Your building's summer maintenance checklist

While we all strive for energy efficiency year-round, the summer months can be particularly challenging. Not only do staff holidays lead to unusual building occupancy and energy usage that can be difficult to track, but the warmer season makes air-conditioning use increase. 65% of commercial buildings in the UK have AC installed, making up 10 percent of all UK energy use. If the AC is left on when spaces are unoccupied, the cost and environmental impact of this energy use is enough to make any manager sweat.

We know this period is great for carrying out maintenance, taking the opportunity to replace or repair plant hardware. But what about an audit of the whole system? The summer maintenance period is an ideal opportunity to review how your system is performing, ensure all equipment is working effectively and tidy up any outdated setups.

To help you get started, here are a few areas that can help your building energy management system (BEMS) run smoothly:

• Are all time profiles up to date? 
• Is every alarm functioning? Do you need to add/remove any alarms to reflect hardware changes around the premises? 
• Are meters collecting and reporting data where we need it? 
• Do the sensors need cleaning? Are they providing accurate readings?

So before you go on holiday, give a thought to your energy usage whilst you are away. Let the BEMS owner know so that possible savings can be made.  (Then go and enjoy your holidays!)