Improving Electrical Efficiency

at

Hopewell Valley Central High School

Presentedby

Electricity & Electronics Class

• Computer Efficiency• Over lighting• Comfortable Classrooms• Heating System Run Times• Turning off Lights

Computer Efficiency

• Michael Ey

• Thomas Goodban

Problems

There are a number of computers that are left on all day to be updated, but most computers in the 400 hall are

manually updated and do not need to be left on all day.

DATA

• We collected all of our data with the use of an Amp Meter. The computers are plugged into the Meter, then turned on, and the Meter reads the amount of Amp’s that the computer uses.

PC-Pentium 1

• These computers are located in 307, and the library. They are the oldest PC’s still in use at the school.

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PC Pentium II

• These are located in the library of the school. A few are scattered around in various class rooms.

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PC-Pentium II(Amps)

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PC-Pentium III

• These are located in 303 and 302. 303 is the CAD lab, and realistically should have the Pentium IV based computers, due to the intensity of the projects completed in CAD Class

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PC-Pentium III(Amps)

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PC-Pentium IV

• These are used in 306 and are the newest machines, installed at the beginning of this year.

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iMac’s

• These are located in 308. They are programmed to turn on in the morning and off in the evening to save power. Probably the most energy efficient computers in the school.

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PowerMac 7500

• These are in 2 of the 8 classrooms in the 400 hall. Most others have single-unit G3’s. These computers are not turned on most of the time.

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PowerMac 7500(Amps)

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PowerMac G3

• 48 of these machines are located in the back of 6 of the classrooms in the 400 hall. These are on all the time, and are rarely in use. This is the only solvable problem we have encountered while studying the computers in the school.

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PowerMac G3(Amps)

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Yearly Costs Per Computer

• These are the costs for one computer 24 hours a day for one school year.

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Suggestions• Currently, the 48 PowerMac

G3’s in the 400 hall cost $2537.76 to run each year. If these were turned off at night, it would save $1691.52 each year. Additionally, if these machines are not used much of the time. If they were turned off except when needed, more money would be saved.

• Due to maintenance concerns, these are the only computers in the school that can be turned off more often than they are currently.

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Conclusion

The only solvable problem we have encountered is to turn off the

PowerMac’s in the 400 hall. This will save a great deal of money, as we previously stated, which can be

placed back into the school budget.

Over lighting

• Dan Benken

• Chuck Sista

• Sean Dixon-Sullivan

• Dave Amidon

Recommended Foot-candles

• The recommended amount of foot-candles for a classroom set by state code found in the RSMEANS Assemblies Cost Data 2002 is 70 foot-candles

Areas of Over lighting

• Center of 400 hall, sky light area

• Crosswalk between 100 and 200 hallway

• Crosswalk between 200 and 300 hallways

400 Hall Sky light area

• This area in question houses 12 lights and is on all the time, 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

• We suggest turning these lights off during the day because the light coming in from the sun is over 60 foot-candles, 50 above the recommended level for a hallway.

• By turning the lights off you would save $134.18.

Math for saving money in 400 hall

• 12 lights X 32 Watts = 384 Watts

• 12 hours/day X 7 Days X 52 Weeks/year= 4368 Hours/Year

• 384 Watts / 1000= .384 kilowatts

• .384 KW X 4368 Hours/Year = 1677.31 KWH/Year

• $.08 Dollars/KWH X 1677.31 KWH/Y =$134.18

Crosswalks

• The next section combines the savings of turning off all the lights in the crosswalks that are on all the time.

• The light meter readings in these hallways even on a cloudy day was over 70 Foot-candles, with the lights on

• We propose to shut these lights off, by doing this you would save $223.64.

Savings for Crosswalks

• 20 lights X 32 Watts/Light = 640 Watts

• 12 hours/day X 7 days X 52 Weeks/Year= 4368 Hours/Year

• 640Watts / 1000= .640Kilowatts

• .640 Kilowatt X 4368 Hours/Year= 2795.52 KWH/Year

• $.08Dollars/KWH X 2795.52 KWH/Year = $223.64

Other Suggestions

• At first we thought of adding photocells to the rooms to constantly measure the amount of light coming in the room, this was not cost effective, each photocell costs $184, as found in Grainger.

Conclusion

• In conclusion we found by just turning off the lights in these areas the school can save $357.82. The money saved in the electric bill can be put back into the budget for more necessary items needed for the school.

Comfortable Classrooms

• Brian Hartel

• Bobby Mermet

• Tim Levero

• Chester Gwaza

Causes for Uncomfortable Classroom Conditions

• Inefficient heating due to multiple systems and staggered building design

• Inability to affectively change temperatures

• Opening of windows to change temperatures

• Heat loss through glass windows

• Heating 24/7

Solution 1: Laptop Computer

• A laptop computer for head janitor Bob Germond would allow him to effectively change temperatures in all classrooms individually

• Would allow heating cost reduction by being able to turn on and off heat when necessary

• Referral by the principal to use Bob instead of opening windows

• Cost: Dell Inspiron 8200 laptop $1,249.00

Additional Savings

• We will be able to save $2038 just by cutting down the electricity usage of the blowers in the heating system.

• The bigger savings, however, will come as a result of the large gas savings we will get by running the heaters for a shorter amount of time.

• It would be worthwhile to turn the heating down at night just based on the savings due to electricity, but when you factor in the heating bill savings it becomes an excellent way to save money.

Turning Off Lights

• Matt D’Oria

• Tim Kerr

• Matt Mihok

$aving Money With Motion

The 400 hall in our school

has become the basis of an experiment to save the school and

district money for lighting

Problems that need resolution

• Lights are left on in classrooms that are not in use

– This ends up costing the school money, depleting funds that could be put to better use

– In some cases, lights are left on in classrooms and throughout the building between 12 and 6am, when the school is completely empty

– Every year, almost 2,950 kilowatt-hours per year are wasted

• That’s 370 kwh per room per year

Solutions

• Already being done– Teachers are asked to

shut lights off when not in room

– 400 hall wired for low and high lighting

• Improvements– Installing infrared

motion detectors, 2 per room

– Timers

– Low cost reminder signs

What the motion detectors will do

• Automatically turn on lights• Lights will stay on for 4

minutes with no motion• Option of manual switch also

available

• Approximately $75 per unit

• Switch mountable• Manual override• 2 per room

Motion-sensing light switch

Cash and date proof

• For motion detectors for 8 rooms, $1198.88 will be needed from the school budget– This money, when applied into the school will

come back in saving via lighting in 3.4 years