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Game Changing Technologies Increase Return on Building investment
This edition of COAC's Trends newsletter brings together an eclectic mix of information and tools to help increase the return on your building investment. This edition stretches out in many areas with a focus on game changing technologies, from the growing interest and value of VRF systems, to getting a little "air conditioning" for your brain.
We also have some exciting announcements about the continuing growth of COAC as we add to our portfolio of skills, projects and customers.
Please take a minute to look over the newsletter. We are confident you will find something of interest, even if it is just glancing at the list of upcoming industry events to add to your calendar.
We are eager to hear your feedback. If you have any questions or ideas about the newsletter please contact - [email protected]. Our goal is to keep you informed about trends in our industry.
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Game Changing Technologies:
VRF: An Energy Slashing HVAC System on the Rise
Variable Refrigerant Flow (VRF) also known as a Variable Refrigerant Volume (VRV) HVAC systems are becoming an important HVAC solution in the U.S. VRF's make up about 24% of the global commercial air conditioning market and over 35% market share in China, India, and Eastern Europe. USA only represents about 3% of the market, but it is growing rapidly with multiple manufacturers like LG, Daikin, Carrier, Mitsubishi and Sanyo.
A VRF system allows one outdoor condensing unit to be connected to multiple indoor fan-coil units, each individually controllable by its user, while modulating the amount of refrigerant being sent to each evaporator. By operating at varying speeds, VRF units work only at the needed rate allowing for substantial energy savings at partial-load conditions.
VRF systems have some distinct advantages over conventional systems but they are not for every situation or application. Learn more about this growing and innovative HVAC solution and review case studies at the end of the article. READ MORE HERE
Editors Note: We are seeing greater demand for this technology due to life-cycle cost benefits and occupant comfort benefits that outweigh the higher first-cost as compared to conventional systems.
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Game Changing Technologies:
Transformative Wave's CATALYST Verified as Powerful New Way to Save Energy with Rooftop HVAC Units.
Most commercial buildings are cooled by packaged rooftop units (RTUs), but RTUs have a problem: Their fans run at full power, even when cooling demands are low. A few years ago, retrofit kits - like Catalyst - hit the market. These kits enabled building operators to upgrade their existing single-zone RTUs to variable-air-volume operation with claimed HVAC savings of 25 to 50 percent. Originally, these claims were greeted with much skepticism, but independent tests keep bearing out vendor assertions. In 2013, US Dept. of Energy's Advanced Rooftop Control (ARC) Retrofit: Field-Test Results (PDF) verified savings and demonstrated that these products- especially Transformative Wave's Catalyst - are ready for prime time. Read Article Here
Editor's Note: Cooper Oates Air Conditioning is a certified Transformative Wave Affiliate, offering the Catalyst solution to building owners, property managers and facility engineers throughout the Sacramento Region. For information on how this RTU energy saving solution can work for you, contact [email protected] or download the Catalyst Brochure here.
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Continuous Improvement: Begin Your Journey
The Continuous Improvement Network (CIN) is a local non-profit association of business leaders committed to learning and sharing continuous improvement methods. Founded in 2011 by Northern California employers, the CIN is a gateway to new ideas, motivation and training. Over the last year, the CIN has hosted multiple tours of facilities incorporating improvement methods in their organizations as well as conducted trainings on "Introduction to Lean", Problem Solving, "7S" and "Value Stream Mapping". Companies toured include: Rex Moore, Seimens, BAGS, RobbJack and others.
Whats in it for your organization: - See how other organizations put process
improvement into action. - Gain new ideas by touring facilities using
continuous improvement (CI). - Motivate employees by showing them other
firms' CI programs and processes. - Benefit from training in CI, Lean, TQM, Six Sigma, Supply Chain Management and more.
Membership is information is linked here. To find out more about this business leader driven organization, access the association website at www.cacinetwork.com. Editor's note: COAC has embarked on its own journey to embrace Lean Thinking as a way to reduce "waste" in all aspects of it business processes. This includes reducing waste in the field, the office, reduce losses from accidents and maximizing productivity. We are hoping that this translates into even higher levels of customer satisfaction.
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COAC Updates
Bob Plotner Promoted to VP, Service Division
| Bob |
We are very pleased to announce the promotion of Bob Plotner to Vice President of the Service Division. For over 6 years, Bob's efforts have significantly raised the bar on our service quality and to the continuous skills improvement of our technicians. His professionalism and commitment to continuous education will help develop our field teams' skill levels to be able to take on more and different types of work.
Come out and see Bob speak during the IREM Spring Mixer and Energy & Water Management Workshop, April 24 (click for details)
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Duke
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COAC Welcomes the McAlpines
| John | We are delighted to welcome Duke McAlpine as our Senior Adviser in our Commercial Construction Division, John McAlpine as a Senior Account Manager and Jeff McAlpine as a Senior Service Technician.
| Jeff | Their breadth of knowledge and wisdom across the entire HVAC life-cycle continuum will further enhance ourability to provide thoughtful and sustainable solutions to our customers.
Please join us in welcoming them to the COAC team and then put them to work.
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Air Conditioning for your Brain
Does Yawning Cool Off Your Cranium?
Maryland and Princeton University scientists have published in the Journal of Medical Hypothesis that we yawn to air condition our brains. "Brains, like computers, operate best when they are cool," the authors said. If that is true, then I have been to some industry meeting lately where most of the brains in the room where getting really chilly. READ MORE HERE
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REGULATORY UPDATE:
AB-1103, the Commercial Building Energy Benchmarking Regulations take effect.
AB-1103, the Commercial Building Energy Use Disclosure Program, has begun enforcement for buildings 10,000 sq. ft. and larger as of Jan. 1, 2014. These regulations require building owners to disclose the building's energy use benchmark score to potential buyers, leasers of the entire building and/or upon refinancing the building.
The remaining schedule for AB1103 implementation is:
-- For buildings larger than 10,000 sq. ft. enforcement began Jan. 1, 2014.
-- For buildings from 5,000 to 10,000 sq. ft. enforcement begins July 1, 2014.
Click Here for Benchmarking FAQ Sheet
California Energy Commission AB1103 information page
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About Us
Cooper Oates Air Conditioning
is committed to increasing the return on your building investment.
Cooper Oates Air Conditioning
6250 Sky Creek Drive, Sacramento, California
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Sac Medical Office Building Saves $91K
Find out how a downtown Sacramento medical office building turned a benchmark score of 2 into $91,000 per year in energy savings, and prevented a tenant exodus.
CLICK HERE FOR CASE STUDY.
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COAC to Build New CHP Facility
COAC recently secured the design/build contract for another premier building complex, the new 17 million dollar California Highway Patrol's Bakersfield Dispatch and Field Office. Situated on the south side of highway 99 on 6.05 acres, the state-of-the-art facilities are designed to be LEED Silver and will be a State certified "Essential Services" building. Construction of the three buildings complex, encompassing 41,736 sq. ft., will take 12-14 months and break ground in late March 2014. |
Benchmark Your Building At The COAC Website
Clicking the green button above begins the process of generating your EnergyStar building benchmark score. The button takes you to the online COAC Benchmark Form where you enter information about your building and begin the process of scoring your building's energy usage. Click the button now to get started and you have any questions during the process please contact COAC's Energy Services Manager, Bill Schmalzel at 916.381.4611. (Download sample of Benchmark result)
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Prevent Cringe-Worthy Emails
Have you ever gotten a horrible email that makes you cringe? Or worse yet, have you ever clicked send only to realize you sent that horrible email? It happens. We've all done it. This article from the Daily Muse s
hares tips from an editor on writing consistently good emails.
(READ MORE HERE)
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COAC Now Servicing NorCal 7-Elevens
Since late February, COAC has provided HVAC and refrigeration preventative maintenance and service to 125 7-Eleven locations as far north as Redding, south to Turlock and west to Marin area. Click here for map of locations.
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Industry Events:
4/16 IFMA April Luncheon 4/24 IREM Mixer, Energy & Water Management Workshop Look for COAC's Bob Plotner who will be one of the Featured Speakers 4/25 SRBX Golf Tourney Look for COAC Hydration Station 5/8 IFMA Hackers Golf Tourney Look for COAC Hydration Station 5/21 IFMA May Luncheon 6/9 ACRE Golf Tourney
6/14 IREM Rivercats Game
If you would like to include your industry association event in the COAC Trends Newsletter, please contact Chris Tejeda at [email protected]. |
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