Sample Projects

The following is a partial list of projects recently completed or currently in progress with a brief description of the project scope.

Finch University / The Chicago Medical School – Chicago, IL: A complete building re-commissioning program was instituted in the fall of 2002. Data was collected through the building EMS and operator training workshops were held twice over the project period. Equipment includes air handlers, rooftop units, and central chiller and boiler plants. Recommendations included installation of CO2 and humidity sensors, re-sequencing of air handling units, and chiller plant optimization.

Unum Provident – Portland, ME: Implemented a building monitoring and operator training program for seven buildings in the Portland Maine area. There are various equipment types including central plants, air handlers, rooftop equipment, and water-source heat pumps. Recommendations range from the installation of DDC controls to re-sequencing of air handling units and chiller plant optimization.

MBNA Bracebridge II – Wilmington, DE: A building re-commissioning program was instituted in the spring of 2002. Equipment included 300 water-source heat pumps and two make-up air handlers served by a centrifugal chiller and two boilers to provide conditioned make-air into the space. Recommendations included installation of VFD’s on loop pumps, optimized control of outside air quantities, and resetting of condenser loop temperatures. Educational Testing Service - Princeton, NJ: Developed and implemented a chiller plant optimization project in the main chiller plant. The retrofit project included installation of variable speed drives on condenser water pumps and cooling tower fans, and a control upgrade to implement optimized condenser water temperatures and chiller sequencing patterns.

ETS instituted a program to improve performance on two chiller plants included in a utility rebate program. One was a 600 ton plant that was downsized during construction through the addition of ice storage. A second was a 400 ton plant that utilized steam absorption in lieu of electric chillers. E3 Designs modified the sequencing in both plants to maximize the return from the rebate program. A re-commissioning program was recently initiated on three campus buildings. Operator training workshops are held semi-annually.

College of New Jersey - Trenton, NJ: A chiller plant monitoring program was initiated through a newly installed EMS system. The existing plant was modified to include two steam-powered centrifugal chillers, an electric centrifugal chiller, and a single absorption chiller. Ancillary components include eight cooling towers, nine condenser pumps, and eleven chilled water pumps in a decoupled arrangement. A re-commissioning program was recently instituted on one of the campus buildings. Operator training workshops are currently being held semi-annually.

Federal Reserve Building - Philadelphia, PA: Instituted an HVAC monitoring program through the existing EMS system. Existing equipment includes three centrifugal chillers, four cooling towers, four condenser pumps, and six chilled water pumps in a decoupled arrangement, and 20 air handling units. Recommendations were made to install CO2 sensors, humidity sensors, and in some cases variable speed drives. Sequencing strategies were modified to optimize control of fresh air intakes and humidity levels in the space.

PECO Energy - Philadelphia, PA: Implemented an optimization project for the main chiller plant including retrofitting the existing chillers with new compressor assemblies and enhanced condenser and chilled water tube bundles, variable speed drives on the secondary chilled water pumps, condenser water pumps, and cooling tower fans, and a DDC control upgrade to implement optimized condenser water temperatures and chiller sequencing patterns.

St. Joseph's University - Philadelphia, PA:
Mandeville Hall - Instituted a control retrofit project to reduce energy costs. Existing equipment includes a single air-cooled chiller with ice storage, two hot water boilers, and seven VAV air handling units. The retrofit project included elimination of the ice storage mode, direct monitoring and control of fresh air intakes, and optimizing of building water temperatures.

Drexel Library - Performed a complete life-cycle analysis on existing HVAC, control, and plumbing systems. Existing equipment includes single zone and multizone air handling units fed from a central chiller and campus steam loop. Assessment included variations from existing plumbing and ADA codes and standards for providing fresh air. Four air handling units were replaced and all units equipped with complete DDC control systems.

Baxter Healthcare Deerfield Campus - Deerfield, IL: E3 Designs was hired by Trammell Crow to review the operation of the HVAC systems in the six buildings at the Baxter Healthcare Deerfield Campus. Equipment included four chillers with associated pumps and towers, and 20 air handling units. Using data collected from the facility energy management system, operation of the main HVAC units were verified. Recommendations were made to improve operations including optimized fresh air control, chiller plant optimization, and replacement of existing pneumatics with DDC controls.

Amerimar Management Wanamaker Building - Philadelphia, PA: E3 Designs was hired to benchmark the operation of the HVAC systems at a 2,000,000 square foot office and retail space in Philadelphia. Major HVAC equipment included four rooftop air handling units, eight water cooled self-contained units, and an extensive hot water heating system fed through a central steam loop. Recommendations included the installation of VFD’s on AHU fans, resetting of discharge air temperatures, and optimized control of outside air.

Fort Totten USARC – Long Island, NY: An HVAC life-cycle analysis was performed on seven buildings. The scope of the project included a site survey to evaluate HVAC components, a review of available documentation including utility bills and mechanical plans, and identification of any operational problems. The goals of the project included providing a complete life cycle evaluation of the HVAC systems: operating efficiency, maintenance requirements, remaining useful life, and an estimate of replacement costs. Recommendations were also made to address any problems identified in the individual buildings, and to provide general suggestions for improving the operation of the HVAC systems.

Sony Music - Pitman, NJ: Developed and implemented a complete chiller plant optimization project. Existing equipment includes seven centrifugal chillers with dedicated condenser water pumps and cooling towers in a decoupled design, divided into two parallel plants. The retrofit project included installation of two flat plate heat exchangers in the secondary return water, installation of variable speed drives on the condenser water pumps and cooling tower fans, and control modifications to optimize condenser water temperatures and chiller sequencing patterns.

Temple University - Philadelphia, PA: Health Sciences Center - Developed an optimization project for main chiller plant. Existing equipment included three centrifugal chillers, one with free cooling, in a decoupled design, with headered condenser pumps and two cooling towers. The retrofit project included installation of variable speed drives on condenser water pumps and cooling tower fans, and a control upgrade to implement optimized condenser water temperatures and chiller sequencing patterns.

Liacouras Center - Philadelphia, PA: Hired to benchmark the operation of the chiller plant at the new basketball arena at Temple University. Equipment includes three centrifugal chillers with associated pumps and tower fans. Recommendations made on modifying chiller sequencing and the application of VFD's for chiller plant optimization.

Boston Properties Carnegie Center - Princeton, NJ: Performed a complete life-cycle evaluation of the existing HVAC Systems in three buildings. Equipment included three centrifugal chillers with thermal storage and 20 air handling units. The analysis included a determination of remaining useful life for the systems, a comparison of HVAC operating costs with other buildings of similar size and usage, a review of the historical maintenance costs for each building, and an estimation of the equipment replacement costs.

Colgate-Palmolive Company R & D Division - Piscataway, NJ: Hired to perform a complete life-cycle analysis of main boiler plant. The plant included a single 150 hp high pressure fire tube boiler installed in the late 1980's and two 700 hp low pressure boilers installed in the mid 1960's. An analysis of the plant steam requirements was performed using historical information and data gathered through the plant energy management system. Each boiler was then tested to determine instantaneous combustion efficiency. Recommendations were made to replace worn-out equipment and to improve the overall operating efficiency of the system.

Dare County School District - Manteo, NC: Hired to perform a complete life-cycle analysis of the existing HVAC systems in eight county school buildings. The goals of the project included providing an analysis of operating efficiency, maintenance requirements, remaining useful life, and an estimate of replacement costs. Recommendations were also made to address any HVAC related problems identified in the individual schools. Annual budget requirements for the next ten years were developed to be included in the district ten-year facility plan.

First Flight Schools -The two newest schools in the Dare County system had significant problems with indoor air quality. An assessment concluded that many of the problems occurred as a result of excessively high humidity levels, especially in the summer months. E3 Designs was hired to assemble plans and specifications to add humidity control and upgrade the building control systems. The project was completed in the fall of 2000, and the post project monitoring verified that the temperature and humidity levels are being controlled to setpoint during all operating conditions.