Energy Awareness Month: What Is Energy Waste Really Costing Your Building?
Every October, organizations across the United States recognize National Energy Awareness Month, an initiative established in 1991 to encourage greater awareness of energy usage and the importance of managing energy resources responsibly. [1] As building owners and facility managers continue to face rising operating costs, Energy Awareness Month serves as a reminder that some of the biggest opportunities for savings may already exist within the systems they operate every day.
For most commercial facilities, energy is one of the largest controllable operating expenses. Yet energy waste often goes unnoticed. HVAC systems can continue running while airflow drifts from design conditions, controls fall out of calibration, occupancy patterns change, and equipment settings are modified over time. The building remains functional, but efficiency declines, comfort complaints increase, and utility costs gradually rise.
The challenge is that wasted energy is rarely visible.
Unlike a leaking pipe or a failed motor, inefficiencies can persist for months or years without drawing attention. Over-ventilated spaces, improperly balanced air systems, and hydronic flow issues often lead to higher energy consumption without an obvious indication that anything is wrong. Facility teams may only recognize the problem after reviewing utility bills or responding to recurring comfort concerns.
This is where Testing, Adjusting, and Balancing (TAB) plays a critical role.
According to National Environmental Balancing Bureau (NEBB) standards, TAB is a systematic process that verifies and adjusts HVAC system performance to ensure air and water flows align with the design intent of the building. [2] Properly balanced systems help deliver the right airflow, maintain occupant comfort, support indoor air quality, and improve overall operational performance.
The energy implications can be significant.
Results in studies across the industry have indicated proper testing, adjusting, balancing, and commissioning can result in energy savings of approximately 15% to 30% when compared with systems that are not properly optimized. [3] While actual savings vary depending on building age, condition, occupancy, and existing system performance, the data demonstrates the value of ensuring HVAC systems operate as intended. Facilities may also experience reduced maintenance requirements, fewer occupant complaints, and improved indoor environmental quality as a result of proper system optimization.
Most importantly, TAB should not be viewed as a one-time only test performed during new construction projects and never again.
Buildings evolve. Tenant layouts change, occupancy shifts, equipment is replaced, controls are updated, and operational requirements expand. Over time, these changes can introduce performance drifts that affect both comfort and energy consumption. Periodic TAB helps identify these deviations and provides facility managers with the data needed to make informed operational decisions.
At NTi, we regularly work with facility teams focused on reducing operating costs without compromising occupant comfort or system reliability. Energy Awareness Month provides an opportunity to evaluate whether your building is truly operating as efficiently as it should be, not simply whether it is still running.
If your facility has not undergone a TAB assessment in several years, or if significant renovations, occupancy changes, or system modifications have occurred, now may be the right time to take a closer look. The cost of energy waste can accumulate every day, while the benefits of identifying and correcting performance issues can continue for years.
This October, make energy awareness more than a conversation.
Make it a plan.
Schedule a TAB evaluation with NTi and discover whether your HVAC systems are delivering the performance, comfort, and efficiency your building was designed to achieve.
Sources
1. Alliance to Save Energy, National Energy Awareness Month history and background. [ase.org], [ase.org]
2. National Environmental Balancing Bureau (NEBB), TAB standards, specifications, and commissioning guidance. [nebb.org], [nebb.org]
3. HVAC Testing, Adjusting, & Balancing :: Systems Commissioning, reporting that proper testing, adjusting, balancing, and commissioning can result in 15-30% energy savings. [systemscom...ioning.com]
4. Testing, Adjusting, and Balancing (TAB): NEBB and AABC Standards Guide, overview of TAB benefits and industry standards. [hvacprosales.com]
5. National Energy Awareness Month: Bright Ideas for a More Affordable Future, historical context for National Energy Awareness Month. [blogs.ifas.ufl.edu]
