G&R Controls, Building Controls Specialists, Can Upgrade Your HVAC System

Published by MED Magazine

In the world of healthcare, the importance of an HVAC System that operates seamlessly is essential. G&R Controls, a local company with established experience, is  the expert in providing upgrades  that serve as a reliable back-up plan while also boosting efficiency and cost savings for your facility. 

Specializing in temperature controls, security and low-voltage lighting and shading solutions, G&R Controls is a division of HVAC Elements, which also includes O’Connor Company and Balancing Professionals. The three independent businesses specialize in different aspects of commercial HVAC, and healthcare clients benefit from having access to expertise in all facets of commercial HVAC under one roof. G&R Controls leads the controls and contracting services while collaborating with mechanical vendors as required. 

One of G&R Controls’ recent projects was completed for Essentia Health Hospital in Fargo, a 133-bed hospital and Level II Trauma Center. Essentia Health is an integrated health system serving patients in Minnesota, Wisconsin and North Dakota. 

G&R Controls’ experience guiding many healthcare facilities with updating and installing HVAC equipment made them an easy choice for Essentia Health, who wanted updates in its six-floor Fargo hospital. Essentia has an air handler that serves multiple spaces and floors that had a single fan motor, as most air handlers do. G&R Controls, in collaboration with BDT Mechanical, installed an efficient fan wall in one of the air handling units.

Jarred LaDouceur, Project Manager for the G&R Controls Fargo office, explains, “We  replaced one large fan motor with a wall of 15 smaller fans motors inside the air handling unit. This allows the unit to run more efficiently and reduce wear on the motor over time.” By integrating it all into the air handler and adding controls for the fan wall variable speed drives (VFDs) for the motors, Essentia is poised to reap some long-term benefits. 

LaDouceur explains that Essentia’s upgrade will also allow for greater control over any potential issues,  as well as improve cost savings on both maintenance and energy expenses. “Varying the frequency and voltage of the power supply to the motor causes the fan motor to slow down or speed up to meet duct pressure needs while only providing the necessary amount of airflow, which saves energy.” he says. . “After we install the system, we continue to monitor it to make sure all is running properly. If an issue ever arises, we can notify the customer via controls from our location.” Before this upgrade, if the fan were to fail there is no redundancy in place to keep it operating. Now with 15 fan motors in place with new sensors, if one were to fail it allows the facility to keep operating as normal as well as alert G&R Controls that it needs to be serviced. 

Trusting an expert like G&R Controls for your facility’s HVAC upgrades and regular preventive maintenance needs ensures your HVAC system is running at its best. 

“An advantage of working with G&R Controls is our knowledgeable and experienced staff,” says LaDouceur. “We understand the processes and how important it is to keep HVAC systems running efficiently and in excellent operational condition.”