Technical Information
In a typical organization, frequently more than 45% of overall operating costs are dedicated to energy and utility costs. Approximately 33% of that energy is on wasted energy. Therefore, a comprehensive energy efficiency and sustainability strategy is a valuable way to leverage an organization's existing budget to improve their facilities for all stakeholders.
Energy Efficiency & Sustainability Strategy Development
ASHRAE Level Energy Audits
Level 1
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Brief on-site survey of the building
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Savings and cost analysis of low-cost/no-cost Energy Conservation Measures (ECMs)
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Identification of potential capital improvements meriting further consideration
Level 2
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More detailed building survey
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Breakdown of energy use
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Savings and cost analysis of all ECMs
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Identification of ECMs requiring more thorough data collection and analysis (Level 3)
Level 3
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Attention to capital-intensive projects identified during the Level 2 audit
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More detailed field analysis
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More rigorous engineering analysis
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Cost and savings calculations with a high level of accuracy
LED Lighting Retrofit
Top 10 Benefits of LED Lighting
1. Energy Efficiency - LED Lighting Has a Much Better Energy Efficiency than Older Lighting Technologies.
Maybe the most important benefit of LED lighting is the energy savings achieved in converting to LED lighting. Today's most efficient way of illumination and lighting, with an estimated energy efficiency of 80%-90% when compared to traditional lighting and conventional light bulbs. The energy efficiency of LEDs has increased substantially since the first general illumination products came to market, with currently available lamps and luminaires having efficacies more than three times as high as the best products from 2005. The long operational lifetime acts as a multiplicator and helps achieve even more energy efficiency.
For example, think of a K-12 school district, college or university using energy efficient LED lighting exclusively and achieving a 50% power consumption reduction in comparison with using older lighting technologies. Because the long-life span of LED lights, also the maintenance work - think of all the work and energy it would take to purchase, stock and change the conventional light bulbs of an airport - you’ll see that you can make significant energy savings also when it comes to maintenance and replacement due to the long operational lifetimes of LED lighting.
2. Long Life - LED Lighting Features Long Operational Lifetime Expectations
Long lifetime stands out as an attractive benefit of LED lights. LED bulbs and diodes have an outstanding operational lifetime expectation of sometimes up to 100,000 hours. This is 11 years of continuous operation, or 22 years of 50% operation. If you leave on the LED fixture for 8h per day it would take around 20 years before you’d have to replace the LED bulb. LEDs are different to standard lighting: They don’t really burn out and stop working like a standard light, moreover the lighting diodes emit lower output levels over a very long period of time and become less bright.
3 Capital Creation Strategies - Utilizing LED Lighting to Optimize Existing Budgets
Often LED Lighting Upgrade Projects can be financially structured to be budget-neutral or cash flow positive utilizing the energy and maintenance costs savings resulting from an LED Lighting Upgrade Project to pay for the project over time without the need for new funding.
4. Ecologically Friendly - LED Lighting Is Much More Eco-Friendly
LED lights are free of toxic chemicals. Most conventional fluorescent lighting bulbs contain a multitude of materials like e.g mercury that are dangerous for the environment. LED lights contain no toxic materials and are 100% recyclable and will help you to reduce your carbon footprint by up to a third. The long operational lifetime span mentioned above means also that one LED light bulb can save material and production of 25 incandescent light bulbs. A big step towards a greener future!
4. Durable Quality - LED Illumination Can Withstand Rough Conditions
LEDs are extremely durable and built with sturdy components that are highly rugged and can withstand even the roughest conditions. Because LED lights are resistant to shock, vibrations and external impacts, they make great outdoor lighting systems for rough conditions and exposure to weather, wind, rain or even external vandalism, traffic related public exposure and construction or manufacturing sites.
5. Zero UV Emissions - LED Lighting Features Close to No UV Emissions
LED illumination produces little infrared light and close to no UV emissions. Because of this, LED lighting is highly suitable not only for goods and materials that are sensitive to heat due to the benefit of little radiated heat emission, but also for illumination of UV sensitive objects or materials such a in museums, art galleries, archeological sites etc.
6. Design Flexibility - LED Lighting Has Powerful Flexible Design Features
LEDs can be combined in any shape to produce highly efficient illumination. Individual LEDs can be dimmed, resulting in a dynamic control of light, color and distribution. Well-designed LED illumination systems can achieve fantastic lighting effects, not only for the eye but also for the mood and the mind:
LED mood illumination is already being used in airplanes, classrooms and many more locations and we can expect to see a lot more LED mood illumination in our daily lives within the next few years.
7. Operational in Extremely Cold or Hot Temperatures
LED are ideal for operation under cold and low outdoor temperature settings. For fluorescent lamps, low temperatures may affect operation and present a challenge, but LED illumination operates well also in cold settings, such as for outdoor winter settings, freezer rooms etc.
8. Light Disbursement - LED Lights Achieve Higher Application Efficiency
LED is designed to focus its light and can be directed to a specific location without the use of an external reflector, achieving a higher application efficiency than conventional lighting. Well-designed LED illumination systems are able to deliver light more efficiently to the desired location.
9. Instant Lighting & Frequent Switching - LEDs Can Be Turned On/Off Many Times
LED lights brighten up immediately and when powered on, which has great advantages for infrastructure projects such as e.g traffic and signal lights. Also, LED lights can be switched on and off frequently and without affecting the LED’s lifetime or light emission. In contrast, traditional lighting may take several seconds or minutes to reach full brightness, and frequent on/off switching does drastically reduce operational life expectancy.
10. Low-Voltage - LED Lighting Can Run on Low-Voltage Power Supply
A low-voltage power supply is sufficient for LED illumination. This makes it easy to use LED lighting also in outdoor settings, by connecting an external solar-energy source and is a big advantage when it comes to using LED technology in remote or rural areas.
Building Automation System
Building automation is the automatic centralized control of a building's HVAC (heating, ventilation and air conditioning), lighting and other systems through a building automation system (BAS). Energy savings are realized through enhanced awareness of energy efficiency and the impact of activities on productivity and cost. Operational improvements in monitoring, building systems control and real-time optimization combine to provide the vehicle for delivering sustainable energy efficiency and sustainability.
Building Automation Systems measure actual performance against desired set points to identify deviations and to ensure the operation is being managed and controlled to deliver the most energy efficient level of productivity. A Building Automation System can be as small as a local occupancy sensor linked to a programmable thermostat controlling an HVAC unit and/or linked to the local lighting system or the Building Automation System can be global web based system integrating the control of multiple building systems across an organization's complete portfolio of facilities.
Heating, Ventilation & Air Conditioning (HVAC)
HVAC systems are large consumers of energy all year. Therefore, properly managing the use of HVAC systems is essential in any comprehensive energy efficiency strategy. Managing HVAC systems includes evaluating HVAC systems to determine when it is time to replace old, outdated, inefficient equipment with new equipment. Or, it may mean commissioning or re-commissioning HVAC systems.
Commissioning is the process of ensuring that a building’s HVAC and other building systems are operating systems are designed, installed and programmed for optimal performance. The commissioning process considers these criteria for each system:
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Equipment is the right size for the building
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Equipment is installed correctly
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Equipment is calibrated for optimal performance
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Settings match actual building usage (hours and occupancy)
Commissioning can also take place when new systems are installed to replace old, outdated, inefficient equipment, or when there is a major addition to the building that requires significant changes in building operating and maintenance systems. Proper commissioning ensures that buildings will consume the minimum amount of energy for maximum indoor comfort.
Replacing old HVAC equipment and/or commissioning HVAC equipment will also reduce operations and maintenance (O&M) costs. Depending on the age of the existing equipment this can result in significant savings and reduced complaints from the building occupants.
It is also important to note that R22 is being phased out in the USA, which means increasing costs for maintenance and may soon mean that old R22 HVAC units will have to be replaced no matter their condition.
By January 1, 2020 there will be a complete ban on the production and import of R22 refrigerant. The gas will not be available even for servicing of the existing equipment. After January 2020, the refrigeration and the air conditioning systems using R22 will have to depend on the stockpile of the refrigerant available with them. It can't be predicted when R22 will be available after the January 2020 deadline. It may also be available till the expiry of the equipment, but it would be surely lot more expensive. The owners of these equipment would have to either switch to the new alternative refrigerant or bear the costs of the highly expensive refrigerant R22 at that time or they may have to totally shutdown the equipment. A planned schedule to replace R22 HVAC equipment is certainly the best strategy to avoid increasing maintenance and forced equipment replacement costs.
Water Conservation/Management
Water is a resource that all building owners depend on for drinking, sanitation, irrigation, refrigeration, and other needs. Usually water is provided to the building owner by a single entity which bills the owner monthly for the use of both water and sewage infrastructure. Typically water is less expensive than electricity and gas utilities over the course of a year, water and sewer costs can add up.
There are proven techniques to conserve water usage, therefore reducing the cost of water in facilities including low flow toilets, low flow urinals, low flow faucets, irrigation management, cooling tower management, rain water harvesting and other techniques.
Measurement & Verification
The International Performance Measurement and Verification Protocol (IPMVP®) defines standard terms and suggests best practise for quantifying the results of energy efficiency investments and increase investment in energy and water efficiency, demand management and renewable energy projects.
Option (A) Retrofit Isolation: Key Parameter Measurement
Savings are determined by field measurement of the key performance parameter(s) which define the energy use of the energy conservation measure’s (ECM) affected system(s) and/or the success of the project. Parameters not selected for field measurement are estimated. Estimates can be based on historical data, manufacturer’s specifications, or engineering judgment. Documentation of the source or justification of the estimated parameter is required.
Typical applications may include a lighting retrofit, where the power drawn can be monitored and hours of operation can be estimated.
Option (B) Retrofit Isolation: All Parameter Measurement
Savings are determined by field measurement of all key performance parameters which define the energy use of the ECM-affected system.
Typical applications may include a lighting retrofit where both power drawn and hours of operation are recorded.
Option (C) Whole Facility
Savings are determined by measuring energy use at the whole facility or sub-facility level. This approach is likely to require a regression analysis or similar to account for independent variables such as outdoor air temperature, for example.
Typical examples may include measurement of a facility where several ECMs have been implemented, or where the ECM is expected to affect all equipment in a facility.
Option (D) Calibrated Simulation
Savings are determined through simulation of the energy use of the whole facility, or of a sub-facility. Simulation routines are demonstrated to adequately model actual energy performance measured in the facility. This Option usually requires considerable skill in calibrated simulation.
Typical applications may include measurement of a facility where several ECMs have been implemented, but no historical energy data is available.