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Energy Manager automatically controls equipment on/off times in several buildings. Also, it allows facility managers to analyze data, including weather reports, market conditions, and systems demand, to create a comprehensive picture of energy use.

Energy Manager helps the school avoid additional expenses associated with peak energy use, initiating load-shedding strategies during high-demand periods. This includes modifying temperature set points and cycling chillers on and off.

“Using this tool, we're able to not only see energy use in real time, but also we can automatically keep energy loads in line with the parameters we establish,” Geyer said. “Based on daily conditions, Energy Manager also provides recommended actions to decrease consumption even further.”

Because Energy Manager is tied into EBI, members of the maintenance and facility staff can view the metering and sensor data the software collects from the same workstation from which they control HVAC, security, and life-safety functions. This helps Hotchkiss boost efficiency and reduce operating costs.

While ensuring that its existing buildings are energy-efficient, Hotchkiss requires all new construction to be certified under the U.S. Green Building Council's Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) Green Building Rating System. Since that initiative was put in place, Hotchkiss has built three facilities — two dormitories and a music-and-arts building — that have been awarded a Gold or Silver LEED rating. The buildings include features such as radiant heat, individual-room temperature controls, daylight-dimming capabilities in common rooms, and a state-of-the-art airflow system, which integrate with the EBI platform for optimal control.

“With the facility improvements, educational initiatives, and eco-focused groups on campus, it is nearly impossible for someone to visit Hotchkiss and not discover our dedication to environmental stewardship,” Geyer said. “It truly is a commitment that brings the entire Hotchkiss community — students, faculty, and staff — together.”

EARNING EXTRA CREDIT

In his eight years at Hotchkiss, Geyer has seen just how important preventive maintenance and service are to the school's building systems.

“Preventative maintenance not only protects our investment, but also decreases the amount of time our staff spends reacting to interruptions that could have been eliminated by something as small as changing a filter at the right time,” Geyer said. “It is the single best way to keep our facilities running efficiently.”

Through an annual service agreement, Honeywell provides the school with three service technicians who team with members of the Hotchkiss maintenance staff to perform planned maintenance and address mechanical issues. For example, through an initiative called Building Optimizing Services (BOS), Honeywell is helping the school reduce energy use through complex building scheduling and equipment retrofits. BOS focuses on increasing facility reliability and uptime, reducing operational costs, increasing efficiency, and enhancing asset life cycles. The BOS program is expected to save Hotchkiss an additional 10 percent in energy costs.

One improvement under way is the monitoring of carbon-dioxide levels in campus facilities. Through detailed scheduling, the school is able to bring fresh air into the facility based on occupancy levels. When the facility is full, ventilation systems run at maximum capacity; when it is empty, the systems scale back, delivering significant savings.

Investing roughly $900,000 in energy-efficiency projects over the last three years, Hotchkiss has benefited from an energy-cost avoidance of nearly $1.4 million, for a return on investment (ROI) of 153 percent.

Hotchkiss recently participated in a five-year benchmarking study of energy use per square foot of its campus, discovering that while campus size increased by 30 percent, energy use decreased, an important finding in light of rising utility bills and students' desire to win the Green Cup Challenge.

The school is exploring other conservation measures, including renewable technology. The Honeywell Renewable Energy Scorecard, a selection tool that pinpoints the renewable-energy technology with the greatest environmental and economic benefits, is helping guide Hotchkiss through the decision-making process. According to the Scorecard, biomass-thermal, biomass-generation, and wind-driven technologies will have the greatest ROI for the school, with paybacks ranging from under six years to just over 10 years.

“Things have changed significantly over the years,” Geyer said. “With the building-automation and energy-efficiency systems available to us, it's hard to not want to take advantage of that innovative technology, especially when the students are so involved as well.”

Information and photograph courtesy of Honeywell
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