9 Best Warehouse Retrofits to Reduce Energy Usage
Posted by Bryan Lauer, LEED AP in GoGreen on 14-03-2012
Written By: Michael Koploy
Retrofitting a commercial warehouse has a number of benefits, including:
- reducing the facility’s carbon footprint;
- increasing the property’s value; and
- lowering the facility’s energy bills.
But how can this be done affordably? Michael Koploy, manager of the Warehouse Management Systems Guide (click here) interviewed architect Sean Canning, supply chain consultant Shawn Casemore, energy consultant Dan Gould, and commercial roofing expert Dave Homerding to find how just how this could be done. Here are their nine suggestions.
Source: Jan-Erik Finnberg
1. Use solar tubes to increase natural lighting – Solar light tubes, or light pipes, can often be installed without compromising the structural integrity of the warehouse. These tubes can increase the natural lighting of the warehouse without electricity.
2. Apply a “cool roof” — Many warehouses have older roofs that absorb ample heat from the sun. To repel this energy, consider deploying a cool roof – a white, reflective paint applied to the roof.
3. Upgrade batt insulation — Insulation in warehouses that utilize batt insulation can be improved by upgrading to either sprayed-foam or loose-fill insulation. These types offer better thermal resistance than older batt insulation.
4. Replace metal halide lights with fluorescent or induction lighting — Older metal halide lighting is much less efficient than fluorescent or induction lighting fixtures. For those with deeper pockets and want even more efficient lights, LEDs are an option that more warehouses are deploying.
5. Shift lighting scheme to focus on natural light, task lighting — If intense light isn’t essential to operations in a warehouse, then focus on using natural lighting to brighten the warehouse and using local, “task” lighting in the areas that need the most visibility.
6. Program thermostats appropriately — Making sure that thermostats are properly programmed will decrease the heating and cooling cycles, reducing their energy usage. Additionally, monitoring systems can be deployed for deeper analysis and energy reduction.
7. Utilize motion and daylight sensors — Combining motion sensors with fluorescent, induction or LED lights can quickly reduce their energy usage. Additionally, dimmers and daylight sensors can be deployed to keep electrical lights dim when natural lighting is high.
8. Deploy destratification fans — Large industrial-grade fans can be deployed to destratify the air within the warehouse. This is especially important in colder climates, where warehouse heating uses a lot of energy.
9. Participate in a demand-response energy program — Finally, demand-response energy programs are an interesting option for warehouses looking to cut their energy spend without investing in new hardware or technology. Users receive income for participating in the program and when asked to reduce energy consumption.
For more on these retrofits, check out: 9 Warehouse Retrofits to Go Green and Reduce Energy Consumption.
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