Energy Use Reduced by 55% in Former Federal Tobacco Research Facility
Linc Services, LLC has partnered with The Biofuels Center of North Carolina to complete a total building renovation for their headquarters in Oxford, N.C. designed to increase the efficiency of the facility and substantially reduce energy consumption. The renovations,which are scheduled for completion by the end of August, are projected to result in a 55% energy use reduction and has already generated 5,576 kilowatt hours (KWh) of energy from the installation’s solar array.
“As an agency working for renewable energy gain, The Biofuels Center should itself be a model,” said Remona Callair, Vice President of Finance and Administration for The Biofuels Center of North Carolina. “We partnered with Linc Services because of their attention to detail and willingness to listen to our needs which include providing energy-saving comfort. We found their service to be efficient and dependable throughout the entire process; starting with design and finishing with implementation.”
Supported by the U.S. Department of Energy (under award number DE-EE000157), Linc assisted The Biofuels Center of North Carolina in accomplishing one of their charter goals of sustainability by utilizing a photovoltaic solar array with a total capacity of 10.56 kilowatts (kW) and a geothermal heating and cooling system.
The building, a former Federal Tobacco Research facility constructed in 1970, was unoccupied for years creating significant deterioration to the building envelope – so much so that when the wind blew hard outside, it could be felt inside. Infrastructure upgrades began with Linc tightening the building envelope with window glazing and caulking. The photovoltaic solar array was then installed and a complete lighting retrofit was performed to complete the first phase of the project.
Rick Overholt, Linc Services’ Vice President & General Manager – North Carolina, said: “Through our partnership with The Biofuels Center, we found a unique solution that completely renovated the building while supporting the Center’s stated mission of long-term sustainability. In addition to the substantial energy reduction produced from the project, building staff will experience improved lighting levels and increased comfort within the Center.”
Linc has completed the trenching process in which a geothermal field comprised of twenty trenches and over 50,000 feet of pipe was installed to boost efficiency and reduce operating costs of the heating and cooling system. The piping will run back to a central pumping station connecting with nine water source heat pump units. Each high efficient unit responds only to the individual cooling or heating load of the zone it serves. A state of the art direct digital control system will be installed to regulate the temperature within each zone. The Tridium control system will be an open platform, Internet-enabled system that can be accessed anywhere through a standard web browser, even from a mobile device.
“We are excited to support The Biofuels Center of North Carolina in achieving their goals of sustainability, reducing owning and operating costs, and improving comfort in their facility,” said Linc Network, LLC President Scott Giacobbe. “We are focused on helping all of our customers and building owners become more efficient, safe, and sustainable while maximizing their asset value. It’s a win-win for everyone involved.”
About The Biofuels Center of North Carolina
The Biofuels Center of North Carolina is a private, non-profit corporation headquartered on the 426-acre North Carolina Biofuels Campus in Oxford. The Center is funded by the North Carolina General Assembly to implement North Carolina’s Strategic Plan for Biofuels Leadership and to reduce the state’s dependence on imported liquid fuel. Its mission is to develop a sustainable, statewide biofuels industry to reduce this dependence, create jobs, opportunity, and prosperity for North Carolinians. For more information about The Biofuels Center of North Carolina visit www.biofuelscenter.org.
About Linc Services, LLC
Raleigh-based Linc Services, LLC is a fast growing company with more than 150 locations across the United States, Canada, Mexico, Bermuda and South Africa. As a Linc Service® Contractor, Linc Services follows the disciplines of the Linc System® in delivering the highest quality energy and facility solutions. Bundled Energy Solutions refers to a comprehensive package of energy conservation services, provided by Linc, which maximizes facilities’ energy efficiency while lowering their cost of operations. For more information on Linc, visit www.lincservice.com. Linc Network and Linc Services are ABM Industries Incorporated (NYSE:ABM) companies, a leading provider of integrated facility services. For more information, please visit www.abm.com.
