Author: bldgcontrols

Is HVAC preventative maintenance on your to-do list? If not, it should be. While your heating and air system may not be something you spend much time thinking about, it’s a good idea to schedule in regular maintenance. Mark it in your calendar and schedule twice a year, and you’ll save money in both the short and long term.

How Does HVAC Maintenance Save You Money?

There are several money-saving reasons to get your system checked twice a year. You’ll want to schedule maintenance in the Fall and then again in the Spring.

A technician will come out and check to make sure your unit is in good working order. They will run tests and check the exterior and interior of your unit to check for wear and tear. They’ll clean and if necessary replace filters. The inspection will include your thermostat which will be cleaned and calibrated.

Why Go Through the Trouble?

Scheduling maintenance in the spring, before the summer heat hits can help you avoid problems in the warm months. Don’t wait till your building feels like an oven before you find a problem. Especially since it will be much harder to get an appointment during the busy summer season.

The same goes for scheduling maintenance in the fall. There is nothing worse than turning on your furnace after the temperatures drop only to find out there is no heat!

While catching problems early on is one compelling reason to schedule preventative maintenance, another reason is saving money. Regular maintenance helps your HVAC system operate more efficiently. This saves you money on heating and cooling each and every month.

And, maintenance extends the life of your system. This means you’ll avoid spending thousands of dollars on a new furnace or air conditioner before it’s time.

Those are three reasons that HVAC preventative maintenance can help save you money and avoid stress. Two times a year, every year. By maintaining your system you’ll:

1. Avoid system outages that cause major headaches and discomfort.
2. Decrease monthly energy costs significantly.
3. Avoid costly repairs and replacements, your system will last longer when properly maintained.

Budget-savvy companies are constantly on the lookout for ways to make better use of space. In many cases, space-saving strategies allow a company to do more with existing space, or even downsize into a more affordable building. It is a different way of looking at work space, but it can be effective and help with long-term goals. Instead of staying stuck in a traditional mindset, consider creative ways that facility organization can save money.

For buildings with offices or shared work spaces, “hot-desking” is a popular trend among companies looking to use space more efficiently. Instead of assigning a desk or workspace to each employee, the office functions as more of shared space rather than assigning people to certain places or desks. Flexible work schedules help this strategy function more efficiently. As a bonus, employees do not grow weary of working in the same area day after day.

Another thing to keep in mind is the design of your facility. Environment has a direct effect on mood as well as productivity. Spending the time to make your building an open workspace with ergonomic furniture may sound like a big investment of time and money, but the end results of a more productive workspace are totally worth that initial investment.

Creative thinking when it comes to using available space helps a company save money and makes for a better, more fruitful work environment. Public areas that are seldom used do double-duty as work areas for a mobile workforce. For example, if a company has a cafeteria or dining area, the space likely sits empty for most of the day. Instead, designate certain areas as workspace for salesmen, technicians and other employees who do not work in the building regularly.

These space-saving strategies, while simple, represent a paradigm shift for companies accustomed to more traditional space usage strategies.

This can be a tricky time when it comes to tax breaks related to green energy. There is much speculation as to where the tax code is going, and what breaks will remain at the end of 2017. However, there are still one or two items that you can capitalize on now, and a few to keep an eye on for the future.

A good place to start is the Energy Investment Tax Credit. Also called the “Solar Tax Credit,” this credit is one of the more straightforward ways to go solar, and decreases the tax burden on your business. This credit is equal to 30 percent of the expenditures required to install a solar energy system–with no cap on maximum credit. This means that you can opt for top of the line solar energy systems without fear that the tax credit will leave you high and dry.

This tax credit applies to all systems that begin construction before December 31st 2023. However, it is important to note that the value of this credit decreases the closer you get to 2023. For instance: on January 1st 2020, the highest tax credit receivable is 26 percent. To get the 30 percent rate, construction has to begin before the end of 2019.

For a more comprehensive break, businesses have been relying on the infamous 179D tax break for years. 179D is lauded as the holy grail of green building tax deductions. This program provides $1.80 in tax breaks per foot of a commercial building that save at least 50 percent of the heating and cooling energy of a system, according to the Department of Energy. Additionally, you can save 60 cents per square foot for systems affecting the building envelope, as well as lighting.

This bill was extended in 2016 to apply retroactively to systems beginning construction in 2015 and earlier. However, there has been little news on the future of the break as we move into 2017. Many are hopeful that 179D will be extended (and even increased) soon, but this is largely speculation. This has traditionally been used as a huge tax break for sustainable commercial buildings, so it will be important to keep an eye on this policy this year.

This year, it may be best to focus on systems-specific tax breaks. For instance, installing a biomass stove can earn you a $300 federal tax credit, provided it has an energy efficiency rating of 75 percent or better. Certain central air conditioning systems also qualify for a $300 tax credit. Even some non-solar water heaters that have efficiency ratings of over 90 percent qualify for a $300 tax break. If you maximize your usage of all these individual incentives, that’s already a total of $900 saved come tax day…no matter what happens in terms of large-scale energy policy.

The takeaway here is to be specific. Understanding how to maximize the efficiency of your existing building–or install the right systems if you’re due for an upgrade–will make a world of a difference. Creating an environmentally sustainable building is a reward in itself, but that doesn’t mean that you can’t be compensated for it. Inevitably, your building will require maintenance, why not let the tax code inform those decisions to help increase efficiency and put some cash back in your pocket?

For more information on how to use the green tax code to your advantage, visit our website. To get a personalized opinion on how you can maximize your savings and efficiency, contact us.

A commercial building or complex has an impact on the environment around it. When we choose to build “green,” we make a commitment to use available resources as efficiently as possible. The end result is buildings that are healthier for those inhabiting them while working in conjunction with the surrounding environment and provide cost savings.

A “green” building is a building that is sustainable. Its design will integrate seamlessly with the surrounding ecology through use of resource-efficient design specifics and equipment. Green buildings meet objectives such as promoting the health of the occupants, improving employee productivity and making efficient use of resources such as water, energy and other resources. A green building, whether being constructed from the ground up or renovated, is designed specifically to reduce its overall impact on the environment around it.

Features found in a green building

Green building and renovation practices will differ from locale to locale, depending on the surrounding environment. In general, most green buildings will feature one or more of the following design specifics:

• Taking advantage of existing mass transit
• Building materials make use of recycled content wherever possible
• Retain natural land characteristics and protect existing natural features in the landscaping scheme
• Landscaping choices will include plants that have low pesticide requirements and utilize water sparingly
• Energy efficiency is a priority in all aspects of construction
• Dimensional planning and utilizing material efficiency strategies
• Include dual plumbing in the construction or renovation designs to allow recycled water use for toilet flushing. Investigate feasibility of a gray water system to recover rainwater and other non-potable water for use in irrigation systems
• Improved air quality through construction materials and interior finish products that are zero or low emission
• Adequate ventilation through things like an in-duct filtration system, and heating and cooling systems with proper ventilation and filtration

Going green carries economic benefits

The initial cost for constructing or renovating with green principles in mind may be higher than conventional construction methods, but the lower operating costs will generate savings over the life of the building. These cost savings cannot be fully realized unless included in a project’s original designs. This will require the input of an integrated team of professionals to ensure the building’s design reflects a single functioning unit rather than a collection of various systems that have no connections to each other.

The end result is savings for operating costs, lower maintenance expenditures, improved health of occupants and increased living comfort. Occupant and employee productivity can improve while reducing pollution.

Let our industry experts show you how to go green with your new projects and incorporate green principles in your renovations.