Showing posts with label Cambridge. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Cambridge. Show all posts

Friday, May 22, 2009

Dunster Kitchen Controls

Our Dining Services group recently worked with National Resources Management to reduce energy consumption in their kitchens. They put in controls to to reduce short cycling of the walk-in cooler and freezer compressors, run the evaporator fans only when needed, and run the defrost cycle based on coil temperature. NRM also installed anti-sweat door heater controls and replaced the small evaporator fans with much more efficient Electronically Commutated Motors (ECM) motors, as is being done in the picture on the right in a cooler at Dunster House, where 2 coolers and 2 freezers were upgraded. The new controls are able to be monitored remotely to track refrigerator and cooler performance and to verify energy savings (the small image on the bottom right shows a screen shot tracking the Dunster House kitchen). The overall project covered 14 walk-in coolers and 8 walk-in freezers in 4 kitchens, cost about $80,000 after utility rebates, is estimated to save over $28,000 annually (simple payback in less than 3 years), and will reduce greenhouse gas emissions by over 62 metric tons of carbon dioxide equivalent per year. Details of the Dunster project are included on the bottom left. The whole project was funded through the Green Campus Loan Fund and the loan will be repaid as the energy savings are realized.

Tuesday, May 5, 2009

HEET Weatherization Barn Raising

On April 26, I attended a HEET Weatherization Barn Raising in Cambridge. The Home Energy Efficiency Team (HEET) is a Cambridge-based co-op bringing neighbors together to weatherize their homes and take the energy future into their own hands. A large group of volunteers, guided by some home energy efficiency experts, went weatherized two houses in the Cambridgeport area. Activities included: insulation and foam around the band joists, flashing and caulking around the chimney opening, mortar around bricks and pipe penetrations, caulking and weatherstripping around doors, foam gaskets behind electrical outlets, adjusted and tightened hinges, a hard piped dryer vent, and more. The houses were later tested with a blower door to determine their air leakage and event ended with pizza and live music. It was an extremely educational, rewarding, and fun experience.