Irish Office Facility Improves HVAC Efficiency and Energy Management with High-Resolution Flow Data

At one major office facility in Ireland, the customer was focused on improving HVAC efficiency and reducing energy consumption. Although flow measurement devices were already installed, they provided only low-resolution data, making it difficult to understand how water flow varied throughout the day. As a result, the facility team lacked the visibility needed to identify the operational factors driving energy demand within the cooling system.

Understanding the HVAC Data Gap

For HVAC systems, measuring total water flow is only part of the picture. Understanding how flow changes throughout the day can provide important context for how the cooling system is operating and where energy demand may be increasing. With lower-resolution data, these variations can be difficult to detect and connect to changes in energy consumption.

For the facility team, the existing data did not provide enough detail to pinpoint when or why energy demand changed. A more granular view of flow behavior could help identify the operational factors behind those changes and reveal opportunities to improve HVAC efficiency.

Uncovering Hidden Energy Demand in the Cooling System

To gain deeper operational insight, Badger Meter partnered with an energy optimization firm to deploy the Dynasonics^® TFX-5000 Ultrasonic clamp-on flow and energy meter.

Unlike the existing instrumentation, the TFX-5000 delivered highly granular energy consumption data, revealing flow fluctuations that had previously gone unnoticed. Its non-invasive clamp-on design allowed the meter to be secured to the exterior of the existing pipe without cutting or tapping into the piping. Because installation can be completed while operations continue, the TFX-5000 provided a practical way to add measurement capability without interrupting the cooling system.

The detailed measurements showed significant variations in water flow throughout the day, creating high peaks in energy demand. The higher-resolution data gave the facility team greater insight into these flow patterns and helped reveal the operational conditions contributing to increased energy consumption.

The increased visibility showed that the flow fluctuations were causing the system pumps to cycle on and off frequently, increasing energy consumption and placing additional stress on equipment. By analyzing the flow patterns in greater detail, the facility team was able to optimize VFD performance to reduce unnecessary pump cycling and support more stable system operation.

The TFX-5000 also provides enhanced data points and communication capabilities that can integrate with existing operations, supporting greater visibility into system performance.

The TFX-5000 installation provided detailed flow and energy data to support HVAC system analysis and optimization.

From Flow Visibility to Sustainable HVAC Performance

With a clearer picture of flow behavior, the customer was able to identify opportunities to stabilize system operation and reduce demand peaks — a strategy commonly known as peak shaving.

The result was more stable pump operation with reduced cycling and fewer energy demand peaks. By smoothing system performance, the customer improved HVAC energy efficiency while gaining greater visibility and control over daily operations.

Following the successful evaluation, the customer expanded the use of Dynasonics clamp-on technology to additional HVAC applications within the facility.

Supporting Smarter HVAC Energy Management

This project demonstrates how advanced flow measurement can turn a routine data gap into actionable insight. By providing a more detailed view of system behavior, the TFX-5000 helped the facility team identify the source of operational inefficiencies and improve pump operation.

For facility teams looking to improve HVAC efficiency, understanding how flow changes throughout the day—not just total flow volume—can provide valuable insight into energy demand, equipment performance and opportunities for ongoing optimization.