According to the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE), packaged rooftop units (RTUs) are used in 46 percent (2.1 million) of all commercial buildings, serving more than 60 percent (39 billion square feet) of the commercial building floor space in the U.S. Many of these units are older and inefficient, wasting between $1,000-$3,700 per unit each year, depending on the building size and type. They may also be costly to maintain and less able to adequately control space temperature and humidity.
Replacing these older RTUs can be expensive, though, and building owners and managers may be hesitant to make such large investments in an uncertain economy. For this market segment, the answer may be for contractors to retrofit these units with advanced controls that can help save energy costs as well as improve comfort.