Page 8 - School Planning & Management, December 2017

INTELLIGENT BUILDINGS
signal in real time from the power grid 2017 has accelerated the adoption and with on-site solar and/or batteries.
and use that price signal to control the operation of the building’s equipment. If power costs are elevated, such as at peak demand times, non-essential equipment or some lighting can be lim- ited or turned off. Another intelligent feature includes CO2 sensors which control ventilation, providing addition- al outside air when appropriate.
These types of enhancements re- quire additional programming of HVAC (heating, ventilation, and air condition- ing) and lighting controls as well as ex- plicit conversations and training with facilities staff, teachers and students. It’s important to understand how con- trol systems work, and how a commu- nity engages in making their environ- ment more productive and efficient.
If a school’s electrical use can be con- trolled to reduce the demand peaks or kW peaks, it might use the same amount of electricity over the course of the year, but reduce its electricity bill by 10 per- cent or more. The electric bill at North- land Pines Middle & High School (NPMS/ HS) accounts for approximately 70 per- cent of the school’s energy bill. NPSD recognized this opportunity and de- signed a plan to limit its peak demands.
use of intelligent building capability at NPSD. The goal of the district is to maxi- mize their advantage when solar power is most available, which corresponds to maximum chiller loads. A portion of the expected economic performance of the solar system is based on savings achieved in reducing peak demand in coordination with solar production.
An additional emerging trend that complements and accelerates so- lar and battery adoption is the use of third-party investors. Third-party in- vestors leveraging federal tax credits along with local or state incentives where available are making solar in- vestments feasible with little or no up- front or first-cost investments and are immediately cash flow positive. Invest- ments that improve cash flows move decisions on intelligent buildings into the realm of “no-brainers.”
ENGAGING THE HUMAN FACTOR
While sometimes not considered, the culture of the organization and en- gagement of the users in an intelligent building have a profound impact on success and sustainability. There are various opportunities to improve the quality of our school facilities, impact- ing both the first cost and operating costs of a project, and enhancing the learning environment.
There is a common tendency to ex- clude building occupants, and in some respects even maintenance staff, when considering how to optimally design and operate a school. From a financial management standpoint, we’ve been surprised at how many facility manag- ers don’t see monthly utility bills. Even more rare are situations where incen- tive structures are in place to reward staff for improving indoor building con- ditions, such as air quality or noise lev- els, or for reducing the energy bill. Why exclude those that have an important influence on ongoing success?
Unfortunately, it’s also common to omit occupant training regarding how to efficiently and effectively operate thermostats or lights. In classrooms where window treatments such as blinds or shades are provided, it’s com- mon to see blinds shut and all the lights on. The intent of the design is to pro- vide views and daylighting, which may be eradicated by operator error. On the other hand, we’ve likewise seen excellent examples of occupants, who
AN INTELLIGENT BUILDING IS DESIGNED TO FLEXIBLY MEET NEEDS AND UTILIZE TECHNOLOGY AND PROCEDURES TO PROVIDE A HIGHLY EFFECTIVE LEARNING ENVIRONMENT, INDOOR ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY, SAFETY, AND EFFICIENCY IN ENERGY AND WATER USE.
Two important emerging trends for
schools and other commercial buildings
are on-site solar PV (photovoltaic) sys-
tems and on-site battery storage. The
addition of solar energy at the NPMS/
HS and Eagle River Elementary School in nities to coordinate their utility needs
Demand management strategies can be utilized to reduce energy costs with or without the adoption of solar. The addition of on-site batteries at schools in the coming years will fur- ther accelerate the control of demand peaks. Batteries can be charged during non-peak power times and then uti- lized during peak usage hours. Increas- ingly, schools are discovering opportu-
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