Energy Efficiency Upgrades Save Future Condominium $24,000 in Energy Bills

You could say the Future Condominium is getting its second wind. The 165-unit building in Kips Bay is replacing its decade-old exhaust fans with more than a dozen ultra efficient next-generation models that will save it $24,000 in annual energy bills. The project was a no-brainer for the board, especially because Con Edison incentives covered 70% of the $120,000 project cost. But there was no time to waste. “This money is not going to be available forever,” says Marat Olfir, a resident manager at AKAM. The subsidy lowered the price tag for the building to $36,000.

Adjusting as needed. The energy savings are coming from the ability to adjust the motor speeds on the rooftop fans, which take air from kitchens, bathrooms and the building’s common areas and are an integral component of proper ventilation. Prior to the change, the exhaust fans at the 35-story condo were running at 100% speed all the time. “Having speed controls allows the building to increase or decrease the fans as needed,” explains Brendan Rains, the president of Rains Energy, the company that carried out the work.

A win-win. The new exhaust fans not only save energy but are also are designed without fan belts, which often break. Olfir says this will hopefully lower maintenance costs for the condo. “The belts won’t have to be lubricated, repaired or changed,” he says.

Indeed, Rains estimates the lifetime savings for the project, on both energy and maintenance, could be as much as $500,000. The operation of the new fans is also much quieter, a bonus for residents who like to sunbathe on the roof. 

The building has two commercial units — a parking garage and a Trader Joe’s market. “Those two commercial units affect the building’s energy use overall,” says Mike Lippa, the board president. Garage exhaust fans must be on at all times because of the risks associated with carbon monoxide, but monitoring gas levels allows the fans to be turned down and even off. “That’s a big energy saver,” Rains explains, adding that AKAM helped negotiate the installation of variable speed drives for the commercial entities.

More savings. The fan upgrades at the condo, which has an A energy efficiency grade, are one of a number of building-wide initiatives to cut energy costs. This includes boiler and window upgrades and active participation in demand response events. Last year, the building lowered its energy use during three peak demand events and, through a partnership with Con Edison and the climate technology firm Logical Buildings, earned a check for $8,408.