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hvac
Corporate Headquarters Showcases VRF System Franklin Energy saves 32% on electricity and 48% on gas with zoning system.
Franklin Energy’s 10,000-sq.-ft. national headquarters is a showcase for the firm’s approach to energy efficiency.
W
hen Franklin Energy, Port Washington,
idea—a variable refrigerant flow (VRF) zoning system
WI, moved its 10,000-sq.-ft. national
from Mitsubishi Electric U.S. Cooling & Heating Di-
headquarters into a historical structure
vision (Mitsubishi Electric), Suwanee, GA.
on the shores of Lake Michigan, it went without saying
According to Janquart, VRF zoning technology was
that the renovation would be as energy efficient as pos-
an ideal choice for Franklin Energy for several reasons.
sible. The company has always made its headquarters a
The system’s recognized energy savings was at the top of
showcase for the firm’s approach to energy efficiency, and
his list, but he had several other reasons for his choice:
the newest headquarters would continue this tradition, ac-
• • •
cording to Franklin Energy CEO Paul Schueller. “We have a long history of selecting underutilized
ease of installation quietness (sound attenuation) ability for load sharing (not possible with conven-
buildings for our headquarters and regional offices,”
tional systems)
Schueller said. “Our first Franklin Energy headquarters was in a Port Washington hotel built before the Civil War.
• •
Next, we moved into a vacant church built in 1913. When
outdoor units
we outgrew that, we moved into this space in the old
•
inverter-driven compressor small footprint and lightweight modularity of the simultaneous cooling and heating ability.
Smith Brothers processing plant, the best-known building
“Franklin Energy has a reputation for helping utili-
in town. We like all our offices to be part of a community
ties and municipalities all over the U.S. achieve impres-
where our employees can walk or bike to work.”
sive energy savings,” said Mark Kuntz, P.E., senior vice
Franklin’s new headquarters was formerly the Smith Brothers fish processing plant (Port Washington
president, product strategy and engineering, Mitsubishi Electric. “This was a high-profile project for us.”
was once famous for the national distribution of white fish, chub, perch, and trout). The building is on the National Register of Historic Places. Planning for his new office space, Schueller called on Randy Mueller, Mueller Heating & Cooling, Saukville, WI, to help design the cooling and heating system to keep everyone comfortable. Over the years,
Electric Energy Usage
Mueller had provided counsel and several HVAC in-
CBECS average: 17.9 kWh/ft.2/yr.
stallations for Schueller, including an installation at Schueller’s home. Mueller’s first suggestion was to install a hydronic heat system in the new headquarters, but Schueller rejected the idea as being out of step with his high energy-efficiency goals. Mueller then turned to his long-time distributor, Featuring a small footprint, the outdoor units maximize space.
COMMERCI A L BUIL DING P RODUC T S
NOV/DEC 2014
www.cbpmagazine.com
Franklin Energy actual: 12.2 kWh/ft.2/yr. Savings: 32%
Gas Energy Usage CBECS average: 42.3 ft.3/ft.2/yr.
Auer Steel & Heating Supply Co. in Milwaukee. Auer’s
Franklin Energy actual: 21.9 ft.3/ft.2/yr.
VRF specialist, Dave Janquart, looked at Schueller’s
Savings: 48%
floor plan and told Mueller he had a much better 24
Franklin’s Savings
