Industrial facility retrofit strategy for a high-tech outdoor gear manufacturer in Orange County This ultra-modern 500,000 square foot manufacturing facility was constructed in 1996. The facility serves as both a corporate headquarters, flagship property, manufacturing facility, data center and warehouse. The next>edge energy audit process revealed the following opportunities - Lighting Retrofit, Energy Management System Upgrades and Cogeneration.

Lighting
The office areas in this building are currently equipped with T8 lamps and electronic ballasts. However, despite the presence of these fairly modern lighting systems in office areas, the warehouse and manufacturing areas have a mixture of HID lighting and T12 fluorescent strip fixtures.

A retrofit of the existing office T8 fixtures with second generation lamps and ballasts will provide an attractive rate of return, particularly when utility incentives are included. next>edge has developed a scope of work that takes full advantage of reflectors and delamping. The warehouse areas will be retrofitted with a combination of T8 lamp and ballast systems for the strip fixtures and the installation of new T5 high bay fixtures in place of the existing HID lighting. The HID light fixture replacement is perhaps the most dramatic initiative, with a per fixture wattage reduction from 418 watts to 244 watts while maintaining light levels, extending lamp life and lumen maintenance, and the improvement of color rendering.

EMS Upgrades
There is an existing, modern DDC control system in place for operation of the HVAC system. However, all of the key operational decisions are still made manually. There are a number of variable frequency drives, but a lack of adequate sequences resulting in these devices running at full speed a majority of the time. The chilled water pumps are equipped with variable frequency drives, but the piping system is equipped with a bypass that precludes operation as a variable flow system. A great deal of pumping energy is therefore wasted.

next>edge recommends piping modifications which can be done at a relatively small capital cost. The basic mechanical system elements required for energy efficiency already exist. Minor mechanical changes coupled with sequence development and recommissioning of the DDC system will help the customer finally realize the return on his original investment. The installation serves as a case in point for the need to perform commissioning. There are a number of similar projects that, along with the variable flow conversion measure, all have simple paybacks in the 1.5 to 3 year range. Finishing the system design, installation and commissioning process appears to be the right direction for this facility, taking the site to where it should have been all along as a recently constructed building.

Cogeneration
The facility is 24x7 operation and has massive electric and thermal needs. The site is also somewhat remote, leaving room for an on-grade installation without noise concerns. Therefore, the site is an excellent cogeneration candidate.

Recommended cogeneration project is a 750 kW prime mover, a 3,000 MBH hot water recovery boiler and a 175-ton absorption chiller. Hot water and chilled water will interconnect to the central plant. The engine gen-set will be a reciprocating engine set up for operation with natural gas at a low RPM. Selecting this equipment carefully will assure many years of reliable service.

The cogeneration project has a longer payback term that the other recommended measures. We are recommending that the customer consider the possible benefits of combining this project with a backup system serving the existing data center - a critical load. The project economics will be boosted substantially by the added consideration of backup power.

Commissioning
In addition to all the lighting and mechanical upgrades, next>edge will complete an intensive project commissioning process. More than 50% of the energy savings produced by these projects are often achieved during this phase. Commissioning will provide EMS and HVAC system optimization, primarily focusing on overall system kW/Ton. For the cogeneneration plant, commissioning will be focused on ensuring that the new systems are providing beneficial energy to the existing facility, consistent with predicted results and manufacturer ratings.