Industry: Hospitality
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Summer readiness checklist
As temperatures rise, it’s time to ensure HVAC systems are geared up for the summer heat to optimize building systems’ performance, conserve energy, and keep occupants comfortable and safe during heat waves, hurricanes, tornados, tropical cyclones, floods, or other extreme weather events.
Whether buildings use district chilled water or operate onsite chillers and cooling towers, regularly reviewing and implementing this guide ensures proactive building readiness for summer temperatures, helps maximize equipment lifespan, and improves overall energy efficiency.
Print out this summer preparedness checklist and review it every spring to prepare staff and equipment for the coming warm temperatures. Please note that the steps will vary depending on the equipment present onsite.
Contact your account manager to explore partnering with Vicinity’s operations and maintenance experts to assist with summer readiness, equipment upgrades, or preventative maintenance programs.
Vicinity leverages best practices at its central facilities to provide a smooth transition into the summer season. These protocols ensure safe, reliable, and consistent operation to prevent service disruptions for customers who leverage chilled water or steam for cooling purposes. Vicinity’s interconnected energy facilities offer 99.99% uptime energy delivery with resiliency through redundant power and fuel sources.
Vicinity’s summer preparedness includes extensive cooling tower and chiller inspection and cleaning at Vicinity’s central facilities that produce chilled water, including basin cleaning, sterilization to prevent bacteria growth, and oil inspections on gearboxes and fan belts. Vicinity also performs eddy current testing to detect leaks on chiller tubes and inspects refrigerant and oil samples. Mid-season, Vicinity performs additional maintenance to ensure smooth operation of the central facilities before scorching weather conditions, hurricanes, tornadoes, tropical cyclones, floods, or other extreme summer weather events. Each day, Vicinity monitors atmospheric pressure, humidity, and temperature to anticipate and meet customer buildings’ energy demands, and confirms redundancies are in place to minimize any disruptions to steam or chilled water service.
By taking these proactive steps, Vicinity delivers reliable customer service year-round and reduces the maintenance needed onsite at customers’ buildings.
Oriole Park at Camden Yards and M&T Bank Stadium optimize visitors’ experiences with district energy
Industry
Higher education
Location
Baltimore, MD
Square footage
2.6 million
The customer
Located in downtown Baltimore, Oriole Park at Camden Yards became the official home of the Baltimore Orioles on April 6, 1992. Since then, more than 72 million fans have attended Orioles’ games, and millions more have attended concerts, festivals, meetings, tours, and community events held at the retro-style ballpark.
Adjacent to Oriole Park is M&T Bank Stadium, a multi-purpose football arena and home to the Baltimore Ravens since its construction in 1998. It’s one of the most praised stadiums in the NFL for amenities, ease of access, concessions, and other facilities.
As two of the most preeminent sports stadiums in the country, both facilities are LEED Gold certified (Existing Buildings: Operations & Maintenance) and feature state-of-the-art amenities. The stadiums are owned by Maryland Stadium Authority (MSA), a public corporation of the state that plans, finances, builds, and manages sports facilities, convention centers, entertainment venues, and other projects. MSA aims to promote historic preservation, adaptive reuse, community redevelopment, cultural arts, and civic pride throughout the state with its projects.
The challenge
Both stadiums leveraged the Baltimore district energy network for heating and domestic hot water for nearly 30 years since they opened. However, shortly after the construction completed on Oriole Park at Camden Yards, MSA sought an efficient cooling solution to support both stadiums. MSA needed an energy solution that would keep guests and employees comfortable in the various amenity spaces, including locker rooms, restaurant/café, suites, press areas, special event space and offices.
The solution
Rather than investing in chillers and cooling towers at both stadiums, the Maryland Stadium Authority decided to construct its own central chilled water facility that could simultaneously cool both stadiums due to their proximity. MSA supplemented its cooling with Vicinity’s chilled water system for the historic 45,000 square foot gateway station and museum located at the opening gates of Oriole Park at Camden Yards.
Driving reliability to guarantee optimal event experiences
As the home for many events that draw large crowds, uninterrupted service is of utmost importance to MSA. Vicinity offers 99.99% uptime energy delivery through interconnected central energy facilities with multiple power supplies, back-up generation, and several water and fuel sources in the event of interruptions to other utilities. Also, Vicinity’s network incorporates thermal storage systems that produce chilled water from ice made using off-peak electricity—taking pressure off electrical grids during summer peak capacity periods and helping reduce electric capacity charges. With both Vicinity’s steam and chilled water, MSA can rest assured that staff and visitors are comfortable year-round, and there are no disruptions to events.
Minimizing carbon impact
The partnership between MSA and Vicinity drives efficiency and sustainability, lowering the stadiums’ carbon footprint. Vicinity leverages renewables to generate approximately 50% of the steam delivered to Baltimore customers and 100% carbon-free electricity via emission-free energy certificates (EFECs), enabling the two stadiums to reduce their greenhouse gas emissions. Even better, as Vicinity progresses its electrification strategy and incorporates new technologies at Maryland’s central facilities, the MSA can continue to promote sustainability at these two stadiums.
Benefits
Reduced carbon footprint
99.99% reliability
Operations savings
The National Aquarium keeps its cool with Vicinity
Industry
Hospitality
Location
Baltimore, MD
Square footage
250,000
The customer
Ranked as one of the nation’s top aquariums by U.S. News & World Report, the National Aquarium in Baltimore’s Inner Harbor is home to thousands of species. From colorful exotic fish to diverse collections of plants and animals, like crocodiles, birds, and reptiles, the National Aquarium delivers a memorable experience for visitors.
The challenge
Spanning across two piers within the Inner Harbor seaport, the National Aquarium complex is home to nearly 20,000 aquatic animals, with over 700 species of fish, birds, amphibians, reptiles, and mammals. The Aquarium requires a significant energy load because of the animals’ specific air and water temperature needs and the complex’s vast open spaces. To support the growing cooling needs of various exhibits and provide optimal comfort for visitors, the Aquarium needed an energy solution to supplement its cooling capacity back in 2001.
The solution
When looking for an energy solution with exceptional reliability, the Aquarium supplemented its cooling capacity through a long-term supply agreement with Vicinity. More recently, the Aquarium renewed this agreement for an additional twenty years, a testament to the Aquarium’s trust in Vicinity’s district chilled water service and clean energy mission.
“Through this partnership with Vicinity Energy, we are able to maintain the comfort of our visitors and support the delicate air and water temperature requirements of our aquatic plants and animals. The use of Vicinity Energy’s chilled water system… stands as a testament to the National Aquarium’s focus on sustainability and supports our mission to conserve the world’s aquatic treasures,” states John C. Racanelli, president and CEO of the National Aquarium.
Meeting precise energy needs
Vicinity supplies chilled water for roughly a dozen Aquarium exhibits, including the coral reef, kelp forest, anemones, puffins, and octopus. Since fluctuations in water temperature can cause stress and harm to the animals, the Aquarium uses the district chilled water system to prevent temperatures from fluctuating more than 2-3°F from the ideal temperature requirements for each exhibit. Certain species of seabirds, such as the Atlantic puffin, require cooler environments to mirror their native habitat in the northeastern Pacific. With the help of Vicinity’s chilled water, the water in the puffin exhibit is cooled to approximately 40 degrees °F, and the air temperature is set to a frosty 42 degrees °F.
Benefits
Precise energy needs
99.99% reliability
Reduced maintenance effort and cost
eSteam™: a cost-effective, carbon-free thermal energy solution to decarbonize your commercial building
Commercial buildings represent the highest source of carbon emissions in major cities, making them one of the most important targets in urban decarbonization. eSteam™ is a unique solution that can address this challenge head-on and inexpensively decarbonize healthcare, life sciences, universities and commercial buildings with ease.
Accelerate decarbonization with eSteam™
Vicinity’s renewable thermal energy product will help you accelerate the decarbonization of your building and our communities. Our solution is turn-key.
eSteam™ reduces the need for you to invest in new onsite energy infrastructure to meet your sustainability goals. By connecting to the district energy system, you eliminate the need to make significant investments to decarbonize your building’s thermal energy load—we’re doing that for you. Vicinity will leverage and build upon existing infrastructure, including our existing network of steam pipes, electric substations, and transmission lines, and deploy the capital needed to rapidly reduce our carbon emissions.
For our cities, Vicinity’s eSteam™ provides a way to cleanly heat and cool urban buildings—reducing the need for natural gas boilers that create unregulated gas stacks and unmonitored carbon emissions—improving overall air quality in neighborhoods.
eSteam™ is the first renewable, carbon-free thermal energy product in the United States, offering maximum flexibility and superior environmental benefits.
eSteam™ benefits:
- Carbon-free – eSteam™ is carbon-free, so you can meet your sustainability goals and avoid looming carbon taxes.
- Total flexibility – You nominate how much eSteam™ you want annually and select the renewable electricity source to generate your eSteam™ based on your budget and sustainability objectives.
- Affordability – eSteam™ is the most cost-effective, affordable option to green your building compared to alternatives, like electric boilers in your building. Vicinity’s access to transmission level rates gives district energy an economic advantage over onsite equipment.
- Avoid carbon fees and fines – Many cities in the U.S. have implemented or are considering laws that will lower greenhouse gas emissions in buildings. Oftentimes, these policies will carry hefty fines for non-compliance. eSteam™ is carbon- free, giving you peace of mind that your building will be green, without costing you more green.
- Maximum reliability and resiliency – Join the many customers who choose Vicinity’s district energy heating and cooling products for maximum reliability and resiliency.
- Low capital investments – To access the benefits of eSteam™, you don’t need to invest in costly capital projects and you can avoid expensive building retrofits. Decarbonize your thermal energy footprint by simply connecting to Vicinity’s district energy network.
- Certifications – Gain potential points for LEED® and ENERGY STAR® certifications to demonstrate your buildings’ commitment to sustainability.
Customers benefit from carbon-free eSteam™ generated with renewable electricity.
How eSteam™ works
By installing electric boilers at our central facilities and procuring renewable power from the grid, we can offer carbon-free steam to meet your buildings’ thermal energy needs. Vicinity can purchase renewable power on your behalf—such as wind, solar and hydro—at transmission level rates, allowing us to keep your costs down.
Coupled with other technologies like industrial-scale heat pumps and thermal storage, our goal is to offer you the most affordable, flexible thermal energy product that lowers carbon footprints, improves air quality and meets sustainability goals.
Vicinity’s eSteam™ is the first renewable, carbon-free thermal energy product in the United States, offering you maximum flexibility and superior environmental benefits.
Lock in with eSteam™ today to decarbonize your buildings and avoid looming carbon fees. To learn more about eSteam™ email our energy experts at info@vicinityenergy.us.
Pumps & Systems podcast: Heat pumps & decarbonization
In this episode of the Pumps & Systems podcast, Bill DiCroce, President and Chief Executive Officer of Vicinity Energy discussed the role heat pumps can play in decarbonization, as well as the efforts cities like Boston are currently making to strive for sustainability and an eventual goal of net zero carbon emissions.
Recommended preventative maintenance
Vicinity’s comprehensive maintenance services are offered year-round—during peak usage or before system turn-ons—to optimize steam efficiency, reliability, and cost savings.
Improve the operating performance of steam systems by taking preventive steps to avoid energy losses. Customers who have leveraged Vicinity’s preventive maintenance program have experienced the following benefits:- Conserved energy and reduced energy costs by improving system performance and eliminating inefficiencies.
- Improved reliability by identifying problem areas that could cause unscheduled system outages.
- Optimized capital expenditure and operating expenses by maximizing system efficiency and strategically planning for infrastructure investments with an identified budget for equipment repair or replacement.
- Improved operating procedures by reviewing, refining, and documenting preventative maintenance best practices.
Steam traps
- Service description: Survey building, locate, identify, tag, and test steam trap performance.
- Maintenance value: Ensure steam traps function correctly and prevent issues that can lead to energy waste, equipment damage, and safety hazards.
Pressure Regulating Valves (PRVs)
- Service description: Identify valves’ make, model, size, and serial number. Test pilot valve for leaks, clean orifices, check diaphragm plates, test the gauging, and set to desired system pressure.
- Maintenance value: Prevent system over-pressurization and relief valves from releasing steam into the atmosphere. Failed PRVs may improperly cycle open and close, both oversupplying and then starving the downstream equipment of steam.
Strainers
- Service description: Inspect screens and clean out debris, evaluate source of debris, and troubleshoot. Ensure blow-down valves are functioning properly to flush trapped material.
- Maintenance value: Reduce rust and pipe scale damage to valves and pumps. Ensure heat transfer surfaces are kept free of efficiency reducing deposits.
Heat exchangers
- Service description: Perform water chemistry testing, determine if leaks exist, measure tube thickness, repair or plug tubes as needed, and perform preventative maintenance, such as hydrolasing or cleaning as needed.
- Maintenance value: Recover efficiency losses, optimize operation of the exchangers, and reduce energy consumption.
Steam pipe
- Service description: Inspect steam piping. Check for leaking joints, watermarks on insulation, and corrosion.
- Maintenance value: Deliver safe and reliable steam into the building while reducing potential for steam emissions into the building.
Condensate return line
- Service description: Inspect for leaks and corrosion. Check condensate pump seals for leaks. Check vent pipes for vapor emissions.
- Maintenance value: Avoid condensate water spills, ensure proper evacuation of condensate from system lines, and identify the presence of leaking steam traps in the system.
Mechanical room hot water loop
- Service description: Inspect all piping, inlet/outlet temperatures, and pressures on heat exchangers and mechanical pumps.
- Maintenance value: Confirm adequate operation of key energy transfer equipment, such as heat exchangers, which supply building heat, hot water, or other process loads.
Seasonal and maintenance shutdowns/turn-ons
- Service description: Manage closure and opening of Vicinity’s main service valve for seasonal system curtailment or start of use. Shutdowns require draining of systems while turn-ons require both draining of systems and operating pressure checks.
- Maintenance value: Ensure safe and confined operation of Vicinity’s main service valve for shutdowns/turn-ons related to seasonal changes and maintenance activities. Reduce radiant energy losses, condensate accumulation in system piping, and mechanical room air space temperature. Prevent pipes from rotting and prepare systems to be dormant for an extended period by draining the systems for shutdowns.
Emergency winter weather preparedness checklist
Melt away the challenges of winter weather. Prevent costly equipment damage and disruptions to daily operations by proactively preparing for winter weather conditions.
To enhance preparedness, we encourage you to utilize our emergency winter weather preparedness checklist. Regularly reviewing and implementing this guide ensures proactive building readiness for winter conditions. It safeguards against potential freeze-ups in steam and sprinkler systems, mitigates the risk of roof collapses due to heavy snowfall, and protects against potential flooding during extremely cold temperatures. These risks present safety concerns and entail substantial financial and time investments in repairs, with the possible consequence of building shutdowns.
Print out this emergency winter weather preparedness checklist and review it every winter to prepare staff and equipment.
Vicinity has rigorous cold weather protocols to ensure safe, reliable, and consistent operation of its facilities to prevent service disruptions. Our interconnected energy facilities offer 99.99% uptime energy delivery through multiple power supplies, backup generation, and several water and fuel sources in case of interruptions to other utilities.
Vicinity’s winter weather protocol includes:
- A comprehensive cold weather plan that entails pre-season preparation, pre-storm planning, weekly winter weather readiness checks, and post-season assessment.
- Identification, monitoring, and prioritization of components, systems, and other areas of vulnerability at our facilities which may experience freezing problems, pose safety risks, prevent the delivery of fuel or water, or result in other cold weather operational issues.
- Validation that critical equipment is operational through function testing.
- Implementing ongoing walk-downs throughout the season to ensure heat tracing is functional, sufficient pipe insulation is in place, and opportunities for continuous improvement are identified.
- Strict compliance with North American Electric Reliability Corporation (NERC) – Emergency Operations (EOP).
- Annual training with specific checklists related to freeze protection panel alarms, troubleshooting and repair of freeze protection circuitry, identification of facility areas susceptible to winter conditions, review of special inspections or rounds implemented during severe weather, and fuel switching procedures.
