Author: Lindsey Burbee

Co-op’s Perspective: My first few weeks…

Posted on by Lindsey Burbee

Initial Impression

As a second-year mechanical engineering student from the University of Cincinnati, and a first-time co-op, I didn’t know what to expect with my role at Melink. I had never heard of Test, Adjust, and Balance (TAB) before, and I had very little experience with HVAC systems. However, as I’ve gone through my first weeks at Melink as a co-op, I’ve felt very welcomed. I’ have also learned so much about what Melink does and has to offer. After a few weeks of work, I feel like a new member of a family, and my whole perspective about the HVAC industry has broadened.

Learning About TAB

My HVAC knowledge was very limited on my first day. I understood the basics like heating and cooling, but there were many things that I just didn’t have a clue about. For example, I didn’t know that a low air pressure inside a building could not only negatively affect the building, but the business inside it as well. I learned a low building pressure can lead to problems such as the suction of unwanted air through passageways into the building, low quality air, uncomfortable temperatures inside, unwanted debris sucked in through opened doorways, etc. These unwanted, but all too common problems lead to uncomfortable and unhappy customers inside the building, which ultimately leads to a loss of business. Now I understand how important it is for a business to get a TAB.

I also learned about our customer base. I thought we mostly serviced restaurants, but quickly learned that our customers expanded way beyond just the food industry. In addition to the restaurants, we service companies in the healthcare, technology, education, bank, fitness, and vehicular industries. Also, I found out you don’t just need a TAB on old buildings, but new buildings require them too. All new facilities require a Certificate of Occupancy (CO) prior to opening. To receive an CO, they must have a TAB stating their HVAC is set to the engineer’s specifications. TAB provides building owners the knowledge that their facility is built properly and is operating per design. Thus, I learned no matter the industry, everyone needs a TAB!

Co-Op Thoughts on Melink

In a few short weeks as a Melink co-op, I gained so much knowledge and insight surrounding HVAC. When I started, I was worried about first impressions, making mistakes, and not fitting in. However, the Melink team quickly subsided my worries. They provided a welcoming, fun, and family-oriented environment. I learned so much from the friendly team. They let me engage in the daily routine of the TAB team and really engulf myself into the business. So far, I really enjoy my time at Melink. I can’t wait to see what the future has in store for me.

To Own Is To Serve

Posted on by Lindsey Burbee

A Friendly Competition

In 2010, Melink started a friendly competition called the “Good to Great Awards”. This was inspired by Jim Collins’s book “Good to Great: Why Some Companies Make the Leap… and Others Don’t”.  The goal was to challenge employees to give their best, be innovative and make Melink a great company and sustain our goals year over year.  In typical Melink fashion, we had several employees rise to the challenge and set the tone for the next 10 years.

A Step Further

We knew this was good, but can we make this friendly competition great?  2012 began a new approach and we transitioned to a healthy competition that focused on delivering quality products and services and continuously looking for ways to improve.  Now we were asking for employees to take ownership and responsibility to support our vision, mission and values.  Over the next few years, great ideas were born:

  • Blowing Things Up
  • Insanely Great Service
  • Purpose with Passion
  • Sow to Grow
  • Act Like a Start Up
  • Attitude is Everything

Core Competencies

This year’s competition focuses on stewardship by an individual, team, or collective group displaying an example our newly defined core competencies and our values. Everything we do is built on Integrity, Service Excellence, and Innovation, and this past year we decided to take it a step further by adding six core competencies that we believe all of Melink employees should portray.

Melink Competition for Internal Success and Growth - Core Competencies

Nominating For Success

Just as we do every year, we have an abundance of nominations already. Our employees are proud to be able to acknowledge someone else’s hard work. Their drive makes Melink a better place, for our employees and for our customers. A sampling of the nominations we have received this year include:

  • “Not only does he ALWAYS do a fantastic job on all the projects he works on, he looks out for the development of the other technicians”
  • “The tech worked on a site and took the time to explain what he was working on to the onsite personnel. This was not unnoticed, Melink received a glowing thank you email from the GC.”
  • “She has been above and beyond nice to me. She helped me out when my car was in the shop by giving me a ride to and from work.”
  • “He has persevered through probably double the workload than he previously had. Every engineering need from the sales team was met, with timely, quality results.”

In February 2020, we will honor the winners at our annual company meeting.  It will be difficult to select a winner, but we know Melink will continue to strive for Greatness. This competition will help promote continual improvement.

PositiV and Test and Balance: The Remedy for Sick Building Syndrome

Posted on by Lindsey Burbee

Sick building syndrome is a condition that affects a building’s occupant due to unhealthy factors in the work environment primarily associated with poor ventilation and airflow in the facility. Per the EPA, symptoms of Sick Building syndrome include acute discomfort such as headaches, dry skin, coughing, dizziness, and nausea. Despite all these symptoms Sick Building syndrome can go undetected for years as the symptoms are all relatively minor and occur over multiple years.

  Symptoms of Sick Building Syndrome

With the release of Melink PositiV™ earlier this year, facility managers can now remotely diagnose and asses 4 of the key building metrics that contribute to building health. These include CO2, relative humidity, building pressure, and temperature. By ensuring these 4-building metrics are within acceptable ranges facility managers can sleep well knowing that they will be able to monitor and track if their facility is showing early signs of sick building syndrome. This can empower the end user to act and stop the early patterns that can lead to numerous issues down the road.

You know it is time to act when one of the 4 measurements are outside of the recommended limits. A primary way of attempting to correct any of these issues in a facility is to have a test and balance to reset airflow to the engineered design plans. During a test and balance, existing issues are identified and corrected to allow for proper airflow into the space. Through this process the technician should be examining and resetting the outside air dampers at the facility to allow the building to receive the correct amount of fresh air. The combination of monitoring and acting on the data allows end-users to ensure comfortable, healthy and energy efficient facilities.

Employee Ownership Month

Posted on by Lindsey Burbee

The ESOP Association and its member companies celebrate Employee Ownership Month every October.  An employee stock ownership plan (ESOP) is a benefit plan that gives workers ownership interest in their company.  The employees do not buy the stock, there is no cost to the employees, and it is not a part of their compensation plan.  According to The ESOP Association: “An employee stock ownership plan (ESOP) is a retirement plan—in some ways similar to and governed by the same laws and regulations as a 401(k). In other ways, ESOPs are quite different from 401(k)s.  When companies launch an ESOP, they form a trust that purchases some or all of the company’s shares and holds these in retirement accounts for employees. When the stock value increases or decreases, so does the value of employees’ accounts.”  Various studies and surveys have linked ESOPs to higher returns, greater productivity, higher sales growth, and greater likelihood to survive as compared to conventionally-owned companies.

Ownership creates a unique incentive and motivation for employees to do what they can to help the business be successful.  Imagine the collective power of not just one or just a few owners, but every employee thinking and acting like owners, invested in the company’s success and all pulling together toward that common goal!  The more they do to grow sales and profits, and there are often a countless number of small actions every day which can do both, the more value they directly put into the company… and into their own retirement.

Owners generally think and act differently than non-owners.  Consider how you treat something that you rent versus something that you own.  Perhaps a rental car.  A home or apartment.  A tuxedo.  Or some other property.  Most people will give extra care and attention to the things they own themselves.  They see things in context of the bigger picture and the long-term, not just the here-and-now.  They recognize and appreciate the importance of customer satisfaction.  They see the value in maintaining healthy and collaborative relationships with co-workers/co-owners.  They display a more positive attitude.  They make decisions that are best for the company, not just best for themselves.

Melink became an ESOP in 2018 to create an additional retirement benefit for employees, to share success among all employees, and to reward employees for their efforts to grow and support our business’s success.  The ESOP also allowed us to maintain the company’s independence as a green-energy focused business.  Our ESOP is viewed as a long-term, wealth-building plan that provides each Employee-Owner with an equity stake in the company.  Employee ownership very much complements our company culture and our core values of integrity, innovation, and service excellence.  Even though we only recently became employee-owners, we have always had that owner-mindset.  Ever since I started with the company 23 years ago, I can remember our founder, Steve Melink, encouraging us to “think like an owner”.  Owners make decisions that are in the best interest of their customers, their employees, and their business.

Whether or not your company is an ESOP, how do you perform your job duties?  Like an owner… or like a renter?

Why Recommission?

Posted on by Lindsey Burbee

Building commissioning is often viewed as a one-time procedure performed during a building’s initial construction, among hundreds of other tasks.  (That is, if commissioning was even performed at all… which is another topic in itself!)  An investment was made into ensuring that the newly constructed systems were indeed installed correctly and operating properly.  So then, if a building was already commissioned, why would you want to recommission it?

Before answering that, we should first define what recommissioning is.  Simply put, recommissioning is a process that helps get a building back to the operational performance that was intended from the initial design and construction.  It’s much like a tune-up for your car.  Commissioning occurs during the design and construction of a building.  Add the “re” to commissioning, and it implies that you are “commissioning again” an existing building that was previously commissioned.  In a similar way, when you add “retro” to commissioning, it implies that you are “going back and commissioning” an existing building that was never commissioned before.  According to the Building Efficiency Initiative, “it can often resolve problems that occurred during design or construction, or address problems that have developed throughout the building’s life as equipment has aged, or as building usage has changed.”

The process to recommission is often and best done on a planned, recurring basis.  This is because buildings change over time.  Just because a building’s systems were optimized when it was first commissioned, doesn’t mean they will stay that way forever.  As with most things, building systems wear and their performance degrades over time.  For example, a building may undergo a remodel or the way its space is used may change, pieces of equipment fail and are replaced, control setpoints are tampered with, and sensors fall out of calibration.  Recommissioning can help to diagnose the source of issues and identify building systems that have drifted, leading to higher energy costs and other negative side-effects.  Such issues include duct air leakage, HVAC and lighting left on while a space is unoccupied, airflow not balanced, dampers and economizers not working properly, improper setup or failure of controls, and much more.

Identifying and correcting these issues through a recommissioning process will lead to significant energy savings. It is important to recommission your building every 3-4 years. According to a report by Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, commissioning produced 16% median energy savings in existing buildings with a payback time of 1.1 years.  Furthermore, recommissioning results in a healthier and more comfortable environment for the building occupants, which is not as easy to quantify as energy savings but is even more impactful to an organization’s success.

The Advantages of Optical Sensing in Demand Control Kitchen Ventilation Systems

Posted on by Lindsey Burbee

As the inventors of demand control kitchen ventilation for commercial kitchen systems over 25 years ago, Melink is solely focused on providing maximum energy savings with safe and reliable controls for our customers with our Intelli-Hood® system. Not surprisingly, we’ve learned a lot of things over these years and continuously improve our controls based on lessons learned, industry trends, best practices, technological advances, laboratory and field research. Our industry leader status makes us a ripe target for competitors and naysayers, to which we welcome and enjoy engaging in a healthy debate to advance the usage of demand control kitchen ventilation across the globe.  To this end, I would like to address a document produced by a manufacturer and a respected goliath in the kitchen ventilation industry. 

*All text in red is directly taken from a Captive-Aire produced document obtained by Melink*

The Captive-Aire Demand Control Kitchen Ventilation (DCKV) system controls the fan speeds based on heat generated from the cooking appliances in comparison to the room temperature. Captive-Aire has done extensive research into the effectiveness and practicality of sensing smoke to override the system and turn on the fans. Melink offers an optic sensor inside the hood, which, if penetrated by smoke, will automatically turn the fans to high speed. This is one of the primary differences between Melink and DCKV. 

Melink has performed extensive research over the years into various sensing methods, including space temperate versus hood canopy sensing (delta T) methods, and fallacies discovered in the delta T method is what led us to the patent for utilizing optical sensors in conjunction with heat sensing. Our research uncovered many external factors in the kitchen environment that caused false readings including cross drafts, supply air configurations, door openings and seasonal temperature changes that could trick the system into a cooking response and eliminate energy savings.

Another challenge in the temperature only approach is determining the level of cooking based on these temperature changes alone as the cooking effluent (smoke, steam, etc) often presents itself before a strong thermal plume on the temperature sensor. For example, if you place a cold hamburger patty on a grill the temperature will initially reduce as the heat transfers into the food while creating effluent that must be captured by the hood.  Systems reliant upon temperature only are slow to react to this change and you are left with two options; decrease the temperature range of the system so it runs full speed at the slightest presence of heat (diminishing any energy savings), OR don’t effectively capture the effluent in the hood canopy and cause smoke rollout.  As we at Melink like to say, “You can’t capture what you can’t see.” 

We have found that using an optic sensor to sense smoke is very problematic. When installed inside a greasy exhaust hood, the lens will tend to get caked with grease. This will cause the fans to run at full speed all the time, and therefore eliminate your energy savings. As a result, Melink installs small fans to continuously blow air at the lens to try and avoid grease particles from landing there. This is another component the needs to be maintained and serviced regularly. These optic lenses also require an I/O processor to be wired into the system—this is one more component. If anything happens to the lens, fan, or processor the system will fail. This results in a sustainability issue. Electrical components inside a greasy exhaust hood may not be a sustainable option over the course of several years. The optic sensors/lenses need to be cleaned, and according to the Melink manual, should not be sprayed with hot water or steam by the hood cleaner to avoid damage.

 Yes, our system has a brain and it’s called the System Controller (formerly I/O Processor referenced). All demand control kitchen ventilation systems have some sort of controller to interpret the signals coming in and we like to think our brain is pretty special.  In fact, unlike most competitor systems that utilize an off the shelf PLC controller we custom design ours for the sole purpose of saving you energy in the kitchen and integrating into your building.  Our System Controller is native BACnet (IP), internet ready, 4G wireless capable and has the brainpower to control up to (39) kitchen hoods and (64) exhaust or supply fans. 

We do utilize a component called the Air Purge Unit (APU) that contains a 12VDC fan to direct airflow into the optic housing to maintain a positive pressure environment to alleviate grease buildup.  However, kitchens can be harsh environments and depending on the appliance type underneath these could benefit from a monthly swipe with a clean cloth if it’s above a high grease producing appliance, but less intensive appliances mean less cleaning.  Fortunately, we use that big brain of ours to automatically re-calibrate the optics every day based on cleanliness for optimal performance and if it gets too dirty the system will alert you via the Touchpad or email as to which hood may need cleaned.  

Additionally, a typical Melink system costs much more than a Captive-Aire DCKV so the payback period for a Melink system is much longer.

Not necessarily, the formula for the simple payback period is the initial project cost divided by the annual savings to determine at what time the investment breaks even. If a more intelligent system can save 3x the energy of temp-only system, then the simple payback periods are equal. The downside of this metric is the failure to account for the time value of money and consideration of cash inflows beyond the payback period.  It’s important to look past first cost and take into account the full savings yielded over the life of the system and perform life cycle cost analysis. 

For example:

        Temp-Only System

  • First Cost = $5,000
  • Annual Savings = $1,500
  • Simple Payback Period = 3.3 Years
  • Energy Savings over (7) Years = $10,500
  • Net Savings: $10,500 – $5,000 = $5,50

Melink Intelli-Hood®

  • First Cost = $15,000
  • Annual Savings = $4,500
  • Simple Payback Period = 3.3 Years
  • Energy Savings over (7) Years = $31,500
  • Net Savings: $31,500 – $15,000 = $16,500

Over the life of the systems in this example Intelli-Hood® will yield $21,000 in more energy savings vs. the competitor, less the initial capital difference of $10,000 ($15,000 – $5,000) = $11,000 more in
free cash flow.  This example does not factor in the time value of money.   

The below data shows the savings difference when a Melink Intelli-Hood® system was installed at a restaurant previously using a temperature only system. The baseline data was provided to the owner by the temp-only hood manufacturer, and we analyzed the electrical and conditioned air savings via our Estimated Savings Report.  Once the Intelli-Hood® system was installed we compared the data and found that Intelli-Hood® system yielded 523% more savings than the previous system. Click here to see real IH performance results.

 

Testing has shown that very sensitive heat sensors are as effective as optic sensors in triggering exhaust fans if heat or smoke is present. If cooking generates smoke, then the cooking process will also generate heat. The heat sensors in the Captive-Aire Demand Control Kitchen Ventilation are easily adjustable as different project and applications may require.

Through our own testing in the lab environment, and more importantly the lab of reality in the commercial kitchen with over 10,000 systems, temperature sensing alone will not allow for a quick response to smoke. Based on our data obtained from an installed temp-only system, the heat sensors appeared to provide no active modulation and acted basically as a two-speed system with an active base speed of 80% and quickly ramping a holding a constant speed of 100% through the day since the appliances were on. Again, without the ability to visually monitor the cooking a temp-only system must be run at much higher minimum speeds as a safety net for capturing effluent. This is a major energy savings penalty.

The heat sensors may be “easily adjustable”; however, this requires human manipulation and functional commissioning.  Most often these systems are sent to a mechanical contractor with the instruction to connect the temperature probes to control panel and are left at whatever the default factory setting is.  We like humans too but given the chance we like to engineer around potential issues and lack of consistency from one contractor to the next around the world.  Thus, we patented another feature dubbed “Auto-Temp Span”, which collects performance data from every sensor in the system at defined intervals and automatically sets the optimal temperature spans for every hood in the system.  If the chef decides to change menus, appliances, or a new tenant takes over the space the system will learn these new habits and self-commission for optimal performance.  Call it “machine learning”, call it “artificial intelligence”, we call it a good idea that benefits the end-user.

Lastly, the DCKV has a 100% air override button to send the fans into full speed as a safety precaution.

This override button feature is a code requirement for all demand control kitchen ventilation systems; we have one too.

Here are a few additional differences between Captive-Aire DCKV and Melink Intelli-Hood®:

  • Captive-Aire DCKV is typically programmed with a “prep mode” feature to allow greater energy savings. This feature will run the exhaust fans at a very low speed
    (typically, 20% speed) when the system is first turned on by staff or BAS. This speed is equal to the design differential between exhaust and make-up air. DCKV will run in prep mode until the heat of the appliances necessitates greater exhaust at which point the exhaust and make-up air will both ramp up and cooking mode will commence.
    Melink as currently designed runs both make-up air and exhaust at 50% of its design. 
  • In cooking mode, Captive-Aire designs for a 20% reduction in fan speed during light load cooking times. This reduction is based on extensive research on the topic. Lab testing by The Food Service Technology Center in California has shown that no more than a 20% reduction from a proper design cfm can be made in order to allow the
    system to adequately exhaust appliances when in light load. The Melink system allows for a 50% turndown, therefore, in order for that amount of
    reduction to work properly, the design cfm would have to be increased so the system still works effectively at a 50% reduction. A lower design cfm with 20% fan speed reduction will be more efficient and save more energy than a higher design cfm with 50% fan speed reduction. Captive-Aire DCKV has the ability to provide a 50% turndown, but we do not recommend this. 

From our perspective, this represents nearly a three-speed system with “modes” to make up for the lack of technology, sensors, programming, and algorithms to modulate based on real-time cooking information and optical monitoring, resulting in a loss of energy savings ability. As representative in our data, the temperature spans are typically set so low with these systems, that as soon as any appliances are on, the fans run at an 80% minimum for a very short amount of time and then jump right to 100%.  Unfortunately, it’s pretty rare to see any appliance gas valve regulation in commercial kitchens and most appliances are left at nearly full temperature all day independent of actual cooking, which causes temp-only systems to run at or near full speed all day. We’ve also come across several temp-only systems in the field running at 100% speed when the exhaust temperature read 72 and 73 degrees Fahrenheit.

The Melink Intelli-Hood® system is capable of 20-30% minimum speeds as well, but turn-down ratio is a moot point when the rubber meets the road, or when the meat hits the grill in this case.  Our default minimum speed is 30%, a 2% electrical energy difference vs 20%, and we actively modulate through the entire speed spectrum to 100% to maximize energy savings.  The key to electrical energy savings in motor applications lies in the Law of Affinity (below), which at the top of the fan curve roughly translates to a 10% speed reduction = 25% electrical energy
savings. The key to savings with demand control kitchen ventilation is having the optics to safely and actively modulate at the upper ends of the spectrum during the cooking day to maximize savings near the top of the fan curve between 70-100%.

 

In addition to electrical energy savings from the motor control, Intelli-Hood® also integrates into the make-up air system to modulate based on the exhaust demand.  This modulation provides additional conditioned air savings and can have a significant impact on the payback of the system.  The more extreme the outdoor air environment, the greater the opportunity for energy savings in the reduction of the heating or cooling loads.  The ratio of savings for conditioned air is 1:1 with fan speed reduction, i.e., a 30% reduction in speeds = 30% reduction in conditioned air.

With nearly 20 states adopting ASHRAE 90.1 2010, or higher, energy standards it’s clear that demand control kitchen ventilation is here to stay and we’re proud to have launched this revolution back in 1989.  One of our core values at Melink is Innovation, and we continue day in and day out to develop more advanced commercial kitchen control systems to save our customers valuable money and hopefully make the planet better for our future generations one hood at a time.  Feel free to contact us regarding your next kitchen design involving demand control ventilation or if you’re an existing operator of a commercial kitchen looking to save money, we happen to be experts in retrofits as well.

Melink’s Super-Green HQ2

Posted on by Lindsey Burbee

Melink’s super-green HQ2 is approaching the 90% completion mark.  The windows are installed, and the curtain walls and doors are next.  The sidewalks are being poured and the solar canopy will be erected very soon.  Then the courtyard pavers and asphalt parking lot will be installed.  The two ponds will be combined into a larger one and the landscaping will follow.

Inside, the framing and drywall is nearly completed.  The zone heating/cooling, plumbing, and electric is also nearly completed with our super-hybrid geothermal system going in after the floor area is epoxied next week.  Most of our innovations and patentable products will revolve around this showcase system.  Stay tuned for more information on this as we work through the details.

Painting and carpeting should begin in October with the furniture and fixtures quickly following.  The super-green building should be 99% complete by the end of that month with just punch-list items and commissioning in November.  Melink Solar & Geo should be able to move-in in December and officially start its first month of lease in January. 

SonLight Power’s staff will also be relocating to our HQ2 in January as part of strategic partnership to promote solar and all the positive benefits, including lower operating costs and long-term sustainability and resiliency. In February, we will have our annual Company Meeting and hold an internal grand opening for our employees.

In April we plan to host a separate grand opening for our customers and other stakeholders.  We hope to attract a national keynote speaker to further promote the message that Zero-Energy Buildings are proven, practical, and profitable.  If Melink can design and build an affordable zero-energy building, all architects and engineers in the building industry should do the same.

Climate Change: A Moral Imperative

Posted on by Lindsey Burbee

As the President of Melink Corporation, I’ve always been a bit uneasy publicly commenting on anything that is political or could even be perceived as political.  We live in extremely polarizing times and I’ve never wanted to ostracize anyone; I’m too pragmatic.  It’s not my job to get political.  My job is to run a company, to serve our customers, employees, strategic partners, and other stakeholders.

Isn’t it?

…No. 

Our climate is changing and the vast majority of scientific evidence clearly suggests that humankind is the cause.  So why should you or I stay silent just because the issue has been politicized?  For one thing, climate change should never have become a political issue.  It’s a moral imperative, a matter of national security, and an unfathomable economic opportunity.  Fighting a changing climate is the right thing to do, because it’s the right thing to do.  Our children and grandchildren deserve the same chance at a healthy and happy future as we, our parents, and grandparents had.  How many wars have been fought, lives lost, over natural resources?  Clean energy comes from technology – not fuel sources such as oil or natural gas.  Pursuing a sustainable future also means pursuing a more peaceful future.  And as for economic opportunity – the world is going green whether you like it or not.  The United States led the industrial and technological revolutions of the past.   Leadership of the clean energy revolution is ours to seize.  Doing so would foster unparalleled economic growth for decades to come.  Not doing so will leave us lagging behind in a world that moves faster today than at any point in human history.  United we stand.  Divided we fall.

So, the way I see it, it’s not just my responsibility to speak up – it’s up to all of us.  Silence only gives the political rhetoric more power.  Leaning on the facts, using our voice, and taking action, will literally change save the world.  Honestly, who doesn’t want to help save the world?

Determining if DCKV is Right for You?

Posted on by Lindsey Burbee

When a customer is first debating if Demand Control Kitchen Ventilation (DCKV) is right for their facility, there are multiple questions that come to mind. What is a good application for DCKV? What does it cost versus the lifetime payback? Does it actually slow fans down that much? What is the ability for service in the future?

All of these are valid questions. The most important thing is to partner with a company that works with your team to evaluate and determine what solution is best at the onset of reviewing the opportunity. In order to answer the above questions, the DCKV provider should be asking you the following at minimum:

  • What is the size of the hood(s) (Length X Width)?
  • What is the schedule of the exhaust fans, do they only run 8hrs/day, 12hrs, 24hrs?
  • What kind of equipment is underneath the hoods?
  • What are current utility rates for your area of the country?
  • Is there dedicated supply air to the kitchen space?

With this information the DCKV Manufacturer should be able to provide some advice.

What is a good application?

Four primary factors play a role in this answer. They include: utility rates, total fan horsepower (Exhaust + Supply), exhaust fan run hours and your geographic location.

The total horsepower is self-explanatory. The greater the HP the larger available savings. However, lower horsepower may not disqualify an application. If there is a total of 5hp between exhaust and supply, operating longer than 12hrs/day, with moderate utility rates of at least $0.08/kWh, DCKV systems can be a feasible savings opportunity.

Fan operating hours additionally play a role based on the savings, the longer the operations the greater savings. This type of savings can be compounded depending on the geographic location as significant conditioned air savings can be recognized. 

What does it a system cost versus the lifetime payback?

The cost of a system will vary based on the complexity as well as the selected technology. Two options are a temp only based system or one that incorporates additional optic sensors. Although a temp only based system may cost less, it is important to evaluate savings over the lifetime of equipment compared to a system that incorporates optics.

Assume a 12-year life cycle of equipment. For the sake of this discussion, we will evaluate the following scenario:

  • Single Hood (20ft long)                  –   24hr Fan Operation
  • 5hp Exhaust (5000cfm)                  –   $0.10kWh
  • 3hp Supply                                          –   $1.02therm
Cost Avg. Run Speed Annual Savings Simple Payback Lifetime Savings (12yrs)
Temp – Only $7,000 80.5% $3,502 2.0 yrs $42,024
Optics Based System $16,000 58% $7,865 2.0 yrs $94,380

As seen above the lifetime savings of an optic based system is greater than twice the amount of a temp-only based system. It is important for a DCKV partner to offer a solution best for the customer’s needs, perhaps a blended system would provide the largest amount of savings. For example, perhaps on a larger kitchen, there is significant savings opportunities for one or two of the hoods. However, another single hood has only a single pizza oven underneath, this is when it is important to partner with a manufacturer who has technologies that will maximize savings, such as auto-temp spans and scalability of their system.

Does it actually slow fans down that much?

In the savings example above there is a significant disparity between the average runs speeds of a Temp Only based system and that of a system including optics. When reviewing and selecting a DCKV system, it is important to have proven data of performance. Look for manufacturers that have case studies for their technologies, and significant volumes of measurement and verification. Every market sector is different regarding a 24hr average run speed. As a buyer do not hesitate to ask for examples of performance for your market being evaluated. You can also utilize third party publications such as Demand Ventilation in Commercial Kitchens An Emerging Technology Case Study, written by Fisher Nickel, Inc found here.

What is the ability for service this in the future?

One final important aspect to consider is what happens post installation. Commitment from a manufacturer to service over the lifetime of a system is very important. Does your DCKV partner go beyond the standard warranty? Certain manufacturers offer 24hr engineering technical service. Do they have a service network of technicians available to visit your site if needed? Another consideration is where would replacement parts be purchased from. Some manufacturers have components manufactured outside the United States which can delay delivery and in return create a headache for you to provide consistent service to your customers.

Another important focus on the future would be, what is the adaptability of the system? Everyone has seen a kitchen space eventually be remodeled and cooking equipment is swapped out for a new concept. Perhaps there is increased heat from this equipment change, so can the originally selected system adapt to this change? Certain manufacturers have temperature probes that area initially calibrated at startup based on initial equipment. On the other hand, Melink Corporation’s Intelli-Hood, offers an Auto-Temp span, that self-calibrates, and spans based on trends of continuous data points and monitoring therefore, an equipment change resulting in an increase or decrease in heat load will be recognized and self-adjusted for maximum savings.

How to decide what works for you.

In closing, there are many important variables to consider when selecting a product including DCKV. To some, upfront cost is a primary concern, and to many other end users the most important may be what happens over the life of the system. “Will the manufacturer provide me support?” and more importantly “How much will this save me over time?” Many of us are always saving for our retirement, perhaps now is the time to invest in the savings that are available within your kitchen. Personally, I would love to save double that over a lifetime of a system for a product with the same initial payback.

TOP 3 Points to Consider Before Scheduling an HVAC Balance

Posted on by Lindsey Burbee

There are a few important items that you want to take into account before you schedule an HVAC balance. While these 3 points may seem obvious, there are many instances where a technician gets onsite and the job-site isn’t ready or they can’t access areas that they need. These tips can save time and money for everyone!

1. HVAC equipment is installed and operational.

This one seems like a no-brainer! However, there are always occurrences when a technician arrives onsite to perform a balance and necessary equipment either hasn’t been installed or isn’t properly operational. Examples include VAV’s or dampers that haven’t been installed, or a RTU that isn’t operational.

Ensuring that all ductwork has been completed, balancing dampers are properly installed, any grilles, registers and diffusers are installed, and the RTUs have clean filters helps make sure a technician can provide a proper air balance, as well as mitigate any potential return service costs. Making sure that all equipment (especially RTUs) has undergone a proper start-up to confirm power should always be completed ahead of Melink’s arrival.

2. All HVAC equipment can be easily accessed by a technician.

Another hindrance to any proper test & balance is not being able to access the necessary equipment. This includes equipment installed inside the building, as well as equipment on the roof. When working with a customer located inside a mall or shopping center, security and approved roof access becomes another added component.

Melink typically requires assured access to all applicable HVAC system equipment, including RTUs, VAVs, Exhaust Fans, dampers, etc. Access to fully open dampers, ceiling-height diffusers, and thermostats that may be in an office is necessary to properly complete the balance. Our Account Coordinators will also discuss roof access, security measures, and accessibility to ladders or lifts.

3. Allotting adequate time (2-3 weeks) to schedule and complete the balance.

Though some seasons are busier (or slower) than others, our goal at Melink is to provide every customer the same level of service excellence no matter the time of year. This includes communication with the customer, scheduling the site visit with one of our National Network technicians, performing the balance and working with the customer on any punch-list items, and finally, providing a certified test & balance report.

Our team of National Account representatives and technicians work with the customer through each step of the process. Scheduling an HVAC balance with Melink approximately 2-3 weeks out from turnover will help to ensure a proper and complete balance. It also allows enough time to work through any punch-list items or lingering comfort issues for the customer.