A simple solution to saving energy has been adopted by Richmond Centre mall, saving it tens of thousands of dollars, according to energy consumption data compiled by BC Hydro.
In 2012 the mall applied new automated sensor technology to its HVAC (Heating Ventilation Air Conditioning) systems. Last year the mall saved $17,000 and spared 30 215,000 kWh of energy from the grid, enough to power 20 homes annually in Richmond.
The mall consumes just over 5.0 million kWh annually.
The technology comes from Transformative Wave, an award-winning energy technology company based in Washington State. The company partnered with BC Hydro, which in turn partnered with Cadillac Fairview, the mall's management group. It's the first application of such technology in Canada.
"This is an excellent example of partnering with BC Hydro to reduce energy consumption, which obviously has a long term impact for our community. It also reduces cost for our retailers as well," said Sheila Luft, the mall's general manager.
The small digital sensor devices gauge temperatures and CO2 levels on the 22 HVAC devices situated on the roof of the mall. Most HVAC devices run as an on and off device and crank out the heat or air conditioning at a steady level, taking in or expelling air as desired.
As Irfan Rehmanji, BC Hydro senior engineer, notes, the new device - known as CATALYST - delivers conditioning of the mall as needed.
"The system does not run constant. It runs based on need," said Rehmanji.
For instance, in the winter as the mall requires heat but it also may have low occupancy. The CATALYST can detect low CO2 levels and it will tell the HVAC unit not to pump in cold outside air.
An added benefit of the devices is fresher air, noted the mall's operations manager Rick Bischler.
Transformative Wave notes on its website that "the genius of our technologies is not in their sophistication, but in their application and in the way they make us look at the status quo in a new light."
Asked why this technology hasn't been used before Rehmanji replied:
"I don't see why this couldn't have been used before. Maybe the opportunity wasn't identified. This technology has been around for a long time. Maybe the cost effectiveness of getting the technology down to this size is better now, but I'm not an expert on it however," said Rehmanji.
The CATALYST units cost about $4,500 each and were partly paid for by BC Hydro as an incentive. In total the mall paid $60,000 and expects the devices to pay for themselves in three to five years depending on energy needs and weather conditions.
The CATALYST is not the only energy saving measures the mall has undertaken recently; Heat recovery coils were installed above the dining terrace to heat outside air, thus reducing the need for extra natural gas expenditure.
HVAC devices last 10-20 years depending on the unit. The are typically found on commercial buildings. BC Hydro is hoping to partner with more companies across the province to have them installed.
