EUGENE WATER  &  ELECTRIC  BOARD

Opponents prepare to battle for control of the thermostat.

There’s a war going on in many workplaces. The objective: take control of the comfort center.

The tactics vary. Sometimes it’s a frontal assault by a large force. Sometimes it’s a guerilla action in which a small group creates a diversion while an assault team attacks the locking cover with a bent paper clip.

Then there’s the covert action. A single operative “acquires” the key, makes a surreptitious adjustment and returns the key before it’s missed.

Finally, there’s propaganda and innuendo spread around the office by sympathizers.

Defending your thermostat installation against assault is a thankless job. Here’s some ammunition for the battle.

You can’t pick a temperature that will make everyone happy, but you can take a survey of occupants to find out which thermostat setting will keep the most people happy. Once you have identified this temperature, stick to it. Sticking to one setting has two advantages. First, the chosen set point was based on the group’s preference, so there are fewer potential complainers. If the loudest complainer controls the setting, there are generally many more uncomfortable people. Second, frequently changing the demand will overwork the heating and cooling system. With a stable setting, the workload is constant. Some people are bound to be unhappy, so be prepared to work with them to improve their personal comfort. Encourage them to use layered clothing so they can adjust for comfort. Make changes to their work stations to improve comfort (see Building Improvements below).

If top priority goes to comfort, consider research conducted by the American Society of Heating, Refrigerating, and Air-Conditioning Engineers, Inc. (ASHRAE). Studies over the years have shown the following thermostat settings will keep the most occupants comfortable in the typical office or retail setting:

These settings allow for some temperature changes as the equipment cycles on and off. If your goal is the greatest energy savings, you may choose to sacrifice a bit of comfort. Year-round settings of 68°F for heating and 78°F for cooling provide the most savings. To achieve a good balance between efficiency and comfort use year-round settings of 70°F for heating and 76°F for cooling.

You need to think about more than a temperature setting, when operating your thermostat. Here are four important tips: Separate the heating and cooling settings by at least 4 degrees. Called the "deadband," this separation prevents your equipment from switching rapidly between heating and cooling. Match the settings on all thermostats that serve the same open area, such as an open office or a retail space. By keeping all the settings identical, you'll prevent some units from cooling while others are heating. Watch for thermostats in locations that don't measure the true temperature of the space. Here are a few examples: above coffee pots or computer monitors, in direct sunlight, or next to doors or windows that are often open to the outside. Set back temperatures when the space is not occupied. Progammable thermostats will take care of this automatically and are required if you have heat pumps. Other systems can be set back manually. Detailed information on programmable thermostats appeared in the Spring 1999 issue of Efficiency By Design.

It often makes sense to open a second front in your battle. Your thermostat controls only the heating and cooling equipment, so it has an impact only on air temperature. But air temperature is only one factor that affects comfort. You can outflank the thermostat by improving other features of the building to increase comfort and reduce energy costs. Here are common examples. Poorly insulated walls or single-pane windows can give occupants a chill, even with very warm air temperatures. Move desks further from windows, or install half-height draperies to cover the lower part of windows near occupants. Full sun shining directly through windows will overpower air conditioning units. Install shades or mini-blinds to block direct sun. Drafts can sometimes cause chilling. Banish drafts by properly balancing the air flow through the duct system. While air flow through a diffuser can be reduced, it should never be shut off completely. Keep air filters clean so enough air flows to deliver its payload of heating or cooling.

When one person in the office is chronically cold, a low-wattage under-desk heater can be the answer.

One way to bring peace to a thermostat battlefield is to open a second front. If the main thermostat is set to keep the greatest number of people happy & ndash; as it should be – then you can offer a personal heater to the few folks that are left in the cold. These special low-wattage heating panels mount under a desk to keep legs and toes feeling toasty. Don't attempt this tactic with full-size 1000 or 1500 watt heaters, because you will run into several problems. It's unlikely that the electrical system of the building has enough capacity to supply these heaters. Circuit breakers are likely to trip, electronic equipment (including computers and copiers) may suffer power quality problems. Sitting on the floor, portable heaters may cause workers to stumble. Hot surfaces can cause burns or possibly start a fire. Finally, high-wattage space heaters are expensive to operate. Each one can cost $10 per month, a cost that adds up quickly with each additional heater. At 100, 150 or 200 watts, under-desk heaters have a much lower impact on the electric bill. They don't trip breakers or affect power quality. There's no fire danger or tripping hazard. One manufacturer of under-desk heaters is SSHC, Inc. You can reach them at 800-544-5182 or visit their Web site.