If you own a commercial property in Mesa, AZ, it needs a reliable, efficient HVAC. You won’t attract or keep any tenants without it. And if you use the building yourself, you’d be more than a little uncomfortable. However, even if your building has a working HVAC system, upgrading it may be wise. Newer commercial HVAC systems have some advantages that make them worth the price. Here are the top six reasons you should upgrade your commercial HVAC system.
1. Increased Energy Efficiency
The obvious reason to upgrade your commercial HVAC is to take advantage of improved energy efficiency. HVAC operating costs are typically a big part of a commercial building’s overhead. However, you can’t exactly ask your tenants to raise the thermostat in deference to your bottom line. So, a more efficient HVAC is your best option to trim operating costs.
Every six years, the Department of Energy revises commercial HVAC efficiency standards. As a result, today’s minimally efficient commercial HVACs must be 30% more efficient than six-year-old analogs. So, there’s a good chance that any new commercial HVAC you choose will be an improvement on your existing model.
It’s also worth pointing out that you can use an HVAC replacement as an opportunity to upgrade to a heat pump. They offer even more significant efficiency advantages relative to conventional systems. They can also be a key tool in any effort to move your building toward carbon neutrality. As all-electric systems, heat pumps become carbon neutral when paired with renewable energy.
You can even select a system with variable refrigerant flow (VRF) capabilities for maximum energy savings. VRF systems have two efficiency tricks up their sleeves that no other commercial HVAC can perform. The first is the ability to ramp up and down their heating and cooling capacity depending on your building’s needs. That maximizes efficiency because the system only uses the precise amount of power needed to maintain your set temperature. The other trick is the ability to recycle heat energy as required. For example, if one tenant wanted cooling and another wanted heating, the system would collect heat in the former’s space and release it in the latter’s. As a result, you wouldn’t need to expend extra energy to meet both tenants’ comfort needs.
2. Indoor Air Quality Improvements
Another reason to upgrade your commercial HVAC system is to improve your building’s indoor air quality. Newer HVAC systems tend to feature improved air filtration capabilities. That can help them keep particulate matter, allergens, and dust at lower levels in your building. It also reduces excess wear and tear on your new HVAC, helping it remain reliable for longer. Plus, many new HVACs boast easier compatibility with add-on air purification systems. For example, a newer HVAC may have a native add-on allowing UV light air sterilization. That can dramatically reduce mold, viruses, and bacteria levels in your building’s air. It might also support more efficient media filters that clean the air with each cycle through the system.
3. Increased Tenant Comfort
A new HVAC can be an excellent way to improve the comfort of the tenants in your building. That, in turn, will reduce your vacancy rate and lower tenant churn. Newer HVACs accomplish all that by doing a better job of maintaining stable indoor temperatures. Older systems often create hot or cold spots that cause problems in a commercial building. For example, it may leave one tenant feeling too hot while another feels too cold. If your system has independent zones, the tenants themselves can correct that. However, they do so at the expense of your HVAC’s overall efficiency.
4. Reduced Repair and Maintenance Needs
Another great reason to upgrade your commercial HVAC is to take advantage of reduced repair and maintenance costs. It’s no secret that a newer HVAC should immediately and sharply curtail the ongoing repair costs associated with your existing system. Plus, older systems need more frequent maintenance as their components age.
The repair and maintenance needs of your building’s HVAC can also be disruptive to your tenants. Whenever you need your HVAC professionally serviced, you must accept a disruption in your system’s functionality. If you schedule maintenance during regular business hours, it will negatively affect your tenants. Doing it during off-hours can increase the cost of the service and your labor overhead to have someone on-site for the work. Either way, increased HVAC maintenance will harm your bottom line, making a new system preferable.
5. Advanced Control Systems
Newer commercial HVAC systems also feature improved control systems that can help you proactively manage your building. For one thing, they frequently include or integrate with internet-connected thermostats. Those give you remote control capabilities and real-time insight into conditions in your building. Also, many feature advanced energy usage data collection and analysis capabilities. That can help you identify opportunities for operating cost savings that won’t impact tenant comfort.
Many new commercial HVAC systems also integrate with building automation technology. That can, for example, synchronize the operation of your building’s HVAC, lighting, security systems, and more. It also allows for advanced HVAC control methods like occupancy sensing. That would allow your new HVAC to proactively reduce its energy usage when tenants go home daily. In some cases, integrating your HVAC with an automation system can even give you proactive maintenance cues. For example, it may detect abnormalities in your HVAC’s energy use and alert you to a problem before it worsens.
6. Potential Cost-Saving Rebates
Finally, you may qualify for rebates on a new commercial HVAC system that increases your building’s efficiency. Local utility companies have a vested interest in driving down electricity demand. That applies especially to HVAC systems as average temperatures continue rising. For example, the Salt River Project provides rebates on various efficient commercial HVAC options. The rebates scale by the ton, so the bigger your system, the more you save. They can make the economics of upgrading your building’s HVAC far more palatable.
Your Local Commercial HVAC Experts
Since opening our doors in 2019, CAM Air has rapidly become Mesa’s go-to commercial HVAC services provider. It happened because of our unique approach to meeting commercial building owners’ HVAC needs. That begins with continuous employee training to guarantee you always interact with knowledgeable HVAC professionals. We also insist on and adhere to industry-leading safety standards. We even have a team of quality control supervisors who ensure you always get what you’ve paid for.
When you approach the decision to upgrade your building’s HVAC system, we can be there each step of the way. That begins by helping you select the appropriate system from a reputable manufacturer. Then, it extends to our installation team’s attention to detail and high-quality workmanship. Check out our customer reviews to find out what other building owners think of our work. When you want a commercial HVAC upgrade or need HVAC maintenance in Mesa, call CAM Air immediately!
