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CASE STUDY – ONE OF THE WORLD’S LARGEST FOOD RETAIL GROUPS

co-op building. Central Park.

Services:

IntelliGreen Partners (“IGP”) provided Owner’s Representative services to one of the world’s largest food retail groups, a leader in supermarkets and e-commerce, and a company at the forefront of sustainable retailing, with over 6,500 stores worldwide. IGP assisted the US parent company, with over 2,000 supermarkets in the US, to select the LL87/09 Energy Audit and Retro-commissioning and LL84/09 Benchmarking team to comply with New York City’s Green Building Laws.

The international parent company had recently purchased several a few grocery store chains that had not regularly complied with LL84 and LL87, resulting in financial penalties. IGP, working with the NYC Department of Buildings and the parent company’s legal team, enabled the company to resolve all LL87 and LL84 non-compliance issues.

IGP led the LL87 energy audit and retro-commissioning work for eight (8) stores and the LL84 work for twenty-one (21) stores with a total of 1.2 million total gross square feet. The buildings are continuously occupied with daytime and nighttime staffs. Heating for many of the stores is provided by a combination of packaged rooftop air conditioning units, a main RTU, split systems and vertical ceiling gas heaters. The buildings are designed to operate with heating and cooling during all seasons due to the nature of its goods and occupancy.  Cooling is provided by the same rooftop units that provide heating. Some other conditioned spaces are cooled using smaller packaged units and split systems.

In each LL87 Report we recommended LL87 Energy Efficiency Measures (EEM), LL87 Retro-commissioning Measures (RCxM),  and Capital Improvement Measures (CIM) tailored to each store’s needs.

In addition, we also recommended other energy efficiency strategies to consider which would require additional study to assess their feasibility, including the following:

 

Measures for Consideration:

  1. Install demand-controlled kitchen ventilation (DCKV) for exhaust units.
  2. Install premium or high efficiency motors to replace existing larger refrigeration compressors and RTU fan motors. Additionally, premium or high efficiency refrigeration compressors can save energy through their continual use and cycling due to constant refrigeration demand.
  3. Install refrigeration compressor digital inverters
  4. Install dedicated dehumidification Equipment. Based on ASHRAE studies for supermarket HVAC energy reduction strategies, a dedicated dehumidification system can save between 11% and 31% in HVAC and refrigeration energy use.

Store #1: Typical floor plan layout for a 60,000 sq. ft. store.

Property Information Store #1:

Borough: Staten Island

Year Built: 1997

Building Area: 60,413 sq. ft.

Building Type: Supermarket/Grocery

Fuel: Electricity and Natural Gas

 

 LL87 Energy Efficiency Measures (EEM) Recommendations:

  1. Install occupancy sensors for refrigerator case lighting
  2. Retrofit open refrigeration cases with thermal night covers
  3. Install time-clock for exhaust units
  4. Install low-flow faucet aerators

LL87 Retro-commissioning (RCxM) Recommendations:

  1. Repair and recalibrate control system and unit operation
  2. HVAC cleaning

LL87 Capital Improvement Measures (CIM):

  1. Install Photovoltaic Panels on roof with 27,000 sq ft roof space for a 330kW system
  2. Replace refrigerated open-air cases with 348 doored cases. The store does not have continuous business hours. Currently the refrigeration processes are continuously operated throughout the year.
  3. Upgrade Roof Top Units (RTUs) to higher efficiency models to replace two units that are more than ten years old and are not efficient. Spaces affected include the main sales and office area and employee breakoom. Integrate with existing building control computer.
  4. Implement space heat reclaim. The store does not utilize space heat reclaim. Natural gas fired burners are the current primary source of space heat. Refrigeration heat reclaim is used only for DHW generation.

Store #2: Sales floor lighting is comprised of a mix of 4’ LED tubes, pin-based LED lamps, and display spot lighting.

Property Information Store #2 :

Borough: Queens

Year Built: 1974

Building Area: 44,617 sq. ft.

Building Type: Supermarket/Grocery

Fuel: Electricity and Natural Gas

 

 LL87 Energy Efficiency Measures (EEM) Recommendations:

  1. Upgrade fluorescent lamps to LED tubes
  2. Install occupancy sensors for refrigerator case lighting
  3. Retrofit open refrigeration cases with thermal night covers
  4. Install time-clock for exhaust units
  5. Install low-flow faucet aerators

LL87 Retro-commissioning (RCxM) Recommendations:

  1. Repair and recalibrate control system and unit operation

LL87 Capital Improvement Measures (CIM):

  1. Install Photovoltaic Panels on roof with 15,000 sq ft roof space for a 180kW system
  2. Replace refrigerated open-air cases with 220 doored cases. The store does not have continuous business hours. Currently the refrigeration processes are continuously operated throughout the year.
  3. Upgrade Roof Top Units (RTUs) to higher efficiency models to replace two units that are more than ten years old and are not efficient. Spaces affected include the main sales and office area and employee breakoom. Integrate with existing building control computer.
  4. Implement space heat reclaim. The store does not utilize space heat reclaim. Natural gas fired burners are the current primary source of space heat. Refrigeration heat reclaim is used only for DHW generation.

Store #3: Refrigeration Condenser Racks On Roof

Property Information Store #3:

Borough: Bronx

Year Built: 1999

Building Area: 56,643 sq. ft.

Building Type: Supermarket/Grocery

Fuel: Electricity and Natural Gas

 

 LL87 Energy Efficiency Measures (EEM) Recommendations:

  1. Install occupancy sensors for refrigerator case lighting
  2. Install occupancy sensors for parking lighting
  3. Upgrade to LED exit signs
  4. Retrofit open refrigeration cases with thermal night covers
  5. Install time-clock for exhaust units
  6. Install low-flow faucet aerators

LL87 Retro-commissioning (RCxM) Recommendations:

  1. Repair heat reclaim status monitoring

LL87 Capital Improvement Measures (CIM):

  1. Install Photovoltaic Panels on roof with 10,700 sq ft roof space for a 130kW system
  2. Replace refrigerated open-air cases with 124 doored cases. The store does not have continuous business hours. Currently the refrigeration processes are continuously operated throughout the year.
  3. Upgrade Roof Top Units (RTUs) to higher efficiency models to replace three units installed in 2000 and are not efficient. Spaces affected include the pharmacy, produce area, employee breakroom and restrooms.

Store #4: Inside the store’s bakery area.

Property Information Store #4:

Borough: Brooklyn

Year Built: 1995

Building Area: 62,965 sq. ft.

Building Type: Supermarket/Grocery

Fuel: Electricity and Natural Gas

 

 LL87 Energy Efficiency Measures (EEM) Recommendations:

  1. Upgrade fluorescent lamps to LED tubes
  2. Install occupancy sensors for refrigerator case lighting
  3. Upgrade to LED exit signs
  4. Retrofit open refrigeration cases with thermal night covers
  5. Install time-clock for exhaust units
  6. Install low-flow faucet aerators

LL87 Retro-commissioning (RCxM) Recommendations:

  1. Repair lighting

LL87 Capital Improvement Measures (CIM):

  1. Install Photovoltaic Panels on roof with 8,000 sq ft roof space for a 100kW system
  2. Replace refrigerated open-air cases with 128 doored cases. The store does not have continuous business hours. Currently the refrigeration processes are continuously operated throughout the year.
  3. Upgrade Roof Top Units (RTUs) to higher efficiency models to replace three units installed in 2000 and are not efficient. Spaces affected include the pharmacy, produce area, employee breakroom and restrooms.

Store #5: Electricity is used for lighting, plug loads, process loads, ventilation and cooling. Process loads are a significant portion of this store’s annual energy use and consists of all product and storage refrigeration.

Property Information Store #5:

Borough: Queens

Year Built: 1960

Building Area: 60,302 sq. ft.

Building Type: Supermarket/Grocery

Fuel: Electricity and Natural Gas

 

 LL87 Energy Efficiency Measures (EEM) Recommendations:

  1. Upgrade fluorescent lamps to LED tubes
  2. Install occupancy sensors for refrigerator case lighting
  3. Install occupancy sensor for parking lighting
  4. Retrofit open refrigeration cases with thermal night covers
  5. Install time-clock for exhaust units
  6. Install low-flow faucet aerators

LL87 Retro-commissioning (RCxM) Recommendations:

  1. Repair lighting or replace monitoring sensor
  2. Replace DHW thermometer

LL87 Capital Improvement Measures (CIM):

  1. Install Photovoltaic Panels on roof with 27,000 sq ft roof space for a 330kW system
  2. Replace refrigerated open-air cases with 240 doored cases. The store does not have continuous business hours. Currently the refrigeration processes are continuously operated throughout the year.
  3. Upgrade Roof Top Units (RTUs) to higher efficiency models to replace three units installed in 2000 and are not efficient. Spaces affected include the pharmacy, produce area, employee breakroom. and restrooms.
  4. Implement space heat reclaim.

Store #6: Refrigeration Compressor Racks

Property Information Store #6:

Borough: Staten Island

Year Built: 1976

Building Area: 40,337 sq. ft.

Building Type: Supermarket/Grocery

Fuel: Electricity and Natural Gas

 

 LL87 Energy Efficiency Measures (EEM) Recommendations:

  1. Upgrade Exit Signs to LED
  2. Install occupancy sensors for refrigerator case lighting
  3. Retrofit open refrigeration cases with thermal night covers
  4. Install low-flow faucet aerators

LL87 Retro-commissioning (RCxM) Recommendations:

  1. Repair and recalibrate BMS

LL87 Capital Improvement Measures (CIM):

  1. Install Photovoltaic Panels on roof with 7,500 sq ft roof space for a 90kW system
  2. Replace refrigerated open-air cases with 164 doored cases. The store does not have continuous business hours. Currently the refrigeration processes are continuously operated throughout the year.
  3. Upgrade to condensing boilers for DHW.
  4. Implement space heat reclaim.

Store #7: Mechanical Room

Property Information Store #7:

Borough: Staten Island

Year Built: 1976

Building Area: 40,337 sq. ft.

Building Type: Supermarket/Grocery

Fuel: Electricity and Natural Gas

 

 LL87 Energy Efficiency Measures (EEM) Recommendations:

  1. Upgrade exterior fixtures to LED
  2. Upgrade Exit Signs to LED
  3. Install occupancy sensors for parking lighting
  4. Install occupancy sensors for refrigerator case lighting
  5. Retrofit open refrigeration cases with thermal night covers
  6. Install low-flow faucet aerators

LL87 Retro-commissioning (RCxM) Recommendations:

  1. Repair and recalibrate BMS
  2. Repair burner
  3. Replace filters

LL87 Capital Improvement Measures (CIM):

  1. Install Photovoltaic Panels on roof with 22,500 sq ft roof space for a 280kW system.
  2. Replace refrigerated open-air cases with 228 doored cases. The store does not have continuous business hours. Currently the refrigeration processes are continuously operated throughout the year.
  3. Upgrade main RTU to higher efficiency model. Current RTU was installed in 1992, 28 years ago.
  4. Implement space heat reclaim.

Store #8: Heat Recovery System

Property Information Store #8:

Borough: Staten Island

Year Built: 2006

Building Area: 80,354 sq. ft.

Building Type: Supermarket/Grocery

Fuel: Electricity and Natural Gas

 

 LL87 Energy Efficiency Measures (EEM) Recommendations:

  1. Upgrade fluorescent lamps to LED tubes
  2. Upgrade compact fluorescent lamps (CFL) to LED
  3. Upgrade pin-based fluorescent lamps to LED
  4. Upgrade exterior fixtures to LED
  5. Upgrade Exit Signs to LED
  6. Install occupancy sensors for refrigerator case lighting
  7. Retrofit open refrigeration cases with thermal night covers
  8. Install low-flow faucet aerators

LL87 Retro-commissioning (RCxM) Recommendations:

  1. Repair and recalibrate BMS
  2. Seal envelope

LL87 Capital Improvement Measures (CIM):

  1. Install Photovoltaic Panels on roof with 22,500 sq ft roof space for a 280kW system.
  2. Replace refrigerated open-air cases with 228 doored cases. The store does not have continuous business hours. Currently the refrigeration processes are continuously operated throughout the year.
  3. Upgrade main RTU to higher efficiency model. Current RTU was installed in 1992, 28 years ago.
  4. Implement space heat reclaim.

Store #2: Glass doored refrigeration

Store #2: Fluorescent lighting in loading dock area can be upgraded to LEDs.

Store #2: As a capital improvement this store could install photovoltaic panels on this 15,000 sq. ft. roof area suitable for a 180kW system.

Store #3: Sales Floor Area Main HVAC.

Store #4 : Sample exhaust fan units.

Store #4: Typical heat reclaim tank.

Store 4: Closed Refrigerator Doors in Frozen Food Area

Store #4: Replace fluorescent lamps in loading area with LED tubes.

Store #4: Mechanical Room

Store 4: Replace parking lot lighting with new LED fixtures.

Store #4: View of refrigeration condensers with inverter control.

Store #5: Electricity End Use Breakdown: Electricity is used for lighting, plug loads, process loads, ventilation and cooling. Process loads are a significant portion of this store’s (539) annual energy use and consists of all produce and storage refrigeration. The breakdown of electrical energy under process loads is estimated as shown above.

Store #5: Natural Gas End Use Breakdown: The gas utility data shows increased consumption during winter months which is attributed to steam generation for space heating. The gas consumption tracks proportional to monthly heating degree days.

Four (4) rooftop units and exhaust fans.

Store #6: Four (4) rooftop units and exhaust fans.[/caption]

Store #6’s Sales Floor Main HVAC system

Store #6’s Mitsubishi Rooftop Unit

Store #6 has a 7500 sf roof area available for 90 kW Solar PV

Store #6: Typical Rooftop Unit for Heating and Cooling

Store #6: Sales Floor Area Main HVAC

Store #7: Upgrade exterior light fixtures to LED.

Store #7: One of three (3) refrigeration compressor racks with controller.

Store #8: Upgrade fluorescent lamps to LED tubes or install new LED fixtures.


Store #8: Upgrade roof parking lot light fixtures to LED.

Store #8: DHW reclaim tanks.

Store #8: Building BMS panel with Main Menu.