When President Bush mandated a 2 percent decrease in annual energy costs for all government buildings, Doug Baughman got to work researching ways to enhance his current boilers and increase efficiency.

Baughman, building manager at the Denver Federal Center — a sprawling 3.5 million-square-foot campus occupied by the U.S. General Services Administration — knew the facility’s boilers were running below industry efficiency standards, and he planned to retrofit the old boilers with new burners.

But after he brought in Cleaver-Brooks to help assess the facility, he decided on a different strategy: not a set of upgrades, but a complete boiler overhaul that resulted in a 14 percent efficiency increase and hundreds of thousands of dollars saved.

The new boiler systems included six firetube boilers called Clearfire H units; four firetube condensing boilers called Clearfire C units; several firetube boiler upgrades with CB Hawk integrated control systems; and five retrofits with C-B Pro-Fire burners and Hawk ICS.

Simply upgrading the old burners would have involved a lower up-front cost, but replacing 85 percent of the system brought a much higher ROI. “The government typically seeks a 10-year payback on capital projects,” said Baughman. “We’re looking at payback in one year, based on our reduced fuel costs.”

According to Baughman, the new systems have easily surpassed the presidential mandate of 2 percent savings, and the energy efficiency has increased 14 percent. By his estimates, the campus saved taxpayers a quarter of a million dollars in fuel costs from October 2006 to December 2006 alone. Maintenance costs and water consumption have also been dramatically reduced. In addition, after the reconfiguration, the heating system surpassed Colorado government criteria for emissions.

The new systems were fully integrated with the facility’s centralized environmental management system. The new boilers were considerably more compact than the existing boilers.

CLEAVER-BROOKS

Pharmaceutical specialty and medical device manufacturer Angiotech faced a nagging problem with the indoor environment at its Reading, Pa., assembly and packaging plant: When the humidity in the plant’s cleanrooms wasn’t too high, it was too low.

High humidity in the cleanrooms not only encourages bacterial growth, it prematurely degrades a type of moisture-activated suture designed to slowly dissolve in human flesh following a surgical incision. Low humidity, on the other hand, promotes static electricity, which interferes with computerized packaging and labeling equipment.

Neither dehumidifiers nor a large industrial desiccant could maintain the 20 to 50 percent relative humidity range required. Balanced dampers and reduced air pressure failed, too.

The solution came in the form of the APR Control manufactured by Rawal Devices. The control modulates a direct-expansion air conditioning system’s capacity, allowing it to dehumidify the space without overcooling it. The control varies refrigerant flow according to suction pressure, which changes with the temperature of air crossing the evaporator coil. Because it continuously monitors the heat content of return air, the device is able to maintain the system in a dehumidifying mode more efficiently without risk of coil icing, liquid slugging, or excessive compressor cycling. RAWAL DEVICES

GAF
Ruberoid is a glass fiber reinforced SBS modified base sheet. Product is designed for use in both mop-applied modified bitumen and built-up roof systems, as well as with all deck types. It can be mechanically attached to nailable decks, spot mopped or solid mopped where appropriate. Product is dimensionally stable and will not rot, curl or shrink, according to the company.

BaySystems North America
The company’s SPF roofing systems consist of a sprayed polyurethane foam membrane with an elastomeric coating to protect the foam from UV degradation. The product is FM- and UL-certified. The seamless, self-flashing and lightweight system helps prevent leaks. The roof has an R-value of 6.5 per inch.

Butler Manufacturing
The MR-24 standing seam metal roof system features a double-lock panel with concealed fasteners engineered to accept thermal-induced expansion and contraction. System requires a 1/4:12-inch minimum slope. Features a 25-year warranty for weathertightness. The product is offered in cool roof finishes, and is ENERGY STAR-labeled.

Garland
StressPly SA self-adhering roof system eliminates the need for open-flame torches, hot kettles or cold-applied solvents during installation. It can be used over combustible substrates and on high-occupancy projects, such as hospitals, schools and office buildings. The product provides tensile and tear strength in excess of 180 and 250 pounds respectively.

Stevens
The GardenTop vegetative roof system combines the company’s roof membrane with insulation and water management technology. Two growing medium depths are available: the deeper intensive system supports a greater variety of plant life and requires increased structural load-carrying capacity while the shallow extensive design is suited to building structures with modified conventional roof assemblies and simple drainage systems.

Metal Sales
The classic rib metal roofing panel is an exposed-fastener, low-profile panel with 36-inch panel coverage and a trapezoidal rib on 9-inch centers. Panels have 3/4-inch bell top trapezoidal rib height with 29 and 26 gauges standard and 24 gauge optional. Minimum roof slope is 3:12 and applies over open framing or solid substrate.

H&F Manufacturing
Unitrex is a polycarbonate panel for roofing and siding. Panels perform in temperatures from -30 degrees F to 260 degrees F and have a non-combustible flame spread rating of 6. Panels will not rust, corrode, or bloom, are unbreakable, and are resistant to UV radiation, according to the company.

Tecta
The TectaGreen green roof system is a multilayered living rooftop that is created by adding layers of growing medium and specially selected plants over the top of an enhanced traditional roofing system. Different than a rooftop garden because the plants are actually part of the rooftop, the product incorporates a system of layers in both its extensive and intensive systems.

BASF Polyurethane Foam Enterprises
Elastospray polyurethane foam roofing systems apply directly to existing substrate in 95 percent of retrofit applications. Product requires no fasteners and features high-reflectivity, high insulation R-value, and no thermal bridging. Seamless construction means water cannot migrate through closed-cell foam.

Performance Roof Systems
The Derbibrite APP modified bitumen system is a white acrylic surface permanently bonded to the membrane, retaining its ability to reflect solar radiation and resist UV damage. The surface keeps rooftop temperatures as much as 45 degrees F cooler than black roofs, according to the company.

Ryerson
AlumaKlad roofing metal is coated with BASF Fluoroceram ULTRA-cool coating and features a protective strippable film. Product comes in a 48-inch wide coil and has custom slit-to-width coils. Matching touch-up paint and color-matched rivets stocked. Available in a variety of gauges. Comes with a 30-year non-prorated warranty.

MBCI
The NuRoof retrofit roof system is a light gauge framing system engineered to create a slope roof plane that is ready to accept a new metal roofing system. The product can create either a low-slope functional roof system where the roof is barely visible from the curbside or a steep-slope system with a painted standing seam metal roof system that adds to the aesthetics of the building.

Tamko
Awaplan Versa-Flex modified base sheet is reinforced with a 180g/m2 nonwoven polyester mat saturated with asphalt and coated on both sides with SBS-modified asphalt and surfaced with a mineral parting agent. It is used as the base ply in two-ply modified-system specifications 204 and 204 FR, and as a smooth-surfaced modified membrane in Series 1300 specifications.

United Coatings
Kymax low-build elastomeric coating can be applied directly over approved substrates, such as PVC and metal standing seam. Designed as a finish coat over a standard elastomeric acrylic basecoat, the product is typically applied at the rate of 3 to 4 dry mils.

ATAS International
The Dutch Seam roofing system is a structural continuous standing seam panel designed for roof slopes 2:12 and greater. With the lock and seam an integral part of the panel, there are no caps to install. Mechanical field seaming of the panel is not required. Product is a structural panel and can be fastened directly to purlins or solid substrate.

Mule-Hide Products
Greengrid vegetative roof system modules are composed of 60 percent post-industrial, recycled, high molecular weight polyethylene. Product comes in a variety of sizes and depths. Modules feature a mixture of organic and inorganic material and arrive at the jobsite pre-planted and ready for installation. Optional drip irrigation system.

Conklin Company
Hy-Crown single-ply roofing membrane is made of Hypalon synthetic rubber by DuPont and 10-by-10 polyester scrim reinforcement. The white surface membrane provides a reflectance of 85 percent. Thickness is 45 mils and sheet weight is 32 lbs. per 100 square feet. Typical test results show Class A non-combustible fire resistance, 383 psi hydrostatic resistance and 251 lbs. of puncture resistance.

Sika Sarnafil
The EnergySmart roof has an initial solar reflectance of 83 percent and a corresponding thermal emissivity of 92 percent. The roof is made up of highly reflective thermoplastic membrane and available in white, tan, patina green and light grey.

Tremco
The ManagedAssets program includes a three-step process that begins with diagnostics to understand conditions. Repairs, restoration or replacement can then occur based on the diagnostics. The third step is ongoing preventive maintenance.

Dow Chemical
Styrofoam Deckmate Plus is an extruded polystyrene insulation board with square edges designed for use in conventional low slope roof applications. The product can be installed directly on structural steel deck in all building code jurisdictions. The product complies with ASTM C 578 Type IV and meets IBC/IRC requirements for foam plastic insulation.

Firestone
RubberGard Platinum is comprised of a 90-mil-thick EPDM membrane fully adhered to the company’s HailGard composite insulation, which is mechanically attached to the insulation and seamed with the QuickSeam tape system. The roof system features 90 mils of uninterrupted, weatherable thickness without requiring internal reinforcements, backings, coatings or coverings.

ICC Astec
Re-ply system can restore old single-ply roofs. The product provides a seamless, weathertight barrier that withstands ponding water. The product reflects heat and UV radiation and surpasses R19 heat gain testing. Reduces wind damage risk and includes 10-year renewable warranty.

Petersen Aluminum
Tite-Loc metal panels feature a 2-inch leg height that requires mechanical field seaming after installation. Panels include a concealed-fastener floating clip system to allow for thermal expansion and contraction. Panels carry a UL 90 classification over a variety of substrates.

ER Systems
KynaKote acrylic coating is a single-component, water-borne coating that can be applied directly to metal roof surfaces coated with Kynar or other fluoropolymer based paints. The product can be applied with brush, roller or airless spray. The product is available in a variety of colors and is ENERGY STAR-labeled.

Duro-Last Roofing
Custom-prefabricated, reinforced, thermoplastic single-ply roofing system is designed for flat or low-sloped applications. The product’s white membrane reflects up to 87 percent of the sun’s energy. System can resist chemicals, fires and high winds, according to the company.

Honeywell Specialty Materials
Foam insulation formulated with the company’s Enovate blowing agent is non-ozone-depleting and can act as an air barrier and waterproofing solution. Spray polyurethane foam products can be applied over existing roof substrates.