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Los Angeles Building Goes Another Shade Greener

HVAC Optimization Software to Cut Annual Energy Use

CENTURY CITY, Calif. — Constellation Place in Century City, California, is known for its progressive environmental efforts. From solar panels and fuel cells to high-efficiency plumbing and lighting, the 35-story JMB Realty Corp. architectural landmark is setting the bar in efficiency.

It is the recipient of the Building Owners and Managers Association (BOMA) 360 Performance Program Designation and is officially certified by the city of Los Angeles and state of California as a green business. The management behind the Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) EB O&M Gold certified building has raised that bar even higher with the installation of LOBOS EE, HVAC optimization software from Enerliance, a recent acquisition of Yardi Systems. The upgrade is slated to reduce Constellation Place’s annual energy use by more than 1.1 million kilowatt-hours (kWh).

“From a financial standpoint, LOBOS is just good business,” said CP Pitones, business development director, Enerliance. “LOBOS installed buildings are currently generating $5 million in annual energy savings. And with a building as environmentally progressive as Constellation Place, adopting the latest, most efficient technology is the norm.”

LOBOS monitors and controls the energy-using devices in a building’s or campus’s HVAC system. By constantly making micro-adjustments, LOBOS balances both the chiller and air handling systems for efficiency every minute of every day, maintaining a consistently comfortable environment on every floor while using the minimum amount of energy.

One key measurement of cooling system efficiency is kilowatts per ton, an indicator comparable to miles per gallon in an automobile. The Constellation Place central plant daytime load now runs at 0.34 to 0.65 kilowatts per ton on most days, compared to 0.80 to more than 1.00 kilowatts per ton prior to LOBOS, an average reduction of 30-50 percent. The smaller nighttime loads have been seeing consistent energy efficiency improvements of 50 percent or more.

In addition to significant energy savings and improved occupant comfort, Enerliance founder Scot Duncan said that one of the premier benefits of LOBOS is easy integration: “As a standalone technology built on the Niagara platform, LOBOS system integration is performed with relative ease. LOBOS is designed to interface seamlessly with nearly all modern HVAC systems to deliver consistent efficiency and comfort.”

Pitones is confident this new technology will serve the building well: “By adding LOBOS HVAC intelligence to an already efficient HVAC system, Constellation Place is now even further ahead of the typical Los Angeles high-rise.”

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