isoN OCT 1 7 1°Pq DEPARTMENT OF THE ARMY DOCUMENTS DEPOSITORY LIBRARY 0433 BUILDING ENERGY MONITOR'S HANDBOOK A publication of the US Army Engineering and Housing Support Center, AITN: CEHSC-P, Fort Belvoir, Virginia, (703) 355-2022 in cooperation with the US Army Energy Office HQ DA AITN: DALO-TSE, Washington, DC, (202) 697-3910 BUILDING ENERGY MONITOR'S HANDBOOK DEPARTMENT OF THE ARMY INTRODUCTION Energy Management makes good sense. It's good for the Army, the Nation, and believe it or not, even you! By managing our energy we can cut our energy waste and redirect our energy use to our increased comfort, productivity, and dollar savings. Over the last several years, the Department of the Army and theDepartment of Defense have developed energy conservation programsaimed at improving the energy efficiency of buildings. However, energy conservation retrofits and better design are only part of the answer. Energy efficiency through education, awareness, and involvement is the key to a successful energy management program. Energy management needs support at all levels, from the Building Energy Monitor (BEM) to the Commander. The purpose of this handbook is to explain to you the various energyconsuming components of buildings, how they interact with each other,and various ways that energy can be saved during the'course of theoperation of facilities. By managing energy resources many Army installations have beenable to fund quality of life projects with the dollars saved as a result of saving energy. Also, keep in mind that energy management excellence is rewardedthrough the Secretary of the Army Energy Conservation Awards andthe Federal Energy Efficiency Awards programs. These programsrecognize both individuals and organizations who do things whichmake good energy sense. Check Army Regulation 11-27 to see howyou can apply. Be smart and conserve with comfort and common sense! TABLE OF CONTENTS CHAPTER 1: The Building Energy Monitor ................................................. 1 CHAPTER 2: Infiltration .................................................................................. 5 CHAPTER 3: Ventilation .................................................................................. 9 CHAPTER 4: Hot Water ................................................................................. 13 CHAPTER 5: Heating ..................................................................................... 17 CHAPTER 6: Cooling ...................................................................................... 21 CHAPTER 7: Lighting .................................................................................... 25 CHAPTER 8: Specialty Buildings ................................................................. 29 CHAPTER 9: Checklists ................................................................................. 33 CHAPTERl THE BUILDING ENERGY MONITOR You serve a vital role; you are, so to speak, on the firing line. You are in those facilities that need to be monitored and checked on a regular basis. Ifyou are in a building which has been modified to be more energy efficient, it is important to insure that people in the building are educated on how the building operates to provide comfort and improved efficiency. If your building has not yet been modified, you need to look for those things which can help make the building operate as efficiently and comfortably as possible. RESPONSIBILITIES Your primary responsibility is to help the Installation Energy Coordinator achieve the objective of an energy efficient installation without an adverse impact on the mission or quality of life. You need to work with the Energy Coordinator to help focus your efforts toward a common goal. A team effort will yield far more benefits than individual action. When initially appointed, you should discuss your duties with the appointing officer and the Energy Coordinator. This can be done either one on one or in team building meetings. Transferring ideas is a great way to find solutions to common problems. Some of your responsibilities may include: e serving as your building's point of contact. e calling in work orders for low cost maintenance and energy conservation opportunities (ECO's). e monitoring the operation of your building. e recommending energy saving changes to your building's operating procedures e meeting with your Energy Coordinator. e reporting problems with the building's heating and cooling systems. Checklists can help you spot potential energy saving opportunities. Suggested items are shown in Chapter 9. ENERGY CONSERVATION OPPORTUNITIES Ifyou find an energy conservation opportunity (ECO), you should discuss it with the Energy Coordinator, who may in turn want to talk with the engineering staff. Or you could submit your idea through the incentive awards office in the form of a suggestion. Ifthe ECO is technically sound, you might be requested to prepare and submit a work order. If the idea requires a capital investment or is applicable to a broad range of buildings, the Energy Coordinator may want to prepare project documentation to obtain funds through one of various special funding programs. The checklists and concepts in this handbook will help you get some ideas for these recommendations. HOW TO CARRY OUT YOUR RESPONSIBILITIES To do your job, you will need to know something about the energy consuming components of a building and how they can work more efficiently. This handbook helps you understand energy conservation and the types of things that you can recognize which will stop energy waste. 3 CHAPTER2 INFILTRATION Heat is mainly lost during the heating season or gained during the cooling season by conduction and infiltration. Heat lost or gained by conduction passes directly through the building materials which make up your walls, windows, doors, ceilings, roofs, and floors. Infiltration is heat lost or gained due to outside air entering a building through cracks around windows, doors and through the outside shell of the structure. Not only does it cause discomfort to building occupants, it is a major contributor to unnecessary heating and cooling costs and energy losses. During the heating season, infiltration contributes to heat loss because cold infiltrated air displaces warm air and must be heated to maintain desired comfort conditions. During the cooling season, infiltration contributes to heat gain becausethe warmer infiltrated air must be cooled and dehumidified to maintaindesired comfort conditions. The following suggestions will help reduce the rate of infiltration into your building and the associated energy use: e Make sure that all doors are closed, esp~cially during the heating andcooling seasons. Sometimes signs help to remind occupants to closedoors. e Make sure that all windows remain closed during the heating and cooling seasons. e Ifyour building has any unheated rooms or areas, keep doors closedto prevent infiltration to conditioned spaces. e Ifyour building has a loading dock make sure its door is closed whennot in use. e Ifyour building does not have dock curtains for unloading, initiate a work order for their installation. e You shouldperiodically check theweatherstripping andcaulking. Ifit is oldand dried or peeling,be sure to submit awork order for repairs. e Inspect for air leakagein and aroundelectrical outlets.Rubber inserts aregenerally availablethrough self-help toseal any leaky outlets. ., ' 6 e If you notice that there was never any weatherstripping or caulking, suggest that it be installed. Some caulking and weatherstripping are self-help. Check with the DEH. e If the building is drafty, check to see if there is insulation in the attic (if there is one), walls and under the floors if it is above grade. Report your findings to the Installation Energy Coordinator. e If you see cracked or missing windows, be sure to submit a work order for their immediate repair. e Ifyour building has a significant amount of traffic, a vestibule or revolving door might be installed to reduce infiltration. e You may notice cracks or openings in the outside of the building, such as the joint where the foundation meets the siding or wherever exterior walls are penetrated by pipes, ducts and conduits. Such openings are candidates for caulking. e Ifyour building has many entrances suggest closing some off-if the fire laws would permit. e Ifyour building has window air conditioners, make sure that they are covered and vents are closed during the heating seasons or have them removed whenever possible. e If people continuously leave their windows open during the heating or cooling season, then this is an indication that the heating or cooling control system may be broken and needs repair by the DEH. CHAPTER3 VENTILATION Ventilation has a significant impact on a building's total energy consumption. Each unit of air brought into your facility must be heated or cooled and, in some cases, humidified or dehumidified. Ifexcess air, beyond that required for the comfort and safety of your building's occupants, is brought in, a considerable waste of energy is inevitable. Energy savings arise from reducing ventilation rates and/or shutting off the ventilation system when it is not needed. However, you must take some care in looking at these energy conservation opportunities. Check with the Energy Coordinator to assure that complete analyses are done and building code requirements are met. 9 The following ideas will assist you in seeking savings due to excess ventilation: e Suggest that ventilation units operate only as needed. Considershutting them off to any area that will remain unoccupied. e As you walk through your building, periodically inspect thecondition and operation of outside air damper. Faulty operationor bad fit causes loss of heated or cooled air. e Ifpractical, suggest to the Energy Coordinator or DEH that theventilation system be turned off completely during spring andfall months when most occupants will want to use the windowsanyway. e Ifyou have some rooms in your building that have specialventilation requirements, recommend that time clocks be installedon these systems. This will assure that they are turned off whennot in use and yield considerable energy savings. e Ask the Energy Coordinator to investigate the possibility of installing time clocks or motion detecting sensors in common use areas such as toilets so that the fans and lights there are not energized all the time. e Talk with the folks at DEH or the Energy Coordinator to learnhow dampers on heating and cooling systems should be set fora particular season. e Check crawl space ventilators to assure they're open in the summerand closed in the winter. NOTE: Ifodors or other symptoms of poor ventilation becomeapparent, bring them to the attention of the DEH. 10 .:~ .\"'~"~, .,.,)/.'. CHAPTER4 HOT WATER Hot water generation and its consumption often account for up to 10% of a building's energy use, more ifyour building has a dining facility, cafeteria, or laundry. There are many opportunities for saving energy here, but most will require the installation of new equipment. This work should be done together with your Energy Coordinator and DEH. Usually hot water is supplied at a temperature that is too hot to be used directly. Cold water must be mixed with it at the tap. Here then are some possible energy savings: e Check with the Energy Coordinator to see ifyou can get the hot water temperature for domestic, administrative, or general cleaning use reduced to about 95° F. Sometimes boosters can be installed where the temperature must be higher-for dishes, laundries, etc. 13 There are many benefits to be gained from reducing the quantity of hot water used: energy savings, of course, but also decreased treatment costs and lower usage payments. e You may want to suggest that self-closing rr faucets be installed on hot water taps. ~ e Look into the possibility of installing ,!:\ spray-type faucets with flow restrictors-this is especially / . . good in showers. You can improve the efficiency of the overall hot water systems by: e Inspecting and then having insulationrepaired on hot water piping and tanks. e Repairing all leaks, including those at thefaucet. e Shutting off hot water pumps when thebuilding is unoccupied. 14 15 CHAPTERS HEATING It is in the heating and cooling systems that most of your building's energy savings can arise. Much of these savings are often developed at the central plant on your installation. However, there are many operational items that you should keep in mind: your building is a unique combination of systems-heating, cooling, and ventilating. Therefore the suggestions that follow should be considered as guidelines only, and any major changes must be cleared with the Energy Coordinator. Energy expended to heat your building to comfort level conditions when it is unoccupied -which, actually, may be most of the timeis wasted. Save energy by setting back the temperature during these times. Use the following table as a rough guideline for recommending these setbacks: OCCUPIED UNOCCUPIED HOURS HOURS TYPE OF ROOM TEMPERATURE TEMPERATURE Office space 65-70°F 55°F Corridors 65-70° 52° Dead storage 50° 50° Cafeterias 65-70° 50° Mechanical rooms 55° 50° Vehicle Maintenance Shops 55° 45° Occupied storage areas 65-70° 50° Auditoriums 65-70° 50° Computer rooms 65-70° as required Toilet rooms 65-70° 55° Garages do not heat do not heat With these figures as guides, consider the following: e Suggest that radiators or heating registers be shut off completely in vestibules, corridors, stairwells and lobbies. e Ifyour building does not have thermostats that are capable of night setback, tell the Energy Coordinator and have them installed. e Ifyour building is used after-hours, recommend that areas occupied be very limited to assure that you do not heat the entire building unnecessarily. e Make sure that the thermostats in your building are tamper-proof. Recommend installing cover locks, if necessary. e During particularly cold weather, encourage your building's occupants to wear warm clothing. e When adjusting temperature settings be careful and use your common sense. The outside conditions can often cause considerable energy loss due to heat escaping through windows and exterior walls. A few simple ideas are: e If the winter sun is shining on a window, take advantage of it and use it to partially heat the room. e On the other hand, when the winter sun does not shine on windows, recommend that the occupants draw the drapes, shades or blinds to help insulate the room. e Periodically check to see that windows are tightly closed in winter. Open windows are generally a sign that the building is overheated. Call the DEH to investigate. e Refer to the section on infiltration to look into weatherstripping and caulking. e If your building's occupants complain about cold areas, suggest that they rearrange their rooms to place desks away from exterior walls and windows that may cause drafts. e Keep the windows clean to permit maximum sunlight transmission during the winter. e As you look at the outside of your building, check to see that the foliage is trimmed, especially around the southern, eastern and western walls. Other means to improve the energy efficiency of your installation often arise from opportunities at the central boiler or power plant. There are some things that you, however, as the Building Energy Monitor, can do to help here: e Ifyou notice any steam or hot water leaking from the heating system, immediately inform the Energy Coordinator. Such leaks can mean substantial energy losses. Did you know that a leak from a 3/4 inch pipe which blows steam year around costs approximately $50,000 annually? e Check around the radiators of your building; if there are any leaks be sure to report them. But be careful here, the steam escaping can be very, very hot. e The steam system needs insulation. If you see any insulation missing or in poor repair, submit a work order. CHAPTER6 COOLING Improvements to the cooling system and its operation can save significant amounts of energy. As may be imagined, many of the items that work well for conserving energy in the heating system can also work well for the cooling system. You should control the operational hours of the cooling while providing the comfort that your building's occupants need. To do this most effectively you need to know something about recommended cooling temperatures. These guidelines are: OCCUPIED PERIODS Type of Area Offices Cafeterias Auditoriums Computer rooms Toilet rooms Storage, equipment rooms, garages Minimum Temperature 76-80°F 76-80° 76-80° 76-80° 80° unconditioned Minimum Humidity 55% 55 50 as needed uncontrolled uncontrolled As with the heating, these temperatures and humidities can provide reasonable guidelines for you as you periodically inspect the building. Other ideas for energy conservation are: e Make sure the air conditioning systems do not run all night or during days when the building is unoccupied for no apparent reason. e If possible, try to use outdoor air for cooling. This means being sure that the windows are operable. e Ifcool outdoor air is available, consider cooling the building during the night and early morning hours using only the outside air mechanical A/C off. e During the cooling season, windows can work against you. In hot weather, adjust the blinds, drapes or shades to prevent sunlight from heating the building. Ifdrapes, shades or blinds are not available in your building, check with the Energy Coordinator about having some installed. Be particularly careful with a skylight, ifyour building has one. Treat it as you would a window. Ask occupants of your building to turn off air conditioning systems if they plan to be out of their office for a considerable period of time. As in the heating system, check for leaks and faulty maintenance. Keep foliage and plants out of air intakes and air exhausts. Schedule clothes washing and drying in cool morning hours which also reduces installation electrical demand contribution. Make sure that thermostats are in working order. CHAPTER7 LIGHTING Electrical lighting is a major energy consumer on Army installations. This is partially due to the fact that many of our existing buildings were designed without knowledge about final space use and without the benefit of recent developments in high efficiency lighting systems. In many rooms, lighting system modifications offer great opportunities to save. There are many possible ways to save on lighting energy. It is especially important for you to recognize that major alterations to the lighting system can have impacts on the building heating and cooling system. Before making any suggestions, you must recognize that lighting is a system. Its many elements are interrelated. While energy can be conserved by properly implementing the suggestions offered below, these actions should be taken only after you look into the effects on the entire system. It is always better to turn off a light when it is not needed even for a short period of time. A policy of "Use when needed, otherwise shut them off", works best. To help execute this policy you may want to consider the following: e Mark all switches so that occupants will remember to turn off the lights. e Suggest to all building personnel that lights should be out if not needed in storage rooms, vending machines, meeting rooms, bulletin boards, unassigned areas. e Make sure that building lights are turned off when the facility is unoccupied except those, of course, needed for security. Another major area for possible lighting savings comes from improving the effectiveness of existing lighting. Most of these savings, as you will see, arise from proper building maintenance. e Lighting fixtures, especially around fluorescent lamps, should be kept clean. e Interior building walls should be kept clean and painted using light colored paint. e Ifyour building is undergoing renovation, suggest to the Energy Coordinator that the walls and floors be decorated with light colors to improve the reflected light. e Ifyour building has many high partitions, you might look in to the potential for lowering them and "shadng" the light among the occupants. If possible in your building, suggest to the occupants that they make maximum use of daylight for their lighting. Appropriate use of this source will save electrical energy, decrease the heating requirements and generally not increase the building cooling load. e To use the daylight, be sure windows and skylights, if any, are clean and cleared. e Check blinds, drapes, and shades -open them to improve the use of daylight, but don't forget how this may affect the cooling system. e Turn off fluorescent lamps when not needed. Forget the myth that it takes more energy to re-light a fluorescent lamp than to let them burn. Treat them like any other light, turn them off when not needed. e Just removing tubes from a fluorescent lamp does not stop the lamp from using electricity. The ballast, a small transformer that provides the high voltage necessary to strike the tube, needs to be disconnected by the DEH. (This may vary if you live outside CONUS, so check with your Energy Coordinator.) The lighting suggestions that follow require the assistance of your Energy Coordinator to help with a survey and the detailed calculations that may be needed. When considering these suggestions don't forget your common sense. e Lamps in corridors may be eliminated without a significant reduction in lighting levels. e In many areas of a building, storage or corridors, for example, the existing lights can be replaced with those having smaller wattage. e There are many high efficiency lamps available for use. Suggest that these replace the ones that burn out. e Suggest to building occupants that they use "task" lighting rather than overall room illumination. e Suggest to the DEH the installation of fluorescent lighting intensity controllers to take advantage of daylighting. CHAPTERS SPECIALlY BUILDINGS There are many special buildings in the Army inventory which have unique needs and requirements. These include laundries, computer facilities, kitchens, etc. The energy conservation techniques suggested in the preceding sections will, of course, work in these buildings, but some specialized techniques and things to look for are necessary. · We discuss some of them in this section. Laundry The laundry is obviously a major consumer of hot water for washing and hot air for drying. There are many opportunities for energy conservation but most will require detailed assistance from the Energy Coordinator. If these ideas look feasible to you, be sure to suggest them to the Energy Coordinator so that the appropriate analyses can be carried out. Combine operations to reduce the number of washers. Many laundries have installed heat recovery devices. While these devices have a high capital cost, it is often recaptured with the savings in energy. Suggest that the laundry use cold water detergents and keep the temperature down to 65°-70°. Be sure that water filters are cleaned regularly. Keep the basket and the working parts of the washer clean for maximum efficiency. Suggest that clothes be sorted according to type and run washers on the minimum cycle necessary for clothing to become clean. Set timers appropriately. Suggest that lint screens and exhaust blowers be cleaned at least twice each day. Consider using ironing instead of drying whenever possible, as it is more energy and labor-efficient. Use the extractor cycle and, if needed, partial drying before ironing. Minimize warmup time, and run ironers only when actually in use. Computer Facilities Computers often need very particular environmental conditions for their efficient operation. However, these are often not followed completely. Doing so can save energy for the installation. You and the Energy Coordinator may want to investigate the manufacturer recommendations for temperature levels and humidity requirements and see if they are followed. Suggest that lighting levels be reduced to those recommended by the manufacturer. As in the laundry, heat recovery may be possible. Don't confuse main frame computers with personal computers. Each have different operating requirements. Turn off personal computers when not in use; it won't hurt them. Kitchens and Other Similar Facilities These types of facilities, located throughout the base, are major consumers of energy. Whether they are in the Post Exchange or the Officer's Club, savings can often be developed. Again, analyses will often be required; check with the Energy Coordinator. e Suggest the reduction or possible elimination of humidification. Exhaust fans serving kitchens are often interlocked with outside air fans or dampers. Be sure the staff shuts down the entire system when not needed. e Recommend concentrating smoking areas together to reduce ventilation needs. Dishwashers are major consumers of hot water. Often the hot water delivery temperature is set for this equipment. Recommend that the overall temperature be dropped and then use a booster if necessary for dishwashing. In kitchens, suggest that the serving and cooking staff avoid keeping infrared food warming lamps on when no food is being kept warm. CHAPTER9 CHECKLISTS In the pages that follow we provide checklists for the various areas discussed in the preceding sections. The Building Energy Monitor should go through the building on a regular basis and review these checklist items making notations as appropriate. These notations should be reviewed with the Energy Coordinator to insure that these items are addressed. BUILDING ENERGY MONITOR CHECKLIST Checklist Item Location/Remarks HEATING AND COOLING a. Unused areas and rooms not closed off. b. Air conditioners left running after normal hours. c. Air conditioning or heating vents obstructed. d. Exterior doors left open. e. Windows left open f. Radiators on in stairwells and vestibules. g. Window air conditioners not covered during the heating season. h. Plants and foliage blocking air intakes and exhausts. i. Visible steam leaks. j. Thermostat damaged, improperly set, or out of calibration. k. Fireplace damper open when not in use. I. Radiators are dirty. m. Air filters need replacing. n. Insulation missing on pipes. LIGHTING a. Lights left on in unoccupied area. b. Lights in use when daylight is sufficient. c. Exterior lights on in daytime. d. Light levels too high in corridor, stairwells, etc. e. Dirt on the surfaces of lamps and/or light reflecting or diffusing surfaces of fixtures. f. Lighting in work area exceeds requirements for task (refer to guidelines). g. Light bulbs with excessive wattage in use. h. Fluorescent lights have been improperly delamped (e.g. ballast is still connected). i. Lights over stacks of supplies or equipment. j. Frosted incandescent bulbs in use rather than standard clear bulbs. k. Excessive exterior illumination. 1. Walls and/or windows are dirty. OTHER ELECTRICAL a. Equipment left running when not in use (air compressors). b. Personal heaters/coffee pots in use. c. Elevator fan in use. d. Vending machines on during the weekend where food spoilage is not a problem. e. Transformer in use when not required for appliance use. f. Light bulbs not removed from vending machines. g. Using major electrical appliances during peak demand hours. WATER a. Leaking faucets. b. Hot water pipe insulation is missing or damaged. c. Hot water outlet temperature in excess of 95° F. d. Hot water delivery to non-critical areas. e. Steam/water leak in pipes. f. Domestic hot water being circulated during unoccupied hours. g. Hot water tank is not insulated or insulation is damaged. h. Partial load in dish or clothes washers. REFRIGERATION a. Refrigeration unit in drinking fountain is in use past the end of normal building hours or during winter months. b. Gaskets around refrigerator doors are not tight. c. Refrigerator needs defrosting. BUILDING a. Broken windows/doors. b. Defective fireplace damper. c. Misaligned exterior door. d. Cracked caulking around windows, doors and exterior joints. e. Defective or missing "Yeatherstripping around windows and doors. f. Shades/curtains are l.l1issing on windows. g. Outside air intake damper does not close tight. h. Exhaust air outlet(s) with no damper(s). 3 9072 02198595 1 ' A publication of the US Army Engineering and Housing Support Center, AITN: CEHSC-P, Fort Belvoir, Virginia, (703) 355-2022 in cooperation with the : ...,. US Army Energy Office HQ DA ATTN: DALO"TSE, Washington, DC (202) 697-3910 CEHSC-P PAM 89-17 JULY 1989