Erdman Anthony's Facilities Engineering and Design Services core business unit includes a division dedicated to commissioning and energy conservation services. Our internal energy and commissioning services division specializes in building commissioning, energy simulation, energy audits, and green building design services. We provide these services to both public and private facility owners, architects, engineers, and contractors for a wide array of facility types, including supermarkets, cold storage facilities, and warehouses.
Erdman Anthony's commissioning team has experience in successfully implementing commissioning services from early design phases through post-occupancy of a project. It can provide commissioning services for new store construction as well as retro-commissioning for an existing problematic store that has never been commissioned. We realize that nearly half of the electricity consumed by a typical supermarket is for refrigeration, so our main commissioning focus is normally on the refrigeration house and associated equipment. Recognizing that other systems contribute to electrical usage and that natural gas consumption used for space heating can contribute greatly to your overall energy costs, we propose a holistic approach for evaluating your new and existing stores.
Commissioning (New Construction): We get involved early in the design process to ensure drawings and specifications focus on adequate testing procedures and minimal contractor change orders. We can provide the following services to ensure your systems perform as efficiently as possible:
- Assist design engineer in specification development to define commissioning scope for contractors.
- Develop construction phase commissioning plan to summarize deliverables and roles referred to in the contractual specifications.
- Generate prefunctional checklists to verify completion of manufacturers' startups, TAB work, and required testing to ensure proper installation of the commissioned systems.
- Create functional testing plans based on sequences of operation and other significant modes and sequences, including startup, shutdown, unoccupied mode, manual mode, staging, miscellaneous alarms, power failure, security/fire alarm when impacted, and interlocks with other systems or equipment.
- Coordinate, witness, and document functional performance tests to ensure systems perform per design intent.
- Maintain a master deficiency log to document nonconformities during functional testing.
- Compile a final commissioning report, including a list of participants and roles, brief building description, overview of commissioning and testing scope, issues log, all outstanding non-compliance items, and recommendations for improvement to equipment or operations.
- Provide warranty and seasonal testing assistance.
Retro-Commissioning (Existing Facilities): We provide a similar scope of services for existing facilities to ensure your systems' maximum performance, and we have the expertise to recommend design revisions for improvement. Here are the types of design aspects we could investigate in your existing facilities:
- Refrigeration Systems
- Capacity studies: Refrigerated cases are frequently added to a store after its opening, and the capacity of the refrigeration system becomes inadequate. After performing refrigeration capacity investigations, we made recommendations for resolution. Our engineers have the experience to recommend economical and functional solutions. Recently, as a result of our investigation, an Erdman Anthony client added an external mechanical sub-cooler to increase the capacity of a refrigeration rack. This option added the needed capacity and was much more economical than adding a compressor.
- Rack control strategies: We differentiate ourselves from other consulting firms by having a dedicated controls department that focuses on implementing state-of-the-art controls strategies to maximize performance of the refrigeration rack. Strategies such as floating head pressure control can reduce your energy consumption by upwards of 20%.
- Case control strategies: Case setpoints, anti-sweat cycles, and defrost cycles are often adjusted by maintenance staff and no longer perform per manufacturers' recommendations. Our control staff understands how your cases should perform. We can troubleshoot and fine tune your cases to attain maximum performance and efficiency.
- Compressor unloaders: Our engineers specify new or retrofit existing compressor racks with electronic unloaders to limit compressor cycling during part load conditions. This option will increase efficiency as well as extend compressor life.
- Variable speed condenser fan motors: Condenser replacements and retrofits are designed using variable EC motor technology to optimize fan speeds and maximize efficiency.
- Pressure drop (piping methods): Excessive pressure drop due to poor piping installation equates to poor performance and low system performance. We can evaluate your piping system, calculate the pressure drop, and make recommendations to modify piping and maximize system performance.
- Refrigerant leaks: Refrigerant leaks are not just an emissions problem, but can result in low refrigerant charge, ultimately decreasing system efficiency by 5-20%. Our specifications call for pressure testing all piping in the refrigeration house before it is shipped. We utilize the Green Chill protocol and outline exactly how the system is tested after the complete system is installed.
- Other Systems
- Lighting: Lighting reflects approximately 13% of the electricity consumption in an average supermarket, not including its impact on cooling loads. Lighting retrofits can save 30-50% of lighting energy as well as 10-20% of cooling energy. We understand the dynamics of supermarkets and can design a lighting retrofit that will result in both energy savings and an inviting atmosphere.
- HVAC systems:
Scott Divens at 585-427-8888 ext. 308.
Facilities Capabilities
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