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energy costs

energylab energy conservation consultant, energy consultant, Hong Kong

2015 was the hottest year on record so far, so without reading your bill we know the result, your energy bills were higher than before if you used air conditioning, because air conditioning is the largest portion of energy usage in Hong Kong.

hong kong energy audit — credit: Hong Kong Observatory website 2 June 2016

Today, the Hong Kong Observatory has issued the hot weather warning, the air temperature is over 30 deg C across Hong Kong. And commentators are predicting that 2016 will be hotter than 2015, in that event, your 2016 energy bills will be higher too.

emsd REA services

energyLAB has specialist tools to assess your building and find energy cost savings.

energy audit temperatures — credit: Hong Kong Observatory website 2 June 2016

When is the best time of year to conduct an energy audit?

In Hong Kong, it is summer, and June is the peak month (refer chart above) because the building and engineering equipment will be stressed, coping with the summer heat and humidity, which cant be witnessed during the winter months.

thermal scan hong kong

If you want to stop wasting money, call the energyLAB experts to enjoy lower energy costs!

#energyefficiency #hongkong #REA #energyaudit

Building Approval Process CoCR

by John A. Herbert

How to comply with BEEO ordinance for new construction?

To build in Hong Kong you will need to follow the traditional BD submission format, and also fulfil the mandatory requirements detail in the Building Energy Code. How does that impact the construction process?

The Owner must engage a EMSD Registered Energy Assessor (REA) to complete and issue EMSD Form EE1 also known as Stage 1 Certificate of Compliance Registration (COCR), and also EMSD form EE2 known as Stage 2 COCR.

When does CoCR need to be issued?

Stage 1 COCR must be submitted within two months after obtaining BD consent. For Stage 2 COCR, that must be submitted within four months after obtaining BD Occupation permit.

further details are provided on the EMSD website.

energy audit: inefficiency

by John Herbert

Part of the energy audit process should be to review the condition of the plant, and equipment, generally if problems are discovered these can be categorized as deferred maintenance.

Here an example, an 800 mm axial fan, and a key part of the extract system providing mechanical ventilation. The photograph of the suction side clearly shows the flexible connection is ripped, and the discharge side was similarly damaged.

hong kong energy experts

The extract fan was operating, still moving air, and consuming amperes, but the ‘system’ was not functioning. The failure points occurred at the highest pressure (discharge side) and lowest pressure (suction side) regions, that means little air movement could occur inside the ductwork.

extract-fan-cad

Now explain to the management why they paid for electricity for the whole of last year, but no mechanical ventilation was provided.

For an energy audit, that complies with EMSD Energy Audit Code, call the energyLAB experts today!

CISMEF 2010

energyLAB participated in the China International Environmental and Energy Efficiency event held as part of CISMEF 2010 Guangzhou, China in Sept. 2010. Our booth was located in Guangzhou Exhibition center Hall 4.2 with HAESCO and another HAESCO member Euro-tech.

energy conservation consultant energylab China

Unlike other events, this was focused more towards SME business, which has been largely left out of the EE arena, since most of government effort has been focused on State Owned Enterprise (SOE) and there industries.
Indeed we were fortunate to meet a number of vendors actively promoting EE and green products, and clients seeking improved energy efficiency solutions.

energy conservation energylab energy consultant china

Energy auditing and energy assessments are still far from common place in China, and getting the message of fuel savings, results in cost and environmental savings is by no means an simple task. It is clear that advanced fuel saving designs including free cooling, heat recovery, and thermal storage need detailed explanation, and often met with disbelief.

Much if not all of this critical sector has expanded rapidly and is too focused on new/clean technology in my view. The holy grail for energy and environmental protection, it is not clean technology. Sure, new technologies have been introduced such as LED lighting, and is gaining ground.

However, smart energy solutions depend on the correct application and operation, and if the operators burn electricity using LED lighting on all day because is consumes a little energy, we will be back to square one very shortly. Facilities engineering solutions are not sexy, they often have no cost – those are the best solutions.

Additionally, one single technology will not be able to solve every type of problem, a classic example is the IMM (Injection Moulding Machine ) common across South China and the PRD. Each machine has a heating, cooling, and hydraulic pumping components, and the energy conservation strategies would be different and dependent on the component. Combining or bundling different solutions together, needs talented a consultant.

— John Herbert energyLAB Consultant

designed for full speed

Vary Your speed

Hong Kong's leading energy consultant, energyLAB, John Herbert

HVAC equipment and industrial machinery are designed to operate at the peak capacity, to handle the worst case scenario. However, during normal operation periods of partial load occur when the load is less than the design load.

For example, comfort cooling air conditioning systems operate for 99% of the year inside the design condition, particularly the autumn and spring months demand less capacity and injection molding machines hydraulics cycle through full load to no load, and back to full load.

Control by Obstruction

Motors are dynamic, driving equipment that moves fluids, hydraulic fluid, water, or air, from one place to where it is needed. Without variable speed motor control we need an additional device to either bypass or create an artificial resistance to flow. Briefly, there are two primary means of operation:

Relief

In this situation a valve or other device might be used to divert the excess flow under part load conditions. Commonly used applications include:

the differential pressure relief for chilled water systems and injection molding machines;
the hot gas bypass used in refrigeration systems and chillers;

Restriction

In this situation, a device is installed to create an artificial pressure loss, and therefore reducing the flow rate. Common applications include:

Inlet vanes used on centrifugal fans;

Regulating valves used on hydraulic systems;

However, both modes waste energy. To capitalize on the potential energy saving, the speed and hence the power consumption of the motor needs to be lowered during part load conditions.

Solutions

One solution is the tried and tested VFD (Variable Frequency Drive) it is an electronic motor speed controller that varies the motor speed to match the required load. During periods of part load operation, lower speeds translate into reduced power consumption, and operating cost savings.

Even a relatively small speed reduction provides attractive energy savings. for example reducing the speed of 1500 rpm motor by 150 RPM (approximately 10%) equates to a power reduction of 27%.

Because a VFD can vary the motor speed from zero RPM thorough to full speed, it reduces the mechanical and electrical shock and stresses during normal operation extending the operating life of your plant and equipment.

— John Herbert, Consultant

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