While offices do not traditionally use huge amounts of water, heating what we do use was looked at as an area for long-term savings when we built our new facilities in Heber City, Utah.  That was discussed in more detail in our blog post about the heating and cooling system.

Other ways we save on water consumption is by using high-tech assistance. For instance, all the faucets in the building are motion-sensored to minimize water wastage, and all of the toilets are low-flow units using just 1.5 gallons per flush.

Efficient Lighting Saves Energy

Decreasing electrical usage with an efficient lighting system was important to us at Insight Technology/FactorLoads.  We chose a Lutron lighting system, which has three primary functions. First is an automatic shut off capability.  At 5:30 p.m. all the lights automatically turn off, as do all but one of the electrical outlets in each worker’s cubicle. That way, nearly all electronic equipment is shut down every night automatically, including computer monitors, radios and task lights.

The second function of the Lutron system is motion detection.  The entire 12,000 square foot building employs the sensors so that lighting is only provided in places where there are people using it. If there is no movement, the lights shut off automatically.

The third function of the Lutron system is its natural light sensor.  The system senses how much natural light is coming in through the windows and can either brighten or dim lights accordingly.  Even dimming the lights just five percent on a mildly sunny day equates to substantial energy savings.

To help bring in more natural light and reduce the reliance on electricity, the building was constructed with 24 solar tubes (which are like skylights) that bring in light through the roof. The building also has light shelves on each window that sit atop the interior frames and help bounce light deep into the building’s interior.

 

Walls that Help Regulate the Temperature

Our FactorLoads headquarters has one of the most efficient heating and cooling systems available, but no system can work at its optimal levels if the building it not properly insulated.

That’s why our building uses insulated concrete forms (ICFs) for the walls. Basically, the ICFs are eight inches of concrete with an additional two inches of foam on either side of the concrete.

These highly efficient walls hold a temperature for many hours. In warm months, they trap most of the radiant heating from making its way into the building. The heat is retained long into the night, but by morning they have cooled. The walls hold the overnight coolness long into the day.

In winter, the retained heat in the wall helps save from heating the building at night. This simple process evens out temperature swings, thereby lessening the load on heating and cooling units year round.

Because the building features an open ceiling, no Fiberglas insulation could be used. And since the building’s walls are so efficient we had the contractors add more insulation to the roof to insure it would not be a weak link in the chain.  They added 3.5 inches of gravel/tar mix insulation on the roof which holds the warmth in winter and reflects heat away in summer.

Views of Utah’s beautiful Wasatch Mountains were important to our team, as was the use of energy efficient window technology to better enjoy that view. The building employs all highly-efficient double-paned glass that keeps the cold and heat out. The lobby has double sets of doors, helping even out the exchange of air between inside and outside.

Pulling from the Earth’s Underground Resources

When we set out to build a green facility for the Insight Technology/FactorLoads headquarters, one of the key features we knew we wanted to incorporate was a ground-coupled heat pump.  Designing and constructing this vital green element involved drilling 15 holes 300 feet into the earth.  There, the temperature of the earth remains a consistent 56 degrees. Fluid-filled piping runs into the holes where it captures the heat there. In Utah’s cold winters, the fluid heated naturally by the earth to 56 degrees gets pumped into the building where the heat is removed, compressed and pumped through the building’s HVAC system. By starting off at 56 degrees, the heating bills are reduced drastically, Aliengena says.  With this system the entire 12,000 square foot building is heated using only electricity, and at substantial savings.  A back-up gas line was put in place as a precaution, but has not been hooked up as it has not been needed.

The ground-coupled heat pump system is twice as effective as a traditional HVAC unit and it’s got practical applications for the summer as well. On hot days, the system transfers heat from the building to the ground loops. In particularly hot weather, the temperature of the earth around the ground loop field can heat up making the system less efficient.  Alleviating that problem meant thinking of alternatives. The system’s designers created a unique secondary loop field on the roof where it disperses heat throughout the night, allowing the ground to cool back down for the next day’s use.  We also modified the unit to heat our hot water during the day.

Additionally, air space under the roof solar unit has fluid-filled piping running through it.  The fluid heats up in the winter, providing radiant heat that is used in the lobby floor. 

Our architect used passive solar to build upon the heating systems. All the windows have exterior sun shades on them that capitalize on the sun’s position in the sky at different times of the year. In the winter, when the sun is low, the shades cannot block it. That allows natural heat into the building.  In the summer, when the sun’s position is high in the sky, the shades block the sunlight’s direct infiltration into the building.

The Cost of Green Business

Going green offers a variety of long-term benefits.  In addition to being much better for the environment, it also saves us money in heating and cooling, water, electricity and other expenses.

Knowing we were making a long-term investment meant also understanding that the initial cost of building green was higher than traditional construction.

Now that we’ve been in our space for a couple of years, we clearly see the benefits of building green. As a case in point, the 5,500-square-foot building right next door where we were formerly housed costs about $600 per month in the winter on gas for heating and electrical for lighting and running equipment.  “Our building is more than twice the size of the other, yet we’re spending only about $800 for our electrical – used for both heating and lighting.” Saving money and doing something good for the environment, after all, are what going green is all about.
 

The Insight Technology/FactorLoads green building is more than just saving money.  One of the careful considerations we had to make was how we could avoid using products in our office that are not environmentally friendly.

One of the first things people notice when they walk into our new facility is that we have no carpeting.  Instead, the floors are stained concrete, which saved on materials and are also healthier for the workers in the building, particularly those with allergies and those who are sensitive to chemicals or dust. It’s easy to keep clean, it looks great, and it won’t wear out or trap dirt like carpet does.

Did you know that the FactorLoads offices are green – as in environmentally friendly?

Our headquarters building in Heber City is perhaps one of the most environmentally friendly office buildings in all of Utah. We had the 12,000 square foot space constructed in 2007 east of Provo. Our structure uses the latest technologies for heating and cooling, passive and active solar, motion-controlled lighting, natural materials and environmentally friendly landscaping. In fact, it exceeds what most builders would consider “green.”

To achieve our “green” status, we worked with architects from PGA&W and builders from New Star General Contractors. Our goal was to create useful office space that is also practical, cost effective, and comfortable. 

See other blog content for more specifics on our green office building.

Nitrogen versus air in tires

Does the cost of filling your tires with nitrogen outweigh the benefits? Probably not.

Lots of experts (and plenty of people who are selling nitrogen) make consistent and valid points about the benefits of filling your tires with nitrogen instead of regular old (and generally free) air.

The pros:

• While air is about 78% nitrogen, it also contains oxygen – as much as 21% -- and water vapor.  And the water in oxygen helps contribute to “oxidative aging” in tires that can negatively impact tire life. Water inside your tires can corrode aluminum rims or rust steel rims.
• Tires for big rigs cost about $480 when you factor in two retreads. The average life span for a truck tire is about 270,000 miles. Using nitrogen instead of air reportedly helps the casings from failing prematurely and allows for multiple retreads. One source says by using oxygen, the tire life can be extended as much as 25%. That means your tires could take you as much as 330,000 miles for a savings of about $120 per tire.
• When it comes to nitrogen, size matters. Here’s why: nitrogen molecules are larger than oxygen molecules. That means tires leak less of the gas over time. Therefore, tires filled with nitrogen tend to retain their pressure levels better and longer than those filled with regular air.
• Nitrogen heats up more slowly than air, which means your tires are running cooler. Not only does that help with wear and tear, it also helps lower your risks of having a high-speed blowout during hot weather.
• One fleet test in Canada showed that tires filled with nitrogen helped with fuel economy – improving it by 3.3% as well as substantial improvements in tread life mentioned above.

The cons:
• If you fill with nitrogen, you should never “top off” with air.  By adding regular air, you’d lose most of the benefits of nearly-pure nitrogen because the oxygen molecules contain water vapor and because the oxygen molecules are smaller which means they can leak more easily.
• Nitrogen is more difficult to find than ordinary air.
• Nitrogen is more expensive than air. Some service stations or tire dealers charge as much as $15 for car tires filled with nitrogen.  Filling truck tires will certainly cost more.

So what do you think? Share your thoughts or experiences with nitrogen-filled tires here:

Without our wheels, none of us is going to get very far.  And because so many of us base our living around driving, keeping our tires in top shape is a very important consideration.

The key to saving wear and tear on these expensive necessities is keeping them properly inflated.  Most tires are stamped with the proper pounds per square inch (PSI) limits right on them.  Additionally, your truck manufacturer offers specifications on the proper PSI based on the weight of the loads you are hauling.
But in every case, properly inflating your tires for the vehicle application, vehicle loading and driving conditions will help keep you safer by maximizing traction, improving vehicle handling, improving your fuel economy and helping maintain tire life.

There is such a thing as too much air:

• Overinflating your tires may help improve your fuel economy to a degree because it reduces rolling resistance.
• Overinflated tires do not fare as well on bumps as normally-inflated tires do. They can damage more easily while also giving you a much bumpier ride.
• If you overinflate the tires beyond their maximum pressure ratings you are courting trouble. The tire may bulge out at the treads. This creates a dangerous situation that increases the wear on the center of the tire and reduced your contact with the road.
Too little air is no good, too:
• Just as overinflating is bad, under-inflating is probably more common and also not good for your tires.  Too little air pressure for your load means your tires have more rolling resistance because they are making too much contact with the road. That’s a killer for fuel economy.
• Hot, hot, hot! Keeping your tires under-inflated causes the sidewalls to flex more. That pushes up tire temperature which can lead to blowouts or other tire failures.
• When your rig is carrying heavy loads, under-inflated tires are not carrying their share of the weight. If you notice changes in your steering, braking or alignment, check your tires – inflating them properly may be a quick and easy fix.
• If you’re cost conscious, you care about tire life. Under-inflated tires wear out faster – think in percentages: 10% less tire life for every 10% of under-inflation.  

Know when to change out tires:

• With a typical truck tire lasting for 270,000 miles or more, it’s also important to know when to change them. Older tires take more effort to maintain. Because rubber become more porous with age, older tires tend to leak more air than newer tires. When you get tired of constantly checking and filling leaky old tires, it might be time to replace them.
(Note: see related blog content on the pros and cons of filling your tires with nitrogen instead of air).
(Note: see related blog content on tire pressure.)
Got any tire maintenance tips to share? Add them here:

Fuel Saving Tips

Slow down, tighten up, shut it down and keep the tires inflated.  These are four important ways to help you cut down on your diesel consumption when you’re out on the open roads.  With the typical summer spike in fuel prices, these tips might help you save a few bucks:

• Reducing your speed translates into burning less diesel. Cutting down from a top speed of 70 mph to 60 mph means it will take you a little longer to arrive at your destination but your tank of diesel will last about one fifth longer, experts say.  
• Keeping your trailer close to your cab cuts down on drag. Experts say that for every inch greater than 30 separating the trailer from the truck, your fuel mileage will decrease by one tenth of a mile per gallon. The more aerodynamic your truck, the better your mileage will be.
• Using a heater instead of keeping your trailer running on diesel when you are resting during cold weather will save you plenty of fuel and helps the environment.
• Tire inflation – keeping your tires properly inflated to the manufacturers’ specifications is critical to maximizing fuel savings.
• The unknowns-until-you-try-them: oil additives and other fuel-saving gadgets.

Got any tips or tricks you use that helps with your fuel economy? Send them our way for posting here: