HVAC Energy Efficiency: 6 Ways to Help Customers Save Money

Energy savings is an overlooked benefit of HVAC services. Educating your customers about ways they can save money with HVAC energy efficiency can help to earn their trust and loyalty.

Here are some ideas you can suggest to customers, which can bring your company additional revenue while also helping your customers save energy and protect the environment.  

6 ways to deliver better HVAC energy efficiency

Most customers don’t realize that their HVAC systems consume as much as 50 to 60 percent of the total energy they use. Improvements in HVAC energy efficiency can make a surprising impact on energy usage and utility bills. 

Here are suggestions for HVAC system upgrades and adjustments, as well as maintenance, that can deliver energy savings for customers.

1. Right-sized AC systems

Not all that long ago, it was not unusual for builders to install oversized air conditioning systems. Many were simply not HVAC experts, and assumed that bigger was better. Of course the experts know better: systems that are too powerful for the space waste energy and deliver poor comfort conditions.

Customers can also wind up with an oversized AC system when commercial buildings are re-configured into smaller spaces without adjusting the HVAC. 

Especially when comfort is poorly controlled (drafty, muggy, and with hot and cold spots), customers can save energy and be more comfortable by getting an AC unit that’s correctly sized for the space.

2. Zoned cooling

Zoned heating is common but zoned air conditioning is less common. Yet the need and the benefits are the same: comfortable temperatures throughout the space and better HVAC energy efficiency.

In commercial spaces, some areas may need more cooling power, such as computer rooms, restaurant kitchens, conference rooms and other spaces with high occupancy, and peripheral office spaces with windows facing west and south. In residential spaces, zoning allows AC in unused areas to be reduced or turned off.

Creating air conditioning zones that can be independently controlled creates the conditions that are ideal for the needs of each specific area. And, customers save money on energy bills.

3. VRF systems

Customers can also improve HVAC energy efficiency by choosing technology like VRF (variable refrigerant flow) systems. A VRF system uses less energy because it has a variable speed compressor that only runs at the capacity that’s needed for the current conditions. 

Also, VRF systems have multiple smaller air handlers instead of one large central one. That allows for better efficiency and zoned operation. 

4. Smart controls

Modern controls can also help customers improve their HVAC energy efficiency. Smart thermostats reduce energy consumption because they can be programmed to reduce heating and cooling automatically when the space is not occupied. 

Customers also love smart thermostats because they can control heating and cooling remotely with an app on their smartphone.

5. Energy-saving retrofits

When a customer has an older, energy-guzzling system that’s otherwise working well, a retrofit can be a smart way to save money. You can replace components like old AC condenser fans or compressors, add economizers to a heating system, or add demand-controlled ventilation. 

These steps can save money by reducing energy consumption (as much as 35 percent, according to the US DOE), while also improving comfort and putting off the need to replace the entire system. 

6. Regular maintenance

When talking to customers about regular maintenance, technicians usually talk about preventing breakdowns and expensive repairs. Those are big benefits, but maintenance also keeps the system working efficiently and contributes to energy savings as well.

Clogged filters, grimy coils, refrigerant leaks and worn parts make the system run longer and work harder to reach set temperature. When you take care of these issues regularly, the system uses less energy.

More things customers can do to increase HVAC energy efficiency

Beyond changes to the system itself, customers can gain HVAC energy efficiency with attention to the following:

• Vacuum dusty vents and registers periodically.
• Avoid blocking HVAC vents and registers.
• Change dirty furnace and air conditioning filters in between maintenance appointments.
• Do not place heat-generating appliances next to thermostats.
• Use ceiling fans to circulate heated and cooled air, which can reduce the need for running the AC and heat.

More information and advice for HVAC technicians

Check out more interesting and informative articles that can help you boost your knowledge and build your career in HVAC and Refrigeration service.

HVACR Career Connect NY was created to promote the exceptional quality-of-life benefits of a career in HVAC and Refrigeration service, and also to provide a clear path for getting started in the profession. In doing so, we serve as a resource for employers in the New York City metro area to find and hire smart and capable new technicians. We also serve as an educational resource to support business growth and to help service technicians succeed in their chosen profession.