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Case Study
Property Type: 37 Unit Motel
Location: Northeast United States
Owner Concerns: Excessive oil consumption, excessive water and sewer usage, high electrical costs.
Consultants Response: a) Recommend on-site inspection of mechanical equipment rooms,
each unit and common areas.
b) Review last 24 months of utility bills.
c) Review last 24 months of water and sewer charges.
Consultants Recommendations:
Heating System: Boiler rooms no.1 &2. Checked age of boilers and visual inspection. Both under 10 years old. If cleaned and tuned can produce in excess of 80% FUE. Currently only 65%. Install outside temperature reset control for increased efficiency. (boiler setting to work in conjunction with outside air temperature). Install Beckett Heat Manager control to utilize the existing heat produced by the boiler and prevent false starts. Insulate pipe headers. Increase combustion air to improve efficiency and reduce soot build up. Estimated costs $2,000. Cost savings 10/15%.
Domestic Hot Water: Currently using (4) indirect fired hot water heaters (1) 85 gallon oil fired HWH and (1) 75 gallon electric HWH. Lower temperatures on all water heaters to 120 degree F. Eliminate 75 gallon electric HWH by installing a re-circulation line from existing IFHWH which is more than adequate to cover additional units. This will save a substantial amount of money off your electrical bill. Install by-pass line from the IFHWH to oil HWH. Only use oil fired HWH during peak winter months and switch over in early spring through early winter, thus saving eight months of oil usage for that appliance. Estimated costs $2,500. Savings $3,000/4,000 per year.
The East Motel Building has (2) indirect fired hot water heaters and serves seven (7) units. The furthest unit is approximately 100 ft. from the HWH's. When there is a call for hot water, it takes well over a minute for the hot water to reach the end unit. We recommend using a recirculation line connecting the furthest unit to the HWH's. This will eliminate a tremendous waste of hot water and sewer charges. Currently this building is used during peak season only. Recommend cycling system when not in use. Estimated cost $1,500/$2,000. Savings approximately 8% plus sewer/water charge per year.
Motel Units Typical:
Excess draft through exterior doors. All doors are hollow core. Replace doors with insulated type. Keep drapes closed when unit is not in use. Install A.C. Unit covers or cover w/4 mil poly. Install energy star light bulbs when lights burn out. Units with old refrigerators should be replace. They waste energy. If nothing else unplug when not in use. Note: Replacement of certain appliances may qualify for an energy tax credit. Replace with EnergyStar. Replace shower heads with low flow type. Check all faucets, diverters and ball cocks for dripping or leakage. This a major reason for the large sewer and water bills. Lower thermostats in rooms to the minimum setting that are not rented. Most items as mentioned are low cost or no cost. Replacement of doors are approx. $300/350 ea. w/lock sets and basic labor. Conditions may vary. Payback will vary between immediate and 2 years.
Common Area/Lodge
Install energy star light bulbs. Savings 75%. Close damper on fireplace after fire has completely burned out. This will prevent warm air from going up the chimney which creates a vacuum. Remember to open prior to re-lighting. Install programmable thermostat w/night setback 10 degrees. Change motor in HVAC unit to variable speed type. Save 30%. T-stat installation cost $175. Saving approximately 10%. Change out fluorescent lamps from T12 to T8. Change out magnetic ballasts to electronic type. Savings 50%.
Summary
If client moves forward and completes all recommendations as noted, a cost savings of 15% to 20% can be realized. Most items will have a payback of one year or less. There are no big ticket items for this project.
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Case Study
Property Type: Custom Single Family House
Location: Northeast United States
Owner Concerns: High fuel oil costs for heat and hot water. House always seems hot.
Consultants Response: Recommend on-site inspection of building perimeter and mechanical
Systems. Review last 12 months of utility bills.
Consultants Recommendations:
Heating System: Boiler is confined in small room. Not enough combustion air and noted by excessive soot build up in flue and on top of boiler. Boiler capable of 86% efficiency and is operating at 72%. Recommend boiler be serviced by trained technician. Introduce outside combustion air to room as close to burner as possible. Install Beckett Heat Manager control to utilize the existing heat produced by the boiler and false starts. Install outside temperature reset so boiler set point will work in conjunction with outside ambient temperature. Currently four zones with individual circulators without individual flow control valves which will be a problem. When one zone turns on all lines open. This explains why all rooms get hot. Install individual FCV ‘s on outlet side of circulators. Programmable thermostats are currently installed but not programmed properly utilizing setbacks.
Hot Water System:
Currently using Amtrol indirect fired Hot Water Heater. Lower temperature to 120 degree F. Wire control sequence to priority.
Building Perimeter:
Weather stripping on exterior doors can be replaced. All windows are low-E glass, insulated. There are numerous recessed lights in high ceilings where cold air is dropping down into the rooms and are not accessible . Recommend installing cone shaped deep trim which will cut down on the draft.
Note:
Owner has plans to add approximately 400 square feet of living space. Current boiler capacity is adequate. Recommend low temperature radiant system for this area.
Summary
If client completes recommendations as noted, a cost savings of Approximately 15% can be realized. Approximate costs $2,500. Payback three years or less. Consultants time approximately 10hrs.
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Case Study
Property Type: Commercial Mixed Use
Location: Northeast United States
Owner Concerns: Excessive natural gas consumption, water and sewer usage, high electrical
Costs.
Consultants Response: a) Recommend on-site inspection of mechanical equipment rooms and
Each rentable space.
b) Review last 24 months of utility bills and water and sewer charges.
Consultants Recommendations:
Heating System: Boiler room consists of three boilers. One for each floor. All three boilers are on one gas meter. There are three electrical meters. Recommend the following: Separate gas meters for each boiler. Boilers two and three which correlate floors 2nd and 3rd and are residential apartments pay for their own heat. First floor commercial space has three tenants. One boiler and two electrical meters. Use remaining boiler for one tenant. Cap off or remove radiators in the other two spaces. Retrofit electrical circuits so this tenant has its own meter which is existing. Create one additional electric meter, separate circuits so all commercial tenants have their own meters. Add electric heat in two rentable spaces. Now all tenants have separate metering and heat. The common area is very small. Add two sections of electric heat in the entry. Separate circuits for common area and add additional electric meter (house meter). Approximate cost $10,000/$12,000. Cost savings 35% to 40%. Payback one year based on information provided. Landlord may have to re-negotiate rents or freeze rent increases to compensate for separate meters.
Domestic Hot Water: All the plumbing is interconnected and can be a nightmare to separate spaces for separate metering. The commercial spaces do not require much hot water use. The concern is with the residential spaces. There are three hot water heaters with one gas meter. This is an overkill. I was told at one time that there was a hair salon in one commercial space. Recommendation is as follows: Shutoff two hot water heaters keeping one in operation. There are three bathrooms in the residential spaces and one water heater should cover. In the future if a commercial space is rented out to a tenant that requires hot water put them on their own electrical HWH. All plumbing is accessible from the basement to the first floor. Have a professional shut off the HWH’s and cap off where appropriate. All HWH’s are interconnected with separate valves which makes an easy transition.
Summary
If client completes all recommendations as noted, a cost savings of 35% to 45% can be realized. Most items will have a payback of one year. Consultants time Approximately 20 Hrs.
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