Footprints in the Pacific August 31, 2009 Posted by: johnsoncontrols 09:25 AM
By Chuck Strand, Johnson Controls
A thousand miles east of the Philippines and 7,500 miles west of California, smack dab in the middle of the Pacific Ocean, lies the tiny island of Guam. Captured by the Japanese on December 8th, 1941 – the day after they attacked Pearl Harbor – Guam was eventually recaptured by U.S. forces and became an important launch pad for the air and naval assaults on Japan that eventually ended World War II. In 1950, the island became an American territory and its inhabitants U.S. citizens.
Viewed from the air, Guam looks just like a footprint – a really big footprint, some 30 miles long and 12 miles across at its widest point. But it’s that other footprint – the environmental one – that comes to my mind when I think of the island these days.
The U.S. military is still a giant presence on Guam. Seven military installations cover nearly 30 percent of the island and require, according to the Department of Defense, a staggering 41.5 megawatts of continuous power every month. That’s enough electricity to power about 25,000 homes.
Among the U.S. military bases on the island is Naval Base Guam – a critical component in the nation’s military might in the Western Pacific. And it’s where Johnson Controls will soon help the Navy pursue its ambitious goal of producing 25 percent of the energy it needs using renewable power sources.
We recently signed a $34.1 million energy savings performance contract with the Navy to help make Naval Base Guam more energy efficient and reduce the base’s overall environmental impact. Among the work we will perform:
Installing a large-scale solar photovoltaic system that will provide about 3 percent of the base’s power needs
Installing energy efficient air conditioning systems – very important in a place where the daily temperature averages 86 degrees year round!
Upgrading the efficiency of more than 9,000 lighting fixtures
Installing our Metasys® building management system to serve 49 of the buildings on the base
The climate on Guam is officially described as "tropical marine," which is weather-speak for "really hot and muggy all the time." So the equipment we’re installing is designed to handle tropical humidity and saltwater. And, get this, it will also withstand typhoon winds in excess of 170 mph. That’s important because an average of three tropical storms and one typhoon come within about 200 miles of the island every year.
These energy efficiency and renewable energy improvements are expected to save the base $1.7 million a year – savings on utility expenses that will be redirected to repay the capital expenditure required to fund the upgrades. They will help the Navy make good on its pledge to dramatically increase its use of renewable energy. And they will help reduce the base’s carbon and other emissions – shrinking that other footprint.
On an island outpost halfway around the world, in a place that must feel like the edge of the planet, thousands of American men and women stand on that wall and defend each of us 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year. At Johnson Controls, we’re pleased and proud to play a role in making their service and sacrifice a little more comfortable – and a lot more efficient and sustainable.
It’s Open Season on Ducts! August 23, 2009 Posted by: johnsoncontrols 11:34 PM
By Andy Armstrong, Johnson Controls
As I look out into my backyard, I notice the telltale signs of the end of another summer. The grass is a little browner and I don’t have to mow it quite as often. Most of the flowers that were so beautiful a few short weeks ago are either long gone or well on their way. Everything else is starting to look pretty tired.
The good news is there’s one thing that’s still alive and kicking – and it will be for at least another 15 months: the tax credit for energy efficiency improvements to your home. Through the end of 2010, the government will give you a tax credit for 30 percent of the cost to install energy efficiency upgrades to your home, up to a total of $1,500 in tax credits – which is three times as much as before. Oh, and don't forget that manufacturers like York are still offering incentives as well!
Improvements that increase the energy efficiency of your home qualify, including replacing an older furnace or heat pump. That will likely give you the best return on your investment, so be sure to talk to your local York dealer about it – they can help you figure it all out.
And as long as you’ve got them on the phone, there are a couple other things you should talk with them about – things that could save you money and keep your house warmer all winter.
Number one is this: if you’re not getting regular maintenance to your furnace, you could be losing anywhere from 5 to 10 percent on the efficiency – in other words: money that’s going up the chimney instead of keeping you toasty.
Plus, every year you skip the maintenance, you take another chance that your furnace will pump lethal carbon monoxide fumes into your house, or do something else dangerous. Your York dealer can inspect and detect any dangers, replace the filter (like you were going to remember, right?), clean exhaust vents, check for any damage and just generally get your furnace running tip-top. So, please, don’t skip the maintenance again this year, okay?
Reason number two: this is the season for ducts – and I don’t mean the kind you sit in a blind and blow “quack” on a call to attract. I’m talking about the ducts that carry warm air throughout your house – the ones that could be costing you a bundle.
Did you know that leaky ducts could be seeping 20% of your heated air into the attic, inside walls, in the basement—anywhere other than your rooms where it belongs? Having your York dealer seal those leaks will not only keep you more comfy, it may also cut down on the dust, pollen and other buggers spoiling the air you breathe indoors. And if you’re installing a new furnace, sealing the ducts first could mean you’ll need a smaller (and less costly!) furnace.
Speaking of money, a little maintenance goes a long way – meaning the dollars you invest will likely be paid back quickly with the cash you’ll save on lower utility bills. And you’ll be helping the environment to boot!
Finally, want to learn about home energy efficiency in a fun way? Check this out! Efficiency Now. It’s never been more important.
Saving Energy and Empowering Students August 16, 2009 Posted by: johnsoncontrols 11:47 PM
By Felicia McDade, Johnson Controls
Who can forget the back-to-school days of late summer? Checking the list of supplies you’d need for the coming school year. Hoping you had graduated from paste to glue, Big Chief Tablet to spiral notebook, round-tipped to sharp scissors, crayons to colored pencils. Then making the big trip to the store to pick out a new backpack and fill it with all the stuff you’d need to start another nine months of learning.
When students arrived for their first day of school in Madison County, North Carolina this month, many found they weren’t the only ones who had been busy preparing for the new term. Nestled in the rural mountains of western North Carolina, Madison County schools serve some 2,600 students in four elementary schools, plus a middle school and a high school.
Back in May, when the last school year ended, Madison County School System officials took a bold step – one that will benefit students, teachers and staff far into the future. What they did was enter into an energy savings performance contract with Johnson Controls to reduce energy consumption, save money, shrink the District’s carbon footprint, create more comfortable learning and working environments, and better prepare students to grow into responsible citizens.
Improvements will include installing a Metasys® energy management system, enabling school facility managers to heat and cool buildings when they’re in use, and turn down those systems when the buildings are empty. We’ll also upgrade mechanical equipment and controls.
In addition to making classrooms and offices more comfortable, the improvements will also:
Cut energy use by 36 percent
Lower harmful emissions equivalent to removing 8,250 passenger vehicles from roadways
Save more than $5.9 million over the course of the 15-year contract
The school district will accomplish all this without increasing its operating budget or raising taxes. Improvements will be more than paid for by the savings produced as a result of the energy efficient building enhancements.
Best of all, the benefits don’t stop with the facility upgrades. Johnson Controls will also provide Madison County schools with an energy education program – classroom curriculum that will help students and faculty learn what they can do at school and at home to save energy and reduce their impact on the environment.
At a time when so many school districts are grappling with aging facilities and declining revenues, this energy savings performance contract will help Madison County schools continue to make good on their promise to “embrace, equip and empower our students as lifetime learners.” More school districts should follow their lead.
“Boldly Sustainable” August 10, 2009 Posted by: johnsoncontrols 12:45 PM
By Jim Simpson, Johnson Controls
When students, faculty and staff return to colleges and universities across America in a few weeks, many will discover more than just freshly painted dorm rooms, updated menus at the dining halls and a few new starters on the sports teams. Many will also notice an increased sense of urgency about what is arguably one of the most pressing issues we face: climate change.
You’d be hard pressed to find many places where the commitment to doing something about climate is greater than it is on campus. Colleges and universities have been on the cutting edge of sustainability – as they should be. After all, our institutions of higher learning are shaping the attitudes of the generation that will have to cope with the consequences of climate change. They’re conducting important research while educating the scientists, engineers and other experts who must devise innovative and effective ways to halt climate change. And they’re leaders – locally, nationally, even globally – on developing the policies necessary to accomplish the mission.
Thankfully, so many colleges and universities are enthusiastically leading the way on sustainability. The Association for the Advancement of Sustainability in Higher Education (AASHE) recently reported that in 2008:
More than 66 academic programs focusing on sustainability were created
At least 13 research centers dedicated to sustainability opened – and three times that many are planned
Nearly 300 colleges and universities publicly reported their greenhouse gas emissions
Over 130 green campus buildings were planned, started, opened or granted Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design – LEED® certification.
To date, 649 institutions have signed the American College and University Presidents Climate Commitment (ACUPCC), pledging to neutralize their own greenhouse gas emissions while accelerating research and education aimed at finding solutions. When the ACUPCC holds its annual Climate Leadership Summit in Chicago this week, the focus will be on helping more colleges and universities move aggressively to develop and implement climate action plans on their campuses.
A new book – co-sponsored by Johnson Controls – chronicles the efforts of the many institutions that are already reducing their carbon footprints. It’s called "Boldly Sustainable" – an in-depth look at how colleges and universities are leveraging their commitment to sustainability to cut costs, reduce their impact on the environment, attract the best and the brightest students and faculty, find new sources of funding and build support among their alumni and in their communities. The National Association of College and University Business Officers is sending out some 6,600 free copies of the book to campuses nationwide.
The University of Wisconsin-Oshkosh – a signatory to the ACUPCC – is one of the institutions profiled in the book. A partner with Johnson Controls since 1992, UW-Oshkosh was one of the first major universities in the nation to develop a plan to become carbon neutral. The UW-Oshkosh goal: nothing less than complete energy independence by 2012.
To help set them on the path to accomplishing this objective, we worked with students, faculty, staff and other stakeholders to identify and prioritize sustainability needs, which included reducing energy use across all operations, increasing the use of renewable energy, lowering greenhouse gas emissions and increasing the focus on sustainability education and curriculum.
The comprehensive facility audit we conducted identified measures such as upgrading mechanical systems, equipment, lighting, controls and other facility improvements. We reviewed renewable energy opportunities that included solar thermal and photovoltaic systems, wind power, biomass, cogeneration and digester gas. We established a carbon footprint baseline and projected future emissions. The result is a comprehensive plan to drive decision-making on the best strategies for reducing emissions as the plan is implemented.
"Boldly Sustainable" certainly describes what UW-Oshkosh and hundreds of similar institutions are doing. But it’s also more than just the title of a book. It’s a challenge to all of us to transform how we live, work and learn to reverse climate change and build a sustainable future. Colleges and universities across the land are rising to that challenge and providing the leadership required to reach our goal.
Saving Lives and Energy in Beantown August 02, 2009 Posted by: johnsoncontrols 11:40 PM
By Dan Collins, Johnson Controls
“Exceptional Care. Without Exception.” That’s the motto at Boston Medical Center, New England’s largest “safety net” hospital.
Boston Medical provides consistently excellent health services to anyone who needs it, regardless of their social status or ability to pay. Some 70 percent of the hospital’s patients come from low income families, are elderly, have disabilities or come from other groups that might otherwise find getting the health care they need difficult, if not impossible.
In 2008, more than three quarters of a million patients came through Boston Medical’s doors to receive health care services in more than 70 areas of medical specialty and subspecialty. The emergency room – the largest Level 1 trauma center in New England – had more than 129,000 visits, 60 percent more than the hospital with the second highest number.
When Johnson Controls took on an infrastructure renewal and energy efficiency project at Boston Medical, we knew success would mean more than finishing the project on time and within budget – which we did. We knew it would also mean doing everything we could to ensure patients continued to receive the top care they deserved and expected, without delay and without disruptions. I’m happy to say, “Mission accomplished!”
As general contractor on the project, we worked with the hospital’s administrators and facilities management team to schedule and coordinate project work so that disruptions to staff, patients and visitors were minimized, if not eliminated. In some cases, this required some pretty extraordinary measures.
For example, a major element of the project was the construction of a new 2,700-ton, high-efficiency, state-of-the-art chilled water plant to meet the growing need to cool patient care technology and lay the groundwork for future hospital expansion. This meant consolidating three existing chiller plants into one, while keeping one of them running to meet the hospital’s ongoing needs. We accomplished this by first removing two of the old chillers and then installing the three new chillers in the same space. After testing and commissioning them, we put the new chillers into service, enabling us to remove the last of the old equipment. With just seven months to complete the whole process, we were able to get the new chiller plant up and running ahead of schedule and, more importantly, ahead of hot weather.
Other energy efficiency improvements included installing variable frequency drives on motors, as well as lighting occupancy sensors to turn lights on and off in hospital hallways. We also commissioned equipment and systems to make sure they operate at maximum efficiency.
The improvements also simplify building maintenance and reduce the hospital’s environmental impact. But in my mind the most significant achievement was summed up best in the words of a Boston Medical project manager we worked with: “At no time did the project affect patient care.”
Considering the critical role Boston Medical plays in the health and well-being of literally hundreds of thousands of people in the region, that’s something we’re all very proud of.
