How to Handle a Temperature Complaint?
Building tenants lodging temperature complaints with the facility management team are a common occurrence in large scale buildings, but correctly handling them on the BMS can be difficult.
Here are the 4 simple steps you can take to ensure temperature complaints are dealt with in an efficient and timely manner without negatively impacting energy consumption.
Step 1 - Locate the Tenancy
Each building’s layout is unique so you will need to find the “Floorplan” section of your BMS. Coordinating this with a stackplan or retail map of the tenancies will allow you to match the tenant to the BMS thermal zone. Identify the equipment that services that zone, these are typically VAVs, FCUs or PACs.
Step 2 - Check Zone Temp Control Trends
Once the zone is located, load up the trend logs of the zone temp and zone temp setpoint on your BMS to make sure the HVAC equipment is controlling correctly.
Select a period of at least one week prior to the tenant complaint to analyse the actual zone temp readings and deviation from reaching setpoint.
In the PEAK Platform this is as easy as:
Select your site from the dropdown menu in PEAK Charts
Choose the VAV or FCU/ PAC as the Equipment;
Select the “Zone Temperature” and “Zone Temperature Setpoint” to trend
You can chart as many equipment in one go as well as outside weather conditions.
Step 3 - Adjust Zone Temperature Setpoint
Check if the equipment is controlling to the setpoint (i.e. zone temp is within +/- 1.5°C of meeting its zone temp setpoint). Skip to step 4 if equipment is not meeting setpoint.
If controlling to the setpoint but the complaints are still coming in, an adjustment of +/- 0.5°C can be made. This will increase the heating or cooling going to the space for the benefit of the tenant's comfort. Communicate the change you have made to your tenant and you can continue to monitor the change in PEAK Charts.
Seasonally standardising zone temp setpoints is an efficient way of cleaning the slate of any +/- 0.5°C overrides made over the previous season. Standard recommended setpoints should range between 21.0 - 23.0°C to balance tenant comfort and energy consumption.
Step 4 - Create Action for Contractor to Investigate
If the equipment is not controlling to setpoint (i.e. zone temp is outside +/- 1.5°C of meeting its zone temp setpoint) escalate the issue for your service contractor to investigate during their next maintenance visit and update your tenant.
Use the template below to provide your contractor with clear instructions:
Issue: Tenant complaint - Investigate zone temp not meeting setpoint
Equipment: [E.g. VAV-C2]
Complaint: [Space too hot/ cold]
Time of complaint: [Yesterday morning]
Trend: [copy and paste PEAK chart link or trend log screenshot from your BMS]
In your PEAK Account you can create and assign an action to your contractor, then tap approve and send. You will receive notification updates from your contractor once they resolve the action.
