New Guides Released August 2022
Berkeley Lab and kW Engineering collaborated to create performance requirements, energy saving and implementation cost estimates for four retrofit packages for schools.
- Building management system upgrade package
- Boiler replacement package
- Chiller replacement package
- RTU replacement package
The guides describe a package of efficiency measures that are complementary to provide deeper savings and allied benefits. They are primarily intended for school facilities staff involved with the planning, design and specification of infrastructure upgrades. The guides may also be useful for allied stakeholders such as designers, energy consultants and service providers.
School districts often have to replace their Building Management System (BMS) due to obsolescence, frequent breakdowns, difficulty to maintain comfort, health and safety, etc. BMS replacements are a prime opportunity to implement energy efficiency measures related to controls. This guide describes a package of complementary efficiency measures that can be combined with a BMS replacement.
These includes:
• Supply air temperature reset
• Duct static pressure reset
• Supply fan variable flow (typically via variable frequency drives, VFDs)
• Chilled water pump VFD
• Chilled water temperature reset
• Heating hot water pump VFD
• Heating hot water temperature reset
• Optimum start
• Comprehensive retro-commissioning
This guide describes a package of efficiency measures that can be incorporated with a boiler replacement. In addition to a high efficiency boiler, the package includes several complementary measures that provide deeper savings and allied benefits.
These include:
• Hot water supply temperature reset
• Variable flow hot water pump
• Boiler lock-outs
• Condensing boilers
• Networked thermostats
• Super premium efficiency motors
School districts with decarbonization goals are encouraged to first consider replacing boilers with heat pumps or other approaches that do not require fossil fuels. For other low carbon technology strategies ranging from simple to advanced options, please see Better Buildings factsheets for primary schools and secondary schools.
This guide describes a package of efficiency measures that can be incorporated with a chiller replacement. In addition to a high efficiency chiller, the package includes several complementary measures that provide deeper savings and allied benefits.
These include:
• Chilled water supply temperature reset
• Variable flow chilled water pump
• Super premium efficiency motors
• Cooling tower replacement or upgrade
• BMS replacement or upgrade including controls upgrades to related HVAC systems
This guide describes a package of efficiency measures that can be incorporated with a roof-top unit (RTU) replacement. In addition to a high efficiency RTU, the package includes several complementary measures that provide deeper savings and allied.
These include:
• Networked thermostats
• Networked thermostats with CO2 sensors and economizer controller
• High capacity, low pressure drop air filters
• Variable flow fan (typically with variable frequency drives, VFDs)
• Economizer commissioning
• Supply air temperature reset