Case Studies

Primedia

The Background

PrimediaPrimedia is a leading South African media group with an established portfolio of businesses that principally cover the advertising and content sectors of the media industry. The company wanted to gain better insight into its impact on the environment and commissioned GCX to address this issue and to establish a climate change response programme. The first step was to conduct an energy efficiency audit of the Head Office, “Primedia Place” at 5 Gwen Lane, Johannesburg.

The Objectives

The objectives of this project were as follows:

  • To quantify current energy usage at “Primedia Place”
  • To identify energy savings opportunities at “Primedia Place”, thereby
    • Reducing energy costs
    • Reducing carbon emissions
    • Increasing the profitability of Primedia through the reduction of operating costs.

The Process

The following methodology was used by GCX in compiling this energy efficiency audit:

  • Meeting with Primedia to establish the building’s operations and existing technologies;
  • Detailed energy audit of all energy-consuming devices in the building during a guided tour which included the following areas:
    • Lighting
    • Heating, Ventilation and Cooling (HVAC)
    • Office Equipment
    • Water Heating
    • Other (kitchen appliances, broadcasting equipment & elevators)
  • Data Logging of the Main Incoming Electrical Feeder into the building for a period of one week to establish a load profile;
  • Consultation regarding the installed HVAC system;
  • Analysis of historical consumption and weather data to establish a building performance baseline;
  • Analysis of the data gathered during the energy efficiency audit and identification of energy management opportunities;
  • Financial analysis of identified energy management opportunities. “Primedia Place” is a 8400 m2 commercial building with:
    • 1 Floor with Reception and Parking
    • 6 Floors of Offices and Studios
    • 1 Level of Basement Parking

The lighting and most of the air-conditioning are turned off outside of office hours, and therefore should only operate 12 hours per day. The rest of the technology in building operates 24 hours per day, 365 days a year.

The Results

Analysis of the demand profile showed opportunities for optimisation as follows:

  • Upgrade of power factor correction equipment;
  • Reduction of the nighttime baseload through building automation and/or staff behavioural changes;
  • Reduction of peak and base loads through retrofitting old inefficient technology with newer, more efficient technologies.

The audited data, including a full inventory of energy-consuming devices in the office facility was analysed with the following results:

The Opportunities

Many energy management opportunities were identified in the building as follows:

Lighting: The majority (78%) of energy use from lighting is from the inefficient 3x1.2m T8 fluorescent lights with magnetic ballasts in the offices and the 50W halogen downlights in common areas. This offers significant opportunities for energy savings by means of improving the technology and the control of the lighting system.

Technology improvements could involve upgrading of current fittings, direct new technology replacement or a complete lighting system redesign. Control improvements could include signs below switches, occupancy sensors or occupancy and lux level sensors.

HVAC: The heating, ventilation and cooling systems consume almost half of all the energy consumed in the building. The system utilises 3 different technologies:

  • Console Units (110 units)
  • Split Units (23 units)
  • A small central plant

The console units constitute 35% and the split units 6% of the total annual energy bill. The central plant is responsible for the cooling of the server room and the broadcasting studios but its energy usage is unknown.:

For the console units, energy usage can be better managed by introducing controls linked to light switches, installing a No Volt Manual Relay (NVMR) with timer and reset switch or with a full system replacement. The split units in the common areas should have controllers installed to limit the setpoint temperature.

Office Equipment: This consists of computers, photocopiers, printers, fax machines and broadcasting equipment. There is a printing hub on each office floor of the building. Energy savings can be achieved by utilising these hubs instead of individual printers and copiers.

Water Heating: Hot water is required in the 6 kitchens and in the 4 showers, and can be better controlled by installing pipe and geyser insulation and reducing geyser temperatures.

Other: This includes kitchen equipment, broadcasting equipment, elevators and the HVAC central plant. There are 6 kitchens, one on each floor with standard appliances. The 2 elevators are operational 24 hours a day, 365 days a year.

The table below summarises the various energy management opportunities. Conservative estimates on savings were made where costs could not be obtained. The recommended interventions are those in the darker blue rows:


*ROI = Return on Investment (the ratio of savings on an investment relative to the total cost)      **NVMR = No Volt Manual Relay
Note: Should Primedia decide to install occupancy sensors in all areas of the building, the savings will increase significantly.

The graph below illustrates the savings that will be achieved over time given the recommended investment of R423,000.
After 4 years savings will be close to R1,200.000 in total.

The Recommendations

The following conclusions were drawn from the audit:

  • The building currently uses 1,469,760 kWh per annum based on historical data. It can be seen from the energy management opportunities outlined above that this energy is used inefficiently.
  • By implementing the recommended energy management opportunities, a 27% energy reduction can be achieved, which is 7% more than the required reduction under Eskom’s outlined Power Conservation Program.
  • This saving equates to R188,000 per annum, with a project cost of R423,000, a payback of 2 years and a return on investment of 45%.
  • A total of 377 tonnes of CO2 would be reduced from Primedia’s footprint.
  • Further savings are possible with additional investment e.g. into occupancy sensors and with further investigation into energy management opportunities for which conservative estimations were made in the above
    table.

Based on these conclusions it is recommended that Primedia:

  • Evaluate the various energy management opportunities and make decisions based on environmental and financial criteria;
  • Install all approved interventions in small test areas first in order to ensure that they meet Primedia’s requirements;
  • Establish a staff education program highlighting areas of energy wastage and their impacts on the environment in order to change staff behaviour and raise awareness.

The Future

This energy management action plan together with the forthcoming recommendations on how to reduce carbon emissions in other areas of the business, will form Primedia’s Climate Change Response Strategy and place
the company amongst the leaders in South Africa in combating climate change.

Not only will this lead to significant and ongoing cost savings, but it will also provide a sound basis for reducing Primedia’s environmental impact.