Green Supers Workshop: A Property Manager's Report from Day Two

I learned that lighting and appliances account for reportedly 30 percent of energy consumption in large residential buildings. Many of the exterior fixtures that consume an abundance of electricity can be changed to efficient types like compact fluorescent bulbs (CFBs) and light-emitting diodes (LEDs).

As for appliances, we should consider replacing any that's more than 10 years old with one that has the Energy Star label. These latter-day models use less energy and water. Front-load washers tend to use 1/3 less water and electricity than top loaders, for instance.

Halogen or incandescent quartz-reflector fixtures and bulbs should only be used when you require bright, immediate light — for example, at security motion-sensors — since they are extremely inefficient. And if have dimmer switches, make sure you use a silicone dimmer. Other types may dim the bulb, but don't appreciably reduce the amount of energy the bulb uses.

Submtering can benefit large buildings, since it allows a building to purchase electricity at a bulk rate and provide it to the residents at the regular rate residents would pay. The building can profit by retaining the difference. (Some buildings instead pass the savings on to residents, which in turns helps the residents better afford the monthly maintenance.)

Prior to breaking for lunch and our field trip to a building, we discussed heating, ventilation and cooling (HVAC). We learned that air is 21 percent oxygen and 78 percent nitrogen. You get optimum fuel-burning efficiency by a proper air-to-fuel ratio. Too little air can result in carbon monoxide build-up and poor efficiency from excess soot clogging pipes. Too much air equals higher "stack temperatures," which sends heat up the chimney rather than into the building. We were taught the proper water, fuel and temperature readings we should take from our boiler equipment daily.

I'd decided I would have lunch with a different group of supers each day to learn about them, their families and their buildings in a relaxing atmosphere. It's been informative and enjoyable — the conversations were much more satisfying than the meals!

Down in the Basement, Up on the Roof

After lunch we all met at 70 Riverside Drive to conduct class in the building's boiler room and roof area. We discussed one- and two-pipe steam systems, which types of controls go best with each kind, troubleshooting and preventative maintenance, and insulation issues All exposed pipes should be insulated — hold and cold: hot, to conserve energy by reducing heat loss, and cold, to eliminate condensation.

We also learned that if a resident complains of being cold, don't just turn up the boiler. Instead, check the radiator valve and verify that the air vent is working properly. You may want to increase size of the vent, and check for leaks or drafts. Also check whether the resident as removed a radiator or replaced the original with a smaller one.

We had the opportunity to check the boiler's efficiency with testing equipment. This particular # 6 oil burner/boiler was operating at 83% efficiency, which is great.

After our heating-plant session, we proceeded to the roof. There we learned that typical exhaust requirements include 120 cubic feet per minute (CFM) air-removal intermittently, with 50 CFM continuously for kitchens and 20 for bathrooms. Checking roof fans and ductwork includes visual inspection and tightening of belts and sheaves, and replacing filters.

You can variable-frequency drives and timers to conserve energy when there's no or little demand. Available meters and testers can facilitate the job — see Habitat's Weekly New Product section for examples and resources.