Case study: Commercial Towers, Toronto

A pair of commercial towers (18 floors and 24 floors) in downtown Toronto recently completed an HVAC upgrade. The owners agreed to a proposal to replace 3 constant speed 40hp pumps with new Design Envelope pumps plus Pump Manager.

The energy savings generated by the pump retrofit are over $52,000 per year. More importantly, Pump Manager provided two key warnings related to system operation that help avoid expensive repairs and energy losses.

Armstrong maps each individual pump’s hydraulic, motor and inverter variations at the factory to achieve exceptional accuracy throughout the flow range.
 
With this calibration, Armstrong Design Envelope pumps also serve as flow meters, providing reliable system flow data (+/- 5%). The testing ensures optimal performance efficiency at start-up, while Armstrong’s Pump Manager helps maintain and extend efficiency throughout the pump’s operating life.

Quick Stats

Facility type: Commercial office tower

Location: Toronto, Canada

Size: 18 floors, 20,000 ft² per floor

Power consumption savings: 77%

Annual cost savings: $52,267

Annual CO₂ reduction: 48,784 kg CO₂

Equipment

• 3 × 25hp Design Envelope pumps with PSPC and Pump Manager 

Key Outcomes

• Energy Efficiency: The energy efficiency offered by the pumps meant the project qualified for local government subsidies to help offset project costs.
• System Performance Management: The Pump Manager performance tracking system notified operators of unusual flow activity. The issue turned out to be a bypass valve left in the wrong position. The problem was rectified quickly, minimizing wasted energy. 
• Asset management: Pump Manager also provided a warning of excessive vibration, leading service technicians to diagnose and replace a faulty motor bearing before it failed.
  
  

Download a copy of this case study for all the details.