Press Release:  http://www.dbusiness.com/DBusiness/May-June-2013/Two-Companies-Win-First-DTE-ESD-E-Challenge-Competition/

SOUTHFIELD — The Mackinac Technology Co. in Grand Rapids and Los Angeles-based Enovative Group, Inc. were selected the winners of the first ever E-Challenge launched in 2012 by DTE and The Engineering Society of Detroit. The winners received up to $250,000 to fund the technology demonstrations.

The two were selected out of 65 applicants. They had the highest projected potential energy savings and have the potential to fill a gap in the DTE energy efficiency portfolio. Awards were based on the inherent qualities of each project as perceived by a panel of judges from ESD.

The Mackinac Group developed a highly effective insulation system that employs full size window inserts for R-10 thermal performance. Low-e panes were produced by Fraunhofer and frame and spacer components by Mackinac. The company used Grand Rapids-based Calvin College to conduct the testing.

The Enovative Group, Inc., which has worked on numerous projects in Michigan, created a Demand Controlled Water Recirculation for Multifamily Properties. This is an advanced control system that regulates the operation of the hot water recirculation pump in multifamily, dorms or hotel settings so that it only runs when needed, reducing unnecessary heat loss from the loop and boiler fire time. The group used eight different sites in Ann Arbor, Canton, Riverview, Detroit, and Clawson to conduct their testing.

Project case studies for the 2012 awards will be developed in the third quarter of 2013 and will include DTE Energy energy-efficiency rebate requirements. An announcement about the 2013 E-Challenge Competition will be forthcoming.

In addition to the E-Challenge, several other local companies received special awards for their energy efficiency programs. The Energy Savings Award recognizes companies that have made significant contributions in reducing energy.  The Sustainable Energy Program Award recognizes companies that have made most contribution in the area of energy conservation behavioral programs.  The winners are:

• DTE Energy Savings Project of the Year: Industrial: Air Technologies, Grand Rapids and Livonia
• DTE Energy Savings Project of the Year:  Commercial: Michigan Interfaith Power and Light, Royal Oak
• DTE Energy Savings Project of the Year: Commercial: Hiller’s Markets (throughout Michigan)
• DTE Energy Savings Project of the Year: Municipal: The City of Center Line
• DTE Energy Savings Project of the Year: Small Business: Meadows Party Store, Farmington Hills
• DTE Sustainable Energy Program of the Year: Commercial: Palace Sports & Entertainment, Auburn Hills
• DTE Sustainable Energy Program of the Year: Small Business: Temple Kol Ami, West Bloomfield

To register for the conference and trade show, click this link:  https://events.thepulsenetwork.com/Attendee/Default.aspx?C=70000145&M=10000043&Mode=HTML

For a free trade show pass enter the promo code:  ENOVATIVEBE13

To receive $50 off of 1 and 2 day conference passes, enter the promo code:  VISITEGINCBE13

BuildingEnergy (BE) is the most established, most cross-disciplinary renewable energy and high-performance building conference and trade show in the northeastern United States. NESEA’s flagship program, it’s an annual intergenerational gathering of professionals for three days of networking, accredited educational sessions, collaboration, and a high-level trade show. NESEA members drive the content from questions that come up in their professional lives – from ‘what type of heating system makes sense for this low load building’ to ‘how do we plan more resilient neighborhoods’? It’s a place to shape a vision of a sustainable built environment and to do the whole systems thinking it will take to get there. It’s rigorous—no greenwashing here—and it’s a blast.

Here is what they have to say:

“This guide is designed to help builders better understand and meet the hot water delivery system criteria as specified in the Version 1.1 WaterSense® New Home Specification (WaterSense new home specification). This guide offers a brief overview of and potential design considerations for hot water delivery systems, including example efficient plumbing design layouts. It also summarizes the hot water delivery system inspection process and provides tips for ensuring that the hot water delivery system will meet the WaterSense new home specification requirements. Lastly, this guide identifies potential options for correcting systems that do not initially meet the WaterSense new home specification requirements…

Heating water is typically the second largest use of energy in a home (after space heating and cooling).1 Despite its resource intensity, the hot water delivery system is seldom an area of significant focus when constructing a home. As a result, many homes today are built with poor performing, inefficient hot water delivery systems that take minutes to deliver hot water to the point of use and waste large amounts of energy and water in the process. ”

Here are some excerpts about using demand pumps from their guide:

The summer study will be held at the Asilomar Conference Center from August 12th to August 17th.

Please join us to discuss more about the water and energy relationship and areas that might be improved. If you are attending the conference and interesting in setting up a meeting in advance and learning how we can help reach you reach therm and kWh goals, please call us 866-495-2734, and use extension 703. 

Gabriel Ayala, Enovative’s Hot Water Specialist (and Chief Business Development Officer) will be speaking on Monday August, 13th from 10:30am to 12pm on Panel 2.

Mr. Ayala’s presentation covers hot water distribution, and has some information on emerging cost-effective technologies, like Enovative’s D’MAND CIRC® – The first and only demand controlled recirc pump for central water heating systems in multifamily and commercial buildings. There is also a discussion about existing utility energy programs and upcoming codes such as the changes in California’s Title 24 energy code.

 About Panel 2: Residential Buildings: Program Design, Implementation, and Evaluation

Click Here for the Panel 2 Schedule
Panel Leaders: Rafael Friedmann, Pacific Gas & Electric Company and Ryan Kerr, Gas Technology Institute
SESSION TOPICS: How to design and implement effective residential energy efficiency, renewable energy, green technology, and load management programs and policy initiatives, including: trend analyses; key market drivers and market diffusion models; consumer behavior and value; training requirements; new/overlooked energy saving opportunities; lessons learned about markets and/or impacts including new construction and building retrofits; single- and multi-family housing; low-income weatherization programs; innovative financing; miscellaneous electric loads; peak loads; hot water distribution loads; space heating and cooling loads. Innovations to enhance application of codes and standards: outcome-based codes, installation standards, compliance and enforcement. Commissioning and existing buildings opportunities and challenges.

About ACEEE Summer Study

The 2012 ACEEE Summer Study is the 17th biennial ACEEE conference on Energy Efficiency in Buildings. A diverse group of professionals from around the world will gather at this preeminent meeting to discuss the technological basis for, and practical implementation of, actions to reduce energy use and the climate impacts associated with buildings. Presentations and discussions will relate to the theme, “Fueling Our Future with Efficiency.” Global activities related to building energy efficiency and sustainability have received increased attention worldwide in recent years, in order to avoid the worst consequences of climate change, while also addressing the problems of energy security and resource depletion. To progress towards an energy-efficient and sustainable future, the pace of investment in, and implementation of, energy use reduction strategies must be greatly accelerated. Well integrated government and utility programs, codes and standards, technologies, integrated design processes, operation practices and financing sources need to be further developed and cost-effectively implemented, while addressing behavioral factors and workforce development needs. A new generation of multi-disciplinary practitioners, researchers, and policymakers needs to be educated and quickly deployed to solve the closely-coupled energy efficiency and climate problems that we face. Come to the 2012 Summer Study, where you can share your ideas and engage in dialogue with leading thinkers, visionaries, and luminaries in the field, while experiencing the magnificent natural setting of Asilomar.

http://www.energy.ca.gov/title24/2013standards/rulemaking/documents/2012-05-31_2013_standards_adoption_hearing_presentation.pdf

Under Hot Water, page 15, it shows “Demand Controlled Recirculation” as a prescriptive baseline. This code will go into effect on January 1st, 2014.

Architects, Engineers, Certified Energy Plans Examiners, LEED-AP’s, and Energy Efficiency Consultants should get familiar with how they systems work and how to meet the future codes. Feel free to contact us for any design assistance on your projects.

What is demand controlled recirculation?

Demand controls on domestic hot water circulation systems turn off the circulation pump when it is not needed, effectively reducing thermal heat losses from the recirculation loop, resulting in a decrease in the boiler fire time and, consequently, a reduction in overall natural gas consumption.  Demand controls also save on electricity by minimizing pump motor runtime.

A demand controlled pump automatically turns off when the hot water circulation loop is at target temperature and when there is no demand for hot water.  Even when there is a demand for hot water,  if the supply loop is still at the target temperature,  the pump will remain off. This method of distribution keeps the hot water from continuing to circulate, preventing wasteful heat loss and pipe deterioration, as previously stated.  As soon as someone uses hot water and activates the demand sensor (flow switch),  the control box then reads the water temperature in the return line through its temperature sensor (thermistor).  If the hot water is already at target temperature, the demand controls will keep the pump off thus saving substantial amounts gas and electricity consumption.  If the hot water is below target temperature, demand controls will immediately turn on the pump and deliver hot water to the fixture.

Check out our Learning Center to find out more. (Click Here)

MULTIFAMILY BEST PRACTICES  (an excerpt)

“Multifamily buildings are generally characterized by central tank heaters (or boilers) with recirculation loops.

There are approximately 16.7 million multifamily buildings in the United States.

Over 90% of the multifamily buildings use central hot water systems.

A “bad” hot water system delivers about 1/3 of the site energy to the hot water fixture, while a “good” one will deliver over 1/2.

The major strategies for improving efficiency in existing buildings [are]:

Implement improved control strategies that include using the smallest feasible water heater, circulating hot water at the lowest temperature that supports the instantaneous load, and using temperature-based demand control for the circulation pump.

Demand control of the circulation loop can reduce gas consumption by 15%, compared with savings in one studied building of a 9% for a single pump timer and 10% for a loop temperature modulation.  A demand controlled pump will only run 1 – 2 hours per day while supporting 24 hour hot water service, and can save 17% of hot water energy.  The pump control should allow the pump to run only when there is demand for hot water, or the hot water temperature is too cool.”

For the full report, click here:  www.ACEEE.org

This confirmation, as evidenced in ICC – ES listing PMG-1112, provides guidance to code officials faced with approving the use of the D’MAND CIRC® System under these codes.  The full report is available for review / download.  CLICK HERE

Compliant with the following Standards & Codes:

2012 International Plumbing Code (IPC)

2009 Uniform Plumbing Code (UPC)

2012 International Residential Code (IRC)

2012 International Green Construction Code (IgCC)

2011 IAPMO PS – 115

CSI Master Format:

Division: 22 00 00 – Plumbing

Section: 22 30 00 – Plumbing Equipment

Section: 22 11 23 – Domestic Water Pumps

The RCA Winners by category/company/product are:

Water Conservation/Management, Plumbing: Enovative Kontrol Systems — D’MAND CIRC Hot Water Circulation System

Alternative Energy Systems: BuildingIQ — DRIQ

Building Envelope: LiveRoof, LLC — LiveRoof Hybrid Green Roof System

Framing, Structural or Insulation Products: Thermafiber, Inc. — RainBarrier 45

Interiors: Saint-Gobain Technical Fabrics — NOVELIO Clean Air and Mold X textured paintable wall coverings

Lighting/Building Controls: greenscreen — ColumnLight

Mechanical/HVAC Products: Dynamic Air Quality Solutions — Dynamic V8 Air Cleaning System

Services and Related Products: Green Tree Partners — AmeriGreen Strategies Sustainability Assessment

Software and Web-based Programs: Visus Technologies LLC — Smart eBinder

Winners were also highlighted in the October issues of each magazine.  For more information click on the link: http://www.edcmag.com/articles/2011-readers-choice-awards 

ENVIRONMENTAL BUILDING NEWS What Really Matters In Sustainable Design & Construction

“Conventional hot-water recirculation pumps- a standard appliance in hotels, multifamily residential buildings, and other commercial buildings with high demand for domestic hot water- were never supposed to save energy.  These devices are installed to get hot water to the tap quickly to keep tenants and hotel guests happy.  If they prevented some lukewarm water from going down the drain, that was a welcome side-effect. But high speed delivery comes at a price:  building owners end up wasting energy and money constantly re-heating and pumping water- despite the fact that most building occupants need hot water only once or twice a day.

D’MAND CIRC, from Enovative Kontrol Systems, is the first (and so far only) system to offer the next logical step for commercial hot-water recirculation.  Designed as an energy retrofit for buildings that already have a recirculation pump installed, the system uses technology developed by the U.S. Department of Energy and then commercialized by Advanced Conservation Technology.”

To read the entire article, please click on the link below:

http://www.buildinggreen.com/auth/article.cfm/2011/6/29/An-Efficient-Retrofit-for-Commercial-Hot-Water-on-Demand/