Dedicated Corporate Data Center

Exceeding the energy savings goal by almost 50%

The corporate data center opened in 1995 and was expanded in 2004 and again in 2007, when it totaled 192,000 square feet.
To ensure reliable 24/7/365 operation, the facility has several redundant systems, including electric and gas chillers, plus back-up power generation. Approximately one-third of the floor area consists of offices, restrooms, a cafeteria, and other spaces that are used daily by site staff.
The building owner had some experience with energy efficiency but had never pursued retro-commissioning. They established an energy savings target of 500,000 kilowatt-hours (kWh) per year from retro-commissioning.
Based in large part on our experience and integrity, we were selected to perform retro-commissioning of this critical facility.

We assisted the building owner with applying for participation in the local utility’s retro-commissioning incentive program. The project would focus on energy-saving opportunities involving HVAC system optimization, as well as lighting, in the spaces occupied by site staff.
During the first phase, we identified seven energy-saving measures that, if implemented correctly, would reduce annual electricity use by an estimated 3.2%. Four of the measures would also reduce annual natural gas use.
The building owner selected six of the seven measures for implementation with a combined simple payback of fewer than 3 months.
Following measurement and verification, we confirmed the measures yielded over 700,000 kilowatt-hours (kWh) and nearly 12,000 therms of electricity and natural gas savings, respectively. These energy savings exceeded the building owner’s original target by over 40%.
The local chapter of ASHRAE gave our team an Excellence in Engineering award in recognizing the project’s successful outcome.

Data Centers