Value Delivered
The North Dakota Department of Health’s aging laboratory exhaust system wasn’t performing adequately. We developed a cost-effective retrofit solution that utilized both new and existing equipment. The client was extremely satisfied with our work, which we completed with minimal disruptions to their regular operations.
The project is expected to save 165,962 kilowatt hours and 72,962 therms each year with simple payback of five years. The retrofit made such a drastic reduction to the load of the facility’s air handling unit that we were able to immediately demonstrate savings.
Client Objectives
The client had an outdated exhaust system serving 21 laboratories. They doubted if the system had ever operated properly because their rooftop units were continuously running at maximum capacity and the labs were typically too humid.
They hoped to solve these problems while maximizing payback by using existing, serviceable equipment when possible. They had already unsuccessfully attempted to remedy these issues by installing extra fans.
Solutions
Our solution combined new, cutting-edge TEL equipment with several existing components. For example, existing valves were equipped with fast-acting actuators, new controllers were added to existing fume hoods, etc.
Installation included:
- Variable-air-volume fume hood face-velocity controller and alarm kits
- TEL automatic sash closing systems
- TEL’s AFA 5000 lab space controller to help maintain lab temperature, pressure, and air changes per hour
- New actuators
- Electronic reheat valve actuators, variable power supplies, and timer switches
- Existing valves retrofitted to accept new TEL electronic actuators
- BACnet connection kit
Client Background
The North Dakota Department of health is a government agency tasked with improving state health outcomes, quality of life, emergency readiness, and more.