When a commercial building has temperature problems, the HVAC system is usually the first place everyone looks. A space is too warm? Check the air conditioner. Employees are complaining that it's too cold? Check the heat. Energy consumption suddenly increases? Something must be wrong with the HVAC equipment. Sometimes, that's exactly where the problem is. But other times, the HVAC system is doing exactly what it's supposed to do—it's simply responding to a problem somewhere else in the building. Changes in airflow, occupancy, building pressure, controls, operations, and even the building envelope can all create symptoms that look like HVAC equipment problems. Understanding the difference can help facility managers get to the root cause instead of repeatedly treating the symptom.
