Controls optimization makes the most out the customer’s critical infrastructure. Building system controls approaches often fail to make full and optimal use of the equipment across its full range of operation. One-off sequences don’t leverage best-in-class and time-tested methodologies and are often overridden by the operators due to a lack of confidence in their effectiveness.

Optimized mechanical systems achieve a balance in the operating parameters to maintain the combined systems’ greatest efficiency. Knowing when and where to apply guidelines like ASHRAE 36 requires a thorough understanding of system dynamics. Rundell Engineering works with your controls vendor to implement best-in-class sequences of operation. Rundell Engineering then commissions the sequences and provides measurement and verification services to ensure lasting performance. Examples of key focuses for optimization include:

• CHW Plant Optimization

• Boiler Plant and Cogen Optimization

• HVAC Optimization

• Lab Ventilation Optimization

Rundell Engineering's ideal project targets the customer’s known infrastructure upgrade needs and works with them to obtain energy rebates. This results in lasting energy cost savings that pay for the project and result in an excellent return on investment. Ideal projects vary from building management system replacements to deeper mechanical infrastructure upgrades. Energy projects are a perfect opportunity to replace old equipment, chillers, pumps, cooling towers, heat exchangers, cooling coils etc. They provide modern best-in-class control approaches and an updated control system with rational key performance indicators for continuous commissioning. Rundell Engineering provides full engineering design services from concept design and construction documents to construction administration and start-up support for:

• Chiller Plant Retrofits and Upgrades

• Boiler Plant Retrofits and Upgrades

• Heat Pump Retrofits and Upgrades

• Building Management System Retrofits and Upgrades

• Targeted HVAC Energy Efficiency Replacements and Upgrades

The major decisions campuses make for their utility infrastructure have legacy impacts that can last generations. Master planning finds the balance between forward-thinking and practical considerations specific to the customers’ site and its operation. The most efficient campuses and large buildings are not on the cutting edge. They employ practical, thoughtful designs, with concept uniformity and the ability to quantify results.

Rundell Engineering provides master planning services focusing on its customer’s central utilities. This includes early-phase sustainability consulting to lay out the pathway to provide the facility with reliable utilities that have the lowest life-cycle cost including quantification of carbon costs. With years of experience working in higher education, pharmaceutical and large commercial facilities, Rundell Engineering sets benchmarks for success, identifies best-in-class examples, quantifies future impact with sensitivity analysis, and makes informed recommendations with relevant case studies and real-world applications. Recommendations are then provided for short, medium, and long-term projects that are practical and have quantifiable measures for success.

A comprehensive energy audit empowers customers to make strategic and informed decisions for their essential infrastructure, ideally identifying projects that target known infrastructure upgrade needs, leverage energy rebates, and result in lasting energy cost savings. Rundell Engineering provides energy engineering services that include:

• ASHRAE Level 1,2,3 Energy Audits

• Energy Modeling

  • 8760 Hour Analysis

  • Whole Building Simulation - ASHRAE 90.1 Appendix G Methodology

• Rebate and Incentive Management

• Early Phase Sustainability Consulting

• City Benchmarking and Energy Compliance Consulting, including:

  • NYC Local Law 84 , 87, 94

  • Boston BERDO 2.0

• Controls Optimization Analysis

• Measurement and Verification

• Hydraulic Analysis and System Troubleshooting

Assets cannot be fully optimized when existing sensors and controlled hardware are not reliable and not trusted. A lack of trust in the sensor information and device operation leads to an eventual overriding of automation and sub-optimal performance. Retro commissioning, when paired with implementation of best-in-class sequence updates, is an effective combination to improve performance of existing systems. Rundell Engineering follows the NEBB Standard S120 process and holds all required certifications for NYC LL87 including ASHRAE BEAP and BCxP certifications.

The theory and the reality of operation are not the same. When theory is compared to the actual observed operation, important insights are gained. A key component to system optimization is ensuring everyone is on the same page with both the principles of operation and the system performance objectives. Even when systems are not being optimized, simply facilitating discussions between operators on different shifts with different perspectives of operation can be valuable. Building those discussions on a foundation of engineering fundamentals improves the quality and legitimacy of that discussion.