Neuqua ValleyEnergy Reduction Challenge 2011

Meet the Problem

• Students were introduced to the problem with letters from ComEd and ARAMARK district 204’s energy management services.

The Problem

$50,380 per month

Neuqua Valley’s Monthly Electric Bill

Understanding the Problem• Process of listing what they already

knew and what needed to be determined.

• Students created a statement to reflect what their role was in the process and what they wanted to accomplish.

Community Partners

• ComEd: Mr. Mark Wizniak- senior Energy Specialist• ARAMARK: Mr Mike Paperella- energy Manager Dist 204• ARAMARK: Mr. Leonard Sharum- building manager• OSRAM Sylvania: Ms Rose

Lenchner-Industrial/Commercial Senior Sales• Neuqua Valley: Mr Mark Kolkman assistant principal-

operations

Energy Audit• Survey conducted throughout the

building• Students using ipads and journals,

documented how electrical energy was being used in lighting and motors

Energy Audit

Tools of the Audit

Kill a watt meter Laser measuring tape

Light meter

Post AuditIdentified areas of energy reduction

or energy inefficiencyStudents organized themselves into

teams of 2 or 3 to attack one identified area.

Students reported back findings and created this presentation.

Identified Possible Opportunities• Classroom lighting• Bathrooms• Weight room and Gym• Computers• Plug Loads• Motors

Classroom Lighting• Light level intensity measurements

indicated that each classroom was overlight• The

Advanced Energy Design Guide for K-12 School Buildings, developed by the American Society of Heating, Refrigerating and Air-Conditioning Engineers (ASHRAE) recommends 30-70 footcandles of illumination

Classroom lighting• Light levels were measured to 60-70 foot-

candles when all the switches in the classroom were on.

Classroom Lighting: Solution• By ONLY turning on one switch, light

levels were still at 50 footcandles.• Energy usage could be reduced by one

third in each classroom

Classroom Lighting• Based on 60 T-8, 28Watt light bulbs

and roughly 110 classrooms.• Operating for 12 hours a day and 177

days in the school year• Projected savings:

131,000 KWhr @$0.10/KWhrSavings of $13,000

Classroom Lighting• Solution: Ad Campaign to educate

staff and students of the savings.– Switch plate stickers, poster

Bathrooms

• Lights are on at least 18 hours/day

• Bathrooms are only occupied a total of 4 hours/day

Current StateLocation #bathrooms #bulbs Kw/bathroom

Aud. Lobby

4 20 0.560

Hallways 10 12 0.336

Commons 2 21 0.588

Gym Hall 2 12 0.336

Total 18 266 7.448

Estimated hours of usage = 18 hours a day = 540 hours a month

Current UsageLocation KWhr/bathroom

Auditorium Lobby 302

Hallways 181Commons 318Gym Hall 181Total 983Total Operating Cost $323.75

Proposed Savings with Motion SensorsLocation KWhr/bathroomAuditorium Lobby 67

Hallways 40Commons 71Gym Hall 40Total 218Total Operating Cost $71.51

Estimated hours of usage = 4 hours a day = 120 hours a month

Return on InvestmentInitial Cost With Labor $6,473Savings per month $252.25# months to cover 25.66 monthsReturn on Investment 2.14 years

Weight Room• Current lighting:

T-12• Proposed

lighting: T-8

0 2 4 6 8 10 120

5000

10000

15000

20000

25000

30000

35000

40000

Cost Savings

T12T8

Years

Cum

ulati

ve C

ost

Return on Investment reached at less than 5 years

Gym• Current lighting: HID• Proposed lighting: T-5

HID fixtures in Gym Proposed T5 fixture

0 2 4 6 8 10 120

50000

100000

150000

200000

250000

Cost Savings

HID RetrofitT-5 H.O.

Years

Cum

ulati

ve C

ost

Return on Investment reached in just over 4 years

Computers

• 850 are old CRT type5.2W phantom load141W when on

•250 are new LCD typeNo phantom load89W when on

Currently 1100 computers in use

Current Configuration850 Old Computers 250 New Computers

ON Phantom Load ON(141W x 12hr + 5.2W x 12hrs) x850 + 89W x 10hrs x250

= 1714 KWhr/day x 177 days/school year

303,378 KWhr/year

Total cost at $0.10/KWhr $30,378

Current Computers with Shutdown Software

850 Old Computers Phantom Load

250 New computers

(141W x 10hrs + 5.2W x 14hrs) x850 + 89W x 10hrs x250

=1482 KWhr/day x 177 days /school year

262,314 KWhr/year

Total cost at $0.10/KWhr $26,231

Solution: New Computers with Shutdown Software

1100 New Computers= 89W x 10 hrs x 1100 x 177 days/school year

173,283 KWhr/year

Total cost at $0.10/KWhr $17,328

Total Projected Energy Savings:130,095 KWhr/year

Phantom Loads• Electricity is used even when

electrical device is not in use

Phantom LoadsItem Number of Units

KWhr Used / Year

Cost Per Year

TV 21 4200 551.88

Projector 7 3150 413.91

Printers 39 956 125.57

Fridge 7 5740 754.25

Microwaves 9 900 177.39

LCD computer 21 2100 551.88

Smartboards 2 180 41.06

Dishwasher 1 170 5.58

VCR 1 40 7.88

Freezer 1 790 51.9

Overhead 1 3092 414.33

TV 21 4200 551.88

Projector 7 3150 413.91

Survey of Electrical devices in Building

Total Phantom Load: 21,318 KWhr/year

Total cost @$0.10/KWhr $2,132 /year

Phantom Loads• Out of TV, overhead, VCR and projector, just use one,

and get rid of the rest; projector seems the most reasonable to use

• For fridges, freezers, microwaves, dishwashers, and other appliances, purchase energy-efficient models

• Smart powerstrips• For printers, scanners, and copy machines, buy models

where all are combined into one unit.• Unplug TV, overhead, VCR, projector, computers,

scanners, and copy machines when the school day ends.

Phantom Loads• 30 % energy reduction• Energy Savings of 6,396 KWhr/year• Cost Savings: $639.60

Cafeteria Lighting• About 100 lights total• 87 CFLs• 13 T-8 bulbs

Replace All with LEDs

Conclusion• ROI/Year and initial cost not feasible• Realistically, this solution is not

financially practical• Better to leave the cafeteria as is – CFL lights are the next best thing

CFL LED

The VariableFrequencyDrive

Overview•Summary: The VariableFrequencyDrive, belonging to a class of electric variable speed drives, acts as the brains of a motor that converts electrical power, which is at a fixed voltage and frequency, to variable voltage and frequency

•Purpose: To control the output speed of a motor by consuming only the power that is needed. This reduces energy usage by almost 2/3

VFD

VS

Methods of Measurement

Total Projected Energy Savings:120,971 KWhr/ year

Summary• Total energy savings for all feasible

solutions is 600,000 kwhr per year• Once ROI year is reached…• Savings is $60,000 per year OR• $5,000 per month

Summary

Energy Equivalence Calculation Courtesy of SIEMENS http://siemens.greentouchscreen.com/CO2eCalculator/