WOW... Look at the Savings!

Brayden Automation was contacted in October 2010 by WOW! Children’s Museum in Lafayette Colorado, about high bill concerns related to the demand charge on their electric bill. After they contacted Xcel Energy about the issue, they referred them to the specialists at Brayden Automation Corp (BAC). Our very own President, Bill Brayden, took lead on the issue and helped pinpoint the exact factors creating high demand charges for WOW!.

Most of WOW’s demand issues were due to a common enemy that many building owners face…. Air Conditioning. Although A/C makes living through sweltering summers much more enjoyable, it tends to go hand in hand with higher electric costs. Sometimes the cost of comfort comes at a very high price!

At BAC we specialize in finding ways to minimize costs without eff ecting comfort or convenience. The familiar A/C enemy doesn’t have to be an enemy with the right tools and a little background knowledge.

In 90% of high demand cases presented to us, the problem stems from operating large electric loads simultaneously. In most situations, these loads can be deferred for short periods of time without eff ecting operations or comfort. In the case of air conditioning, the high demand is caused by running all A/C units at the same time throughout the building, which is typically a result of outside temperature and building occupancy. This causes large peaks and valleys in electric use, which in turn reduces efficiency and creates high peak demand spikes. A simple solution to this problem is to program the various A/C units to take turns cooling diff erent parts of the building at diff erent times with a demand controller. This will stabilize electric use and increase efficiency, thus lowering electric costs.

To read more on how this increases your efficiency and reduces your electric costs, take a look at our June 2011 newsletter and the articles on What is Demand?, and Why You Should Care About it.

Once Bill Brayden completed the WOW! site evaluation, it was clear that a simple fix to their demand troubles would be the installation of a 9388B Energy Sentry demand control system to manage their five A/C units and an electric dryer. WireLynx powerline carriers and EnergyAccess software were also utilized to aid in installation and monitor energy consumption, as well as a PV Solar Array owned by WOW!, to assist in keeping demand low during coincident peak periods.

The results? WOW! was kept below 25kW allowing them to move from the SG Rate to the more cost effective C Rate this past November. WOW! anticipates their yearly savings to be around $2,600. So what does WOW! have to say about it?

“Brayden and Associates were a delight to work with. Bill spent all the time we needed to get comfortable with the idea of getting a demand control system and has helped us understand its working since it’s been installed. It is performing beyond our expectations. We especially like the ability to monitor the system remotely using the EnergyAccess software.”

So don’t fall victim to the high costs of Air Conditioning, but instead keep your comfort high and costs low with an Energy Sentry demand control system.