CO Monitoring Systems for Your Underground Garage

Presently, exhaust fans in the underground garage of your building should be running 24 hours a day, seven days a week if you do not have a Carbon Monoxide Monitoring System installed. Contrary to popular belief, it is a violation of the building code for exhaust fans to be cycled or shut down at any time during the course of a day unless there is a CO Monitoring System in place. Section 6 of the Ontario Building Code states that an enclosed storage garage should have a) a mechanical ventilation system to limit the concentration of carbon monoxide to not more than 100 parts per million of air or b) provide, during operating hours, a continuous supply of outdoor air at a rate not less than 3.9L/s for each square metre of the floor area.

If your fans are running 24 hours a day for seven days a week it is possible that the implementation of a CO Monitoring system could generate savings for the corporation. In this case paybacks are generally between 2 to 4 years. The incentive is double that of lighting retrofits - CO Monitoring systems garners an incentive of $0.10kWh. To book a garage assessment, please contact the sales department at Provident Energy at 416-736-0630, extension 5.

What incentive rebates are available for common area retrofit projects?

(Excerpt from Condo Business Magazine Online (part of the REMI network). Click here for the full article.)
 

There are several electrical and natural gas incentives available for energy-saving retrofits. Some of these incentives can provide a condominium with a rebate of up to 50 per cent of the project costs.

If a condominium is interested in electrical savings, the saveONenergy programs are offered through local utilities and are funded through the Ontario Power Authority (OPA). A wide variety of retrofits qualify under saveONenergy, including lighting, carbon dioxide monitoring systems, controls, building envelope, variable frequency drives and building automation systems.

There are three different streams for the saveONenergy retrofits. The prescriptive option allows a condominium to simply select from a list of measures that come with a matching per-unit incentive. Through the engineering and custom tracks, lighting retrofits are generally eligible for $0.05 per kilowatt-hour saved and non-lighting retrofits are eligible for $0.10 per kilowatt-hour saved.

If a condominium is interested in natural gas savings, Enbridge offers incentive rebates for retrofits such as variable frequency drives or building automation systems. Upon the successful implementation of an eligible project, customers may receive an incentive payment based on a rate of $0.10 cubic metres of natural gas saved.

The incentive application process for saveONenergy and Enbridge are similar: the retrofit project must be approved prior to implementation. A condominium’s application and specifications will be reviewed by an incentive program technical advisor to ensure the retrofit meets the program requirements. Once the retrofit project is complete, additional documents and site visits are required.

Understanding all the fine print of the incentive programs can be confusing but most energy efficiency contractors will assist with the incentive application process as part of their scope of work. Make sure to ask the contractor to estimate the anticipated incentive and clarify who is responsible for the applications. Although incentives have been available for years, it is surprising how many condominiums are still not taking advantage of them.

Provident Energy is Toronto Hydro's featured ARI

We were recently featured by Toronto Hydro for our Applicant Representative experience and success as we have helped many clients with incentives for energy saving retrofits.

Toronto Hydro works with contractors and dealers to help you apply for the RETROFIT PROGRAM.

• We have trained Applicant Representatives (AR) who will work with you and take care of your application. They have the experience to make it easier for you!
• The incentives can be significant, so the application process is detailed. Depending on your project, different levels of incentives are available.

For more information on the Toronto Hydro Applicant Representative program, please visit their website.

Free Energy Assessments

If your building is interested in energy efficiency retrofits, Provident Energy offers free energy assessments. The first step would be a site visit where Provident Energy will examine all common areas to indentify potential energy saving retrofits (lighting, mechanical equipment, etc). We will then send you a report which will outline the cost of the various retrofits (as installed by Provident Energy), the estimated energy savings, and the estimated incentive. This energy assessment and proposal is free. Please also note that all quotations are complete turn-key solutions: supply, installation, recycling, incentive applications, and project management by Provident Energy.

Some of our retrofit options include:

• Building Automation Systems (BAS)/ Energy Management Systems (EMS) with 24-hour a day Energy Management System Monitoring
• Variable Frequency Drive Installations on make-up air units, pumps, and cooling towers
• Lighting Retrofits (corridors, garages, stairwells, etc)
• Lighting Controls/Occupancy Sensors in Common Areas
• CO Monitoring for Underground Garages
• Individual Sub-metering Utility Systems (electrical, thermal, water)

 

If you are interested in this free energy assessment, please contact the retrofit sales department at info (at) pemi.com or 416-736-0630, ext 5 to arrange for a site visit.

Prime Time for Cooling Retrofits

With the impending cooler weather creeping upon us day-by-day, condominiums are prepping for changeover to heating. This is a prime time to consider the retrofit of the existing cooling tower to be controlled via Variable Frequency Drives (VFDs). After change-over has occurred, the cooling tower sits idle for several months until mid-spring, when changeover back to cooling takes place.

During this time VFDs, can be intertwined with the cooling tower without any effects on residents due to the cooling tower being dormant. A cooling tower operates off, low, or high to maintain the proper condenser water temperature. The fan motor is sized for the maximum load. A variable frequency drive can instead be used to exactly match the condenser load, saving energy in the process.

For more information or to arrange a free assessment to determine potential energy savings, please contact the sales department at Provident Energy at 416-736-0630, extension 5 or visit our website www.pemi.com

Free Energy Assessments

If your building is interested in energy efficiency retrofits, Provident Energy offers free energy assessments. The first step would be a site visit where Provident Energy will examine all common areas to indentify potential energy saving retrofits (lighting, mechanical equipment, etc). We will then send you a report which will outline the cost of the various retrofits (as installed by Provident Energy), the estimated energy savings, and the estimated incentive. This energy assessment and proposal is free. Please also note that all quotations are complete turn-key solutions: supply, installation, recycling, incentive applications, and project management by Provident Energy.

Some of our retrofit options include:

• Building Automation Systems (BAS)/ Energy Management Systems (EMS) with 24-hour a day Energy Management System Monitoring
• Variable Frequency Drive Installations on make-up air units, pumps, and cooling towers
• Lighting Retrofits (corridors, garages, stairwells, etc)
• Lighting Controls/Occupancy Sensors in Common Areas
• CO Monitoring for Underground Garages
• Individual Sub-metering Utility Systems (electrical, thermal, water)

If you are interested in this free energy assessment, please contact the retrofit sales department at info (at) pemi.com or 416-736-0630, ext 5 to arrange for a site visit.

Natural Gas Incentive Programs

If your condominium corporation is interested in Variable Frequency Drives and Energy Management Systems – now is the perfect time to proceed. Enbridge is offering double the natural gas incentive amount for VFD retrofits for a limited time.

A couple of items to note:

• the promotion is limited to the first 200 applicants
• the program will run from June 4, 2012 to September 28, 2012
• upon successful implementation of an eligible project, customers may receive an incentive payment based on a rate of $0.20 per cubic meter (m3) of natural gas saved
• the maximum incentive amount is capped at 50% of the project cost

If you have any questions or would like an updated quote on Variable Frequency Drives and Energy Management Systems, please contact the sales department at Provident Energy at 416-736-0630, extension 5 or email them at info@pemi.com

Energy Conservation Through Building Automation Systems

(excerpt from Condo Business Magazine's Green Issue, April 2012)

With a growing demand for energy conservation and a reduction in operating costs, condominiums are always searching for energy saving methods. Energy efficiency in high-rise multi-residential buildings can be achieved through a variety of retrofits including lighting, variable frequency drives, carbon monoxide monitoring systems, and occupancy sensors. However, one method that is often overlooked is the use of an Energy Management System (EMS) or Building Automation System (BAS) – these are systems that can improve energy efficiency within the building’s mechanical plant.

What is a building automation system?

A mechanical plant is a complex system of boilers, chillers, pumps, valves, and fans that provides heating, cooling, ventilation, and water throughout the building. When the building systems are functioning properly, residents won’t notice them, but when they're not, they can cause a lot of complaints – just imagine the last time there was no hot water in the building.

A building automation system allows for control and integration of the building plant. By scheduling, adjusting, and monitoring the major mechanical plant equipment, the system will become more efficient, reduce energy consumption, and reduce operating costs all without sacrificing resident comfort. The mechanical systems are generally set to meet the highest demand expected for a given season and not necessarily the actual demand at a given time. Essentially, the different elements of mechanical equipment are designed to run at full speed and power at all times which can result in wasted energy consumption. Although most building automation systems are designed primarily for HVAC (heating, ventilation, air condition) control, many systems can also incorporate additional functions, such as lighting control, computerized maintenance scheduling, life-safety functions, and security access control.

The biggest benefit of a building automation system is energy savings. Most engineering sources estimate that the total energy savings to between 5-15% of the building’s annual energy consumption. This means thousands of dollars in annual savings.

To read the complete article, please visit our website or the Condo Business website.

Make Up Air Units and Variable Frequency Drives

Corridor Fresh Air Units or Make-Up Air Units (MUA) are found in virtually all High Rise Multi-Residential Buildings. Older buildings, including rental properties, often have these units with no heating or air conditioning of the air introduced into the building. In newer buildings and in virtually all condominiums, these units do provide heating and cooling of the fresh air.

The purpose of the MUA units is threefold. First, the units slightly pressurize the building in order to prevent infiltration of outdoor air through the building envelope. Second, the units provide, as the name implies, ‘make up air’, to replace air that has been exhausted from the building by in suite exhaust fans. The third purpose is to provide for ‘air changes’, or fresh air for comfort and respiration.

The Canadian Mortgage and Housing Corporation (CMHC) have done numerous studies on make up air units, and have found some very interesting results. One of the things that were found was that this air often leaks through the building envelope in unintended ways.Air can leak through door openings, envelope penetrations, elevator shafts, stairwells, and other places where the air can find its way directly to the outside. The result is that Fresh Air Units can be tremendous energy ‘wasters’. When fans are sized during the construction phase, they are often sized using the assumption that a certain number of exhaust fans will be running at the same time. This is referred to as the diversity factor. Clearly, at night and at other off-peak times, the actual use of exhaust fans will be well below the diversity factor used to size the fans.

One excellent solution is the use of Variable Frequency Drives (VFD). The fan can be operated on a time of day schedule, speeding up and slowing down as needed. Variable Frequency Drives today are much more reliable than they have been in the past and their increased use has driven installation costs down. Provident Energy has supplied and installed hundreds of VFDs and we highly recommend their use in a wide range of applications.

For more information regarding VFD applications for your building or to arrange a free energy assessment, please contact the sales department at Provident Energy at 416-736-0630, extension 5.

Free Energy Assessments

Existing buildings can benefit from energy efficiency retrofits. Provident Energy offers a FREE energy assessment to get you started on the road to energy savings. Instead of a costly and time-consuming engineering study, our technical sales team will come and analyze your building. They will provide you with initial recommendations on various energy saving measures and a cost effective way to implement these measures. At your request, we can either analyze a specific area (the pool, the garage, etc), or provide you with an in-depth proposal for the entire building.

The proposal will outline the installation costs, energy savings, payback period, and the estimated incentive rebate. Some of the turn-key retrofits we offer are: energy management systems and monitoring services, lighting, CO monitoring systems, utility sub-metering, and variable frequency drives.

For more information or to arrange a free energy assessment, please contact the sales department at Provident Energy at 416-736-0630, extension 5 or visit our website www.pemi.com

Free Energy Assessments

If your building is interested in energy efficiency retrofits, Provident Energy offers free energy assessments. The first step would be a site visit where Provident Energy will examine all common areas to indentify potential energy saving retrofits (lighting, mechanical equipment, etc). We will then send you a report which will outline the cost of the various retrofits (as installed by Provident Energy), the estimated energy savings, and the estimated incentive. This energy assessment and proposal is free. Please also note that all quotations are complete turn-key solutions: supply, installation, recycling, incentive applications, and project management by Provident Energy.

Some of our retrofit options include:

• Building Automation Systems (BAS)/ Energy Management Systems (EMS) with 24-hour a day Energy Management System Monitoring
• Variable Frequency Drive Installations on make-up air units, pumps, and cooling towers
• Lighting Retrofits (corridors, garages, stairwells, etc)    
• Lighting Controls/Occupancy Sensors in Common Areas                                
• CO Monitoring for Underground Garages
• Individual Sub-metering Utility Systems (electrical, thermal, water)         

If you are interested in this free energy assessment, please contact the retrofit sales department at info@pemi.com or 416-736-0630, ext 5 to arrange for a site visit.

Small Metering Projects

Many condominiums have recreational facilities and commercial units as part of their common areas. If these areas are not separately metered, the electrical consumption is based on estimates, not on the actual usage of the facility or units.

Provident Energy can install a small metering system (either electrical, natural gas, thermal, or water) into your recreational facility or commercial units. This type of metering system is also available to condominiums that currently do not have individual suite sub-metering. The cost will depend on the number of units and the number of loads required to be metered. For example, if there are 5 commercial units and each unit has 4 electrical loads to meter (in-floor heating, exterior wall heaters, heating/AC units, and suite power), then the entire project would require 20 meters.

The data will be available online for property managers and accountants to read and bill. The invoices will be issued by property management. Provident Energy will simply host the data over the internet, along with providing maintenance services to the meters as required.

For more information on these small metering projects, please contact the sales department at Provident Energy at 416-736-0630, extension 5.

Warden Hilltop Community Centre

Provident Energy was the LEED/sustainable design consultant for the new City of Toronto Ward 35: Warden Hilltop Community Centre. We were on hand at the grand opening to provide area residents with information on the centre’s various green features. The LEED target community centre has geothermal heating, water efficiency technology, solar panels, daylight harvesting, and a green roof.

Project: Warden Hilltop Community Centre

Description: 24,000 sq ft community centre, LEED Target

Client: CS&P Architects, City of Toronto

Services Provided: LEED Project Management, Energy Modelling, Measurement & Verification

More information can be found on the City of Toronto website.