C o o l
B r e e z e
A E S m i t h ’ s m ag az in e f o r s t a f f a n d f r i e n d s brisbane cairns gold coast mackay perth rockhampton sydney tasmania
melbourne townsville
2014 issue 21
How to Save Energy Without Spending CAPEX Nothing Small about State-of-the-Art RMIT MicroNano Research Facility The Value of a Service Provider Who Cares Adaptive Response for New AE Smith Website AE Smith Sponsor 5th Annual Modular Construction & Prefabrication Summit American Auto-Matrix Award WIN a $730 Milwaukee Power Tool Combo Building the Business Case of Energy Efficiency Optimal Turns to AE Smith as Capstone Microtubine Service Agent 2014 AE Smith Service Recognition Awards AE Smith Delivers Northcott a 15% Energy Saving Clear Safety Advantage Ahead Cardinia Creek Now Open to the Public Family Room Fundraising Drive in Townsville
air conditioning
building services
energy efficiency
onsite power
www.aesmith.com.au
How to Save Energy Without Spending CAPEX Cover pic: David Odd, AE Smith National Sustainability Engineer presenting at Ideaction 2014.
About Ideaction 2014: Hosted by the Facility Management Association (FMA) of Australia, Ideaction is an annual conference to provide a forum for Facility Managers and other professionals who interact with the Facility Management industry to address current issues, including compliance, legislative change, public policy and industry developments. For more information visit www.ideaction14.com.au www.fma.com.au
Invited to present at the Facility Management Association (FMA) “Ideaction” 2014 conference this May in Sydney, AE Smith National Sustainability Engineer, David Odd talked about achieving and maintaining consistent NABERS ratings in existing buildings using intelligent modelling, monitoring and maintenance Imagine you’re sitting in a race car. You’re in the driver’s seat on the starting grid. You feel the engine throbbing. It’s hot and it’s noisy. The start flag goes down and your pit crew’s screaming at you over the radio, “GO, GO, GO!”. It’s then you realise you’re blindfolded! You take off down the straight. You hit the wall on the right, so you turn left. You hit the wall on the left, so you turn right. It’s scary how little control you actually have. Now, replace the car with the Building Management System (BMS) in your facility. This is exactly how it’s “driving” right now. It can’t see the corners in the road ahead, such as changes to the weather throughout the day. In effect, your BMS is blindfolded as well, bouncing from one setpoint to another. With Heating. Ventilation and Air Conditioning (HVAC) systems typically accounting for 60 to 70% of Base Building Energy consumption, arguably your BMS poses the single greatest risk to controlling energy in existing facilities. The value of removing the blindfold is undeniable, particularly when it promises energy savings
2 Cool Breeze 2014 #21
and maintenance of a building’s hard-earned NABERS rating. All without spending any of your CAPEX budget. Understand what puts your energy targets at risk The first step to reduce risk is to understand the difference between expectation and reality. Where expectation is based on an understanding of how a building HVAC system operates using historical data, energy consumption models and future vacancy rates. Whereas reality is driven by other, less predictable factors such as the weather, the behaviour of occupants, the placement of the thermostat, the efficiency of equipment. To align expectation and reality, a formal risk assessment is undertaken to identify all the variables that place your energy targets at risk. The outcome of which is an accurate baseline to predict, track and optimise energy performance for the life of the building. Simulate building energy performance Returning to the racing car analogy, every driver would benefit from a course simulation to know what’s coming before the real race begins. A tool that allows you to do just that for a building, and thereby accurately assess risk, is Dynamic Thermal Modelling. A 3D model of the facility is built and meta-data is loaded such as the thermal properties of every element and every room, internal heat loads such as occupants and lighting, load reactions of HVAC equipment and any known equipment inefficiencies. The model is then subjected to a year’s worth of dynamic weather data including ambient temperatures, cloud cover and wind speed. This technology is often used for new construction projects to predict energy performance, but has only recently been applied by AE Smith to building retrofits and refurbishments, using existing performance data. Done correctly, this delivers a very accurate energy profile for the life of the building for each piece of HVAC equipment creating a baseline for any HVAC upgrade you can imagine. It also allows a NABERS rating to be predicted far more accurately.
“ With HVAC systems typically accounting for 60 to 70% of Base Building Energy consumption, arguably your BMS poses the single greatest risk to controlling energy in existing facilities ”
Turn your BMS into an HVAC watchdog Once there is a reliable baseline, alarms can be added into a BMS to alert a Facility Manager to energy wastage. Typically though, a BMS only provides alarms for system faults. For example when a piece of equipment fails to start when scheduled. However, it won’t set off an alarm if that same piece of equipment is running when it shouldn’t be. Whilst the existing sensors in the building are already connected, the energy based alarms that use these sensors are, surprisingly, not programmed as standard practice. There are a myriad of energy focused alarms which can be added in to any BMS. These provide alerts long before energy reports reveal a (Continued on page 4)
Source: This story first appeared in FM Magazine, 2014 June/July issue, pp. 22-26.
www.aesmith.com.au
3
(Continued from page 3)
problem. Consider installing alarms to check for leaking valves, correct economy cycle operation and equipment running out of schedule. In one building in Sydney, AE Smith identified 1200 individual alarms that could be added to the BMS with no additional sensors. Once energy wastage is under control, you can look at ways to optimise your systems to reduce energy use.
“ Research shows that the ideal temperature for the majority of occupants will still cause 5% of building occupants discomfort. Any adjustment to the ‘ideal’ temperature to appease the unhappy occupant is likely to cause even more people to be dissatisfied. So, how can you keep the most people comfortable, whatever the weather, and still save energy? ”
Measuring the temperature of comfort Thermal comfort is complex because it’s related to air temperature, humidity, air movement, radiant heat sources, clothing levels and the metabolic rate of every individual occupying the space. But for the Facility Manager, only one of these variables is controllable - air temperature. Research shows that the ideal temperature for the majority of occupants will still cause 5% of building occupants discomfort. Any adjustment to the ‘ideal’ temperature to appease the unhappy occupant is likely to cause even more people to be dissatisfied. So, how can you keep the most people comfortable, whatever the weather, and still save energy? Using a change of season as an example, research tells us the majority of people will be more comfortable with a higher space temperature in summer than in winter. As many buildings have a constant annual setpoint of 22.5 degrees, this in fact means more energy is used for cooling throughout summer than is required to keep occupants happy. A simplistic solution would be to manually adjust the setpoint based on the current ambient temperature. However, this doesn’t take into account the fact that people take time to acclimatise to changes in the weather. If you have a string of cool days and then a much hotter day, people will likely still be wearing warmer clothing. But if you have four warmer days in a row, by then people will have changed their dress and will accept a gradual change in set point. A more intuitive solution would be to build in Adaptive Temperature Control algorithms into your BMS. These gradually adjust setpoints, (possibly just 0.1 degree per day) based on a weighted rolling mean of previous ambient temperatures. Both of these methods will improve occupant comfort levels and save energy. Neither method will truly remove ‘the blindfold’ because they’re based on the previous days’ and weeks’ weather. To remove the blindfold entirely, you need a system which can look into the future.
4 Cool Breeze 2014 #21
Smart enough to predict the future Australia’s CSIRO developed a system called BuildingIQ which optimises energy consumption, energy costs and occupant comfort utilising Predictive Energy Optimisation. This technology continuously monitors inputs including hourly weather forecasts, occupancy, demand response events and real time energy prices. The system begins with a ‘watch and learn’ phase as it builds a thermal dynamic model of the facility and learns how the building reacts to changes in load such as occupancy and weather. When the system is fully deployed, usually only two to three months after installation, it makes hourly adjustments to setpoints to achieve 10-25% energy savings on the HVAC system overall while maintaining high levels of occupant comfort. For commercial buildings, these energy savings can result in a NABERS improvement of 0.5 to 1 Star, with little or no capital investment – and no disruption to building operation and occupants. Data has changed HVAC maintenance practice Back in the pits your crew is collecting and analysing all sorts of information to inform your next lap, with the aim of taking your blindfold off. Once you start collecting and trending data on your buildings system performance, you can identify energy wastage, faults or imminent failures. With enough data, the way you maintain your facility can be changed for a better outcome. Routine preventative maintenance has been around since the start of the Industrial Revolution. When you monitor and report on the performance of a system remotely and in real time, you can start to employ Condition Based Maintenance, a much more effective modern practice. Time intervals for maintenance are adjusted, tasks that affect energy consumption are optimised, and faults are identified and rectified faster. These measures will reduce overall operating and servicing costs to your facility. Energy saved, CAPEX budget intact
“ Routine preventative maintenance has been around since the start of the Industrial Revolution. When you monitor and report on the performance of a system remotely and in real time, you can start to employ Condition Based Maintenance, a much more effective modern practice ”
Imagine how much easier your life would be if you woke up tomorrow and your facility was consuming less energy, with less comfort complaints, and you still had your CAPEX budget intact. There are many ways to save energy even if you’ve already completed an upgrade and your BMS is optimised. You can use Adaptive Temperature Control, add Energy based Alarms to your BMS, install Predictive Energy Optimisation with BuildingIQ and switch to Condition-Based maintenance with remote monitoring. All of these measures add up to taking the blindfold off and taking complete control of your facility. For more information contact David Odd on 1300 313 313 or email davidodd@aesmith.com.au AES www.aesmith.com.au
5
Nothing Small about State-of-the-Art RMIT MicroNano Research Facility Pic: One of four prefabricated laboratory gas exhaust flue assemblies, part of a complex exhaust system getting craned into position onsite. Extensive use of prefabrication helped meet an aggressive construction timeframe. AE Smith supplied and delivered all the HVAC equipment, ductwork, pipework, fume cupboards, laboratory gases, fume exhaust and connected all of the laboratory equipment. AE Smith was also responsible for coordination of trades including electrical and fire, ensuring there were no clashes. For more information about the state-of-the-art MicroNano Research Facility at RMIT University visit www.rmit.edu.au/mnrf
6 Cool Breeze 2014 #21
Nanotechnology can be defined as ‘engineering at a very small scale’. The term can be applied to many areas of research and development - from medicine to manufacturing to computing, and even to textiles and cosmetics. It’s the precise nature of this science that necessitated the stringent design and delivery requirements at RMIT University’s Melbourne city campus in the construction of the new state-of-the-art MicroNano Research facility Under normal circumstances, a project of this size, technical complexity and detail would typically take 12 months to deliver. However, time wasn’t a luxury RMIT University could afford. So AE Smith worked closely with head contractor Brookfield Multiplex to deliver the same installation in just six months to help our mutual client. The AE Smith project team assigned this task was one of it’s most experienced, handling design verification, the challenging installation timelines and the final commissioning and handover. AE Smith’s engineering team worked closely with the concept designers Sinclair Knight Merz to ensure the development of their design met the requirements of International Standards Organisation (ISO), RMIT (the client) and those of the end users. AE Smith’s scope of works also included the management of specialist services for the project including the design and installation of laboratory gases, fume extract systems, mechanical electrical works and building management controls systems. The latter also included
the provision of alarms for gas detection and life safety sensors throughout the research facility. Operational concept The project involves the provision of cleanroom laboratories, designed to meet the requirements of ISO-5 and ISO-7, whilst also including the delivery of a Physical Containment (PC)2 laboratory and service chases within the original Level 4 area of building 7. To achieve this, the top floor of the original building required a significant strip out and structural upgrade to clear Level 4 and to permit the building of a new Level 5 plant room to house the major plant items. Each area within the ISO-5 & ISO-7 laboratories is served by a close tolerance air handling system which maintains room temperature, humidity and pressures to ensure a gradient of positive pressure out of each laboratory area. With such a complex facility, the provision of high efficiency filtration is a necessity, so the design offered two separate solutions to cater for each ISO requirement. ISO-5 laboratory areas are served by a ceiling formed by in excess of 170 fan forced High Efficiency Particulate Air (HEPA) filters. These units are an intelligent solution which provide a linked communication signal to permit fine tuning of the system. This suits both the requirement to maintain room pressure and particle cleanliness. ISO-7 areas are all served by standard terminal HEPA filters which deliver constant air throughout these laboratories. No such thing as good vibration The equipment being provided within the research facility is extremely sensitive to various external conditions. Vibration control, being one of these conditions, was very high in the priority listing. MicroNano Research Facility vibration requirements were described as “trying to balance a beach ball on a golf ball”. So with this as the challenge, AE Smith engineers engaged a specialist vibration supplier to provide up to 99% elimination to all pipes, pumps, fans and plant items on Level 5 to comply with the requirements of the RMIT vibration consultant.
“ Under normal circumstances, a project of this size, technical complexity and detail would typically take 12 months to deliver. However, time wasn’t a luxury RMIT University could afford. So AE Smith worked closely with head contractor Brookfield Multiplex to deliver the same installation in just six months to help our mutual client ”
Managed to the micro-second With so many complex HVAC requirements combined with space and time restrictions, it’s an impressive achievement that this project will be delivered on time. By the time you read this article, RMIT MicroNano researchers, research students and a number of external research stakeholders will have already started to move into their new purpose-built facility. AES www.aesmith.com.au
7
The Value of a Service Provider Who Cares About LASA National Congress: In 2013, Congress attracted more than 800+ delegates to an exhibition of over 105 age service supplier companies and a multistream Congress across 3 days. LASA National Congress is arguably industry’s most valuable networking and education event. AE Smith is delighted to be a featured speaker and official sponsor of the 2014 LASA National Congress in Adelaide, 20-22 October. About LASA: Leading Age Services Australia (LASA) is the peak body for age service providers with around 70% of providers covering all service types (home care, retirement living and residential care) in all settings (private, not-for-profit and mission based). For more information visit www.lasa.asn.au
8 Cool Breeze 2014 #21
AE Smith have been invited to speak at the 2014 Leading Age Services Australia (LASA) National Congress about the benefits of a training initiative aimed to educate all service staff on the condition of dementia In 2011, an AE Smith heating, ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC) service technician was repairing an air conditioner in an aged care facility when a resident with dementia mistook him for her husband. For a young person with no experience with dementia, it was a confronting situation. For the resident, the technician’s reaction was confusing and upsetting. Educating all service staff about dementia In response, AE Smith commissioned training to educate all service staff about dementia, focusing on how to effectively communicate within an aged care environment and to work safely in an aged care facility. The training was written and delivered by Leading Age Services Australia - Victoria (LASA Victoria).
“No other aged care service provider that we know of has undertaken training like this,” said Diana Fitzgerald, General Manager of Training LASA Victoria. “It’s a really valuable initiative.” Doug Binns is a featured speaker at LASA’s national conference This proactive training initiative has peaked the interest of national body Leading Aged Services Australia (LASA), with AE Smith’s submission to speak at their national congress being selected from an ‘overwhelming number of submissions’. Doug Binns, AE Smith’s General Manager of Business Development Service and Diana Fitzgerald, General Manager of Training LASA Victoria will present together on stage in Adelaide this October. Attendees of the presentation entitled “The value of service providers who care” will learn how service provider training can reduce risk and positively impact culture within an aged care facility. Helping aged care customers reduce risk Maintaining hospitable conditions whilst improving energy efficiency are usually considered the key objectives for a HVAC service provider within an aged care facility. “Obviously, these objectives are very important,” said Doug. “But what’s equally important is our aged care clients objective to ensure the physical and psychological safety of residents.” Referencing AE Smith’s values, Doug talks about a commitment to help. “In aged care, this means the service technician needs to be empathetic in any situation they may encounter. It also means taking additional cautionary measures to guarantee a safe work environment,” added Doug. Empathy improves aged care culture
“ No other aged care service provider that we know of has undertaken training like this… It’s a really valuable initiative ” Diana Fitzgerald General Manager - Training Leading Age Services Australia (LASA) Victoria
The first part of the training educates AE Smith Service technicians on the condition of dementia. “Building an awareness and understanding of the illness aims to increase empathy and inform how they behave,” explains Diana. For more information about the 2014 LASA National Congress in Adelaide on 20-22 October visit www.lasacongress.asn.au AES
www.aesmith.com.au
9
“ The number of people who visit the AE Smith website on a mobile or tablet has grown rapidly… So it made sense to ensure the online user experience visiting aesmith.com.au wasn’t compromised just because you’re not on a desktop or notebook ”
Adaptive Response for New AE Smith Website Smartphone, tablet or desktop; the new “adaptive design” AE Smith website changes automatically to ensure every visitor has the best viewing experience regardless of their online device “The number of people who visit the AE Smith website on a mobile or tablet has grown rapidly,” said Raymond Lee, AE Smith National Marketing Manager. “So it made sense to ensure the online user experience visiting aesmith.com.au wasn’t compromised just because you’re not on a desktop or notebook.” Unlike old generation websites; adaptive design websites are designed to respond and adapt to different screen sizes using responsive techniques. As the name suggests, adaptive design websites adapt to different user requirements based on different device capabilities. Technology aside, any website is only as good as how well it connects with its audience. If early feedback is anything to go by, the new AE Smith website is off to a great start with one visitor kindly sharing in writing: “Overall, I was impressed with the website. So much so that it stimulated me to make contact. In particular I found it provided an impression of [AE Smith] as both a large and successful organisation (that has been going a very long time) but also at the same time one that has not lost its ‘small business’ ethos and values; things such as its history, people and customer relationships are clearly of importance. These are things that matter to us as well.” AES
10 Cool Breeze 2014 #21
AE Smith Sponsor 5th Annual Modular Construction & Prefabrication Summit As modular construction and prefabrication gains popularity, project managers from across sectors are met with new operational difficulties and structural challenges that threaten to offset the benefits, this event focuses on strategies to mitigate these threats AE Smith is delighted to sponsor this important industry event located in Brisbane on 25-27 August. The 2014 Modular Construction & Prefabrication event centres on establishing proven, on-time, cost effective, and quality project delivery strategies, including:
“ The 2014 Modular Construction & Prefabrication event centres on establishing proven, on-time, cost effective, and quality project delivery strategies ”
Optimising supply chain capability for on time and cost effective project delivery Exploring opportunities for modular construction in healthcare, residential and education Regulations and compliance in modular construction: Ensuring that your modular structures are approved and certified Monitoring quality of overseas manufacturers. Is there an alternative? Cost Vs. Quality: Assessing the premium offered by modular construction and is it worth the investment More than a cardboard box: An insight into modular services and customising modular construction for your specifications Impact of modular construction on labour: How less onsite labour requirements will impact jobs and skillset of the construction industry.
Visit www.modularconstructionaustralia.com.au for more information. AES www.aesmith.com.au
11
“ Winning an international sales award like this means more than just selling quality product; it actually means we’ve helped a record number of Australian customers find the right technological solution using a tried and trusted technological product ”
Pic (L to R): Luke Chambers, Eng Hou (Jason) Sim, Lee Jones, Peter Ferguson, Damian Cleven, Brad Disher.
12 Cool Breeze 2014 #21
American Auto-Matrix Award AE Smith was recognised with an Award for Outstanding Sales Success by American Auto-Matrix in their Spring 2014 issue of AAM Magazine “For many of our customers, the right outcome means conducting a symphony of technical and technological solutions,” said Peter Ferguson, General Manager of AE Smith Building Technologies. “Knowing that we can cherry pick from a vast range of advanced, but affordable American Auto-Matrix building control technologies means we can confidently put together a solution for any customer.” Accepting the award on behalf of AE Smith, Peter said, “Winning an international sales award like this means more than just selling quality product; it actually means we’ve helped a record number of Australian customers find the right technological solution using a tried and trusted technological product - American Auto-Matrix.” About American Auto-Matrix: For over 30 years American Auto-Matrix has been a technological innovator in the BAS marketplace through the manufacture of BACnet and PUP Building Automation and Laboratory solutions. They have led the way by introducing many industry firsts such as: Direct Digital Control (DDC), Open Protocols, Object Oriented Programming, BTL listed Laboratory and Fume Hood Controllers (Auto-Flow), BACnet Touchscreen Interfaces (BBC-SD; NB-SD), iCalendar and Twitter integration for Area Control applications (AspectFT), and Commercial and Industrial HVAC apps for iOS and Android devices (vSTAT). AES
www.aesmith.com.au
13
14 Cool Breeze 2014 #21
www.aesmith.com.au
15
Building the Business Case of Energy Efficiency Doug Binns, AE Smith Service General Manager Business Development is uniquely qualified to help AE Smith customers build a business case that speaks in their CFO’s language The first 20 years of Doug Binns’ career was spent in banking and finance. Notably, Doug was part of Westpac’s management team during their successful restructure in the early 90’s.
“ Every CFO wants to make the best decision on how they invest their money ”
Doug joined Honeywell in the mid 90’s to pioneer energy performance contracts and manage the underwriting of operational risk for large social infrastructure projects. In 2008 Doug was approached to join AE Smith to help build business capability around energy efficiency. Cool Breeze spoke with Doug Binns to understand the value his financial expertise brings to AE Smith customers in helping them find the right outcome. How does your expertise change the way AE Smith approaches a project? It goes without saying that it’s vital to understand what is important to customers. How they generate value and how they keep their company successful.
16 Cool Breeze 2014 #21
More often than not, particularly when we’re talking with financially astute customers, “cash” is the ultimate, and so the focus is always on how their business is earning and spending their cash. Often the technical reasons for implementing a HVAC project aren’t enough by themself to justify the spend. It’s important to translate the technical implications of any project into meaningful financial terms. How much cost will it save? How much value will it add? Critically, is it an effective use of capital? This is very important, because there are always competing uses for capital within a company. How can your expertise help AE Smith’s customer gain internal approval? Every proposal we put forward, we are solving a problem and there must be a financial benefit for that solution that can be measured. Often our customer needs to justify expenditure internally. My background helps our customer create a business case that talks in their CFO’s language. It’s also about looking into the future. Is there a business case to do something smarter now that will deliver greater returns in the longterm? For instance, a clear link between NABERS ratings and the value of commercial buildings has been established – so intelligent building technologies that provide predictive energy optimisation, like BuildingIQ may help to future proof financial return in this sector. When has your expertise helped to secure a project? We completed a $1.8 million energy retrofit for Challenger, a Fund Management company. For this level of spend to be signed off we needed to produce a strong financial business case, including discounted cash flow analysis with an Internal Rate of Return (IRR). It was all about increased returns we could provide for that specific building to benefit the Fund. How does your financial approach differentiate AE Smith? As well as my direct involvement developing project proposals, we’ve implemented financial training for our staff. Our goal is to broaden awareness and understanding of the financial implications of HVAC spending to better help our customers.
“ Building the financial business case for any investment is critical. Doug can hold conversations with CFO’s and Fund Managers because he speaks their language – this provides real advantage to our customers, helping ensure they’re able to implement the right solution for them ” Aldo Cevaal Group General Manager Service, AE Smith
As a result, many of our staff are capable of identifying a financial problem - not just a technical one - to better help our customers get the right outcome they’re looking for. AES
www.aesmith.com.au
17
Optimal Turns to AE Smith as Capstone Microtubine Service Agent Pic: Compared to a traditional reciprocal engine onsite power solution, at roughly 1x2x2 metres in size, the Capstone C65 microturbine is very compact, very quiet, very reliable and produces ultra low emissions.
AE Smith have become an Australian service agent for the Optimal Group authorised to commission and service Capstone microturbines, an innovative and compact onsite power plant solution
Capstone microturbine combined heat and power (CHP) solutions provide:
“Our goal is to help our clients meet their energy needs in the best way possible,” explains Andrew Permezel, CEO of AE Smith. “Adding the Capstone microturbine to our Energy Services suite gives us a broader range of cogeneration options to deliver the right solution.”
Ultra-low emissions One moving part - minimal maintenance and downtime Patented air bearing - no lubricating oil or coolant required 5 and 9 year Factory Protection Plans available Remote monitoring and diagnostic capabilities Integrated synchronization and protection Reliable - tens of millions of run hours and counting.
18 Cool Breeze 2014 #21
Onsite power production is increasingly a consideration for many Australian businesses providing lower emissions, improved energy efficiency and increased power security.
The Optimal Group is the authorised distributor of Capstone microturbines in Australia. Designed and manufactured in California, Capstone’s extensive range of microturbines are among the cleanest burning engines in the world, and offer the lowest cost of ownership solutions for generating on site power. “Due to its small footprint, the Capstone microturbine provides a practical solution for sites with space and noise restrictions,” said Kane Ravenscroft, Optimal Group Sales Director. AE Smith is currently installing a Capstone microturbine at the Richmond Recreation Centre, one of Melbourne’s busiest inner suburban public venues. “We’ve worked closely with the client’s energy performance contractor to deliver a cogeneration solution that will
deliver energy savings over the next decade,” said AE Smith Project Manager Matt Younger. Hardly seen or heard The plant room at the Richmond Recreation Centre is adjacent to a busy street, a 50 metre pool, change rooms and offices. The perfect onsite power plant solution needed to fit within the existing plant room, save the council money and cause zero disturbance to neighbouring residents and Centre patrons. A C65 Capstone microturbine met the brief. The Capstone microturbine has one defining feature making it significantly different from other cogeneration solutions. It has only one moving part. This revolutionary technology results in the Capstone microturbine being very quiet, very compact, very reliable and producing ultra low emissions. Multidiscipline energy efficiency solution “While installing a Capstone microturbine is the right solution for Richmond Recreation Centre; the energy efficiency journey is different for each of our customers,” explains Peter Ferguson, General Manager of AE Smith Building Technologies. “Yes; we can install, commission and maintain Capstone microturbines anywhere in Australia. But we never lose sight of the ‘right outcome’ our customers are looking for when developing a holistic energy efficiency solution.” Powering up the plant Commissioning of a Capstone microturbine is completed by the AE Smith Building Technologies team. “Needless to say, there’s more to commissioning a microturbine than just flicking a switch. We’ll sit down with Richmond Recreation Centre to understand their energy goals and how the building currently operates,” says Peter. “Then we program information into the system that controls the Capstone. For instance, we tell it when to switch on and when it needs to share power with the grid. We also align it to the BMS,” he added. At Richmond Recreation Centre the Capstone microturbine will produce approximately 50% of the base electrical load and the waste heat from cogeneration will produce approximately 15% of the hot water heating for the pool. The project is due for completion in September 2014.
“ Yes; [AE Smith] can install, commission and maintain Capstone microturbines anywhere in Australia. But we never lose sight of the ‘right outcome’ our customers are looking for when developing a holistic energy efficiency solution ”
Early next year, Aquamoves in Shepperton will be the next to turn on a Capstone Microturbine. Like the Richmond Recreation Centre, Aquamoves is an aquatic and recreational facility that with will leverage microturbines to deliver prolonged energy savings. Trained and authorised AE Smith is authorised to service and maintain Capstone microturbines, with a number of technicians completing training in the USA. There are now 10 AE Smith Capstone certified technicians located around Australia. AES
www.aesmith.com.au
19
2014 AE Smith Service Recognition Awards Coinciding with the 2014 AE Smith Service Training Event in Melbourne, Aldo Cevaal, Group General Manager Service took the time to acknowledge some outstanding performance and celebrate success “Our belief and our values; to me, these are more than just words,” said Aldo. “Yes, we deliver practical solutions both technical and technological in nature. But to me, our belief and our values help explain why we do what we do.” Main pic: Only some of the 53 people from across AE Smith Service nationally that participated in the annual week long training event. Matthew Mytton (pic above). David Odd (cover pic). Brain Webber (not pictured). Brett Sorensen (front row, blue shirt, fifth from right). Anthony Jones (not pictured). John Michelakis (front row, black shirt, second from left). Aldo Cevaal (back row, centre, red check shirt).
“Helping each other help our customers is infinitely simple, but also infinitely rewarding. A theme common to each of this year’s Recognition Award recipients,” added Aldo. 2014 AE Smith Service Recognition Award for Living the AE Smith Values:
Matthew Mytton, Manager - Project Services, Melbourne David Odd, National Sustainability Engineer, Sydney
2014 AE Smith Service Recognition Award for Performance - Highest Year-to-Date Individual Project & Maintenance Sales:
Brian Webber, Projects Manager, Perth Brett Sorensen, Business Development Manager, Brisbane
2014 AE Smith Service Recognition Award - Honorable Mention: 20 Cool Breeze 2014 #21
Anthony Jones, Service Manager, Sydney John Michelakis, Senior Project Manager, Sydney
Peter McCarthy, Melbourne Service General Manager said about Matthew Mytton in being awarded the top honour for Living the AE Smith Values, “Matthew is having a very good year and his team is working together exceptionally well. Whenever I deal with Matthew, I find that his default position is one of helping others help themselves to be successful.” “He is humble, approachable, easy to work with and an all-round nice guy that I can count on to do what he says he will do. Put simply, Matthew is exceptional,” added Peter. Doug Binns, National Service General Manager Business Development said about David Odd who also received the top honour for Living the AE Smith Values, “Since joining AE Smith five years ago, David has completed his Graduate Certificate in Energy Efficient Design through AIRAH, qualified as a NABERS Assessor and qualified as an Energy Auditor. Most telling about David is the fact that faced with the opportunity to help build AE Smith’s profile by presenting at large public conferences David took it upon himself to complete the Toastmasters International course to build his public speaking skills.” “No matter where David works across our business and no matter how big or seemingly small the task is, David lives the AE Smith belief in that everything he does is about helping,” praised Doug. “Congratulations to all the Award Winners,” said Aldo. “Congratulations also to the many unsung individuals and teams across AE Smith who without their hard work, dedication and desire to help each other and their customers find the right outcome, AE Smith would not be the great place it is to work and be part of today. Thank you,” concluded Aldo. AES Our Belief: We believe in helping people in everything we do. The way we help is by taking the time to hear what is really important. We accept personal responsibility to use our resources and expertise, to find the right outcome. We care about people’s welfare, believe in family values and do what we say we are going to do.
“ Our belief and our values; to me, these are more than just words… Yes, we deliver practical solutions both technical and technological in nature. But to me, our belief and our values help explain why we do what we do ”
We deliver practical solutions in Air Conditioning, Building Services, Energy Efficiency and Onsite Power in Australia. Our Values:
Safety Integrity Teamwork
Relationships
Communication Initiative Recognition
We work safely all the time. We act ethically and professionally. We always help and collaborate with one another. We look for and foster good working relationships. We communicate openly and honestly. We encourage and nurture new ideas. We acknowledge outstanding performance and celebrate success.
www.aesmith.com.au
21
AE Smith Delivers Northcott a 15% Energy Saving About Northcott: Northcott is one of Australia's leading organisations providing programs and services for children and adults with disabilities and their families living in NSW and the ACT. Committed to building an inclusive society where people can live the life they choose, Northcott supports people with physical, intellectual and rare or lesser known disabilities to help develop independence, confidence and life skills. For more information visit www.northcott.com.au
The views expressed herein are not necessarily the views of the Commonwealth of Australia, and the Commonwealth does not accept responsibility for any information or advice contained herein.
22 Cool Breeze 2014 #21
Three months after AE Smith completed the energy upgrade, Northcott has already reduced energy usage by 15% Northcott, a leading not-for-profit services provider for people with disabilities, secured their largest ever government sustainability grant in 2013 with the expert consultation of AE Smith’s National Sustainability Engineer, David Odd. The Community Energy Efficiency Program (CEEP) has provided large grants to many local governments and non-profit community groups for energy efficiency upgrades such as lighting, heating, ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC). These grants aim to improve the energy efficiency and amenity of council and community use facilities, including museums, aquatic and leisure centres, community clubs and town halls. AE Smith’s National Sustainability Engineer, David Odd assisted Northcott, a provider of community services to people with disabilities, to develop a successful CEEP Round Two grant submission, with the energy upgrade occurring in the first quarter of 2014. Ray Winfield, Northcott’s Facility Services Manager explained what the grant means to Northcott. “By improving our HVAC efficiency, we can redirect savings from energy back into providing essential quality services to the community.”
In total Northcott received $134,000 from the CEEP, which covered half of the cost of the energy upgrade. The approved grant funds were utilised to upgrade the Northcott Centre. Solutions focused on improving the energy efficiency of current equipment and ensuring ongoing building efficiency with the use of intelligent technology. A new Building Management System (BMS), electronic expansion valves to control the chiller and LED lighting have been installed. In addition to energy usage reduction, the upgrade is drastically reducing the cost of service for the Centre. “Previously we had 6-8 complaints a week about flickering and defective lights,” said Ray Winfield. “Since the upgrade, we've had no complaints and as a result, no service calls to the maintenance team.” It is anticipated that the annual cost of service across HVAC and lighting will reduce by $31,000. By providing complete visibility of operations, user friendly energy reporting and remote monitoring via the internet, Northcott and the AE Smith service team now know exactly when, and what to service and how the building is consuming energy. Winfield said of the solution, “It’s now very easy to track and adjust how we are using energy. Our staff and customers are more comfortable in the building, and we’re saving money.” AE Smith engineers and technicians will work with Northcott facility management staff to fine tune the systems across the full 12 month post-project period ensuring systems are running at optimal levels and all available energy savings are realised. This activity received funding from the Australian Government as part of the Community Energy Efficiency Program (CEEP). The project has delivered significant cost savings to Northcott with a payback period of 3.9 years. Importantly, it has realised the objectives of the CEEP, providing improved energy efficiency and increasing the amenity for staff and customers of Northcott. AES
“ It is anticipated that the annual cost of service across HVAC and lighting will reduce by $31,000… It’s now very easy to track and adjust how we are using energy. Our staff and customers are more comfortable in the building, and we’re saving money ”
www.aesmith.com.au
23
Clear Safety Advantage Ahead Late last year the AE Smith safety team made the decision to trial a new Australian innovation – the Clearview hard hat “We’re always on the look out for new initiatives,” said Nick Daley, AE Smith’s National Safety Manger.
Pic: Sandy Wilson, AE Smith Branch Safety Manager, Victoria Construction wears the new Clearview hard hat - a patented Australian invention.
“Our team spend a lot of time working in environments where the visual impairment created by the brim on a traditional hard hat creates a hazard. The Clearview hard hat provides the opportunity to improve peripheral awareness by eliminating visual obstruction, so it made sense to trial it,” added Nick. AE Smith workers located in Victoria and Queensland were some of the first to trial the Clearview hard hats, which were released onto the Australian market in September 2013. An Australian innovation The Clearview hard hat was developed by Sureguard Safety, with the innovative design gaining an Australian/New Zealand patent in January 2014. Wayne Kopp, designer of the Clearview hard hat and Managing Director of Sureguard Safety said the innovation resulted from feedback from an WHS manager at one of the larger construction companies.
24 Cool Breeze 2014 #21
“We learned that workers onsite were wearing their hard hats backwards when completing work that required upwards visibility,” Kopp said. “We saw this as an opportunity to improve safety onsite and began developing the Clearview hard hat straight away,” he added. As well as providing greater visibility and meeting Australian UV protection standards, the hat’s polycarbonate material is actually stronger than the ABS material a traditional hard hat is produced from. Enhanced visibility and sun protection When the AE Smith trial of the hard hats begun, there was initially resistance from some team members. “The traditional hard hat is pretty much an institution in construction. This new design raised a few eyebrows. There was also concern about getting sunburnt,” said Sandy Wilson, AE Smith Branch Safety Manager at Victoria Construction. The Clearview hard hat is Standards approved to AS/NZS 1801 with the UV400 stabilised polycarbonate material providing sun protection outdoors. “During the trial, quite a few employees who were initially resistant called me to ask for one – they could see the practical advantage onsite.” Leadership in safety Any change to safety procedure goes through a rigorous review process at AE Smith. The Clearview hard hat was trialled by site workers, and feedback was tabled at the monthly branch Safety Meetings. “As a result of the positive feedback from clients and those who participated in the trial of this initiative, the Clearview hard hats are now the preferred hard hat option for AE Smith employees,” said Nick.
“ We learned that workers onsite were wearing their hard hats backwards when completing work that required upwards visibility… We saw this as an opportunity to improve safety onsite and began developing the Clearview hard hat straight away ”
Approximately 85% of AE Smith Construction workers in Victoria are already wearing the Clearview hard hats, with the older style hard hat anticipated to be phased out across 2014. “We’ve received lots of positive comments from other companies onsite. It’s great that AE Smith is helping to spread the word on a positive safety innovation,” concluded Sandy. AES
www.aesmith.com.au
25
Cardinia Creek Now Open to the Public Since 2005, AE Smith has planted more than 21,500 tress in Australia with Greenfleet to offset over 5,500 tonnes of CO2-e generated by hundreds of AE Smith vehicles and 1 million kilometres of staff air travel. For more information about Greenfleet visit www.greenfleet.com.au
Greenfleet has worked with Parks Victoria since 2010 to plant some 33,000 trees and transform 12 ha of this new park into a native, biodiverse forest in the outer eastern suburb of Berwick, Victoria Over the past four years, Greenfleet, with the help of the local community and the Department of Justice (Community Correctional Services), has planted 38 native species of over-storey trees (such as Manna Gum and Blackwood), middle-storey vegetation (including Silver Wattle and Muttonwood) and shrubs, grasses and herbs. Greenfleet’s forest creates interest for visitors to the park and removes carbon from the atmosphere whilst providing cover for the wildlife inhabiting the park.
Cool Breeze is a magazine published by AE Smith & Son Pty Ltd ABN 54 004 274 793 for its staff and customers. Subscription is free and available directly from AE Smith. Š 2014 AE Smith & Son Pty Ltd. Important Notice: The information contained in this magazine is given in good faith. To the maximum extent permitted by law, neither AE Smith, its employees or contractors accept any liability for loss or damage arising as a result of any person acting on information contained in this magazine. This magazine should not be used or relied on as a substitute for detailed professional consultation with AE Smith.
26 Cool Breeze 2014 #21
Community Correctional Services became involved in the project, which was an opportunity for low risk offenders to serve community based orders in a positive environment. The offenders gained new skills and outlooks and contributed to the local community. Cardinia Creek Parklands provides a unique native forest environment in the heart of suburbia and Greenfleet is proud to play an important role in the restoration of this natural environment on behalf of its supporters. AES
Family Room Fundraising Drive in Townsville The Ronald McDonald Family Room program gives families visiting a sick child a comfortable haven where they can take a break and relax during their visit. Here, we are able to offer a welcoming environment for the family, with the space and facilities to make everyday life caring for a sick child just that little bit easier Whether it’s somewhere for the kids to play or a sanctuary for mums and dads to take a much-needed nap, our Family Rooms are open to everyone in the family. Chris Fox the Senior Social Worker Paediatrics at the Townsville Hospital says, “The Ronald McDonald Family Room will make a huge difference to families using the hospital it will enable parents to stay in a quiet place outside of the ward environment. The families will be able to cook a meal, do their washing, talk to other families going through similar situations and even have a cat nap in one of the rest rooms. Having the family room will also provide a positive area that will help everyone to cope better with the circumstances and provide a homely feel to the hospital.”
Every Ronald McDonald House (RMH) supported by AE Smith no longer receive bills for air condition service and maintenance, saving each House thousands of dollars every year that can be better spent on helping families feel that little bit more comfortable during their stay.
RMH Monash (Melbourne) RMH Parkville (Melbourne) RMH Perth RMH North Queensland (Townsville) RMH Westmead (Sydney)
Like every Ronald McDonald House (RMH), the Family Rooms provide a warm and welcoming home-away-from-home but inside the hospital and away from the clinical environment of the wards. To add your support contact RMH North Queensland on 07 4775 5600 or visit www.rmhc.org.au/our-house-nq AES www.aesmith.com.au
27
Cool
Breeze
AE Smith’s magazine for staff and friends brisbane cairns gold coast mackay melbourne p e r t h r o c kh a m pt on s y dn e y t a s m a n i a t o wn s v i l l e
AE Smith PO Box 1590 Clayton South MDC VIC 3169 1300 313 313 www.aesmith.com.au air conditioning building services energy efficiency onsite power
PRINT POST
100019819
POSTAGE PAID AUSTRALIA
28 Cool Breeze 2014 #21