Integrated Retrofits for Federal Projects Dr Lisa Gartland

Integrated Retrofits for Federal Projects Dr. Lisa Gartland

Integrated Retrofits for Federal Projects • Integrated retrofits are tougher to implement in federal projects than in private projects – Politics & bureaucracy Will funding be available this year or next year? What new processes will you need to learn? – Funding sources scattered and variable In-house money, DOE money, other sources Often need to finance different segments of the same project with different pots of money • But they’re not impossible

Integrated Retrofits for Federal Projects • Plan ahead so you’re ready to take advantage of opportunities when they arise – Understand your current loads and systems Measure your loads & audit your systems to find comfort problems, maintenance issues, & energy saving opportunities – Develop a wish list Research specifications and prices for the technologies you want to incorporate – Plan out the optimal order of attack If possible, you’ll want to reduce loads first, improve systems second, & replace chillers last

Integrated Retrofits for Federal Projects In This Presentation • Federal integrated retrofit projects – Federal Reserve Bank of Boston Business as usual – Hurley Building Dealing with catastrophe – Lindbergh Field International Airport Building expansion

Federal Reserve Bank of Boston The Business as Usual Integrated Retrofit • • • Designed & built 1972 -76 33 story tower 5 story low-rise 1, 130, 000 square feet Steel construction with glass & aluminum facades • Steam heating • Electric powered chiller cooling

Federal Reserve Bank of Boston Project Objectives & Logistical Issues • Energy efficiency, utility cost reduction • Improvement of lighting & mechanical systems • Improved environmental management, CFC compliance John Yahoodik Federal Reserve Bank of Boston Rick Dorricott Energy Investment, Inc. • • • Bank Security On-going operations Time constraints Space constraints Future flexibility Facility location

Federal Reserve Bank of Boston Building Improvements • Chiller replacement – Originally used 3 York 1200 ton, 0. 82 k. W/ton, R-500 refrigerant (CFC/HCFC blend) – Replaced with 3 Carrier 1200 ton, 0. 56 k. W/ton, HFC-134 a refrigerant • System improvements – Automated economizers, premium efficiency motors, VFD’s on cooling towers, various controls & automation • Lighting upgrades – T-8 fluorescents, specular reflectors, LED exit signs, incandescents changed to fluorescents

Federal Reserve Bank of Boston Integrated Energy Program • Other energy efficiency improvements help pay for chiller replacement for CFC compliance • Shorter overall program payback period

Federal Reserve Bank of Boston Project Timeline • 8 months for engineering analysis, 18 months for project approval, 21 months to purchase, design & build • 4 years total to carry out project!

Federal Reserve Bank of Boston Project Results • • • Expect to save 5, 300, 000 k. Wh a year Annual $730, 000 savings Switch to HFC-134 a, no phaseout Improved lighting and HVAC systems Only a 5 year project payback period Used the chiller replacement project as an excuse to add new technologies

Hurley Building, Boston, MA From Catastrophe to Integrated Retrofit • Built in 1971 • Poured concrete construction • Department of Employment & Training and Group Insurance Commission • 6 floors office plus 2 level parking garage • 340, 000 square feet office, 15, 000 square feet computer

Hurley Building Project Scenario & Challenges • Catastrophic failure of absorption cooling plant in 1992 • Rising cost of steam/water, ~20% increase from 1989 to 1992 • Expensive maintenance contract for systems • Computer room cooling units at end of life B. J. Mohammadipour Bureau of State Office Buildings • Need to restore cooling capabilities before the summer of 1993 • Fuel switch from steam to natural gas • Need to replace heating & hot water systems • Space, weight and routing constraints of 6 th floor mechanical room

Hurley Building HVAC System Changes • Chiller/heaters installed for main cooling and heating – 2 York 600 ton absorption chiller/heaters – natural gas fired – require hydronic coils to allow air handling units to use hot water instead of steam • Water heating – kitchen and lavatory hot water supply – converted from steam to natural gas fueled • Computer room cooling – single DX chiller used for wintertime cooling – tied to chiller/heater to meet summer loads

Hurley Building Other Improvements • Lighting improvements made in 1992 – new reflectors, lamps and ballasts – light levels maintained or improved • New maintenance contract – Renegotiated scope of maintenance contract – Additional maintenance contract for new absorption chiller/heaters – Total maintenance costs reduced by at least $126 K annually

Hurley Building Integrated Energy Program • Lighting improvements and new maintenance contract help pay for HVAC system changes

Hurley Building Financed by Many Sources • Chiller/heater cost – $565, 000 purchase cost paid up front – $472, 000 installation costs financed over 3 years – $50, 000 rebate from Boston Gas • Computer room, water heater, EMS system, hydronic coils financed over 3 years • Lighting improvements funded by Boston Edison Company in 1992

Hurley Building Project Results • • • Chiller/heaters fit into mechanical room Utility savings of ~ $300, 000 annually Maintenance savings of ~ $140, 000 annually Replacement of steam with natural gas Improved building comfort from better balancing and EMS system controls • Potential catastrophe diverted by advance knowledge and preparation • Creative negotiation & financing made this project come together

Kansas City International Airport The Building Expansion Integrated Retrofit • About 1 million square feet – 3 airport terminals – 1 administration office • Built from 1969 to 1971 • Pre-cast concrete frame construction, thermal glass • Main hours 5 am to 11 pm – 365 days a year, 24 hrs a day Airport expansion being planned

Kansas City International Airport Project Scenario & Challenges • High electricity demand charges • Two 2750 ton chillers, never run 2 nd chiller, 1 st chiller run often at low part-loads • Chillers use CFC refrigerant • Controls shot, using manual operation • 48 -49°F discharge water temperatures, not meeting the design 42°F temperature Michael Glasker, P. E. George Butler Associates, Inc. • Retrofit phases in wrong order – cooling system redesigned – EMCS & heating system installed – building retrofits & load reductions last, if ever • 2 month shut-down period in January & February in which to do most of phase one • Must replace all chillers, cooling towers, pumps & piping without disrupting service

Kansas City International Airport Cooling System Changes • Three 1500 -ton electric chillers – more flexible staging capability – R-134 a refrigerant, 0. 65 k. W/ton at full load, saving 0. 25 k. W/ton! – Now meeting 42°F discharge water temperatures • Three new 2 -cell cooling towers with 2 -speed fans • New primary/secondary pumping & piping for operating flexibility • New Johnson Controls EMCS – Remote start/stop capability, tracks temperatures on computer, alarm points built into system – Still chose not to have automatic operation

Kansas City International Airport Upcoming Building Load Reductions • Extensive building remodeling planned in older terminals • Energy efficiency measures will reduce building cooling loads – new energy efficient lighting – new air handler units with economizers • More flexible cooling plant design will operate efficiently at these lower loads

Kansas City International Airport Integrated Economics as of Spring 98 • Second phase measures reduce project payback • Third phase measures should reduce overall payback even further

Kansas City International Airport Project Results • No longer using CFC refrigerants • Higher efficiency chillers save ~0. 3 k. W/ton • 3 smaller chillers, instead of 2 larger chillers – running closer to full-load capacities for higher efficiencies – meeting 42°F design water discharge temperature • Automatic operation using EMCS • More flexible cooling system will work more efficiently with upcoming terminal retrofits • Used airport expansion cash to finance extensive retrofit of cooling systems • New cooling systems are flexible so they’ll efficiently serve future airport loads

Integrated Retrofits for Federal Projects • You can overcome federal bureaucracy to perform an integrated retrofit! • Start work now to: – Study your building loads & systems – Develop your wish list – Learn about financing options • You can turn your situation - even if it’s catastrophic - into an integrated retrofit