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Canadian K-12 schools are typically occupied in the cooler months, but the start and finish of school years can bring warm and humid weather. As the heat of summer extends into the first few months of the school year, optimize your facilities to create a cool environment without a large spike in energy consumption.

Heat waves difficult to ignore in Western Canada

Over the course of a school year, Canadian schools can experience weather ranging from frigid to scorching. Weather extremes in Canada can result in a range of outdoor temperatures upwards of 60 degrees.

Most schools have no students during the hottest months, but it is normal for the heat of summer to flow into the first few months of the school year. School districts in Canada not only need to prepare for cold temperature extremes but also heat waves.

Heat waves have been difficult to ignore – Western Canada has experienced record-breaking heat waves over the past few years. In British Columbia, temperature records were broken in 2017 and in 2018. Alberta has also had a record-breaking summer, with new all-time heat records created throughout the province.

Spikes in consumption and emissions from heat waves

Cool facilities provide relief from hot outdoor temperatures, but it is not without a significant consumption of energy.

Looking beyond consumption, heat waves can also directly impact power generation by reducing the generation capacity due to warmer air or water. In extreme events, generation capacity is reduced around 2 per cent for every degree Celsius (1). When combined with increased demand, this risks large-scale failures and blackouts.

Hot weather also increases the greenhouse gas emissions related to energy generation. Increases in summer-average temperature from 1˚ Celsius to 5˚ Celsius has a corresponding increase in electricity demand of 7 percent. Under the existing power generation system, the increase in demand causes upwards of 16 per cent increase in sulfur dioxide and nitrous oxides (2).

The impacts of hot weather extend throughout the energy sector – from generation to demand. At the facility level, optimization of cooling systems can reduce the demand and ultimately utility expenses.

Leverage cooler nighttime air

The need for heating vastly exceeds the need for cooling in most K-12 facilities in British Columbia and Alberta. However, cooling facilities during warm weather can become a top priority to keep students, teachers and staff comfortable.

Cool is not always a simple process in school facilities due to their equipment – many facilities lack mechanical cooling systems.

As temperatures tend to drop at night, cooler outdoor air can be introduced into facilities in preparation for hot days. Free cooling (which still requires energy for ventilation but not for conditioning the air) purges a facility with cooler outdoor air, typically at night. If occupancy is low enough during the day (which tends to be the case in the summer when there are no students and teachers), air handlers can then be turned off after a facility is purged.

Default approaches to cooling not optimal

When a facility does not need to be heated (particularly in the summer), there are two default approaches. One tactic is turning off all equipment to minimize energy consumption if the facility has low occupancy and does not require extensive ventilation. Another is cooling the entire facility. Both approaches are not ideal – they lack a balance between comfort and energy efficiency.

“Cooling can be more occupancy dependent than heating,” says Marco Bieri, Energy Efficiency Engineer with Rede Energy. In the summer, occupancy tends to not follow a routine. Then during the school year, facilities are typically conditioned when students are in class and cooling systems can be turned off after the daytime heat subsides.

For efficient cooling that keeps students, teachers and staff comfortable, cooling should align with occupancy. This is where communication becomes essential.

Communication is vital for managing hot weather

In Canada, heating systems tend to take the priority over cooling.

“There has been less money that has gone into cooling systems compared to heating systems. You need to understand and communicate what the capability is for your facilities,” says Bieri. Communicating the capability of a facility’s cooling system will manage expectations.

For facilities with air conditioning systems, setpoints and schedules should align with the building’s occupancy during the heat wave. As weather changes, setpoints and schedules can be routinely adjusted to match the occupancy needs and outdoor temperature.

“Keep communication open to have occupants’ trust that the schedules can be adjusted for warmer weather and then can be changed back when the weather events are done,” says Bieri.

Calendar reminders and weather alerts can contribute to ongoing tracking and adjusting schedules in parallel to school occupancy.

Prepare for heat waves with audits and maintenance

Efficiency of equipment is improved when it is routinely serviced, cleaned and monitored.

When facilities are operating under normal or extreme weather events, data from a building automation system can indicate opportunities for mechanical or scheduling adjustments. Analytics of building data during routine weather will prepare the building to respond to extreme weather. Get started with building analytics.

1. Añel, Juan A.; Fernández-González, Manuel; Labandeira, Xavier; López-Otero, Xiral; de la Torre, Laura. Impact of cold and heat waves on electricity generation. Economics for Energy, February 2017. (https://res.mdpi.com/atmosphere/atmosphere-08-00209/article_deploy/atmosphere-08-00209-v3.pdf)
2. Meier, Paul; Holloway, Tracey; Patz, Jonathan; Harkey, Monica; Ahl, Doug; Abel, David; Schuetter, Scott; and Hackel, Scott. Impact of warmer weather on electricity sector emissions due to building energy use. Environmental Research Letters, December 2017. (http://iopscience.iop.org/article/10.1088/1748-9326/aa6f64)

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Average indoor co2 levels

As the natural product of human breathing, carbon dioxide is a natural component of air. It is colourless and odourless, meaning it is difficult to detect without monitoring equipment. Outdoor air contains a concentration of carbon dioxide between 300 and 400 ppm. Indoor air typically has higher concentrations of carbon dioxide – humans can cause concentrations in indoor to rise above 3,000 ppm from just normal breathing.

Human health effects begin at around 7,000 ppm. The exposure limit set by Health Canada is 3,500 ppm.

the solution is ventilation

Carbon dioxide in indoor air is unavoidable. Humans need to breath and indoor combustion (such as furnaces and gas stoves) can contribute to higher concentrations. Besides optimizing equipment for more complete combustion, it is difficult to cut off the source of carbon dioxide.

The solution is ensuring buildings have sufficient ventilation.

Carbon dioxide standards for indoor air

A measure of adequate ventilation is monitoring the concentrations of carbon dioxide. The ASHRAE standards for indoor air quality recommend carbon dioxide levels between 1,000 to 1,100 ppm. Improvements in ventilation are recommended if average concentrations rise above 1,100 ppm.

Going beyond carbon dioxide

Carbon dioxide is only one component of indoor air. Volatile organic compounds, mould, carbon monoxide and radon are other potential components of air that can have a negative impact on human health. Fortunately, adequate ventilation is a major factor to improving indoor air quality for all potential hazards.

Read the entire case study by the National Collaborating Centre for Environmental Health.

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By controlling the electricity going into a motor, VFDs turn any motor into a variable speed motor. This has the biggest benefit for single-speed motors, but VFDs can also save energy for dual or multi-speed motors.

There are two main benefits of a VFD:

1. They reduce the wear-and-tear on a motor by reducing motor’s speed or torque when not required. This means less maintenance and a longer life span for the motor.
2. They save energy.

The second benefit is the interesting one. With the help of some simple math, we can see just how much energy can be saved.

Let’s use the example of a water pump filling a bucket. Assume the pump can fill a bucket in one hour.

Now let’s add a VFD into the equation. Let’s use the VFD to cut the power input by half so now it will take twice as long to fill the bucket. Over two hours, the same amount of water will be moved into the bucket.

But how much power was consumed? This is the interesting part.

When the flow rate is cut in half, the pressure is reduced to a quarter of the original pressure. And the power consumed then falls to one eighth.

Although it took twice as long to fill the bucket, the power consumption for the entire process was one quarter compared to filling the bucket in one hour. This math is explained by the Affinity Laws – a set of formulas that explain the relationship between shaft speeds, flow rates and power.

The Affinity Laws explain the following:

• Shaft speed is proportional to the flow, or ∆ speed = ∆ flow
• Pressure is proportional to the square of the shaft speed, or ∆ pressure = (∆ speed)²
• Power is proportional to the cube of the shaft speed, or ∆ power = (∆ speed)³

A more down-to-earth example of the Affinity Laws is trying to walk through a pool when the water level is nearly up to your head. It requires considerable more energy to attempt to run through the pool than to just walk through the pool.

This is why VFDs are a powerful device for energy efficiency. If it is no problem to wait an extra hour to fill the bucket, you will save three quarters of the energy.

Want that in plain English? Call us and we will explain.

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Here are the mechanics behind condensing boilers and our top tips to optimize the condensing boilers in your school facilities.

Condensing boiler basics

The efficiency of conventional boilers is around 70 to 80% and the efficiency of condensing boilers is around 90%.

Boilers are simple heat exchange systems where fuel is combusted and the heat is transferred into water. Fuel combustion heats up air in the burner chamber and releases hot carbon-based gases and water vapour. In the heat exchanger, heat from this mixture of hot gases is transferred to the water as the gases travel to escape the boiler system. Even with large heat exchangers, around 20 to 30% of the heat escapes with the flue gases and water vapour.

To capture this escaping heat, the hot flue gases pass by a secondary heat exchanger and are allowed to cool. The vast majority of heat is transferred and the gases turn into liquids as they cool. That’s the condensing part.

The secondary heat exchanger has multiple benefits. Firstly, it preheats the intake water before the water passes through the main heat exchanger, meaning the water requires less heat to get to the target temperature. Secondly, intake gases are also heated as they enter the burner chamber. This preheats the air before it is combusted. Both preheating processes contribute to the efficiency of the boiler.

Considering that a condensing boiler just adds one additional step, why can’t conventional boilers be outfitted into a condensing boiler? The challenge is the condensate – it is an acidic liquid that damages conventional boiler materials. With a condensate pH of around 3 to 5, heat exchangers need to be made out of stainless steel, aluminum alloys or plastics (for low-heat condensing boilers).

Peak efficiency around 98%

Optimizing condensing boilers can improve the efficiency upwards of 98%.

There will always be some heat loss, but an optimized condensing boiler system is expected to achieve 98% efficiency. In reality, many condensing boiler systems barely go above 90%.

Efficiency drastically declines when condensation barely (or doesn’t at all) occur. Condensation begins when the boiler temperature is below 55˚C – if the gases pass through the both the primary and secondary heat exchangers at high temperatures, little condensation occurs. Heat escapes the system with the gases and water vapour. The lower the condensate temperature means more heat has been transferred in the heat exchanger, with 99% efficiency occurring when the temperature goes under 25˚C.

The main factor that impacts the temperature of the condensate is the temperature setpoint of the hot water in the boiler. A higher boiler temperature means the flue gas temperature will be higher. If the gases are too hot, the gases will not be able to cool and condensation will not occur.

Not all scenarios allow for the flue gases to cool and condensate. Boilers set to high temperature heat the air to temperatures that are not capable of condensing within the heat exchangers. And cold intake air temperatures require the boiler to operate at higher temperatures to sufficiently heat buildings. As a result, few condensing boilers operate at peak efficiency all the time.

The best you can do is optimize your condensing boiler for your buildings, climate and heating systems.

Optimizing your condensing boilers

Design

Condensing boilers perform at peak efficiency at cooler temperatures because more condensation can occur. Designing an entire system that runs on cooler water will maximize the efficiency of the boiler. Here are a few ideas for your systems to adapt to cooler water:

• Install more coils in the air handling units to increase the surface area for heat transf­er.
• Optimize terminal devices (like radiators and reheat coils) to run on the lowest temperature possible.
• Oversized heat exchangers and on-ground radiators allow for more heat transfer so the boiler can run at lower temperatures.
• In-ceiling radiant panels require high temperature so they adapt poorly to a cooler water system, however return water from the radiant panels can pass through reheat coils to reduce water temperature before returning to the boiler.

Smaller boilers are better. Instead of installing one large boiler that meets the needs of the most extreme heating expected, install several smaller boilers in sequence. Individual boilers can be turned off when demand is lower. It is better for one smaller boiler to be continuously on instead of one large boiler to be cycles between on and off.

The efficiency of a condensing boiler significantly improves when return water temperature is below 55 degrees. For every temperature reduction of ~ 5 degrees, the efficiency improves around 1 per cent.

Calibration

Old boilers used to run at one temperature. When heating was required, the boiler would turn on and run on the highest setting until the air temperature setpoint was met. Not surprisingly, this was highly inefficient. With modulating burners, water temperature controls and outdoor air temperature sensors, the optimal water temperature can be achieved. This means the water temperature can be the lowest temperature possible to meet the system’s demands but allow for condensation when possible.

The goal is to lower the boiler water temperature to as low as possible but still meet demand. Lower temperature boilers may have to be on longer to meet the system’s demands, but the improvements in efficiency outweigh the additional time the boiler is on. Lower boiler temperatures reduce the temperature of the flue gases and more condensation will be allowed to happen.

Here are a few approaches to optimize the boiler’s temperature:

• Determine the part of the building that demands the highest water temperature. After lowering the boiler temperature, monitor that space to ensure demand is satisfied.
• The shoulder season (autumn and spring) is a great time of year to lower the boiler temperature – outdoor air temperature tends to not be extremely hot or cold.
• Lower boiler temperature when the building is not occupied, especially over breaks.
• Smart controls allow the boiler’s temperature to respond to occupancy, demand and outdoor air temperature.
• After every retrofit or change in the system, review the boiler’s temperatures and try to lower.

Monitoring combustion gives us insight into burner operations. Combustion requires air but too much will lead to energy being wasted and too little will cause incomplete combustion. The goal is a clean and complete burn – carbon dioxide should be between 8 and 10% while carbon monoxide should be below 20 ppm. Adjust the airflow and monitor with combustion analyzers to find the optimal airflow values.

Condensation can occur when the boiler temperature is below 55 degrees. In this sample system, the boiler can meet demand and condense when outdoor air temperature is above ~ 0 degrees.

There are two ways to increase the amount of time the boiler can condense. Lower the maximum boiler temperature and adjust the controls so the boiler operates at lower temperatures when the outdoor air temperature is warmer.

Every degree matters

Optimizing a condensing boiler is the process of adjusting the boiler’s temperature to be a low as possible while still meeting demand. Every degree matters. Although the process to optimize a boiler is an ongoing process, the improvements in efficiency mean tangible reductions in energy consumptions and costs.

Do you have a condensing boiler that is not as efficient as expected? Follow the tips to get the temperature as low as possible. And if you still aren’t achieving your target efficiency, send us a message – we would be happy to review your system to save energy and money.

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Rob Collison is the manager of facilities and transportation for BC School District 46 (Sunshine Coast)

The shimmering solar panels on Elphinstone Secondary in Gibsons, BC offer more than just a source of hot water. They are an example of sustainable infrastructure that students can look at everyday.

Rob Collison is the manager of facilities and transportation for British Columbia School District 46 (Sunshine Coast). He said the timing was right to add a solar hot water system to the facility.

“We were doing a boiler plant replacement project and it made sense to do it at the same time.”

The previous system required the boilers to run all the time (even during the summer) to heat the water through the heat exchanger. The new solar hot water system is supplemented with a small gas-fired tank because Sunshine Coast School District is, in fact, not always sunny.

“We get lots of grey days were there is really not much solar taken advantage of,” said Collison, noting that hot water can be supplied completely from the solar system on sunny days.

“There are many months we won’t see the sun at all – it is just grey.”

Collison estimated the backup operates around half the time, but it varies significantly month-to-month.

Considering solar potential is limited in British Columbia by clouds and rain, Collison would still consider adding panels to another school. The biggest factor to consider is the timing of the project.

“If you’re going to do a solar project, it’s important to make sure your roof is not due for replacement in the near future. You want to make sure your timing is right.”

The two-loop system is composed of a pump for the glycol loop (pumps glycol through the solar panels), a heat exchanger (transfers the heat from the glycol into the domestic hot water loop) and a storage tank.

In terms of operation, Collison said solar hot water “couldn’t be simpler.” The only added maintenance besides keeping the panels clean is maintaining the circulation pumps.

Saving money was not a big priority for the project. As a capital funded project, Collison hasn’t felt the need to justify the costs. In addition, modern schools don’t have a big need for hot water; meaning expenses for hot water are not as high as they were when students regularly showered at school.

And there are added benefits that go beyond dollars. The panels are a visible lesson for energy efficiency and sustainability. Collison and the facilities staff have explained the system to students on numerous occasions.

“The students are all aware that there are solar panels on the roof.”

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Caroline Reid is the Energy Manager for the Interior Health Authority in British Columbia and a Senior Energy Engineer for Rede Energy Solutions

An age-old technology may be the solution for carbon neutral and cost-effective heating in rural facilities. Modern biomass boilers are fighting the stigma that burning wood is far from clean and green, and the potential for abundant fuel in British Columbia offers biomass energy an economic advantage.

“People tend to think of biomass as a beehive burner – they are dirty and you don’t want them in your area,” said Caroline Reid, senior energy engineer for Rede Energy Solutions.

“It is quite modern and clean compared to what people think it is.”

For anyone skeptical or not familiar with modern biomass systems, the best thing to do is see one in person.

“Once you go in and see these things, you see they are not that different than a natural gas boiler. It’s pretty simple.”

The main factor to determine if a biomass boiler is right for your facility is to consider the costs of existing fuel and future biomass fuel. For facilities that require trucking in propane fuel or if natural gas is inaccessible or expensive, there may be a business case for biomass. In addition, biomass boilers require a fuel source at a reasonable price. The ideal scenario is purchasing shavings or pellets from a nearby mill.

“If you are far from any mill or far from any pellet plant, it not necessarily the case that you don’t have a business case. But it definitely won’t be as strong if you don’t have cheap access to high quality chips or pellets.”

Considering the facility itself, biomass boilers work best under a constant load.

“Biomass boilers like to be on and run, so you need somewhere for the heat to go,” said Reid, adding biomass boilers don’t have a turndown ratio equivalent to newer condensing boilers.

“If you have a facility that has a very inconsistent load over the course of a day or over the course of a season, it definitely a harder match. If you have somewhere that doesn’t require heat in the summer, that’s great – just turn the boiler off.”

The future is bright for biomass fuel in British Columbia. There is enough wood-based fuel to create 6.41 TWh of annual electricity for the next ten years, according to a 2015 BC Hydro report – Wood Based Biomass in British Columbia and its Potential for New Electricity Generation. With a current surplus of wood waste from sawmills and roadsides, lower-cost biomass fuels are widely available.

“It’s staggering how much fuel is out there and how much goes to waste,” she said.

“I think the opportunities are endless.”

Read more about biomass projects

As a carbon neutral energy source, retrofitting an existing boiler can assist school districts in meeting emission reductions. Read about a boiler installation at a school in School District 79 on Vancouver Island.

In School District 27, a new biomass boiler now heats an elementary school and two neighbouring facilities. The pellet boiler is 95% carbon neutral and has reduced energy costs for all facilities.

Free biomass boiler checklist

From fuel sources to facility design, a successful biomass retrofit depends on a variety of factors inside the building and out. Download a comprehensive biomass boiler checklist compiled by Rede to guide your next project. Fill out the following form to receive the checklist by email:

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The heating system at Cataline Elementary School, built in 1972 in Williams Lake and bordering Thompson Rivers University (TRU), was on Telford’s radar back in 2013. Suffering a cracked heat exchanger, costly to operate, and suspected of producing high emissions, he was concerned its serviceable life was close to ending. Telford knew it was high time to put a comprehensive heating system upgrade plan in place.

Many goals, one solution

Cataline Elementary School (a), E.J. Bare Education Centre (b) and Thompson River University – Williams Lake Campus (c) are located in Williams Lake, BC

When approaching the planning, Telford had multiple goals in mind, including carbon emissions reduction, cost savings, efficiency, and easy maintenance. The requirements of the CNG Program were a major driver (i.e., offsets at $30/tonne of emissions), as were provincial carbon taxes at $25/tonne, and the school district’s 5% annual emissions reduction target. The SD#27 Alexis Creek and Tatla Lake facilities already had pellet boilers (also referred to as biomass boiler) installed, combined with propane for shoulder seasons, resulting in an average of $40,000 savings per annum. But space was a major limitation for a pellet boiler, especially since Cataline was also due an HVAC mechanical upgrade that would take up additional floor space. Plain out-of-the-box thinking and creative brainstorming brought together a unique and innovative solution that checked all the boxes.

Firstly, a decision was taken to construct a separate building on the Cataline property with space for a new state-of-the-art pellet boiler, new compact Viessmann gas boilers, heat exchangers, HVAC mechanical upgrade, and fuel storage. Next, with economies of scale in mind, and given the sheer power of the proposed pellet boiler, SD#27 approached JIm Gudjonson, Director of Sustainability at TRU, and proposed the new pellet boiler provide heat not only for the Cataline Elementary building and the EJ Bare kindergarten annex, but also for the entire TRU campus during the heavy winter season. Gudjonson thought using a renewable source to heat TRU in lieu of its current gas boilers that consumed a whopping 6,000 gigajoules per year made perfect sense. Because pellet boilers have limited dial-down capabilities, it was determined to use natural gas boilers (existing boilers at TRU, and new gas boiler heating at Cataline) for shoulder season, pellet boiler heating for heavy winter, and in extreme weather, e.g., -25° C, to rely on the on-site gas boilers for supplemental heat.

From plan to action

The framework for this stellar plan was coming together nicely; time to bring in some additional expertise thought Telford. Rocky Point Engineering had already provided engineering oversight on SD#27’s previous pellet boiler installations. Team lead, Cory Langevin, was excited by the prospect of working to meet the emissions reduction targets while optimizing efficiencies. Rocky Point took the lead designing the system, identifying the capacity and criteria, developed the contractor RFP, and oversaw the entire project to ensure it met specifications. Additionally, the team secured funding for the project through the Province’s Carbon Neutral Capital Program—this was an enormous boost.

The successful contractor, Ventek Energy Systems, is without doubt an industry expert having managed 12 of the 50 installations across Canada. It launched the 24 month SD#27 project in discussion with the global manufacturing leader of pellet boilers, ARITERM, located in Finland. The tried and tested process, from start to finish, included system design and requirements, building a budget for SD#27 approval, and securing funding—this took about 12 months. Once the first phase was approved, the pellet boiler was manufactured in Finland, shipped to Canada—a two-month voyage—assembled by the Ventek team in Quesnel, lowered into its new building structure on the Cataline grounds by crane, and finally hooked up and ready for testing.

Markku Riionheimo, team lead at Ventek, is a huge supporter of biofuel options, which significantly reduce fossil fuel based carbon emissions and one of the least expensive methods of helping the earth. The biofuel wood pellets used are produced locally in Williams Lake, and a seven-ton dump truck load costs as little as $900. That lasts two weeks in the dead of winter – this is a substantial savings over natural gas.

Over and above Rocky Point and Ventek expertise, the SD#27 maintenance team of five, led by Marc Loewen, managed the on-site heavy lifting including all the piping, electrical, plumbing, welding, mechanical work, and final tie in of the system. Removal of all asbestos tile and electrical heating, a new sprinkler system, new dampers, DCC system, and fire alarm panel were side benefits of the project. All this was achieved as well as the team’s regular maintenance work, which meant a lot of hard work starting 18 months prior to go-live. It has paid off, because now the team is familiar with the ins and outs of the system and is well prepared to maintain it going forward, including daily checks and regular service checks at four to six month intervals.

The soft launch for the new Cataline pellet boiler occurred 23 October 2016—just in time for the onset of another cold winter in Williams Lake. The children and student benefactors of the new system have been enjoying the new regulated heat with individual thermostat controls in each classroom. John Silkstone, Principal at Cataline, is very pleased with the quietly efficient clean tech solution.

Biomass Success For SD27 and Beyond

So now it’s all up and running smoothly, the big question is: did SD#27 meet all its goals? Rede Energy Solutions is SD#27’s energy management engineering team and we reported the following noteworthy benefits: the new pellet boiler is 95% carbon neutral resulting in significant carbon tax and offset purchase requirement reductions; compared to earlier SD#27 pellet boiler systems, the new system is far superior having unique heat regulation abilities and versatile turn down ratios that translates into less reliance on the more costly gas boilers; TRU is enjoying a 15% savings in heating costs with no capital outlay, no maintenance expenses, as well as lower carbon tax and offset purchase requirements. Rede believes it’s safe to say that all goals were met, although it will be a few months before SD#27 will get the real numbers.

Orest Maslany, BC Climate Action Secretariat, recently made the following congratulatory comment, “School District 27’s fuel switching project is a great example of how the public sector can reduce their carbon emissions while lowering operating costs. Through determination, innovation and collaboration, projects like this are making important contributions to BC’s carbon neutral goals across the provincial public sector every year.”

Says the mastermind behind this project, Telford, “It’s a most promising project that certainly makes sense to replicate. It was a busy time with multiple simultaneous projects on the go, and we learned a lot. Kudos and thanks to all involved on this outstanding energy conserving project.”

SD27 Upgrade Technical Specifications

• Boiler: 400kW Ariterm Bio with vertical flow convection section c/w moving grate BioJet burner, Arimatic 500CN Control System, Tosibox on-line operating system, GSM access system, PS10 Pellet Feeder, and modular K4 Walking Floor fuel storage system.
• 10% turn down and 3-5% up keeping
• Variable Frequency Drive fuel feed system
• Separate heating zones for Cataline Elementary School, E.J.Bare Education Centre and TRU Campus with individual Flow and Energy Metering for each
• 760m of insulated underground heating piping for the three buildings
• All products are certified to ISO 9001 and ISO 14001 standards. For the North American market, the pressure vessels are available with the ASME H stamp certification

Free biomass boiler checklist

From fuel sources to facility design, a successful biomass retrofit depends on a variety of factors inside the building and out. Download a comprehensive biomass boiler checklist compiled by Rede to guide your next project.

The post Biomass collaboration achieves 95% carbon neutrality appeared first on Rede Energy Solutions.

Here are the main lessons for school energy managers that we took away from BuildPulse’s latest article series.

Comfort

Schools are large facilities with teachers, students, staff, parents and guests coming and going throughout the day. For staff and students that are around most days, a survey about their comfort in the facility can offer insight into ideal temperature, humidity and airflow levels. BuildPulse outlines the first steps to improve occupant’s comfort through temperature monitoring and analysis.

To reduce energy costs, facility managers can improve insulation and install occupancy sensors.

The next step is to make use of a facility’s Building Automation System. Collect as much data as possible on a building’s indoor temperature and humidity. Compare the data for each room or zone with the other rooms or zones to isolate problem areas. For any anomalous regions, look into how occupants are using the space. Disparities in temperature may arise from difference in behaviors, such as running space heaters or closing the blinds.

Next, compare temperature data with the outdoor temperature. If they follow a similar pattern, that is an indicator of not enough airflow to that zone.

Check also for rapid changes in temperature, and be sure to replace or calibrate any sensors that do not report temperature changes.

Indoor Air Quality

Occupancy complaints offer the best insight into issues with indoor air quality. Combined with data for temperature, humidity, CO2 levels and HVAC operations, facility managers can isolate and investigate issues to improve air quality. The complete article covers improvements for air quality through data monitoring, analysis and feedback from occupants.

The first step for improved air quality is regular cleaning and preventative maintenance. A clean air duct means clean air.

Although excellent ventilation is a key to good air quality, excessive ventilation can be costly. Sealing ducts is a simple approach to reduce energy costs from ventilation, and more complex approaches (such as demand controlled ventilation) balance the need for ventilation with energy costs.

In the end, indoor air quality depends on air temperature, humidity and CO2 levels. Monitor and analyze these indices to better understand your facility’s air quality.

Laboratories

For secondary schools, proper ventilation in laboratories goes beyond occupant comfort. It is vital for the safety of students and teachers, in the laboratory and throughout the school. Read the entire article on Safety in Laboratory Spaces.

The main potential for energy waste in laboratories are chemical hoods. Occupancy sensors can control the operation of fume hoods to ensure they are on only when needed. Educating teachers and students on efficient use of chemical hoods also contribute to reduced energy consumption inside laboratories.

To monitor negative pressure in a laboratory, BuildPulse recommends air flow sensors for the fume hood exhaust, room exhaust and incoming air supply. Proper laboratory pressurization can be monitored to find potential cases of too much or not enough negative pressure.

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Improvements in energy efficiency can have a large impact on labour costs, greenhouse gas emissions and utility expenses. These benefits, however, can be challenging to see when a large upfront investment is required.

A school district in British Columbia eliminated the need for natural gas for heating in an elementary school by installing a ground source heat pump on the property. Using a noteworthy arrangement between the district and the energy supplier, this large-scale project was able to meet the district’s financial needs and create drastic improvements in efficiency.

“It’s great for SD23,” said the district’s energy manager, Harold Schock.

Ground heat pump fields use the ground’s ability to store and release heat. In the summer, the pump can transfer heat into the ground, and then the opposite process occurs in the winter.

“It’s a suitcase of heat that we use in the wintertime,” said Schock.

In a pilot project, FortisBC created a fee structure specifically for SD23. The cost of the heat pump field ($600,000) would be covered initially by FortisBC, and then the school district would pay FortisBC for the field over 25 years with a flat monthly fee.

Before the field was installed, the elementary school was heated with natural gas. Now, the geofield consists of 31 vertical pipes that go 250 feet into the ground. Six schools in the district have ground source heat pumps, but this was the first time it was funded through fee structure from an energy service company.

The main motivation for this arrangement was monetary.

“There is no natural gas bill,” said Schock. “All our heat pump schools that are operating in our school district do not have a natural gas draw.”

During a heat pump conversion, schools in SD23 also under a lighting retrofit. This reduces the electrical load from lighting, but additional electricity is required to run the heat pumps. Compared to before the heat pump conversion, electricity usage tends to slightly increase.

After the field is installed, the schools do not pay carbon offsets, which are currently $25 per tonne for British Columbia schools. In additional, schools with heat pumps have a reduced need for a cooling tower, saving water previously used for the cooling tower and eliminating tower maintenance.

Overall cost savings for heat pump schools in SD23 is between $10,000 and $30,000 per year.

SD23’s monthly fee to FortisBC does not mean a drastic reduction in overall energy costs, but the district did not pay for the field and after 25 years the field will be returned to the district. In addition, many incidentals have been reduced or even eliminated, such as cooling tower and heating system maintenance.

The fee structure that SD23 pays to FortisBC was calculated using the thermic value of the ground that the elementary school sits on. This unit – energy therms – is an up-and-coming measurement for ground heating potential.

“We blazed the trail for that to possibly be done,” said Schock, who has been in his current role since 2010.

“That established a rate based on the size of our geofield. We pay that rate every month and we are glad to pay it.”

Despite the many benefits of a ground source heat pump, it was still a challenge for Schock and his team to convince district administration to accept the special arrangement with FortisBC.

“It is such a long-term investment and somebody else owns the infrastructure on your property. It’s hard to wrap your head around.”

Although SD23 has not moved forward on any more funding arrangements with energy companies, Schock said “the business case is there – the model could be reproduced again.”

Back at the elementary school, everything is back to nature and the only commitment for the district is to pay a monthly fee.

“You wouldn’t even know it’s there. Realistically I think people have already forgot about it.”

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