Mining for Energy Efficiency – Unlocking the Power of Data

As part of the BUILDEX Express Summit Series on High Performance Buildings, this session shares how to use analytics on data available from our building control system
(Direct Digital Controls or DDC) to drive action.

As part of the CIPHEX West 2016 Conference, this session focused on understanding code compliance and energy efficiency with respect to ASHRAE 90.1 – 2010. It included an introduction to the Standard, administration and enforcement, core components, overview (Section 4), heating ventilation and air conditioning (Section 6), service water heating (Section 7), and energy cost budget method (Section 11).

Presented as part of the BC Hydro Commercial Energy Manager Forum, the contents of this presentation includes strategies and tips on how to get the best out of your DDC systems including schedules, setpoints, sequences and O&M practices.

Monitoring and targeting (M&T) energy use is a critical component of an effective energy management program. M&T techniques provide energy managers and users with feedback on operating
practices, results of energy management projects and guidance on the level of energy use that is expected in a certain period.

Individually packaged heating, ventilating and air-conditioning (HVAC) systems, usually placed on the roof and known as rooftop units (RTUs) , are widely used in small and medium-sized commercial and institutional buildings.

Electric motor systems consume large amounts of electrical energy and can provide an opportunity for significant energy savings.

A stack economizer is a water-to-air heat exchanger that is designed to use heat from hot boiler flue gases to preheat water. For many decades, economizers have been used on large utility steam boilers to preheat the feedwater using recovered stack heat.

The same principle can be applied to smaller hydronic heating boilers where there is a nearby demand for hot water. These installations have become more economical as energy prices have risen and smaller economizers with light but durable and efficient heat exchangers have been developed.

One of the simplest ways to conserve energy is to turn lighting systems off in unoccupied areas.

However, accomplishing this task can sometimes be a challenge. Building lighting can be controlled by many methods, from simple – local switches, occupancy sensors, photocells and time clocks – to more elaborate computerized lighting control systems which can be tied in to automatic building mechanical and security system controls.

This fact sheet discusses the various control types and their operation and application.

Commercial kitchens require walk-in refrigerators and freezers to store perishable food. Each unit is normally equipped with its own compressor/condenser package which is cooled to remove the heat generated by the vapour compression refrigeration cycle.

Typically, this heat is released into the environment. Where the equipment is water-cooled, that heat can be recaptured for useful purposes like domestic water heating.

Some water-cooled air compressors use domestic cold water to cool the air between compression stages, and sometimes after the final compression stage. In urban areas, using cold municipal water for cooling purposes in an open loop (in which water passes through only once) is costly and wasteful.

This type of cooling is common in many systems because it is simple to set up and cold water is readily available. However, installing a closed-loop fan-coil system can nearly eliminate domestic water usage during winter and shoulder seasons.