High School Installs Thermal Energy Storage to Reduce Energy Use

Chillers work with the CALMAC IceBank energy storage tanks to make ice at night when energy costs are significantly lower. The low-cost stored energy aids the chiller the next day to cool the buildings during peak demand. The combined campuses require 2,200 total tons of cooling capacity. By combining the two central cooling plants into one and adding ice storage, Matern was able to reduce the purchased chiller capacity to 1,200 tons. The hybrid cooling system with ice storage reduced not only the HVAC equipment size and refrigerant required for the project but also the peak energy consumption for the campus. CALMAC’s energy storage tanks are estimated to save 10 percent of the school’s annual electricity costs.

"We reviewed other ice storage companies for this school, but ultimately chose to work with CALMAC for this project because of the lower ambient temperature and higher efficiency of the air-cooled chillers while making ice at night," said Ryan B. Strandquest, LEED AP and Vice President at Matern Professional Engineering, Inc. "I have used CALMAC energy storage tanks in multiple designs and have always been very happy. The tanks are manufactured very well, and give us the piece of mind for our clients that they are getting a superior product."

"We are happy to work with Matern on future projects — they are a professional group of engineers and really understand energy-efficient design measures," said Mark MacCracken, CALMAC CEO and USGBC Board of Directors chair-elect. "Moreover, I’m pleased that our IceBank tanks will help another school save money while reducing the impact of peak energy usage on the environment. Storing energy at night makes more efficient use of energy resources, and there is little energy required to run the cooling system during the day. This is an immense benefit for a school system in Florida, running air-conditioning year round."

CALMAC’s IceBank tanks are part of this unique "high school as a small town" design concept. Three academic neighborhoods, an administration and media civic center, athletic and dining facilities and a performing arts town center are clustered around a central landscaped courtyard. The ice storage system is an integral part of the overall energy efficiency of the campus buildings, all running off of one central plant. Additional information on the project can be found here.

CALMAC Corporation is widely recognized for promoting peak energy conservation and energy cost savings. A member of Demand Response Smart Grid Coalition and USGBC, CALMAC is a leading manufacturer of IceBank(R) Energy Storage equipment with over 3,300 Ice Storage installations worldwide. IceBank systems are a valuable component of the smart grid, enabling energy, including renewable wind energy that mainly blows at night, to be efficiently stored for use during periods of high demand.

www.calmac.com/