance Indicators You Should Be Tracking
It's an age of analytics, and everything can be tracked, recorded, and logged. There's a good reason for the phenomenon, as analytics allow us to identify trends that spur dramatic expense reductions.
Everyone's felt the dread of opening an absurdly high electricity bill, and it's no surprise that heating, ventilation, and air conditioning equipment (HVAC) is the primary culprit behind price. On average, 39% of commercial energy costs go towards space heating and air conditioning.
Whether you're responsible for a commercial or residential building, keeping HVAC costs to a minimum can seem like a monumental burden. However, there's a slew of HVAC key performance indicators (KPIs) you can record to track actual performance operating costs.
Below, we'll discuss the top five HVAC performance testing metrics for owners to track to boost energy savings. Then, we explain how automated IoT sensors are the most efficient service solution for gathering and creating reports that lead to action-oriented energy modeling and optimized HVAC performance.
5 Crucial HVAC KPIs
Even if you have an energy efficient HVAC system, it's crucial to go the extra mile to learn its energy consumption patterns. The following KPI tracking guide offers a handful of numerical indicators for how your HVAC system performs.
1. Energy Efficiency Ratio (EER)
The EER is typically a metric attributed to cooling systems. Essentially, it calculates a system's cooling output based on its electrical input. The higher the efficiency ratio, the lower the ammount of electricity needed to cool a building. To calculate EER, use the following formula:
EER rating = 10,000 BTU / 1000 W = 10
The above equation explains that every single watt of energy used results in a cooling effect of 10 BTUs. EER is a standard measurement on any HVAC systems spec sheet, and a high-efficiency HVAC is anything above 8.5 EER.
2. Coefficient of Performance (COP)
Similar to the EER, the COP is another energy performance metric. However, instead of measuring useful output, it measures how effectively an air conditioner or heat pump transfers heat based on the required electrical power. To calculate COP, plug in the amount of heat a pump can produce based on the energy used to power it:
COP = Q / W
Q = heat or cooling supplied by the HVAC system
W = energy consumed (in Watts)
The higher the COP, the higher the energy performance and the lower the operational cost.
You can check the COP before purchasing a system on its spec sheet, like EER. Typically the HVAC business labels units with a COP between 2-4, with high-efficiency models typically ranging between 3.3-4.
3. Maintenance Metrics
Commercial HVAC systems can cost as much as $50,000 and aren't cheap to run either. As such, tracking maintenance metrics ensures you aren't wasting money on an over-malfunctioning unit.
A helpful maintenance metric to track is called maintenance cost per ton, which asses the overall cost of maintenance based on cooling or heating output. To calculate, use the formula:
Maintenance Cost per Ton = Total Maintenance Costs / Total Cooling Tonnage
This equation encapsulates all the varying HVAC upkeep costs, including labor, parts, inspections, and cleaning. Divide the cost by the overall output which is a metric best measured with IoT sensors. As a general rule of cost management, run this formula on a routine basis to see if it decreases or increases over time.
4. Air Quality Metrics
Tracking indoor air quality metrics is essential to maintaining safe environments for occupants to live and work in. Unaddressed, poor indoor air quality can result in many long and short-term health effects, including respiratory damage, heart disease, severe asthma, and inability to focus.
To measure indoor air quality (IAQ), measure the indoor air quality index, which is a standard formed by the EPA to ensure buildings maintain healthy indoor air levels. The best way to measure air quality metrics is with sensors that track for a range of pollutants, including:
Particulate Matter (PM 10 and PM 2.5)
Mold and Mildew
Carbon Dioxide
Volatile Organic Compounds
5. Temperature and Humidity Control
Optimal humidity levels fall between 30-60%. When kept too high, humidity can result in discomfort and even damage indoor assets by promoting the growth of mold and mildew.
Install humidity sensors and thermometers throughout your building, to ensure the HVAC is effective in all the nooks and crannies. If these numbers are off consistently, it could indicate a ventilation or mechanical issue.
How To Optimize Building Performance Through KPI Insights
HVAC KPIs measurement is only a crucial first step to improving business operations. After recording the data, you must learn to improve indoor environments. For example, if you're a building manager and discover dramatic HVAC costs, you can rethink your current approach, setting new goals that save money and promote sustainability efforts. Likewise, KPI testing should always include a list of clear goals and thresholds for improving indoor air quality measurements, as these are crucial to safety, comfort, and waste reduction.
How To Harness IoT for Real-Time HVAC KPI Monitoring
Whether you work in the construction industry and need to track a slate of building performance indicators or are a homeowner looking to improve your indoor environment, the best way to monitor HVAC performance isn't through one-off tests. Rather, the number one solution is the continuous commissioning of data reports through a network of IoT sensors that connect digital assets throughout your home or building.
This method ensures you stay on top of all the metrics outlined above, meaning you can monitor the health and performance of your HVAC system without any doubts. So, next you need to do is find the right solution to begin gathering data.
How Attune Can Help
Attune offers some of the market's highest quality HVAC monitoring systems equipment. Our sensors track a vast range of metrics including:
Humidity and Temperature
IAQ
Energy Consumption and Output
Maintenance Updates
This real-time data gets funneled into the proprietary platform, which complies with it and makes it accessible to property managers directly from their phones or laptops. It even issues alerts if indoor air quality levels become unsafe, allowing teams to make repairs before they become health emergencies.
If you want to witness our software solution in action, contact us to request a demo. We'll be happy to explain precisely how Attune can be the backbone that revolutionaries the efficiency of your HVAC monitoring system.
