Goal of the project
The facility’s maintenance team was facing persistent operational challenges with the central water-to-water heat pump and the low-temperature heating system as a whole. In the years preceding KCx’s involvement, the site had absorbed the significant cost of multiple compressor replacements — a recurring failure pattern that pointed to an underlying system issue rather than isolated equipment defects. The goal was to identify the root cause, stop the failures, and restore reliable, efficient plant operation.
How did KCx achieve goal
KCx investigated the control sequences at both levels of the system — the building automation system and the heat pump’s own on-board controls — where issues in the interaction between the two are easily missed by conventional inspection. Leveraging the data analytics platform developed with our sister company, clistek.io, our engineering team captured and analyzed several months of continuous system data.
That analysis identified excessive compressor cycling and high discharge pressure as the mechanism driving premature compressor failure, alongside several related mechanical and control deficiencies. KCx then supported the implementation of revised heat pump settings and control sequence changes that reduced cycling and improved performance across the entire plant.
In the months following, the facility’s equivalent emissions fell to the lowest levels in the building’s history. KCx continues to work with Vancouver Coastal Health to further optimize the system.
