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Critical Infrastructure • HVAC Optimization

Vertiv

Real-Time Temperature Monitoring for Commercial HVAC Systems

Vertiv

Project Overview

Duration
24 months (ongoing)
Sites Connected
500+ commercial buildings
Equipment Type
RTU, Split Systems, Chillers
Sectors
Data Centers, Retail, Commercial
35%
Energy Savings
60%
Faster Response
$1.2M
Annual Savings
2,100+
Units Monitored

!The Challenge

Vertiv's commercial HVAC service division manages over 5,000 rooftop units (RTUs), split systems, and precision cooling units across commercial buildings, data centers, and retail environments. Their legacy monitoring approach relied on scheduled maintenance visits and customer-reported issues, leading to several critical problems:

  • Reactive maintenance: 68% of service calls were for emergency repairs, not preventive service
  • Compressor failures: Average of 12 compressor replacements/month ($3,500-8,000 each)
  • Energy waste: Refrigerant leaks and dirty coils went undetected for weeks
  • Customer complaints: Temperature excursions in retail freezers caused $40K+ in spoilage per incident
68%
Emergency (reactive) calls
4.2 hrs
Avg response time
$420K
Annual compressor costs

The Solution

Vertiv partnered with MachineCDN to deploy comprehensive HVAC monitoring across their managed equipment fleet. Using Teltonika RUT956 gateways with integrated BACnet and Modbus support, each rooftop unit streams real-time telemetry to MachineCDN's Azure-based analytics platform.

Monitoring Configuration per RTU

Temperature Sensors (8 points)
  • • Supply air temperature (±0.5°F accuracy)
  • • Return air temperature
  • • Outdoor ambient temperature
  • • Discharge line temperature
  • • Suction line temperature
  • • Liquid line temperature
  • • Evaporator coil temperature
  • • Condenser coil temperature
Electrical & Pressure Monitoring
  • • Compressor current (CT clamp, ±2%)
  • • Condenser fan motor current
  • • Supply fan VFD frequency
  • • Suction pressure transducer (0-500 psi)
  • • Discharge pressure transducer
  • • Run-time hours counter
  • • Cycle count per day
  • • Power consumption (kWh)

Configurable Alert Thresholds

High discharge temp: >225°F → Warning, >250°F → Critical
Low suction pressure: <45 psi (R410A) → Possible leak
High compressor current: >RLA × 1.1 → Mechanical issue
Supply-return ΔT: <14°F or >22°F → Airflow problem
Short cycling: >6 cycles/hour → Refrigerant or control issue
Superheat out of range: <5°F or >15°F → Charge adjustment needed

Measured Results (12-month period)

Service Efficiency

Emergency calls68% → 24% (-65%)
Avg response time4.2 hrs → 1.7 hrs (-60%)
First-time fix rate72% → 89% (+24%)
Compressor failures prevented47 units

Financial Impact

Annual energy savings$780,000
Avoided compressor replacements$282,000
Reduced truck rolls$156,000
Total annual benefit$1.22M
"The MachineCDN platform gives our technicians superhuman visibility. Last month, we caught a refrigerant leak at a grocery store—suction pressure dropping 2 psi per day—and scheduled a repair before it became an emergency. That single catch probably saved $15,000 in compressor damage and spoiled inventory."
MH
Michael Hoffman
Director of Field Engineering, Vertiv

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