Author: bldgcontrols

Many companies are finding benefits by using on-site water recycling. This process allows a business to recycle water to meet their demands. It saves money and energy while providing the uses of regular treated water.

What is On-Site Water Recycling?

Companies use water daily. After use the waste water gets taken away by drainage. On-site water recycling keeps the used water in the facility. The waste water is then treated. The purpose of the recycled water determines the amount of treatment required.  The EPA has strict treatment guidelines for treatment. There is also state and Federal oversight to assure safety.

Most use recycled water for nonpotable reasons. One use is for landscape irrigation. Another use for recycled water is flushing toilets. Many industrial facilities and sites need water for cooling purposes. Recycled water works for this purpose as well.

Financial Benefits

It takes energy and money to bring fresh water daily. The costs include extraction, treatment, and transportation to its destination. These costs fall on the company. An on-site water recycling system provides extra water to meet certain needs. This reduces the need for an outside water source and reduces overall costs.

Environmental Benefits

Water recycling provides three main benefits to the environment. It lessens the risk to the natural ecosystems. It also decreases waste water which is an environmental concern. Finally, it decreases pollution. Ecosystems are at risk from regular water diversion. Water gets taken from areas and diverted to treatment plants. Then it gets transported to various destinations for use. Using recycled water takes away the need for excessive water from an outside source. This leaves more for ecosystems that depend on the natural water supply.

Treated waste water still causes problems. Treated waste water discharged in areas of salt water unbalance the environment. This poses a threat to the marine and plant life. Using recycled water decreases this process and protects these plants and animals. This process also reduces pollution. Waste water discharge adds pollution, even after treatment. By reducing waste water, it lowers the amount of pollutants introduced into the natural water bodies.

Using an on-site water recycling system provides benefits. These include financial and environmental. For more information, contact us today.

Organizations thrive on comfort, efficiency and productivity, and cost savings. Facility upgrades and building automation solutions are excellent ways to avoid breakdowns, increase sustainability, and reduce energy waste. Case studies prove that strategic upgrades can deliver specific benefits.

Financial Benefits

There are both direct and indirect costs that come with facility administration and maintenance. Automation technology can significantly reduce monthly utility bills, which are one of the largest controllable facility budget items. Automation solutions also reduce maintenance costs, because optimized equipment that is strategically used will experience less wear-and-tear. Repairing and replacing outdated and inefficient building equipment is expensive, but newer technology solutions are designed for long-term efficient operation.

Operational Benefits

Real-time reports and graphical displays tell management what exactly is happening without having to access spaces that are confined, elevated or remote. This reduces the need to deal with OSHA confined spaces and fall protection regulations. The value of commercial buildings is directly related to the net operating income, so increasing operational efficiency can improve the bottom line.  Unexpected equipment breakdowns can cost a business thousands of dollars a minute. Building automation and facility technology use preventative maintenance programs that avoid costly breakdowns and emergency repairs.

Personnel Benefits

Maintenance managers and facility administrators will enjoy simplified operations through digital controls and software solutions. This will free their time up to deal with more important duties. Automated systems and computerized controls maintain appropriate temperatures and lighting levels to provide optimal comfort. This can lead to a more productive workforce and may also increase the comfort of visitors, clients, and the public.

When considering major equipment repair or replacement, it’s important to evaluate each against the cost of upgrading to a newer technology. Facility upgrades and building automation manage the sensitive balance between profitability, operating costs, and environmental quality. Contact us to learn how our technology will help you cost-effectively manage your facility.

Encouraging employees to save energy in the workplace is good for the both environment and your business. The key to effective implementation is getting staff on board, which isn’t always easy. Below are some tips to introduce energy-saving practices in the workplace.

Create Awareness

Notify all staff members of the goal to increase energy efficiency.  When notifying staff, introduce imagery, posters, and signage to encourage engagement.

Work Together

Invite staff to provide suggestions or share steps they currently take to reduce energy use. Encourage staff to remind each other.  It may also be helpful to designate someone to ensure everything is turned off at the end of the day.

Use Energy Saving Settings

Adjust computers in the office to hibernate or turn off the monitor after a period of inactivity. Set any vending machines with ambient light to dim or switch off the light between uses. Reduce paper use by setting printers to print on both sides of paper and encourage digital-only sharing of documents.

Start Small

Small changes can make a big difference, especially in larger workplaces. Start off by encouraging staff to turn off monitors if they step away from the computer for extended periods, such as during lunchtime. Remind employees to turn off lights in areas not being used. At the end of the day and over weekends have all workers turn off computers and monitors.

Update Staff with Results

Make a note of the starting point and share reductions with staff to demonstrate the changes are meaningful.  When you provide regular updates to staff, you continue to exhibit and emphasize their importance to the success of the initiative.

Interested in learning about alternative ways to conserve energy in your business?  Performance Solutions is available to help you reach your energy goals. Contact us for more information.

The National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) states that over 20 million students attend colleges and universities across the country. A college degree is an expensive educational investment that may take anywhere from two to six years to complete. Students naturally expect an excellent ROI for their time, money and energy. This is why colleges are focusing on how to optimize their facilities and systems to attract prospective students and offer better academic experiences.

Physical Comfort Impacts Learning Environments

The quality of the campus’ physical environment has a significant impact on staff, student and faculty satisfaction and mental well-being.  High-performance cafeterias, dormitories, laboratories, libraries, classrooms, lecture halls and athletic facilities will attract top talent among both students and professors. Facility upgrades, building automation and new technology will optimize indoor environmental qualities through the right air, humidity, ventilation and temperature levels. This will naturally satisfy the functional and comfort requirements of diverse populations.

Enhanced Administrative Controls

Facility optimization projects may enhance waste, energy, operational and maintenance management. Facility administrators may be able to monitor energy and resource usage through integrated building controls and unified building management platforms. This means that administrators may quickly access and review HVAC, lighting, equipment and utilities metering data. Gaining control of energy spending through building automation systems reduces operational, equipment and maintenance expenditures while maximizing student and staff comfort.

Operational Efficiency

Inefficient systems and inflexible technology make it increasingly difficult to take control of the substantial life cycle costs associated with facility operations. Centralized building interfaces with diverse functional capabilities will free up support and administrative staff to focus on less time-consuming tasks. Advanced programs may offer preventive and scheduled maintenance scheduling, which will increase efficiencies and reduce operational costs. Maintenance managers will be able to identify poorly performing equipment and systems before complaints and major problems arise. This will promote excellent reliability, long-term performance and reduced life cycle costs.

Colleges and universities are changing how they operate in order to save money, promote efficiency and attract the best talent.  See how our innovative and affordable solutions will benefit your college campus.

An energy audit is a formal survey, analysis and inspection of a building or company’s energy flows, processes, systems and conservation efforts. The Department of Energy encourages home energy audits for the sake of money and efficiency. All organizations should get regular energy audits to uncover problems, fix issues and maximize sustainability.

Commercial Energy Audit Basics

Energy audits involve a professional inspector who assesses buildings, systems and programs for cost savings, waste reduction and sustainability opportunities. These formal audits result in an audit report that may contain accomplishments, recommendations and non-compliance findings. Energy audits will almost always identify redundancies, uncover managerial mistakes and reduce energy costs.  Each building is different, so audits each come with unique risks and opportunities.

Energy Audit Inspections

During the energy audit, an energy auditor will visit the site. They will most likely start off the event with an introductory meeting that will review goals and intentions.  A site inspection will include assessments of lighting, air conditioners, machine controls, refrigeration equipment, air compressors, heating and ventilation systems and anything else that is using energy. Remember, energy sometimes refers to power from either electronic or pneumatic systems. Production facilities often use air hoses to power machinery, so tiny leaks are equally wasteful and concerning.

Energy Audit Interviews

Energy auditors will want to interview team leaders, facility managers and upper administrators. Many companies that maintain international certification, such as the ISO 14001 Environmental Management System (EMS) credential, use energy audits to help maintain compliance with their program. These companies may steer auditors to only talk with model employees, but energy auditors often want to randomly interact with regular employees in order to really understand operations.

The audit will conclude with the auditor analyzing their metrics, such as pressures, light levels and power draw, along with other information to produce a final report that establishes energy conservation goals, standards, measures and suggestions.