American industries are facing growing pressure to modernize production methods and improve energy efficiency without compromising the bottom line.
Now more than ever, it is important to drive research, development, and pilot-scale demonstrations within industrial projects, with plans to bolster confidence in the buildings space for further adoption of net-zero practices. When combined with standards and sequences, like ASHRAE’s Guideline 36, facilities managers can significantly progress their sustainability and efficiency goals, ushering in the future of sustainable, energy-efficient industrial buildings and achieving several major benefits.
The Role of HVAC in Industrial Buildings
HVAC systems are critical in industrial buildings and go far beyond regulating comfort. They are necessary for cooling machinery, maintaining optimal conditions for sensitive industrial processes, and ensuring worker safety and productivity. However, HVAC systems are also among the largest energy consumers in industrial settings, often leading to significant inefficiencies if not optimized.
Automation control systems are essential to smart HVAC strategies, providing advanced capabilities that transform buildings into efficient, sustainable spaces. By leveraging Internet of Things (IoT)-enabled automation, these systems and controllers utilize real-time data for precise temperature regulation, optimized airflow, and overall management of indoor air quality (IAQ). Predictive maintenance, remote monitoring, and embedded analytics ensure not only compliance with evolving standards but also reduce operational costs. Integrating into broader building management systems (BMS) via protocols like BACnet and Modbus, automation controllers empower HVAC solutions to meet modern demands for sustainability, comfort, and adaptability.
Upgrading to higher-efficiency heating and cooling equipment can cut energy consumption by up to 50% for electric heating and cooling systems and by 10% for gas furnace heating systems, significantly impacting the energy efficiency of a building. It doesn’t stop there; when combining the HVAC system retrofits with standardized frameworks, facilities managers can accelerate the effectiveness of these systems even further.
How ASHRAE Guideline 36 Benefits Industrial Buildings
ASHRAE Guideline 36, High-Performance Sequences of Operation for HVAC Systems, offers a standardized framework for enhancing HVAC efficiency. Designed to eliminate the inefficiencies of custom control sequences, Guideline 36 provides pre-defined, high-performance protocols that are easy to implement and maintain.
The benefits of adopting Guideline 36 in industrial buildings are substantial and include:
- Reduced energy consumption: By leveraging strategies like supply air temperature reset and demand-based ventilation, facilities can save up to 31% in HVAC energy consumption.
- Enhanced operational efficiency: Guideline 36 reduces redundant heating and cooling while optimizing airflow in variable air volume (VAV) systems.
- Simplified maintenance and upgrades: Standardized controls streamline system updates and improve communication between facilities managers, contractors, and specifiers.
- Improved IAQ: Closely monitored air circulation minimizes CO2 levels and ensures healthier work environments.
Manufacturers can pre-program Guideline 36-compliant sequences, providing consistent, cost-effective solutions for industrial HVAC systems. This approach reduces engineering and commissioning time while ensuring reliable performance. Moreover, Guideline 36 addresses one of the biggest pain points in the building design and construction process: the implementation of standardized high-performance control sequences.
While the value of these standardized sequences is widely recognized for their ability to reduce costs and improve performance, the primary challenge lies in their actual implementation. Building professionals are often hesitant to initiate these sequences due to their complexity, potential cost, and perceived lack of demand. Guideline 36 streamlines this process by simplifying each step in the deployment of their sequences thanks to their unique standardization protocol.
The most effective solution to this cycle is for manufacturers to pre-program Guideline 36-compliant sequences, providing consistent, cost-effective solutions for industrial HVAC systems. This approach reduces engineering and commissioning time while ensuring reliable performance.
Future-Proofing Industrial Facilities
Future-proofing industrial facilities requires a simultaneous deployment of green practices and advanced technologies for maintaining resilience. Integrating energy-efficient systems, renewable energy sources, and new technologies with the BMS of an industrial facility strengthens their ability to adapt to advancing regulations and market demands.
Investing in solutions like electrified heating systems, smart energy management, and low-emission processes not only addresses current sustainability challenges but also positions facilities to remain viable in a future dependent on energy cost control. By adopting these measures, industrial buildings can reduce their environmental impact while enhancing efficiency and competitiveness.
The long-term benefits are clear: better visibility into energy usage, enhanced resiliency, and greater stakeholder confidence. On a broader scale, decarbonization supports global climate goals as well as a diversification of energy sources, reduction of energy costs, and more, helping industrial operators contribute meaningfully to a sustainable and resilient industrial economy.
Conclusion
ASHRAE Guideline 36 plays a pivotal role in driving industrial decarbonization. This resource provides industrial building operators with the tools and support needed to adopt advanced technologies, optimize HVAC systems, and significantly reduce energy consumption and emissions. By leveraging standardized protocols, operators can enhance the energy efficiency of their facilities, meet sustainability goals, and ensure compliance with future regulatory demands.
Establishing a plan of action now is essential to securing resources while they are available and integrating technology into core systems that align operations with standardized frameworks, poised to make industrial facilities more efficient throughout.
Tyler Haak is the vice president of sustainability and service at Schneider Electric.
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