Intelligent Energy Management System Delivers One-second ROI via Rebate and Energy Efficiency Programs
El Cerrito, California (Dec. 6 , 2011) The Associated Students of San Diego State University (SDSU) reduced the energy consumption of its Aztec Recreation Center by more than 31 percent,* with an 88 percent* savings in fan energy alone, through the use of the Vigilent Intelligent Energy Management System, Vigilent® announced today. These energy reductions netted SDSU more than $70,000 in annual savings and moved the Associated Students a step closer to their goal of net zero energy usage and LEED-EB:O+M certification of its facilities.
“We achieved large savings with absolutely no interruption in the Aztec Rec Center usage nor any discernible temperature changes,” said Glen Brandenburg, Sustainability Advisor for the Associated Students. “And, because the Vigilent system delivered energy savings 55 percent greater than we projected, our ROI, aided by energy efficiency incentives, was achieved in about one second.”
“While we are growing accustomed to the jaw-dropping results of the Vigilent system, it is always satisfying to observe the reaction of our customers,” said Mark Housley, Vigilent CEO. “The SDSU results are typical of the cooling and heating energy reductions achieved by our system. We are pleased to be making a bottom-line difference for the Associated Students by reducing unnecessary costs and significantly contributing to their ambitious green initiatives.”
SDSU’s Aztec Recreation Center is in use 24-hours a day except for major holidays. “Most building cooling operations are set to manage maximum capacity loads,” said Brandenburg. “In our case, this would be 2,000 people in the 76,000 square foot facility on a 110-degree day. While this may represent an exceptional condition, older building cooling systems like ours were built when energy was cheap. Our day-to-day cooling operations were set to manage this capacity.”
From an energy management perspective, the Aztec Recreation Center operated as a constant volume, single-zone facility – its size alone making it an obvious candidate for variable air volume (VAV) conversion.
The building had such large potential energy savings that it easily qualified for incentives from the UC/CSU/IOU University Partnership, a cooperative program with the investor owned utilities of California (SDG&E in San Diego), and the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (ARRA)-funded Energy Technology Assistance Program (ETAP).
Leveraging this funding, the Associated Students’ sustainability team installed the Vigilent system and four variable-speed fan drives. Wireless temperature sensors from Vigilent were placed on the Aztec Recreation Center walls, discharge air ducts, and roof (measuring outside air temperatures), providing real-time information to the Vigilent system. Driven by an advanced artificial intelligence engine, the Vigilent system dynamically controls the Aztec Recreation Center’s four individual air handling units and variable fan drives to continually balance cooling and heating requirements with actual conditions. The result was an 88 percent drop in variable fan drive energy consumption and an overall building energy reduction of 31 percent, while maintaining temperatures at a pre-determined set point and maximizing occupant comfort.
About The Associated Students of San Diego State University
Associated Students (AS) is an independent, student-directed nonprofit corporation on the campus of San Diego State University that is one of the largest student governance organizations in the California State University system. The Associated Students create, promote and fund social, cultural and recreational programs and facilities both on campus and in the community, advocate for student interests, provide leadership opportunities and participate in shared governance. Green Love is a comprehensive initiative that seeks to make AS facilities and programming sustainable, while promoting environmentally responsible lifestyle behaviors. For information, visit www.as.sdsu.edu.
About Vigilent
Vigilent (vigilent.com) is the leader in intelligent energy management systems for data centers, telecommunications facilities and large, commercial buildings. Pioneering the application of advanced, artificial intelligence technology to the real-time demands of energy usage, Vigilent delivers significant reductions in energy costs while increasing resiliency and ride-through in data centers, and offering tenant comfort and greener operations in large buildings. Vigilent is a privately held firm located in the technology corridor of San Francisco’s East Bay and is committed to green energy solutions that make for a more sustainable planet.
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*Energy savings provided by SDSU.
