The possibility of saving money by building a brand-new facility may be a reality.

A fire department recently requested that we compare the energy efficiency of new construction with that of their existing stations. The client had very detailed utility cost records for three existing buildings built in 1907, 1956 and 1959.

For comparison, we considered several issues that were extremely critical to the energy consumption rate of structures. They included: building envelope; electrical systems; and heating, ventilation and air conditioning.

Building envelope

Before the middle of the last century, building insulation was rarely used as a standalone product because the building materials themselves provided a degree of insulation. Some owners felt that a 12-inch-thick solid masonry wall had all the buffering they needed. In truth though, the solid masonry provided a relatively low insulation value. On the rare occasion that actual insulation was used, it typically had very low resistance values.

In modern buildings, there are three basic factors that affect a building's insulating capabilities.

1. Insulation

   Trapped air in blanket, blown or rigid insulation is what normally provides the barrier to outside air temperatures. Today's codes place stringent minimum insulation requirements on roofs, walls and even perimeter foundation walls. Most designers will exceed these code-enforced requirements, thus increasing the energy cost savings.

2. Air infiltration

   We've all seen and heard the advertisements for building-wrap products. These companies have made a lot of money over the last 25 years for a good reason; outside air can find its way through building walls without a barrier placed in the walls. Even solid masonry walls will develop cracks in the mortar joints that allow air to infiltrate the conditioned space. The proper installation of caulking plus these air infiltration barriers greatly enhance energy efficiency.

3. Windows/doors

   Except for the unavoidable cracks around the edges of doors, most windows and doors now have a greater R-value than solid walls on older buildings. Double-pane, low-E, argon-filled and tinted are all terms associated with the characteristics that apply to the products manufactured today. There's no comparison between the old overhead vehicle doors used on fire stations and garages and the new doors now available. Whether it's glass overhead doors with insulation characteristics or insulated, steel-panel overhead doors, insulation values have increased by light years.

Electrical systems

Many of the parts necessary to keep older electrical devices operable are no longer available. If a replacement part is needed, it may result in the replacement of the entire piece of equipment. There are several considerations that affect electrical costs.

1. Artificial light

   Lighting has changed more in the last few decades than any other energy-consuming device in a facility. The development of the electronic ballast helped revolutionize the energy demands of light fixtures. Now an 80-watt fixture can provide the lighting given by a 180- to 200-watt fixture just a few years ago. The lower-watt fixture also reduce the cooling demand placed on HVAC systems. The cost of fixtures and replacement lamps is also lower than in past years, and the lamps have a longer life expectancy, which results in reduced maintenance costs.

   Most new facilities control lighting levels in critical rooms. For instance, many offices and assembly rooms have double-ballast fixtures that allow for half the lighting to be turned off when the brightest lighting levels are not required. Motion sensors, timers and photocells also give a high level of control while reducing energy demand.

2. Natural light

   There are now more effective ways to bring natural light into a building than ever before. By doing so the need for artificial lighting can be greatly reduced, thus limiting electricity demands and maintenance costs.

3. HVAC motors

   The motors that run today's HVAC equipment are many times more efficient that those of previous years. This is reflected by the lower electricity consumption that these motors demand.

HVAC considerations

There are several factors that help improve heating and cooling efficiencies. Today's equipment requires less maintenance than previously required. Like electrical equipment, many of the parts necessary to keep older devices operable are no longer available.

The control options for today's HVAC equipment are one of the many reasons for the energy savings. Thermostats are programmable. Often parts of the building can be cooled while other parts are heated. Equipment can be monitored and/or controlled via phone or computer from remote locations.

Individual system factors include:

• Heating

  Aside from the electrical demands placed on HVAC equipment, gas consumption rates for similar equipment also has dropped significantly. The average HVAC equipment installed in the 1950s had an efficiency rating of approximately 65%. Today's average efficiency rating is 92%.

• Cooling

  The average cooling equipment from the 1950s has a rating of approximately 8 SEER, or seasonal energy efficiency ratio. The same equipment today is rated from 12 to 15 SEER.

• Water heaters

  Today's heaters are roughly 92% efficient, whereas heaters in the 1950s were approximately 80% efficient. For small, remote hot water needs, point-of-use heaters can be used to instantly heat water when needed.

Based on these and other advancements in the building industry, it's safe to say that the current cost per square foot for utilities is only half of the cost per square foot from the 1950s.

Let's look at the example of the previously mentioned fire department. Last year's cost of electricity and gas for the three stations was $33,216. If the department built new stations of the same size, their cost for electricity and gas would be about $16,600 — a savings of a little more than $16,600 per year on utilities. If they decided to use this savings to service debt, they could easily borrow another $250,000. This means they could build 2,500 square feet more than previously planned, or they could provide full-building backup generators, fire sprinklers and many other upgrades for all three stations.

The cost of construction has increased substantially since the 1950s. However, when considering the cost of building a new facility, it's beneficial to remember that your yearly maintenance costs should be considered. New construction will likely include equipment that requires less maintenance and more accessible parts for replacement. The substantial energy demand reduction and the lessened operation and maintenance costs should be part of your decision process.

---

Ken Newell, AIA, is a senior principal with Stewart-Cooper-Newell Architects in Gastonia, N.C. He has been in charge of the design of fire/EMS stations since joining the firm in 1988. Newell has been an invited speaker at national and state fire conferences and has written multiple fire station design articles. To learn more, visit www.scn-architects.com.