5 Technologies Reduce Auto Dealership’s Energy Expense

According to the U.S. Small Business Administration auto dealerships use on average more energy per square foot than a typical office building. While reducing wasted energy in an auto dealership is the primary goal of a project The Energy Alliance Group (EAG) is preparing to announce, being a good environmental citizen and being able to promote a green facility was also important.

“The project will yield an average energy savings of $56,254 per year!”

A Detroit, Michigan auto dealership is undergoing a comprehensive green renovation of their building that was constructed over 40 years ago. After a careful analysis and review of the dealership’s present energy use the EAG energy team came up with a comprehensive plan that will dramatically reduce the company’s energy footprint. As an added bonus the whole project will be paid for out of the energy savings and still yield a positive cash flow. That is, not only will the resultant energy savings pay for the entire project – equipment, materials, labor and financing costs – for every energy dollar saved, thirteen cents goes directly to the bottom line. The project will utilize a unique financing program that encourages energy conservation. The program is known as Property Assessed Clean Energy (PACE) and the dealership is the second business in Michigan to utilize this innovative tool.

Listed below are 5 of the most significant technologies that will be incorporated into the project including the percentage of energy reduction:

1. Lighting 58% – Replace interior and exterior fluorescent, incandescent, halogen and metal halide lighting with LED technology reducing previous electrical use by 58%.

2. HVAC 18% – Replace thirteen 79% energy-efficient direct fired gas heaters (having no outside air make up) with 93% efficient direct fired gas heaters using outside air make up and achieving an 18% reduction in natural gas use.

3. Compressed Air 25% – Replace a tank-mounted piston driven compressed air system with a rotary screw variable frequency drive compressed air unit achieving a 25% reduction in electrical expense.

4. Auto Service Doors 15% – Replace four auto service entry doors (using electric openers) with variable frequency drive high-speed doors achieving an energy reduction of 15% (reducing air loss or infiltration plus electrical expense)

5. Manual Service Doors 10% – Replace all seals and adjust floor contour seals on twenty-four manual service entry doors achieving an energy reduction of 10%.

The project will yield an average energy savings of $56,254 per year! After running the numbers the dealership realized it would cost them more money to do nothing than it would to initiate their green renovation. The decision was easy after that!

Concerned About Wasted Energy In Your Building or Business?

If you’re concerned about wasted energy EAG has compiled a free report entitled Ten Questions to Ask Before an Energy Efficiency Upgrade! The report details the most important information you should consider for a successful project launch. Want a copy of the report? Just send an e-mail to kkilpatrick@energyalliancegroup.org with “10 Questions” in the subject line.