PROVI DI NG EFFECTI VE ENERGY STRATEGI ES FOR PUBLI C AND PRI VATE BUI LDI NGS I N I LLI NOI S
SMART ENERGY DESIGN ASSISTANCE CENTER
ENERGY SMART TIPS SEDAC The Smart Energy Design Assistance Center performs energy assessments on various building types. Each building type has diferent energy requirements. SEDACs Energy Smart Tips help building operators identify energy cost reduction measures. Consider the efect on the bottom line of saving a third of a buildings utility costs. Most buildings use 10% to 30% more energy than necessary and have major opportunities to save. Energy savings of 30% are attainable with a comprehensive approach to operations, maintenance, repairs. High-rise buildings typically serve a handful of purposes: Condominiums, hotels, ofces, retail spaces, parking, or a mix of these functions. With height comes energy intensive processes such as air conditioning the core of the building year round, elevatoring, and pumping potable water up the building. In addition, each functional type has several unique energy challenges. Many typical energy cost- saving upgrades for low-rise buildings can be used on high-rises. High-rise specifc techniques are also available. Choices made by building operators play a large role in the cost of running a building: Efective control of energy costs depends on good decisions about the operation of existing systems as well as regular physical maintenance and repairs. A major benchmarking study in New York showed variations of 20%-30% in energy usage between physically and functionally similar high-rises that were diferently operated. 1 This brochure discusses the most common energy-wasters found in high-rise buildings as well as a selection of well-established and innovative ways to fx them through upgrades and repairs to mechanical systems, ventilation systems, lighting, and the building envelope. It also identifes resources to help owners and operators save money. For personalized help with your building, contact SEDAC directly. At SEDAC, we can recommend the right energy saving options for your particular building. We can assist in comparing projects for their return on investment and payback periods. Some options are so efective they can have paybacks of less than 1 year. We can also identify incentive funding to shorten the payback of other benefcial projects for your building. 1 http://www.aceee.org/files/proceedings/2010/ data/papers/1998.pdf High-Rise Building Systems MECHANICAL EQUIPMENT Old and inefcient boilers and chillers are common culprits in building energy waste. The fans, motors, and pumps that run distribution systems are also guilty; SEDAC often fnds this equipment running constantly, even when there is no need. An unscheduled or poorly programmed building automation system (BAS) can also undermine eforts to reduce energy costs. BOILERS Before an existing boiler system reaches the end of its useful life, take the time to assess a high- efciency replacement. Incentives are available to help cover the incremental costs of high-efciency systems - but they are only available if you are replacing a working boiler! Your options will be more limited if you wait until the boilers fail. Consider switching to a modular system if your building is currently heated by one or two very large boilers. In a modular system, a series of smaller boilers is installed. A modular system more efciently handles heating loads in non-peak load conditions, which make up most of the CHILLERS and COOLING TOWERS Cooling accounts for a large percentage of the energy costs of tall buildings; many require cooling year- round. High efciency chillers can make a huge diference in operating costs. New chillers can range in efciency from as low as 1.25 kW/ton to as high as 0.38 kW/ton. In other words, buying low-end equipment can lead to operating costs that are 250% higher than if you had purchased high efciency equipment! 2 Also consider a series of modular chillers when looking at replacement of a large chiller. These small units can ft in a freight elevator and are easier to maintain and replace. Next, look for cost savings in the operation of your equipment. Similar to heating, the basics of managing cooling costs with controls and operational changes starts with turning equipment of when not needed, followed by fnding optimum operating temperatures. A thorough analysis of the cooling loads, optimum chiller sequencing, and loading schedule will provide the basis for chiller plant improvements. Installing automatic chiller scheduling controls will allow the building operators to minimize chiller plant operating costs and shut down the chiller plant when there is no cooling load. Once the operating schedules are optimized, consider automatic chilled water outdoor air reset controls. These controls, like boiler controls, adjust the water temperature based outside temperature, and save energy costs during milder weather. Cooling towers are a fnal piece of the chiller plant that should be improved. Water conservation means energy savings, so it makes sense to look into retroft kits. 2 www.progress-energy.com/assets/www/docs/business/chiller-fact-sheet-052005.pdf FANS, PUMPS, & COMPRESSORS: VFDs Motors that run fans, pumps, and compressors are found throughout your buildings HVAC systems. These motors are a common culprit in wasting energy because they operate at a constant speed regardless of the needs of the system. Throttling devices like control valves and outlet dampers are sometimes used, but these are both expensive and wasteful. A much better solution exists; control devices called Variable Frequency Drives are very efective at reducing motor waste. VFDs are quite economical as well and tend to have quick paybacks for motors larger than 5-10 hp that operate 2,000 hours or more annually. VFDs can be installed in many locations in an HVAC system. Some popular choices for saving energy are: Chilled water pump motors Air handling unit (AHU) fan motors Cooling tower fan motors Hot water boiler pumps Exhaust fans heating season. This technique can save 5%-7.5% of the boilers annual gas usage.
Upgraded boiler controls and accessories are another great way to save energy costs. Outdoor air reset controls (to reduce water temperatures); oxygen trim controls (to improve combustion efciency); and stack economizers (to capture waste heat) are all efective at improving the impact of your energy dollars. Steam trap maintenance and regular boiler tune-ups are often ignored, but ofer simple and efective cost savings. There are great incentives available for these solutions. ENERGY SOLUTIONS LIGHTING VENTILATION Lighting is one of the simplest places to start cutting energy costs in your building. There are two main ofenders: Inefcient lamps (like T12 fuorescents) and leaving lights on unnecessarily. LIGHTING CONTROLS Lights can be switched of by occupancy sensors, vacancy sensors, daylighting sensors, timers, BAS controls, and conscientious people. Check the back page for Behavior Change Tips. Daylighting sensors can control the perimeter spaces in a high-rise, while allowing the interior spaces to be artifcially lit. Occupancy and vacancy sensors are perfect for spaces like ofces, conference rooms, storage areas, and restrooms. In stairwells and hallways, consider bi-level lighting controlled by occupancy sensors that reduce light levels when nobody is around. DEMAND CONTROL VENTILATION CO 2 sensors tied to the ventilation system are a great way to save energy costs. When people are present and producing CO 2 , ventilation is provided in accordance with occupancy levels. When CO 2 levels are low, ventilation levels can be lowered. ENVELOPE High-rise walls and windows have a few places where energy dollars often leak out. These include air leaks as well as gaps in insulation. If the doors in your building are hard to open (or wont stay closed), uncontrolled stack efect (hot air rising and escaping out leaks in the top of the building) may be to blame and wasting money as well. ENVELOPE UPGRADES Air sealing is a simple, efective place to save energy dollars. Focus on leaks at the bottom and top of the building to limit the stack efect, as well as air sealing vestibules, elevators, stairwells, and rooftop access. If insulation is missing behind baseboard heaters and radiators, the problem is simple to fx with a refective insulating layer. Window replacement in a high-rise is costly, but there are low-e flms, shades, and ways to add panes of glass from the inside (without removing original windows) that are worth consideration. Constant volume ventilation and exhaust systems are an easily overlooked cause of building energy waste. Providing fresh air to people and venting stale air is a necessity - but it should be done judiciously. EXHAUST MODULATION Constant volume exhaust fans from kitchens and bathrooms can waste huge volumes of conditioned air when allowed to operate regardless of need. Save heating and cooling dollars in your residential high- rise by linking exhaust dampers to the light switch or occupancy sensors in kitchens and bathrooms. VFD drives then modulate air fow based on static pressure in the exhaust stack. LIGHTING RETROFITS Two obvious cost savers: Replace both incandescents and out-of-production T12 linear fuorescents with more efcient lamps and ballasts. A lighting retroft starts with a survey of existing lighting; this inventory makes it possible to apply for incentives for retrofts. Then, a lighting expert can design replacements while considering lighting power density needs. Remember, 1:1 replacement can result in overlighting and is not necessarily the best solution! While not an energy-saving measure in itself, having a lighting designer identify over- lit areas in your building can help inform decisions and boost savings in a future lighting retroft. CHECK LIGHTING POWER DENSITY (LPD) ENERGY SOLUTIONS ENERGY SOLUTIONS ENERGY SOLUTIONS www.SEDAC.org | 1-800-214-7954 | info@SEDAC.org Smart Energy Design Assistance Center 1901 S First Street, Champaign, IL 61820 SEDAC SEDAC is sponsored by the Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity in partnership with investor- owned utilities to achieve energy efciency savings in buildings throughout the State of Illinois. SEDAC is an applied research program at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. SEDAC works in collaboration with the 360 Energy Group and the Energy Resources Center at the University of Illinois at Chicago. SEDAC PROGRAMS WHO WE ARE Energy Assessment Public Sector Retro-Commissioning New Construction Design Assistance Public Sector New Construction Incentive Review Public Housing Efcient Living Training and Outreach Energy Incentive Guidance ENERGY SMART RESOURCES October 2013 ComEd and Ameren Illinois Energy Efciency Programs Free programs ofering technical suggestions and fnancial incentives. www.comed.com and www.actonenergy.com Buyer Guide for Energy Efciency Products Locate ENERGY STAR products http://www.energystar.gov/index.cfm?c=products.pr_fnd_es_products Federal Tax Credits for Consumer Energy Efciency Federal tax credits for renewable energy and energy efciency. http://energytaxincentives.org/ Combined heat and power (CHP) is an integrated system located at or near a building or facility. It can economically generate part of a buildings electricity needs, and provide hot water, heating, cooling, and dehumidifcation as well. COMBINED HEAT AND POWER CHP units for high-rises can be strategically located at the point of energy use, in the basement, or on the rooftop. On-site generation is fuel efcient, versatile, and can double as a stand-by generation system. Typically, the most efcient design sizes a CHP system to meet heating loads and treats the electricity generated as a by-product. BEHAVIOR CHANGE Changing how people use energy in a high-rise building may seem like an area building owners and operators cant afect. However, a growing body of expertise built on social science research reveals ways to change buildings so that people are encouraged to save energy and energy dollars. Successful programs provide residential end-users with information on their energy use, with comparisons to other users. If possible, feedback as to whether their usage is improving can be a powerful motivator. Goal setting and rewards are also popular tactics. For commercial end-users, benchmarking energy usage and implementing a building energy dashboard are two ways to provide information to help change how businesses operate and maintain their energy-using equipment. Photo credits: www.sxc.hu www.delhi-industries.com/hvac-blowers.html www.olymspan.com www.johnsoncontrols.com