Many metalworking facilities contain outdated equipment running on overtime. With equipment on overload, energy is wasted, work environment efficiency decreases and cleanliness is compromised. With natural gas and energy-efficient facility upgrades, many of these issues can be alleviated.
Planning energy-saving updates in a facility can be intimidating. How does one identify all the opportunities that exist, and prioritize those to pursue? Although all facilities operate differently, there are a few easy places to start that will put a facility in an environmentally-friendly state of mind while cutting costs and providing a safer work environment.
Where to start upgrades:
- Tune up natural gas equipment: Beginning with simple tune-ups on natural gas equipment can provide instant results. By performing maintenance on boilers and furnaces, metalworking facilities can save about 3% to 5% in natural gas costs. Not only will there be energy and utility savings, but the equipment will perform better, too.
- Upgrade ventilation systems: Facilities that utilize exhaust systems or general air cleaning can add extraction and filtration systems to help lower ventilation costs while eliminating dangerous fumes from metalworking processes. Overall, this upgrade will lower air conditioning, heating and cooling costs and take less energy to run. Customers can save as high as 15%, but savings typically range between 5% and 10%.
- Install or update building control systems: To better understand a facility's energy and natural gas use, indoor air quality and ventilation scope, an up-to-date building control system is essential. The system controls facility temperatures and has temperature sensors to monitor areas of the facility that can over- or under-heat. But the system does more than that: it can also help distribute air throughout the facility. Once the building control system is in place, installing industrial ceiling fans can further improve air circulation. Fans help combat air stratification, as hot air rises and cold air falls, by evenly blending the facility's air.
Facilities with poor equipment affect employee work environments and productivity. Energy-efficient upgrades benefit facilities in the long haul, not only in cost savings but also in employee attraction and retention. Facilities with proper ventilation provide employees a cleaner, healthier environment in which to thrive.
In addition, natural gas and energy savings help preserve natural resources. When facilities execute strategic conservation tactics, the upgrades have benefits beyond immediate cost savings.
One of the best things a facility can do for long-term success is to continue investing in natural gas and energy efficiency upgrades. After completing one update, take money saved and devote it to the next project. Make it a long-term goal to improve the facility by determining a list of projects and prioritizing by the quickest return on investment.
If one is still not sure where to start, contact a local utility company to complete an energy-saving audit. Energy audits will help identify where the facility is wasting energy and recommend updates that will save energy and reduce operation costs.
Authored by Paul O'Sullivan, Minnesota Energy Resources Senior External Relations Representative
For more information contact:
Minnesota Energy Resources
www.minnesotaenergyresources.com