The Triage Team
Triage and analysis should be performed by someone knowledgeable about campus energy systems and well-connected with campus HVAC technicians, in order to understand the causes of comfort issues, identify energy inefficiencies, and communicate to get problems fixed. We've identified key responsibilities and requirements for a successful triage team.
It's a triage team because it is made up of several individuals, each bringing a unique skill and taking on one responsibility. Feel free to mix and match the responsibilities to the skillsets of those on your team.
Key Responsibilies
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Read incoming feedback and checking the mechanical system for the corresponding space, making notes for later reference or other team members
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Addressing/fixing malfunctioning equipment in the BAS, or passing the information along to HVAC technicians as needed
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Weekly reviews to check room temperatures and setpoints for rooms where feedback was submitted
Key Requirements
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Technical knowledge of HVAC systems on campus
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Collaborative relationships with HVAC techs in Facilities
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Access to Building Management System(s)
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Access to building floor plans and mechanical drawings
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Access to the campus traditional work order system
An Example from UC Davis
We're lucky at UC Davis to have one person that fits all of the requirements and can fill all of the responsibilities above. John Coon performs triage and short-term analysis on TherMOOstat data. He is a full-time project manager at the Energy Conservation Office. John spends roughly 30% of his time on TherMOOstat related work, fielding PTS submissions daily and checking against the BMS in real-time for broken or malfunctioning equipment. He also spends 1-2 hours a week reviewing feedback and trending data in the BMS as needed. John sometimes calls TherMOOstat staff and faculty users directly (if their phone number is listed in the campus directory) to get more information or explain issues.