Are Smart Thermostats Smart Enough for Commercial HVAC?
Smart thermostats have become commonplace in homes over the last decade and they are becoming more popular in commercial HVAC applications as well. If someone has a good experience with a smart thermostat in their homes, it's natural that it would be a top pick for their office or business as well. Is that a good idea though? Aren't commercial thermostats and controls supposed to be expensive boring beige boxes on the wall that never quite keep me comfortable? We're going to unpack the pros and cons of using smart thermostats in commercial applications and look closer at Nest, Ecobee, and Pelican Wireless products.
What is a smart thermostat?
Smart thermostats are internet connected devices which control HVAC equipment to maintain comfort in a space while reducing unnecessary energy use. Most devices connect to a standard Wi-Fi network and include an app or website which allows users to view and modify the settings and schedules of the thermostat from anywhere. This provides a significant improvement over programmable thermostats which can only be adjusted on the device and are difficult to schedule. Additionally, some smart thermostats leverage their internet connection to analyze and enhance the operation of the HVAC system to save energy without compromising comfort.
Commercial Use: The Good
Smart thermostats can be a big improvement over stand-alone programmable thermostats or other out-dated HVAC controls in some commercial buildings . For buildings served by relatively simple HVAC systems, smart thermostats can easily replace existing thermostats and be connected to an available WiFi network. Systems like Pelican Wireless provide native features for a single user to manage a large number of devices from a single interface and manage users with customizable permissions. Other products like Ecobee offer a supplemental service to provide this kind of functionality for commercial applications. This allows for larger buildings, multi-tenant buildings, or even a portfolio of buildings to be effectively managed centrally with limited access granted to additional users as need.
Other potential benefits of using smart thermostats commercial buildings include:
Manage and update schedules centrally rather than at each separate device
Locked devices to limit how much a local user can change setpoints
Receive notifications when space temperatures exceed a set limit
Monitor equipment runtime hours to help track when service like changing filters is needed
Commercial Use: The Bad
Though smart thermostats can be a good option for some commercial HVAC applications, there are several significant limitations that are important to understand.
Facilities with more complicated HVAC equipment and systems may not be a good fit for smart thermostats. These facilities often require multiple pieces of equipment to communicate with one another such as variable air volume (VAV) boxes to the air handling unit (AHU) that serves them, or multiple AHUs to the chilled water system that serves their cooling coils. Companies like Nest and Ecobee lack the controllers and functionality needed to control these systems. Pelican Wireless has a Zone Controller offering which supports larger AHU systems with zoned control. In this way, Pelican Wireless systems are closer to a full building automation system (BAS) than other smart thermostat products. If you're unsure what HVAC systems you have at your facility and the controls they require, consult with a professional to assess what level of control capabilities is required.
Since smart thermostats typically connect to an existing Wi-Fi network for internet connectivity, a businesses IT department may need to evaluate the security risks associated with connecting smart thermostats. In many cases, this concern is minor. In others, it can be a deal breaker. If your business requires a high level of cyber security, consult with your IT manager early in the process of evaluating Wi-Fi thermostats for your controls. Pelican Wireless is an exception to this concern since it doesn't use Wi-Fi for wireless communication but relies on its own dedicated mesh wireless network for communication.
Compared to a modern BAS, a smart thermostat system provides fewer options for sensors to monitor equipment operation. Some smart thermostat products, like Ecobee, allow for additional temperature or occupancy sensors to be added to the system to measure occupancy or the average temperature in the space more accurately. Systems like Pelican Wireless have add-on controllers which allow for multiple temperature sensor inputs, digital input, and analog input. It's important to consider what you need your HVAC controls to do and make sure you select a system with the right capabilities.
Getting More From Smart Thermostats
While smart thermostats do have limitations in commercial HVAC applications, some of those limitations can be overcome. One thing that Ecobee, Pelican, and Nest have in common is that they all provide a programming API. This allows other software and solutions to retrieve data from those systems and modify settings or setpoints on the devices. This makes it possible to integrate third party device and sensors with a smart thermostat system extend its native capabilities. You can also connect these smart thermostat systems to other software tools like Trove's Building Analytics Platform to optimize HVAC system performance and detect system faults before they become emergencies. If you have a portfolio buildings where some have smart thermostats installed and others have a full BAS, you can still have a standard platform to monitor system health, identify issues, and implement a proactive HVAC maintenance program.
Conclusion
Smart thermostats have demonstrated their value for residential use and they can be a valuable option for many commercial applications as well. It's important to understand the capabilities and limitations of specific smart thermostat systems to ensure they meet the needs of your building's HVAC systems. If you've decided to use smart thermostats to control your HVAC systems, make sure you're getting the most out of your investment by looking into advanced facility management services that can integrate with your smart thermostats.
Trove Facility Services exists to help building owners and facility managers transform the way they manage their building systems. Whether you have an existing building with smart thermostats or you're considering installing them, we are eager to learn how we can help you get the most out of your commercial HVAC systems. Contact us today to start the conversation!