Much like a complete annual physical exam with your doctor provides an understanding of your current state of health, as well as potentially pointing out areas of concern in the future, an energy audit provides the same information for your building. Done properly, an energy audit not only provides you with an understanding of your building’s energy health, it also gives you a “diet” (in the form of recommendations) to improve the health of your building moving forward.

It also helps to establish some guidelines for the different levels of energy audits to understand the amount of detail to expect from each. In general, the most commonly used description of energy audits is provided by the American Society of Heating, Refrigerating and Air-Conditioning Engineers (ASHRAE). ASHRAE defines 3 categories of energy audits:

Level I – a basic facility walk-through with a written report that is somewhat general
Level II – a detailed facility energy audit with a written report that contains (estimated) project costs, energy saving calculations, and financial analyses.
Level III – similar to Level II plus the addition of building modeling.

So what constitutes a proper energy audit for your building? First, it needs to be thorough, which means it should address all of the equipment that affects the majority of energy use in the building, such as existing HVAC systems, electrical systems, and building envelope (windows, roofs, and insulation). It should also address domestic water. Second, it should be performed by an independent consultant that does not have a vested interest in selling a specific piece of equipment. Beware of “free” audits. Third, the energy audit should provide enough detail, both technically and financially, to enable you to make an educated decision whether to move forward and implement some, or all, of the recommendations.

If you liked this post, please consider subscribing.

NYC’s Premier HVAC and Energy Experts

No Comments

Last summer we experienced the hottest summer on record resulting in higher utility usage and costs, longer AC unit run times and more wear and tear on your AC unit components and controls.

This year we are recommending that the standard air conditioning tune-up be upgraded to focus on energy initiatives that will save money and improve performance.

This is what a Green Energy AC unit tune-up could consist of:

Cleanings: Coil cleanings, condenser cleaning, strainer cleanings, drain pans, and fan housings are paramount for a good maintenance program. These cleanings will result in improved efficiency and optimum performance and we recommend that these cleanings be done at the beginning of the cooling season.

Filters: Consider regular filter replacement and using pleated filters in lieu of standard fiberglass throwaway filters. This will result enhanced filtration, cleaner coils and improved air quality.

Belts: Belts should be replaced at the beginning of every cooling season. Use of notched belts in lieu of standard wrapped belts will yield a 3-5% energy savings. Consider leaving a set of spare belts for emergency replacement and reduced downtime.

Thermostats: In the absence of a BMS System we recommend programmable thermostats for each AC unit. Each spring we recommend that each programmable thermostat be checked and programmed as follows:

1. Battery replacement and calibration
2. Update cooling and heating occupied and unoccupied set points and run times
3. Fan operation from “on” to automatic operation
4. Adjust run time programming to match occupancy hours. Don’t forget daylight savings time adjustments.

Controls: Controls are vital for the proper operation and comfort of your HVAC system. At the beginning of every cooling season we recommend that all controls, devices and sensors be checked for proper operation and calibration. A few examples might be VAV boxes, duct heaters, ceiling heaters, economizers, fans, time clocks, and small adjustments translate to significant energy savings and improved comfort.

Refrigerant: With the skyrocketing cost of refrigerant R22 approaching $20/lb. it is imperative that all of your refrigerant circuits be checked to make sure they are leak free and operating at the appropriate pressures and temperatures.

New and improved leak detection technology makes this process easier and cost effective. You may also want to explore refrigerant conversion to DuPont M099 as a great alternative that is more environmentally friendly.

Comfort Balancing: Based on the torrid summer of 2010 try and identify “hot spots” and “problem areas” that can be rectified with some simple comfort balancing at the beginning of the cooling season. This will also result in improved comfort and potential energy savings in reduced AC unit run times.

Equipment Age: If the summer of 2010 brought a lot of service calls, untimely breakdown and if your equipment is older than 15 years, you may want to consider replacing your AC unit with a new high efficiency replacement.

In addition to substantially reduced annual service costs there are many incentives and rebates that may make replacement very attractive. Our clients also typically realize a 15% reduction in utility costs by upgrading to a high efficiency replacement AC unit.

Energy Audits: With utility costs showing no sign of getting lower coupled with high demand you might want to explore an energy audit or survey to identify any energy conservation measures that may make sense to you and save you significant money while also contributing to a greener New York City.

In the past, the New York City HVAC contractor could make customers happy with a good maintenance program and trouble free operation. The HVAC contractor of the future will also have to do this but will have to expand to offer energy initiatives and incentives. Our success will be measured not only with comfort but also by a reduced utility bill.

If you liked this post, please consider subscribing.

NYC’s Premier HVAC and Energy Experts

No Comments

Building owners, property managers, and facilities staff need to understand the correlation between old, inefficient equipment and wasted energy (money).

One way for building owners, property managers and facilities staff to save money and energy is to consider upgrading old, inefficient HVAC equipment with new, energy efficient equipment. Here are some reasons this makes a lot of sense:

1. Newer, higher efficiency equipment costs less to operate, which makes this a great investment;

2. Newer equipment saves money and results in less service calls and comfort complaints;

3. There are rebates and incentives available to reduce the cost of the equipment. We will take care of all the paperwork and make the process pain free for the customer.

4. Freon and other CFC refrigerants are no longer being produced, making it very expensive to service older units and repair leaks. The standard refrigerant R22 was $10/lb. two years ago and is presently $25/lb. and rising;

5. Newer high efficiency equipment requires less maintenance

6. Electric rates continue to rise, especially in the summer. Reducing energy use during peak summer periods in NYC can significantly reduce utility costs by at least 15%.

7. NYC has mandated that energy use in buildings be reduced. Upgrading equipment to energy efficient equipment will help our customers meet the goals outlined in the NYC Greener, Greater Buildings Plan;

8. Replacing old, inefficient HVAC equipment is environmentally responsible, resulting in lower utility costs, reduced carbon footprint, improved air quality, and a greener workplace.

Always make sure to view these upgrades as investments by looking at the lifecycle cost benefits of installing the most efficient unit possible. This includes factoring in rebates, tax incentives, and annual operating costs from the “base” unit to the most efficient. If this is done properly, you will find the lowest first-cost unit is almost always the most expensive unit to own.

If you liked this post, please consider subscribing.

NYC’s Premier HVAC and Energy Experts

No Comments

Con Edison’s Rebate Program Questions and Answers:

Q: How do I know if I qualify for this program?

A: First, you must be a customer of Con Edison. Second, take a look at one of your bills. If you see a Systems Benefits Charge (SBC) then you qualify… it’s that easy!

Q: So how do I begin the process of having my building become more energy efficient?

A: Donnelly Sustainable Energy Services can provide you with a “head to toe” energy analysis audit to help identify Energy Conservation Methods (ECMs). Once the ECMs have been identified, our team will inform you of the best program available for the identified projects.

Q: What kind of rebates are we talking about and how long do I have to wait for the check?

A: Con Edison is offering between $.08 to $.12/kWh and $1 to $2/therm projected to be saved in the first year. The check is PAID IN FULL within 6 weeks. All rebates will only be provided to the Con Edison customer and cannot be paid to a contractor. 

Con Edison is also offering energy efficiency study funding that can pay for 50% of the cost of the study.

We don’t know how long this program will last, so why wait? Call us to schedule a consultation meeting today!!!

If you liked this post, please consider subscribing.

NYC’s Premier HVAC and Energy Experts

No Comments

For building owners who are not familiar with Energy Audits and the new standards, NYC’s new energy requirements are going be a shock.

The Benchmarking Report must follow certain guidelines, such as compliance with the U.S. Department of Energy’s EnergyStar® Portfolio Manager software.

The Benchmarking Report includes critical information about the building, such as:

• A specific outline of the square footage of the building
• The hours of operation, broken out by area
• The amount of computers and other equipment in use
• A detailed summary of all of the utility and water use in the building

The EnergyStar® Portfolio Manager software will then generate a score, or grade, for each building and will indicate the relative energy efficiency of that building as it compares to similar buildings in similar geographic areas. A low score indicates an inefficient building and would indicate to the building owner that they should be considering improvements to the building, such as changes to the operations of the building and/or the installation of more efficient equipment.

A full Energy Audit is a far more detailed and comprehensive product than the Benchmarking Report. The first round of due dates for an Energy Audit is in 2013. However, the Benchmarking Report deadline of May 1, 2011 is coming up fast. Time to get going!

If you liked this post, please consider subscribing.

NYC’s Premier HVAC and Energy Experts

No Comments

As a leading commercial HVAC contractor in New York with clients ranging from large residential landlords to multi level commercial tenants, we at Donnelly Mechanical feel it is our duty to look for ways to help clients save money on energy costs, in spite of higher temperatures, financial instability and rising utility fees. So we put our heads together and came up with a great idea:

The Donnelly NYC Energy & HVAC Maintenance and Service Contract

The Donnelly NYC Energy & HVAC Maintenance and Service Contract enables landlords and building managers to combine their HVAC maintenance, service, and repairs expenditures, then leverage them against a proven strategy that actually helps save money on energy costs by 10% annually!

Our approach is simple but extremely effective. We identify ways to reduce energy consumption by at least 10% right away. A 10% reduction in energy consumption can lower operating costs by a whopping $9,000.00 a year per every 50,000 square feet of space! And it makes a building “greener” and more environmentally responsible in the bargain.

How We Help Save Money on Energy Costs

• Following the lead from the BOMA Energy Efficiency Program (BEEP) identify low-cost and no-cost savings tactics, we address many of the most common energy wasting culprits such as inoperative economizers, poor control strategies, programmable HVAC, and lighting controls and setback.
• We identify immediate operating cost savings that in many cases will more than pay for the entire cost of the service agreement – freeing up valuable cash for other needs.
• We work closely with clients to develop a structured approach that is tailored for their individual situation. No surprises on utility bills or from unexpected equipment breakdowns.

Donnelly does a lot more for clients than just installation and maintenance. We are always looking for ways to save money on energy costs for our clients now and in the future.

Stay tuned for tips on how we identify specific actions that begin saving money on energy costs immediately.

If you liked this post, please consider subscribing.

NYC’s Premier HVAC and Energy Experts

No Comments