7. Cogeneration- Combined Heat and Power (CHP) The simultaneous production of two or more useful forms of energy. Most commonly, electricity and useful heat Terminology
47. Old AC (10,000 Btuh) with EER=8 uses 625 kWh = $156/year Energy Star AC with EER = 12 uses 417 kWh = $104/year Energy Star Air Conditioners Lighting and Appliances- Ways to Save
48. Programmable Timers Turn off air conditioning when you are not at home Lighting and Appliances- Ways to Save
50. Typical Fridge uses: 900 kWh = $225/year Energy Star Fridge uses: 450 kWh = $113/year Energy Star Refrigerators Lighting and Appliances- Ways to Save
Introduce Green Home NYC a) About Us b) What We Do 2. Introduce the House Calls program a) Information sessions for coop boards, condo boards, block associations, homeowner groups b) Encourage folks to be energy efficient & green c) Provide guidance on actual steps & processes available to them d) Presentations are mostly scripted e) Case studies provide comparative examples f) Follow-up assessment
Emphasize these points so that volunteers know that they deflect responsibilities for questions that they may not have answers for that are very technical.
Knowing the differences between the 3 will help you in your arguments: Energy Efficiency - productivity that we think is a tangible goal. Not too expensive - focuses on comfort. Something everyone can agree on generally. Energy Generation - this requires rather expensive investments, and most risky. Cost is generally best bourne by either of the other two approaches. Energy Conservation - this is the easiest, but challenging for other reasons since you are asking people to change inherent behaviors. This should always be part of any plan, but should be approached reasonably.
Sustainability is about long term empathy. Green is about immediate day-to-day actions.
Combustion engine and generator caution: the heat loss of the building vs. radiators output (relatively colder temp passing fast) Supers may be afraid to work with them – easier – if well sized and tuned – because of microprocessor.
Heating & Hot Water: Overheating, underheating, no balancing, no controls Insulation Boiler settings/controls Building Envelope Drafts lead to hotness in Summer, coldness/dryness in Winter Lighting, Appliances, & Electricity Inefficient lighting Non-EnergyStar appliances Phantom Loads Motors that are not EnergyStar Laundry machines Mechanical Ventilation Too strong/ too weak Significant gaps Motors Dirty and unclean Indoor Air Quality & Environment Cleaning supplies/ household chemicals Fresh air circulation Flooring materials Paints Pest Control Mold Water Conservation & Management Low-Flow showerheads & faucet aerators HE laundry machines Low flow toilets Building heating systems that require hot water Storm water management Collective Community Behavior Recycling Composting No smoking Using stairwells more… Pro-Active, Long-Term Asset Management Know your equipment Keep track of repairs Schedule future repairs Train superintendents Set general guidelines for a contract work for paints, finishes, etc. Set general guidelines for regular maintenance supplies Plan ahead
Condensing gas boiler – for dhw and heating – 97% efficient – common in europe Application: DHW generation and hydronic heating (Tom talked to you about it). DHW is a perfect application for it because the temperature is relatively low, so the return temperatures is even lower => exhaust gases condense. Compare with conventional boiler – up to 85% efficiency
Whenever we have a tankless coil, we need a mixing valve. Why? -- Because we need to cool down the water coming out of the coil – it’s about 180 degrees F -- by mixing it with cold water.
Holby – no good. Thermostatic kind. In our experience the temperature fluctuates a lot, it can fail open and supply water above 180F to apartments.
Electric heaters – bad, but not in all cases (commercial building – makes sense). Empire state building – turned off these heaters. No energy needed for circulating DHW, so there are not pumps and circulation losses involved, small installed cost, no venting needed
Sollar DHW - connected to a tank and a boiler Vacuum tubes – higher efficiency, high temp water, less space, easier to install (at an angle), easier to replace a tube ($100/tube), good for the northern climate, but are more expensive than flat panels. 1 house needs 2-3 flat panels or vacuum 2x30 tubes to produce
Cost of Green Roofs vs. Benefits - could the money be used elsewhere for the benefits for storm water / insulation / heat island effect?
Radiation - sun heat goes through vacuum)
Stack effect occurs because warm air is less dense than cold air. The warm air rises and creates outward pressure at the top of buildings and inward pressure at the bottoms. Ignoring the effects of wind, if a window is opened above the neutral plane, air flows from the interior of the building to the exterior. Conversely, if a window is opened below the neutral plane, air will travel from the exterior to the interior. The taller the building the more pronounced the stack effect is.
batts and blankets (for pipe insulation or sized to fit between wall studs, floor joists). rigid materials (foamboard and fiberboard for exterior or interior insulation) – this is what you will get for your roof or wall insulation. sprayed-on materials (polyurethane – often used to retrofit masonry walls with irregular surfaces). These could be toxic and contain HCFCs and CO2. With time as air replaces hydrocarbon gas, the R value of surfaces reduces. loose insulation (cellulose – roof insulation. Loose insulation is good for retrofits – it can fill spaces inside closed cavities)). This is what you will get for blown-in wall insulation.
Ventilation rates: New NYC code (effective July 2008): Bath – 20 CFM continuous Kitchen – 25 CFM continuous Corridors – 0.05 CFM/sq.ft. The new code requires 20 cfm continuous or 50 cfm intermittent ventilation for bathrooms, and 25 cfm continuous or 100 cfm intermittent for kitchens. Old NYC code Bath – 50 CFM continuous Kitchens – 100 CFM continuous (2 or 3 CFM per s.f.)
Success of the CAR installation depends on the apartment access Ensure preset air flow from an exhaust grill CAR is a modulating orifice that automatically regulates airflows in duct systems to constant levels. The passive control element responds to duct pressure. CAR compensates for changes in duct pressure caused by thermal stack effect, building pressure, dust clogging, etc. Using Bernoulli effect, the active control element of the CAR is a unique aero-wing damper that lifts in response to increasing static pressure. This operation regulates the free-area opening through the control, resulting in maintenance of velocity and specific airflow set points. Bernoulli effect - an increase in the speed of the air occurs simultaneously with a decrease in pressure
(Unplug chargers and appliances when not in use. In the average home, 40% of electricity used to power home electronics is consumed while the products are turned off but still plugged in. Make sure to unplug chargers and appliances when you are not using them. ) Cable box is the biggy – turn it off, if possible. It is easy to plug all electronics into a power strip and turn the whole strip off.
Berkeley Lab researcher Michael Siminovitch conducted photometric tests and discovered that these lamps burn at nearly 1,000 °F, an energy intensive and dangerously high temperature considering the proximity of people and furnishings. In contrast, compact fluorescent lamp (CFL) torchieres, which incorporate electronic ballasts, operate at about 100°F, posing no fire hazard. CFL torchieres produce about 45% more light than halogen torchieres and consume only one-quarter the energy.
Given the air conditioner works 500 full load hours (FLH), and holding other things constant, an Energy Star AC will use 200 kWh/year less = $50/year. EER = Btuh/Watts = 12000 Btuh/Watts
reduce temp in winter and turn off AC in summer when you are not home. ( Air conditioners are one of the largest consumers of electricity. Be sure to shut off your air conditioner when you’re not home and manually set the thermostats and timers found on newer models. ) Using shades to help cool your home substantially reduces the amount of time your air conditioner needs to run.
TS will tell you about it in details.
Front-loading washing machines use half as much water as top loaders. Also, they extract more water in the spin cycle, which shortens the necessary drying time. So, Replacing top-loading washers with Energy Star washers will save water, the energy used to heat the water, electricity, and gas used to dry the clothing. Many laundry service providers are willing to replace washers free of charge, or free with an extension of the service contract. In that case, the payback would be immediate. Modified Energy Factor (MEF) is a measure of energy efficiency that considers the energy used by the washer, the energy used to heat the water, and the energy used to run the dryer. The higher the MEF, the more energy efficient the clothes washer. Water Factor (WF) measures water efficiency in gallons of water consumed per cubic foot of capacity. The lower the WF, the more water efficient the clothes washer. Both MEF and WF are listed on the ENERGY STAR qualified product list.
For best efficiency, get a low-flow showerhead with a shut-off valve. This allows you to turn off the water while soaping up, then turn it back on instantly without having to readjust the temperature.
If you already have an old toilet tank, put a heavy brick or a bottle with pebbles into the tank. This would displace the amount of water equal to the volume of the brick or a bottle. With each flush you would be saving water! And you can't tell a difference
(Caulk cracks and crevices. Seal any opening to the outside, where you feel that cold air is coming in.
If your windows are drafty, get a transparent plastic wrap (sold in Hardware Stores) and attach it using a sticky tape to the inside of your window frame. It won't reduce the amount of sunlight or clearance, but it will prevent draft from blowing inside of your apartment.)
Taking AC out of a window in winter solves the draftiness problem. However, it is a wall-through AC – you cannot always remove.