HomeMy WebLinkAboutBSNC-OME-RSA Volunteer Fire Station 2012-EE1
Richard S. Armstrong, PE, LLC
Mechanical/Electrical Engineer
Comprehensive Energy Audit
of
Nome Volunteer Fire Station
Project # BSNC-OME-RSA-02
Prepared for:
The City of Nome
October 11, 2011
Prepared by:
Richard S. Armstrong, PE, LLC
2321 Merrill Field Drive, C-6
Anchorage, AK 99501
and
Energy Audits of Alaska
P.O. Box 220215
Anchorage, AK 98522
2
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Performed by: __________________________
James Fowler, PE, CEA
CEA #1705
Reviewed by: __________________________
Richard Armstrong, PE, CEM
CEA #178, CEM #13557
1. Executive Summary 4
2. Audit and Analysis Background 10
3. Acknowledgements 11
4. Building Description & Function 12
5. Historic Energy Consumption 14
6. Interactive Effects of Projects 15
7. Loan Program 15
Appendix A: Photos 16
Appendix B: AkWarm-C Report 20
Appendix C: Equipment Schedules 25
Appendix D: Building Plan 28
Appendix E: Lighting Plan 30
Appendix F: Mechanical Schematic 32
Appendix G: Additional, Building-Specific EEM detail 33
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REPORT DISCLAIMERS
The information contained in this report, including any attachments, is intended
solely for use by the building owner and the AHFC. No others are authorized to
disclose, copy, distribute or retain this report, in whole or part, without written
authorization from Richard S. Armstrong, PE, LLC, 2321 Merrill Field Drive, C-6,
Anchorage, Ak 99501. Additionally, this report contains recommendations that,
in the opinion of the auditor, will cause the owner to realize energy savings over
time. All recommendations must be designed by a registered engineer, licensed
in the State of Alaska, in the appropriate discipline. Lighting recommendations
should all be first analyzed through a thorough lighting analysis to assure that the
recommended lighting upgrades will comply with State of Alaska Statue as well
as IES recommendations.
Payback periods may vary from those forecast due to the uncertainty of the final
installed design, configuration, equipment selected, and installation costs of
recommended Energy Efficiency Measures (EEMs), or the operating schedules
and maintenance provided by the owner. Furthermore, EEMs are typically
interactive, so implementation of one EEM may impact the cost savings from
another EEM. Neither the auditor, Richard S. Armstrong, PE, LLC, AHFC, or any
other party involved in preparation of this report accepts liability for financial loss
due to EEMs that fail to meet the forecasted payback periods.
This audit meets the criteria of an Investment Grade Audit (IGA) per the
Association of Energy Engineers definition, and is valid for one year. The life of
the IGA may be extended on a case-by-case basis, at the discretion of the
AHFC.
IGA’s are the property of the State, and may be incorporated into AkWarm-C, the
Alaska Energy Data Inventory (ARIS), or other state and/or public information
system.
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1. Executive Summary
This Comprehensive Energy Audit is performed in connection with AHFC’s
Retrofit Energy Assessment for Loans (REAL) program.
Subject Building:
Nome Volunteer Fire Station
500 Bering St
Nome, AK 99762
Building Owner:
The City of Nome
102 Division Street
Nome, AK 99762
Josie Bahnke, City Manager
907-443-6600 office
jbahnke@nomealaska.org
Building contacts:
Matt Johnson, Fire Chief
907-304-1535 mobile
mjohnson@nomealaska.org
Alan Maxwell, Building Inspector
907-304-3399 mobile
amaxwell@nomealaska.org
Jerry Krier, Maintenance supervisor
907-304-3398 mobile
The site visit to subject building occurred on September 7th, 2011.
Buildings
The south half of the building was constructed in 1971, it has offices and
equipment bays on the first floor, and a training room and storage on a
small second floor. The north half was constructed at a later date
estimated to be in the early 1980’s, it houses a large day room and kitchen
on the first floor with additional offices on the 2nd floor and attic storage
above. The 2nd floor offices in this section were vacated in Spring of 2011
and are currently un-occupied. Plans were available for the original
building, none were available for the addition.
Plans and equipment schedules for the addition, found in the appendix’s
of this report were created from on-site measurements and observations
made during the survey. Building shell details for the addition, including
roof and floor construction, insulation values and structural configuration
were pieced together from conversations with the building Maintenance
Lead, as well as auditor observations. The windows in this building are all
triple pane, and appear to have been retrofitted in the last 10-15 years.
Considering its age, the interior of the building is in above average
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condition, the exterior, especially on the west side (back), is in below
average condition.
Energy Consumption and Benchmark Data
This building shares an electric meter with its neighbor to the west, the
Public Works building (BSNC-OME-RSA-03). Electricity usage was
apportioned to this building based on its square footage and occupancy.
Benchmark data - annual consumption only – for electricity and fuel oil
was provided by Central Alaska Engineering Company. In error, electricity
usage from the shared meter was used for both buildings, while it should
have been apportioned between the buildings. The two annual data points
provided, were distributed across 12 months by the auditor, to estimate a
seasonal curve and reasonable monthly usage. Summarized values for
energy consumption are shown in Table 1 below:
Table 1
2009 2010
Consumption Cost Consumption Cost
Electricity ‐ kWh 41,664 $ 3,388 42,112 $ 3,479
Fuel Oil ‐ gallons 4,444 $ 22,177 4,234 $ 17,800
Totals $ 25,565 $ 21,279
A benchmark measure of energy use relative to other similar function
buildings in the area is the Energy Use Index (EUI), which takes the total
annual energy used by the facility divided by the square footage area of
the building, for a value expressed in terms of kBTU/SF. This number can
then be compared to other buildings to see if it is average, higher or lower
than similar buildings in the area. Likewise, the Energy Cost Index (ECI) is
the cost of all energy used by the building expressed in $/SF of building
area. The comparative values for the subject building, reflecting the
apportioned electricity usage, are shown in Table 2 below. As observed,
they are slightly lower than similar buildings in Nome.
Table 2
Subject Building
Average of (4) similar
buildings in Nome
Ambulance
Building
Energy Use Index (EUI) ‐
kBTU/SF 111 124 137
Energy Cost Index (ECI) ‐
$/SF $3.63 $4.38 $5.20
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Various Energy Efficiency Measures (EEMs) have been analyzed for this
building to determine if they would be applicable for energy savings with
reasonably good payback periods. EEMs are recommended for reasons
including: 1.) they have a reasonably good payback period, 2.) for code
compliance, 3.) life cycle replacement or 4.) reasons pertaining to
operations, maintenance and/or safety. For example, where a lighting
upgrade is recommended from T-12 lamps with magnetic ballasts to T-8
lamps with electronic ballasts, then the entire facility should be re-lamped
and re-ballasted to maintain a standard lighting parts inventory, regardless
of the payback. An individual storage room that is infrequently used may
not show a very good payback for a lighting upgrade, but consistency and
ease of maintenance dictates a total upgrade.
Specific EEMs recommended for this facility are detailed in the attached
AkWarm Energy Audit Report in Appendix B. Each EEM includes
payback times, estimated installation costs and estimated energy savings.
The higher priority items are summarized below:
Lighting Upgrades: As part of a lighting upgrade conducted
by the city of Nome, this facility almost exclusively has T8-32
watt lamps and electronic ballasts. At the next re-lamp, they
should be replaced with 28 watt, T8 lamps which result in a
4% reduction in light output, but a 12% reduction in energy
consumption. The equipment bays still utilize 8’, 75 watt, T12
lamps with magnetic ballasts, they should be replaced with
high efficiency, high output, 54 watt, T8 lamps and high
efficiency electronic ballasts. This results in a 10% increase
in light levels and a 55% reduction in annual energy use.
Lighting Control Upgrades: Occupant controls can sense the
presence of workers, and turn the lights on at a pre-
determined level, and then turn the lights off after a
programmed time period of no occupancy. Much of the
space in these buildings is intermittently and/or infrequently
occupied. It is recommended to install occupancy sensors in
the existing duplex switch boxes for offices, corridors and
stairwells, and to install ceiling mounted, dual technology
sensors where obstacles may interfere with line-of-sight
sensors, such as in lavatories and vehicle bays. The second
mode in a dual technology occupancy sensor is activated by
sound. This could reduce power consumption by 60-90%.
Exterior Lighting Upgrades: The exterior high pressure
sodium (HPS) lights operate during periods of darkness,
which is about half of the year. It is estimated that the use of
LED exterior lights can reduce the power consumption by
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60-80% and extend bulb replacement frequency to 5-10
years.
Setback Thermostats in vehicle bays and offices. It is
recommended that lockable setback thermostats be installed
and programmed for occupied temperatures of 72 deg F,
and unoccupied temperatures of 55 deg F. This has an
estimated payback of between 2 an 8 years, depending on
the size of the zone.
Headbolt Heater Controls: There are retrofit headbolt heater
receptacles that replace standard duplex receptacles. They
contain an integrated microprocessor and thermometer that
cycles power on and off in response to the outside air
temperature. Energy savings is typically 50%. The (8)
headbolt heaters around the subject buildings utilize duplex
receptacles, and are therefore retrofit-able.
Plumbing fixtures: All toilets and faucets should be retrofitted
or be replaced with fixtures that have proximity sensing
on/off controls. This audit does not include water usage and
AKWarm does not allow for the modeling of this, but a typical
faucet retrofit will result in 30% water savings and will
payback in under 3 years. Installing 2-level flush toilets (.9
gallons per flush for liquids, 1.6 gallons for solids) typically
saves 33% water, and pays back in under 2 years.
Waterless urinals require more routine maintenance, but
save 100% of water used, and typically pay back within 3
years.
De-stratification Fans: In all high bay facilities air
stratification occurs due to the lower density of hot air; there
can be a 5 degree F to as much as 15 degree F difference
between the floor and ceiling air temperatures. De-
stratification fans mix the air and bring higher temperature air
down to where occupants are, and where the thermostat is.
De-stratifying as little as a 5 degree temperature difference
in a warehouse with a 20’ ceiling saves 12% in energy costs
of heating that space. Typical paybacks are less than 6
years. It is recommended that the (2) residential sized de-
strat fans located in the equipment bays be replaced at their
end of life (EOL) with industrial versions. An industrial fan is
estimated to cost approximately $300 more than a
residential version, this incremental cost difference is used in
AKWarm to calculate payback. See Appendix G-3 for more
detail.
HVAC: The oil fired boiler in this building appears to have
been replaced in the last 10-15 years. Some of the hydronic
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piping is un-insulated, and although it is in conditioned
space, it should be insulated – especially so after set-back
thermostats are installed. See Appendix G-4. Nome
Maintenance has retrofitted many unit heaters with control
valves that are actuated in conjunction with the fan, by a
zone thermostat (which is more efficient than letting the unit
heaters “run wild”). It appears (although difficult to discern)
that the circulation pumps supplying the unit heaters are
running 24/7. When the (4) unit heaters are retrofitted, the
thermostat should also be set up with an end-switch that
actuates/de-activates the circulation pump, thereby
eliminating 24/7 operation of the pump(s). See Appendix G-
8.
Domestic Hot Water: It is assumed that there is a second
hot water source (the 30 gallon electric) so the boiler does
not have to run during the summer months to produce hot
water for clothes washing. But the third source, the tank-
less, propane fired heater which supplies the kitchen does
not seem necessary. It has a standing pilot light which
consumes from 12,000-15,000 Btu’s of propane per day,
which, at $7.00/gallon is a $350/yr expense. The electric
water heater should be plumbed to supply the kitchen’s hot
water needs and the propane fired heater removed. See
Appendix G-5.
Exit Signs: Most of the exit signs in the building are un-lit
and do not have power readily available. In some cases it
did not appear that emergency lighting would illuminate them
sufficiently to meet egress requirements. Where there is
ample ambient light (5 ft candles) to utilize a glow-in-the-dark
sign it should be used ($60 ea). Where there is insufficient
ambient light, a self luminous signs should be used
(available with 10 or 20 year battery life, costing from $150-
$200 ea). Where power is already available, the existing lit
signs should be replaced with LED-lit signs which require no
bulb changes for 10 years, and consume 90% less energy
than florescent or incandescent versions. Typical payback
for LED exit signs is less than 6 months. See Appendix G-1
for EEM.
Building Shell: The roof in the Northern 30’ of the building
has 3”-4” of sprayed-in foam insulation. There appears to be
no vapor/fire barrier which is required by International
Building Code section 2603.4. The roof joists are 2x12 and
easily accessible; they should be filled with additional 6” of
fiberglass batting to increase the insulation value from the
current R-17 to R-36. If foil-backed fiberglass batting is
used, the final installation should also bring the roof back
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into code compliance. The payback on this EEM is 3.1
years. See EEM #5 in the Priority list in Appendix B and G-7
in Appendix G.
The overhead doors in the building have recently been
replaced, as have the door openers; all are in excellent
condition. However, prior to door replacement, the truck
dispatcher was able to close the doors through telephony;
after replacement, this capability is no longer enabled – so it
is not unusual for the doors to be left open while the fire
trucks are out on a call. Three doors left open for 2 hours in
-20F weather result in an energy cost of $470. See
Appendix G-6 for EEM details. Either the telephony should
be re-enabled, or simple timers should be installed that close
the doors automatically after 5 minutes.
In addition to EEMs, various Energy Conservation Measures (ECMs) are
recommended since they are policies or procedures that are followed by
management and employees that require no capital outlay. Examples of
recommended ECMs for this facility include:
1. Turning lights off when leaving a room that is not controlled
by an occupancy sensor.
2. All man-doors, roll-up doors and windows should be
properly maintained and adjusted to close and function
properly.
3. Turn off computers, printers, faxes, etc. when leaving the
office.
The 20 priority recommendations in the detailed report estimate to save
$16,154/year, with an installed cost of $21,984. The combined payback
on this investment is 1.4 years. This does not include design or
construction management services,
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2. Audit and Analysis Background
Program Description: This audit included services to identify, develop,
and evaluate energy efficiency measures for the subject building. The
scope of this project included evaluating the building shell, lighting, other
electrical systems, and heating, ventilating, and air conditioning (HVAC)
equipment. Measures were based on their payback period, life cycle
replacement or for reasons pertaining to maintenance, operations and/or
safety.
a. Audit Description and Methodology: Preliminary audit
information was gathered in preparation for the site survey,
including benchmark utility consumption data, floor and lighting
plans, and equipment schedules, where available. A site visit is
then performed to inventory and evaluate the actual building
condition, including:
i. Building envelope (walls, doors, windows, etc)
ii. Heating, ventilating, and air conditioning
iii. Lighting systems and controls
iv. Building specific equipment
v. Plumbing Systems
b. Benchmark Utility Data Validation: Benchmark utility data
provided through AHFC’s initial phase of their REAL program is
validated, confirming that electrical and gas meter numbers on the
subject building match the meters from which the energy
consumption and cost data were collected. If the data is inaccurate
new benchmark data is obtained. In the event that there are
inconsistencies or gaps in the data, the existing data is evaluated
and missing data points are interpolated.
c. Method of Analysis: The information gathered prior to the site visit
and at the site visit is entered into AkWarm-C, an energy modeling
software program developed specifically for Alaska Housing
Finance Corporation (AHFC) to identify forecasted energy
consumption which can then be compared to actual energy
consumption. AkWarm-C also has some pre-programmed EEM
retrofit options that can be analyzed with projected energy savings
based on occupancy schedules, utility rates, building construction
type, building function, existing conditions, and climatic data
uploaded to the program based on the zip code of the building.
When new equipment is proposed, energy consumption is
calculated based on manufacturer’s cataloged information.
Energy cost savings are calculated based on the historical energy
costs for the building. Installation costs include the labor and
equipment required to implement an EEM retrofit, but design and
construction management costs are excluded. Costs are derived
from one or more of the following: Means Cost Data, industry
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publications, experience of the auditor, local contractors and/or
equipment suppliers. Haakensen Electric, Proctor Sales and
Pioneer Door, all in Anchorage were consulted for some of the
lighting, boiler and overhead door (respectively) retrofit costs.
Maintenance savings are calculated, where applicable, and are
added to the energy savings for each EEM.
The costs and savings are considered and a simple payback period
and return on investment (ROI) is calculated. The simple payback
period is based on the number of years that it takes for the savings
to pay back the net installation cost (Net Installation costs divided
by Net Savings.) In cases where the EEM recommends
replacement at EOL, the incremental cost difference between the
standard equipment in place, and the higher efficiency equipment
being recommended is used as the cost basis for payback
calculation. The SIR found in the AKWarm report is the Savings to
Investment Ratio, defined as the breakeven cost divided by the
initial installed cost.
A simple life-time calculation is shown for each EEM. The life-time
for each EEM is estimated based on the typical life of the
equipment being replaced or altered. The energy savings is
extrapolated throughout the life-time of the EEM. The total energy
savings is calculated as the total life-time multiplied by the yearly
savings.
d. Limitations of the Study: All results are dependent on the quality
of input data provided, and may only act as an approximation. In
some instances, several methods may achieve the identified
savings. This report is not intended as a final design document. A
design professional, licensed to practice in Alaska and in the
appropriate discipline, who is following the recommendations, shall
accept full responsibility and liability for the results. Budgetary
estimates for engineering and design of these projects in not
included in the cost estimate for each EEM recommendation, but
these costs can be approximated at 15% of the cost of the work.
3. Acknowledgements: We wish to acknowledge the help of numerous
individuals who have contributed information that was used to prepare this
report, including:
a. Alaska Housing Finance Corporation (Grantor): AHFC provided
the grant funds, contracting agreements, guidelines, and technical
direction for providing the audits. AHFC reviewed and approved
the final short list of buildings to be audited based on the
recommendation of the Technical Service Provider (TSP).
b. The City of Nome (Owner): The City of Nome provided building
sizing information, two years energy billing data, building schedules
and functions, as well as building age.
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c. Central Alaska Engineering Company (Benchmark TSP):
Central Alaska Engineering Company compiled the data received
from the City of Nome and entered that data into the statewide
building database, called the Alaska Retrofit Information System
(ARIS).
d. Richard S. Armstrong, PE, LLC (Audit TSP): This is the TSP
who was awarded the projects in the Arctic Slope Regional
Corporation, Bering Straits area, and the Nana area. The firm
gathered all relevant benchmark information provided to them by
Central Alaska Engineering Company, cataloged which buildings
would have the greatest potential payback, and with the building
owner, prioritized buildings to be audited based on numerous
factors, including the Energy Use Index (EUI), the Energy Cost
Index (ECI), the age of the building, the size of the building, the
location of the building, the function of the building, and the
availability of plans for the building. They also trained their selected
sub-contracted auditors, assigned auditors to the selected
buildings, and performed quality control reviews of the resulting
audits. They prepared a listing of potential EEMs that each auditor
must consider, as well as the potential EEMs that the individual
auditor may notice in the course of his audit. Richard S. Armstrong,
PE, LLC also performed some of the audits to assure current
knowledge of existing conditions.
e. Energy Audits of Alaska (energy auditor): This firm has been
selected to provide audits under this contract. The firm has two
mechanical engineers, certified as energy auditors and/or
professional engineers and has also received additional training
from Richard S. Armstrong, PE, LLC to acquire further specific
information regarding audit requirements and potential EEM
applications.
4. Building Description and Function:
The site visit and survey of subject building occurred on September 7th,
2011. The original fire station, built in 1971 has 2400 square feet on the
first floor, consisting of offices and vehicle storage, and 450 square feet on
a partial second floor, used as a communications room and storage. The
North half of the building, built sometime in the early 1980’s, also with
2400 square feet on the first floor, consists of vehicle storage, a day room
and a kitchen. The 1200 square feet on the second floor consists of
offices. There is an attic used for warm storage. The total square footage
of the building is 6450 square feet.
Both sections of the building are constructed on a concrete slab, poured
over 2” of rigid foam (R-10) on a gravel bed. Walls are 2x6 studs 16” OC
with fiberglass batting (R-19). There is a dropped ceiling in the office/day
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room, the roof is constructed of 2x12 joists. In the old section, there is 7”
of batting in the lower portion of the joist plenum with a 4” air gap under
the roof sheathing (R-22). In the new, north section, there is 3”-4” of
sprayed-in urethane foam on the underside of the roof sheathing (R-12).
Exterior siding is T-111 plywood on all sides except the west (rear) which
is metal. Windows are triple pane vinyl, and appear to have been
retrofitted during or after construction of the north addition.
An inspection of the exterior and interior of the building revealed that the
overall condition of the building exterior is relatively poor, especially on the
West side (rear of building), where there have been numerous cutouts and
patches. The interior of the building is in above average condition, clearly
having been remodeled in the last 10-15 years. Building plans for the old,
south section of the building were available, mechanical and lighting
schedules were not. No plans or schedules were available for the newer
section. Floor plans, dimensions, equipment and lighting schedules
included in this report were compiled from the site survey and from
conversations with on-site personnel.
Benchmark utility data, including fuel oil and electricity were provided by
Central Alaska Engineering Company and the City of Nome utilities
department.
Building details are as follows:
a. Heating System: Heat is supplied by a Burnham 275 MBH oil fired,
cast iron, sectional boiler. Heat is provided by hydronic baseboard
fin tube heaters in perimeter rooms valve-controlled by low voltage
thermostats, and (4) hydronic unit heaters in the vehicle storage
bays fan-controlled by low voltage zone thermostats. Additionally,
there is a 36” electric baseboard heater in the second floor
bathroom in the north section, controlled by a local thermostat.
b. Ventilation: With the exception of ventilation provided to limited
office spaces through (2) retrofitted LifeBreath HRV units, the
building is essentially, un-ventilated. The building is old and there
is significant air infiltration, especially when the overhead doors are
open. There is not an energy savings obtained by adding
ventilation, but if air quality becomes an issue, additional ventilation
should be added for this reason alone.
c. Plumbing Fixtures: There are two lavatories downstairs and one
bathroom upstairs, in total there are (4) toilets, (2) urinals and (3)
sinks. The upstairs bathroom includes a combination
bathtub/shower. All fixtures are manually operated. See Appendix
G-2 for EEM recommendations.
d. Domestic Hot Water: Hot water for lavatories and bathrooms is
generated by an indirect 56 gallon Weil McLain unit; hot water for
the kitchen is generated by a propane-fired, tank-less AquaStar unit
with a standing pilot light, and hot water for the commercial clothes
washer is produced by a 30 gallon American electric hot water
heater.
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e. Appliances: A commercial clothes washer and an air-only dryer
are located in the equipment bay. A second, residential top-loading
clothes washer is located in the second floor office closet, but is
currently unused. A full size refrigerator is located in the second
floor storage area, it is running and empty (see Appendix B, item 1).
There are 5 personal computers in use and a small coffee machine.
f. Kitchen: A small kitchen is located in the north section of the
building. According to on-site personnel, it is used for meal
preparation approximately once or twice per month. The stove/grill
and oven uses propane, as does the previously mentioned, tank-
less hot water heater, which appears to supply the sink (there is no
dishwasher). Propane consumption data was not available, and
since it is used so seldom and so specifically, it is not included in
this report. There is also a commercial refrigerator, an upright
freezer and (2) microwaves in the kitchen.
g. Head Bolt Heaters: There are (8) duplex, head bolt heaters along
the south side of the building. During the site visit, there were
always 4-6 vehicles parked here for significant periods of the day
and overnight, indicating high usage during the winter months.
h. Interior Lighting: The building, with the exception of the
compressor room and the vehicle storage bays, uses T-8 lamps
with electronic ballasts. The vehicle bays use T-12 lamps with
magnetic ballasts. There are a number of incandescent bulbs still
in use in lavatories and in the attic storage. There are no
occupancy sensors in the building.
i. Exterior Lighting: Exterior lighting consists of 100W High
Pressure Sodium (HPS) wall-pack lights on a photocell sensor.
j. Building Shell: The siding on the west side of the building has
been repeatedly patched, and is in poor condition. However, it is
difficult to determine if there are energy savings to be obtained by
replacing the siding and re-insulating the walls, so it is not
recommended to do so at this time. The sprayed-in insulation in
the north section roof joists is not per International Building Code
(2603.4) since it does not have a vapor barrier or sufficient fire
resistance. This should be rectified immediately, see Appendix G-7.
5. Historic Energy Consumption: Energy consumption is modeled within
the AkWarm-C program. The program analyzes (12) months of data.
Because only (2) data points (2 years) of annual utility benchmark data
was provided, this data was graphed into a reasonable seasonal curves to
create two years of (12) monthly data points, which were then averaged
and input into AKWarm-C.
Energy consumption was analyzed using two factors: the Energy Cost
Index (ECI) and the Energy Use Index (EUI). The energy cost index takes
the average cost of gas and electrical energy over the surveyed period of
time (typically 2 years) and averages the cost, divided by the square
footage of the building. The ECI for this building is $3.63/SF, the average
ECI for (4) similar buildings benchmarked in Nome is $4.38/SF.
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The energy use index (EUI) is the total average electrical and heating
energy consumption per year expressed in thousands of BTUs/SF. The
average of the 2009 and 2010 EUI for this building is 111 kBTU/SF; the
average EUI for (4) similar buildings benchmarked in Nome is 124
kBTU/SF.
6. Interactive Effects of Projects: The AkWarm-C program calculates
savings assuming that all recommended EEM are implemented. If some
EEMs are not implemented, savings for the remaining EEMs will be
affected, in some cases positively, and in others, negatively. For example,
if the fan motors are not replaced with premium efficiency motors, then the
savings for the project to install variable speed drives (VFDs) on the fans
will be increased.
In general, all projects were evaluated sequentially so that energy savings
associated with one EEM would not be attributed to another EEM as well.
For example, the night setback EEM was analyzed using the fan and
heating load profile that will be achieved after installation of the VFD
project is completed. By modeling the recommended projects
sequentially, the analysis accounts for interactive effects between the
EEMs and does not “double count” savings.
Interior lighting, plug loads, facility equipment, and occupants generate
heat within the building. When the building is in cooling mode, these
contribute to the overall cooling demands of the building; therefore lighting
efficiency improvements will reduce cooling requirements on air
conditioned buildings. Conversely, lighting efficiency improvements are
anticipated to increase heating requirements slightly. Heating penalties
are included in the lighting project analysis that is performed by AkWarm.
7. Loan Program: The Alaska Housing Finance Corporation (AHFC) Alaska
Energy Efficiency Revolving Loan Fund (AEERLF) is a State of Alaska
program enacted by the Alaska Sustainable Energy Act (senate Bill 220,
A.S. 18.56.855, “Energy Efficiency Revolving Loan Fund). The AEERLF
will provide loans for energy efficiency retrofits to public facilities via the
Retrofit Energy Assessment for Loan System (REAL). As defined in 15
AAC 155.605, the program may finance energy efficiency improvements
to buildings owned by:
a. Regional educational attendance areas;
b. Municipal governments, including political subdivisions of municipal
governments;
c. The University of Alaska;
d. Political subdivisions of the State of Alaska, or
e. The State of Alaska
Native corporations, tribal entities, and subsidiaries of the federal
government are not eligible for loans under this program.
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Appendix A
Photos
West (rear) side of building; note poor condition of siding
17
Electrical drops powering internal brake compressor and trickle feed
battery charger
Kitchen
18
Day room
Second floor offices, north section; retrofitted HRV shown on
right, attic staircase on left
19
Aerial View of downtown center of Nome and the (4) buildings audited
Fire Station
(subject building) Recreation Center
Public Works Building
City Hall and Senior Center
NORTH
Appendix B
Energy Audit – Energy Analysis and Cost Comparison
AkWarm Commercial Audit Software
Nome Volunteer Fire Station
Page 1
ENERGY AUDIT REPORT – PROJECT SUMMARY – Created 10/8/2011 12:46 PM
General Project Information
PROJECT INFORMATION AUDITOR INFORMATION
Building: Nome Volunteer Fire Station Auditor Company: Energy Audits of Alaska
Address: 500 Bering St Auditor Name: James Fowler
City: Nome Auditor Address: P.O. Box 220215
Anchorage, AK 99522 Client Name: Alan Maxwell
Client Address: 102 Division St
Nome AK 99762
Auditor Phone: (206) 954‐3614
Auditor FAX:
Client Phone: (907) 304‐1535 Auditor Comment:
Client FAX:
Design Data
Building Area: 6,450 square feet Design Heating Load: Design Loss at Space: 159,118 Btu/hour
with Distribution Losses: 176,798 Btu/hour
Plant Input Rating assuming 82.0% Plant Efficiency and 25%
Safety Margin: 269,510 Btu/hour
Note: Additional Capacity should be added for DHW load, if
served.
Typical Occupancy: 6 people Design Indoor Temperature: 72 deg F (building average)
Actual City: Nome Design Outdoor Temperature: ‐27 deg F
Weather/Fuel City: Nome Heating Degree Days: 14,371 deg F‐days
Utility Information
Electric Utility: Nome Joint Utilities Systems ‐
Commercial ‐ Lg
Natural Gas Provider: None
Average Annual Cost/kWh: $0.357/kWh Average Annual Cost/ccf: $0.000/ccf
Annual Energy Cost Estimate
Description Space
Heating
Space
Cooling
Water
Heating Lighting Other
Electrical Cooking Clothes
Drying
Ventilation
Fans
Service
Fees
Total
Cost
Existing
Building
$21,024 $0 $279 $6,611 $6,414 $0 $0 $663 $36 $35,027
With
Proposed
Retrofits
$10,069 $0 $279 $2,975 $4,851 $0 $0 $663 $36 $18,873
SAVINGS $10,955 $0 $0 $3,636 $1,563 $0 $0 $0 $0 $16,154
Appendix B
Energy Audit – Energy Analysis and Cost Comparison
AkWarm Commercial Audit Software
Nome Volunteer Fire Station
Page 2
$0
$10,000
$20,000
$30,000
$40,000
Existing Retrofit
Service Fees
Ventilation and Fans
Space Heating
Refrigeration
Other Electrical
Lighting
Domestic Hot Water
Annual Energy Costs by End Use
Appendix B
Energy Audit – Energy Analysis and Cost Comparison
AkWarm Commercial Audit Software
Nome Volunteer Fire Station
Page 3
PRIORITY LIST – RECOMMENDED ENERGY EFFICIENCY MEASURES
Rank Feature Recommendation Annual Energy
Savings
Installed
Cost
SIR Payback
(Years)
1 Refrigeration:
Residential‐type
Refrigerator
Unplug this empty
refrigerator
$78 $1 461.72 0
2 Setback Thermostat:
Equipment Bays
Implement a Heating
Temperature Unoccupied
Setback to 55.0 deg F for
the Equipment Bays space.
$2,935 $400 110.11 0.1
3 Setback Thermostat:
Day room and
kitchen
Implement a Heating
Temperature Unoccupied
Setback to 55.0 deg F for
the Day room and kitchen
space.
$1,057 $600 26.43 0.6
4 Setback Thermostat:
Offices
Implement a Heating
Temperature Unoccupied
Setback to 55.0 deg F for
the Offices space.
$1,735 $1,200 21.70 0.7
5 Other Electrical:
Duplex Head Bolt
Heaters
Remove Manual Switching
and Add new Clock Timer
or Other Scheduling
Control
$1,041 $750 8.28 0.7
6
see
appe
ndix
G‐7
Cathedral Ceiling:
North Section
Add R‐19 foil‐backed
fiberglass batt insulation in
2x12 cavity to achieve R‐36
$1,104 $3,826 7.77 3.5
7 Lighting: Exterior
HPS Lighting
Replace with 6 LED 25W
Module StdElectronic
$890 $2,400 2.21 2.7
8 Lighting: Interior
lighting ‐ offices
Remove Manual Switching
and Add new Occupancy
Sensor; at next re‐lamp
replace lamps with 25
FLUOR (4) T8 4' F32T8 28W
Energy‐Saver
$360 $1,428 1.52 4
9 Lighting: Interior
lighting ‐ Lavatories,
stairwells
Remove Manual Switching
and Add new Occupancy
Sensor
$93 $450 1.24 4.9
10 Lighting: Interior
lighting ‐ corridors,
storage, stairwells
(infrequently used)
Remove Manual Switching
and Add new Occupancy
Sensor; at next re‐lamp
replace lamps with 25
FLUOR (4) T8 4' F32T8 28W
Energy‐Saver
$208 $1,050 1.21 5.1
Appendix B
Energy Audit – Energy Analysis and Cost Comparison
AkWarm Commercial Audit Software
Nome Volunteer Fire Station
Page 4
PRIORITY LIST – RECOMMENDED ENERGY EFFICIENCY MEASURES
Rank Feature Recommendation Annual Energy
Savings
Installed
Cost
SIR Payback
(Years)
11 Lighting: Interior
High Bay
Replace with 24 FLUOR (2)
T8 8' F96T8 54W Energy‐
Saver HighLight
StdElectronic and Remove
Manual Switching and Add
new Occupancy Sensor
$665 $3,900 1.02 5.9
12 Lighting: Interior
lighting ‐ offices,
corridors
Remove Manual Switching
and Add new Occupancy
Sensor,;at next re‐lamp
replace lamps with 25
FLUOR (2) T8 4' F32T8 28W
Energy‐Saver
$93 $804 0.69 8.6
13 Lighting: Lavatories,
stairwells
Replace with 7 FLUOR CFL,
A Lamp 15W and Remove
Manual Switching and Add
new Occupancy Sensor
$85 $825 0.61 9.7
14 Lighting: Interior
High Bay
Replace with 3 FLUOR (2)
T8 4' F32T8 28W Energy‐
Saver Instant
HighEfficElectronic and
Remove Manual Switching
and Add new Occupancy
Sensor
$76 $900 0.50 11.9
Appe
ndix
G‐1
Exit Signs Replace un‐lit Exit signs
with either glow‐in‐the‐
dark or self luminous LED‐
lit signs for safety reasons
negative $60 ea for
glow‐in‐
the‐dark;
$200 ea
for self
luminous
n/a n/a
Appe
ndix
G‐2
Plumbing Fixtures:
(3) W.C., (3)
lavatories, (3) urinal
Replace all fixtures with
low flow versions with
proximity sensing on/off
valves
Appe
ndix
G‐3
De‐stratification
Fans
At EOL, replace existing
fans with industrial version
$226 $600 2.6
Appe
ndix
G‐4
Heating pipe
insulation
Insulate all heating pipes
Appe
ndix
G‐5
Tankless propane
fired water heater
Remove and re‐plumb to
utilize electric heater 20’
away
$350 $350 1
Appendix B
Energy Audit – Energy Analysis and Cost Comparison
AkWarm Commercial Audit Software
Nome Volunteer Fire Station
Page 5
PRIORITY LIST – RECOMMENDED ENERGY EFFICIENCY MEASURES
Rank Feature Recommendation Annual Energy
Savings
Installed
Cost
SIR Payback
(Years)
Appe
ndix
G‐6
Overhead door close
timers
Either add a timer so doors
close automatically 5
minutes after opening, or
re‐enable dispatcher
controlled door‐closers
$5160 $500 per
door =
$2500
.5
TOTAL $16,154 $21,984 1.4
25
Appendix C – Mechanical Equipment Schedules
ALL SCHEDULES COMPILED FROM ON‐SITE NAMEPLATE OBSERVATION ‐WHERE
ACCESSIBLE
AIR HANDLER SCHEDULE
SYMBOL MFGR/MODEL
FAN
CFM
MOTOR DATA
HP/VOLTS/PH REMARKS
HRV‐1 LifeBreath 200MAX 223 1.4A/115/1
South section, upstairs ‐ ventilates downst
offices ‐ always on
HRV‐2 LifeBreath 155MAX 137 1.4A/115/1 ventilates 2nd floor offices, North section
DE‐STRATIFICATION FAN SCHEDULE
SYMBOL MOTOR MFGR/MODEL CFM
MOTOR DATA
HP/VOLTS/PH REMARKS
DF‐1 unknown ‐ 60W/115/1 in South equipment bay
DF‐2 unknown ‐ 60W/115/1 in Center bay
DF‐3 unknown ‐ 60W/115/1 in Center bay
EXHAUST FAN SCHEDULE
SYMBOL MOTOR MFGR/MODEL CFM
MOTOR DATA
HP/VOLTS/PH REMARKS
EF‐1 unknown 85 60W/115/1 toilet room exhaust fan
EF‐2 unknown 85 60W/115/1 through the wall, exhausting compressor room
EF‐3 unknown 85 60W/115/1 through the wall, exhausting day room
EF‐4 unknown 85 60W/115/1 through the wall, exhausting day room
EF‐5 Kenmore 100 75W/115/1 Kitchen stove top exhaust fan
EF‐6 Kenmore 100 75W/115/1 Kitchen stove top exhaust fan
EF‐7 unknown 85 60W/115/1 through the wall, kitchen
EF‐8 unknown 85 60W/115/1 toilet room exhaust fan
PUMP SCHEDULE
SYMBOL MFGR/MODEL GPM
MOTOR DATA
HP/VOLTS/PH REMARKS
CP‐1 Grundfos UP 15‐42R 5 .74A/115/1 water supply re‐circulation pump
CP‐2 Grundos 8635 20 .08/115/1 truck room
CP‐3 Grundfos UPS 12‐42F 5 .04/115/1
CP‐4 Grundfos UP 26‐64‐P 10 .08/115/1
CP‐5 Grundfos UP 26‐92 F 10 .08/115/1
CP‐6 TACO 10 .08/115/1 boiler re‐circ pump
CP‐7 Grundfos UP 26‐64F 10 .08/115/1 Fire Chief office
26
BOILER SCHEDULE
SYMBOL MFGR/MODEL
MOTOR DATA
HP/VOLTS/PH REMARKS
B‐1
Burnham PV88WC‐
GBWN2S .14/115/1
275 MBH input, net IBR 239 MBH output, 86%
efficient, cast iron sectional
UNIT HEATER SCHEDULE
SYMBOL MFGR/MODEL CFM
MOTOR DATA
HP/VOLTS/PH REMARKS
UH‐1
Trane UHSA126S8AAAF
Hydronic 815 .1/115/1
running wild, zone t‐stat controls fan, South
bay
UH‐2
Trane UHSA126S8AAAF
Hydronic 815 .1/115/1
running wild, zone t‐stat controls fan, South
bay
UH‐3
Trane UHSA126S8AAAF
Hydronic 815 .1/115/1
running wild, zone t‐stat controls fan ‐ Center
bay
UH‐4
Trane UHSA126S8AAAF
Hydronic 815 .1/115/1
running wild, zone t‐stat controls fan ‐ Center
bay
HOT WATER GENERATOR SCHEDULE
SYMBOL MFGR/MODEL GALLONS REMARKS
HW‐1 AquaStar 125VP
113 gph
recovery
Instantaneous, LP fired, tankless water heater ‐
supplies kitchen
HW‐2 American E52‐30H‐0450 30
(2) 3375W
elements provides hot water for clothes washer
HW‐3
Weil McLain PLUS80
Series 3 56
Indirect hot water generator ‐ supplies
showers, sinks
PLUMBING FIXTURES ‐ ALL PW
SYMBOL FIXTURE GPF REMARKS
P‐1 W.C. 3 manually operated
P‐2 W.C. 3 manually operated
P‐3 W.C. 3 manually operated
P‐4 Urinal 1.5 manually operated
P‐5 Urinal 1.5 manually operated
P‐6 Urinal 1.5 manually operated
P‐7 Lavatory ‐ manually operated
P‐8 Lavatory ‐ manually operated
P‐9 Bathtub/Shower ‐ manually operated
P‐10 Lavatory ‐ manually operated
P‐11
Commercial Clothes
Washer ‐ Commercial/industrial grade
RADIATION SCHEDULE
SYMBOL MFGR/MODEL
LENGTH
(ft)
WATTS PER
FOOT
EFT‐1 unknown 3 250 Located in 2nd floor bathroom, North section
27 Appendix C – Lighting Schedule LIGHTING FIXTURES SYMBOL FIXTURE DESCRIPTION MOUNTING LAMPS TYPE HEIGHT NUMBER WATTS A Surface Mount bare bulb, 96" Florescent, T12‐2 lamps, magnetic ballast surface high bay 2 75 B Surface Mount Incandescent surface ceiling 1 40 C Surface Mount Compact Florescent surface ceiling 1 15 D Surface Mount Troffer, 24"x48"Florescent, T8 lamps, electronic ballast surface ceiling 4 32 E Surface Mount wrap, 16"x48" Florescent, T8 lamps, electronic ballast surface ceiling 4 32 F Surface Mount wrap, 12"x48" Florescent, T8 lamps, electronic ballast surface ceiling 2 32 G Wall Pack HPS ‐ Exterior, magnetic ballast surface 16' 1 100 H Recess Troffer, 24"x48" Florescent, T8 lamps, electronic ballast recess ceiling 4 32 J Surface Mount bare bulb, 48" Florescent, T12 lamps, magnetic ballast surface high bay 2 75
28 Appendix D Building First Floor Plan
29 Appendix D Building Second Floor Plan
30 Appendix E Lighting Plan – first floor
31 Appendix E Lighting Plan - second floor
32 Appendix F – Mechanical Schematics
33
Appendix G
Additional, Building-Specific EEM details
G-1: Exit Signs: Many of the exit signs in the building are un-lit and do not have
power readily available. In some cases it did not appear that emergency lighting
would illuminate them sufficiently to meet egress requirements. Where there is
ample ambient light (5 ft candles) to utilize a glow-in-the-dark sign it should be
used ($60 ea). Where there is insufficient ambient light, a self luminous signs
should be used (available in 10 year and 20 year versions, from $150-$200 ea).
Where power is already available, the existing lit signs should be replaced with
LED-lit signs which require no bulb changes for 10 years, and consume 10% of
the energy. Typical payback for LED exit signs is less than 6 months.
G-2: Plumbing fixtures: All toilets and faucets should be retrofitted or be
replaced with fixtures that have proximity sensing on/off controls. This audit
does not include water usage and AKWarm does not allow for the modeling of
this, but a typical faucet retrofit will result in 30% water savings and will payback
in under 3 years. Installing 2-level flush toilets (.9 gallons per flush for liquids,
1.6 gallons for solids) typically saves 33% water, and pays back in under 2
years. Waterless urinals require more routine maintenance, but save 100% of
water used, and typically pay back within 3 years.
G-3: At end of life (EOL) of installed de-stratification fans in vehicle bays,
replace with more effective industrial versions: De-strat fans typically save
from 12%-23% in high-ceiling space-heating costs, depending on the
temperature difference at the ceiling and at floor level, and the ceiling height.
For a 5 degree F temperature difference between the floor and 18 foot ceiling
(most high ceiling spaces have a larger temperature difference), a 12% savings
in energy cost for that space should be realized. It is recommended that at their
EOL, the (2) units now installed be replaced with industrial grade units.
Estimated cost for (2) fans is $1400; estimated difference between the existing
fans and industrial grade versions is $300 ea. In this audit the heating costs for
the high bay areas are not available apart from the overall building costs, but
high bay areas make up 30% of the total area of these buildings. So a
reasonable estimation of annual savings using de-strat fans, based on
proportional square footage is 12% of 30% of the total of $20,976 space heating
energy costs, this equals $755/yr. Replacement with industrial grade fans is
estimated to be 30% more effective, this translates to $226/yr in additional
savings. Payback on the $600 incremental difference for industrial grade fans is
2.6 years.
34
G-4: Install pipe insulation: Even in conditioned spaces, heat delivery pipes should
be insulated. This becomes more important after set-back thermostats are installed,
as reduction in room temperatures create additional load on the boiler when piping is
un-insulated.
35
G-5: Remove propane fired tank-less water heater: Re-plumb electric heater (20’
away) to supply kitchen hot water needs. Savings from elimination of standing pilot
light is 12,000-15,000 Btus/day, approximately $350/yr. Payback is 1 year for re-
plumbing.
Standing pilot light
G-6: Re-enable telephony controlled overhead door closing by dispatcher, or
add door close timers
Rough calculations show that on a fire call, with 3 doors open, a -20F outside
temperature and 70F inside temperature, it costs $3.60 in heating eneryg costs for for
every minute the doors are left open. The fire chief indicated that it is not unusual in
an emergency call, for the doors to be left open for 2 hours at a time, a couple times
per month. A 2 hour door opening in the winter results in $430 of energy costs; if this
happens 12x per year = $5160 in energy costs.
36
G-7: Add insulation to North section roof: The 3”-4” of sprayed-in insulation
provides R-17. It is a building code violation to omit a vapor/fire barrier on the
underside of this foam (IBC 2603.4). An additional 6” fiberglass batting should be
installed to fill the 2x12 cavity and provide R-36 insulation. If foil backed batting is
used, it should also bring the roof back into code compliance. Cost estimate is $3826,
annual savings $1189, payback is 3.2 years. This EEM is included in Appendix B,
AKWarm analysis, item 5.
G-8: Thermostat, unit heater valves
and circulation pumps: Many
municipal buildings in Nome have been
retrofitted with a valve which is
actuated by the zone thermostat in
conjunction with the unit heater fan, to
open or close glycol circulation to the
heater (this alleviates the heater
“running wild”, when no zone heat is
called for). It is difficult to discern
(photo at right) whether the circulation
pumps are running 24/7, or are
controlled by zone thermostats. When
the unit heaters are retrofitted, they
should be wired such that the
thermostat actuates an end-switch
which turns the circulation pump on/off,
thereby eliminating continuous
operation.