Making Demand-Response Work

Many loads that seem essential may be reduced briefly. A building’s own thermal inertia may mitigate the impact of (for example) raising chilled water temperature. Here are some other practical tips to get the most out of a demand-response program:

• Reduce or shut off non-essential lighting (e.g., corridors having windows, lobby, atrium)
• E-mail occupants asking them to turn off non-essential plug loads such as coffee makers
• When acceptable, minimize outside air intake
• Reduce number of running elevators
• Sequence speed reductions of fans running on VSDs
• Shut off electric reheat coils, raise cooling discharge temperatures
• Allow summer room temperature to briefly float a degree or two higher
• Cycle electric dehumidifiers, or allow humidity to briefly rise
• Cycle or sequence electric hot water heaters/boilers
• Shift process loads to off-peak. For example, charging of electric carts
• If available, switch to a non-electric chiller
• If allowed, run on-site generation.

Important: Before deploying any of these options, test it in advance to verify acceptability.

Lindsay Audin is president of EnergyWiz, an energy consulting firm based in Croton, N.Y. He is a contributing editor for Building Operating Management.

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