Rosedale Gardens Presbyterian Church
Boiler Replacement
Client
Rosedale Gardens Presbyterian Church
Year
2024
Location
Livonia, MI
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The top priority we identified in the MEP Replacement Plan was to replace the church's two, 60 year old boilers. The boilers were showing signs of imminent failure, and since they provide heat to most of the building, the timing was urgent. Inclination Engineering developed design drawings and specifications, assisted the church in selecting a contractor, and supported the church and contractor through construction and commissioning. The new boilers, installed over the summer of 2024 by Goyette Mechanical, provide reliable heating, higher energy efficiency, and take up less space in the mechanical room.
Previous Boilers | New Boilers | |
|---|---|---|
Rated Efficiency | 80% | 97% |
Total Input Capacity | 4,250,000 btu/h | 1,450,000 btu/h |
Number of Boilers | 3 | 2 |
Heating Zones | 7 | 12 |
Project Benefits
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Improved temperature control by increasing number of heating zones
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Increased system efficiency with smart boiler controls
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Integrated room reservations and thermostat calendars
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Controlled hot water flow to each space with automatic balancing valves
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Improved function and safety of domestic hot water
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Decreased number of boilers by tying domestic hot water into boiler system
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Reduced time spent waiting for hot water with recirculation pumps
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Increased water storage temperatures to kill pathogens with mixing valves to prevent scalding. (More info about domestic hot water temperatures)
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Right Sizing the Boiler Plant
Previously, the church rotated between running one large boiler at a time. A third small boiler heated the domestic water. Inclination Engineering reviewed previous winter gas bills and the heating capacity of the indoor equipment to determine a total heating requirement. We met this requirement with high efficiency boilers using intelligent, modulating controls. Each new boiler was sized for 60% of the total heating load reducing the boiler size while retaining redundancy. We also integrated the domestic hot water into the space heating system. In the end, the new boiler plant input capacity was one third that of the previous system.
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Automating Thermostat Schedules
A major side benefit from this project was the reduction in the time staff spend updating thermostat schedules every week. Previously, the weekly schedule for each room was kept on a paper calendar in the church office. Regular weekly events such as choir practice were scheduled along with special events. At the beginning of the week, the building maintenance staff would write a summary of the schedule and walk around the building to set the various digital thermostats and mechanical time clocks. This ensured that the spaces would be heated and cooled only when they were in use, but it required an hour of staff time every week.
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Over the summer, the church office switched from using a paper calendar to an online Google room calendar. As part of the boiler replacement project we upgraded the church's thermostats to be Wi-Fi connected commercial thermostats. We then integrated the Google calendar to control the room thermostats using third party software. A few hours before an event is schedule to occur, the software automatically turns the space's thermostat to occupied mode. The spaces are in setback temperatures when not in use but comfortable by the time an event starts, and it is all done automatically.