Retrocommissioning Shows Off Six Figure Energy Savings

Old building, new tricks? Retrocommissioning is a process of finding new ways to enhance a building’s operations while reducing energy consumption and maintaining the quality of the indoor environment. As a part of BC Hydro’s Continuous Optimization Program (COp), Prism led a retrocommissioning project at 815 West Hastings, a 10,029sq. metre office building in Downtown Vancouver. The project included an in-depth investigation of the building systems, centred on mechanical equipment, lighting, and related controls. Using functional performance testing and analysis of system data, Prism recommended thirteen measures that focused on low cost improvements with short paybacks.

Five retrofits were implemented and monitored over 8 months and resulted in an estimated 17% reduction in energy consumption. Over one year, this will add up to an estimated savings of $160,195 – just one example of how Prism combines innovative and practical measures for lasting impacts.

Green building certification aims to reduce the environmental impact of building operations, but what about the people working in those spaces? BOMA BESt (Building Owners and Managers Association Building Environmental Standards) certification is one way that Prism Engineering is helping organizations create effective frameworks to engage occupants and management in energy efficient behaviours.

This year Prism helped the Department of Fisheries and Oceans Canada’s Pacific Biological Station in Nanaimo achieve a BOMA BESt Level 1 certification for the Taylor building, an office and laboratory building, and is currently coordinating the application for a Level 1 certification of the Main Complex at the Institute of Ocean Sciences. These certifications have also helped establish processes that lay the groundwork for future energy efficient projects, and have created an arena to discuss the business case of environmental stewardship with senior management.

Generating electricity creates a lot of heat. Prism Engineering has been working with BC Hydro’s Lead by Example team on an innovative heat recovery project at BC Hydro’s G.M. Shrum Generating Station that will harness that heat and save energy.

The new heat recovery system consists of ductwork, dampers and automatic controls that send recovered heat to where it is needed most – protecting the power generation equipment and the fire prevention system from freezing. Reusing the heat generated by equipment in the plant allows a significant reduction in the use of electric heaters without compromising space functionality or comfort. This translates into an estimated 2,000,000 kWh of savings each year. With this substantial energy efficiency upgrade, one of BC’s largest hydroelectric generating stations is leading the way in heat recovery.

Prism Engineering is working with School District #79, taking a big step towards greening education on Vancouver Island with the installation of a new bio-mass boiler at Lake Cowichan Secondary.

Prism was hired to conduct an assessment of the school heating plant and perform a feasibility study for two clean technology options, bio-mass boiler and air- to-water heat pump system, to replace the school’s existing oil-fired boilers. Through our analysis and recommendations, the School District opted to install a new bio-mass boiler. Our calculations show that installing this new technology will provide $54,391 in savings for the District each year, cut oil use by 64,060 litres annually and avoid 167.4 tonnes of annual greenhouse gases emissions.

Construction starts in September on this exciting carbon-neutral energy upgrade. A local business will be providing the wood bi-product fuel and Prism engineers will manage the project to completion, working with the School District to deliver this economical and environmentally beneficial renewal energy project.

BC’s Public Sector organizations are taking steps towards carbon neutrality. For the past several years, Prism has worked closely with BC Housing, a Crown Corporation, to track and analyze emissions from thousands of meters at hundreds of housing sites in order to prepare an annual Carbon Neutral Action Report. Their 2012 Report was released this month.

Our PUMA software, with it’s ability to handle large amounts of data and provide quick SMARTool uploading, makes it easy for BC Housing to prepare these annual reports.

Read the BC Housing and other CNAR Reports on the Climate Action Secretariat website.

In March 2013, Vancouver Community College hired Prism Engineering as their Energy Manager. Our role is to be an advocate at the college for energy efficiency and at Prism, we take a holistic approach to energy management. We are working to make changes at the organizational level, to implement cost effective energy savings projects and to create creative behaviour change campaigns that get everyone saving energy.

In our first quarter, we’ve identified a collection of projects that could save the college an estimated $100,000 a year. We also developed a customized framework for energy + engagement campaigns, with the goal of saving 2% in energy consumption over the year. We look forward to working with Vancouver Community College and helping them achieve cost savings through sound energy management practices.