CONTROLS AND BALANCING
HVAC controls, testing and balancing
THE LAST TEN PERCENT
Where comfort complaints are prevented or created
Most comfort complaints after move-in have nothing to do with the size of the equipment. They come from thermostats in the wrong place, controls left on factory settings, zones that do not match the walls, and airflow that was never balanced.
Controls decide when the system runs, how much outside air it brings in and how each zone responds. On a tenant improvement they often have to integrate with a building automation system the landlord owns, which means coordinating with the building’s controls contractor.
Testing and balancing measures what the system actually delivers at every diffuser and adjusts it to the design. Many energy codes also require functional testing and commissioning of the controls, with documentation, before final.
What controls and balancing include
- Thermostat and sensor placement
- Zone controls and schedules
- Building automation system integration
- Economizer and outside air checks
- Air balance at every diffuser and box
- Energy code functional testing and documentation
SCOPE OF WORK
What we deliver
Thermostats and sensors
Placed where they read the room accurately, away from sunlight, supply air and heat sources.
Zone controls
Programmed to the tenant’s schedule and setpoints so each zone runs only when and how it needs to.
Building automation
Integration with the landlord’s system through their controls contractor, with points mapped and tested.
Air balancing
Measuring and adjusting airflow at every diffuser, grille and box, with a written balance report.
Economizers and outside air
Verifying outside air rates and economizer operation, which energy codes commonly require to be tested.
Commissioning
Functional testing of the controls and systems, with the documentation the jurisdiction requires before final.
HOW THE JOB RUNS
From programming to sign-off
01
Confirm the sequence of operation
02
Program and integrate
03
Balance the air
04
Test, document and train
COMMON QUESTIONS
Controls and balancing questions
Usually a thermostat in the wrong zone, a missing zone control or unbalanced airflow. Re-zoning and balancing fix most cases.
In many buildings, yes, for anything connected to the building automation system. We coordinate with them so the tenant’s zones are integrated properly.
A record of the design and measured airflow at every diffuser and box after adjustment. It proves the system delivers what was designed.
Many commercial energy codes require functional testing of HVAC controls and, on larger projects, formal commissioning. We check what applies in your jurisdiction.
Yes. A controls review and rebalance often solves long-standing complaints without new equipment.