Coming out of a summer of record-breaking heat waves, many property owners and developers are taking a fresh look at the high energy costs that come with keeping things cool. AC can take a major toll on the bottom line during steamy summer months, but Salas O'Brien can help you maintain a comfortable atmosphere while saving on energy costs.

For most owners of large facilities, addressing high energy consumption by starting from scratch isn’t a viable option. The best place to start with existing buildings is to get the full picture—what’s going on beneath the surface. Energy audits and commissioning for existing buildings are great ways to find out where your money is going and to uncover opportunities to optimize efficiency and reduce costs. Context is key.

University of Central Florida: Optimization in Action

The University of Central Florida (UCF) puts a high emphasis on sustainability, with over one million square feet of LEED-certified properties throughout the school's Florida campuses. When the school’s Orlando branch wanted to increase their energy and water efficiency, they came to Salas O’Brien for help.

UCF uses electrically generated chilled water to cool its campus buildings. Our team provided design and construction administration services for a new chilled water tank that would enable UCF to generate and store chilled water at night when electrical rates and environmental conditions are more favorable. The tank reduced the campus’s electrical demand and energy consumption during peak demand periods, minimizing electrical energy costs without having to alter normal AC usage—a huge benefit for educators and students in the Sunshine State.

Savings at Stanford and Sunset Development

At Stanford University, we've been performing energy audits on various parts of the campus for many years. Our audits at the Cantor Art Center and Green West Library resulted in projects that saved the school more than $520,000 and had a project payback of less than three years.

At Sunset Development's Bishop Ranch property, our team completed in-depth mechanical and electrical review and design services that outlined the removal and replacement of the outdated lake-based condenser water system and the installation of three new 1,000-ton chillers and supporting infrastructure

We'd Love to Share More

Whether you're at a higher education campus, a large development, or another type of large facility, we'd love to share more about how analyzing your energy use and making adjustments now can yield big dividends. Contact one of our experts to learn more.