91视频

Seattle-based construction and consulting firm recently helped the Lane County jail 鈥� and the taxpayers who support the facility 鈥� find ways to save $178,000 in annual energy costs.

Before the upgrades, the jail was relying on a cooling system that was barely functional, according to Cameron Hamilton, a McKinstry account executive.

The old system was replaced with high-efficiency chillers and a cooling tower to provide a reliable, efficient ventilation system. Crews also installed variable frequency motors on the large fans to reduce unnecessary air conditioning of cells and kitchen areas.

Two boilers that serve the kitchen were replaced with a seven-boiler system and a steam boiler. The new system is able to react automatically to events such as a surge in demand for heat, alarms and service shutdowns. Now, if the controls or master boiler go off-line, other boilers will pick up the load with no operator action required.

In addition to commissioning all of the new upgrades, McKinstry tested the jail’s existing systems to discover whether equipment failures were wasting energy 鈥� and old control systems were filled with inefficiencies, according to Hamilton. Pumps associated with the heating and cooling system were running 24/7 instead of being tied to the operation of the associated chiller or boiler.

Also, leaky valves and dampers were replaced, inefficient control sequences were fixed, and energy-efficient lamps and ballasts were installed.

鈥淕reen Spotlight鈥� is a weekly feature on local firms’ best sustainable projects. To submit a project, email [email protected] or call 503-802-7226.