LEED Gold Certification for HVAC Factory

This Carrier plant runs roughly 37 percent more efficiently than similar factories. The addition of skylights and the night power outage plan seem to be very common tactics that save energy in very quantifiable amounts. LEED Gold is a nice accomplishment!


Carrier Corp.’s Mexico Factory First HVAC Factory in the World to Receive LEED® Gold Certification

MONTERREY, mexico, March 31, 2011 – The U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC) recognized Carrier Corp. for its commitment to environmental sustainability, awarding the Monterrey, Mexico Commercial factory with Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED®)* Gold certification. The Carrier facility is the first heating, ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC) factory in the world to receive LEED Gold certification. LEED is the preeminent program for the design, construction and operation of high performance green buildings. Carrier Corp., a unit of United Technologies Corp. (NYSE:UTX), is the world’s leader in high technology heating, ventilation, air-conditioning and refrigeration (HVACR) solutions, improving the world around us through engineered innovation and environmental stewardship.

LEED Gold certification represents one of the highest levels of environmental achievement within the LEED program. “This certification further demonstrates our natural leadership. Carrier is committed to providing energy efficient building solutions to our customers to help reduce their costs and minimize the impact on the environment. We apply those same standards internally to produce green products in green factories,” said Geraud Darnis, president of Carrier Corp. Darnis noted that the plant is also the first industrial facility outside of the U.S. to achieve LEED® Gold for Existing Buildings: Operations & Maintenance™ certification.

Carrier conducted a number of initiatives to achieve LEED Gold certification, including a comprehensive energy audit to assess its overall energy performance. New energy saving opportunities and subsequent investments resulted in an improved energy performance that was 37 percent better than similar factories. Key projects included converting factory lights to high efficiency, low mercury content bulbs, saving 408 MWh annually and providing a payback of less than two years. The factory’s energy consumption from lighting is also reduced by the use of skylights for the factory floor, which provide daylight for over 65 percent of regularly occupied spaces. To optimize load sharing, large compressors were replaced with smaller compressors, cutting energy waste and resulting in annual savings of about 115 MWh.

In addition to the investments, Carrier also took advantage of free behavior- changing ideas to drive energy savings, such as instituting a night power outage plan, shutting down power in all circuits not used during evening hours. This common sense idea saved approximately 160 MWh per year, with no capital investment.

Rick Fedrizzi, president, CEO and founding chairman, USGBC congratulated Carrier saying, “Carrier demonstrates continuous leadership in sustainability and the built environment. This recent accomplishment is another example of that leadership and Carrier’s belief that green products must start in a green company. We believe that every manufacturing employee should work in a green facility, and we remain single-mindedly committed to delivering on our vision of green buildings for everyone within a generation.”

The Monterrey certification broadens Carrier’s portfolio of green buildings, further demonstrating the company’s commitment to advancing sustainable buildings across the globe. In 2009, Carrier factories in Charlotte, N.C. and Huntington, Ind. received LEED® certification, and in 2010, Carrier’s Shanghai offices were awarded LEED® for Commercial Interiors™ Silver certification.

*LEED is a registered trademark of the U.S. Green Building Council


About Carrier Corp.Carrier Corp. is the world’s leader in high technology heating, air-conditioning and refrigeration solutions. Carrier experts provide sustainable solutions, integrating energy efficient products, building controls, and energy services for residential, commercial, retail, transport and foodservice customers. Founded by the inventor of modern air conditioning, Carrier improves the world around us through engineered innovation and environmental stewardship. Carrier is a unit of United Technologies Corp., a leading provider to the aerospace and building systems industries worldwide. Visit www.carrier.com for more information.

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Energy Efficient Digital Lighting - Easy to use or not?

How easy is it to truly adapt this energy efficient lighting system to a school’s existing building automation system? Can a school use this system with its portable/relocatable modular classrooms?

WattStopper Digital Lighting Management Snags 2011 BOM Top Product Award

SANTA CLARA, CA March 2011 – WattStopper is proud to announce it has received a 2011 Building Operating Management Top Product Award for its innovative Digital Lighting Management (DLM) product line.

An all-digital suite of plug-together lighting controls, DLM automatically configures to the most energy efficient sequence of operation based on installed components. The result is that DLM meets and exceeds energy code requirements, saves more energy than conventional controls, and provides an unprecedented return on investment for both new construction and retrofit projects.

With DLM, each room or space in a building has its own control network where the installer simply connects room controllers, occupancy sensors, switches and photocells as needed. Plug n’ Go technology then recognizes what is connected and automatically configures the space to the most energy efficient operation. For instance, advanced controls strategies such as automatic-on of 50% of lighting with manual-on of the remaining 50% automatically configure when appropriate DLM components are connected. Other DLM innovations include LCD screens on occupancy sensors for ease of setup, as well as a handheld bidirectional configuration tool that provides ladder-free system setup or adjustment. Because DLM uses Cat 5e RJ45 cables to connect components, time-consuming installation activities, such as interpreting wiring diagrams, setting DIP switches, and terminating low voltage wires, are eliminated. This speeds up installation and eliminates the potential for wiring errors.

DLM also offers integration of plug load control, allowing building owners to further leverage code-compliant occupancy sensors and realize greater savings. Most recently, the company expanded the DLM offering with components that allow quick and easy networking of room-based controls and lighting control panels for centralized monitoring, control and programming.

The Building Operating Management Top Products Awards are 100% reader-selected and recognize the most popular manufacturers and suppliers of the year, as determined by building and facility executives who participated in a national survey. Award winners are featured in the January 2011 issue.

WattStopper (www.wattstopper.com), a Legrand group brand, is a leading manufacturer of energy efficient lighting controls for commercial and residential use. We help customers find convenient ways to save energy, meet green initiatives, and comply with energy codes with our comprehensive range of products, programs, and services. Legrand (www.legrandelectric.com ), located in Limoges, France, is the world specialist in products and systems for electrical installations and information networks, offering solutions for use in residential, commercial and industrial buildings.

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BOM Product of the Year DLM Press Release

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Industry Leading Companies Join Fast-Growing EnOcean Alliance

The EnOcean Alliance, a consortium of companies working to standardize and internationalize energy harvesting wireless technology for green intelligent buildings is one of the fastest growing member organizations of its kind. EnOcean Alliance is proud to be adding such market leaders as General Electric, Titus, Viessman and Overkiz, a Somfy company, to its rapidly growing list of members. With the addition of BSC Computer GmbH as the newest promoter member, the EnOcean Alliance now totals 172 companies. In 2010, over 50 new member companies joined the consortium, resulting in 50 percent growth over 2009.

Confirming this technology’s rapid adoption rate, there are now thousands of EnOcean-enabled buildings in North America and more than 100,000 worldwide. Quickly becoming the industry standard for both new and retrofit green intelligent buildings, EnOcean’s miniaturized energy harvesting modules feature ultra low power radio technology that is highly attractive to OEMs developing wireless sensors and switches used to improve the energy efficiency of commercial facilities significantly.

“Battery-free wireless sensors leveraging radio frequency technology are on the verge of becoming ubiquitous because of their remarkable flexibility,” said Kirsten West, principal analyst at West Technology Research. “We’re seeing significant deployments across building, industrial and home automation applications. Consequently, OEMs representing all kinds of devices are exploring this technology more seriously. That certainly explains why the EnOcean Alliance is seeing its membership grow so quickly.”

As the latest member of the EnOcean Alliance, BSC Software allows the status of all EnOcean-based equipment to be captured and visualized in real-time, as well as stored in a database for further utilization.  With this information, facility managers can start or shut down a wide range of disparate devices on a scheduled or remote basis as well as program event controls and timers. As a result, idle systems can be taken offline to eliminate unnecessary power consumption and restarted on an as-needed basis with a simple mouse click or securely activated via a smartphone. 

Collectively, Alliance participants represent more than 700 interoperable products, all based on EnOcean’s battery-free technology that converts ambient solar, thermal and motion energy into usable electrical energy.  This breakthrough technology is being employed in products ranging from wireless key card switches to occupancy sensors to room controllers, all of which play a vital role in contributing to improved energy efficiency and occupant comfort.

The work of EnOcean Alliance members continuously focuses on creating seamless communication between different EnOcean enabled devices and standardizing the technology on an international level. To meet the needs of a growing list of OEMs, the Alliance’s technical working group recently released a new version of the EnOcean Equipment Profiles (EEP 2.1). The expanded specification has already been published, containing approximately 100 profiles for the development of a variety of building automation solutions.

 “The rapid growth of the EnOcean Alliance is strong validation that OEMs recognize the advantages of wireless energy harvesting technology for a wide range of applications,” said Graham Martin, Chairman of the EnOcean Alliance.  “Of equal importance is the fact that this technology is playing an instrumental role in driving energy efficiency initiatives across multiple industries on a worldwide basis.”

About the EnOcean Alliance
Leading companies worldwide from the building sector collected to form the EnOcean Alliance, with the aim of promoting and establishing innovative automation solutions for sustainable buildings – and so to make buildings more energy-efficient, more flexible and lower in cost. The core technology of the Alliance is the energy harvesting wireless technology for flexibly positioned and service-free sensor solutions. The EnOcean Alliance aims to standardize and internationalize energy harvesting wireless technology, and is dedicated to creating interoperability between the products of OEM partners. More than 170 companies currently belong to the EnOcean Alliance. The headquarters of the non-profit organization is located in San Ramon, CA.  See also:  http://www.enocean-alliance.org/en/

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Green Building Initiative President Testifies Before Congress

Ward Hubbell, president of the Green Building Initiative, a U.S.-based nonprofit whose mission is to accelerate the adoption of green building practices, testified today in support of an open playing field for green building certification in the federal sector, particularly within the General Services Administration (GSA).

In his testimony, Hubbell urged the GSA to reconsider its LEED-only policy, arguing that competition will lead to innovation in the green building sector and citing examples from other government agencies including the State Department and Veterans Administration who have used the Green Building Initiative's Green Globes rating system to assess and certify numerous buildings.

"An open playing field has given several federal agencies much more flexibility to choose an assessment and rating tool that best fits their needs," noted Hubbell. "The American public benefit from competition in the form of reduced government expenditures and enhanced environmental outcomes. Government agencies benefit from competition in the form of better customer service and labor savings. The market benefits by incenting suppliers to improve their product and service offerings and increase value."

Hubbell added that Green Globes is well suited to sustainability assessment needs of federal government agencies because its interactive, web-enabled platform enables a) a cost effective, and practical assessments of large numbers of buildings, b) a mechanism for tracking building environmental performance through time, c) criteria that overlap with a significant portion of the Federal Guiding Principles, and c) a cost effective, credible third party certification option. These are the attributes that have led to the recent high-volume deployment of Green Globes with Veterans Affairs.

The Green Building Initiative is the exclusive licensee of Green Globes, a nationally recognized green building assessment and rating system. The GBI's Green Building Assessment Protocol for Commercial Buildings is now an ANSI standard.

Clean Burn Furnaces - Company Saves $25,000

Barr Truck Group Saves $25,000 In Just One Winter With Clean Burn Furnaces

LANCASTER, PA  --  Barr Truck Group saved $25,000 on heating bills this past winter by converting the used motor oil collected at their two Maryland service facilities into free heat. More than 39,000 square feet of shop space spread between Salisbury and Delmar locations is heated with Clean Burn waste oil furnaces.

“We operate 37 service bays across our two locations and generate thousands of gallons of waste oil,” says Dave Barrett, Machine Shop Manager. “Having a system that recycles that oil while saving us money is a huge advantage to our business.”

As part of the dealer network for the Navistar, Freightliner, Carrier Transicold, and Isuzu brands, Barr Truck has access to tap a nationwide recommendation pool. When research on a new heating system began, the case for Clean Burn was clear. “Once we decided to use our waste oil for heat, we really started to do our homework on the best system,” explains Barrett. “Clean Burn was recommended across the board by the other truck dealers we talked to.”

The conversion from fuel oil heat was made at their Salisbury location in 2008 with the installation of three CB-5000 units. The Delmar location converted from propane heat with a CB-5000 installed in 2008 and a CB-3500 installed in 2009.

The furnaces were installed and are now serviced by Eco Heating Systems, the Authorized Distributor for Clean Burn products in Maryland and Southern Delaware. “They’re a great group to work with,” Barrett says of the relationship with Eco Heating Systems. “The service and support we get from having a local distributor like that is really what sets Clean Burn apart.”

Barr Truck Group recycled more than 8,000 gallons of waste oil in their Clean Burn furnaces last winter alone.

“We know we can count on our Clean Burns,” says Barrett. “The reliability and available support from our distributor allows us to focus on running our business and not worrying about our furnaces.”

For more information on Barr Truck Group visit www.barrtruck.com. For additional details on waste oil heating products available in Maryland and Southern Delaware, visit www.ecowasteoilheaters.com.

There are over 80,000 Clean Burn functional furnaces and boilers located throughout the world that burn millions of gallons of waste oil each year on-site, at the point of generation. This volume of waste oil would otherwise be transported on highway systems and pose a considerable risk to spills and/or contamination to the environment.
 

Clean Burn is an ENERGY STAR® partner. The company holds numerous industry certifications and works with the U.S. government, the Environmental Protection Agency and various associations to help coordinate the establishment of standards and regulations related to heat recovery and recycling efforts involving used motor oils. For more information on Clean Burn, visit www.cleanburn.com or call 1-800-331-0183.

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PHOTOGRAPHY: For images of Clean Burn products visit the MEDIA ROOM at www.cleanburn.com.  

 

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LEED Certification for University of the District of Columbia, Student Center

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

 

CANNON DESIGN AWARDED STUDENT CENTER AT THE UNIVERSITY OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA

 

BUFFALO, NY—March 28, 2011—After winning a design competition that studied three proposed sites and schemes, Cannon Design, in association with Marshall Moya Design, was commissioned to provide planning, architectural, interior design, graphics, construction and related services for the facility, the university’s first major building project in more than a quarter-century. Sustainably designed, the 90,000 sf, $35 million project supports the university’s global initiative for sustainable stewardship and will be the third building in the DC area to achieve Platinum LEED certification.

 

“This highly visible and accessible building will create a new gateway and public face for the university, engage and support students academically and socially, improve student retention, and integrate the campus with the neighborhood to create an urban community,” said Roland G. Lemke, AIA, LEED AP, principal, Cannon Design.

 

In addition to spaces for student government, campus life, career services and other student support functions, the building includes mixed-use retail, grab-and-go dining services and a bookstore serving both the university and the surrounding residential community. The building will also house a 10,000 sf fitness and wellness center and a conference center and ballroom suitable for use by the wider community.

 

The University of the District of Columbia, Washington’s only public higher-education institution, was formed in 1977 by the consolidation of three community colleges. Set back from the street, sparsely windowed 1970s-era architecture, the university’s campus is undistinguished. Although the student body has historically consisted of commuting students, a recent initiative to build a residential community on campus has led the university to focus on quality of campus life and on strengthening connection with the local neighborhood, which includes apartment buildings, office buildings and retail. A new student center is a crucial ingredient in this renewal.

 

Cannon Design is an Ideas Based Practice, ranked among the leading international firms in planning and design for healthcare, research, education, corporate, sports and government clients. At present, the firm employs a staff of over 1,000, delivering services in 17 offices throughout North America, as well as abroad in Shanghai, China, and Mumbai, India. 

 

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Energy Efficiency and Carbon Reduction Initiatives Dominate the Agenda of Participants in the Construction Materials Industry

Industrial wastes are now being converted into basic building raw materials. Combinations of high-performance material are increasingly utilized as suitable alternatives to conventional raw materials. The environmental aspect, juxtaposed with the possible stringent regulations of various governing councils, has boosted the development of novel materials for building construction applications.

Environmental standards and energy-efficient ratings greatly influence modern design and product selection, ensuring sizeable reductions in maintenance costs, lower carbon emissions, and optimal usage of electricity. The Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) ratings and other related green building scoring systems aim to address these issues and trigger significant environmental improvements.

New analysis from Frost & Sullivan (technicalinsights.frost.com), Strategic Developments in Construction Materials Industry, finds that several opportunities are available in energy reduction and environmental benefits associated with the advancements in materials technology in the construction materials sector. Specifically, the demand for multi-functional characteristics will be the key to increase sustainability in this domain.

If you are interested in a virtual brochure for this study, please send an email to Sarah Saatzer, Corporate Communications, at sarah.saatzer[.]frost.com, with your full name, company name, job title, telephone number, company email address, company website, city, state and country.

"The need for higher energy efficiency for buildings is a prominent factor spearheading growth in the construction materials industry," notes Technical Insights Industry Analyst Rajaram Vijayan. "It has been observed that the consumer demand for niche buildings is on the upswing due to the energy and environmental benefits associated with them in addition to the various subsidies provided by the government."

Although market prospects look upbeat, there are some challenges curtailing forward momentum. Production costs remain high for a majority of construction materials, such as glass, cement, steel, composites and others due to the high energy requirement and numerous environmental concerns surrounding their manufacturing process. As the construction materials domain is highly cost competitive, manufacturers are engaged in developing multi-functional materials using efficient waste recycle and waste reduction techniques.

Novel designs must offer enhanced durability and aesthetics with reduced maintenance and repair costs to be successful. It is imperative for manufacturers to ratchet down lifecycle costs and provide enhanced performance with good service life. Life cycle assessment (LCA) studies have proven that energy for heating, cooling, transportation, electrical and mechanical work along with water, repair and maintenance are the prime factors responsible for reduced efficiency. Hence, optimum resource management needs to be in place for lower embodied energy of products.

"The cement industry is a high volume production industry utilizing several million tons of alternate fuels and raw materials on an annual basis, thereby accounting for high carbon dioxide emissions," says Vijayan. "Consequently, even slight alterations in the production process will entail large scale measures to reduce the environmental footprint in this industry."

Portland cement clinkers could be replaced with industrial wastes such as carbon dioxide, fly ash and others to create environmental benefits for concrete usage. However, significant research initiatives need to be undertaken to optimize the commercial viability of such substituted products within this volume- and cost-competitive industry. There is a huge potential for application of automated manufacturing processes to reduce the dependence on manual labor and control emissions in conventional production facilities.

Strategic Developments in Construction Materials Industry, a part of the Technical Insights subscription, provides an analysis of the major drivers and challenges involved in the adoption of technologies in the construction materials arena. Further, this research service includes detailed technology analysis and industry trends evaluated following extensive interviews with market participants.

Technical Insights is an international technology analysis business that produces a variety of technical news alerts, newsletters, and research services.

About Frost & Sullivan
Frost & Sullivan (frost.com), the Growth Partnership Company, enables clients to accelerate growth and achieve best-in-class positions in growth, innovation and leadership. The company's Growth Partnership Service provides the CEO and the CEO's Growth Team with disciplined research and best-practice models to drive the generation, evaluation, and implementation of powerful growth strategies. Frost & Sullivan leverages over 50 years of experience in partnering with Global 1000 companies, emerging businesses and the investment community from 40 offices on six continents.

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Mixed Results for City’s ‘Green’ Development

From WSJ.com

When it comes to “green” buildings in New York City, the good news is that the number of buildings with certifications from the U.S. Green Building Council has been steadily rising.

The bad news is a tiny fraction of the thousands of buildings in the city have achieved “leadership in energy and environmental design,” or LEED, status from the council. So far only 161 properties are LEED certified.

Read Article at WSJ.com