Application Note

ManualsBrandsFluke ManualsMeasurement toolsFluke 975

Application Note

From the Fluke Digital Library @ www.fluke.com/library

Banding together to

conserve resources

Ric Boge didn’t start out to become a resource

conservation manager (RCM) for local government.

He started as a baker. But that job and others in

his diverse career gave him the needed skills—like

data analysis, team building, diplomacy, and a

sharp eye for detail—to help agencies in rural Skagit

County, Washington, trim energy bills and make

their dough rise.

Now Boge is in his third year of

helping the cities of Burlington,

Anacortes, and Sedro Woolley;

the town of La Conner; two port

districts; the local public utility

district; Skagit County govern-

ment; and the Swinomish Indian

Tribal Community manage their

utility usage. Such programs are

not common across the United

States, but the US Department of

Energy has expressed interest.

Washington State has been a

leader in resource conservation

management, with a 20-year

record of success, thanks in

part to support by the Wash-

ington State University (WSU)

Extension Energy Program and

utilities such as Puget Sound

Energy (PSE). But Boge’s job as

shared RCM puts a new spin on

it. Alone, none of his nine clients

has time to focus so closely

Operator: Ric Boge, shared resource

conservation manager (RCM) in

Washington State

Measurements: Spot-check air

quality; search for hot spots; verify

temperature of vents, supply air,

and room surfaces; confirm CO,

, air temperature, and relative

humidity levels; check HVAC facility

performance

Tools: Fluke 975 Air Quality

Analyzer, Fluke 62 Mini Infrared

Thermometer

Building

Operations

Case

Study

Three-years ending 12-2010. Monthly total energy use for Burlington City Hall.

Total Energy Use

Annual Trend

MBtu

01/2008 thru 12/2010

100

200

300

400

01/08 04/08 07/08 10/08 01/09 04/09 07/09 10/09 01/10 04/10 07/10 10/10

Summary of content (4 pages)

PAGE 1
Banding together to conserve resources Application Note Building Operations Case Study Tools: Fluke 975 Air Quality Analyzer, Fluke 62 Mini Infrared Thermometer Operator: Ric Boge, shared resource conservation manager (RCM) in Washington State Ric Boge didn’t start out to become a resource conservation manager (RCM) for local government. He started as a baker.
PAGE 2
on resource usage. By sharing Boge’s time, they gain insights to help them achieve long-term savings. These public officials are spread thin. They handle some work themselves, but they rely on local HVAC/R and electrical contractors to handle new construction and retrofits—and often, to provide sound advice. Boge sees his role as both advisor and teacher.
PAGE 3
Water treatment plants are a special challenge for Boge. They run all the time and use large motors to pump liquids and aerate sewage. There’s little to be done in scheduling to cut energy use. But at the Anacortes wastewater treatment plant, sewer sludge is incinerated, using diesel to aid combustion. By fine-tuning the process, the operators found a way to cut the amount of diesel used, saving a whopping $74,000 per year.
PAGE 4
imperative. Finding alternate funding sources can make or break a project. And with staffs small and shrinking, facilities managers need help from every direction—including their electrical and HVAC/R contractors. “All of ’em can fix it” “If a unit goes out and we call for help it’s not just about calling them up to fix it. All of ’em can fix it,” said Tingley.