ERS assists utility, government, and commercial and industrial clients in implementing more efficient approaches to energy systems, reducing overall energy costs, enhancing the delivery of efficiency programs, and designing facility upgrades or new construction projects. Below is a sampling of our more recent projects.

Featured Projects

 

Projects by Service Area

Engineering & Technical Assistance

Publice Service of New Hampshire Commercial and Industrial Technical Assistance

ERS serves as the primary contractor providing a variety of technical assistance, technical review, and engineering services for New Hampshire facilities on behalf of Public Service of New Hampshire (PSNH). Our efforts have addressed hundreds of new construction and retrofit projects in both the commercial and industrial sectors. We have also provided software development and enhancement services in support of program objectives. We typically perform preliminary site assessments to establish project scope field data collection, detailed analyses of energy system consumptions, energy use breakdown and equipment baselines, and efficiency measures analyses. We also provide system design, project implementation, implementation supervision, and associated consulting support. Recent clients include Stonyfield Farms, Wentworth-by-the-Sea, International Paper, GE Aircraft Engine Plant, Osram Sylvania, Manchester Airport, and Eastern Mountain Sports. [top]

NYSERDA Flexible Technical Assistance Program (FlexTech)

ERS provides a variety of energy analysis, energy modeling, LEED consulting, technical assistance, technical review, and engineering services for New York State customers under NYSERDA’s Flexible Technical Assistance Program (FlexTech). Technologies, measures, and projects address essentially all end use systems, building systems, and process equipment and target both commercial and industrial facilities. During these reviews, we perform preliminary site assessments to establish project scope, conduct design charettes, collect field data, analyze energy system consumptions, develop facility energy use breakdown and equipment baselines, perform efficiency measures analyses, and develop project reports. A representative client list includes Steinway Piano, IBM, Roosevelt Island, Hird Blaker, and Tilcon. [top]

National Grid Demand Response Project Evaluation

ERS serves as a technical consultant for National Grid’s Demand Response Program and provides demand response analysis and site visit assessments to industrial and commercial customers. We analyze and review interval data to develop load duration curves, 1% analyses, and other analytical profiling. The site visit audit encompasses demand-response, energy-efficiency, and renewable-energy opportunities. Through these audits a wide array of demand response measures are identified that reflect permanent and event-related load curtailment. Additionally, renewable generation measures are included such as installation of photovoltaic panels, wind turbines, solar walls, etc. Combined heat and power (CHP) and distributed generation projects and measures are also assessed. [top]

Plant-Wide Assessment at Osram Sylvania Glass Manufacturing

ERS performed a plant-wide assessment of the energy and environmental opportunities at the Osram Sylvania Glass Manufacturing facility in New Hampshire, which conducts energy intensive operations associated with the conversion of raw silica into highly pure glass and ceramic products. The study addressed all of the glass manufacturing operations, and ERS identified several process optimization and energy efficiency measures, including glass production process and efficiency improvement; installation of high efficiency transformers, high efficiency HVAC systems, and heat recovery systems; optimization of the compressed-air, process-cooling, and motor-driven systems; and high efficiency lighting controls. [top]

Combined Heat and Power (CHP) Engineering Evaluation and Economic Assessment at Ozzy Properties

ERS was contracted by Ozzy Properties to perform an assessment of the potential of installing an engine-driven cogeneration system at one of their Massachusetts facilities that would supply electricity as well as hot water for space heating and absorption cooling. The cogeneration system under consideration included two independent natural gas-fired, packaged engine systems that produced 2.5 MW of electric output at full capacity. ERS performed comprehensive hourly modeling to develop energy and demand impacts on both the electric and thermal sides and developed a conceptual design that facilitated accurate costing for a variety of proposed and baseline systems. [top]

Comprehensive Facility Energy Study at Pfizer

ERS conducted an NSTAR-sponsored comprehensive energy study of the Pfizer, Inc. global research & development facility in Cambridge, MA. ERS was requested to characterize facility energy usage and to identify and develop recommendations that would minimize electrical and natural-gas energy consumption, reduce operating costs, and increase the operational performance of the building systems and the infrastructure used to support the R&D processes. The audit addressed energy efficiency measures for both electrical and natural gas-using systems. ERS identified energy efficiency projects with short- and long-term paybacks and recommended a number of key measures that included setting back space temperatures, optimizing chiller sequence of operation, installing VFDs on pumps, installing daylighting controls in perimeter areas, converting DX cooled systems to chilled-water systems, and installing a 65-kW CHP system and a heat recovery system. [top]

Focused Refrigeration System Study Stonyfield Farm Yogurt

ERS undertook a focused energy study sponsored by Public Service of New Hampshire (PSNH) for Stonyfield Farm Yogurt in New Hampshire. Stonyfield is the premiere manufacturer of natural and organic yogurt products in the country and widely recognized for their social and environmental leadership. The study targeted an evaluation of the existing refrigeration plant for operational improvements, efficiency measures, a comprehensive compressed air system assessment, and lighting in designated areas. To achieve the most flexibility and obtain the highest overall system efficiency, we analyzed the existing system and recommended a sequencer control strategy to optimize the refrigeration plant. This approach provided more flexibility in operations, reduced energy consumption of the refrigeration compressors, allowed the larger compressors to operate at higher load levels, and effectively optimized system performance. [top]

Comprehensive Facility Energy Study at Steinway & Sons Piano Company

ERS conducted a NYSERDA-sponsored FlexTech comprehensive energy study of Steinway & Sons’ primary manufacturing facility in Queens, NY and their renowned Steinway Hall showroom in Manhattan. As a result of the assessment, Steinway has implemented or is in the process of implementing numerous recommendations associated with their facility and their processes. [top]

Plant-Wide Energy and Resource Assessment Industrial Systems at Tilcon

In association with NYSERDA’s FlexTech Program, ERS performed comprehensive, plant-wide assessments for two Tilcon-New York facilities. The study targeted energy and resource efficiency measures addressing the industrial functions and systems associated with the production of aggregates and asphalt. A total of twelve measures were identified for the two facilities that if implemented would result in an overall payback of three years. [top]

Retrocommissioning Study at IBM

In an effort to help facility engineers at IBM in New York achieve a significant annual energy cost savings, ERS performed a retrocommissioning study that investigated opportunities for low- or no-cost measures that would reduce energy costs without a major investment in capital-intensive building systems projects. ERS found and recommended nine retrocommissioning measures which, when implemented by the IBM staff, resulted in an overall payback of approximately two months and when combined with other IBM initiatives yielded a considerable annual cost savings that enabled the facility’s engineering department to exceed their savings goals. [top]

Retrocommissioning Study for the Goodrich Corporation

When the Goodrich Corporation moved into a new and larger facility, they contracted with ERS to perform a retrocommissioning study to investigate opportunities for low- or no-cost measures that would reduce their energy costs without significant investment in capital-intensive building systems projects. Since production operations only used about 15 percent of the overall energy, most of the energy use was for lighting and HVAC in the facility’s laboratories and offices. ERS recommended three retrocommissioning measures that focused on improving HVAC controls. The estimated savings associated with implementation of the retrocommissioning measures resulted in an overall payback of less than one year. All measures were successfully implemented and immediate results demonstrated that savings were in accordance with estimates. [top]

Retrocommissioning Study at Vicor Corporation

ERS performed a National Grid-sponsored retrocommissioning study at Vicor Corporation in Massachusetts, investigating opportunities for low- or no-cost measures that would reduce energy costs without significant investment in capital intensive building systems projects. We identified a wide variety of retrocommissioning and retrofit opportunities. Retrocommissioning measures included control of outside air intake, management of compressed air use and leaks, reduction of air pressure, and proper setting of space setpoint and setback temperatures. Retrofit, capital-intensive measures included installation of high efficiency lighting, application of more efficient chillers, and implementation of new compressed air equipment, such as VFD-driven compressors. Vicor Corporation acted quickly to implement many of the recommended retrocommissioning measures for which they received significant incentives from National Grid. [top]

Commercial and Industrial Energy Efficiency Assessments and Review Services Conducted for PSNH, Unitil, and NHEC

ERS provides a variety of technical assistance, technical review, and engineering services for New Hampshire facilities on behalf of Public Service of New Hampshire (PSNH), Unitil Service Corporation, and the New Hampshire Electric Coop (NHEC). Our efforts have addressed hundreds of new construction and retrofit projects in both the commercial and industrial sectors. We have also provided software development and enhancement services in support of program objectives. We typically perform preliminary site assessments to establish project scope field data collection, detailed analyses of energy system consumptions, energy use breakdown and equipment baselines, and efficiency measures analyses. We also provide system design, project implementation, implementation supervision, and associated consulting support. Recent clients include Stonyfield Farms, Wentworth-by-the-Sea, International Paper, GE Aircraft Engine Plant, Osram Sylvania, Manchester Airport, and Eastern Mountain Sports. [top]

Program Planning & Implementation

Energy Efficient Schools Program Development, State of Tennessee

The state of Tennessee allotted $90 million to be used for energy efficiency improvements in K-12 schools. Working with the Tennessee Energy Efficient Schools Initiative, ERS developed a comprehensive energy efficiency program for both prescriptive and custom measures. ERS also assisted in the program rollout and set up of back office program management techniques and infrastructure.This program is among the most aggressive, comprehensive, and advanced efficient schools program in the country and is currently active and highly successful. ERS continues to provide guidance and implementation assistance to EESI. See our recent news release for project details.[top]

Maine Public Utility Commission: Efficiency Maine Commercial, Industrial, & Residential Energy Efficiency Program Planning and Implementation

ERS is the prime contractor implementing Efficiency Maine, the energy efficiency program for the state of Maine. ERS worked with the MPUC staff and a team of subcontractors to design and develop the technical assistance and the premium efficient equipment incentive programs that include Commercial New Construction, Commercial and Industrial Efficiency, Residential New Construction, and Residential Lighting & Efficient Products. We currently maintain the programs and serve as the technical advisor for all projects, establishing the eligible measures and related eligibility requirements and performing individual project evaluations. We also provide comprehensive monthly reports including activity tracking for this program. This report includes specific program data such as goal achievement and projects completed as well as a monthly overview of specific information for projects processed during the month.[top]

NYSERDA Prescriptive Program Development

ERS developed a completely new state-wide Pre-Qualified (prescriptive) Energy Efficiency program for New York’s commercial/industrial customers. The program includes both electric and gas measures and targets all market segments within the state of New York. Our tasks on this project included reviewing New York State and New York City market conditions as well as the previous and existing NYSERDA programs and the success rates of all measures; performing a Best Practice assessment of prescriptive programs around the country and relating those practices to the New York market; proposing new electric and gas measures, including incentive levels, that would dramatically increase program performance; and performing societal cost/benefit and programmatic cost-effectiveness tests for each measure proposed. We also produced new program forms covering lighting, unitary HVAC, VFDs, refrigeration, motors, controls, commercial kitchen equipment, gas heating equipment, etc. This program represents the most aggressive and comprehensive prescriptive energy efficiency program in the country. [top]

NYSERDA Peak Load Reduction Program Quality Assurance and Technical Review

Since 2002, ERS has participated in a broad range of technical review and quality assurance assessments for several of NYSERDA’s implementation program offerings, which include the Peak Load Reduction Program, the Aggregated Load Reduction Program, the Combined Heat & Power Program, and the Enhanced Commercial & Industrial Performance Program. ERS works closely with customers, project applicants, vendors, and NYSERDA throughout the course of the projects. Our reviews have addressed numerous end use systems and technologies such as lighting, HVAC, CHP, distributed generation, compressed air, refrigeration, thermal storage, and industrial process, and projects have been implemented at a wide range of facility types including offices, retail establishments, hotels, warehouses, schools and universities, and various manufacturing sites. [top]

Connecticut High Performance Buildings Protocol Development

ERS developed a protocol for the State of Connecticut that provides building professionals with the criteria and strategy necessary for complying with a Connecticut State Law requiring all publicly funded buildings to be constructed to a LEED Silver standard or higher in the areas of energy efficiency and indoor environmental quality.[top]

Northeast Collaborative for High Performance Schools (CHPS) Protocol Development

Working with the Northeast Energy Efficiency Partnerships (NEEP) and the New England High Performance Schools Collaborative, ERS developed a regional design, construction, and maintenance protocol for all of the New England States and the State of New York to be used as a criteria for high performance school construction. The protocol establishes the minimum common requirements that need to be met for a school to be considered a high performance school, but it is designed to be flexible according to the needs of the individual state. It also provides criteria and guidance in many areas including environmentally sound construction pra

Joint NSTAR and NGrid Performance Lighting Program Development and Implementation

Working with both NSTAR and National Grid, ERS developed the Performance Lighting Program that has been adopted by both utilities’ efficiency programs. The program requires that the lighting power density (LPD) outperform energy code requirements by at least 25% while maintaining lighting fixture efficiency and lighting quality. In addition to the program structure, ERS developed a software tool that will be used by utility staff and their consultants to verify compliance. The Performance Lighting Program makes certain that projects receiving incentives have lower connected electrical loads than energy codes and standard practice dictate, while also promoting advancing technologies and high quality lighting. [top]

New Buildings Institute Advanced Buildings Guidelines Core Performance

ERS helped to develop the New Buildings Institute (NBI) Advanced Buildings Guidelines Core Performance and now serves as a technical assistant and trainer for this innovative program that has been adopted by efficiency programs around the country. ERS worked with NBI to upgrade the content of the guidelines in order to keep pace with advancing trends in the efficiency and high performance buildings arena. ERS also now serves as a technical consultant for the implementation of Core Performance projects and provides monitoring and verification services for completed projects. [top]

Low Pressure Boiler Plant Design Engineering and Implementation Services at Ozzy Properties

ERS provided comprehensive design engineering and implementation services for one of the Ozzy Properties facilities in Massachusetts. The project involved development of two new natural gas-fired low- pressure steam boiler plants to replace an oversized number 6 fuel-oil-fired high-pressure boiler plant. This project also involved significant modifications of the steam distribution network to facilitate use of low-pressure steam in lieu of the prior high-pressure network. Our role included full-service design and specification engineering and project implementation and management, during which we worked closely with a wide variety of contractors. [top]

Compressed Air System Commissioning at Raytheon

ERS performed a complete assessment of the compressed air system at the Raytheon facility in Massachusetts. We recommended a new compressor plant as well as numerous end-use measures. Upon completion of the assessment the customer implemented some of the end-use recommendations and then installed the recommended compressor plant replacement. ERS then conducted a commissioning and verification assessment for the new compressor plant. We employed monitoring equipment to establish that the operating load profile and load/unload control strategy proposed for the multiple compressor plant was successfully achieved. All system operations, including pressure band setpoints, lead/lag arrangements, system volume output, dryer dew points, and sequencer optimization were set to operate as specified. [top]

NYSERDA New Construction/Major Renovation Technical Assistance Program

ERS provides technical assistance to downstate New York customers involved in major renovation or new construction projects through NYSERDA’s New Construction Program. Services performed emphasize Green Building and LEED design services, energy analysis, energy modeling, and technical assistance – all of which are cost shared by NYSERDA and the customer. Systems analyzed include lighting and lighting controls, HVAC/R central and packaged equipment, fan/pump systems and associated controls, heat recovery approaches, and motor and drive systems including VFDs, building automation systems (BAS), design, and upgrade. [top]

Energy Code Training Program Development and Delivery of Sessions for NYSERDA and the NY Department of State

Under contract for the State of New York (NYSERDA and the New York Department of State), ERS developed and delivered a series of training programs to New York State Code Officials and the architectural and engineering communities that provide services for New York clients. During the two separate rounds of courses (one in 2004 and one in 2008), over eighty half-day courses were delivered and over 5,400 professionals were trained. The courses focused on the New York State Building Energy Code, which is a customized version of ASHRAE Standard 90.1-based codes. It was customized to account for climatic conditions in New York and regional construction practices, and ERS developed the five training modules designed to allow for interactive training and flexibility in response to audience interest and background: Energy Code Overview, Electrical/Lighting, Mechanical/HVAC, Building Envelope, and Building Science. ERS also handled all administrative duties for this program as well as the continuing education credits for both the state of New York and the AIA. [top]

Commissioning and Recommissioning Services for Multiple Facilities and End Use Systems

ERS has conducted a wide variety of commissioning projects for both new construction and existing facilities, primarily representing the efficiency program efforts of utilities and program operations in Massachusetts, Rhode Island, Maine, and New Hampshire. Our project commissioning efforts have addressed all end use systems and their controls. We work with design architectural and engineering teams reviewing design documents and plans and establishing focused commissioning procedures customized for the project and facility. The objective is to ensure that new construction or existing systems are operating in accordance with design intent and consistent with the objectives of energy efficiency plans. A sampling of client projects includes Wentworth by the Sea’s control systems, Stonyfield Farm’s refrigeration system, Raytheon’s compressed air system, and Andover schools’ lighting controls. [top]

ctices, energy efficient design and construction, indoor air quality, material selection, daylighting and premium visual performance, and efficient water usage.[top]

Energy Program Evaluation

Evaluation and M & V of California IOUs’ Nonresidential Retrofit Energy Efficiency Programs

ERS is an engineering subcontractor for six of the eight contract groups evaluating California’s 2006–2008 commercial, industrial, and agricultural energy efficiency programs for the CPUC. The groups include PG&E Agricultural & Food Processing, PG&E Fabrication, Southern California Manufacturing & Agricultural, Specialized Commercial, Major Commercial, and Retrocommissioning. The four prime contractors for the evaluations are all renowned for their statistical capabilities, and each chose to include ERS on their teams for our engineering and field metering expertise. ERS’s principal project responsibilities are impact analysis planning, field verification, metering & verification, engineering analysis, and non-energy impact assessment. [top]

Impact Evaluation for NSTAR Business Solutions

ERS was contracted to conduct impact evaluations of the 2002, 2004, 2005, and 2006 NSTAR Electric Business Solutions and Construction Solutions programs to determine the actual energy savings achieved by the project installations through detailed on-site monitoring and verification. The programs provide existing and new commercial, industrial, and institutional customers with financial and technical assistance to facilitate installation of energy saving equipment. The resulting data from the evaluations is used to perform a series of comparative analyses with the pre-installation projected energy savings. The project involves site plan development, monitoring approach, verification, analysis, and reporting. [top]

Impact Evaluation for NYSERDA Programs

ERS is teamed with six subcontractors to assess the impact of NYSERDA’s forty-two Energy $mart and statutorily funded R&D programs. The programs address all facility types: existing and new construction, commercial, industrial, residential, and agricultural. The nature of the programs ranges from marketing to retailer/mid-market support to direct implementation assistance. The evaluation scope includes computing energy impacts, non-energy benefits, and program cost-effectiveness as well as stakeholder workshops, risk analysis, database construction, and customized peer-review-driven R&D program impact evaluation. ERS’s principal project responsibilities include impact analysis planning, field verification, metering & verification, engineering analysis, building systems modeling, and non-energy impact assessment. [top]

Sustainable Building Development

Solar Thermal Project Implementation at Steinway & Son’s Piano Company

As a follow up to a comprehensive energy study at Steinway & Son’s Manhattan and Queens, NY facilities, ERS secured funding to develop and oversee the installation of a state-of-the-art dust collection system and unique solar thermal system that Steinway is currently installing to dehumidify designated areas in the manufacturing process. The solar system is the first and largest of its kind in an industrial setting.[top]

LEED Commissioning at the North Adams Public Library

ERS developed a commissioning plan for the North Adams, Massachusetts public library facility renovation to ensure that the project followed the USGBC’s LEED rating system. The sustainable features of the renovation included a 10 kW solar photovoltaic (PV) array, a geothermal-based HVAC system, and an energy efficient lighting system. Over the course of the project, ERS met with city officials and project contractors to review the design plans to verify that the design intent was being met and that energy efficiency and LEED criteria were reached. ERS performed a comprehensive review of each system to verify that it met specifications, its components were properly installed, and that it performed as designed. [top]

Comprehensive Green Building Feasibility Study

ERS performed a renewable energy and green building feasibility study for a renovated mill building at Cedar Tree Development. Working with two other solar design and installation firms, ERS designed solar monitors for the building that incorporated high performance glazing with integrated photovoltaic cells. These monitors are intended to transmit light to increase natural lighting in the interior space while generating up to 29 kW. For the various solar options proposed, ERS estimated the annual energy generation (kWh) using various simulation tools including SolarSim and RETScreen.[top]

Solar Thermal Retrofit and Photovoltaic Feasibility Study

For Bethany Homes, a nonprofit affordable-housing organization, ERS investigated the feasibility of revitalizing a failed solar water heating system on one of their facility roofs by installing a solar photovoltaic (PV) array utilizing the existing frame mount structures. ERS collected field data on the existing system including the azimuth of the system, the tilt angle of the existing collectors and frame as well as the entering and leaving water temperatures of the functioning system. For the solar PV and thermal options proposed, ERS estimated the annual electric energy generation (kWh) and solar thermal energy using various simulation tools including SolarSim and RETScreen.[top]

Micro-hydroelectric and Photovoltaic Potential Study

ERS conducted a renewable energy feasibility study to evaluate the potential for solar PV and micro-hydropower at Sasaki Associates, an international interdisciplinary architecture firm. In collaboration with two other RE consulting firms, ERS evaluated various solar PV options and from them Sasaki chose a solar PV awning design to provide much-needed shade for some south-facing windows and to generate 10 kW of electricity. Additionally, since Sasaki is located on the Charles River at an existing spillway, a low-head micro-hydropower system was evaluated and various options were found to be technically feasible.[top]

Green Schools Design Charrette

Working with the Northeast Energy Efficiency Partnerships (NEEP) and the NESEA staff, ERS developed and conducted a full-day design charrette on the design and construction of green schools. A variety of technologies, issues, and strategies were addressed during the session with particular focus on green building concepts, advanced lighting techniques and technologies, lighting controls, energy codes, HVAC options and issues, HVAC system control strategies, ventilation requirements, and renewable technologies. Requirements and strategies for obtaining LEED ratings were an integral part of the process. [top]