Glenn Simpson of Enwa explains why investing in water treatment is essential for cost-effective performance when HVAC systems are under pressure as outdoor temperatures drop.
As we transition from a mild autumn into the depths of winter, building operators and facilities managers face the familiar pressures that accompany the heating season.
Many heating systems across commercial and public buildings are bracing for the increased demand, often while struggling with years of deferred maintenance or partial upgrades. This year, additional strain may come from the growing number of decarbonisation projects, such as air-source heat pump (ASHP) installations, which may have diverted budgets away from essential preventative work on existing systems.
Without the necessary care, these systems risk breaking down, leading to costly reactive maintenance, temporary boiler rentals, and complaints from residents and staff.
Budget constraints often push maintenance down the priority list, but this short-term saving strategy can lead to high costs. There are often hidden costs to deferred maintenance.
Boiler failures during the peak heating season can necessitate emergency measures, such as temporary boilers or extensive reactive maintenance, which come with substantial labour expenses, waste generation and disruption.
Moreover, increased energy costs and the need for more intensive maintenance contribute to further budget pressures in the long term. Investing in preventative measures, like water treatment, can help mitigate these issues, ensuring that heating systems function more effectively and reducing the risk of sudden, costly breakdowns.
Protect, enhance and restore
Water quality plays a crucial yet often overlooked role in the health and efficiency of HVAC systems. Over time, heating systems can accumulate corrosion, scale, and sediment that restrict flow, decrease efficiency, and put undue stress on equipment. These contaminants can accumulate and impact more rapidly in systems retrofitted with modern, more efficient components that use smaller waterways.
Enwa’s Side Stream Filtration technology removes debris down to less than 10 microns, ensuring clean water circulation, maintaining heat transfer efficiency, and protecting system components. It’s an approach that helps to prolong system health, reducing the need to replace parts or even whole systems before their end of life.
The automated EnwaMatic system provides continuous water treatment through a simple backwash procedure, reducing the need for manual intervention and minimising human error.
As year-end approaches, some facilities managers may seek to allocate unused budgets before March 2025. This period is an ideal time to consider “spend to save” investments.
By addressing water treatment needs proactively, organisations can prevent breakdowns, prolong equipment life, and reduce operational disruptions — all of which contribute to a more sustainable, efficient building.
In sectors with high energy use and complex HVAC demands, such as healthcare and data centres, the benefits are particularly pronounced. Clean water ensures HVAC systems operate closer to their design specifications, reducing energy consumption and supporting decarbonisation goals.
Enwa attended the November 2024 CIBSE Build2Perform event in London, and here the focus was very much on the drive to decarbonise buildings – highlighted by the launch of the Net Zero Carbon Buildings Standard (NZCBS). This is already attracting interest from engineers and clients keen to align their buildings with the Standard. Energy use and efficient systems play a key role in achieving its requirements.
In the face of rising energy costs and sustainability commitments, taking a proactive approach to water treatment can deliver both immediate and long-term benefits.
Investing in preventative maintenance now will keep systems operating efficiently through the winter months, supporting budget stability and building performance goals – a ‘spend to save’ approach.
With Enwa’s EnwaMatic Side Stream Filtration and water treatment solutions, building operators can ensure reliability, improve energy efficiency, and enhance occupant comfort this winter and beyond.
If you’d like to learn more about water treatment and how it can support better building operation, Enwa offers a CIBSE CPD presentation on the topic which one of our expert engineers can deliver at your office – and answer your questions. Find out more today.
