The Award

South-Town Refrigeration was the sole winner in the Commercial Refrigeration Efficiency category for the 2021 Energy Efficiency Partner Award from Xcel Energy.

The honor is granted to selected trade partners who utilized Xcel’s rebate programs throughout Minnesota. That program is designed to help customers save energy and learn about efficiency with better-performing equipment.

As a 2021 Energy Efficiency Partner Award winner, South-Town’s efforts contributed to more than $8.8 million in rebates, collectively. In addition, companies that took part in the Energy Efficiency Program helped save more than 68,695.40 dekatherms of natural gas and 70,315,946.00 kilowatt hours of electricity.

South-Town Projects

To discuss South-Town’s specific contributions with energy efficiency, we asked Aaron Seim, Commercial Refrigeration Sales, for some project details.

“I think there were a handful of projects that I’m aware of,” Seim said, “and they all dealt with energy efficiency.” But one project in particular stood out as the heavy hitter for energy savings across the board.

“There was one project with Lakewinds Food Co-Op in Chanhassen,” Seim explained. “We came in and pretty much replaced every case in the store and gave them more efficient equipment – LED lights, ECM (high-efficiency) fan motors, night curtains. Things like that,” he said.

The store improvements aim to create a better shopping experience for customers while also helping the environment. Renovations include:

• Updated shelving and cases in the meat department
• Installed grab-and-go cases for bakery and deli items
• New cheese cooler and deli case
• Replaced and rearranged grocery shelves
• Dairy coolers replaced and rearranged

These upgrades will significantly reduce energy costs. But that’s not all South-Town did for Lakewinds Food Co-Op.

“We replaced all the frozen food cases because they were the original cases from when the store was built,” Seim added. All told, this Lakewinds project was “the biggest project that I’m aware of that was part of the Xcel Energy rebate program,” he said.

Service Sales and Account Manager Ryan Engmark provided details on two additional South-Town projects, both of which contributed to energy savings for the clients and acclaim from Xcel.

At the MGM Wine & Spirits, South-Town’s work brought this long-running chain’s Bloomington West location up to date with lighting and doors. “They had glass walk-in cooler doors with fluorescent lighting that were more than 25 years old,” Engmark explained. “We removed those and installed 18 new, energy efficient doors with LED lighting.”

That project alone, Engmark noted, awarded the client with a $1,800 rebate from Xcel.

For the Central Avenue Liquors project, South-Town completed two separate installs.

“We removed the existing refrigeration equipment and installed new, energy efficient evaporators with EC motors and a condensing unit for the walk-in beer cooler,” Engmark said. For this project, Xcel awarded a $4,386 rebate.

In addition, South-Town removed 22 glass doors with fluorescent lighting, Engmark said, and replaced them with the same number of new, energy efficient doors equipped with LED lighting. This netted Central Avenue Liquors an extra $8,653 in rebates from Xcel Energy.

Worth the Investment

When determining how to help a store save energy and run more efficiently, Seim said he often provides a few options for refrigeration.

“We’ll lay out the good, better, and best scenarios and show anticipated energy savings,” he explained. “The ‘good’ option will be the baseline. The ‘better’ has a little more incentive, and the ‘best’ would be the full Cadillac.”

And going all in, he said, makes the most sense in the long run.

“If you’re going to invest a great amount of money, why not also think about what’s going to save you money as well?” he said. “Historically, when we show people the ‘best’ option, that’s the one they’ve taken.”

Partner with South-Town

Family owned and operated since 1954, South-Town Refrigeration & Mechanical customizes refrigeration, HVAC, and building automation services to your specific needs. Awarded for efficiency by Xcel Energy, South-Town proves to be a force with its energy management systems. Learn more about the services and equipment offered and how South-Town can help with your next project. Contact us today.

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GETTING INVOLVED

When MCTC was looking for equipment for student training purposes, South-Town was one of a handful of organizations to answer the call. South-Town General Manager Joe Kurke, who is on the HVAC Advisory Board for MCTC, knew just what to do.

“At one of our meetings,” he said, “the instructors said they wanted to install some supermarket-style refrigeration equipment. Because that is our main business, I told them we could help with getting the equipment, installing it, and getting it running.”

South-Town then worked with the equipment manufacturer and a local electrical company to install the supermarket refrigeration rack. They also engineered the refrigeration system to work with the equipment and cases that South-Town supplied for the project.

Each refrigeration system is equipped with multiple compressors. The number of compressors is dependent on the size of the unit and the amount of cooling – or “load” – needed to keep products chilled. From the refrigeration system, South-Town routed piping to transfer the heat from the equipment and cases back to the system and through the condenser.

“We performed a startup and programming of the system, so the students had a fully functional supermarket refrigeration system on which to train,” Kurke said.

HANDS-ON TRAINING

Kurke expressed the benefit of such instruction for students seeking careers in the HVAC/R industry. Until recently, he said, most schools didn’t offer training of this caliber on refrigeration equipment.

“This system is a different design from the regular HVAC or refrigeration system,” he explained. “As such, it requires a different skill set with more intense training.”

He also noted that with the constant need for grocery stores and refrigerated warehouses, this kind of opportunity is well-suited for technicians looking to gain applicable knowledge and expand their capabilities.

“When you look back at how many businesses were affected by the COVID-19 pandemic,” he said, “the grocery industry was open and very busy. The technicians and companies experienced in this type of refrigeration were in high demand.”

And that is why South-Town jumped at the chance to collaborate with MCTC, also providing propane-cooled refrigeration cases.

“We recognize the importance of partnering with local trade schools to ensure they have the best equipment and tools to enable students to be fully trained, confident, and ready to enter the refrigeration and HVAC industry,” Kurke added.

Those in the HVAC/R program at MCTC can take advantage of this unique and practical training opportunity, thanks to industry partners like South-Town Refrigeration. For more on this project and how it is helping students gain real-world experience, visit the MCTC Trade Technologies page. Also, contact South-Town Refrigeration with questions on refrigeration and mechanical systems or to learn more about the products and services we provide.

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THE IDEA

For its new build, Lunds & Byerlys approached South-Town about an idea that had been in the works for a few years. The upscale supermarket chain is always on the cutting edge of technology and looking for ways to save energy, Welty said.

“They came to us and said, ‘We’re ready to pull the trigger on this CO₂ system,’” he added.

THE SYSTEM

South-Town installed the HillPhoenix Advansor CO₂ System, which utilizes newer technology and uses CO₂, a natural refrigerant, for sustainability. The Georgia-based Advansor company only manufactures these systems because the natural refrigerants are climate friendly.

“This is the first project, in the country” Welty said, “to integrate RDM controls with this technology.”

As such, the project was one of four that nabbed South-Town Refrigeration & Mechanical the North American Contractor of the Year award from Accelerate Magazine.

By comparison, the advanced cooling system has helped Lunds & Byerlys save energy versus another, similar location.

“It’s not apples to apples, but it’s relatively close,” Welty said. “They track their energy usage and were able to show more efficiency at this store.”

COLD – AND HOT

From refrigeration to freezers, the Advansor CO₂ System controls the cold components within the store. But its efficiency goes one step further.

“They’re using energy from the refrigeration system to heat some of the water in the store. As it cools everything, the system generates heat,” Welty explained, “and we’re able to capture that heat to heat the domestic water.”

INVESTMENT

For an industry that expends a significant portion of its energy on refrigeration, it only makes sense to invest in a sustainable, efficient, and versatile system.

Costs for installation are generally no higher than those for a traditional system install. Once decided upon, Welty and his crew work on a game plan. This involves decisions that range from as simple as shelf color to as technical as engineering the system and determining capacities.

“Depending on which things they select,” Welty said, “I’d say the return on investment is about three to five years.”

For operations as well as the environment, the HillPhoenix Advansor CO₂ System certainly sets the bar high. To learn more about this advanced cooling system or South-Town Refrigeration’s many other capabilities for efficiency and sustainability, contact us.

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• We will not be requiring our field techs to get a signature from customers. They can either take a photo of a signed piece of paper or we can email the customer a copy of the service ticket.
• We will dispatch all our service techs from their house to limit gathering at our office.
• All our employees are to limit off-site meetings to business-critical meetings to keep projects and business moving forward.
• All our employees are to stay home if they are sick or showing symptoms and provide a fitness-for-duty/return-to-work notice from a physician before returning to work.
• Employees who have been exposed to someone with a positive COVID-19 test will self-quarantine for 14 days.
• If we have an employee at an office who tests positive, that office will close and run only emergency service until further notice. We will set up remote dispatching.
• All office locations will be cleaned at minimum twice per week.
• We are cancelling or postponing any company meetings, trainings, or functions of groups larger than 10 people.
• We are providing hand sanitizer and disinfecting wipes/cleaners for employees.

Please contact us with any questions or concerns. Thank you for your support in keeping all of us healthy and safe.

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Get to know our highly-skilled and versatile team of technicians, journeymen, and installers. Our customers can trust the dedicated, longtime employees who take great pride in their work. Learn about our career opportunities and scholarships for students enrolled in HVAC or refrigeration programs.

Because of our success and growth, over the years South-Town has expanded with new facilities and divisions to serve customers across Minnesota and others areas of the Midwest. Recognized as industry leaders in commercial refrigeration, HVAC, and maintenance, we have the experience and capabilities you can count on for projects big, small, and everything in between. We offer cutting-edge and energy-efficient technology with cost-effective solutions for many industries, including:

• Cold Storage
• Convenience Stores
• Grocery Stores and Supermarkets
• Liquor Stores
• Healthcare & Assisted Living Centers
• Ice Rinks
• Laboratories and Science Facilities
• Communications and Data Centers
• Educational Facilities
• Commercial Buildings
• Food Processing
• Manufacturing

The new South-Town blog will provide news and updates as well as in-depth features about our services and programs. We’ll share research findings, information, and tips on relevant topics. Visit our blog often to stay up to date.

We value your opinion! Let us know what you think about our new website or get in touch with questions about any of our services. Contact us today!

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