Building Assessments and Benchmarking

2/13/2018

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THE SCHOOL DISTRICT OF SOMERSET

2017 Summary PresentationProject Number: 070427.07

Building Assessments and Benchmarking



AGENDA

➢ Elementary School Assessment Overview

➢ Middle School Assessment Overview

➢ High School Assessment Overview

➢ B3 Benchmarking Summary

➢ District Performance

➢ Steps for Improvement



Area 2

Area 3

Area 11. Masonry and Stone Restoration 2. High Volume Exterior Wall Finish Replacement3. Receiving Area: Slabs and Frames4. General Masonry Repairs and Maintenance

Somerset Elementary SchoolAreas of Greatest Concern

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Area 1 Stone Repairs

The masonry and stone work at the main entry was built and designed with a steel structure buried within the walls. That structure is not rigid and will always move. When it does, the mortar will crack and fall out. This is more apparent in the stone verses the brick because the brick works as a rigid mass.

The joints in the stone need to be cleaned and properly sealed with caulk.



Area 2 High Volumes

This high volume spaces and mezzanines and are finished with an Exterior Finish Insulated Finish (EFIS). This system is missing the control joints that new installations are expected to have. As a result, there is excessive cracking and places where the synthetic system is separating from the insulation.

The windows are in need of repair and the caulk joints are beyond their useful life. They should immediately be repaired/replaced before water begins to damage interior finishes or affects the building’s indoor air quality.

The bottom of the EFIS system in not flashed and the roofing is “tucked” into the soft-caulk joint. This is a location where water appears to be entering the system.



Area 3 Receiving

The receiving area has a number of challenges, the greatest of which appears to be excessive settling on the concrete sidewalks. As settling continues, water will enter the sub material and cause the retaining walls to begin to “tip”. In these locations, the sidewalks should be removed, the sub material be amended and compacted and new sidewalks installed.

The sidewalks are also separating from the foundation and settling. Water is collecting along the building and causing issue with ice. The district uses salt to melt the ice, which together with the moisture is causing early corrosion of the metal doors and frames, and other details incorporating steel.

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General Masonry

The brick and concrete block are dissimilar materials that move very differently. As they do, cracks develop and the joint will begin to crumble from the movement and from the freeze/thaw cycles of intruding moisture.

The weep system in the walls uses open plastic drains which allow moisture to drain from the wall but also allow moisture to enter. When water sits in the wall or on the lintel and freezes, the expanding ice will push the wall in the direction of lease resistance.

Window joints are beginning to separate and caulk joint are beyond their useful life. The frames should be repaired and caulk joints be replaced.



Area 1

Area 2

Area 3

1. High Volume Exterior Window Replacement2. Locker Room: Wall Repairs3. Gymnasium: Masonry Wall Restoration 4. General Masonry Repairs and Maintenance5. Windows: Repair and Replacement6. Site Grading Improvements

Somerset Middle SchoolAreas of Greatest Concern



Area 1 Clear Story

The windows in the clear-story above the cafeteria are beyond their useful life. They are not energy efficient, and are in need of repair and maintenance.The area should also be reroofed. When that work is done in conjunction with the windows, thicker insulation can be installed to reduce heat loss/gain.

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Area 2 Building Movement

There are a number of areas within the locker rooms that indicate structural movement. These should be reported to your insurance company and the size of the cracks measured monthly to verify if there is still movement occurring.

If there is, an analysis should be undertaken to determine the cause(s).



Area 3 Building Movement

Large cracks in the gym wall were noticed and after talking to staff, it is believed the cracks are related to a roof issues from a number of years back (water was held on the roof when drains froze. The excess weight appears to have caused the structural system to move beyond the designs ability to resist).

The insurance company has been contacted and their efforts are underway.



Masonry Repair

All caulking (soft joints) are well beyond their useful life and need to be properly replaced.

There are a number of holes in the wall and detreating brick which needs to the replaced and/or repointed.

There are signs that water is entering/trapped in the walls above the window lintels. When it freezes, it can cause the masonry movement seen in a number of locations and the rust. If it continues, the lintels will need to be replaced along with the associated flashings.

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Window Repairs

The buildings classroom windows are in need of repair or replacement. In most cases it is a matter of replacing the caulking and window sills, but in a few there are structural issues which will require the replacement of the entire window and associated flashings.



Site Repairs

There are a number of site issues around the building that should be addressed. Most are due to erosion for large amounts of water and will require a greater effort than adding soil or landscape rock.

When the gym roof was over loaded, the parking lot and drive were dug up for pipe and drain modifications. These efforts and repairs should be part of the insurance claim.

There are a number of areas on the roof which are needing attention and detail verification. There are areas where it appears the wall drainage system has been buried behind the new roofing membrane. If water is noticed inside the building around these areas, then you have verified that the roofing and wall systems need to be coordinated and properly detailed.



General Site Repairs

The site is a large drainage system which will require maintenance. When low spots are noticed, they should be filled in immediately or they will grow larger. Areas with cattails and other “wet” growth should be dug out and new soils placed to grow grass and resist ponding. Finally, stormwater inlets and outlets should be cleaned and maintained to prevent water from backing up and creating “ponds/wet areas” which are difficult to maintain or use.

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Electrical Systems

Much of the electrical systems are now out of date and need to be replaced. This will increase efficiency and reduce maintenance costs.



Area 1

Area 2

Area 3

Area 4

1. Masonry Repairs and Maintenance2. Foundations: Water Intrusion3. Foundations: Water Intrusion 4. Wall and Frames: Maintenance and Replacement5. Windows: Repairs and Maintenance

Somerset High SchoolAreas of Greatest Concern



Area 1 Windows and Walls

The window sills on the newest addition are porous and are now the cause of the calcium deposits on the wall. They can be sealed to slow the process but this will be a problem till they are replaced. The is nothing structurally wrong, it is strictly aesthetics.

The windows are in need of maintenance and repair. The joints of the frames are separating and the exposed metal cladding is beginning to rust. Order/Steps for the recommended repairs:

1. Remove all the caulk and soft joint materials

2. Replace the sill joints and clean the stone and masonry

3. Clean and repair the windows4. Refinish the windows5. Replace the caulking

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Area 2 Moisture Issues

Around much of the building, construction and landscaping has covered the wall weeps which make it hard for water to drain from the cavity as intended. The building is constructed of metal studs with a drainage cavity and brick veneer. If water cannot make its way out the weep vents then it will find another path.

The carpet color and texture indicates where the water has entered the building. The good news is that the drywall was held off the floor ¼” to ½” so there is no sign that it has been wet.

To repair the conditions, the grass and landscape areas need to be lowered and sloped away from the building to 4” below the weeps. Where sidewalks have been poured to the walls, the side walks should be removed and new designs should be implemented to expose the weeps and keep them dry

In the future, the weeps may be replaced with a less porous type.



Area 3 Moisture Issues

Similar to other areas found in the building, the walls in this area are constructed of metal studs with a brick veneer. The same through wall weeps were installed which is allowing water and insects to enter the building in greater numbers than usual.

Here again, the grass/dirt areas are above the weeps, caulking is not being maintained, and the utilities which are passing through the wall are not properly sealed.

Because the soil around the building is fine, it is easily passing through the various wall systems and entering the building. There are signs that water has been entering but fortunately there is a floor drain in the room.



Area 4 Gymnasium

The gym structure and associated doors/frames are in immediate need of repair and replacement. The caulk joints are 15 years beyond their useful life and have already failed around most of the building, the frames are rusting through and the perimeter joints have failed and the doors will soon be starting to rust due to contact with the frames.

The building (in particular the gym) would benefit from reclassification under the new building code. A quick review of the exiting at just the gym indicated that we could eliminate over 50% of the doors on each side. When the doors and frames are replaced on the exterior wall, reducing the number of doors would reduce energy costs and maintenance.

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General Masonry Repairs

All caulking (soft joints) are well beyond their useful life and need to be properly replaced.

There are a number of location in the masonry needing to the replaced and/or repointed.

There are signs that water is entering/trapped in the walls above the window lintels. When it freezes, it can cause the masonry movement seen in a number of locations and the rust. If it continues, the lintels will need to be replaced along with the associated flashings.

As the concrete sidewalks shrink, there are gaps in a number of locations which need to be maintained to reduce the risks of settling/heaving, deterioration of other systems or allow the entry of rodents.



B3 BenchmarkingA Tool to Save the District Dollars



Things to Know About B3 Benchmarking➢ The Program Owned and Beginning Used by the State of Minnesota.

The Departments of Administration and Commence are active in the programs use and ongoing development. It’s use is provided for free by the State for public entities and they have provided funds to help off-set the indirect costs of set-up.

➢ On-Going Costs to Enter and Track DataDistricts that are active users of the program are spending between 15 and 60 minutes for the entry of monthly utility information. The use of the data is the responsibility of the building engineers as a part of their current operational responsibilities.

➢ Training and Professional DevelopmentAll associations have on-going training opportunities at conferences, workshops and in-district training secessions. There have been a number of presentations to most the associations about the importance of benchmarking and how to get started. Partner members are also providing district support for free to help districts get started.

➢ Potential SavingsB3 Benchmarking has been tracking building performance for over 15 years. That data coupled with building industry research, and the known consumption values provided by district audits; it is anticipated that there is potentially $30,000,000 in annual operational savings with minimum facility investments.

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Glossary of Terms➢ Benchmark

The prediction of the Site’s consumption as if the Building were built to the current energy code. Actual consumption of the Site will vary from the Benchmark.

➢ BaselineUsed to compare an Organization or Site’s current consumption to a Baseline Year. A reduction in consumption is due to operation or changes in the building systems, not the weather (weather-normalized).

➢ Utility CostsB3 Benchmarking allows the user to see consumption in three different currencies that are related but not associated:

Energy Consumption: EUI – kBTU/SF/yrDollars: Energy $/SF - $/SF/yrCarbon Emissions: CO2/yr

➢ Potential SavingsPotential Savings are rough estimates meant to provide a sense of the magnitude of savings possible for buildings.



Commissioning and Re-CommissioningEstablishes your current operational norm: above or below codeBecomes another piece of data to guide decision makingCan indicate a “building’s health contributor”

BenchmarkDoes not understand the code under-which your building operatesBenchmark is the lowest efficiency building allowed by code = student performance D-This is different than a baseline which compares a building to its self

School District of Somerset Somerset, Wisconsin

Data from 2013 through 2016



Using The Benchmarking Tool

Is There a Reason for the Numbers at the High School or Other Trends

that could be impacting the Performance Numbers ?

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District PerformanceDistrict Energy Consumption (kBtu/Square Foot) Compared Year to Year



District PerformanceDistrict Costs (Dollars/Square Foot) Compared Year to Year



District PerformanceDistrict Energy Consumption During Peak Demand Periods

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Will the Building by Building Data Provide Better

Understanding?



District Building Performance RankBuilding by Building Peer Rankings

District Overall Performance



WHAT IS THAT!

Carbon, EUI and Dollarstell us different things.Together they can define design strategies or list of maintenance priorities.

Digging Into the DataBuilding by Building Comparison

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WHAT CHANGED!

Consider the variables:▪ Occupant Comfort: room temperature▪ Weather Conditions: weather normalization▪ System no longer working: maintenance▪ Changes in Program Schedules: operations▪ Staffing Changes: staff development

Before being addressed, changes in system operations cost the district over $34,000 in three years!




What Has the Team Been Doing Over the Last 18 Months?

Middle School Case Study



Middle School Building PerformanceBuilding Energy Consumption (kBtu/Square Foot) Compared Year to Year

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Middle School Building PerformanceBuilding Costs (Dollars/Square Foot) Compared Year to Year




We Have Been Tracking Natural Gas and Electric Data But are Adding Water and

Sewer Data



Three Areas of Management and Anticipated Savings When

Actively Using B3 Benchmarking as a Management Tool:

1. Beyond the Meter: Understand the Rate StructureSavings Potential: 1% to 3%

2. Operational Assessments and ModificationsSavings Potential: 7% to 17%

3. Building and Systems Management/ImprovementsSavings Potential: 5% to 20%

Notes: savings will vary based on building uses and system ages/types, and etc.estimates from client analysis and collaborative research with: TWG, Seventhwave, Center for Energy and Environment

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One: Beyond the Meter

➢ Meet with Your Utilities▪ Each Utility is Different

Private Companies, Cooperatives, Management Firms

▪ Rate Structures and VariablesLoad Shedding, Power Factors, Demand Charges

▪ Understand the Performance Service OpportunitiesReCommissioning, Benchmarking, Assessments

▪ Review Available Rebates and The Processes to ObtainEnvelope, Mechanical, Electrical, Special Systems

Three Areas You Can Manage to Control Costs



Ranking Among Districts of similar size (1.5 – 1.9 million sf)

1. Eden Prairie – 60.53 (68 /197)

2. Burnsville-Eagan-Savage – 61.84 (75/197)

3. Lakeville – 62.23 (77/197)

4. Wayzata Public Schools – 63.80 (86/197)

5. White Bear Lake – 63.84 (87 /197)

6. North St. Paul, Maplewood, Oakdale – 68.96 (107/197)

7. Easter Carver County Schools – 69.69 (109 /197)

8. St. Cloud – 74.33 (122 /197)

9. Minnetonka – 75.26 (130 /197)

10. Edina Public Schools – 75.97 (132 /197)

11. Mankato – 76.63 (174 /197)

12. Mounds View – 135.72 (189/197)

Target: 62.25

Note: 9 of the 12 Districts consume more than the target value

B3 Benchmarking: Consumption vs Dollars

Ranking Among Districts of similar size (1.5 – 1.9 million sf)

1. Burnsville-Eagan-Savage – $0.83

2. White Bear Lake – $0.85

3. Eden Prairie – $0.86

4. Mankato – $0.90

5. Lakeville – $0.91

6. Minnetonka – $0.94

7. Edina Public Schools – $0.99

8. St. Cloud – $1.02

9. Wayzata Public Schools – $1.02

10. North St. Paul, Maplewood, Oakdale – $1.08

11. Easter Carver County Schools – $1.28

12. Mounds View – $1.76

Target: $0.78

Note: 12 of the 12 Districts are spending more than the target value

EUI: kBTU/sf/yr Dollars: $/sf/yr

Data From 04/26/16

Many School Districts and Engineers Do Not Seem to Understand That There is a Big Difference



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Somerset Public Schools $0.88 per square foot per year



Somerset Public Schools kBTU 43.72 per square foot per year

LP Gas/Old Systems

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Middle School Building Performance RankCompared to 100 Similar Sites - Last 12 Months of Data





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Energy Bills and B3 Benchmarking Tell a Story

➢ Rate Structures can vary from District to District

▪ Demand and Peak Charges

▪ Power Factor Charges

▪ Other Miscellaneous Charges

▪ Type of Utility

➢ Consumption vs Dollars

▪ Are NOT the Same Story, but Very Different Issues.

▪ Identifies Changes to Operational Procedures

▪ Identifies Design Strategies

➢ Help Establish Priorities for Training or Projects

▪ Demonstrates and Understanding of True Costs

▪ Can the Values Change

▪ Different than Indoor Air Quality



Building Schedulesversus

Energy Costs

Teaches Districts to Consume Less When Energy Costs are High

Building Performance▪ Metering Strategies▪ Zone Analysis▪ Warm-Up Schedule▪ Building Uses▪ Types of Activities▪ Technology Solutions

work from home strategy

Elk River Public Schools

14% Reduction = $34,000September ‘15/September ‘16

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Two: Operational Assessments

➢ Overlay the Use Patterns and Operations with Rate Structure

▪ Start-up and Shut Down (the lag time)

▪ Define Building/System Zones

➢ Building Engineer/Staff Understanding and Training

▪ Building Automation Systems and Schedule

▪ Working with the User Groups and Utilities

➢ Occupant Comfort and Behavior Techniques

▪ Thermal Comfort (can change over the day)

▪ Plug Loads and Advanced Power Strips

▪ Light Levels and Glare

▪ Acoustics and Sound Enhancements

▪ Computer Power Management (32% of office plug loads)



Operational Strategies for Improvement

➢ Staff Development

▪ Building Automation Systems: Building Engineer and Administration

▪ System Design Strategies: Building Engineer and Staff

▪ Building Use Patterns: Food Service, Activities, Community Use

➢ Operational Strategies

▪ Plug Load Analysis: toasters and heaters

▪ Evening/Weekend Building/Zone Access: occupant sensors

▪ Turn Off the Lights and Fans: largest consumption loads

➢ Maintenance Needs

▪ Filters and System Cleaning: impacts to system efficiencies

▪ Verify System Components: fire/smoke dampers



Three: The Building and Systems

➢ Understand the Building System and Program Relationships

▪ Understand the Relationship of All Systems and Materials

▪ Envelope 1st – Electrical Systems 2nd – Mechanical Systems 3rd

▪ Glass Types: glare, heat gain, and dust

▪ Kitchen: equipment, hoods, and make-up air systems

▪ Changing Systems Impacts: heat sink walls, geothermal, and comfort

➢ The Mechanical System Strategies

▪ Commissioning and Determining System PotentialDesigned Occupant Loads vs Actual (posted) Occupant Loads

▪ “Rebates” Make It Difficult to not Focus on Mechanical SystemsRebates make is difficult to not focus on the Mechanical System,

▪ Performance ContractingCalculating Long Term Payback: designing the largest system possible

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Question and AnswersTroy W. Miller, AIA, [email protected]: 952.448.3357

Building Assessments and Benchmarking

Building Assessments and Benchmarking

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