VAV Box Controller Retrofit

The building automation system (BAS) at Sunset Corporate Campus (SCC) Building #2 has gone through several modifications since its construction in the 1990s. The BAS was originally installed as a full LON system, but began transitioning to BACnet when the graphical user interface became obsolete in 2011.

In 2013, as part of a tenant improvement project ATS began converting AHUs and VAV terminal units to Alerton’s BACnet line of Visual Logic Controllers. However, after project completion, 126 VAV boxes remained on the LON system.

To retrofit the remaining LON controllers to BACnet devices, the ATS Energy Group took advantage of Puget Sound Energy’s (PSE) Major HVAC Controls Upgrade incentive program. The program offers incentives of up to 50% of total project cost based on post upgrade building energy performance. To maximize incentive dollars, ATS developed and implemented high-performance VAV sequences in addition to retrofitting the controllers. The sequences at SCC now exceed the 2015 Washington State Energy Code for high efficiency VAVs.

High Performance Sequences & Scope Deployed at SCC

• Dynamic ASHRAE 62.1 AHU Minimum Outdoor Air Resets
• Trim & Respond AHU Discharge Air Temperature & Duct Static Pressure Resets
• VAV Discharge Air Temperature Control to Alleviate Stratification Issues Rogue Zone Identification & Automatic Elimination from Reset Sequences
• Zone Reset Importance Multipliers
• Detailed Functional Performance Testing
• Test & Balance for Zone Flow Coefficients, Duct Static Set Points, & Building Static Set Points

Result

There has been an average savings of 28% in total building energy usage (474,246 kWh through 7 months). This is significant savings for what was ostensibly a retrofit of 126 VAV box controllers. The majority of savings came from the added high performance sequences deployed with the new and existing Alerton controllers.

SCC has received $49,000 in utility incentives and is set to receive an additional $61,000 if performance persists for 12 months. After Measurement & Verification, the incentive program will effectively pay for 50% of the total project cost and SCC will benefit from ongoing energy savings from the enhanced sequences.

kWh Usage Comparison to Baseline Data — Average 28% Reduction

Project completed in October 2016. kWh comparison of baseline model and 2016 consumption data.

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Keeping a New Building Like New

In the first 3 to 4 years of operation, “building performances typically deteriorate as much as 30%.”^[1] Block 44, located in Seattle’s South Lake Union technology hub, is managed and operated by CBRE. Completed in 2014, Block 44 is a 395,000 ft² Class A, LEED Platinum certified office building. Even though Block 44 is a new building, setpoint and sequence modifications, manual system overrides, tenant activity, deferred maintenance, and space-use changes can lead to operational drift within the building automation system (BAS) and ultimately inefficient building performance. Wanting to ensure like-new building operation was maintained at the facility, CBRE turned to ATS for solutions.

ATS facilityCARE Informatics

ATS augmented CBRE’s existing controls support agreement by adding their data informatics service, facilityCARE. The ATS facilityCARE service identifies energy and cost saving opportunities through ongoing machine-based commissioning, advanced fault detection, reporting, energy monitoring and analytics.

ATS integrated facilityCARE software into Block 44’s Alerton BAS and began holding monthly system operation and performance reviews with CBRE to discuss operational deficiencies and develop a path for improvement. By combining an extensive library of automated analytics and fault detection with facility operations expertise, ATS proactively identified system inefficiencies and solutions that would not have been detected during normal day-to-day maintenance activities.

Result

The ATS facilityCARE service allowed CBRE to move from a traditional facility operations approach to one of continuous facility improvement, driven by data. Through the data, ATS identified thousands of mechanical and control system operational faults that would typically lead to building performance deterioration. By cataloging and prioritizing system faults for correction, cumulative system runtime was reduced by 35,000 hours in the first year. Even with rising occupancy, and the tendency for building performance to deteriorate as much as 30% in the first few years, the total energy consumption was reduced by 6% year-over-year. In addition, the facilityCARE process identified more than $10,000 in electrical system issues that were resolved through warranty, at no cost to the building ownership

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With 34 Stories and more than 580,000 square feet, 1111 Third Avenue is an icon of the Seattle Skyline. This high profile building also had a high energy profile. The building owner and property manager partnered with ATS as their energy services professional to increase building efficiency. ATS developed a three-year energy conservation plan inclusive of capital efficiency projects and operational optimization measures.

Seattle City Light Pay for Performance

ATS was one of three companies chosen to be part of Seattle City Light’s (SCL) Pay for Performance (PfP) program. PfP was a three-year pilot program designed to provide energy efficiency incentives while ensuring projects deliver energy savings year over year. PfP required monthly performance verification by comparing the building’s energy consumption on a 15 minute interval basis to a baseline energy model with adjustments for weather and other building variables. To manage the PfP program, 1111 Third Avenue turned to ATS’s Energy Group.

Energy Conservation Measures

 

Savings Details

Since ATS began implementing energy conservation measures at 1111 Third Avenue the energy consumption has dropped considerably, despite a 26% occupancy increase. 1111 Third Avenue now enjoys a smaller ecological impact and greater ongoing financial savings.

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