What sets a company apart, what makes someone choose A over B? Is it Price? Is it calling ahead to schedule the service or is it being able to show up with no advanced notice? Is it experience? Is it nursing things along or fixing anything that looks, sounds or smells like it could be a problem? Is it showing up with donuts and coffee or is it coming off the roof dirty from head to toe?
I like to say the truth is always somewhere in-between. Not the cheapest or the most expensive, but the best value. Asking the customer what will make the service the least disruptive and listening to them when they answer. The way you communicate to put a customer at ease so they feel confident you can get the job done. Sometimes that’s keeping it going and sometimes that's complete replacement. The only way to know what the customer needs is to take time to talk to them, which is just as important as what goes on in the mechanical room.
Last summer I posted a blog thanking our service technicians for the effort they made to take care of our customers. There is no in-between statement there. We did or we did not. Judging from the number of new and renewed contracts I would say we did. Year after year we maintain the same customer base and it also expands. The base is maintained because of the effort of those same technicians servicing the accounts. It expands because of the reputation of those technicians, both service and installation. They lead the apprentices and new to the company technicians by example.
I’m so proud of the people that work for ModernControls I’d love to say I trained them all. But the truth is all I did was hire them and give them the space to be their own person. As for the ones that have been there longer than me I respect them for giving me that space. Our control and mechanical installation technicians are the ones with the most years at ModernControls. I can’t tell you how many times a week part of my interaction with a customer involves questions about an installer. How’s their family, did their son get into that school, do they still have that Mustang? The relationship is strong because the job was done right, not just because they were a nice guy. ModernControls sold a job well done and the technician delivered a job well done. That includes the technician getting to know the customer so he can meet his expectations.
What set ModernControls apart is an owner that recognizes the efforts of the people around him, because he is right there with them. The technicians in turn treat the customers and each other well. It is great company to work for and a great company to work with. On behalf of all the office and sales staff I’d like to thank all the technicians’ both service and installation for their tireless effort. As we head into the summer I want everyone to know were right with them and ready to support them.
Tuesday, April 19, 2011
Sunday, February 27, 2011
Boiler Upgrade Considerations:
As the heating season comes to an end and people consider boiler replacements before the beginning of the next heating season I’d like to offer some advice. This is a few of things I’ve recently seen that were not thought through when preparing for a few projects. Start with a clear list of objectives for the replacement. The list should include past, present, and future. Each category should include the following;
1) Cost and frequency of maintenance and repairs (past, present and future)
2) Cost and quantity of fuel and electricity (past, present and future)
3) Changes to the system and building (past, present and future)
Cost and frequency of maintenance should consider labor, cleaning consumables, fuel filters, seals, nozzles, and gasket. Most large boilers should be tuned three times a year for maximum efficiency. Don’t forget the cost of water treatment, especially for steam.
Cost and frequency of repairs should consider labor hours and parts. Also consider down time and availability of parts. Fewer sectional boilers are installed we see less parts for them on the shelf at the supply house. Burner manufactures are going out of business or changing their product line and we’re finding many parts hard or impossible to replace.
Cost and quantity of fuel should obviously be a major consideration if not a justification for change. It can also it can be used to determine how changes to the building or usage of the building may have changed. There is historical data available to factor in temperature and humidity differences from year to year. Also consider changes in the occupied period or set points that may have caused a change in fuel consumption. Recalculating the fresh air requirements and adding CO2 sensors to minimize excess outdoor based on current occupancy could have a huge impact on the total BTU requirements.
Changes to the system and building include the obvious like additions or space usage changes. Other changes to be aware of are piping changes, past or proposed. Would it make sense to reconfigure the piping to primary secondary or has it been done? Would it make sense to remove three way valves and add VFD’s to the secondary pumps or was it already done? Is there a boiler sequencer panel for multiple boilers? Would it be better to eliminate that panel and incorporate those functions into the BAS so that one microprocessor is coordinating the total building demand?
I like to see multiple high efficiency boilers with the extra capacity of a spare boiler equal to the others. A good example is a school we did over 10 years ago with 4 boilers that are 1 million BTU’s each at 95 % efficiency. We removed 2 boilers that were 3 million BTU’s each at 78% efficiency. Prior to the boilers replacement the windows were replaced and some additional baseboard heat was added. We also replaced heat only unit ventilators with dual temp unit ventilators and air handlers. We made some changes in the boiler room so that we have 3 secondary loops. One for is for radiant baseboard heat that basically works off outdoor air but can maintain unoccupied set points during most of the heating season. This minimizes outdoor air infiltration though dampers. Another is for heating only coils in the air-handles and VAV boxes that serve temperature and humidity sensitive areas. Each of these loops has its own reset schedule based on outdoor air and calculated demand. The third loop is actually a dual temperature loop with water cooled chillers and auto change over capabilities.
When the system was installed an expansion was in the future and we added the extra capacity to add two more boilers. By the time the addition was build we determined that through additional equipment changes and building envelop changes additional capacity wasn’t required. That addition, a theater, band rooms and art classes has been complete and occupied for over five years with no additional capacity and no major boiler repairs since installation.
We pride ourselves on what we do well, the experience we gain and the ability to incorporate those positive aspects of mechanical and control installations into future successes. Hearing the answers is as important as asking the right questions. Fixing the building is more important than replacing a piece of equipment.
1) Cost and frequency of maintenance and repairs (past, present and future)
2) Cost and quantity of fuel and electricity (past, present and future)
3) Changes to the system and building (past, present and future)
Cost and frequency of maintenance should consider labor, cleaning consumables, fuel filters, seals, nozzles, and gasket. Most large boilers should be tuned three times a year for maximum efficiency. Don’t forget the cost of water treatment, especially for steam.
Cost and frequency of repairs should consider labor hours and parts. Also consider down time and availability of parts. Fewer sectional boilers are installed we see less parts for them on the shelf at the supply house. Burner manufactures are going out of business or changing their product line and we’re finding many parts hard or impossible to replace.
Cost and quantity of fuel should obviously be a major consideration if not a justification for change. It can also it can be used to determine how changes to the building or usage of the building may have changed. There is historical data available to factor in temperature and humidity differences from year to year. Also consider changes in the occupied period or set points that may have caused a change in fuel consumption. Recalculating the fresh air requirements and adding CO2 sensors to minimize excess outdoor based on current occupancy could have a huge impact on the total BTU requirements.
Changes to the system and building include the obvious like additions or space usage changes. Other changes to be aware of are piping changes, past or proposed. Would it make sense to reconfigure the piping to primary secondary or has it been done? Would it make sense to remove three way valves and add VFD’s to the secondary pumps or was it already done? Is there a boiler sequencer panel for multiple boilers? Would it be better to eliminate that panel and incorporate those functions into the BAS so that one microprocessor is coordinating the total building demand?
I like to see multiple high efficiency boilers with the extra capacity of a spare boiler equal to the others. A good example is a school we did over 10 years ago with 4 boilers that are 1 million BTU’s each at 95 % efficiency. We removed 2 boilers that were 3 million BTU’s each at 78% efficiency. Prior to the boilers replacement the windows were replaced and some additional baseboard heat was added. We also replaced heat only unit ventilators with dual temp unit ventilators and air handlers. We made some changes in the boiler room so that we have 3 secondary loops. One for is for radiant baseboard heat that basically works off outdoor air but can maintain unoccupied set points during most of the heating season. This minimizes outdoor air infiltration though dampers. Another is for heating only coils in the air-handles and VAV boxes that serve temperature and humidity sensitive areas. Each of these loops has its own reset schedule based on outdoor air and calculated demand. The third loop is actually a dual temperature loop with water cooled chillers and auto change over capabilities.
When the system was installed an expansion was in the future and we added the extra capacity to add two more boilers. By the time the addition was build we determined that through additional equipment changes and building envelop changes additional capacity wasn’t required. That addition, a theater, band rooms and art classes has been complete and occupied for over five years with no additional capacity and no major boiler repairs since installation.
We pride ourselves on what we do well, the experience we gain and the ability to incorporate those positive aspects of mechanical and control installations into future successes. Hearing the answers is as important as asking the right questions. Fixing the building is more important than replacing a piece of equipment.
Sunday, January 23, 2011
What can you learn from you HVAC Company?
So often we try to justify our services with the cost savings they provide. We go to great lengths to educate our customers with the knowledge we’ve acquired. It’s not always well received and at times our intent is viewed with skepticism. Sometimes a project leaders feeling is that everyone’s intention is to up-sell the project; which will put it over budget. Unfortunately too often we find out after the project is complete that the owner was never made aware of the opportunity to substantially reduce operating cost for the life of the building. Sometimes the “old school” mentality kicks in and things get done “the way they’ve always been done”. Often times however it’s the perception that the owner can’t afford the latest and greatest.
The ASHRAE 90.1 guidelines suggest that a permit should be held up if a project doesn’t meet the minimum efficiency requirements. I fully agree, with the ROI information and BIM technology available today the expected operating cost should be evaluated to protect the building owners, occupants and the environment.
In the world of lease agreements a shell is built complete with basic mechanical services and the tenant fits out the space. Here we see the vanilla building that is inexpensive to build but expensive to operate. Some property management company’s refused to come to terms with the fact that high expenses either hinder a tenant’s growth or forces them to relocate. Right now we are seeing companies move from one property to another just to lower the cost to lease and operate a facility. The space that can prove lower total cost per square foot gets the tenant. The mentality “I don’t care what it costs for electricity, the tenant pays that” are over. The smart property manager should welcome BIM and ASHRAE 90.1 to help attract tenants.
In the world of owner occupied buildings we often see the “it works this way let’s just update it”. Even when the information is clearly presented and accepted things still don’t always go the way of new technology. It’s hard to convince someone with even a 20 year old building that advances in technology make their systems obsolete. Some companies have a high level of trust and we’ve made great reductions in operating expenses. Unfortunately others seem to take the advice of someone that doesn’t have a broad perspective of the industry.
ModernControls has such a diverse customer base that we see many different aspects of a buildings life. From plan and spec BAS projects we see the latest from the engineering companies and equipment manufactures. From plan and spec certified balancing and building commissioning project we see the latest from the design and installation innovations. Servicing the mechanical systems in existing building for over 20 years we get to see what lasted and maintained efficiency at a reasonable expense. When you take the experience from those 3 things and incorporate them into design/build mechanical projects completed by some of the most talented people in the industry you get quality installation that stand the test of time.
The ASHRAE 90.1 guidelines suggest that a permit should be held up if a project doesn’t meet the minimum efficiency requirements. I fully agree, with the ROI information and BIM technology available today the expected operating cost should be evaluated to protect the building owners, occupants and the environment.
In the world of lease agreements a shell is built complete with basic mechanical services and the tenant fits out the space. Here we see the vanilla building that is inexpensive to build but expensive to operate. Some property management company’s refused to come to terms with the fact that high expenses either hinder a tenant’s growth or forces them to relocate. Right now we are seeing companies move from one property to another just to lower the cost to lease and operate a facility. The space that can prove lower total cost per square foot gets the tenant. The mentality “I don’t care what it costs for electricity, the tenant pays that” are over. The smart property manager should welcome BIM and ASHRAE 90.1 to help attract tenants.
In the world of owner occupied buildings we often see the “it works this way let’s just update it”. Even when the information is clearly presented and accepted things still don’t always go the way of new technology. It’s hard to convince someone with even a 20 year old building that advances in technology make their systems obsolete. Some companies have a high level of trust and we’ve made great reductions in operating expenses. Unfortunately others seem to take the advice of someone that doesn’t have a broad perspective of the industry.
ModernControls has such a diverse customer base that we see many different aspects of a buildings life. From plan and spec BAS projects we see the latest from the engineering companies and equipment manufactures. From plan and spec certified balancing and building commissioning project we see the latest from the design and installation innovations. Servicing the mechanical systems in existing building for over 20 years we get to see what lasted and maintained efficiency at a reasonable expense. When you take the experience from those 3 things and incorporate them into design/build mechanical projects completed by some of the most talented people in the industry you get quality installation that stand the test of time.
Wednesday, December 1, 2010
Our Goal; Reduce the operating cost by the price of our maintenance agreement.
Ted Lambert and I recently spoke at a lunch and learn ModernControls provided for the State of Delaware; Kent County Facilities Management Staff. We brought up how a seven property facility manager at a non-profit we service set out to reduce the electric cost by the amount of his salary. Later when the economy turned he set out to save the cost of a salary per facility. During the discussion the average electrical cost per month came up. When the building operators heard for the first time during this meeting the amount of money that was spent for electricity alone they were floored. For some buildings the cost for electricity averages $ 100,000.00 a month. We went through all the basics, low hanging fruit as we call it.
One of the primary things is the length of the unoccupied period. The main function of the unoccupied period is to stop bringing in fresh air. This mean if people begin work at 9 o’clock the occupied period starts at 9 o’clock. If the work day ends at 5 o’clock the unoccupied period begins at 5 o’clock. It’s less important the degree of offset than the outdoor air dampers closing. If you use a morning warm-up/cool-down strategy the units will bring the building to temperature with the outdoor air damper closed. It called optimal start stop in the Johnson Controls BAS world.
It’s not just setting a schedule it’s checking the dampers to make sure they close. Cleaning and lubricating the dampers to make sure there is no binding should be part of routine maintenance. All dampers leak, especially the rooftop package unit factory dampers. Usually they leak 5% when they’re new and worse as they age. Which brings us to the next concern, making sure the fan is also changing from continuous operation to cycling only on a call for heating or cooling. When sizing equipment, if there is a requirement for 10% outdoor air the unit is typically a third larger than a unit that doesn’t require outdoor air. Simple math tells us that the unit will consume a sixth more power if the fan stays on through the unoccupied period.
During the spring and fall it’s important that the economizer is working at the proper outdoor air set point to ensure a minimal amount of mechanical cooling. If the humidity is low outside and the temperature is expected to stay in the low sixties than a smart building operator will move the changeover temperature up a few degrees. The new ASHRAE guidelines call for a higher level of programming that will do this automatically.
If you think about it like this it may help you put it in perspective. With a two stage unit when both stages of cooling are running the discharge air temperature will be 55°F, when one stage is running the discharge air temperature will be about 65°F. If the zone set point is 72°F won’t 65°F air keep it from overheating? Humidity is the key factor to comfort so it will take a little while to trend how the building moves moisture in and out. Honestly the worst that can happen is you get a few complaints. Call that the threshold and adjust the changeover to stay just below it.
ModernControls goal is to get this information out to everyone, not just our technicians. Lower operating cost benefits everyone.
ASHRAE recommends re-commissioning buildings every 3 years. Was the building or buildings you maintain commissioned once?
One of the primary things is the length of the unoccupied period. The main function of the unoccupied period is to stop bringing in fresh air. This mean if people begin work at 9 o’clock the occupied period starts at 9 o’clock. If the work day ends at 5 o’clock the unoccupied period begins at 5 o’clock. It’s less important the degree of offset than the outdoor air dampers closing. If you use a morning warm-up/cool-down strategy the units will bring the building to temperature with the outdoor air damper closed. It called optimal start stop in the Johnson Controls BAS world.
It’s not just setting a schedule it’s checking the dampers to make sure they close. Cleaning and lubricating the dampers to make sure there is no binding should be part of routine maintenance. All dampers leak, especially the rooftop package unit factory dampers. Usually they leak 5% when they’re new and worse as they age. Which brings us to the next concern, making sure the fan is also changing from continuous operation to cycling only on a call for heating or cooling. When sizing equipment, if there is a requirement for 10% outdoor air the unit is typically a third larger than a unit that doesn’t require outdoor air. Simple math tells us that the unit will consume a sixth more power if the fan stays on through the unoccupied period.
During the spring and fall it’s important that the economizer is working at the proper outdoor air set point to ensure a minimal amount of mechanical cooling. If the humidity is low outside and the temperature is expected to stay in the low sixties than a smart building operator will move the changeover temperature up a few degrees. The new ASHRAE guidelines call for a higher level of programming that will do this automatically.
If you think about it like this it may help you put it in perspective. With a two stage unit when both stages of cooling are running the discharge air temperature will be 55°F, when one stage is running the discharge air temperature will be about 65°F. If the zone set point is 72°F won’t 65°F air keep it from overheating? Humidity is the key factor to comfort so it will take a little while to trend how the building moves moisture in and out. Honestly the worst that can happen is you get a few complaints. Call that the threshold and adjust the changeover to stay just below it.
ModernControls goal is to get this information out to everyone, not just our technicians. Lower operating cost benefits everyone.
ASHRAE recommends re-commissioning buildings every 3 years. Was the building or buildings you maintain commissioned once?
Monday, November 1, 2010
Fluid Cooler Replacement
The weekend of October 22 we completed a major equipment replacement in 24-hours, from 5:00 pm Friday to 5:00 pm Saturday. The prep time was three weeks to get ready for the water source loop upgrade. Two weeks for two technicians, one completing the electrical device installation and one completing the piping. The device assembly included upgrading to a variable speed drive for the blower and an electronic sump level control. The piping included reconfiguring the make-up water feed and installing flanges to match the existing piping. The last week was spent double checking the material and getting everyone on site ready for the shut down.
We used the building automation system to override the make-up air systems pre-treat coils and fans for the lab air handlers to maintain the water source loop temperature. We brought in our portable cooling units for the critical data rooms as a precaution but we didn’t need to bring them on line. We were able to maintain an acceptable loop temperature to keep all critical equipment on line.
We isolated the tower on Friday night, drained down the glycol from the fluid cooler and disconnected the piping and power. The crane arrived at 7:00 am Saturday and by 10:00 am the crane and old fluid cooler were leaving the site. By 3:00 pm all the water and electrical connections were complete and commissioning was underway. At 4:00 pm all water source systems were back on line and the building was functioning as normal.
The following week we returned to complete non-critical items like drain piping, heat trace and insulation. The variable speed drive was given a full commissioning as well as the upgraded controls system. The new cooling tower is expected run with a 25% reduction in operating cost. We also expect a reduced cost in maintenance with less wear and tear on the fan assembly with soft starts as opposed to across the line starts. The new tower also has a stainless steel basin for an extended life. The dampers have a four actuator set-up instead of the two actuators the original tower had. Another cost saving option was the factory installed bundle insulation package.
The installation went extremely well. We gave the site manager and owner’s representative constant e-mail updates from the site; including pictures of the progress as we passed each major milestone. A major amount of the field work was completed by a fourth year apprentice. I am proud to say I was his mentor when he was in eleventh grade at Hodgsen Vo-tech. He then was a co-op for ModernControls when he was in twelfth grade. He is an outstanding employee and in our opinion the type of person we want to represent our company. I like to take this opportunity to thank everyone involved with the project for making it a success.
We used the building automation system to override the make-up air systems pre-treat coils and fans for the lab air handlers to maintain the water source loop temperature. We brought in our portable cooling units for the critical data rooms as a precaution but we didn’t need to bring them on line. We were able to maintain an acceptable loop temperature to keep all critical equipment on line.
We isolated the tower on Friday night, drained down the glycol from the fluid cooler and disconnected the piping and power. The crane arrived at 7:00 am Saturday and by 10:00 am the crane and old fluid cooler were leaving the site. By 3:00 pm all the water and electrical connections were complete and commissioning was underway. At 4:00 pm all water source systems were back on line and the building was functioning as normal.
The following week we returned to complete non-critical items like drain piping, heat trace and insulation. The variable speed drive was given a full commissioning as well as the upgraded controls system. The new cooling tower is expected run with a 25% reduction in operating cost. We also expect a reduced cost in maintenance with less wear and tear on the fan assembly with soft starts as opposed to across the line starts. The new tower also has a stainless steel basin for an extended life. The dampers have a four actuator set-up instead of the two actuators the original tower had. Another cost saving option was the factory installed bundle insulation package.
The installation went extremely well. We gave the site manager and owner’s representative constant e-mail updates from the site; including pictures of the progress as we passed each major milestone. A major amount of the field work was completed by a fourth year apprentice. I am proud to say I was his mentor when he was in eleventh grade at Hodgsen Vo-tech. He then was a co-op for ModernControls when he was in twelfth grade. He is an outstanding employee and in our opinion the type of person we want to represent our company. I like to take this opportunity to thank everyone involved with the project for making it a success.
Tuesday, September 21, 2010
Thank you for the kind words Mr. A
Case Study on Energy saving initiatives at Building A
Pursuant to Governor Markel’s Executive Order #18, we began a comprehensive effort to save energy at the Building A by centrally monitoring facility conditions, enacting temperature settings as directed, and employing advanced Building Automation System (BAS) control strategies. Ted Lambert from Modern Controls, Inc was co-opted for this effort, beginning in November, 2009 and mostly completed in June, 2010.
The results are as follows:
KWh reduction 16.3 %
Electrical Cost Savings $10,767.12
Gas usage reduction 19.9 %
Natural Gas Cost Savings $8,690.27
Total Cost Savings $19457.39
Labor and material costs to implement these improvements totaled about $15,000 to date. Spreadsheets on monthly electrical and gas usage from the Energy Star Portfolio Manager program are attached. Based on these figures, we anticipate that the percentage of energy saved with these improvements over an entire year, will meet or exceed the 30% energy reduction target.
Mr. A
Energy Manager
OMB/DFM
Pursuant to Governor Markel’s Executive Order #18, we began a comprehensive effort to save energy at the Building A by centrally monitoring facility conditions, enacting temperature settings as directed, and employing advanced Building Automation System (BAS) control strategies. Ted Lambert from Modern Controls, Inc was co-opted for this effort, beginning in November, 2009 and mostly completed in June, 2010.
The results are as follows:
KWh reduction 16.3 %
Electrical Cost Savings $10,767.12
Gas usage reduction 19.9 %
Natural Gas Cost Savings $8,690.27
Total Cost Savings $19457.39
Labor and material costs to implement these improvements totaled about $15,000 to date. Spreadsheets on monthly electrical and gas usage from the Energy Star Portfolio Manager program are attached. Based on these figures, we anticipate that the percentage of energy saved with these improvements over an entire year, will meet or exceed the 30% energy reduction target.
Mr. A
Energy Manager
OMB/DFM
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