ACHIEVING ENERGY EFFICIENCY AT THE LOWEST COST

Virtually all industrial, commercial, and institutional facilities have energy using equipment that are candidates to be retrofit or replaced with a more energy efficient measure. But building owners are not just looking to save energy. They are looking to save money and make their operations work better. Here are ten to consider.

1.Don’t bother considering any type of lighting upgrade or replacement besides LED. The cost, energy savings, and life expectancy of LED is so much better than all the other lamp types, it would be foolish to install anything else.

2. Most fluorescent fixtures can be retrofit at a much lower cost than new fixtures. If the fixture itself is in good shape and still looks good, it is generally a simple process to retrofit that entails just removing the ballast and rerouting the wiring.

3. One major exception to retrofitting fluorescent fixtures is T5 lighting. T5 lamps are two inches shorter than T8 or T12 fixtures. They also have a smaller pin base. A LED T8 replacement tube will not fit in a T5 fixture. There are LED T5 replacement lamps on the market but they are more expensive and less efficient than comparable LED T8 fixtures. Generally, it is best to replace a T5 fixture.

4. Converting to LED lighting without removing the ballast is generally not a good idea. The so called “plug and play” LED lamps can be installed in fluorescent fixtures simply by removing the existing lamps and inserting the new LED lamps. However, if the ballast that the plug and play tube is connected to were to fail (stop working), the ballast would have to be replaced or removed and the fixture rewired in order for the plug and play tubes to work again if they are still compatible. Ballasts of fixtures being retrofit generally already have been used for significant hours and are probably near the end of their life. They draw energy and serve no purpose after retrofit. It is better to eliminate them.

5. Be certain that the new LED lamps provide sufficient lumens to light the area, especially for high bay fixtures. One of the most common mistakes made is under lamping an area. Know the lumens or foot candles needed to achieve the desired level of light for the tasks being done in the area to be lit.

6. Occupancy sensors are a great measure to include with a lighting upgrade in areas not occupied on a frequent basis. Why light an area with no one in it? Occupancy sensors are not that expensive and you can’t save more energy than turning off the lights completely. Often very short paybacks result.

7. Huge savings can result from fixing leaks in the compressed air distribution system. Virtually all manufacturers have compressed air system. Virtually all of the them also have leaks of some amount in the lines that deliver the air and the equipment that uses it. Attention is often paid to the compressor itself but to often leaks are largely ignored. Often 30% or more of the air produced is lost through leaks. A 100 horsepower compressor uses approximately 75 kilowatts of power when running. At 13 cents per kWh it is costing approximately $3 per hour to produce the 30% of lost air. Over the course of a year, thousands of dollars are lost. Fixing the leaks typically has a payback in weeks but it can’t be done just once because new leaks will pop up sooner or later. Note that if you can hear it you have a huge leak.

8. Capture waste heat from air compressors in winter and exhaust it out of the building during summer. Compressors produce quite a bit of heat when running. It is a free energy source during the heating season, but is a load on an air conditioning system and unwanted heat during the summer.

9. Replacing windows is generally not a cost effective conservation measure. Although more efficient windows will certainly save energy the cost of the windows is such that the payback is often 20 years or more. It is a poor investment unless issues such as building comfort is involved.

10. Large overhead fans are often a good alternative to air conditioning. A fan 20-30 feet in diameter moves a tremendous amount of air at relatively little expense. They are a relatively inexpensive cooling option to consider. One limitation is that there must be space in which it can operate. Overhead cranes are a particular obstacle in industrial facilities.

Enstar, MMA’s energy consultant, is available to help members with these and other energy issues when needed. Feel free to contact us.