One additional and equally crucial element of the renewable HVAC technology integration process is building the team that will make important decisions before and during the project.
“To see something like this through to fruition, we really need to involve a lot of stakeholders beyond just the facilities management team,” Short says. “We're looking at the capital planning and construction team. We're talking with finance. Depending on the organization, you're talking with the board of trustees and shareholders and providing them with the details that they need to get on board with a decision like this.”
The team does not end with those inside an organization.
“That's just the internal team," he says. “Externally, you're looking at a consultant. You're looking at contractors. You're looking at utility liaisons because this is ultimately going to affect utility usage and load on site.”
Another external player in the process for many organizations is an engineering consulting firm.
“We’re out there understanding what the technologies are in a way that facility managers can't always be,” Rios says. "We're not busy with other stuff like facility managers might be . Make sure that you have those connections and understanding and trust with your consultants.”
Rios also reminds managers that construction firms and managers bring unique skills and insights into such projects.
“Construction managers are knowledgeable in understanding costs, planning for timing of lead times and getting the equipment and when necessary to get projects done and really thinking about what the disruption might be like,” he says.
Successful projects also involve addressing a range of issues that go beyond the confines of facilities, technology and personnel. They also need to take into account a range of considerations that will make or break the project, such as its impact on future needs and decisions.
"Think about how to address the challenges with steps rather than wholesale replacement,” Rios says. “It means really thinking through when you're going to need to do major infrastructure upgrades anyway and doing the right thing today to set you up for that, whether it's a five-year or a 10-year plan, and you know you're going to need to do that later.”
Managers also would be wise to consider the post-installation phase of the project during its initial planning.
“With my background in commissioning and facilities consulting, obviously I would vouch for incorporating the commissioning process from the start so that when we get to installation acceptance or turnover, we understand that the system has been thoroughly commissioned and that there's a clean transition to ownership and to operations and maintenance,” Short says. “We couple that with measurement and verification, and we can understand if the equipment is performing appropriately.”
Renewable technology also presents managers with a challenge related to staffing. As many managers continue to struggle in the search for qualified technicians to staff their departments, the maintenance demands of renewable technology add a layer of complexity to the struggle. Rios says managers including maintenance contracts when purchasing equipment can help alleviate the challenges of finding labor.
“It's a real challenge finding the right folks,” he says. “One way to address it is when you do the buy, whoever you're buying from is going to have folks that are capable of installing it. Put that in the contract. You might pay a little more for it, but you might save yourself some headaches in the first couple years of the installation.”
For all of the needed focus on the individual elements of integrating renewable technology into HVAC systems, managers also can benefit from keeping in mind the broader goal of such projects: decarbonization.
“People are likely looking at these options because there's a societal need to understand and incorporate sustainable measures that contribute to decarbonization,” Short says. “The reduction of our carbon footprint on campus and understanding how different renewable technologies or biomass technologies can contribute to that.”
Dan Hounsell is senior editor for the facilities market. He has more than 30 years of experience writing about facilities maintenance, engineering and management.
