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Best Practice Guide |
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Commercial Office Buildings |
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Case StudyCypress SemiconductorLocation: San Jose, California Website: www.cypress.com Cypress Semiconductor is a leading manufacturer of high-performance solutions for personal, network access, enterprise, metro switch and core communications system applications. Based in San Jose, California, Cypress makes industry-leading physical layer devices, framers and network search engines, along with a broad portfolio of high-bandwidth memories. In 2002, Cypress moved its headquarters into a newly constructed 111,000 sq. ft. building located at its corporate campus. The headquarters, originally designed and commissioned as a data center, came equipped with a state-of-the-art heating, ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC) system configured for high cooling loads. The building was also outfitted with a 325 kW photovoltaic system, installed by PowerLight. Facilities Manager Kevin Kassekert analyzed costs across the corporate campus, and found that energy was number one. When benchmarking indicated that the headquarters, known as Building 6, had a higher energy use intensity than expected, Kassekert looked for ways to improve performance. Cypress contracted Ferreira Services, Inc. (FSI), a provider of energy engineering services, to conduct an investment grade energy audit at Building #6, focusing on the HVAC system. The trend- and data-logging resulted in more than 70 recommendations to improve energy efficiency, none of which required major equipment investment. Kassekert and facility staff evaluated the recommendations based on Cypress' internal investment criteria, then worked with FSI to implement those strategies that made financial sense. The results were astounding. The centerpiece of FSI's work was the installation of Direct Digital Controls using an open BACnet protocol that enabled the building's systems to operate integratively and dynamically. The energy management system ensures that the minimum amount of energy is used at each moment in time for the most energy-efficient operations. CO2 sensors, for example, automatically adjust the HVAC system so that air quality is maintained within preset levels. FSI guaranteed that energy savings resulting from the energy audit would recoup Cypress' investment in two years or less - or else the service would be free of charge. Cypress secured a grant from PG&E under its Standard Performance Contract program that covered 43 percent ($114,621) of the $262,015 implementation costs. Cypress then advanced FSI the amount of the grant and arranged to pay the remainder of the fee in three quarterly payments using money saved on energy costs. As such, Cypress used no capital investment funds for this project; savings on operational expenses paid for the audit in less than a year. Through this innovative financing structure, Cypress was able to reduce electricity use in Building 6 by 55 percent (881,552 kWh) and reduce its natural gas use by 85 percent (73,590 therms). Based on the incredible results at Building #6, Cypress asked FSI to audit the remaining four buildings on campus. Recently completed, Cypress expects to save approximately 6,728,938 kWh annually from the campus-wide energy audit, saving Cypress $1,076,714 on energy costs each year. |