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Thermostats: Functional Differences for Your Business
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Thermostats, Electricity, and Savings With commercial retail pricing hovering around $10.47 per kilowatthour, electricity can be expensive. This is especially true for small and medium businesses that reside in large commercial buildings with multiple suites, have multiple heating and cooling zones, long business hours, or elaborate lighting needs. While some small businesses are housed in commercial buildings with multiple HVAC systems that require more sophisticated Building Automation Systems (BAS) to meet their needs, most small businesses aren't, and programmable thermostats can serve their needs - right now. However, the need's changing toward Internet-connected thermostats and their associated software. The energy marketplace and small businesses are taking notice - the projected growth rate is up from $1.1 billion in 2016 to $4.4 billion in 2025. According to the U.S. Department of Energy Office of Scientific and Technical Information, when you calculate savings, remember that every setback over an eight-hour period will save around 1% of the annual cost of heating. Because smart thermostats allow for detailed tuning, your small business can save even more with these thermostats. You need to understand the functional differences between programmable and smart thermostats to save your small business money and garner a higher ROI. What Are the Differences Between Commercial Programmable and Smart Thermostats? Commercial thermostats come in three basic types: Programmable (dial, setback, non-Wifi) Programmable communicating (Wifi) Smart (added algorithms) The older dial, setback, non-WiFi programmable thermostats are most often controlled by designated workstations that raise and lower temperatures, best for predictable work hours. However, predictable work hours aren't always the way that today's small businesses work because they are vying for firm footholds in the marketplace. This makes the biggest functional difference as to whether your thermostat should be connected to the internet or not. By being connected to the internet, you can be attending a spontaneous dinner after work and adjust your office's temperature and dim your office lights with your mobile app right from your table. This is relevant depending on how your business runs. Are Thermostats Standardized? It's important to note that the term smart is not an operating standard for thermostats, and different thermostats come with different features. However, every smart thermostat does have functional benefits. They are on-demand, allowing for enhanced programming due to the added algorithms that differentiate the smart thermostats from simple connected thermostats. In addition, these thermostats store and transmit data. Smart thermostats that use artificial intelligence (AI) are becoming more prevalent in commercial enterprises, but not necessarily small businesses. What Kind of Thermostat Fits Your Business? The kind of thermostat that fits your business depends on several factors:
As your business grows, invest in smart thermostats. Since they are internet and user based, these systems will grow with you with less adaptation than adding programmable thermostats that need to be manually set up and possibly re-wired to account for the added square footage (zones) or added workstations. Function over form, internet-based or not, are the main considerations when choosing which thermostat will best benefit your small business. For more information about thermostats, call us at Circle Electric, Inc. We can install or replace your smart or programmable thermostat. |
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Thermostats, Electricity, and Savings With commercial retail pricing hovering around $10.47 per kilowatthour, electricity can be expensive. This is especially true for small and medium businesses that reside in large commercial buildings with multiple suites, have multiple heating and cooling zones, long business hours, or elaborate lighting needs. While some small businesses are housed in commercial buildings with multiple HVAC systems that require more sophisticated Building Automation Systems (BAS) to meet their needs, most small businesses aren't, and programmable thermostats can serve their needs - right now. However, the need's changing toward Internet-connected thermostats and their associated software. The energy marketplace and small businesses are taking notice - the projected growth rate is up from $1.1 billion in 2016 to $4.4 billion in 2025. According to the U.S. Department of Energy Office of Scientific and Technical Information, when you calculate savings, remember that every setback over an eight-hour period will save around 1% of the annual cost of heating. Because smart thermostats allow for detailed tuning, your small business can save even more with these thermostats. You need to understand the functional differences between programmable and smart thermostats to save your small business money and garner a higher ROI. What Are the Differences Between Commercial Programmable and Smart Thermostats? Commercial thermostats come in three basic types: Programmable (dial, setback, non-Wifi) Programmable communicating (Wifi) Smart (added algorithms) The older dial, setback, non-WiFi programmable thermostats are most often controlled by designated workstations that raise and lower temperatures, best for predictable work hours. However, predictable work hours aren't always the way that today's small businesses work because they are vying for firm footholds in the marketplace. This makes the biggest functional difference as to whether your thermostat should be connected to the internet or not. By being connected to the internet, you can be attending a spontaneous dinner after work and adjust your office's temperature and dim your office lights with your mobile app right from your table. This is relevant depending on how your business runs. Are Thermostats Standardized? It's important to note that the term smart is not an operating standard for thermostats, and different thermostats come with different features. However, every smart thermostat does have functional benefits. They are on-demand, allowing for enhanced programming due to the added algorithms that differentiate the smart thermostats from simple connected thermostats. In addition, these thermostats store and transmit data. Smart thermostats that use artificial intelligence (AI) are becoming more prevalent in commercial enterprises, but not necessarily small businesses. What Kind of Thermostat Fits Your Business? The kind of thermostat that fits your business depends on several factors:
As your business grows, invest in smart thermostats. Since they are internet and user based, these systems will grow with you with less adaptation than adding programmable thermostats that need to be manually set up and possibly re-wired to account for the added square footage (zones) or added workstations. Function over form, internet-based or not, are the main considerations when choosing which thermostat will best benefit your small business. For more information about thermostats, call us at Circle Electric, Inc. We can install or replace your smart or programmable thermostat. |
