Compressed air is one of the most expensive utilities in any industrial or manufacturing setting. These systems can vary widely in efficiency and are often ignored in favor of more pressing and urgent demands such as pressure levels and air quality. Often times, the efficiency of these systems is impacted by equipment, lack of maintenance or even the system configuration itself. However, there are things that can be done to improve the performance of these costly systems.

1. Monitor the Compressed Air System

First and foremost, a baseline for your compressed air system is crucial. Without a proper picture of typical operating parameters, improvements cannot be successfully identified or implemented. Measurements should be taken on key parameters such as pressure, power, flow and dew point. Once collected, these factors can be monitored to note deviations from the normal operating performance and the success of corrections to these identified issues can be confirmed.

2. Implement Compressed Air Leak Detection & Repair Program 

Studies have shown that anywhere from 20-40% of compressed air fails to make it to its intended destination. Having a plan in place to detect and repair leaks can recover a large amount of utility costs. The simplest form of detection can simply be staff using their ears to listen for leaks and tighten up piping appropriately. There are also ultrasonic leak detection products that can be utilized for more precise detection. Even the manual detection process and corresponding corrections can save 10-15% on a site’s energy bill.

3. Check Component Pressure Loss

It’s critical to keep an eye on how much pressure differential exists between the piping drop and the compressed air’s end use. Often times, a large pressure differential will occur in the last 30 feet of pipe as this is often the home of undersized filters, regulators, connectors and hoses-all elements that can contribute significantly to a sizable differential. Why is this problematic? When there is an extreme differential in pressured in this section of the compressed air system, the discharge pressure at the air compressor itself must rise to compensate. This increases power costs. Giving proper consideration to the size and care of these components can reduce wear on this equipment, minimize leaks and reduce energy costs.

4. Modify Plant Piping

Many plants grow overtime, increasing compressed air demands that are too much for the original piping to accommodate. When this happens, the undersized compressed air piping can cause flow issues that force the compressor discharge pressure to increase to compensate. Continually monitoring compressed air piping differential pressures will identify whether this becomes a costly problem that can be resolved with piping configuration and sizing modifications.

5. Adjust Compressed Air Pressure

Often times, the compressor discharge pressure is higher than it needs to be-the higher the pressure, the more energy it consumes. There can be several reasons for this but often the pressure is set to the compressor rating without consideration given to the plant’s actual pressure needs.  By ensuring equipment is operating to actual needs instead of manufacturer specs, facilities can reduce this excess pressure that causes compressors to consume more energy than necessary.

6. Optimize Ancillary Compressed Air Components

The air from a compressor must be conditioned so that it doesn’t contaminate other equipment with oil residue or moisture. This can be an energy intensive process depending on the type of air driers being used to filter and remove contaminants from the compressed air. Selecting more efficient air driers that reduce power consumption in this process, whether by efficient design, low or no purge flow or lower pressure differential, can add up to big operational savings. Every psi counts.

7. Efficient Compressor Controls

Most compressors and air driers are not being controlled efficiently. With regard to individual compressor controls, there are various modes of operation with corresponding levels of efficiency. Inlet modulation mode, for example, is the least efficient way to control any compressor that is running at part load but may be acceptable if the compressor is always at or near full load. Conversely, the variable speed mode is the most efficient way of controlling compressors at part loads but may not be the most efficient at full loads. Preparation and planning needs to go into setting up and coordinating multiple compressor systems to ensure the system is operating at an efficient level.

To assist with this, consider compressed air control systems to ensure the correct compressors are running at a given time, equipment is running smoothly, and that the system pressure is held within specified limits.

8. Utility Incentives

Many utilities support compressed air improvements and provide financial incentives for initiatives that reduce energy costs. Most will at least fund an audit to identify areas for improvement and many will fund a significant portion of the investment needed to achieve these improvements.

Utility Bill Basics

Most commercial and industrial sites have utility bills that are divided into two major categories:

1. Energy consumption: the amount of energy (kWh) consumed, multiplied by the relevant price of energy ($/kWh) during the billing period.
2. Demand: the maximum amount of power (kW) drawn for any given time interval (typically 15 minutes) during the billing period, multiplied by the relevant demand charge ($/kW). 

Sites trying to save on their energy bill may attempt to estimate savings based on energy consumption as calculated above.   The problem with this approach, however, is that it doesn’t take into account the second category, demand charges. Peak demand charges can account for 30 to 60 percent of a facility’s annual electric spend.

What Are Utility Demand Charges?

Demand charges exist to incentivize customers to spread their energy usage over time. This is because utilities must maintain enough generation and distribution capacity to meet the needs of all customers during the points in time when the most energy is drawn from the grid. This requires a large amount of expensive equipment to be kept on standby. Through demand charges, customers that draw a lot of power over short periods of time contribute more to the costs of building and maintaining the necessary infrastructure needed for peak times.

Demand is a measure of how much power a customer uses at a given time. The structure of the demand charge varies by utility but it will be based on the maximum amount of power that a customer used in any interval, typically a 15-minute period.

Calculating Utility Demand Charges

To determine the demand charge for a given month, the maximum power demand is multiplied by the demand charge rate of the prevailing utility rate. Some rate structures include multiple types of demand charges, with higher charges during hours of peak demand, and lower charges during “partial-peak” or “off-peak” hours.

Offsetting Utility Demand Charges

First and foremost, sites must understand when and how electricity is used. Utility companies will provide detailed breakdowns of energy consumption throughout the month.

Once a baseline is established, energy use optimization strategies are the first step in reducing site demand charges.  One common source of demand spikes are HVAC systems. Xpress ® from tekWorx ensures the most efficient combination of cooling equipment is in operation, reducing spikes and demand charges. Xpress ® utilizes real-time adaptive control algorithms to take into account parameters like weather and chiller efficiency curves to make intelligent equipment sequencing decisions that use only the necessary equipment and capacities to satisfy cooling needs. The system’s dashboard also tracks real-time site utility costs as show below. 

Many utility companies offer programs to lower, offset, or eliminate demand charges. Most of these programs require the utility company to manage a site’s loads during peak times. If a site has the flexibility to switch to an alternate energy source during peak times, such programs could prove beneficial and cost-effective.

Lastly, solar panel systems have the potential to reduce demand charges in the right setting. A solar system generates electricity from the sun allowing a site to use solar-generated electricity as opposed to utility-generated electricity. If, however, a spike in demand on a cloudy day or in the evening, demand charges will follow accordingly. Solar solutions can be used in tandem with battery storage to store energy generated from the solar panels to be used during peak times.

Energy Management System (EMS) Basics

Energy management systems (EMS) are computer-based systems that measure a site’s energy consumption and look for areas to improve energy efficiency.  Energy management system platforms improve energy performance by detecting, monitoring, and controlling energy consumption and costs.  

EMS are primarily a reporting tool, as they are used to track information and record it over time. They are useful for sites that want to monitor and manage their energy expenditures such as water, electricity, steam, gas, and heat.

What is a Building Management System (BMS)?

A building management system or building automation system is a computer-based system that automates the control the buildings’ mechanical and electrical equipment such as ventilation, lighting, HVAC, power systems, and fire and security systems. The BMS is used to make sure the mechanical systems work individually, but also in conjunction with each other, to determine that the building can operate effectively and keep occupants comfortable. A BMS typically lacks the energy efficiency insights of an EMS.

How can an Energy Management System impact efficiency?

Energy management systems meter, submeter, and monitor functions that allow facility and building managers to gather data and insight that allows more informed decisions about energy activities in properties and sites. EMS can benchmark energy use with other nearby buildings and track weather changes to project expected future facility behavior, identify savings opportunities, and reduce energy expense overages.

Can an Energy Management System Work with a Building Management System?

Yes, EMS and BMS are quite compatible. An EMS can function as an overlay on pre-existing BMS/BAS system or it can also work alone. EMS functionality has been added to many BMS and vice versa over the years as facility managers want to optimize energy consumption in their building for sustainability purposes and/or to reduce costs that were being spent on excess energy consumption.

What BMS and EMS work best together?

tekWorx bridges the gap between BMS and EMS with Xpress® , an easily installed energy savings platform that significantly lowers the energy consumption, and therefore the cost, necessary to meet temperature requirements for commercial, institutional and industrial facilities.

The Xpress® optimization solution can be overlaid with the building’s existing BAS and control hardware.  Xpress® adaptive algorithms determine the most efficient settings for all equipment responsible for cooling production in real time (chillers, valves, pumps, drives, AHUs, etc.) and passes these instructions to the BAS to execute. These two platforms then work in tandem to provide complete HVAC system operational control, energy optimization and performance monitoring and ensure the most energy efficient combination of cooling equipment is in use 24/7/365.

Why do utilities offer commercial utility rebates and incentives?

Reducing energy costs through energy efficiency and demand response programs is good for both facilities and utilities. Utilities benefit from reducing energy consumption demand at peak times by avoiding the need for building additional capacity. Also, as more utilities are faced with competition, responding to customer requests with energy service programs increases retention.

Are commercial utility rebates and utility incentives the same thing?

These terms are used interchangeably but they are not the same thing. A rebate is a return of part of an original payment. An incentive, on the other hand, is intended to initiate action. Without it, that action would likely not occur.

Many programs are structured as either a rebate program or an incentive program. Depending on the program, they are either giving a site money back for an already planned project, or they are trying to entice a facility to move forward with something you wouldn’t have normally pursued.

What other commercial and industrial rebate and incentive programs do utility providers offer?

Beyond general rebate and incentives, there are demand response and load management programs. These programs provide incentives for facilities to curtail demand during peak energy usage periods.

Load management, or demand response, is a utility’s solution to decreasing high load demand on its electrical system. If the demand is peaking or extremely high, usage is reduced in one of two ways:  temporarily managing, or shutting off, electric loads using a radio-controlled switch or applying a significant charge if electricity is used during that time.

Are there different types of commercial utility rebates and incentives?

The two types of utility incentives offered for commercial and industrial buildings include service incentives and cash rebates.

With the service incentive, the utility company pays an engineering firm or other service provider directly for their technical services, such as retro commissioning or energy assessments. The incentives vary based on the utility provider.

With a cash rebate, the utility provides the commercial building owner with rebate based on the energy impact of the installation of energy efficient equipment and/or services.

Are there different types of commercial utility rebates?

There are two types of utility energy rebates: prescriptive and custom.

Prescriptive rebates are based on installing approved energy-efficient equipment or taking other energy saving measures that meet a defined set of criteria. These incentives are predetermined dollar amounts for the most common replacements seen in the market such as high efficiency drives and motors. Prescriptive incentives do not require pre‐approval unless the incentive is over a certain amount and can be applied for after installation.

Custom utility rebates are based on energy savings, which must be measured and verified-both pre-installation and post-installation by the utility. Facilities or their consultant work with the utility to determine equipment eligibility, measurement and verification processes and potential rebate amounts prior to the beginning of the project. They often require site-specific assessments. Once the project is complete, the verified demand and energy/water savings from qualifying equipment will determine the final amount of the rebate. Some custom rebates can significantly reduce the payback period associated with the new equipment or project.

Are commercial utility rebates and incentives available for new construction?

Incentives are often available for ground-up construction, additions or expansions, and complete building repurposing. These program encourages  building owners and designers to evaluate and install systems with higher energy efficiency than the standard or planned systems.

What is the process for securing commercial utility rebates and incentives?

To secure these utility incentives, sites work with either the utility company or their liaison hired to administer the program or with an industry professional, such as a consulting engineer, contractor or energy efficiency firm.

Is there a list of all available utility rebates and incentives?

The most comprehensive list of incentives and rebates offered in each state is accessible with DSIRE.  Established in 1995 and funded by the U.S. Department of Energy, DSIRE is an ongoing project of the NC. Solar Center and the Interstate Renewable Energy Council. This database is a great source of information on state, local, utility and federal incentives and policies that promote renewable energy and energy efficiency.

There are plenty of opportunities to utilize energy-efficient incentives that save energy and dollars each month. tekWorx Xpress® optimization solutions qualify for significant custom HVAC rebates with all utility providers and our engineers assist with all applications, verification and paperwork.  

Did you know that HVAC performance declines over time in almost all buildings? The heating and cooling components in mid-to large-sized commercial buildings are a compilation of components from multiple manufacturers and built by multiple contractors that must be programmed and sequenced to work together seamlessly. Over time, building performance drifts out of tolerance from the original design intent, with energy and operational costs increasing as a result.

Therefore, even a new facility that was commissioned appropriately may not be meeting operational expectations, especially when it comes to energy efficiency.  HVAC energy audits provide plant owners and managers with valuable data and insights that help determine both the overall health and performance as well as concrete means of improvement.

There are four major benefits to a properly conducted HVAC energy audit. 

Equipment Longevity Comprehensive audits will evaluate equipment operating hours and current HVAC control strategies to look for overlooked efficiency improvements. Implementing these measures will improve efficiency of plant equipment and in doing so,  reduce the wear and tear that can shorten equipment life.

Hidden Energy Drains Some operating issues are obvious, such as leaky valves or aging pumps. However, the vast majority of inefficiencies aren’t discoverable by the naked eye. Often, it’s less evident issues like setpoints inconsistent with actual plant conditions that are running up energy consumption. Comprehensive HVAC energy audits work with operators to review control strategies, equipment inventory and mechanical configurations so that energy waste and correctable inefficiencies can be pinpointed.

Overlooked Calibration Building automation systems rely on a network of sensors for proper control and cycling of plant equipment. When left uncalibrated, plant operating data is compromised and energy can be wasted. Proper audits will assess each piece of equipment, from chillers to sensors, to ensure all components are operating in their appropriate range.

Utility Rebates & Incentives Many utility companies will not only cover HVAC energy audit fees but will pay to implement the recommend energy conservation measures (ECMs) identified in the audit, as well.

HVAC Energy Audit Tips

These programs all require a method of measurement and/or verification to confirm the actual savings were achieved so be sure to work with a qualified contractor who can present detailed calculations as to how they will deliver the audit’s energy reduction figures.

A major portion of energy consumption in a building is due to HVAC systems, with up to 30% coming from cooling production alone. Having an plant energy assessment performed by seasoned engineers who are experienced in both HVAC equipment and mechanical systems ensures that all efficiency opportunities are being reviewed.

tekWorx Energy Audits

Interested in an HVAC energy audit of your site? Answer 3 questions to get a high-level savings estimate to determine whether a complimentary on-site assessment of your site would be productive.

Selecting Chilled Water Pumps for Efficiency

First and foremost, properly sizing and selecting pumps is crucial to sustained energy savings. Pumps should be selected to meet the requirements of a system as a whole. Why? The energy consumption required for any system depends on the flow rate of the entire system. By reviewing the entire system, the right pump for the application can be selected and the proper control methodologies can be implemented that best match pump performance to the needs of the system.

Chilled Water Pump Optimization

Chilled water pumps consume significant amounts of electricity when operating. Monitoring pump efficiency therefore requires an accurate assessment of actual consumption including such parameters as system flow, head, pump, motor and/or drive efficiency, and run time. In existing systems, the energy requirements can be measured over time as a benchmark to aid in identifying where energy consumption can be optimized.

Because system pressure varies with flow rate, it is important to understand the control sequence that is maintaining the flow and pressure in a system. Why does this matter? The way the pumps are controlled is a key component of HVAC optimization. Many facilities utilize pumping power that is not needed via inefficient control strategies, such as running chilled water pumps at constant speed. Optimization solutions like tekWorx Xpress® will determine the number of chilled water pumps and condenser water pumps necessary to deliver the required volume of water at the lowest total power per unit of cooling production (kW/ton).  With Xpress®, this algorithm will often operate more pumps at lower speed rather than less pumps at higher speed to minimize pumping energy, per pump affinity laws. 

Chilled Water Pump Optimization and Maintenance

Routine checkups and maintenance are necessary to ensure chilled water pumps are in good working order and functioning efficiently. Best practices include:

• Monitoring pump vibration
• Checking mechanical seals for leaks.
• Monitoring bearing lubrication and temperature
• Checking water pH and clarity
• Monitoring pump and motor shaft alignment to prevent uneven wear of couplings

Proper maintenance of chilled water pumps helps to build immunity against unnecessary wear and tear on a system while routine checkups help to ensure pumps will operate as designed for many years.

Looking for ways to optimize cooling towers? Manufacturing companies spend billions of dollars each year for the fuel and electricity that keep their facilities running. Energy saving products, designs and systems are more widely available than ever before. However, with Heating, Ventilation and Air Conditioning (HVAC) consuming the largest amount of a plant’s energy bill, efficiency efforts are best focused in that area. One such subset is in cooling towers, essential to control suspended solids and algae growth.

Cooling towers cool water through heat transfer and evaporation. With a loss of 1% water for every 10 degrees of cooling required, the evaporation factor can be very significant. When evaporation occurs, scale is left behind that can interfere with cooling tower efficiency and require expensive maintenance or acid cleaning.

Industrial plants typically contain equipment which requires both open evaporative and closed cooling water systems, making well-maintained cooling tower chemistry essential to plant reliability and efficiency. As we get into the warmer months of the year, the ambient heat of the summer months will detract from the cooling capacities of these towers if they are not kept in good shape.

This makes them “fatigued”, putting a strain on system equipment and the water it provides devices such as heat exchangers, production machinery and HVAC systems will be less able to draw off heat. In industries where a cooling tower supports critical processing machinery, HVAC system or even refrigerators and freezers, even a small dip in cooling power can cause extensive downtime or even product losses.

Over time, the leaving-water temperature of a neglected cooling tower will rise. For every 2-degree F increase, the equipment’s energy costs will also increase—by up to 6%.  However, simple maintenance techniques can optimize cooling towers and save facilities up to 15% on its electricity costs.  Routine preventive maintenance also can help conserve water, extend the operating life of your cooling equipment, and keep energy and equipment costs low.

4 Areas to Investigate to Ensure Cooling Towers are Operating at Peak Efficiency

1. Monitor Cooling Tower Fill

The purpose of the fill, also called wet deck or surface, is to maximize the contact between the air and the water, encouraging evaporation. Fill is covered in a textured pattern, usually ridges or wrinkles, so that when pieces of the fill are placed together, they leave open spaces for water and air to travel.

This fill should be serviced or replaced in cooling towers to avoid fouling that will prevent sufficient air volume necessary for the system’s water to dissipate heat efficiently. Fouling can also make the fan and motors work harder, adding significantly to energy costs.

2. Cooling Tower Equipment Selection  

When choosing a HVAC or industrial cooling tower, keep in mind that cooling efficiency is affected when aggressive chemical maintenance solutions are limited due to the risk of harm and damage to metal surfaces. This makes them less efficient and susceptible to maintenance and unscheduled shutdowns. Further, having to limit potent chemicals used to remove biological growth from water can produce fouling build-up inside the cooling tower which affects cooling efficiency.

Because plastic cooling towers are impervious to residual salts, the tower cannot be damaged and fill material can be cleaned up by most aggressive de-scalers which goes a long way toward efficiency and avoiding unexpected replacement expenses.

3. Frequent Cooling Tower Inspection  

Daily, weekly and monthly system monitoring will keep energy usage and costs down while ensuring cooling system are working at their optimal level.   Frequent visual inspection of your cooling system’s fans, motors, belts and pumps is an effective way to ensure that your systems are running at their highest efficiencies. Loose belts or improperly working fans will prevent smooth flow through the system and result in reduced efficiencies and higher operational costs.

If water temperatures increase even a small amount, the return water from the towers to the chillers will cause the chiller to work harder, resulting in increased costs and a reduced cooling effectiveness. Regular inspection of basins, drains and nozzles will also prevent the buildup of minerals, debris and dirt that will clog the system,  increasing energy consumption and reducing overall system efficiency.

4. Optimizing Cooling Tower Control 

Inefficient chilled water plant controls are often associated with poor cooling tower performance and investments here can greatly improve overall HVAC efficiency.   Some solutions, like tekWorx Xpress® , can act as an early warning system, sending emails or texts to staff when equipment such as a fan, pump or chiller is operating outside expected parameters.  

tekWorx Xpress® algorithms optimize cooling towers by continuously adjusting cooling equipment operation and key setpoints based on such parameters as occupancy level and outdoor temperature to maximize the system efficiency in real‐time. This is done while maintaining comfort cooling needs.  Xpress® optimizes overall cooling system energy consumption via several of its patented algorithms, including:

• Condenser Water Temperature Optimization: Determines the equipment operating parameters that will produce the optimal condenser water temperature that will minimize total power consumed by the chiller and cooling towers.  This algorithm balances auxiliary equipment power with chiller power to operate the chillers most efficiently based on ambient conditions and load.

• Adaptive Tower Sequence Optimization: This module will sequence cooling tower isolation valves (cells) on and off to flow water over the maximum amount of cooling towers without falling below the minimum flow rate of the associated tower cells.

To optimize cooling towers and associated plant equipment requires diligent maintenance, proper equipment selection and the right control strategy to permanently improve overall HVAC efficiency.

Start at the Top

The most successful approach to creating an energy efficiency plan begins with a commitment from management. This typically starts with simple statement of what is to be achieved such as reducing carbon emissions or being strong environmental stewards. Once this essence is established and agreed upon, endorsement and internal publication of the energy policy begins. Endorsement by senior management, recognizing and praising energy-related achievements and consistent communications related to the energy motto are key for continued success.

Responsibility

Once an energy efficiency plan is in place, a leadership team should be appointed that represents a solid cross-section of the organization in terms of job function and geography. This team is responsible for both establishing reduction metrics and tracking measurable energy reduction goals such as percentage reductions or absolute reductions, water- and sewer-use savings or increased equipment production capacity and reliability.

Accountability

Energy efficiency plans need to be supported by data. The two basic types of energy-saving-initiative measurements are metered and calculated. In a perfect world, all energy savings would be metered. The cost of metering the exact savings can be cost prohibitive to implement. Conversely, calculated savings had an added complication of making adjustments for effects of year-to-year production activity, weather-related energy usage and/or other variables to be truly accurate.

One solution to this dilemma is an energy monitoring system. For example, tekWorx Xpress® monitors energy performance, equipment operation and associated energy costs daily, month and yearly and presents this data in an easy-to-read dashboard. Xpress® also offers real-time energy performance comparison and efficiency ranking, providing instant insight energy use a portfolio’s collective energy profile and how each site ranks relative to the efficiency of the others. 

HVAC systems are in charge of keeping temperatures comfortable, humidity consistent , and indoor air quality high. Often times, however, airside optimization is not considered in facility controls.

As much of the energy and cost that goes into powering HVAC is lost to waste, these three smart airside optimization strategies can help facilities can realize significant HVAC energy savings.

Airside Optimization and Air Filtration Systems

In order for HVAC system to operate correctly and deliver proper indoor air quality (IAQ), air filter maintenance and monitoring are essential. Most BAS systems monitor for air pressure drops outside of normal ranges. When this occurs, it often means that the air filter is clogged and/or installed improperly and should be changed. Dirty filters overwork HVAC systems by restricting air flow leading to poor indoor air quality, HVAC maintenance issues and increased repair costs.

Airside Optimization: Heating and Cooling Ducts

Commercial heating and cooling systems are connected to points throughout a facility by the ductwork. Consisting of a network of large pipes, this ductwork provides a pathway for conditioned air to travel from heating and cooling equipment to the insides of a commercial building.  Any problems in a facility’s duct system — broken seals, loose or missing sections, detached pipes, or damaged ducts — can cause substantial air leaks that will result in lost energy and wasted operating dollars. Duct sealing and careful inspection and appropriate repair of the ductwork will prevent these problems. Connections between sections of ductwork should be properly sealed with mastic, a specialized rubbery compound designed especially for ducts. Metal tape can also be used. Connections can also be mechanically fastened with sheet metal screws. Standard duct tape should be avoided because the adhesive can dry out and cause the tape to fall away.

Airside Optimization and AHU Monitoring

In commercial buildings, all air handlers are built and installed with an outside air intake and damper.  This outside air intake and damper has a large effect on both the energy use of a building and the indoor environmental quality (IEQ) of a building. By optimizing air handling units (AHUs), significant energy savings can be achieved.

Normally, air handlers cool or heat a mix of return air from the space it is conditioning and outside air that is required for proper IEQ. When the outside air dampers let in more outside air than required by the building code,  the air handler will use more energy than needed.  Conversely, dampers can let in too little air. This often happens when the outside dampers fail in a position where they are completely closed and do not allow any outside air into the air handler.  Advanced airside optimization solutions ensures these conditions are constantly being monitored.

Optimizing AHUs requires real-time monitoring of static pressure and supply air temperature setpoints. Sensors throughout the facility feed temperature and humidity data to a BAS or other control device and algorithms then determine optimal heating and cooling requirements, sending these efficiency setpoints back to the air handlers. Not only does this approach save energy dollars but helps ensure better occupant comfort.

tekWorx real-time airside optimization by continuously and automatically minimizing the power required for air distribution and delivery. These proven adaptive control techniques optimize air pressure, flow and temperature (system and zone) while maximizing economization mode and meeting desired space conditions.

But the odds are, before long, the initiative will fizzle out. Senior executives will move on to other priorities, task-force members will focus more and more on their day jobs, and the energy surrounding a once-promising efficiency effort will fade.

Companies that have managed to break the cycle of recurring initiatives have one major thing in common: they take a long-term approach. Here are the five most important steps to consider in planting this efficiency mindset.

Step 1: Define the Why?

The first step in any plan is to isolate the ‘why’. Successful companies talk about efficiency as a big part of “who we are,” and make it a key element of their corporate strategy, focusing on the growth that efficiency can unlock and how it will make their profits more sustainable.

Step 2: Identify the Metrics

With respect to a chiller plant, common metrics may include:

• kW per ton for each individual chiller or system
• Overall condenser plant efficiency
• Overall chiller plant COP (coefficient of performance)

Step 3: Get your Baseline

To use metrics effectively, it’s critical to establish a credible baseline performance and set realistic improvement targets while making sure you are comparing apples to apples. In a chilled water system, there are many components that impact baseline kW/ton including chilled water production, chilled water consumption, heat rejection and AHU utilization to name a few.

Step 4: Focus on Balance

It’s critical to balance measures of cost efficiency with measures of improved effectiveness. It might be easy to decide on the various metric to follow, but if it isn’t part of a balanced scorecard, a performance benchmark could be detrimental.

Step 5: Make it Visible

Recognizing individuals or teams that move the needle helps encourage change and reinforce commitment. The most effective companies make the metrics visible to all and create forums to stimulate productive discussion about them.

Work with a proven energy savings partner – tekWorx

tekWorx Approachable Experts^® can support your efficiency efforts. Our team of expert engineers establish your energy baseline and provide innovative, cost-saving solutions to optimize central energy plant performance and reduce costs without any implementation downtime.