Keep Tenants Happier — Automatically!

Facilities managers see a jump in both complaints and costs when winter hits and the building heating kicks in. And just as you start looking forward to spring, you realize that you’ll soon be turning on the air conditioning. You can’t control the weather — so how can you improve tenant satisfaction, and even find some savings, by better controlling the indoor environment? A building automation and control system (BACS) may be the answer.

Gary Giambatista is Vice President of Operations and Steve Foderaro is Service Manager for Control Temp Mechanical Services, a division of BRAVO! Group Services. With decades of experience between them, they understand that one truth is universal for facilities managers: tenant satisfaction is always at the top of the to-do list.

Tenant satisfaction is first priority

“Energy costs are very important to a lot of our clients. However, most building managers place a higher priority on their tenants’ comfort level instead of saving energy,” Giambatista explains.

A BACS allows building managers to automate heating and cooling according to set schedules to keep buildings and offices comfortable for tenants. Foderaro says, “Nowadays, electronic controls ensure accuracy for scheduling startup and shutdown of full systems as well as individual units.”

A BACS can also give tenants a degree of control over the temperature in their individual offices. “Some older buildings have just one or two thermostats for the whole floor,” says Giambatista. “With a high-end building management system, you can provide a thermostat in every office so individuals can control the temperature within a given range of pre-set limits.”

Having some measure of control is a definite factor in tenant satisfaction. “Just the fact that they can hit the button and watch the numbers change gives them a warm cozy feeling and makes them happier,” Giambatista says.

Savings from multiple sources

While tenant satisfaction is the number one concern for building and facilities managers, a BACS can go beyond that, producing savings on energy costs, maintenance, and even labor costs.

The BACS’ ability to schedule system startup in stages, and to cycle throughout the day, can have a direct impact on energy costs for the facility. Giambatista explains, “With a commercial building, your electrical meter records your peak demand, which is used to calculate the rate your utility company will charge you per kilowatt for your usage. The higher your demand rate, the higher your cost per kilowatt.” When you stagger startups and control operations of your biggest energy-drawing systems, you keep the demand load steady, avoiding those peaks that can drive up overall electrical costs.

In addition, automatically cycling equipment for maximum efficiency can actually extend its lifespan. Cycling equipment on and off according to set schedules allows the equipment to be used more efficiently and reduces the amount of time the system needs to run, reducing wear and tear. The result is lower maintenance costs and a longer lifespan for the equipment itself.

System automation also can reduce labor costs by reducing staffing requirements. Automated systems have less need for duplicate manual data entries and allow incremental schedule changes on the fly.

Control Temp: One stop for all your HVACR Electrical and BCAS needs

Control Temp offers a level of service and support that provides a truly turnkey solution, customized to each individual customer’s needs.

Control Temp Services include:

• Service from a fully licensed HVACR contractor in New Jersey License 19HC00297500
• Provides installations of new BCAS systems and equipment, and service for existing BCAS systems
• Certified Tridium dealer
• Service and installations of boilers, roof-top units, split systems, chillers, and cooling towers
• Provides preventative maintenance and service programs
• 24 hour emergency service and repairs
• Electrical service and installations as a fully licensed Electrical contractor in New Jersey License 9747A
• New Jersey DPMC approved for HVAC and Electrical work

With nearly 100 years of combined experience on the management team alone, we can meet any challenge and provide a complete solution for our clients.

[cta]Ready for smiles instead of complaints from your tenants? The experts at BRAVO! Group Services can consult with you to help develop a customized building automation system that is appropriate for you and all your tenants. Contact BRAVO! on our website, by email at news@bravobuildingservices.com, or by phone:

Corporate Office (Green Brook, NJ): 732-465-0707
Control Temp HVAC & Mechanical: (Green Brook, NJ): 732-442-5001
Regional Office (Virginia/Washington, D.C.): 703-534-0211
Regional Office (Delaware): 302-322-5959
Regional Office (Arkansas): 405-589-7038
Regional Office (North Carolina): 919-972-9276
Toll Free: 866-OH-BRAVO[/cta]