Mr. Poad

Eco-Friendly Practices

No Cost, Low Cost Energy Conservation

By Jim Poad, Director of Client Solutions, Advantage IQ

For businesses that have put a freeze on spending, the idea of taking action to reduce energy consumption may seem impossible. What many are unaware of are all the options for energy conservation that cost nothing, or very little. There are many opportunities for no cost, low cost, energy conservation measures (ECMs) that are effective in cutting consumption and adding to a business' bottom line. All that is required to put these ECMs into action is close observation of facility operations, and small changes to daily operations.

Energy Conservation Measures Explained

An ECM or Energy Conservation Measure is an action that reduces energy consumption or power demand. ECMs are the building blocks of any business' green initiatives and are the most cost effective way to reduce consumption and "go green". They can come with no cost, a small expense, or a more significant investment. The price tag depends on the magnitude of the action taken to conserve energy and reduce its waste. The simple payback from an ECM can be immediate; you might even see a difference in the next energy bill. To develop an energy conservation game plan, it's vital to begin with solid data which will help you create an accurate energy profile of your facilities. This data or facility profile allows you to determine how and where to focus your energy conservation efforts. Developing an energy program that is right for your facilities requires a few basic steps to ensure it is off on the right track.

• Complete an initial energy performance analysis, which compares energy consumption data across every facility in the portfolio. It is wise to normalized for variables like average temperature, square footage, hours of operation and so on. Comparing normalized data will reveal trouble spots and help you to focus your efforts.

• Closely assess facility equipment and operations. Facility managers should be checking to see that equipment is functioning properly and that it is being used as efficiently as possible.

• Inform facility staff and all employees of their individual impact on energy costs. This can be accomplished by disseminating energy conservation information electronically throughout your organization or through poster campaigns. When employees and facility staff are educated about the impact of their activities and how simple changes in their behavior can significantly improve their company's bottom line, the savings can mount quickly.

• Determine what low cost or no cost conservation measures you can incorporate companywide, before investing in more expensive energy conservation measures like capital ECMs, demand response participation, and retro-commissioning. It is not uncommon for companies to reduce their energy consumption by 5 percent or more when these no and low cost measures are undertaken. The greatest success is realized when these measures are part of an on-going energy conservation program.

No Cost, Low Cost ECM Categories

There is a huge focus on energy saving today, not only because of the green revolution, but also because of the potential savings realized by reducing consumption. Investments in energy conservation are truly the best way for any company to reduce their impact on the environment, while improving your bottom line. There are four categories of ECMs where you can reduce energy consumption and waste for little or no cost.

HVAC

Heating and air conditioning is normally the largest contributor to energy consumption in any facility. You can control this consumption in a few different ways.

• Verify optimum start and stop programming is being utilized. This energy conserving feature for HVAC systems, automatically adjusts the equipment's operating schedule depending on the temperature and humidity in the space and outside air. Start and stop programs should be set to minimize the time the HVAC systems operate while maintaining occupant comfort. Optimum start and stop programming can greatly reduce energy waste and expense. These settings should be reviewed by facility operators on a regular basis.
• Maintain temperature set points, which are standardized for different types of facilities. For example, in the winter the set point might be 70 degrees; in the summer it might be 76 degrees. The temperature set point is the temperature that is determined to be the most energy efficient for a given facility while maintaining a comfortable and healthy environment. This can be done with the facility's energy management system, programmable thermostats, or manually. The rule of thumb is that in the cooling season, you raise the temperature. In the heating season, lower it. Even raising or lowering by just one degree, can have an effect on the amount of energy needed without impacting the comfort of the people using the space.
• Utilize free cooling whenever possible. This is not a feature built in to all HVAC systems, but for those that have it, it's prudent to check that this is being utilized and is working properly. A malfunctioning free cooling feature can waste energy, instead of conserve it.
• Stage multiple chillers in order of their efficiency, from highest to lowest. Avoid using the more inefficient equipment unless absolutely necessary

Lighting

Light can account for as much as 50 percent of a facility's energy cost. There are several ways to cut back:

• Install occupancy sensors that automatically turn lights on when someone enters a room, and shuts them off when the room is empty.
• Verify optimum start and stop settings, so that lighting in large areas is turned off immediately after general business hours, with manual override capability. Some lighting control systems take into account the amount of ambient light and adjust the internal lighting systems accordingly. These controls are very cost effective when set up properly and maintained.
• Perform a dark store lighting check after hours. This is simply a walk-through audit of a facility after general business hours to document where lighting systems are on. Efforts to manually or automatically shut off non-essential lighting systems should be incorporated into regular operating practices.
• Check illumination levels in your facility using a light meter. There are standards for appropriate illumination by industry, and often many areas are over lit. Using dimmers or turning lights off completely to achieve desired brightness can equal big energy savings.

Building Envelope

The building envelope should be tightly sealed to ensure that there are no significant heat and energy losses.

• Keep all exterior doors and windows closed as much as possible. Doors are the biggest offenders when it comes to energy waste.
• Check overhead doors for broken slats, worn seals, or bent tracks.
• Assure electrically operated doors open and close properly. It's easy to overlook things that are automated.
• Check insulation and roof integrity. A leaky roof leads to wet insulation, reducing the energy efficiency of the building envelope as well as contributing to structural and equipment damage.

Other Effective ECMs

• Turn off any kitchen equipment not being used. Larger appliances like refrigerators and freezers should stay on, but small appliances should stay off and even be unplugged.
• Check for proper boiler temperature setting and possible night shut off
• Encourage employees to shut off their PC's when leaving the office for the night. And if you'll be gone for more than 15 minutes, lights should go off also.
• Discourage use of personal heaters or fans.

Water (not an ECM but a definite cost saver)

• Check faucets, toilets, urinals, hydrants, hot water systems and irrigation systems for leaks that add up fast.
• Assure that water fountains are working properly. If they're not functioning it could be a sign of a bigger hidden problem.
• Verify irrigation schedules for possible over watering.

No cost, low cost ECMs can offer significant opportunity for energy conservation and cost savings, but do require on-going commitment to realize the optimum return. The first step is to determine your current portfolio performance as far as energy consumption, begin by collecting invoice data to create an accurate energy profile of your facilities. This data or facility profile will help you to determine how and where to focus your energy conservation efforts. Once you have identified the high cost, high use facilities, be sure to raise awareness across your organization to get all employees involved in your energy conservation program. Create a competitive environment to encourage participation. Finally, reevaluate and review your site data in order to quantify the benefits of energy savings. Get the data to back up your program and prove its effectiveness. Determine how much you've saved so that you can reinvest those funds in additional energy conservation projects that do require capital, but have short paybacks. Most importantly, don't lose momentum. A quality green program has no end date. It's a permanent change to the way you do business.

Jim Poad, a 30-year energy industry veteran, serves as Director of Client Solutions for expense and energy management firm, Advantage IQ. In this capacity, Mr. Poad is responsible for developing and directing the Company’s energy management programs on behalf of clients. He works with clients to develop and implement a customized strategy to better manage energy usage, reduce overall operational costs, and meet overriding corporate objectives. He has helped clients save millions of dollars through the implementation of supply-side and demand-side initiatives. Mr. Poad can be contacted at 608-755-1650 or jpoad@advantageiq.com. Extended Bio...

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