A pharmaceutical company looked to its new 350,000-sq-ft world headquarters as a place to further improve sustainability and reduce energy consumption. The 10,000-person global company designed its building to be environmentally friendly with state-of-the-art technology, consistent with the overall corporate sustainability vision to create a cleaner, greener, healthier world. 

In line with that philosophy, Cimetrics was selected to provide its Analytika Pro solution. Cimetrics collaborated with Schneider, the pharmaceutical company’s BAS provider, to connect to and collect sensor and actuator data from almost 9,000 physical points. Data was collected continuously, 24 hours a day, 365 days a year, totaling over 850,000 data samples per day.

The following systems were monitored: four AHUs, 17 chilled water and hot water pumps, two chillers, two cooling towers, over 550 terminal units, solar panel arrays, and a lighting control system.

Over 1,000 Analytika software algorithms continuously analyzed the data to identify opportunities to reduce energy consumption, improve comfort, and reduce operations and maintenance costs.

Experienced Cimetrics engineers leveraged Analytika software to identify opportunities, determine root cause, and calculate annual savings impact. Actionable recommendations were documented and provided to the client both through online and offline channels. Cimetrics’ role did not end with providing recommendations; Cimetrics engineers engaged with the client team on a regular basis to help answer questions, coordinate implementation, and provide regular feedback on progress.

Fault detection and diagnostics determined the company should implement zone temperature deadband during occupied times. The pharmaceutical company has heating and cooling provided by fan coil units (FCUs). The FCUs were maintaining a constant zone temperature setpoint of 72?F and were programmed for tight temperature control with no deadband. This was creating valve cycling between heating and cooling coils.

This fault was not detected on-site because the zones were still meeting the setpoint and zone temperature variations were small. However, significant heating and cooling were required to offset each other over time as a result of the BAS programming.

Cimetrics worked with company staff to reprogram the BAS to implement a zone temperature deadband. As a result, the FCUs typically remain in either cooling or heating mode for a significant number of hours, no longer oscillating between modes.

An annual energy savings of $100,237 achieved. Also, annual carbon emissions reduction totaled 311 metric tons.

The company also set out to reduce the unoccupied zone heating setpoint for FCUs. Zones in the building were operating at a zone temperature of 72?F, 24/7.  The office building has no occupancy at night and minimal occupancy on weekends. Implementing a zone heating setback strategy to 65?F during unoccupied hours reduced heating requirements over 4,000 hrs/yr.

Cimetrics worked with facilities personnel to reprogram the heating setpoint during unoccupied hours to 65?F. This helped to achieve an annual energy savings of $52,633 and an annual carbon emissions reduction of 163 metric tons.

The total results for the project equaled an energy savings of $405,000/yr (26% of annual cost). According to Cimetrics, this is equivalent to a payback of less than six months. The net present value is $1.5 million.

 Cimetrics also reported several operations benefits. For example, vendor management verified that optimum sequence of operations were programmed into the BAS. Also, ongoing commissioning data for LEED points was provided.

When it came to utility incentives, the company was able to identify eligible measures under the local utility’s incentive program. Finally, in the areas of code and safety, the company monitored and verified that the AHUs could maintain existing outside air percentage control without compromising air quality throughout the duration of a fire that occurred on a nearby building’s roof.