Posted by William Vander Plaats on Fri, Sep 03, 2010 @ 10:17 AM
Energy efficiency, life cycle costing, going green, sustainability, LEED certification, return on investment (ROI), water conservation, etc. Each is an important topic right now for design, specifying, and product engineers. But proving the actual costs, expenses, and efficiency of building systems can be extremely difficult.
Life cycle cost analysis is a method for assessing the total cost of owning and operating a facility. It takes into account not just the initial cost of acquiring a building or piece of machinery, but the effective savings that will result from that machinery as well. This is critically important for equipment and systems which require a large initial outlay of costs, but which save money (usually through energy savings and other means) over the life of the machinery and the facilty.
High Performance HVAC EquipmentHeating, ventilating, and air-conditioning (HVAC systems) account for 39% of the energy used in commercial buildings in the United States. There are numerous energy analysis software tools which can be used to evaluate current and potential system configurations for most efficient operation, resulting in HVAC energy savings. Water filtration equipment is sometimes overlooked in these programs, but the return on investment of a properly sized and installed cooling tower filtration system is usually extremely good. When all factors and current costs are compared with the reduced costs AFTER a filtration system is installed, the payback period is often less than 1 year.
Continuing Cooling Tower Cleaning Without Any DowntimeCooling towers get dirty, and require periodic maintenance to remove dirt and sludge and other particulates that build up in the basin. This periodic maintenance can be greatly reduced if an effective CONTINUOUS filtration method is used to prevent solids from accumulating in the tower basin, or from fouling the heat exchanger. A very effective method for implementing this continuous filtration is by installing a LAKOS TowerClean system for basin cleaning.
Energy Efficiency and Water Savings Calculator For Cooling Towers Calculates HVAC Energy Savings
Download the LAKOS ROI calculator for cooling tower filtration TODAY. Its an Excel-based program that generate results which can be entered into other more comprehensive energy management software tools. Determine the payback period and ROI for HVAC energy savings and make your facility GREENER at the same time you reduce expenses.
Posted by William Vander Plaats on Thu, Dec 31, 2009 @ 10:16 AM
As we end 2009 and the first decade of the new millennium, it is a good time to pause and reflect on the PAST and what we should be striving to improve in the YEAR ahead. Everyone seems to have a list containing an idea or two about how we can accomplish this, including energy and water efficiency gained from effective filtration systems to the advantages of drip irrigation and ways to accomplish more effective legionella prevention, etc.
So here is OUR list of the some of the Most Important Lists heading into the New Year. Trends we’d like to see continue and ideas we’d like to see embraced and adopted in 2010 and beyond. Perhaps by the end of 2010 these will help create a GREENER world with a more efficient use of water and energy resources for all of us.
1. Top 5 Reasons Why BLUE (water) Will Become The New Green In 2010
GREEN is the color of sustainability and energy efficiency, but BLUE is the color of water, and many recent reports seem to indicate it will be the most important color in 2010 and beyond.
a. Pacific Institute Report: Industrial Water Use and Potential Savings In Each Industry
b. 100 Ways To Conserve Water
c. Top 5 Ways To Save Water In The Home
d. Read How IBM Reduced Water Demand by 20% At One Location
e. Calculate Your Water Savings When Using Water Sense Products
2. Top 10 Energy-Monitoring Tools for the Home
Until convenient tools arrive for homeowners to monitor their energy use from inside the home, efforts to reduce energy consumption may be just wishful thinking. Perhaps one of the items on this list will help to lead the way.
3. Most Innovative Pumps and Systems Products of the Year
Pumps and Systems Magazine recently awarded their inaugural 2009 Innovation Awards, and the list of winners proves there is still plenty of room for improvement in pump efficiency and energy usage.
4. All 50 USA State Energy Codes for Residential and Commercial Buildings
View current building codes for each state in the USA and learn more about Federal and state codes and trends. All on one page on the Department of Energy website:
What is your list of Great Ideas for 2010? Do you have a list of most valuable tips for anyone in the building/cooling/irrigation/water-related industries?
Here is one of our favorite studies to share: Energy study by the Canadian Office of Energy Efficiency. Download it today!
Posted by William Vander Plaats on Thu, Dec 10, 2009 @ 01:16 PM
In our previous blog entry we mentioned the recently released report on water usage as it relates to the Green Building movement. The report provides data about commercial and domestic water use and suggests a 21 Point Action Plan to improve water performance and efficiency. It also points out that as water becomes a scarcer resource in the future, concerns about how best to design and retrofit water systems will become even more important than they are today.
Some additional findings covered in the report:
- In hospitals and healthcare settings, the main use of water is for cooling and heating (31%), followed by domestic use and restrooms (27%)
- In office buildings, those two reverse positions and the main use is domestic use and restrooms (37%) followed by cooling and heating (33%)
- Contractors and building owners are concerned about any additional water use regulations which will increase construction costs. On the other hand, other respondants claim that some effective water use and re-use techniques which are presently forbidden by state and county codes should be reviewed and revised quickly.
- A number of respondants voiced their opinions about the Green Building movement and LEED certification. The opinions varied from those being "oversold" ideas to comments that green building, sustainability, and water efficiency are all coming trends that will make more and more sense economically in the future as the cost of water and energy usage continue to grow.
- Earlier this year the U.S. Green Building Council raised requirements under the LEED program so that it now requires a 20% reduction in water use as a prerequisite while increasing the number of Water Efficiency credits available in its various programs. In addition, LEED-certified projects must submit actual performance data on WATER and energy use for five years AFTER certification.
And finally, of the total amount of water consumed in the U.S., biggest chunk (82%) is used for irrigation.
Despite this fact, little was mentioned in the report about more efficient use of irrigation. Besides noting that drip irrigation is more efficient than other methods, techniques to improve the efficiency of drip irrigation -- such as filtration -- were not mentioned in the report.
Irrigation Filtration Saves Energy and Water
Effective filtration of irrigation water will reduce water usage by ensuring all components of the system operate at highest efficiency. Clogging of drip emitters by sand and other debris will cause uneven flow and require longer pump runs to reach optimum water levels to the soil. Whether accomplished through two stages of filtration (pre-filtration to remove sand and other debris and then finer filtration to remove smaller particles, usually accomplished with a sand media tank filter) or just one, SOME filtration is always better than none. And depending on the efficiency of the sand media tank filter, effective filtration will also minimize wear on system components through fewer backwashing cycles.
If your showerhead is partially clogged, don't you have to run the water a tiny bit longer to get a good shower? The same is true of irrigation drip emitters.
Download our new White Paper on Sand Media Filters and the read about how underdrain design and the use of a pre-filter can have a huge effect on water use and system efficiency.