Real-Time Energy Intelligence Transforms Dallas School’s Operational Efficiency
K-12 school transformed energy consumption profile through strategic optimization while maintaining uninterrupted educational operations throughout implementation.
28%
annual energy cost reduction
133,000+
kWh saved annually
location
Dallas, TX
size
440 tons capacity
industry
K-12
the problem
Inefficient Cooling Infrastructure Driving Up Energy Costs
A Dallas-area school was operating with outdated control sequences and static chilled water temperature setpoints, resulting in inefficient system performance at 1.31 kW/ton with no optimization capabilities. This created unnecessary energy expenditure and limited visibility into system performance.
the solution
Strategic Hydronic Redesign with Intelligent Controls
The process began with a comprehensive hydronic assessment that revealed significant inefficiencies in the school’s traditional primary-secondary configuration. Based on these findings, engineers implemented an Integrated Primary-Secondary® (IPS) hydronic design—eliminating the separation between loops to create a unified flow path that reduced pumping requirements while enabling more precise temperature control. This practical approach delivered substantial efficiency improvements with minimal physical modifications to the existing infrastructure, making it both cost-effective and pragmatic compared to traditional system overhauls that would have required extensive equipment replacement and prolonged downtime.
The reconfiguration established the optimized hydronic foundation necessary for effective control strategies, as even the best optimization technology cannot overcome fundamentally inefficient system designs. With the improved hydronic design in place, the team implemented the Xpress® adaptive control optimization platform featuring:
- Energy-based chiller sequencing that ensures the most efficient equipment combination is always operating
- Dynamic temperature setpoint optimization based on actual cooling demand
- Precise pump speed control to deliver optimal flow rates with minimal energy usage This approach proved significantly more cost-effective than equipment replacement, requiring minimal capital investment while enabling weekend implementation with zero disruption to school operations.
28% energy reduction with zero educational disruption
the results
Conversion with Zero Educational Disruption
Xpress® optimization delivered impressive outcomes across multiple dimensions:
- Significant Energy Reduction: The school successfully reduced their annual energy consumption by 133,000 kWh, representing a substantial 28% reduction in overall energy use.
- Zero Downtime: This decrease was achieved while maintaining normal operating conditions for the school’s 1,000+ student population.
- Optimized System Performance: The system now operates at peak efficiency throughout cooling season, optimizing performance for the facility’s two 220-ton chillers.
- Enhanced Operational Intelligence: Xpress® Energy Efficiency Dashboards provides administrators with comprehensive real-time energy data for all equipment, enabling better decision-making and proactive maintenance. This intuitive visualization tool clearly displays system performance metrics, highlights optimization opportunities, and quantifies ongoing energy savings.