Background

The project began in March 2012 and Colliers Property Management Services Houston, LLC served as the project manager for the $325,000 energy-efficient, cost-reducing initiative. Immediately upon approval, The Rose staff established timelines, requested bids and selected contractors. Colliers initiated five individual contracts to implement facility upgrades and equipment replacement efforts: Lime Energy (interior lighting), Brown Electric (exterior lighting), Letsos (air-system upgrades), Oates Industries, Inc. (roof replacement), and Romano Contractors (window film). The first phase of the project started with ballast and interior lighting replacements and installation of high-quality window film throughout the building. Brown Electric replaced exterior lighting and light switches that did not have occupancy sensors. Letsos installed variable speed controls on the water pump chiller and AHU fans, upgraded the control system, repaired outside dampers, sealed leaks in the supply air ducts, and cleaned AHU cooling coils and condenser coils. The final push to replace the roof proved to be a challenge for Oates Industries, Inc., as several days of heavy rain delayed the process and caused ceiling leaks in some offices, which required ceiling tile replacements.

Solutions

The Rose Building expects to reduce its electricity consumption by 352,000 kWh, an annual savings of approximately $36,000. The following EEMs are the engines that drive the energy savings for this project:

• Lighting - Upgrade of interior and exterior lighting to high efficiency T8 linear fluorescent and LED; installation of occupancy sensors in offices and conference rooms to automate the process of turning lights off when not needed (estimated savings of $15,000 annually with an average payback of 2.5 years).
• HVAC - Installation of Variable Speed Control on the chilled water pump; addition of variable speed controls on air handler fans; installation of a direct digital control (DDC) system to reduce HVAC hours; sealing leaks in supply air ducts; cleaning the air handler and condenser coils; repair of outside air dampers and fans; and raising of cooling set points to 74 degrees wherever possible (estimated savings of $19,000 annually with an average payback of 3 years).
• Building Envelope - Replacement of the roof with an energy efficient reflective roof; installation of window film on single-pane windows to reduce solar heat gain (estimated savings of $2,000 annually).

Other Benefits

The Rose staff immediately felt the improvement in air temperature and lighting once the window film was installed and the lighting had been replaced, especially in the large conference room where staff and board meetings, trainings, and support groups are held. Without initial funding support from the City of Houston through the Energy Efficiency Incentive Program, these major upgrades and replacements would not have been possible within such a short timeframe. The Rose leadership team is very excited to see the actual energy-cost savings over the next several months and the long-term impact of the project. Cost savings from the project will be used to further support The Rose’s mission to help uninsured women access lifesaving services.