As word starts to get around about Heat-Timer® Genesis, we’re getting many questions about this revolutionary new technology for saving money on fuel in small buildings. Here’s answers to a few of the most common questions. For more detailed information, please feel free to call our team at (973) 575-4004
How many space sensors does Genesis come with? The Genesis Control comes with three space sensors but can support up to 5. How much can I expect to save in fuel consumption? You can expect to save up to 30% on fuel usage. How do I access the building my control is in? The Genesis is fully mobile and internet enabled. You can access the control from any computer, tablet, or smartphone using our web portal or free mobile app. Is the web and mobile experience the same as the one used for Heat-Timer® Platinum Controls? Yes, the portal, the mobile app, and the alarms, emails, and text alerts and ability to monitor and control your boiler are the same. How long will the sensor batteries last? Battery life is over 10 years, thanks to use of the latest low power electronics. Can the Genesis operate with Steam based Heating? The Heat-Timer Genesis® Can operate perfectly on either steam or hot water, single boiler systems. This blog was originally published at https://www.heat-timer.com/heat-timer-genesis-frequently-asked-questions/
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For larger apartment and co-op buildings, Heat-Timer’s Platinum Series Boiler Controls have been the industry leading solution to saving energy for a long time. Among HVAC professionals the phrase “Why don’t you install a Heat-Timer®” is both a general statement and a brand endorsement in discussions of energy efficiency and boiler room upgrades.
Smaller apartment buildings of 20 units or less with forward thinking managers have also taken advantage of the Platinum series control. For some, the cost of the world’s most effective heating control especially in colder climates, was justifiable when considering the money saved on utility bills every month, and the ease of remote monitoring and management that a fully internet enabled platinum control brings. Right Sizing the Platinum Control for Small Buildings It turns out that a lightweight version of our Platinum Internet Control is a huge win for small building owners. With smaller up-front costs, return on investment (ROI) is greatly accelerated for small buildings of 20 units or less. The Heat-Timer Genesis™ has several parts that make this investment a no-brainer for small building owners and managers:
Call a Heat-Timer® Rep Today to Talk about the Genesis of Heating Technology Heat-Timer Genesis™ is shipping today. It’s not too late to get one installed for the upcoming heating season, after all, it’s easy. * Actual Savings may vary. Monthly savings is dependent on actual number of heating degree days. https://www.heat-timer.com/ This blog was originally published at https://www.heat-timer.com/genesis-heat-timer-the-rebirth-of-energy-savings-for-small-building-owners/ In the 5 New York City boroughs there are literally thousands of multi-family dwellings housing millions of residents. Many of those buildings are on the smaller side, housing anywhere from 2 to 20 families. And the vast majority of those were built more than 50 years ago, using single steam or hot water boilers to heat radiators with piping, wiring, and risers buried long ago inside the walls of these buildings.
Building owners looking to modernize their heating systems to save on fuel, were often put off by the cost of recommended upgrades, especially when construction costs were factored in. Even heating control and thermostat solutions sometimes required running wires through multiple floors down to the boiler room, when existing wiring could not support modern device interface requirements, or the wiring simply wasn’t where it needed it to be. Genesis Was Made for This. The key to achieving the level of comfort and savings that Heat-Timer Genesis™ does, is its use of our proprietary wireless space sensors. By reporting space temperatures in key areas of the building identified by your heating technician, the self-learning algorithms of Heat-Timer Genesis™ can actually learn the heating characteristics of your building. And since the space sensors are wireless and boast extended range, they can simply be hung on a wall inside an apartment and the signal will reach through up to 10 floors to report to the Genesis Heat-Timer ™ unit. No running wires or setting up wireless repeaters. The sensors don’t even need to be plugged in, they run on two AA batteries and last for 10+ years. Heat-Timer Genesis™ – An Easy Button for Fuel Savings and Installation Small apartment building owners can finally make an investment in improving their heating systems that doesn’t require them to have a PHD in HVAC, or take out a second mortgage or rip up their beautiful old building. The Genesis Heat-Timer™ was made for you. This blog was originally published at https://www.heat-timer.com/heat-timer-genesis-ease-of-installation/ At a high level, there are really two key area’s where Heat-Timer Genesis™ pushes the envelope of capability for a modern heating control. One area is certainly its ability to save small building owners on fuel costs while maintaining even better resident comfort. But the other area is certainly its ability to improve the quality of life, and ease of use for building managers, owners, supers and HVAC technicians alike, owing to its completely internet and mobile enabled interactions.
Heating Control Remote Alarms One key area is that of remote alarms. Genesis Heat-Timer ™ can send real-time alarms to designated users via either email or text, or within the free Heat-Timer® Mobile App. Furthermore, alarm thresholds can be set based on user preference. There are also more types of alarms available than ever before, and these alarms provide instant and clear indication as to what they are and where the problem is located. In many cases an alarm condition can be managed remotely, or a technician can be called, without ever needing to visit the boiler room. Heat-Timer® Mobile App From a quality-of-life standpoint, the visibility the free mobile app provides, means that you don’t really have to get off the couch to work a problem. The Mobile App is designed to show building managers a bird’s eye view of their building portfolio and allow them to drill into any property instantly. Small buildings using Heat-Timer Genesis™ can be viewed alongside larger buildings using our Heat-Timer® Platinum Series controls that are BuildingNet enabled. Visit- https://www.heat-timer.com This blog was originally published at https://www.heat-timer.com/mobile-app-and-alarm-notification/ We’ve talked about how our space sensors are completely wireless, but Genesis Heat-Timer ™ is also completely internet and mobile capable for remote monitoring and management. While the Genesis Heat-Timer ™ control features a local button-based interface and lcd screen, most users will quickly prefer the convenience of either our mobile app or our internet portal, which can make most trips to the boiler room a distant memory. Many building management companies are already aware of the ease of monitoring and management our internet portal provides. With varying access and security levels, your team can see reports or make changes to your entire portfolio of buildings through a simple, intuitive, web-based interface. By drilling down into various elements of key operational data, building managers have easy access to data that includes:
With Genesis Heat-Timer™ the smaller buildings in your management portfolio can be brought under the same management interface as larger buildings already using one of our Platinum Series Controls with BuildingNet. The internet portal is now like a building management system for heating across your entire portfolio of buildings. With long range wireless sensors, an internet portal, and our mobile app, cutting your fuel costs has never been a coupled with a better improvement in your quality of life! Call Heat-Timer® today for more information. https://www.heat-timer.com/ This blog was originally published at https://www.heat-timer.com/genesis-heat-timer-internet-portal/ One of the key features that sets Genesis Heat-Timer™ apart from other heating controls is the inclusion of pre-programmed wireless space sensors. The base product includes three space sensors but can connect to up to 5 for appropriate coverage of a typical small building of 20 units or less.
Installing the space sensors couldn’t be easier, simply mount them on the wall with the provided hardware in an apartment. The wireless sensors with their extended range, will report space temperatures directly to Genesis without need of repeaters or additional network hubs. The space sensors perform a key role in the control of the heating system. By utilizing building temperature readings from all areas of the building along with the outside temperature, algorithms actually self-learn the heating characteristics of your building. The best part for building owners is that the Genesis Heat-Timer™, utilizing its space sensors, is able to do this using the absolute minimum amount of fuel possible without sacrificing resident comfort. You can expect to save up to 30% on your fuel costs this winter, while maintaining a uniformity of building temperatures you never would have thought possible. The Wireless Space Sensors last up to 10+ years before battery replacement is needed. Battery status for each sensor is viewable remotely through the internet portal as well. For more information about the Genesis Heat-Timer™ please view our website https://www.heat-timer.com/the-genesis/ This blog was originally published at https://www.heat-timer.com/genesis-heat-timer-wireless-sensors/ The Heat-Timer® Announces the Launch of Genesis Heat-Timer™ “A New Energy Management System for Small Buildings” FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE – August 1st, 2022
Heat-Timer® Corporation Fairfield, New Jersey Heat-Timer®, a leader in commercial heating controls since 1937, announces the launch of their new product, Genesis Heat-Timer™. The Genesis Heat-Timer™ heating control is an extremely cost-effective solution for both steam and hot water heating systems in single boiler applications (20 units or less). Genesis Heat-Timer™ features a unique self-learning algorithm that incorporates outdoor air temperature along with in-unit ambient feedback to anticipate and compensate for the unique heat loss characteristics of your building. With this self-learning feature in place, Genesis Heat-Timer™ can regulate your building and provide up to 30% savings on monthly energy bills while improving resident comfort. You pick the temperature you want your building to maintain, and the Genesis Heat-Timer™ does the rest. Jeff Clerico, Vice President of Sales and Marketing, describes the Genesis Heat-Timer™ online portal as a time-saver for building owners/managers. “Our user-friendly online portal and Mobile App allow complete and seamless visibility into all of your buildings remotely, to eliminate those unexpected and inconvenient trips to the boiler room. You can modify all key heating parameters, receive important alerts via text/email, and check live apartment temperatures on the fly.” The Genesis Heat-Timer™ is a true out of the box Energy Management System. In addition to getting your heat under control, the Genesis Heat-Timer™ acts as the eyes and ears within your boiler room, alerting you in real-time when problems arise before residents are impacted. From leak/flood detection and boiler health, to domestic hot water temperature and beyond, the Genesis Heat-Timer™ has you covered. The Genesis Heat-Timer™ is now available for ordering. For more information on how Genesis Heat-Timer™ can help your building please click the link below or call us directly at (973) 575-4004. https://www.heat-timer.com/ht_products/genesis/ This blog was originally published at https://www.heat-timer.com/the-genesis-heat-timer-is-now-available-for-ordering/ For smaller apartment and office buildings having less than 20 units, justifying the expense of installing the industry leading boiler heating control system has sometimes been tough. Don’t get us wrong, small building managers and owners want to save money on fuel costs every bit as much as the big guys, especially in the northern regions of the country. And given that modern heating controls like the Heat-Timer® Platinum series have been shown to save anywhere from 15% to 50% on monthly heating costs, you would think that installing the industry leading heating control in a small apartment building would be a no-brainer. If only life were so simple. It turns out that for savvy small building managers, the problem is math. In general, building managers are looking for heating upgrades to pay for themselves in fuel savings within 2-3 years. If the cost of the upgrade is largely fixed, then the more money you save, the quicker the payback. So let’s do the math. Let’s assume some heating upgrade we are considering that includes a new heating control system will cost 20K installed and we conservatively project a savings of 20% per month on our heating bills as a result. It stands to reason that the larger your fuel bills, the more money you will save each month. Here’s a graph that tells the story. The original data is from a real 100 Unit apartment building in NYC. So a building that uses an average of $54,000/yr of energy could be expected to save 20% or $11000 on energy costs in its first year, assuming all other things remain equal. Allowing for normal fluctuations in fuel costs and the changing severity of winters it’s pretty clear that payback for a heating control investment happens sometime late in year 1 or early in year 2, exactly the kind of math that large building owners like. Smaller Apartment Building, Different Math Now let’s look at that same investment in a small building complex of less that 25 units. Since overall heating costs are lower, you save fewer dollars each month at the same percentage savings (20%). It takes longer here, to recover that fixed up-front investment. For some small building owners, even this extended payout is worth it. Possibly they are in a colder area of the country or have an older building that is not energy efficient and spend more on energy. Possibly their situation is such that a heating control like our Heat-Timer® Platinum Series with internet and wireless apartment sensors will save them even more than the 20% conservatively estimated here. Perhaps the installation is also being done to comply with local laws enacted to cut greenhouse gas emissions and so there is a compelling legal reason. They may also be entitled to rebates from a number of city and state incentives for installation of these kinds of heating upgrades which reduces or even eliminates the upfront investment. All these considerations would act to either make the ROI for small buildings much more of a “no-brainer” or make longer payback more tolerable. Or perhaps these small building owners/managers are simply more forward looking and see that they are in this for the long haul and don’t mind the longer payback. We have seen some of the most successful building management companies in the country take this longer view as they standardize their entire building portfolio around Heat-Timer® products. They gain energy savings for sure, but they also achieve product and training standardization, as well as centralized, internet-based portfolio management system for all their buildings. A centralized real-time, view, centralized reporting, and centralized monitoring and control via cell phone or internet. That’s a massive management EZ-button for serious building management professionals. The Final Word on Heating Controls for Small Apartment Buildings There are many reasons that heating controls like the Heat-Timer® Platinum Series can be justified, and are cost effective for smaller buildings. But if none of these reasons work for you and you are still wholly focused on the cost of this upgrade, then either you won’t do it all, or you’ll look for a cheaper solution with smaller upfront costs. After all, that’s another way to recover the costs of an upgrade sooner if all other things are equal. Putting this into graphical form again tells the story. If we cut the cost of installation in the small building from $20K up front to closer to $10K, and keep all other assumptions the same, then our small apartment graph looks much nicer! The problem with simply buying a cheaper control with cheaper installation costs is that all other things are not equal. To put it simply, some of the low-cost commercial controls you are likely to consider, will not deliver. The yearly fuel savings they advertise may claim 25% or more. But if you achieve 25% reduction of heating costs in a building with a low-cost control, then it is likely you would have achieved 35% – 40% cost reduction with a Heat-Timer® control. The problem is that you will now become locked into a simpler, cheaper solution that without a doubt, will not deliver the resident comfort, management convenience, mobile control, and fuel cost reductions, that the world’s leading boiler control can deliver. And down the road when you realize this, you’ll be looking at another significant upgrade investment.
If only small building managers could get the class leading performance of a Heat-Timer® Platinum Series Internet Control in a lower cost package designed specifically for small apartment complexes. If only…(-: The Genesis Heat-Timer™ – Designed for Small Building Managers Spoiler alert: Heat-Timer® is proud to announce that your patience reading this long blog will be rewarded! It turns out that as of August 1st, 2022, a heating control designed specifically for small building owners of 20 units or less, will be available. Our new control, the Genesis Heat-Timer™, has the same industry leading, energy saving performance as our top of the line Platinum Series, and the same internet monitoring and wireless connectivity for up to 5 remote sensors. With this heating control, up-front equipment and installation costs are significantly reduced. Payback in most cases is within 1 – 2 years using conservative estimates of energy savings. Even faster now, given the high cost of fuel expected this winter. Stay tuned to our website and social media for information on the next evolution of heating automation, the Genesis Heat-Timer™ . https://www.heat-timer.com/ht_products/genesis/ This blog was originally published at https://www.heat-timer.com/the-heating-control-wish-list-for-small-building-owners/ US gas prices are at a record high. There is no one reason for this, it’s more like a perfect storm of global events that has conspired to drive down supply while at the same time increasing demand. Unfortunately, there is also a good chance that the price at the pump has not yet peaked. We are just entering the summer travel season which is expected to be very busy this year. People who missed out on vacations during the pandemic are eager to make up for lost time. For these and other reasons, experts say prices are going to go higher and stay high for quite some time. Those circumstances aren’t going to change any time soon and are likely to keep prices there for the rest of the year and beyond. For commercial building owners, this will translate into higher fuel and electricity costs this summer and into winter, significantly higher. In anticipation of these fuel increases, smart building owners are taking a look at smarter solutions to building energy consumption. It’s way easier to justify the ROI on an equipment upgrade when the cost savings potential is now huge. Consider the following chart of gas prices: With average gas prices expected to top $5.00 a gallon nationally, that means a conservative estimate of average fuel price increases into the winter of 2022 vs. 2021 is $5.00 vs. $3.35 or almost a 50% increase in fuel bills.
The Time is NOW to Take Energy Saving Steps There are a number of things commercial building managers can do to get ahead of winter heating bills, ranging from the very easy and relatively cheap, and the very costly wholesale replacement of old equipment. The good news is that whatever you decide to do, the cost of it will be way easier to justify based on the dollars you’ll save this winter. Since we’re just coming into summer, the timing is perfect for the forward-thinking building manager to do upgrades to heating systems. Here’s some ideas to consider, starting with the simplest to the most comprehensive.
There are many other elements large and small that can make incremental improvements to your Heating system efficiency, all dependent on the particular configuration of your building. Again, an inspection by a qualified professional and the installation of a high quality heating control is always a great place to start. For further information on Heat-Timer® Platinum Series Controls, please visit https://heat-timer.com Original blog posted on https://www.heat-timer.com/combatting-skyrocketing-fuel-prices/ As a leader in the sales and installation of heating controls for all kinds of commercial buildings, we’ve heard a lot of stories from the HVAC technicians and building managers who have installed our equipment over the years. It’s easy to get caught up in the technology aspects of heating, and most building management folks are focused on the money they will save when they have a “Heat-Timer®” running their boilers. Sometimes however, we forget that all different kinds of folks are living in these apartments and co-op buildings and people experience hot and cold in different ways. You can’t solve a problem of heating efficiency and cost reduction, without solving the human problem at the same time.
A recent install at a 100 unit NYC Co-Op hi-rise, is a perfect example. Most of the residents were retired, elderly and long-time occupants of the building. This older group of residents completely controlled the Co-Op board, and dictated most of the major decisions in the building. Understandably, the elderly experience hot and cold much differently than younger folks. The heating cycle during winter, prior to a Heat-Timer® installation, went something like this: Maude Wilson in 11B is a spirited 92 years young, president of the Co-Op board, and can’t figure out why turning up her thermostat on this cold day doesn’t seem to be doing anything in her apartment. The concepts of shared steam delivery and centralized boiler heating are largely lost on her of course. Maude calls down to Louis, the long-time building superintendent, asking what is wrong and why her apartment is “Freezing.” Louis, who has known Maude a long time and who is a super nice super, obliges Maude and cranks up the boiler in the boiler room. Maude goes quiet but several hours later the resident in 12C, Mike Jones, who is only 50 and a karate instructor calls down to Louis to ask why his thermostat isn’t working and the temperature in his apartment is 78 degrees! Louis, who has known Mike a long time and who is a super nice super, obliges Mike and cranks down the boiler in the boiler room. He also begins counting the days until spring. You get the picture… Not only is Louis’ well-intentioned manipulation of the boiler wasting an incredible amount of energy every winter, but at the end of the day, the residents aren’t any happier with the temperature in their apartments. Poor Louis lives in fear of those late night calls which have him trudging back to the boiler room trying to address the latest resident complaint. Heat-Timer Platinum Series with Internet – Managing both Temperatures and Residents It turns out that our friends in the Co-Op managed to solve both their excessive heating bills, and their resident complaint problems with a little help from a Heat-Timer® Internet Enabled Platinum Control with wireless apartment sensors. Even Louis is getting better sleep now as he monitors all building temperatures remotely, from our Mobile app on his cell phone. If he needs to make an adjustment, he can do it from his cell phone or the internet portal. Maude is still prone to complaining but when confronted with reports and graphical data from our wireless remote sensors to show that the temperature in her apartment is actually a perfect 72 degrees, she is now resigned to putting on a sweater in the interests of the greater good. Her willingness to compromise was made even easier after she saw that the Co-Op was saving tens of thousands of dollars a year on the heating bill! Saving thousands of dollars on your yearly heating bills is a given with Heat-Timer®. What building managers need to realize also however, is that by using data from our wireless remote sensors and reports easily produced through our web portal, your residents can be presented with irrefutable data on both cost savings and comfort. The combination is powerful and over time, wins over all naysayers. It’s a story we’ve heard in some form, many times. Call us today to see how Heat-Timer® can help you with the politics of temperature inside of your building. https://www.heat-timer.com/ Original blog posted on https://www.heat-timer.com/the-politics-of-apartment-heating-management/ |
AuthorHeat-Timer® corporate office and manufacturing facility is conveniently located in Fairfield, NJ. Here, Heat-Timer® manufactures its electronic controls, sensors, valves and actuator products using specialized computer controlled equipment and automated testing systems. Archives
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