A homeless shelter is seeking donations so it can reopen. Fox News 11 reported on the devastating story of a homeless shelter that had to turn people away after the heating system failed.  Without the heat needed to keep those folks warm and comfortable, there was no way to provide the necessary shelter.  Now, the organization is relying on the kindness and help of others.

Unfortunately, the donation levels at the moment remain far shy of the needed funds, but there are plans being made, so when the money comes through the organization can work fast to repair the heating system and, once again, offer shelter to those most in need.

If they can repair the system and purchase a new boiler, perhaps they can upgrade some of the controls as well to avoid this issue going forward. While there are built in controls on most systems, the boiler controls are generally independent of those manufacturer specific sensors and alerts.  While they are considered additional purchases, the money put toward temperature sensing- and outdoor air quality sensors can ultimately make a place like this much more efficient.  That means that this initial investment could ultimately make the homeless shelter much more affordable to operate. That quick payback could, of course, mean that the monies brought in could be used for the betterment of those in need of such care.

The Ultra Electronics Outside Air Temperature Sensor, for example, is a very low cost addition that would enable the boiler to properly set back supply water temperatures when outdoor temperatures reach certain set points.  That means that the comfort in the space is maintained while energy consumption is reduced.  This is not a new science.  This method of controlling commercial systems has been used for many years.  While it is effective in any commercial setting, in a situation like this, where money is tight and all operations are dependent on donations, the energy savings could be crucial.