Turning Capital Projects Into Energy Projects

Abstract

Many commercial and institutional facilities have ongoing capital
projects for replacing old equipment, ongoing maintenance, and expan-
sion. Many of these projects are carried out with a focus on first cost,
simplicity, and expediency, at the expense of energy and operational
improvement. This article will describe how a typical capital project for
New York Presbyterian Hospital (NYPH) was re-focused to become an
energy savings project by broadening the scope beyond the mechanical
room, shifting capital to energy savings measures, and taking advantage
of energy incentives to offset costs. Key to the effort was the hospital’s
aggressive program to reduce its energy costs through conservation.
These efforts have earned the hospital the Energy Star Partner of the
Year award for 2004 and 2005.
The original project scope was the replacement of air conditioning
units with higher tonnage units, duct cleaning, and other maintenance
efforts. An “energy focused” analysis of the building, including an ener-
gy model for the occupied space, recommended high efficiency, smaller
air conditioners, retro-commissioning of the air distribution system,
variable frequency drives on condenser water pumps, and an energy
management system in lieu of duct cleaning. The recommendations
added little cost to the project and identified the potential to save over
1,500,000 kWh a year in electrical energy. In addition, approximately
$200,000 in incentives were identified for the project under the New
York State Energy Research and Development Authority’s (NYSERDA’s)
Commercial and Industrial Performance Program (CIPP) and Peak Load
Reduction Program (PLRP).