Many organizations are looking for ways to lower operating expenses, integrate sustainability, and improve environmental stewardship. By converging technology and principles of sustainability it is possible to effectively manage the rising costs of resources like energy and water. This is a case study of those principles in action.
Real-time Data Helps Poor Performer
Working with Limbach Engineering Services and the help of JadeTrack real-time monitoring, a school district was able to resolve an ongoing, poor performer in their portfolio.
This school district owns about 20 buildings, and one particular building continued to rank at the bottom of the list. The district knew they had an opportunity to save money but didn’t know how to go about it.
This 140,000 square foot school building has typical heating and cooling with large air handling units, central boilers, and chiller. All tied together with a typical building automation system (BAS).
Rogue Equipment = Energy Waste
Using real-time data, the Limbach team noticed a large cycling trend in late summer. During a site visit to confirm the usage pattern, the team discovered that the building’s chiller was short-cycling. After investigating the chiller’s internal controls, Limbach determined the cause of the short-cycling operation. The culprit? Faulty logic embedded in the building’s automation system.
When the building owner implemented Limbach’s recommended control sequence, the chiller’s operation immediately relaxed into a smooth operating curve. This new mode of operation not only reduced energy costs but also eliminated undue wear on the equipment, increasing its useful life.
Ongoing Improvement
Building automation systems can give a false sense of security. Fortunately, the whole building energy picture from JadeTrack captures everything.
When the chiller settled down, Limbach noticed the building’s usage always remained at a higher-than-normal level. Indicating some equipment was ON when it should be OFF. Limbach identified a couple of large air handlers that never shut off. The district took steps to remedy that as well.
The building had been a poor performer for a long time. After implementing these preliminary changes, its ENERGY STAR score is now up 19 points above where it once was. Its performance now mirrors other school buildings in the district’s portfolio.
Using real-time data and guidance from the Limbach team, the district is happy to finally save some money on this building. All while maintaining occupant comfort!
One of the easiest ways to save energy is to ensure that equipment is off when it is scheduled to be off. Building operators who have access to real-time data often realize that equipment that is supposed to be OFF is, in fact, remaining ON.
Do you know if your equipment is running efficiently? JadeTrack real-time monitoring helps you get instant visibility to building performance with live energy data for your building. 