Do you own the building?
Do you lease the building?
Do you only simply work in the building?
'I used to be responsible for the air entering and leaving a 600,000 sq. foot facility that fed air-houses , clean rooms and ovens, offices and general work areas.
Some areas related to painting processes had air balance that needed tending as the weather changed even if it was only a high wind event at times.
You're asking multiple questions. As if the idea of a new system would be cost effective.
If I were selling I'd be asking how much you want to spend to reduce consumption.
(Buying a new vehicle removes the perceived flaws of the prior.)
[over the last few years we have been experiencing quite a few problems with ventilation as well as high heating and cooling costs]
What ventilation problems? Other than an abused by neglect filtration system or actual failed blowers ; you're being awful vague.
A dirty condenser's coils combined with a prematurely overly dirty (between "regular" changes) filter can wreck the best systems efficiency. Now how much are we saving?
Is a partly dirty filter more efficient that a new one? For filtering the answer can be yes.
Who is checking your filters? Could you?
Who is performing your preventive maintenance? Recommendations for repair or replacement should be coming from them.
Even if an in house recommendation to have a contractor perform periodic service/inspections IF you cheap out and don't have someone qualified to do so on staff. Either is fine; only if it gets done. That periodic inspection of your assets and equipment is the purpose of preventive maintenance. A reduction of downtime should justify the cost of having preventive maintenance performed. Alas , bean counters and budget crunchers don't see it that way.
So we'll just be up in arms when something neglected fails instead and start calling contractors and considering replacing equipment.
(Yes I am biased .)
Absent that recognition of why preventive vs we'll worry about it after something fails ; you are at the mercy of waiting till something fails and calling a service to patch your lack of maintenance. Then you have to pay them for your neglect , and trust their recommendations.
[ high heating and cooling costs.] Compared to what?
Yes. You are consuming energy for the luxury of heating and cooling. energy costs. As does the latest and greatest efficiency claims. Who cleaned the heat exchanger coils last? And how clean are they today?
The most cost effective savings will be in conserving energy. spending 15-20 thousand dollers to gain a couple percentiles efficiency isn't really saving much until amortization says so. And in H.V.A.C. that can be quite a gamble. More so when you lack a preventive maintenance program. As to paying for itself.... Compared to the office building it's own heating system and scrounging fuel for it and skipping A.C. in summer , paying for itself in energy saving seems more a good idea than a reality.
A maple tree planted 25 years ago on the South side of the building might have. And spruce windbreaks on the North side too.
Depending on headspace and equipment capability a prefilter blanket can reduce filter loading and replacements during pollen and or cottonwood seed type times of year. Too in winter in some areas where snow can be ingested.
Is your building efficient/ thermal seep? Masonry shaded during the day but exposed to the cool of the night and allowed to dissipate that cool during the day? (And reversed in winter.)
Are your windows and door seals efficient? Do you have vestibule entrances?
What color is your roof; and why?
Be specific.
Turning your cooling system up to 78 might be better than a new system moneywise.
Then when temps are 78 or below using ventilation like window screens and one fan going out and one coming in.
IF outside air isn't a problem.
IF equipment needs a temp of 70F. max. how much equipment can be isolated in a specific zone compared to the entire building can matter. Vs the entire building.
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