The Solution - Issue 29 by Trio

The Solution Energy Optimization Services Newsletter

IN THIS ISSUE, WE EXPLORE • Technical Insights - ECM Spotlight on economizer missteps • Our Perspective - Featuring Philly’s Building Energy Performance Program • Case Study - Compressed Air Leak Survey & Repair for ITW Sites Lead to Broader Retro-Commissioning Efforts • What We've Been Up To - Recent announcements and content roundup • What's Next? - Trainings, webinars, and events on the horizon ….and much more!

July 2021

Technical Insights Economizer Missteps: Keep your Energy Consumption Low and Cost Savings High Each quarter, we will be highlighting a valuable energy conservation measure (ECM) that our Energy Optimization Services team has conducted or implemented on a project. WHAT ARE ECONOMIZERS?

WHAT CAUSES ECONOMIZER FAILURE?

One of the most common energy conservation measures (ECMs) uncovered by Edison Energy’s Energy Optimization Services team is a malfunctioning or poorly controlled air-side economizer. Economizers allow for free cooling by opening dampers to bring in more outside air when the outdoor conditions are favorable, reducing the need for mechanical cooling and saving energy. When an economizer is not functioning or controlled properly, it can lead to increased energy usage, reduced indoor air quality, and impact equipment life.

An economizer can fail in many different ways; some of the most common are discussed below.

Economizers are commonly used in HVAC systems for commercial, institutional, and industrial buildings, and at times in residential settings. In fact, energy codes in most of the United States require that economizers be installed on any forced air cooling units with a cooling capacity greater than 4.5 tons, with the exception of very hot and humid areas (ASHRAE climate zones 1A and 1B).

• Mechanical failures, such as rusted or corroded dampers, loose or broken damper linkages, and failed or miscalibrated actuators prevent the economizer from responding to control system commands. • Sub-optimal controls can reduce economizing effectiveness, prevent economizing at all, and even increase energy consumption. Common control mis-steps include: • Lockout setpoints which have been set too low (ASHRAE recommends high-limit outside air temperature lockout setpoints of 65°F to 75°F, depending on climate zone) • Economizers modulating in parallel with mechanical cooling, rather than maximizing free cooling first, before mechanical cooling is staged on • Economizers permitted to operate simultaneously with heating • Economizing controls which are not integrated into the building automation system, or never configured in the first place (a common issue for packaged rooftop units) • Sensors which are used to control the economizer can fail or drift over time, causing the control system to make poor economizing or ventilation decisions.

Figure 1: Economizer damper failure resulting in a simultaneously closed outside and return air damper, severely restricting airflow through the unit.

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A poorly setup or failed economizer is guaranteed to waste energy, but can also lead to more serious issues including coil freezing, duct collapse, decreased compressor life, and loss of ability to provide proper ventilation.

Figure 2: Return fan dead-heading against closed return and exhaust dampers due to poor economizing/ventilation controls. This condition ultimately led the return duct to blow out due to high pressure.

HOW CAN THESE ISSUES BE ADDRESSED? Proper maintenance, routine review of controls, and regular testing of economizers can help address issues before they become serious. A more thorough systematic review of the HVAC system by an energy professional is recommended every 5 to 7 years, through retro-commissioning. For new systems or buildings, initial commissioning of the economizer is also highly recommended to ensure that the controls and actuators are wired correctly, the economizer settings are configured optimally, the dampers move through their full range of motion, and the BMS integration is done properly.

WHAT CAN I DO TO AVOID ECONOMIZER FAILURE? Look out for the following warning signs that may indicate you have an economizer issue: • A sudden increase in mechanical cooling or heating can signal that your economizer dampers are stuck closed or open. Look at your mixed air temperature, if available – does it make sense relative to the outside and return air temperatures and the damper command? • Review your outside air damper positions on a cool day – are your units economizing? If not, are they in heating mode (ok), or cooling mode (red flag)? Dampers that are always at their

minimum setting can signal that the lockout setpoints are set too low, or outside air sensors are unreliable. • Is your supply fan suddenly unable to meet it’s duct static pressure setpoint, or has your HVAC unit suddenly become very noisy? Damper/actuator failures can cause severe airflow restrictions that can collapse ductwork on large systems if not promptly addressed. • Economizer dampers closing when mechanical cooling is enabled or dampers open with heating enabled can signal issues with optimal economizer damper sequencing In addition to regular maintenance and periodic retrocommissioning, the best way to prevent economizer failures and missteps from sneaking up on you is via a monitoringbased continuous commissioning system, or other fault detection and diagnostic tool that will automatically alert you when issues arise.

WHY DOES THIS MATTER? When an economizer is not functioning or controlled properly, it can lead to increased energy usage, reduced indoor air quality, and impact equipment life. Keeping your economizers tuned up saves your bottom line, as well as improving your occupant experience. To learn more, please reach out to information@edisonenergy.com.

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Our Perspective

Philly’s Building Energy Performance Program What You Need to Know WHAT IS IT The Building Energy Performance Program (BEPP) – more commonly referred to as “Building Tune-ups” is a program created through Philadelphia’s Building Energy Performance Policy, and aims to achieve efficient energy and water usage across large non-residential buildings in Philadelphia. On average, these tune-ups result in 10–15% annual energy savings for a building. They also provide a more comfortable space for tenants.

WHO NEEDS TO COMPLY Non-residential buildings that have at least 50,000 square feet of indoor floor space must comply.

WHEN IS MY BUILDING DUE? Deadlines are based off of building square footage. See the compliance timeline on the following page for more information.

HOW DO I COMPLY? You have three options: • Consisting of conducting a “tune-up” of existing building systems • Certify high performance, or;

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NOT SURE WHERE TO BEGIN? Let us help you. Having worked directly with local governments on both developing and implementing energy efficiency legislation, our team is able to bring an experienced and intimate knowledge of the process to support your goals. Coupled with Approved Tune-Up Specialists and hands-on NEBB Certified testing, we ensure our clients not only garner compliance, but achieve their cost, energy, and sustainability goals. As an approved tune-up specialist, our team of industry leading professionals can execute building tune-up analyses and services for your building, as a standalone effort or part of broader efficiency program.

WHAT NEXT? Our team will work with you to craft an approach and plan that aims to achieve efficient energy and water use across your portfolio or single site facility. Ultimately, supporting the larger goal of cutting carbon pollution in Philadelphia by nearly 200,000 metric tons. Reach out to Keith.Rinaldi@EdisonEnergy.com to learn more.

• Receive an exemption. 4

If conducting tune-ups, building owners must hire approved tune-up specialists to lead their building system assessments and sign off on tune-up reports.

July 2021

Stay Tuned In our next issue we will be covering the DC Clean Energy Act.

COMPLIANCE TIMELINE 2021

January 4, 2021

• Alternative compliance plans for large portfolios are due.

April 5, 2021

• Deadline for certifying high performance, requesting an alternative exemption, and making extension requests for buildings 200,000 sq. ft. and larger.*

September 30, 2021

• Tune-up specialists submitting 2021 reports must be certified by this date.

October 5, 2021

• For buildings pursuing an exemption, such as through one of the high-performance pathways.**

2022

January 3, 2022

• Updated alternative compliance plans for large portfolios are due.

March 31, 2022

• New extension for tune-up report deadline for buildings 200,000 sq. ft. and larger.

April 4, 2022

• Deadline for certifying high performance, requesting an alternative exemption, and making extension requests for 100,000–200,000 sq. ft. buildings.

September 30, 2022

• Tune-up report deadline for 100,000–200,000 sq. ft. buildings. • Tune-up specialists submitting 2022 reports must be certified by this date.

Click here to see the full timeline *Due to COVID-19, buildings with a September 30, 2021 compliance deadline can apply for a 6-month extension. **Shifted compliance deadlines for buildings that requested the 6-month COVID-19 extension. ©Edison Energy. All rights reserved.

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Case Study Feature Illinois Tool Works (ITW)

Compressed Air Leak Survey & Repair for ITW Sites Lead to Broader Retro-Commissioning Efforts PROJECT BACKGROUND As part of a continuing effort to identify opportunities for energy conservation, Edison Energy’s Energy Optimization team was contracted by Illinois Tool Works (ITW) to perform a detailed compressed air leak survey and repair project at two sites: 195 Algonquin Road in Des Plaines, IL; and 1140 Bryn Mawr Ave in Itasca, IL. The two sites totaled around 85,000 square feet. For the Des Plaines site, Edison identified 60 leaks, and 28 for the Itasca site. The project goal was to help ITW achieve both cost and GHG reductions across the two sites. Project results and key metrics can be found in the table below. Project Results At-A-Glance Energy savings (kWh)

165,000 kWh annually

Energy savings (kW)

24 kW annually

Energy savings (lbs CO2e/yr)

137,000,000 lbs CO2e/yr annually

Cost savings

$13,400 annually

Energy reduction %

0.7%

Total construction cost

$0, survey and repair costs covered by ComEd Fix It Now program

CUSTOMER VALUE The work conducted by the Edison Energy team helped ITW achieve an annual cost savings of $13,400, equating to a 0.7% overall energy reduction. In this project, Edison’s support helped ITW overcome a previous challenge of needing additional manpower to help assist with maintenance items that can get lost in the day-to-day operation of a 24/7 facility. ITW was also able to get all of the project costs covered through ComEd’s Energy Efficiency Fix It Now program. The Fix It Now program helps customers implement lowcost measures in their industrial systems to improve efficiency and reduce energy costs without adversely affecting facility or system operations.

Click here to download a copy of the case study.

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As a result of this project, Edison Energy was contracted to perform additional work with ITW, providing retro-commissioning services for Hi-Cone in Itasca. The results of this project realized 61,000 kWh in annual energy savings.

July 2021

What We've Been Up To Edison Energy launches new electric transportation practice to further support the clean energy transition We are excited to announce the launch of our Transportation Electrification (TE) practice with the goal of helping organizations navigate the complexities of fleet electrification in order to support their decarbonization goals. More and more organizations are turning to fleet electrification and fleet conversion as a means to support their broader sustainability goals. Whether it be EV strategy and early-stage feasibility to implementation and infrastructure, we partner with our clients to support them no matter where they are in their electrification journey.

READ MORE • Read the full announcement here

Content Roundup Video:

Blog: 2021 Federal Policy: The Year of Climate Action & Electric Vehicles

A Culture of Collaboration: RetroCommissioning Series

• Learn more about our transportation electrification practice • Ready to take the next step? Contact us to learn more

MORE TE NEWS

News: Edison Energy joins New Project Media to discuss EV adoption in the corporate sector

TE BLOG SERIES •

The Role of Electric Vehicles in Reaching Carbon Reduction Goals

•

How to Accelerate Your Transportation Electrification Journey – Develop a Plan

•

The Electric Vehicle Terminology You Should Know: From Regenerative Braking to Level 3 Charging

News: Hershey Announces New Renewable Energy Agreements Aligned with 2030 Goal to Reduce Emissions by More Than 50%

Blog: Virginia Series: Introduction for Energy Users to the State’s Evolving Energy Landscape

News:

News: Edison Energy supports Japanese companies’ growing demand for decarbonization solutions

Edison Energy is selected as an approved vendor of Commissioning Services in the Commonwealth of Virginia

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What's Next?

Trainings, webinars, and events on the horizon

July 27

July 27-28

Edison Energy's VP of Strategy and Sustainability Emily Williams will be speaking on the 'Restructure Your Business to Reach Net Zero' panel at this event. →

Click here to register

August 4

THE STATE OF ESG REPORTING – ENERGY + ENVIRONMENT LEADER August 4

VP of Strategy and Sustainability Emily Williams will be joining Envizi’s David Solsky to discuss why ESG reporting is critical to assess and disclose performance as we transition to a low carbon future. →

Click here to register

GREEN TRANSPORTATION SUMMIT AND EXPO August 16-28

Edison Energy's Director of Transportation Electrification Meghan Weinman will be presenting at the 'EV Charging Innovations for Tomorrow's Clean Vehicles' session at this event. →

Stay Tuned!

VERGE NET ZERO

Click here to register

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July 2021

TBD

CEU CREDENTIALING WEBINAR SERIES

On June 29, we held the first installation of our Continuing Education Unit (CEU) Webinar series. This session provided a deep dive on all things steam systems, exploring the components, applications, and importance of steam traps. Looking to earn continuing education units and expand your energy optimization and efficiency knowledge? Our team will soon be unveiling the second webinar of our CEU series. If you’d like to be the first to know about this series, click here to sign up for our distribution list.

Careers & Open Positions At Edison Energy, our greatest asset is the people who work here. With offices across the globe (including Canada, Mexico and the Netherlands!), we strive to foster a healthy, safe, sustainable, inclusive and fun work environment for all. Click on the positions below to learn more about how you can apply.

Corporate Recruiter

Energy Engineer

Asbury Park, NJ

New York, NY

Senior Advisor, Transportation Electrification

Manager, European Market Insights & Analysis

Seattle, WA

London, United Kingdom

Analyst, Renewables Supply Boston, MA

Desktop Support Technician Dublin, OH

Visit our Careers Page to view more open positions

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July 2021