Space heating

Saving energy means decreasing the amount required by your heating systems for air displacement (ie air propelled through ducts, registers, coils, filters, louvers, diffusers and grates) and conditioning (ie heating, humidification, dehumidification and cleaning).

Reduce heating time

Install timers to reduce the heat when your building is unoccupied. Also, conserve heat by closing curtains, louvers and blinds at night and when the building is unoccupied. Open them during the day to take full advantage of sunlight.

Adjust the temperature

Survey your employees and customers to define their temperature comfort zone. You may discover that some spaces are maintained at a warmer temperature than necessary. A slight decrease in the temperature setting can generate significant savings. Setting the temperature to 17°C (62.6°F) for a vacant building and 20°C (68°F) for an occupied building can reduce the annual consumption of natural gas.

It may be less expensive to vary the interior temperature settings according to the following criteria: the occupants' activities in various locations, the seasons, humidity levels, amount of sunlight, interior air speed, and temperature zones conductive to comfort. Bear these factors in mind when defining the temperature settings for different rooms. Remember that occupants may tolerate warmer interior temperatures than what you would expect during summer, and similarly, colder room interior temperatures in winter.

Eliminate obstacles

If you have a forced-air system, remove any obstacles in ducts, registers and cold-air return registers so that the air can circulate freely and efficiently throughout the system.

Look for hot spots

If you have a hot-water heating system, look for hot spots on the boiler wall and hot-water distribution pipe to identify insulation gaps. Remember, if it's too hot to touch, you are losing a lot of heat. Also check pumps and valves for water leakage.

Replace your heating equipment with more efficient equipment

If you're thinking of changing your space heating equipment, ask your contractor about the energy efficiency of your appliances. Efficiency is usually expressed in terms of annual fuel utilization efficiency (AFUE) for furnaces, and in terms of combustion efficiency for boilers. The higher the energy output rating, the more efficient the equipment as the less energy it consumes.

• Grants for heating system